“I’m one lucky guy” Musician describes Nazareth attack

“I had two options. I could slide under the table–but he’ll just stab me–or I can fight back.”

Such is the horrifying scene musician Bill Foley describes in his recollection of the February 11 attack on Nazareth Restaurant by 30-year-old Mohamad Barry, the machete-wielding attacker who Foley describes as “stone-faced.”

Foley was one of those who suffered the worst injuries, and was hospitalized after the attack. But amazingly, Foley has made a recovery 11 days later.

“I stood up and I pushed all my body weight into him, and he fell back over the table,” Foley said. “And I had my hands around his neck, in his mouth, in his nose, in his eyes–everything that I could do to try to stop him.”

Foley said that while he was engaged with Barry the assailant stabbed him in his arm and his side.

“Then I just fell,” Foley said.

Wounded, Foley made his way to the back of the restaurant while Barry rushed back to the front. Foley later emerged from a back office, where employees called emergency services on his behalf, while Barry was shot and killed after he lunged at police officers.

“I’ve just got two hands and he’s got two knives,” Foley said, pausing for a moment in thought. “It’s a miracle. The whole thing is a miracle.”

Foley recalled waking up in intensive care, and he asked his wife if he would be able to sing again.

“And she said yes,” Foley said. “I’ve been doing this for 35 years–I don’t know anything else but this–it’s my whole life. I’m so excited to get back to it again.

“I’m one lucky guy.”

Video interview courtesy of The Columbus Dispatch

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