"No 'ON-OFF' Button For Heroism"

                                                                 

"No "On-Off Button" for Heroism"

According to witnesses, the man stood up from the table at a Chandler Jack in The Box restaurant, back slapped the woman across the table from him, then grabbed her by the hair and dragged her across the floor and out of the restaurant. 

No one in the restaurant did anything...just sat and watched.

Out in the parking lot, Iraqi War veteran Steven Richardson was pulling into a nearby grocery store, just a routine grocery run for his wife. When he saw the woman being violently abused he rushed to her rescue. At one point he was able to pin down the assailant but the assailant escaped and jumped into his car. 

The assailant then gunned his car and headed straight for Steven. When the car hit Steven it threw him into the air, into the windshield, then flying into the air where he crashed on the concrete.

The assailant escaped and Steven Richardson is now fighting for his life in a Chandler hospital. He has severe skull fractures that make his survival tenuous.

                                                           

While not one of those in the restaurant felt the need to respond to the violent attack on that woman, to come to her aid, Steven Richardson, war veteran, could not imagine not doing so. There's no expiration date for heroism. I guess Steven felt that a chest full of medals and an honorable discharge did not relieve him from his pledge to serve...wherever and whenever bravery is called for.

The folks who sat and did nothing went home to their family that night...survivors in their cowardice. Steven Richardson may never go home...may never see his family again. 

Given a choice, I'd choose Steven's fate. Fear and Cowardice are frightful things to live with. Courage, even in the face of death, is a far grander thing.

Pray for Steven...he needs it...and deserves it.