This has got to be the daddy sa国际传媒� if not granddaddy sa国际传媒� of follow-up stories. Last week while purging stuff from my filing cabinet I came across a clipping of a story I wrote in 1998 about Amanjit Pannu, a Surrey 7-Eleven clerk who was gruesomely attacked with a large hunting knife and how, with the flash of that blade, his life changed forever.

I tucked the clipping back into its folder and was thinking about how he learned to forgive, if not to forget, when my phone rang.

Guess who.

sa国际传媒淎尘补苍箩颈迟?sa国际传媒�

The bottom of my jaw nearly dropped to my desk. Hyperbole of course. But it might as well have. I hadnsa国际传媒檛 heard from this fellow in 26 years and the timing was beyond sa国际传媒� I mean galactically beyond sa国际传媒� uncanny.

The storysa国际传媒檚 headline was sa国际传媒淎manjitsa国际传媒檚 second life.sa国际传媒� I determined to find out how life has been treating him since then.

During our first interview, nearly three decades ago, rain streamed down the window pane as Pannu, then 29, stared out of a local coffee shop, recalling how he didnsa国际传媒檛 want to go out alone during the first year after the attack.

sa国际传媒淚 was feeling hunted,sa国际传媒� he said flatly. sa国际传媒淭his is going to be with me a long time.sa国际传媒�

Before he was stabbed, Pannu was stocking shelves at a 7-Eleven that used to be near 96 Avenue and Scott Road. It was shortly before 3 a.m. on Sept. 8, 1996. Hesa国际传媒檇 had the job only two weeks and was thinking how to spend his first cheque when the door swung open.

The robber ran at him and, without a word, began stabbing. The sheer banality of the crime stupefied even the most seasoned Surrey RCMP investigators. Pannu was stabbed eight times with a seven-inch blade, in the back, chest, shoulder sa国际传媒� twice in the stomach sa国际传媒� and in the right palm and thumb. And all for $30, eleven packs of smokes, a handful of lighters and some gum.

The robber was sentenced in April 1998, but Pannu didnsa国际传媒檛 really care what happened to the guy sa国际传媒� he had his own pain and nightmares to contend with.

He actually forgave him in court, despite the attackersa国际传媒檚 appalling lack of remorse.

Our latest interview was also at a coffee shop. This time the sun was shining. It was a day before Pannusa国际传媒檚 56th birthday, and he was in excellent spirits, proud to share about the success of his daughters age 24, and 19.

His oldest daughter completed a Masters degree in Dental Hygiene and is a clinical instructor at a college as well as a full-time dental hygienist. His youngest earned a Bachelors degree in Health Science last year, as well as a diploma in dental hygiene, and a Certificate in Health Science the year before that. Shesa国际传媒檚 also working full-time as a dental hygienist.

Pannusa国际传媒檚 an accountant and financial advisor at a firm handling RRSPs and TFSAs, mortgage protection, travel insurance, disability insurance, critical insurance and life insurance.

We shared an aphotic giggle about that last one.

After the attack, Pannu worked with 7-Eleven as a store manager and was married in 1999. He became a truck driver, earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

But what about his injuries? sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 fine,sa国际传媒� he says, flexing his muscles and lifting imaginary weights.

His last operation, for his hand, was in 2001. Hesa国际传媒檇 long before underwent surgery for a stab wound that penetrated his lung, an emergency laparotomy to repair a cut bowel, and doctors repaired a four-inch-deep laceration on his upper abdomen and irrigated and sutured a stab wound in his back. They also operated on his arms and hands, to repair severed tendons, muscles and an artery.

Despite what happened to him, Pannu maintains sa国际传媒渨hen you think about our whole world, Canada is one of the best countries to live. Ample opportunities, regardless of your age, your religion, your colour, wherever you come from. Every person has a moral and ethical duty to be fair to himself, herself, to do good for society and be productive.

sa国际传媒淵ou are unique on the earth, you will leave your legacy yourself. Nobody else will create it for you, right?sa国际传媒� Thatsa国际传媒檚 what he told his children.

Someone handed him a Bible, and he was sa国际传媒渟trucksa国际传媒� by the story of the Good Samaritan. sa国际传媒淭he disciple asked Jesus who should I help? Jesus said help your neighbours.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚 think this should be the philosophy of everyone, not just mine.sa国际传媒�

In his case, he says, he was the guy who needed help and the police who came to his rescue in 1996 were his Good Samaritans.

sa国际传媒淚 want to be a Good Samaritan too,sa国际传媒� Pannu said. sa国际传媒淚 can sit around and beat the bushes about what happened in the past, no point in that. I think everyone needs, has to contribute to society. Thatsa国际传媒檚 how itsa国际传媒檚 supposed to be.sa国际传媒