Do you know what you will do if you ever see anyone in trouble? Essentially, you have the option of walking away, getting help, or interfering on your own. We all like to imagine that we are heroic people, but you can never tell for sure. In this story, the boys did the right thing.
Just Another Day
Carsyn Wright, James Hielema, Starlyn Rives-Perez, and Arnaud Nimenya were enjoying their time at the skate park as usual. They met at the underground parking lot, but it was soon time for these skateboarders to go home.
Just Another Day
Something Strange
It was at that point that they saw a girl flanked by two older men heading to the parking garage. They noticed that the girl did not seem to be in the best possible state. The men were also acting forceful with her.
Something Strange
Noticed
In the beginning, she had been walking in front of the two men. It looked like they decided to change positions after noticing the boys. While not really a red flag, something felt off to the young men.
Noticed
Stop To Check
The boys had been on their way to leave the underground parking lot when they stopped dead in their tracks. What did they see that made them rethink their plans? Was it something bad? Let us find out…
Stop To Check
She Was Yelling
One of them explained, “She was screaming and yelling.” Carsyn Wright also said, “She just wanted to be out of there.” When you see something like that, it would only be natural for you to feel suspicious!
She Was Yelling
They Were Intimidated
“The guy was dressed in very nice clothes… and the girl was all dirty, she was crying, her nose was bleeding,” said Wright. They stopped to observe the group and asked them what was going on there.
They Were Intimidated
His Explanation
Even though they were four to two, the young boys did not feel comfortable questioning the older men. After all, who knew what they could do? In the end, the bigger man answered that he was her father.
His Explanation
Had To Trust Them
The skaters backed off after hearing that. The logical conclusion was that she had been drinking or doing something like that. They decided to simply leave since the girl did not bother to ask the boys for help.
Had To Trust Them
Easier Route
It was already getting late by then, so they just wanted to go home and rest. They gathered their things and tried to forget what they saw. After all, the easiest thing to do was to trust what they were told.
Easier Route
Nighttime In Calgary
However, something did not feel right to the boys. While Calgary is not an unsafe place at all, they all knew that danger always lurks everywhere. They could not help but have doubts about the situation.
Nighttime In Calgary
Feeling Uneasy
It was true that the girl seemed to be under the influence. However, they felt more uneasy about it when they thought about it some more. Perhaps they did not do the right thing when they walked away.
Feeling Uneasy
Acting Suspicious
One thing that stood out was how confidently the man answered that he was the father. He sounded arrogant about it. They could not see a real father behaving in that manner. Was that a lie?
Acting Suspicious
Shocking Behavior
“She was all scuffed up and dirty,” Carsyn described. From what they saw, she was not getting along well with the men. What shocked them the most was seeing one of them hoist her up over the shoulders.
Shocking Behavior
They Had To Know
There was also the fact that she was resisting them. They wanted to return. After all, how could they forgive themselves if something bad happened to the girl? They wanted to get to the bottom of things.
They Had To Know
Something Sinister
The more they thought about what happened, the more they figured out that something was off. Were the men and girl truly related? Besides, they could not imagine what they were doing there at that hour.
Something Sinister
Running To Help
It finally clicked. There was a sinister thing going on there. The skaters came back to the parking lot. Hopefully, they would get there in time to put a stop to it. They were panting when they got there.
Running To Help
Not There
What convinced them was when Wright said, “You don’t want to really think of the worst in somebody like that. You don’t want that situation to be real, so you just brush it off and hope for the best.”
Not There
On A Search
When they reached the parking garage entrance, they did not spot any of the three. However, it did not take a genius to figure out where they went. The boys decided to head in and look for them there.
On A Search
Underbelly
In the end, the two men were not who they seemed. When the boys went down the underground parking lot below the Chinook Centre, they were getting mixed up in the criminal underbelly of Calgary.
Underbelly
No Going Back
There was nothing for them to do but to get to the bottom of things. It turns out that there was a rising problem in this area of the city. Below the mall, something terrifying and dark was lurking quietly.
No Going Back
The Underworld
As a matter of fact, Officer Arthur L. Doner had been on the case. He had been looking into the criminal activity in Southwest Calgary. However, the rival gangs that plagued the area managed to evade him.
The Underworld
To The Rescue
When he managed to take down one gang member, it felt like two more would come out of nowhere. He had no idea that four teenagers taking down a Hydra member would give him the break he needed.
