A horrifying incident in Milan left Staten Island native Nick Pellegrino fighting for his life after being attacked by two North African migrants on a train. The attackers stabbed him in the neck with a 5-inch knife, leaving him in a pool of blood while they stole his belongings and jewelry. Pellegrino, who was visiting friends and family in Italy, described the lax immigration laws in the country as a playground for terror and violence.
The former teacher at Monsignor Farrell High School in Oakwood recounted the moment when the train doors opened, and the attackers lunged at him, nicking his jugular vein with the knife. He compared the appearance of the attackers to the 9/11 hijackers and expressed shock at the amount of blood he saw on the train floor. Pellegrino lost about a liter-and-a-half of blood and was lucky to survive the brutal attack.
After the attackers fled, leaving him for dead, Pellegrino managed to stumble onto the train platform where a teenager called for help. He was filmed by bystanders repeating a desperate plea to the Lord not to die. The ambulance took 15 minutes to arrive, and Pellegrino was rushed to the emergency room where surgeons closed his wound with nine stitches.
The two migrants responsible for the attack have been arrested by Italian authorities, who have been dealing with a surge in migrant arrivals from countries like Nigeria, Sudan, Gambia, and Syria. The influx of undocumented migrants has strained public resources and led to political tensions in the country.
Despite the harrowing experience, Pellegrino’s faith in God has been strengthened, and he credits his survival to a higher power. He plans to make a full recovery from the attack and return to the United States on July 24. However, the incident has taken a toll on his mother, who has been deeply affected by the news.
Pellegrino’s ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by the migrant crisis in Italy and the need for stricter immigration laws to protect both citizens and visitors from such senseless acts of violence.