Allegheny County

Woman stabbed in hostage situation at special education school released from Pittsburgh hospital

PITTSBURGH — Channel 11 is learning more about the woman stabbed outside an Allegheny County education center.

Allison Wolbert is a speech pathologist at the Watson Institute in Leet Township.

She was stabbed Wednesday, allegedly by a school bus aide who is also accused of holding a student at knifepoint.

Wolbert talked to us once she was back at home recovering from her stab wounds and a partially collapsed lung.  She had a chest tube removed Friday.

“There was that moment, and I don’t know if everyone who goes through this - am I going to make it out of this?” Wolbert tells Channel 11.  " Am I going to hug my son again?”

From her hospital bed, Wolbert quickly learned how much she could have lost.

“It could have been so much worse. I could have died,” she said.  “I am the luckiest person in the whole wide world right now. God is loving on me, watching me.”

Leet Township Police say Wolbert was stabbed by Rochelle Pinkle, a bus aide at the Watson Institute. Police say Pinke also held a student at knifepoint during a “hostage situation.” That student is okay and is safe at home with family.

Wolbert says her focus is on her family, which extends to her students at Watson.

“There are things that are going to happen in the future, and we’ll get through it together,” Wolbert said.

While her two-year-old son only knows his mom has boo boos, Wolbert is cherishing every hug from him.

“Today I got home and he was at the window waving,” she added.  “He was so happy to see me, he ran up and gave me a hug and that was the best feeling. I get to do this now. I get to have the best moments.”

Wolbert says she hopes to be back in the classroom sometime after Thanksgiving.

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