Christian Pizza Delivery Driver Who Was Stabbed While on the Job Forgives His Attacker: I Want to 'Show Him Christ'
A 19-year-old Christian pizza delivery driver says he has forgiven the attacker who stabbed and carjacked him outside of an emergency room while he was delivering an order.
Josh Lewis, who attends Boyce College, a Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, has worked as a pizza delivery driver for Spinelli's Pizzeria for about nine months. On Sunday, Lewis was tasked with delivering a pizza to the emergency room of nearby Norton Hospital, which turned out to be not such a routine run.
A statement released by the seminary explains that a man confronted Lewis at his Jeep Cherokee and ordered that he hand over his keys. Lewis then saw that the man was wielding a knife and quickly dropped the keys and fled toward the hospital. However, the perpetrator chased down Lewis and stabbed him in the back and then took off with Lewis' SUV.
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Having been stabbed directly outside of an emergency room, Lewis was quickly admitted into Norton Hospital and later transferred to the University of Louisville Hospital. Doctors diagnosed Lewis with a collapsed lung, torn muscles and later discovered that the knife even damaged his liver.
"I'm not really going to hold a grudge against him," Lewis told Southern Seminary News. "If he was in the same room as me right now, I would tell him what he did isn't OK, but I would tell him that I forgive him and try to share the Gospel with him and show him Christ."
Although Lewis was unsure whether or not he had completed the delivery, Spinelli's regional manager, Willow Rouben, claims that Lewis did in fact still attempt to complete his delivery after being stabbed.
"I can't believe he just walked in there, said 'Hi, I'm from Spinelli's. I have a pizza delivery.' Then just collapsed," Rouben was quoted by USA Today as saying. "That's dedication."
Lewis' mother, Terri, flew into Louisville from his hometown of Detroit. She proclaimed that the stabbing could have killed her son but was thankful that God protected him through such a painful experience.
"We don't look at this as an accident or a fluke, but God's grace working in difficult situations," Terri Lewis told Southern Seminary News. "God spared him, and we have no doubt about it."
Although Lewis was initially released from the hospital on Wednesday, doctors determined that he needed to be readmitted for one more day for additional observation.
The Louisville Metro Police say they have not identified or located the suspect, who took off in Lewis' noticeable black Cherokee with gold racing stripes and a Michigan license plate.
Lewis has received an outpouring of support from the local church community and seminary community.
"Josh is always an upbeat young man, you can tell he has a great mind. He's likeable, well respected. I've been thankful for all the Boyce students who have expressed their support of Josh," Boyce College Dean, Dan DeWitt, told Southern Seminary News. "There was a small group of students huddled in the waiting room when I got there, and most of that small group stayed until 3 a.m. the first night he was in the hospital."
"We've had students in the hospital literally around the clock, supporting him, supporting his family," DeWitt continued.
Lewis said he has been overcome by the realization of how many people truly care enough for his wellbeing to put their busy lives on the backburner to spend time in prayer with him at the hospital.
"I did not realize at all how many people were willing to set aside time in their day to spend time with me," Lewis explained. "It's just been really overwhelming almost, the amount of support from Christian communities I've had, coming here and praying with me and letting me know that they're supporting me."
As Lewis' car was stolen, he has been left without transportation, which is required for his delivery job. A GoFundMe online fundraising page has been established to directly support Lewis and has raised nearly $6,500 since Monday.
Additionally, Spinelli's Pizzeria ran an all-day fundraiser on Wednesday in which 50 percent of the day's sales went to Lewis. Norton Hospital agreed to match all proceeds from the Spinelli's pizza fundraiser.
