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Power saw attack victim speaks out

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Eyewitness News' Jim Dolan

(Upper West Side - WABC, November 14, 2006) (WABC) -- Eyewitness News has the story of a bizarre and truly frightening attack in the subways. Sixty four-year-old Michael Steinberg was on his way to work when all of a sudden a stranger, armed with a power saw, attacked him.

Steinberg survived and now he is telling his story.

This is an amazing story of determination and survival. Steinberg was just here at the 110th Street subway station on his way to work when he was attacked by a madman with not one but two power saws. He was certain he was going to die, but he didn't and is back to work for the postal service.

Michael Steinberg looks at the newspaper articles about his attack and still can't believe he survived it -- the two power saws he was attacked with were recovered later in a garbage can near the 110th Street station where it all happened.

"I looked up and he takes those two hacksaws and he starts to saw me ... he starts to saw me like I'm a piece of wood," he said.

Steinberg was bleeding from several wounds on his chest and arms and pleading for his life.

"I saw mister please don't kill me ... I have responsibilities, I have two people to take care of ... he continues to saw," he said.

But the attack continued and weak for blood loss, Steinberg began to pray.

"God, please take care of my wife ... please take care of my mother somehow ... I'm not going to be here anymore, I'm going to be dead" he said.

Eventually the attacker left and paramedics got Steinberg to St. Luke's. Months later, he returned to work.

"I look in front of me ... when I get on the subway I look through the car," he said.

Looking back on it now, what sticks in Steinberg's mind most are the track workers who saw it all and did nothing.

"How could people just stand by and watch ... a human being almost died ... I couldn't do it," Steinberg said.

His mother is 90-years-old and dependent on him. His wife is ill and also dependent on him. Now, he's just hoping people who read about this and then see a violent crime get involved and help somebody.

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