A Staten Island native got here head to head with the worst of Italy’s migrant disaster this week when he was practically killed whereas vacationing in Milan.
Nick Pellegrino was attacked on a prepare Tuesday by a pair of North African migrants, who stabbed him within the neck with a 5-inch knife earlier than making off along with his baggage and jewellery — leaving him to die in a pool of his personal blood in his household’s homeland, which has skilled a surge in felony migrants over the previous 4 years.
“With these very unfastened, lefty immigration legal guidelines, these immigrants come into these nations and so they’re working amok, making an attempt to homicide folks. It’s a playground for terror, for the vicious,” mentioned Pellegrino, 29, talking by telephone from his hospital mattress within the city of San Donato Milanese.
“It’s f–king loopy,” he mentioned. “I do know America has an enormous immigration downside, however it’s worse right here.”
Pellegrino — a former instructor at prestigious Monsignor Farrell Excessive College in Oakwood who was visiting family and friends in Italy — recalled wanting down at his telephone because the prepare from Melegnano to Milan Bovisa rolled into the San Giuliano Milanese station.
When the prepare doorways opened, his mid-20s, Arabic-speaking attackers darted in the direction of him, stabbing him within the neck, nicking his jugular vein, Pellegrino mentioned.
“They seemed just like the 9/11 hijackers,” Pellegrino mentioned. “I keep in mind wanting on the flooring within the prepare and simply seeing the blade of the knife, and essentially the most scary quantity of blood I’ve ever seen.”
Pellegrino was later instructed by EMTs he misplaced a few liter-and-a-half of blood, mentioned Pellegrino, who now teaches faith and coaches observe at Archbishop Riordan Excessive College in San Francisco.
Earlier than stealing his baggage and leaving him for useless, Pellegrino’s homicidal attackers snatched the gold crucifix from round his neck, he mentioned.
A blood-soaked Pellegrino managed to stumble onto the prepare platform, the place a 16-year-old boy dialed 112, Italy’s 911 equal.
He was filmed on the platform by bystanders, repeating, “I don’t wish to die, Lord,” in since-deleted movies that had been posted to Instagram.
“It took the ambulance quarter-hour to get to me,” he mentioned. “Just a few extra minutes, and I used to be a goner. I might really feel, with each heartbeat, one other gush of blood popping out.”
He was rushed to the emergency room, the place surgeons closed the wound with 9 stitches. He’ll stay underneath statement till not less than Saturday, as medical doctors watch for a harmful blood clot to shrink.
Italian authorities have arrested the 2 migrants, however haven’t but launched their names, Pellegrino mentioned.
Earlier than attacking the bi-coastal New Yorker, the 2 males smacked an aged man within the head with a glass bottle and stole an outdated girl’s necklace, Milan investigators instructed Pellegrino.
Since not less than 2021, Italy has seen a surge in migrant arrivals by sea from Nigeria, Sudan, Gambia, Morocco, Eritrea, Tunisia, Bangladesh and Syria.
Over 157,600 undocumented migrants and asylum seekers crossed the Mediterranean Sea to get to Italy in 2023. Final yr, 66,000 migrants crossed into Italy. Their arrivals have put a pressure on public assets and their presence has develop into a supply of political pressure, main officers to declare a state of emergency.
Pellegrino mentioned his brush with loss of life has solely bolstered his perception in God.
“I used to doubt,” admitted Pellegrino. “I don’t doubt anymore. This has grounded me in my religion. I do know Jesus saved me, and I’ll all the time be a believer.”
He’s obtained a July 24 return flight booked, and mentioned he’ll make a full restoration from his scary ordeal. His mom in Staten Island, not a lot.
“My poor mom,” he mentioned. “She’s been a basket case.”
