A man in Bridgewater, New Jersey is being hailed a hero for defending a friend against her violent ex-boyfriend.
Kelvin Lee, 25, sustained major injuries in the knife attack, which took place at his friend’s Sayreville apartment around 3:45 a.m. on Oct. 24.
The suspect, identified as Jordan Hamm, 23, died later that day after being struck by an NJ Transit train at the New Brunswick station. Authorities have yet to say whether it was suicide or an accident.
Lee’s friend, 22, reportedly broke up with Hamm and moved out of their shared home months ago. Since she never disclosed her new address, it’s unclear how he managed to track her down.
Hamm broke in through the back door of the Main Street apartment and attacked Lee.
Lee was stabbed in the back of his skull during the attack. An inch of the knife broke off in the area and narrowly missed his brain.
“The doctors needed to remove part of his skull because they were worried about infection,” Lee’s uncle, Jeff Roscher, told TAPinto. “He had to have that replaced with titanium.”
Lee also sustained lacerations on his face, which required at least 20 stitches. To make matters worse, a stab on his left arm severed all its nerves and tendons.
Despite his extensive injuries, Lee, who had been sleeping, tackled Hamm and got him in a headlock.
Lee let him go after the latter claimed that he would not hurt his ex-girlfriend and talked him into leaving.
The assailant fled using the victim’s car, a 2002 Hyundai Sonata, which was later recovered in New Brunswick.
Lee’s friend was unharmed. On the other hand, he was taken to Hackensack Meridian Health Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy.
Jeff and his wife Sue have since set up a GoFundMe page to help cover Lee’s hospital and recovery expenses. It has raised more than $11,000 of its $25,000 goal, as of this writing.
“Kelvin bravely did what we all wish we would do in this situation,” Sue wrote. “He fought with the attacker and eventually convinced him to leave. Everyone would have certainly been killed if not for his actions.”
Lee, a student at Raritan Valley Community College, is a semester away from completing an automotive technology program. Before the incident, he worked as a server at TGIFridays at the Somerville Circle.
However, his real dream is to become a graphic artist, according to his uncle.
“He’s a really good artist,” Jeff told the Bridgewater Courier News.
Feature Images via Sue Roscher
