Amid such gloom, the stories to lift hearts
SYesterday’s news bulletins told us there have been 100 fatal stabbings in Britain already this year. itV’s ‘bear pit’ Jeremy Kyle show has been taken off air after the suicide of one of its guests.
our politicians — and the country — are as fractious and divided and lost as ever over Brexit.
Yet, in the midst of this unremitting misery, there is a beacon of hope. And it shines out from the very darkest of life’s theatres — the carnage of the London Bridge terror attack.
over recent days, at the inquest, we have heard blood- chilling evidence from survivors, friends and families of the victims of the horror in which three jihadists rammed into pedestrians in a van and stabbed them remorselessly, killing eight and injuring 48, many critically.
But what’s also been so striking is the quiet and selfless heroism that’s emerged from the inquest — which until now had lain hidden in this most public of crimes.
off- duty nurse Helen Kennett, 37, was celebrating her birthday with her mother and sister, when she saw Alexandre Pigeard, 26, lying wounded and bleeding in the street. Her immediate reaction was to dash to him.
‘Let me help you, i’m a nurse,’ she said as she cradled him. minutes from death, he shook his head and replied: ‘No, just run.’
immediately she was confronted by one of the killers. ‘What’s wrong with you?’ she asked him. the bloodstained fanatic replied: ‘ No, what’s wrong with you?’ before stabbing her in the neck.
Bleeding heavily, her only thought
was to get back to her mum and sister. she wanted to reassure them, to die in the arms of her family. thankfully she survived.
From unimaginable barbarism emerged almost saintly courage. As if these unknown heroes were there for a purpose — to triumph over evil.
ignacio echeverría, 39, a spanish banker, tried to fight off the terrorists with his skateboard, enabling others to escape. He was posthumously awarded the George medal for bravery. Australian nurse Kirsty Boden, 28 and on a night out, was stabbed to death after running to help the injured — she was given the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery.
off- duty PC Charlie Guenigault, a British response officer, was also awarded the George medal after running to the aid of his fellow officers. He received serious stab injuries to his head, back and stomach, yet has been able to return to work.
Helen, ignacio, Kirsty and Charlie — and others, too — did what we all hope we would have the courage to do when faced with such evil. the barometer of decency rose on that terrible day thanks to their actions.
in a world where we often think the worst of others, their valour and selflessness should renew our faith in humankind.