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'I saw someone's shadow': Woman recounts stabbing by stranger in NE Portland

Eleanore suffered stab wounds to her head, neck and shoulders. She spent over a week in the hospital.

PORTLAND, Ore. — A 19-year-old woman says she's getting her mobility back with physical therapy after she was stabbed more than six times by a stranger in Northeast Portland on March 10.

"I'm better than I initially thought I would be. I haven't had a nightmare since I was released from the hospital," said Eleanore, a computer science major at Portland State University. "It's all coming back and I'm in therapy for it."

Eleanore suffered stab wounds to her head, neck and shoulders. She spent over a week in the hospital.

"I think the most difficult part for me is wondering why. It wasn't a monster, it was a human," Eleanore said. "Why? You know, what kind of human?"

Portland police released surveillance video from a nearby home that shows the suspect who stabbed Eleanore.

RELATED: Surveillance video shows suspect who stabbed woman multiple times in NE Portland

The stabbing happened as she was walking home from a friend's house at around 11:30 p.m. on March 10 in the 3200 block of Northeast 78th Avenue, police said.

"Well what I remember is I was walking along, there was a street light behind me and I was looking on the ground and I saw someone's shadow to the left of me on the ground and thought that's not right," Eleanore said. "Either I run away or I turn around and I'm confrontational so I turned around, and they came at me."

Eleanore said she remembered thinking she could die there. Then someone came to her aid.

"Apparently the person who came out held my hand and talked to me, and I don't remember that but I remember them giving me a blanket."

David Veley, who lives nearby, said his roommate heard screaming, followed by silence. "She was laying on the sidewalk in a slump and she was unconscious and at that point she passed out," Veley said.

"There was so much blood it was running down the driveway and street like it was raining, never seen that much blood in my life.

"She came coherent when we were talking to her and we covered her with blankets and towels and told her to be patient, the police are on the way, help will be here in a minute," Veley said.

Eleanor says she's moving on after the brutal attack.

"When something like this happens there's nothing you can do but move forward," she said.

Police are hoping the public can help identify the suspect. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Jeff Sharp at 503-823-9773 or email jeff.sharp@portlandoregon.gov.

"I'm concerned for the welfare of other people. I don't think he'll come back to get me but I'm concerned for my welfare as well," Eleanore said. "Somebody does this, you can't have them on the street without any intervention at all."

VIDEO: Neighbors on guard after stabbing in NE Portland 

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