John Catania

John Catania rescued a woman from assault, New York, New York, November 22, 2022. The woman, 28, was sitting on a subway car when a 30-year-old man, who walked up to her and suddenly slashed her in the face with a bladed weapon police described as a shank. Catania, 29, high school art teacher, saw the first strike and yelled at the assailant, who ignored him and struck the woman again with the weapon. Catania rushed at the assailant and shoved him away from the woman, allowing her to escape to an adjacent car. As other passengers on the moving train scattered, the two grappled and the assailant stabbed Catania repeatedly in the head and back. Catania reached down, grabbed the assailant’s legs and pulled him to the floor as the train reached a stop. The assailant got up and ran out of the car. Catania, covered in blood, exited the train. A bystander wrapped Catania’s head in his sweatshirt and escorted him to police above the platform. The woman suffered a cut to her cheek and her hand and recovered. Catania received staples and sutures for 11 stab wounds and recovered. The assailant was arrested on attempted murder, hate crimes and other charges and was awaiting trial.