On July 15, religion teacher, track and cross country coach, and beloved member of the Riordan community Nicholas Pellegrino, better known as Mr. P, was brutally attacked and robbed while traveling by train during his summer vacation from Milan to Florence, Italy.

On his way to visit family and friends, Pellegrino was approached by two men within the first 10 minutes of what was supposed to be a three hour train ride.

“I was sitting there with my head down. I could feel that I had eyes on me, and I kind of suspected they were going to do something bad,” Pellegrino recalled. “These two men, who looked about 22, attacked me.”

He was stabbed in the neck with a pocketknife, left with blood actively gushing from his neck and stripped of all his belongings aside from his phone and wallet that were left in his pocket.

Lying alone, exposed, and completely vulnerable against walls of the train, Pellegrino was eventually helped by a 16-year-old Italian passerby who called for emergency help. Paramedics arrived within 15 minutes, rushing him to a nearby hospital.

“I was really isolated, and it was a very lonely time,” he said. “The scariest moment for me was the waiting.”

At the hospital, the doctors immediately performed a CAT scan. Despite the heavy bleeding, Pellegrino’s external jugular vein was only partially nicked and not completely severed.

“God forbid if it was severed, I would not be here right now. It’s a miracle when you think about it,” he said.

Pellegrino spent multiple days in recovery at an Italian hospital before he was cleared to leave.

Luckily, he had many relatives in the country who supported him, and as a fluent Italian speaker, he faced zero language barrier during his stay.

He was even able to testify against his attackers and assure justice was served.

“Speaking Italian allowed me to give my testimony in court for these two people, and we got them convicted with the help of the Italian police,” Pellegrino said.

His cousins drove two hours from Genova, Italy to visit him in the hospital, and a college friend, Gianpaolo Caprino, cared for him during the five day waiting period after leaving the hospital before his flight back to the United States.

After returning home to New York–where Pellegrino is originally from–he received towering support from friends and family.

A GoFundMe was organized by former track athlete Finn McCole, and it very quickly surpassed its initial goal, raising nearly $60,000 to cover medical expenses and help replace items that were stolen during the attack.

In addition, the Riordan community also rallied behind Pellegrino. Students found their own ways to show support.

Four Riordan seniors, Isaiah Sanchez ’26, Avery Agbunag ’26, Aidan Alday ’26, and Diego Meirda ’26 bought Pellegrino a new pair of shoes.

“I have known Mr. P for my whole time here at Riordan,” Alday said.

“He was my religion teacher, track and cross country coach, and my friends and I wanted to give back in any way we could. We’re just glad he is here with us today,” Alday added.

“As soon as I returned, everyone has been so supportive,” Pellegrino shared. “So many Riordan families have invited me over, and the students and faculty have been really great to me.”

Widely known throughout the Riordan campus for his undeniable positivity, enthusiasm and uplifting spirit, Pellegrino continues to inspire those around him.

Looking back on the incident, Pellegrino reflected, “The main takeaway for me is that sometimes we forget how precious and fragile life is.”

“We need to prioritize that and remember that people envy what we have and what American values represent. That’s part of why I was attacked.”