'You Fight Through': Despite Frigid Temperatures, Folks Brave The Cold For Work, Play
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - New York is in the grip of a bitter blast, and a winter storm is headed our way.
CBS2's Kiran Dhillon took a look at how many people in our area are dealing with the frigid temperatures.
Those frigid temperatures and bone chilling wind didn't stop dozens of people from lacing up their skates at Bryant Park Friday.
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"The city is beautiful. The kids had off school, so we decided it'd be a great day to come," said Ayelet Hischkorn.
She brought her three kids in from New Jersey, though she admits she considered canceling.
"She woke us up 20 minutes before we left and said 'You better be wearing three layers.' It's very cold!" said 15-year-old Meitel Hischkorn.
While the Hischkorn family layered up, others embraced the chill. Dhillon spotted Alec Kulakowski without a jacket..
"Aren't you cold?" Dhillon asked.
"A little bit. But once you start skating, you warm up 20, 30 degrees," Kulakowski said.
Aramis Fernandez wasn't wearing gloves.
"I have to have an outlet for the heat, cause [if I] take off my hat, you see smoke. I'm sweating," Fernandez said.
While many of these folks chose to be outside, for many who had no choice, the winds were brutal. After years of working outside, Matthew Veres says he has a system for staying warm.
"If it's 30 degrees and above, just fleece pants. Twenty, fleece pants and leggings underneath. And today is snow pants. Just trying to keep the wind out," Veres said.
Over in Hudson Yards, Tony Kodra shivered as he sold food to construction crews, saying he was absolutely thrilled to pack up early as winds grew more fierce.
"I'm actually looking forward to blankets," he said. "I had a lot for the day - enough is enough!"
Meanwhile, construction foreman Jermaine Middleton told Dhillon where there's a why, there's a way.
"We think about our families. The work still has to get done, you know. You fight through," he said.
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CBS2's Kiran Dhillon contributed to this report.