Commuter grateful to be alive after random stabbing attack at Port Authority
MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) -- A man commuting between New Jersey and New York City was stabbed in an unprovoked attack at the Port Authority Bus Terminal on Monday morning.
The victim's routine morning commute took a terrifying turn when he was stabbed out of nowhere while he was reading a book.
Daniel Salvatore didn't expect to be waking up on his 66th birthday in the hospital - but on Tuesday he is just thankful to be waking up alive.
"God's giving me another day to live and keep going," he said.
A carpenter by trade, Salvatore says every day he takes the bus in and then sits against a brick wall, reading a book and waiting for his colleague.
On a normal day he would take the subway, but on Monday he was attacked just before 6 a.m.
He said the guy came from his blind side and all of a sudden stabbed him in the neck. As he turned away to get away from the knife, he said he tried to crawl, but the suspect grabbed him and stabbed him a few more times.
Port Authority police say officers witnessed the stabbing and a suspect is under arrest.
Michael McCloskey, 42, was charged with attempted murder, assault and possession of a weapon.
After he was stabbed, Salvatore says he ran into a Dunkin Donuts where people helped stop the bleeding before EMS arrived. He was brought to the hospital and received 46 stiches and was told he was inches away from the knife hitting his carotid artery.
"I thank the Lord that he saved me and see two little red lines there; A knife was there, but he didn't slice," he said. "To me, Jesus was just pushing it away and he saved me. So I'm very thankful. I just keep going."
Salvatore also says he hopes this leads to a stronger police presence underground as a deterrence to crime.
"Safeguarding the public and our employees is the absolute highest priority for our agency," a Port Authority spokesperson said Tuesday. "While incidents like the one that occurred Monday at the Midtown Bus Terminal are rare, we have increased both our police and civilian security staffing at the facility. We will also continue to work closely with our local and state law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of the traveling public."
Salvatore is expected to be discharged Tuesday - and says he wants to get right back to his daily commute, but he'll be a little bit more vigilant next time.
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