BELFAST, Northern Ireland — A brave bystander is being hailed as a hero after he used a hurling stick to intervene and stop an alleged knife attack that left one man hospitalized with devastating injuries, including the loss of an eye.

Video footage of the incident shows Maitiu Mág Tighearnán stepping in during the chaotic scene to confront the alleged attacker. The assault left victim Stephen Ogilvie with severe injuries, including the loss of one eye. Police have charged 30-year-old Hadi Alodid with attempted murder.

Mág Tighearnán has been widely praised for his quick thinking and courage in a situation where others reportedly stood back. Following the attack, a fundraiser raised around £30,000 for him, but the hero has insisted that the money should go instead to the victim, Stephen Ogilvie, and his family.

Ogilvie remains in hospital recovering from his injuries as the case proceeds through the courts. The incident has sparked conversations about bystander intervention, knife crime, and community safety in Belfast.

Many are now asking what might have happened if no one had stepped in that night. Mág Tighearnán’s selfless actions have been highlighted as an example of ordinary people making an extraordinary difference in a moment of crisis.

The community continues to show support for both the victim and the man who intervened. The legal proceedings against the accused are ongoing.

Our thoughts are with Stephen Ogilvie and his loved ones as he recovers from this traumatic attack.