Two brothers stabbed during apparent road rage incident in Bethpage

BETHPAGE, Long Island (WABC) -- A teenager is giving thanks that he is still alive after he was stabbed on New Year's Eve and nearly died.

Mohmun Farhadi, 16, was learning how to drive on Long Island and apparently angered another driver, who police say stabbed the teen and his 29-year-old brother, Nawid.

"Everything happened so fast that I barely remember, everything happened so fast. The next thing I know I was waking up in the hospital and the doctors are telling me you almost died," said Nawid.

The brothers said the situation quickly spiraled out of control.

Mohmun had just gotten his learner's permit, so Nawid was teaching him how to drive.

But when the Bethpage brothers got to Manchester Drive, they said a man behind them became furious because the teen was taking too long at a stop sign.

Police said the three got into a heated war of words, the man then exited his Volkswagen Jetta.

That's when Nawid got out of the car to protect his younger brother.

Police said that the man then got back into his car and tried to run Nawid over.

"Traumatized. That's all I can say," Mohmun said.

"I don't know what provoked him to go crazy, go all out. I don't know if he was drunk on alcohol or something. It was New Year's Eve. He must've been pissed about something, or angry about something, who knows," Nawid said.

Police arrested 28-year-old Jeff Saint-Gerard who lives in the neighborhood.

He missed Nawid instead ramming into a pole. Then he allegedly tackled Nawid, and that's when Mohmun stepped in.

Nawid was stabbed five times, needing 70 stitches across his face and dozens of staples in his arm and chest. A nerve in his left leg was also slashed.

"I tried to get up and step on my left foot and I couldn't. I felt like it was broken. So here I am hopping on one leg trying to pick up my brother, put him in a car and drive him to the hospital," Nawid said.

Mohmun was slashed across the chest. Doctors told him just three centimeters higher, it would've cut his heart and he would've died.

"I'm of course blessed and grateful for him even being here right now," Mohmun said.

The brothers didn't even realize they had been stabbed until after they had chased their alleged assailant away.

Saint-Gerrard was arrested almost immediately. Police said they found the knife at the scene.

Doctors said if the brothers didn't drive themselves to the hospital they may not have made it.

Mohmun is expected to make a full recovery. His older brother Nawid may not be so lucky, though.

Doctors said he may never regain feeling below his left knee, he will know in about six months.