American religious studies teacher survives horrific migrant attack while vacationing in Italy

A former high school track star and current San Francisco religion teacher was brutally attacked while vacationing in Italy earlier this month. 

Nicholas Pellegrino, who teaches religious studies and Spanish at Archbishop Riordan High School, according to the school's website, was attacked by three individuals on a train just south of Milan on July 15.

"I would look up, and they would look away, but then they’d continue to look back and eye me out," Pellegrino recounted to the Staten Island Advance.

He said he suspected the men "were up to no good." Pellegrino said he had his head down for just a moment when the men suddenly charged at him, stabbing him in the neck during the struggle and taking his luggage. 

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Nicholas Pellegrino, a religion teacher from San Francisco, is recovering after being stabbed and robbed by attackers who stole his belongings while on vacation in Italy. (GoFundMe/Nick Pellegrino Facebook)

"He (the attacker) then ripped off the gold crucifix from my neck, and ran away with my luggage as the train doors opened," he explained to the outlet. 

Bleeding heavily, Pellegrino managed to reach the next platform and yelled out for help.

"I was left on the platform screaming for my life," he recalled. 

A photo posted on a GoFundMe page created to support his recovery shows him bloodied and receiving care from paramedics.

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Former track star and Archbishop Riordan teacher Nicholas Pellegrino survived a brutal attack on a train in Italy, expressing gratitude despite his injuries. (GoFundMe)

According to the fundraiser, Pellegrino was robbed and sustained a serious neck wound. The attackers, identified as North African migrants, allegedly took his luggage, passport, laptop and a gold cross he was wearing.

Pellegrino is currently recovering in an Italian hospital and remains in good spirits, according to his friend Finn McCole, who started the GoFundMe campaign. 

"Nick is grateful to be alive and is relying on his faith," McCole said. "Even though he wouldn't ask for help himself, we're raising funds to cover his medical bills and replace his stolen belongings."

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Nicholas Pellegrino, a religion teacher, survived a violent attack on an Italian train, where assailants stabbed his neck and stole his luggage, passport and gold cross.  (Nick Pellegrino Facebook)

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that four suspects from Morocco and Tunisia were arrested several hours later at another train station about an hour from the crime scene. Authorities believe these same individuals may also be connected to a separate assault on a taxi driver and possibly another attempted robbery on a train.

After several days in the hospital, Pellegrino was released. Though his personal belongings were lost, he remains deeply thankful.

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"My life from this day forward is a miracle," he told the Staten Island Advance. "I’ve been saved by the right hand of the almighty Father."

According to the Staten Island Advance, Pellegrino taught Italian and served as a track and field coach at Monsignor Farrell High School in the Oakwood section of Staten Island, New York, from 2017 to 2022. 

He is also an alumnus of Farrell, where he was referred to as a "standout athlete on the track team." 

Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com