Being at the right place at the right time doesn’t always solve issues. Demonstrating your willingness to speak out for the poor and those in need often takes boldness.
For these four teenage boys, what looked to be simply another night out turned into a wonderful event. While skating in an underground parking lot, Arnaud Nimenya, Carsyn Wright, James Hielema, and Starlyn Rives-Perez spotted something unusual. An older, well-dressed male had escorted a young girl, about fifteen years old, through the area while she was intoxicated. Her presence scared the guys since they suspected something was wrong. The girl’s health was severely compromised. According to one of the men, she was so inebriated that she was “screaming and yelling.” All she wanted was to escape. She was dirty and scraped up.
However, when the guys approached, he pretended to be the girl’s father in an attempt to help her get rid of that man. They opted to back off because she didn’t say anything about it. “It’s important not to harbor negative thoughts about someone like them.” Wright once said, “You just brush it off and hope for the best because you don’t want that situation to be real.”
However, because they suspected he wasn’t telling the truth, the men decided to turn around and check on the female again.
The decision was one that would save the woman’s life. When they returned, the horrific spectacle left them completely stunned. The male sexually abused the young, vulnerable woman.
“Seeing something like that as soon as you walk in makes you freeze.” One of the young men, Nimenya, said, “You don’t know what to do.”
They fled in the direction of the intruder, as they were aware that they needed to act promptly. He started running, attempting to get out of the parking lot. Nimenya observed, “He was attempting to leave and walk away from us.” I smirked and thought, “I can do this,” as he roughly shoved me out of the way. There’s nothing we can do about it. These young warriors were determined to capture the attacker, refusing to let him escape. A violent conflict ensued when the man began striking the boys with one of their skateboards. Fortunately, the cops arrived just on time.
The boys were relieved now that their mother was safe and sound. But the officers couldn’t allow the boys’ gallant act to go unnoticed, so they decided to recognize them for their bravery and heroism by inviting them to the Chief’s Awards Gala, where they would receive the recognition and public attention they deserved.
The way these young men handled the situation makes us really pleased. They even risked their lives to secure the safety of a defenseless, vulnerable woman. Our true idols and inspirations are you all.