Narinder Sidhu, known as Sid, who owns a fish-and-chips shop in Oldbury was stabbed five timesand left for dead.
"It wasn't my time to die," Sidhu told Sunday Mercury' today in his first interview since the attack in November 2014.
The 52-year-old said he, his wife Balwinder and daughters, Simran, 18, and Supreet, 16, are all still coming to terms with the attack.
McTaggart, 29, had walked into his shop to buy a meal to takeaway but suddenly turned violent.
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"He tried to beat me to the floor. He was about 6ft 1in and a lot fitter than me. At no point did I see he had a weapon. All I felt was punches. I didn't feel the knife at all. He twice tried to kick me in the head but hit my right arm - I was lucky that didn't get broken, too," recalls Sidhu.
"I can't imagine what she went through because we haven't touched on the subject since," he added.
He was in surgery for 13 hours with five stab wounds, one in the abdomen, two in the left arm and two in the back.
McTaggart was arrested soon after and interviewed four times about the incident and replied "no comment" every time.
A charge of attempted murder was reduced, and he was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
McTaggart had previous convictions for burglary and was already on bail for throwing a phone at a police officer.