One year ago today, school security guard Kariim Wales (in photo with mother Leonette Wales) came close to death after being stabbed by a teenager while on duty.

The 31-year-old is now back patrolling the corridors of CedarBridge Academy and, except for the odd nightmare and flashbacks, he is more or less 100 percent fit and in good spirits.

But as he looks back at the year that has passed, both Mr. Wales and his mother Leonette want to thank the people of Bermuda for their love and support during the past 12 months.

They both said that without the well wishes of the community, and the love of God, his recovery would not have been so fast.

"I'm doing wonderfully," said father-of-three Mr. Wales. "I would not say I am having bad memories because it is the anniversary, but I am a little nervous because of what day it is.

"It will not be a normal work day for me, anyway, because it is Sports Day at CedarBridge on Thursday, so I will be doing different things to what I would usually do."

But Mr. Wales said he still considered himself very lucky to be alive, and said after his near-death experience last year he had started to view life differently.

He is now considering going back to college and hopes to study and train as a teacher.

"I want to thank God," said Mr. Wales.

"I feel blessed to be alive. I want to thank my family, wife and mother, school principal Kalmar Richards and my boss Ross Smith and all of my co-workers. Everyone has been very supportive and understanding.

"And I also wish to thank my Pastor, and therapist Lauren Trott."

Mr. Wales' mother Leonette said she will always believe that her son survived the ordeal because one of her friends, Bible worker Sister Aberdeen, had called to see her that day at exactly the time the attack took place and they decided to pray for Kariim, among other things.

Ten minutes later, Mrs. Wales was told by Police that her son had been stabbed and was in the intensive care unit.

She said: "I believe that intervention saved his life," she said."I feel the intervention of God was there. But since it happened, I have always wanted to say thank you to the Bermuda public because they supported us so much with prayer.

"They prayed for us then and they still come to me in the street and say they are praying for us. It's been a year, so I thought it was a good time to say thank you to the public.

"Kariim is very well now - he's back to normal. I don't worry him about at the school at all. He seems to be enjoying it back there and that's good.

"But I do worry about him more on the street. I think what's going on on the streets these days is far worse.

"But we are very close, and I still pray for him. We will always be thankful that he pulled through."

Teenager Jahmel Eugene Mallory, 18, of Tommy Fox Road, St. George's, was sent to St. Brendan's Hospital for at least three years earlier this month after pleading guilty to the attempted murder of Mr. Wales.

Mr. Mallory apologised to Mr. Wales and admitted that he was mentally ill.

He said: "I did not go out in public to hurt anybody."