WWII vet making progress, speaking again after critically injured during Las Vegas police pursuit

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - FOX5 has an update on a World War II veteran who was critically injured in a high-speed police pursuit.

“He said, ‘Am I in the hospital?’ I said, ‘Yes…you got to get better,’ and he smiled at me and that is all I needed,” recounted Sherry Muskin about her first conversation with her husband Herb when he came to the hospital. The couple has been married for 67 years. Last year, FOX5 profiled their love story.

After his years in the service, Herb became an orthodontist and raised a family in New York retiring to Las Vegas because of his love of blackjack. A full life, of more than a century, was nearly ended by a police pursuit. A vertebra in Herb’s neck broke in the crash and in the hospital last Saturday, there were problems with his airway.

“They had to have a crash cart come and they came right away and helped him,” explained Herb’s son Drew Muskin. The WWII vet has continued to fight.

“I want to go home,” said in a video shared with FOX5. His family says Herb is doing better each day now able to speak once again after being taken off a ventilator this week. His son says there are several signs he’s doing better. He asked to see his dogs and the former orthodontist even complimented his nurse’s braces.

His two sons have dropped everything and flown across the country to be with him as he remains in the hospital. The family does have a fundraising account set up to help with expenses.

As for the two women who police were pursuing in the stolen vehicle the night of the crash, Lorraine Alvarado, who was shot after flashing a gun at police, remains at the Clark County Detention Center as of this report.

The other suspect, Kassandra Alvarez, also remains in jail.

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