A teenage boy who narrowly escaped death after he was pushed onto the path of an oncoming subway train got the chance to thank the TTC worker who tackled his alleged attacker to the ground.

Russel Cormier visited 15-year-old Jacob Greenspon at the Hospital for Sick Children on Monday along with his wife and daughter.

"I just needed some closure for myself," he told reporters outside the hospital. "I needed to see him and talk to him and I need to tell him that he didn't do anything wrong."

Cormier and a TTC commuter are being credited for stopping a suspect police believe is responsible for an unprovoked attack at the Dufferin subway station last Friday afternoon.

Greenspon and a group of his friends were at Dufferin Station waiting for an eastbound train when he felt someone push him hard onto the track level. Two of his friends were also pushed but only one of his friends tumbled onto the tracks after him.

The two boys managed to roll to safety, narrowly missing the train that was pulling into the station. However, Greenspon's foot was clipped by the train and his injuries have required surgery.

Two friends of the boys chased the suspect and alerted TTC officials about the incident. Cormier, a TTC collector and a patron continued to chase the suspect as the two boys returned to help their friends who were pinned underneath the train.

Cormier and the patron chased the suspect for two blocks before tackling him to the ground outside a nearby restaurant. After a brief scuffle, the two men were able to retain the suspect until police arrived to make an arrest.

"Something just told me I can't let him get in (the restaurant)," he explained. "I saw kids in the windows and I didn't know what could happen."

Cormier said he doesn't feel like a hero. He just feels like a man who did the right thing.

"I'm glad I was able to do what I did," he said. "I don't feel like a hero but I'm proud of what I did."

The visit had Cormier fighting back tears as he recounted seeing Greenspon being wheeled out to see him.

"They brought him out to see me and it took a lot of the stress away," he said. "He said thank you. That's what meant the most."

Adenir DeOliveira, 47, faces three counts of attempted murder and two assault charges. He is currently in police custody undergoing a psychiatric evaluation.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Jim Junkin