A man native to Staten Island nearly lost his life amidst Italy’s intensifying issue of migration, whilst holidaying in Milan. During his travel on a public train on a Tuesday, he fell victim to an assault, inflicted by two migrants from North Africa. They injured him severely at his neck using a 5-inch blade, stole his belongings, and deserted him to fight for his life. Over the recent years, the number of crime-committing migrants in his home country has radically increased.
The frustrated victim, from his hospital bed in the San Donato Milanese region, stated, ‘The migration laws here are overly tolerant, letting immigrants have free reign and create havoc, even attempting homicide. It’s become a birthplace for terror and brutality.’ He expressed his shock, saying, ‘Although there’s a massive migration issue in America as well, the situation out here is quite horrific.’
He remembered browsing through his phone as the train was approaching the San Giuliano Milanese station from Melegnano, heading towards Milan Bovisa. Upon the opening of the train doors, the pair of immigrant attackers, whom he estimated to be in their mid-20s and speaking Arabic, rushed at him. Their sudden assault resulted in a stab wound on the man’s neck, narrowly missing his jugular vein.
The man compared his attackers to the orchestrators of the 9/11 catastrophe, saying, ‘They bore a striking resemblance to them.’ His vivid recollection of the event reveals the sight of the knife blade and an alarming pool of blood, the likes of which he had never seen before. The emergency medical technicians who tended to him later divulged that he had lost approximately a liter-and-a-half of blood.
Following their theft of the victim’s belongings and his gold crucifix pendant, the attackers left him at the brink of death. Though drenched in his own blood, the man managed to reach the train platform. A teenager present at the scene quickly dialed 112, which serves as Italy’s emergency hotline, similar to 911 in the United States.
The authorities apprehended the two individuals responsible for the attack. In an on-site video taken after the attack, the man repeatedly appealed to God not to let him die. ‘The ambulance took a quarter of an hour to reach me,’ he lamented. ‘I knew I was on borrowed time. I could feel a fresh surge of blood with every heartbeat.’
Upon arrival at the hospital, he was immediately whisked to the ER, and surgeons worked swiftly to stitch his wound, ending up with nine sutures. The doctors elected to keep him under careful observation, primarily due to the risk posed by a potential blood clot that needs time to diminish.
The Italian authorities were successful in arresting the migrant attackers, though they have yet to disclose their identities. Prior to this brutal attack on the man, the assailants had assaulted an old man with a glass bottle and swiped an elderly woman’s necklace.
From 2021 onwards, Italy has seen a significant increase in the number of sea-borne migrants primarily from Nigeria, Sudan, Gambia, Morocco, Eritrea, Tunisia, Bangladesh, and Syria. Record numbers of unregistered immigrant arrivals were reported in 2023, with a tally reaching 157,600 individuals—seeking asylum or otherwise.
The previous year also saw high numbers, with 66,000 migrants making their way across the Mediterranean and into Italy. This influx has imposed substantial burdens on public resources, and their growing presence has incited political unrest. As a result, an emergency state has been declared due to the crisis.
This traumatic event has solidified the man’s spiritual faith. He remarked, ‘I used to harbor doubts, but this experience has made me unwavering in my faith. I’m now fully convinced that Jesus saved me and I will persist in my belief.’
With plans of complete recovery from this horror, the man has a return flight booked for July 24. However, his mother back in Staten Island is deeply worried and continues to struggle with the news. He empathized with her stress, stating, ‘This has been a trying situation for my mother.’