Joseph Paruta, also known as "Old Man" and "Sammy Gravano's Personal Luca Brasi" (December 3, 1929-October 1986 Brooklyn, New York) was a mobster in the Gambino crime family and considered a "key member" of Sammy Gravano's Bensonhurst, Brooklyn crew. He is the only known mobster who asked for a mercy killing after becoming terminally ill with lung cancer. The proposition was agreed upon but Paruta died before the mercy killing was performed.