A teenage boy was hailed a hero after fighting off an attacker during the mugging of a neighbour and saving her life.
Patrick O’Sullivan (16), from Jobstown, was stabbed in the lower abdomen as he tried to fight off a man who then stole a woman’s handbag. He needed life saving surgery following the incident.
The teenager was walking to his grandparents’ house in Jobstown at approximately 8:30pm on Friday when he heard the screams of a woman nearby.
The courageous teen ran to the scene and saw a man trying to steal the woman’s handbag before he intervened and tried to stop the incident. The thief managed to take the bag, fleeing on his bike while Patrick tried to give chase.
Patrick was forced to stop and returned to the woman, courteously walking her back to her parents’ home in Jobstown where she was staying. It was there that the teen realised that blood was seeping through his clothes from his abdominal area.
He was rushed to A&E at Tallaght Hospital, where he underwent life saving surgery after consultants diagnosed him with internal bleeding after being stabbed. It is thought that he initially wasn’t aware of the injury due to increased adrenaline following the incident.
Patrick is presently recovering in Tallaght Hospital and his mum said he was “doing well”.
The woman who was saved by the teen was said to be very shaken by the incident, especially because of the injuries to her rescuer. Neither her or Patrick knew that the attacker was carrying a weapon.
Marie said that when she arrived on the scene before her son was taken away in the ambulance he was very calm.
Patrick was in surgery for three hours on Saturday morning for his injuries. His mother said that actions like this were not out of character for the courageous teenager.
Patrick’s mother, Marie is extremely proud of her heroic soon.
Patrick was preparing to sit his Leaving Certificate exams in May but it is expected that he will miss several weeks of school during the recovery process.
Gardai said there have been no arrests following the incident and investigations are continuing.