Nicholas Blanke, 39, was “dozing off” about 3 a.m. Wednesday in the gazebo at Welles Park on the Northwest Side when he felt a stinging in his hand and saw blood.
“The guy had tried to stab me where my heart is,” Blanke told the Sun-Times on Sunday. “Because of the way that I was sleeping, my hands were on my chest and my left hand was covering my heart, so he stabbed my left hand.”
Blanke, who is unhoused, didn’t see the attacker, but he heard “heavy footsteps.” He says he thinks the person who stabbed him knew the park, 2333 W. Sunnyside Ave., well.
“I usually set my stuff up so that I’m far enough away from the entrance to the gazebo that if somebody were to get to me, I’d have enough time to get up and see,” Blanke said. “I have no explanation for how he disappeared so quickly.”
Blanke was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was in good condition. He says his wounds weren’t severe, but he had “really bad contusions.”
Although the attack damaged his hand, Blanke said he “lucked out.”
“This set me back really badly, but it could’ve been much worse,” Blanke said. “Had my hand not been [on my chest,] he would’ve fractured a rib, at least, and possibly punctured my heart.”
Blanke is concerned that his attacker hasn’t been caught, and he doesn’t want anyone else to suffer the same fate.
He told police about the attack, but hasn’t received an update since Wednesday. On Sunday, Chicago police reported that no one is in custody.
Blanke noticed a growing population of unhoused individuals staying at the park and doesn’t want his attacker to have another chance to harm someone else.
“I don’t want to feel guilty or partially responsible for that,” Blanke said.
