At Saturday’s Vendy Awards on Governors Island, which recognizes the city’s top food-cart and food-truck vendors, Baare Batchiri — with his wife, left — received the Heroic Vendor Award. It was the first time a nonfood vendor has won the honor. In June, Batchiri — who sells cell-phone accessories in Soho on Broadway just south of Houston St. — was randomly stabbed by Richard Pearson, the “Soho Wild Man.” Pearson grabbed a scissors off the African immigrant’s table, then plunged them into the vendor’s heart, narrowly missing his heart. Despite being grievously wounded, Batchiri chased Pearson into the subway, where he pointed him out to police officers, who made the arrest. Pearson is facing attempted-murder charges.
