I am sure you have all seen the story of the three Americans and one Brit who subdued the gunman on the train from Amsterdam to Paris. Today, the French President, Francois Hollande pinned the Legion of Honor medal on U. S. Airman Spencer Stone, National Guardsman, Alek Skarlatos and their friend, a college student, Anthony Saller. The medal was also given to a British businessman, Chris Norman, who jumped into the fray.
"An example to the world", the French president called them as he gave them their medals.
This is a most extraordinary story of bravery and I want to have this post on my blog so I may remember their names and have a record of it...
Spencer Stone
Alek Skarlatos
Anthony Saller
Chris Norman
and
Mark Moogalian
There is another who also helped but that name has not been released just yet. When it is, I will come back to this post and add the name. (I now know the name, his name is Mark Moogalian, an American college professor.) Moogalian was the first to confront the gunman, and was shot in the back.
I have no medals to give them, just writing their names here to salute them for their courage.
Speaking of which, I am thankful that France so quickly had these medals bestowed upon these men! I don't know if you know this about me, but I love France. Vive la France!
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| Southeast coast of England...not far from France, I hope to see it one day... |
They were all very brave and they probably saved a lot of lives that day. It is nice that France recognized them as heroes.
ReplyDeleteWithout a doubt, they saved lives that day. So glad that France didn't wait around for some commitee to approve the medals, they just did it!
DeleteDon't fall off the cliff edge!
ReplyDeleteUnless your insured....
Brave men.
Very brave men indeed.
DeleteAnd don't worry, I wouldn't go that near the cliff's edge but you see from Richard's photo, that some people do just that.
They deserve the medals and I applaud their bravery.
ReplyDeleteI so agree. I hope I expressed my admiration for their courage enough. I don't have such a gift for words as others do, but I hope you can read between my lines!
DeleteI love France too! How excellent that they were so quickly appreciated and awarded the medals. It is important to report and recognise the good that people do. So often our news is all about the bad.
ReplyDeleteYes, I also love how quickly the medals were awarded! And you are so very right, we don't hear enough good news!
DeleteQuite the story, I agree!
ReplyDeleteWe should hear more like this one!
DeleteThey are inspiring and give me hope.
ReplyDeleteAnd we need hope!
DeleteThey did a great thing.
ReplyDeleteI agree, and I wanted to have their names here on record, so I can remember them.
DeleteHeroes!
ReplyDeleteReal heroes, in the true sense of the word.
DeleteYes, I am proud of those heroes, too. Good that you devoted this post to them.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could have written more but I hope anyone who reads this will know my sincere respect for these brave men.
DeleteIt sure is a wonderful, inspiring story not only of bravery but of decency, too. Good, though pushed too often to the limits will always prevail. I just wish the fools in this world who are filled with hate would realise this.
ReplyDeleteI was amazed, too, how quickly the French handed them awards...good on the French for doing so and not mucking around wasting needless time with bureaucratic nonsense.
Yes, Lee, you are exactly right, as always! A truly inspiring story and one that was quickly recognized as such by the French!
DeleteA wonderful true story that makes me proud to be.............a human being.
ReplyDeleteMe and you both! :-) Mankind has a lot to answer for, but sometimes, we get it right. xx
DeleteThe heroism of the young men who confronted the gunman on the train in France truly inspired me, Kay! Thank you for commenting their deed on your blog. And thank you for continuing to blog! I love your presence in the blogging world. Four years and 720 posts! Way to go! Hugs to you!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou know me, Louise, i am not a great wordsmith, but I hope you can tell how I felt, what was in my heart!
DeleteThanks your well wishes for my little blog! I am so happy to have you in my world! xx
There are some truly amazing people in the world aren't there. xx
ReplyDeleteMy sister told me about this while we were on holiday, not really following the news, but she'd read it on her ipad. We both think it was very brave and good of those men to do what they did! Sadly, we also both think that, had this happened in Germany, the terrorist could have sued his "attackers" for hurting him - - - and some people would have agreed with him, saying that "5 against one" was unfair or some rubbish like that.
ReplyDelete