ORLANDO, Fla. – A harrowing incident unfolded on Monday night at an Orlando office building when a patient in a group counseling session was stabbed ten times while bravely attempting to protect his counselor from an attacker.

Rebecca White tragically succumbed to her injuries en route to the hospital after the assault, which was perpetrated by Michael Smith, a registered sex offender with a documented history of violence, according to information from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

The courageous patient, whose identity remains confidential to safeguard his privacy, tried to intervene as Smith burst into the counseling session, disrupting the group therapy.

Aaron, the father of the injured patient, shared that his son was trying to call the authorities when Smith confronted him. “He went to call the cops, and the guy told him to drop that phone. When he didn’t, that’s when he started cutting him,” Aaron recounted. He requested that his last name not be disclosed to protect his son’s privacy.

[BELOW: Former client kills counselor, injures man in stabbing on Lee Road in Orange County, deputies say]

According to Aaron, his son grabbed Smith and attempted to subdue him.

“He threw himself and the guy to the ground. And he came up stabbing away. Legs… arms…” Aaron said.

The patient tried to help White escape the building, but Smith continued the attack.

“He stabbed and threw my son down the stairwell, or he slipped and fell,” Aaron said.

While the patient lay injured at the bottom of the stairs, Smith carried out what sheriff’s officials described as a “tragic murder,” fatally stabbing White.

The surviving patient, released from the hospital Wednesday, is struggling with survivor’s guilt, his father said.

“He thinks if he had turned around and gone back up the stairs…” Aaron said, describing his son’s emotional state. “He’s feeling bad because he feels like if he went back in, he might have been able to save Rebecca.”

Aaron said he’s trying to help his son cope with those feelings.

“I told him when he’s crying, don’t do that. Don’t start beating yourself up. Because it could have gone the other way. And you’d be dead,” he said.

The family has established a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the patient’s hospital bills.