To The Rescue
No Security
It was dark there by then, so the skaters made sure to move slowly as they explored the parking garage. There were no security guards there. They know this since this was the reason they skated there.
No Security
They Knew The Secret Spot
The underground parking garage really felt like the perfect place for a little mischief. However, it was not all harmless fun. The boys would soon learn this. After all, the men did not go there to skate as well.
They Knew The Secret Spot
Looking For Something
What did the CCTV footage reveal about that night? The men had been exploring the parking lot just moments before. It felt like they were looking for something. The girl stayed back while this happened.
Looking For Something
Stairwell Entrance
They eventually discovered whatever it was they were looking for. It was none other than the door to a stairwell. The two men then brought the women inside, entered, and shut the door behind them.
Stairwell Entrance
The Empty Stairwell
On the other hand, the boys also went through the parking lot. They tried to stay as quiet as possible. The place felt even emptier than usual. They inspected the parked cars but found nothing there.
The Empty Stairwell
Getting Real
After several minutes, they found the stairwell that the two men and girl went through. They had no idea that the group was inside. At that moment, the whole incident felt a little too real for them.
Getting Real
What They Found
Arnaud was the one who had his hand on the handle. He tried to tell the others to prepare themselves for anything they might see there. At last, he opened it. The boys could not believe what they saw.
What They Found
Finding Them
It was not what they had in mind at all. They first went through the dark parking garage and checked between the vehicles. There were many possible hiding spots there, so the men could be elsewhere.
Finding Them
They Were Speechless
In the end, they found the men when they finally looked at the stairwell. Not a single thing could have prepared them for that shocking moment. What exactly were the two men doing in that room?
They Were Speechless
Shocking
It was dark, but they were able to see the silhouettes of the men down there. They felt the urge to flee, but they wanted to help the girl out as much as they could. How could they possibly leave her alone?
Shocking
Frozen
What the two men were doing to her shook them to the core. The boys were frozen when they saw what was happening. Arnaud Nimenya even said that, at the time, he “didn’t know what to do.”
Frozen
Time To Leave
The men were angry at them for interfering. Remember, the boys did not know who these men were back then. The taller man then made a dash for the exit, while the other man followed suit.
Time To Leave
Terrified
Nimenya said, “He pushed me aggressively out of the way, kinda like just gives me the smile…like, ‘I can do this. You can’t do anything about it.” Despite this, the boys were not going to let them go that easily.
Terrified
Going After Them
Even though they were all scared, there was nothing else for them to do but put up a fight. As the men tried to escape the situation, three of them followed. They left one guy to take care of the girl.
Going After Them
Chasing Criminals
The men tried to outrun the teens, although the boys still caught up to them. It was not like they were going to let the terrible men get away with their crime. They chased after them in the streets.
Chasing Criminals
Ready
At the time, Arthur Doner was already ready for this. Someone tipped him off that the gang leader had been seen in the Chinook Centre area. After hearing that, he headed for that place as soon as he could.
Ready
Last Ditch Effort
He called for backup, although it was not like he needed to look for the man for long. As a matter of fact, the gang leader nearly crashed into his car! The teens did not let up on their chase either.
Last Ditch Effort
Police Were Waiting
However, the taller man turned around and started to fight the kids. He took one of the skateboards and used it as a weapon to bludgeon them. As you can see, this was nothing more than a desperate attempt.
Police Were Waiting
The Authorities
Unfortunately for him, he did not know that Officer Doner was just around the area. Before he hurt the boys, the officer stepped in and intervened. He exited his car and then brought the man to the ground.
The Authorities
Heading Home
He could not believe it either. After such a long time, it felt like his dream was finally coming true. By the time backup arrived, the second man already fled. Meanwhile, the boys ran off to the parking lot.
Heading Home
Gang Leader
When they got there, they saw their friend and the girl. Isn’t it great that they had the presence of mind to leave someone with her? She probably needed this after going through something so traumatic.
Gang Leader
Afraid
They checked if she was both safe and sound. However, it was already pretty late by then. The boys went home to get some rest. This was not the end, however. They soon started getting phone calls!
Afraid
Ongoing Calls
They kept getting the calls, but they were all afraid to answer them. Was the accomplice trying to deliver a warning? Where did he even get their contact information? Soon enough, they had to pick it up.
