To honor his heroism during last month's horrific attack on a MAX train, Legacy Health has waived all medical costs for surviving stabbing victim Micah Fletcher.

Fletcher, 21, visited Legacy's headquarters Friday to thank Legacy CEO and President Dr. George Brown.

Fletcher briefly choked up as he told Brown how much the waiver meant to him and his family. The men sat across from each other at a table in Brown's office, accompanied by representatives from the Muslim Educational Trust.

After the meeting, Fletcher said he was relieved that his family wouldn't have to pay his medical fees simply because he stood up to do the right thing.

"I don't think we could ever afford to take care of the kind of medical fees required for the kind of surgery I went through and for the hospital stay," Fletcher told The Oregonian/OregonLive after his meeting with Brown.

Fletcher and two other men were stabbed on a MAX train when they defended two teenage girls from a man directing racist rants at them in late May. Police say Jeremy Christian, 35, stabbed Fletcher, 53-year-old Ricky Best and 23-year-old Taliesin Namkai-Meche. Namkai-Meche and Best died from their wounds.

Fletcher was stabbed in the neck and required a two-hour surgery. He was hospitalized for several days.

Sho Dozono, a board member at Providence and Portland State University, asked Brown to waive Fletcher's medical costs. Dozono met Fletcher through his work at the Muslim Educational Trust community center, which has publicly honored Fletcher, Namkai-Meche and Best.

Brown didn't know that Fletcher had been treated at the hospital before Dozono told him, he said. As soon as he knew, he agreed.

"It's the least we could do for you," Brown told Fletcher during their meeting. "It's an honor for me to sit here and say thank you."

Legacy often waives costs for patients who can't pay, spokesman Brian Terrett said. Last year, the hospital waived nearly $30 million worth of care.

Neither Terrett nor Fletcher knew how much Fletcher's medical costs were.

The city of Portland will honor another MAX stabbing victim by paying insurance for his family, according to an ordinance passed by the City Council this week.

The city will pay up to three years of benefits to Best's family. Best was employed by the city as a technician for the Bureau of Development Services.

Best's death left his wife and four children in need of health insurance coverage, the ordinance said.

The city will pay up to $77,500 for the family's insurance over the next three years.

"These are extraordinary circumstances and they call for an extraordinary response," said City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, who oversees the Bureau of Developmental Services. "The Best family was left without a provider and I'm pleased we can be a resource to support them through a very difficult time."

— Samantha Matsumoto

smatsumoto@oregonian.com

503-294-4001; @SMatsumoto55