The hero from Bolingbrook, Carnegie Medal honors man for heroically saving life of neighbor being stabbed by son

Tab Martin was stabbed 20 times by his own son following an argument April 21, 2021, at their home in Bolingbrook. He is alive today because of the quick intervention of his neighbors.

One in particular.

Antonio Raul Rivera, 51, was one of those neighbors, and he was one of 16 civilians across the U.S. and Canada who were recognized by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission for acts of extraordinary heroism. On Tuesday, the organization announced each of those will receive the Carnegie Medal, North America’s highest honor for civilian heroism.

The Carnegie Medal most often honors heroes for putting their lives in peril to save others. Those heroes occasionally are honored posthumously.

Rivera said he was humbled by the recognition, but he credits his children, Angelina Rivera, 19, and T.J. Rivera, 17, as well as another neighbor, Cheryl Senese, 63, for their efforts to save Tab Martin’s life.

“I told my kids, I’m like, ‘Look, we could’ve witnessed a murder or saved a man’s life,’ and we did the right thing,” said Antonio Rivera, who does diversity, equity and inclusion consulting, as well as international consulting for commercial companies.

Antonio Rivera said Angelina Rivera heard cries for help coming from Martin, their next door neighbor, and went outside their home to see what was going on, and Angelina then came back to alert Antonio.

Antonio Rivera said he saw the younger Martin stabbing his father, Tab Martin, 65, on their front yard. He said he saw an opportunity to grab the younger Martin’s arm, twist it so he would let go of the knife, threw him on the ground and restrained him until police arrived.

“It was truly harrowing,” he said.

Senese said when she heard Tab Martin’s cries for help, it was “just gut-curdling.”

“So I jumped my fence and I ran up to see Tab on the ground, with his son stabbing him,” she said.

Senese said after Antonio Rivera tackled Frederick Martin, she was able to get the knife out of his hand. She said Angelina Rivera and she worked to put pressure on Tab Martin’s deep stab wounds to stop the profuse bleeding.

“The cops thought we had been stabbed because we had been so full of blood,” Senese said.

Following the incident, the son was arrested and taken to jail on charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery and other charges. On Nov. 22, he was found unfit for trial and he was sent to a facility with the Illinois Department of Human Services for psychological treatment, court records show.

Tab Martin said he and his wife always struggled to help their son with his mental health issues. But it all came to a boiling point on April 21, 2021.

“A day that I will remember forever,” Tab Martin said.

On that day, Tab Martin said he came home from work, asked his son to clean his room and clean up after himself, but he refused.

In an effort to take a tough love approach, Tab Martin said he told his son he couldn’t stay in their house if he continued to not do anything with his life. That led to some “pushing and shoving,” between the two, according to Tab Martin, and then calling the police on his son.

Tab Martin said his son managed to grab the knife and stab him in the head. He said he stumbled out the front door and got halfway into his front yard before he collapsed, but his son didn’t stop stabbing him.

Tab Martin said it was Angelina Rivera who answered his cries for help, followed by her father.

Tab Martin said he was stabbed between 17 and 20 times. Bolingbrook police Captain Anthony Columbus said a detective who investigated case believes it was 21 times.

“God is good because [Frederick Martin] didn’t hit anything major,” Tab Martin said.

He said he was conscious when paramedics arrived to take him to a hospital until he was given an injection that made him unconscious. He said he woke up at the hospital intubated and strapped to the bed.

“I couldn’t believe I was alive,” he said.

Tab Martin said he became depressed after the incident and wondered constantly why God spared him.

“My sister said, ‘Don’t waste your time waiting for a sign. Your sign was you were spared. It wasn’t your time, so whatever time you have left, you have treat everyday like it’s your last,’” he said.

Tab Martin said he now views life as precious and he’s grateful to his neighbors who intervened. He said he’s become more social with his neighbors and has a more positive outlook on life.

He said some days he forgives his son, because he knows he’s sick, and some days he doesn’t because of how his actions altered the lives of their family. But he still loves him.

“He’s my son. I just want him to get better,” he said.