Screenshots/ YouTube, ABC 7 Chicago, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

An 81-year-old pizza delivery veteran, Ernie Aimone, fell victim to a brazen carjacking after enduring a vicious assault from “scum of the earth” teens before they stole and crashed his car.

Aimone, a retired Army veteran Sergeant with combat experience in Vietnam who has a career spanning four decades in pizza delivery, found himself brutally attacked and robbed following a delivery in the Jefferson Park neighborhood on Chicago's Northwest Side.

Chicago Police officially confirmed that the incident took place approximately at 9 pm on Wednesday, unfolding on North Ludlam Avenue.

ABC7 reports that a man approached Aimone from behind, delivering a blow to his head, which sent him crashing to the ground. The assailant, with brute force, demanded Aimone's car keys, following it up with a vicious punch to his face, instilling a profound sense of fear for his life.

“They said, 'gimme the keys, gimme the keys,'” Aimone recounted. “And they sucker punched me from behind, hit me in the face. I was afraid for my life.”

The veteran made a strategic decision not to resist, opting to stay on the ground as the assailants made off with his vehicle.

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Ernie's daughter, Robyn Aimone, reflected on the gravity of the situation, stating, “It could have been a lot worse. He couldn’t come home. He wouldn’t have come home that day. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”

State police eventually managed to locate Aimone's vehicle, identified as a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe. However, the vehicle bore substantial damage, evidently from being involved in a collision.

Law enforcement officials have successfully apprehended one teenage suspect involved in the incident, while the rest of the culprits are still on the run, ABC7 reports.

Aimone, renowned for his unwavering dedication as a pizza delivery driver at Joe's on Higgins for over four decades, received widespread admiration from both colleagues and patrons alike.

“He's like family to us,” expressed Frank Demonte of Joe's, reflecting on Aimone's longstanding presence. “He's seen me grow up from very young. He worked for my Dad.”

“Ernie's very special to us. Always has been,” affirmed Gina, Frank's wife, echoing the sentiment of deep regard for Aimone within the Joe's community.

Aimone steadfastly pledges to resume his duties as a delivery driver once he manages to secure another vehicle despite enduring the traumatic event.

“I got a daughter and a son,” Aimone asserted. “I gotta live for them,” highlighting his profound sense of responsibility towards his family.

Aimone faces a significant setback as his insurance company declines coverage for a replacement vehicle, citing the carjacking incident transpired while he was on the job.

A GoFundMe initiative, initiated by the Gladstone Park Chamber of Commerce, has garnered an impressive sum, nearly reaching $27,000.

“He's like a local legend,” remarked Dan Ciolino of the Chamber, emphasizing Aimone's remarkable dedication to Joe's over four decades and his service to the nation. “He deserves our support in his time of need.”

This fund is designated to facilitate the acquisition of a replacement vehicle for Aimone, with Joe's Pizza Joint contributing a generous $1,000 towards the cause.

“Ernie's main source of income is through delivering pizza for Joe's, and his insurance company wants to deny his claim, as he was carjacked while working,” his GoFundMe said.