Everyday heroes show character, courage
In era of stark political division, three Americans reveal capacity for heroism
In an era of lacerating public discourse and stark political division, cynicism can run rampant. Yet in just the past few weeks, three American heroes have emerged, reminders of our country’s continuing capacity for character and courage.
Tammie Jo Shults, pilot with ‘nerves of steel’
Over the skies of Pennsylvania on April 17, Southwest Airlines Capt. Tammie Jo Shults displayed almost preternatural calm in wrestling a crippled Boeing 737 from catastrophe after it lost an engine at 32,000 feet.
“Everybody’s talking about it,” President Trump said to her during a special recognition from the Oval Office on Tuesday. And indeed they should.
Twenty minutes into the New-Yorkto-Dallas flight, a fan blade in the left engine tore loose, tearing through the cowling. Shrapnel pierced a window; a passenger, Jennifer Riordan, 43, was partially sucked out. Pulled back, she died of her injuries.
With one engine down, Shults worked with First Officer Darren Ellisor to pull the stricken aircraft out of a steep bank and rapidly descend in preparation for landing in Philadelphia. The 56-year-old Navy veteran, among the first female fighter pilots in the U.S. military, calmly notified air traffic control of what had happened and the need for passenger medical attention.
After safely landing the jet, Shults walked the aisle individually meeting with each passenger, shaking hands and putting people at ease.
After the emergency landing in Philadelphia, Southwest passenger Alfred Tumlinson had nothing but praise for Shults: “She has nerves of steel.”
James Shaw Jr., savior of lives at a Waffle House
James Shaw Jr.’s moment of truth arrived in a fusillade of bullets at a Waffle House outside Nashville early on April 22, and he didn’t hesitate to act.
The 29-year-old AT&T employee was just another customer in the restaurant when an emotionally deranged gunman armed with an assault-style rifle opened fire, killing four people.
When the shooter, identified as Travis Reinking, also 29, paused to either reload or clear a jammed weapon, Shaw made his move. Grazed by a bullet, he had fled toward the restrooms and was standing behind a swinging door.
“I figured if I was going to die, he was going to have to work for it,” said the father of a 4-year-old girl.
Shaw shoved the door into Reinking and grabbed the rifle, burning his hand on the hot barrel. Then he wrestled it away and threw the gun behind a counter. Reinking fled.
“You don’t get to meet too many heroes in life, Mr. Shaw,” Waffle House restaurant chain President Walt Ehmer told Shaw during a news conference. “But you are a hero. You are my hero.”
During a TV interview, Shaw broke down, thinking of the four people who didn’t survive. He set a goal of raising $15,000 for their families through a GoFundMe site.
The site has raised about $220,000.
Air Force Sgt. John Chapman, warrior of character and honor
Sixteen years after dying on a snowy ridge in eastern Afghanistan, Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Chapman will be honored this year as the first airman since the Vietnam War to receive the Medal of Honor, according to Task & Purpose.
Known as “Chappy” to his friends, the combat air traffic controller was with a six-man reconnaissance unit of the elite Navy SEAL Team 6 in 2002. They were part of a large U.S. military operation called Anaconda aimed at trapping and killing al-Qaeda fighters in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks.
Chapman and the SEALs had already crash-landed once during combat that March 4 morning when they came under heavy fire, and one of their team fell from the helicopter and was killed by militants.
Airlifted back hours later to retrieve their comrade, the commandos again met heavy fire and Chapman, one of the first to charge off the aircraft, killed two enemy fighters before falling wounded. The SEALs thought he was dead and retreated down the mountain.
Computer analysis of video taken by aircraft later revealed that Chapman was still alive. Taking up a position in a bunker, he fought on against overwhelming odds for another hour.
When a Chinook helicopter finally arrived with reinforcements, Chapman — who was 36, married and the father of two young girls — rose up to provide covering fire and was killed by enemy fighters.
The SEAL team leader later used a word to describe Chapman that easily befits Shults and Shaw as well: “Is it within John’s character to go on and do this? Without a question.”