It has been more than two weeks since the van attack on Yonge Street, but 80-year-old Dina Risin is speaking out on the same day the suspect appeared in court to be charged with three additional counts of attempted murder.
Risin, a grandmother who lives in North York, was one of 16 people injured in the attack that killed 10 others.
“I just saw this van driving like crazy,” she said.
“I still don’t understand… how did I escape?”
Just before 1:30 p.m. on April 23, emergency crews were called to Yonge Street with reports that a white rental van hit a number of pedestrians while driving south toward Sheppard Avenue from Finch Avenue.
Twenty-five-year-old Alek Minassian was arrested by police minutes later. Minassian was subsequently charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder. He appeared in a Toronto court on Thursday to face the additional counts.
Risin said she was walking home from the grocery store when the attack happened.
“I jumped to Yonge Street, to my right, but he hit me with the side mirror – a little bit – in my head,” she said, adding she got a good look at the driver of the van.
“I saw the person and some fear in his eyes. It was some fear, I remember.”
After Risin got up and walked back to her apartment building, she said the scale of what happened began to sink in.
“One lady lying down on the ground. I just stood up beside her (as) some great Samaritan was just holding her head. She was unconscious, absolutely unconscious,” she said.
“Then I walk further and I see another one lying down on the ground. I approach my building and I see the third one. I still didn’t understand until people started to talk and I just figured out what’s happening.”
Risin said she was in so much shock that she didn’t seek medical attention until urged to do so by her best friend, who Risin said called her to check on her after hearing about the attack.
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She went to Yonge Street and was assessed by paramedics and said she was told her blood pressure was high. Risin said she was later checked out by her family doctor.
“For three nights I could not sleep at all because I was still in shock. I was still processing (it),” she said, adding she has since spoken with a counsellor.
Ninty-four-year-old Betty Forsyth, who was one of those who died, lived in Risin’s building.
READ MORE: Toronto van attack victim shares story from hospital bed
Risin said she feels her escaping with just an injury is a “miracle.”
“I miraculously escaped only with the prayer of God.”
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