Norfolk, Va. (WTKR) - Two innocent bystanders stabbed in a Chesapeake Cracker Barrel on Sunday were reunited Thursday morning.
Only NewsChannel 3 was there as Darlean Ambrose hugged Michael Wolfe, the man who jumped in to help when she was stabbed, getting stabbed himself in the process.
"I have to hug you like this. I hope I don’t hurt your head," Ambrose told Wolfe as the two embraced.
Chesapeake Police say a 20-year-old man with an unspecified medical condition became agitated and ended up stabbing Ambrose and Wolfe inside the restaurant with a butter knife.
Ambrose had recently had surgery on her foot. The trip to the restaurant on Greenbrier Parkway with her husband was her first out of the house in two weeks. Her order of chicken and dumplings had just arrived when the whole incident occurred.
She says the 20-year-old man, whom Chesapeake Police say was taken to the hospital for a mental evaluation after the attacks, had yelled at patrons at another table, but had never said anything to her before the stabbing.
"They never spoke to me, I never spoke to them. We were just sitting there across from them. We had got our food and we were just getting ready to eat and it all just happened." Ambrose explained exclusively to NewsChannel 3's Todd Corillo.
According to Ambrose, the man stood up and was yelling, despite efforts by a woman with him to calm him down.
"He was up against the wall and he had a knife holding it in his hand like that with the blade sticking up," Ambrose explained, saying there was then a commotion before he lunged at her. "I looked up and he was coming at my face with that knife and I did my hand like that to cover my face and that’s when he stabbed me."
At that point, Michael Wolfe, who had just been seated and ordered drinks, was out of his chair, throwing his body in front of Ambrose to prevent a second stabbing.
Wolfe told his story to NewsChannel 3 exclusively on Monday.
"If it hadn’t been for Mike. If hadn’t been for him I believe that man would have caused me a lot more damage that day," Ambrose shared.
Wolfe suffered wounds on his ear and his forehead, requiring a total of 22 stitches.
The stab wound on Ambrose's hand cut two tendons, requiring her to undergo surgery on Tuesday. She's now in a cast and will be out of work for at least six weeks as she recovers, since the attack happened on her dominant hand.
Chesapeake Police say two warrants for unlawful wounding have been secured against the suspect, however they have not been served because he is currently at Eastern State Hospital for a mental evaluation.
During their meeting Thursday, Ambrose thanked Wolfe for stepping in and protecting her, saying she didn't have enough words in the world to express her gratitude.
"From when he stabbed me, you’re the only one I saw coming through there to intervene you know to stop him from stabbing me again."
"You know if you ever need anything, you know you just have to pick up the phone and I’ll be out there to help you," Wolfe promised.
The pair say they are bonded for life and plan to have a meal together soon.
"I feel that God put me there for a reason," Wolfe said.
"I do too," Ambrose replied. "He's my guardian angel."
