CLEVELAND — An elderly Army Veteran who survived the beaches of Normandy during World War II had his life threatened over some lottery tickets.
Curtis Word, 88, walks 2 miles every morning and sometimes stops for lottery tickets during his trek.
Recently, he stopped at Chillie’s store on E. 116th Street around 6:40 a.m. and purchased $18 in lottery tickets, but unbeknownst to Curtis, a man followed him out of the store.
While walking home, Curtis was assaulted by the man.
“He jumped on my back and had me on the ground and was punching me in the side with a screwdriver,” said Curtis.
The man badly bruised Curtis’s ribs with the handle of the screwdriver and might have done more damage.
“I was really thinking he was going to kill me. I stopped moving because I thought if I stop moving, maybe he’ll get up off of me,” said Curtis.
The man took the ticket and two dollars in change.
The man reportedly returned to Chillie’s and claimed that his “grandfather” didn’t want or couldn’t afford the tickets, and he was refunded cash.
Police and Curtis want the man caught before he hurts someone else.
Curtis wasn’t too upset about the lost tickets. He said he knows his numbers and they didn’t win that day.
Curtis wasn’t even mad about the attack.
This spirited veteran, originally from Mississippi, has seen “a lot” in his long life.
Despite the robbery and injuries, he is soldiering on with a heart of gold, guts and grace.
“No I’m not angry. I was sore, very sore, but now I’m just back like I always was. I still walk my 2 miles every day. I’m blessed, that’s all I can say, I’m blessed,” said Curtis.
If anyone has information on the robbery or recognizes the suspect they are asked to call Cleveland police.
