Hero police off icer recovering at home after cleaver attack
Brian’s wife thanks Irish community for their support
IRISH have-a-go hero police officer Brian O’Donnell is making a good recovery after a miraculous escape from a crazed cleaver-wielding attacker.
And yesterday the 43-year-old father of three’s relieved wife, Krista, spoke of her heartfelt thanks that her husband’s life had been spared.
Speaking from her home on Long Island in New York, Krista O’Donnell said: ‘Brian is home recovering, he is doing well and we thank the NYPD and the communities both here on Long Island, New York City, and in Ireland for supporting us during this time.’
Detective O’Donnell received 100 stitches to his face after intervening in a chase between fellow police officers and Akram Joudeh. The Dubliner was off duty from his job with the NYPD at the time and was on his way to meet his family at Penn Station when the drama enfolded last Thursday evening.
He spotted the 32-year-old Palestinian running through the streets of Manhattan carrying an 11-inch meat cleaver with his fellow officers in pursuit. Detective O’Donnell got involved as his colleagues wrestled with Joudeh who at this stage was on top of a police car.
Minutes earlier the attacker – who was reportedly in New York to appeal a deportation order – had tried to remove a clamp from his parked car with a crow bar. He fled on foot when police officers arrived on the scene.
Born in Raheny, on Dublin’s northside, Brian grew up in the picturesque Shannonside village of Banagher in Co. Offaly.
A former class mate recalled: ‘The family ran a shop in the town and all the lads went to the local school. They lived in the town for about 15 years.
‘As far as I can remember Brian had two sisters and two brothers and his father had some connection with Kerry. His father’s uncle owned Gaelic Park in New York and that’s why the entire family emigrated. That would have been about 22 or 23 years ago.
‘They don’t have any relatives or family in the town. They still come back now and again.’ According to Brian’s wife Krista, her husband’s family have a long record of service with police forces.
She explained: ‘Brian was born in Raheny and he grew up in Banagher. Both of his grandparents were police officers and his uncle and cousin are police officers in Dublin.’
Brian’s granduncles are threetimes All-Ireland Kerry footballer Tim O’Donnell and John ‘Kerry’ O’Donnell, who had the lease on New York’s Gaelic Park for half a century from 1941 to 1991.
Meanwhile, their grandnephew has attempted to play down his heroic deeds. Following his release from hospital on Friday, he modestly said: ‘I was just doing my job. I saw what was happening and I had to help my fellow officers and protect the public. This is what I am paid to do.’
But his police colleagues thought otherwise, and they organised a guard of honour made up of police officers and a bag piper to escourt the detective from hospital.
Brian’s brother, John, added: ‘We are lucky to have people like my brother in the world that stand up for everybody else. He doesn’t care what race you are, or if you’re a celebrity. You play by the rules.
‘Thank God he is alive. If it had been another inch this way or that way we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now and I’d be on my way to New York.’
We’re lucky to have him. Thank God he is alive’