FRIENDS of the Singaporean cyclist who was critically injured after being hit by a getaway car in New York have started a Facebook group to raise funds for him.
Mr Al-Matin Mohamed, 24, reportedly suffered injuries, including head trauma and broken legs, after he was mowed down by the vehicle as it raced from the scene of a violent robbery.
By last night, the Get Well Soon Matin Facebook page had more than 337 members and had raised $4,185.
"He is a fighter," said 24-year-old undergraduate S. C. Yang, who has known the aspiring pastry chef for over a decade.
The victim's older sister, Ms Nadiah Karina, said on Monday that he was no longer in critical condition, although he remained in intensive care.
She and her mother have flown to New York to be with Mr Al-Matin, who was a Guards officer during national service.
Ms Nadiah 26, posted on Facebook: "He will recover, that's for sure, and should undergo rehab in the next few (weeks) and during which I do hope we all can encourage him as he starts the challenge.
"He did not give up on us; neither did he give up on himself. We all know that being the guardsman he is, the fighting spirit never dies."
Mr Al-Matin, who is in Bellevue Hospital, moved to the city less than a month ago to train at leading seafood restaurant Le Bernardin.
He was hit by the getaway car on East 29th Street on Saturday. The driver remains at large, the New York Daily News reported.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Singapore consulate in New York had been in touch with the family.
