Rich dude says a housekeeper stuck in elevator for 3 days did not test 'limits of human endurance' and ummmm

This seems, uh, out of touch.
 By 
Chloe Bryan
 on 

It is almost as if the rich people have lost touch.

A 53-year-old housekeeper was trapped in the elevator of her billionaire employer's New York apartment building for three days last weekend. What caused the elevator to malfunction is unclear, but the woman was in stable condition after being rescued Monday morning and has since been released from the hospital.

Being trapped in an elevator for approximately 72 hours is a difficult thing to endure. This should not be controversial. But this woman's feat was not impressive enough for one of her employer's neighbors, who is another rich person on the Upper East Side.

"Humans can last well over 72 hours ... without water," the man said on cable news station NY1. "So what she went through isn't anywhere close to the limits of human endurance. It's just beyond we're used to because we've become so civilized we've lost touch with our true strength."

Writer Josmar Trujillo tweeted a clip of the interview late Monday. People instantly started -- correctly -- to make fun of the bizarre and highly villainous neighbor. Luckily, a really good thread roasting Peloton bikes (think SoulCycle, but in private homes and extremely bougie) made the rounds earlier that day, so everyone had their "rich people exercising" jokes at the ready.

NY1 reporter Kristen Shaughnessy, who interviewed the man, defended his response on Twitter. "To be fair, Ian [the man] is from Newport, RI and was in the Navy for 10 years," she wrote. "...His point was that people find incredible strength when driven to their limits. He did acknowledge it was an extremely traumatic event and he hoped she would be okay. He was just coming at it from his years of service rather than how most people reacted."

Still, it might have been better if he'd focused on the "hoped she would be okay" part.

How long humans can live without water depends largely on the conditions around them. Under perfect circumstances, it's possible to survive for a week, but if an environment is hot or dry, it could be a matter of days before things get dire, biology professor Randall Packer told NBC News in 2015.

And any way you slice it, being stuck in an elevator for three days sucks. Perhaps this interviewee will spend some time in an elevator this weekend and gain some clarity.

Mashable Image
Chloe Bryan

Chloe was the shopping editor at Mashable. She was also previously a culture reporter. You can follow her on Twitter at @chloebryan.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You

JBL's Endurance Peak 3 earbuds are down to a record-low $60
woman in a running stance wearing JBL Endurance Peak 3 earbuds

The workout-friendly JBL Endurance Race 2 earbuds are on sale at Amazon for nearly half off
a black and white pair of JBL Endurance 2 earbuds with their included cases on a pink and purple background

JBL Endurance Race 2 earbuds have hit a record-low price at Amazon — save over $30
jbl endurance race 2 earbuds against an orange and blue patterned background

Is the Coros Apex 4 battery life a competitive advantage for multi-day events?
Coros Apex

More in Life
How to watch Chelsea vs. Port Vale online for free
Alejandro Garnacho of Chelsea reacts

How to watch 'Wuthering Heights' at home: Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi's controversial romance now streaming
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi embracing in still from "Wuthering Heights"

How to watch New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers online for free
Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders warms up

How to watch Mexico vs. Belgium online for free
Israel Reyes of Mexico reacts

How to watch Brazil vs. Croatia online for free
Vinicius Junior #10 of Brazil leaves

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 3, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!