I nearly died after OJ heist but I’ll still stay his friend
I’LL EVEN PICK HIM UP FROM JAIL SAYS ROBBERY VICTIM
A BRAIN-DAMAGED victim of the OJ Simpson robbery has forgiven the disgraced ex-american football star – and says he will pick him up from jail when he walks free.
Bruce Fromong had a succession of heart attacks days after a gun raid by Simpson and pals.
But despite almost dying – and losing his millionaire lifestyle – Bruce sensationally backed OJ’S successful application for early release from prison.
Former actor Simpson, 70, will now be released after serving nine years of a 33-year sentence for robbery and kidnap.
And sports memorabilia dealer Bruce, speaking exclusively to the Sunday Mirror, opened up about the infamous night and how he and “The Juice” are now reconciled.
FLATLINED
He told us: “I could have died that night. They only needed to pull the trigger and I would have been dead.
“Just two days after the robbery, I had a severe heart attack. It was one of four I’d endure. I flatlined twice.
“I had three on the Monday alone after the robbery on a Thursday night.
“The second time they hooked me up to machines for two-and-a-half hours. I received some brain damage and it has been very difficult ever since. A lot of people don’t realise how this has affected me. It nearly killed me. I used to be a millionaire and now I’ve faced bankruptcy.
“While I was fighting for my life I was unable to run my business. We lost everything including our house in Oregon.
“Despite it all, I still forgive OJ. Some people think I’m crazy, but it is the way I have been brought up.”
OJ and two pals had ambushed Bruce – grabbing a €83,000 collection of sports memorabilia.
Simpson had signed countless shirts and American football helmets while in jail on remand for the murder in Los Angeles of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, 35, and her friend Ron Goldman, 26. Simpson was acquitted in 1995 but later found responsible in a civil case. In 1997 he was ordered to pay €21million in damages.
It left father-of-five Simpson – who starred in the Naked Gun crime spoof movies – in financial ruin.
In 2007 he was goaded into snatching memorabilia being sold by Bruce and pal Alfred Beardsley, who has since died.
Convicted felon Tom Riccio convinced Simpson the stuff was his “deeply personal belongings”. Riccio set up a meeting in Room 1203 at the Palace Station casino hotel in Las Vegas on the pretence of buying the gear.
Bruce, 63, said: “It was just impersonal stuff signed by OJ, like balls, helmets, books and photos. Next thing I know these heavies are storming the room and OJ is the last in. BOOM! One hits me on the shoulder and I later needed surgery.
“Another one points the gun at my face and says ‘I will shoot you’. OJ said ‘put the gun down’. It was terrifying.” The raiders took 500 items in a sixminute exchange secretly recorded by Riccio – who sold the footage for €100,000.
Bruce had collected the memorabilia as part of his and pal Mike Gilbert’s Locker 32 business, named after OJ’S shirt number while playing for the
Buffalo Bills. Bruce explained: “Signing was OJ’S regular business while held in Los Angeles County Jail on the Nicole charges. We did £2million in business in that 17 months.
“Mike would take all the cards, sheets, football panels but I owned all the helmets.
“There were thousands – and at one point they were going for £750 each. It helped me become a millionaire.”
After the heist, Bruce came face-toface with OJ at the trial.
He recalled: “He was walking to the rest room and I was walking back.
“I mean here’s the guy that robbed me at gunpoint and me as the victim. He just said ‘Hey, wanna talk?’ He said sorry. We actually ended up shaking hands despite me giving evidence against him the day before.”
Simpson was convicted in October 2008. On Thursday a panel agreed to release him early for good behaviour and he could leave Nevada’s Lovelock Correctional Centre by October.
Bruce supported Simpson – offering to pick him up from jail. Looking back on the raid, he says: “It’s just too bad we didn’t talk it out. If he just said in the hotel room ‘Everyone out... me and Bruce are going to talk’ none of this would’ve happened. He would have never gone to jail. “We have this saying – ‘It is what it is’, which means ‘hey, we move on’.” Bruce also told of the moment OJ offered to make amends. He added: “Juice turned to me and said he wanted to rebuild our relationship. We will. “My life has been completely turned around but I will still be his friend. We all make mistakes.”
OJ and heavies stormed in and pointed gun at me. But I forgive him. We all make mistakes... BRUCE FROMONG ON RECONCILIATION WITH BUDDY SIMPSON