NYC man killed by falling crane eulogized as generous, kind

NEW YORK (AP) — A pedestrian killed by a collapsing crane was eulogized Sunday as a man of kindness and generosity as the final remnants of the crumpled steel were removed from the Manhattan street where they fell.

David Wichs, 38, has been described by relatives as a mathematical whiz who graduated from Harvard University and worked at a computerized-trading firm.

The recipients included the Yeshiva of Flatbush, which had welcomed Wichs as a 14-year-old from Prague who barely spoke English and knew no Hebrew.

"Given what happened here, it's extraordinary that there was not more damage, and it's extraordinary that we did not lose more people," Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference Sunday in which he announced a four-point plan to increase safety when large construction cranes are operating.