Ongoing Calls
Scared At First
It was not the accomplice at all! In fact, it was Chief Const. Roger Chaffin. He wanted to thank the teens for their efforts. The boys had no idea that this was the case and immediately assumed the worst.
Scared At First
Picking Up
At some point, they finally answered the phone. They could not believe when they found out who had been making the effort to call them. While they were pleasantly surprised, they were still a little scared.
Picking Up
Surprising News
Nimenya said that he did not expect to get honored for what they did: “We always thought we were going to be in trouble because we fought with him. When they called us, we didn’t wanna answer.”
Surprising News
Looking For Him
They found out that the man they dealt with was actually a big personality in a local gang in the area. The members of the FOB gang were infamous for their Calgary dealings. They were scared to hear this!
Looking For Him
Finally Caught
On the other hand, it was hard to imagine what would have happened to that girl if they did not come back. The Calgary police had been trying to catch the gang leader for months before this happened.
Finally Caught
Spilling The Details
They brought the man to custody. After that, he did not hesitate to reveal a lot of information about the other gang members. He seemed ready to talk about anything they asked. Officer Doner was shocked.
Spilling The Details
They Did The Right Thing
At long last, he got the breakthrough that he had been waiting so long for. We doubt that it is necessary to explain how big of a part the boys played in this. He could finally help solve Calgary’s gang problems.
They Did The Right Thing
Receiving Recognition
The four boys were asked to go to the Chief’s Award Gala event. They were due to be recognized for the bravery they displayed. Everyone was proud that these young men did the right thing in a risky situation.
Receiving Recognition
Calgary Chief’s Award Gala
The Calgary Police Service has an annual event called the Chief’s Awards Gala. It is held to recognize the courage and commitment displayed by the citizens for the community and the people living in the area.
Calgary Chief’s Award Gala
Safe Place
During an interview, Police Chief Chaffin said, “Calgary is a safe place to live but it doesn’t happen by itself, it’s safe because of the people that live here and the nature of wanting to help and wanting to look out for each other and that’s really a nice comment for such a big city”.
Safe Place
Courage
It is hard to imagine yourself in the situation that the boys found themselves in. Aside from that, it is impossible to tell what you would have done. Hopefully, you will be able to muster your courage too.
Courage
A Great Job
It is difficult enough to stand up to someone else, so you can imagine how much guts it took for the four boys to stand up to the two crooks. Without them, who knows what would have happened to the girl?
A Great Job
Calgary Police Chief
Police Chief Chaffin delivered a speech at the start of the gala. He said, “Nobody gets their day started thinking this is going to happen to them, that they’re going to be involved in one of these things.”
Calgary Police Chief
Not Just
We cannot deny just how amazing the boys are for the heroic act they did. However, there are other people who displayed admirable behavior as well. The Award of Exceptional Recognition also went to John Eddy, Erin O’Connor, Juan Dolph, and Jasmine Simpson.
Not Just
More Awards
That was not all, at any rate. Apart from the award that went to the boys, they also handed out the Award of Exceptional Recognition for Life Saving and the Award of Exceptional Recognition for Valour.
More Awards
Jasmine Simpson and Juan Dolph
Let us see what the others did. Jasmine and Juan did something when they saw a man and a woman in a parking lot. He did not only verbally abuse his ex-wife but physically hurt her as well. The kids were in the backseat the whole time! They stopped him, called the police, and kept the woman company.
Jasmine Simpson And Juan Dolph
John Eddy
John, on the other hand, noticed how oddly the car in front of him moved. It did not move after the lights switched. However, it then moved across the intersection and crashed into a curb sign. He went over to see what was happening and learned that the driver suffered a heart attack. John gave him CPR!
John Eddy
Erin O’Connor
Erin O’Connor was another awardee. She saw a fight in a parking lot that involved a man wounding another one. She went after the attacker and then helped the victim while waiting for the ambulance.
Erin O’Connor
Paris Hazelwanter
Paris got the award after she helped out a lady in a drive-by shooting. Impressively, she dodged bullets and instructed the bystanders to get the victim to safety, at least until emergency services got there.
Paris Hazelwanter
Daxton Novak and Derek Wideman
Derek and Daxton heard a commotion above their own apartment. A woman, suffering from drug-induced psychosis, had been dangling from her balcony! They asked her to go into their window and helped her. The police then arrived, which made her run to the balcony. Luckily, the two kept her safe.
Daxton Novak And Derek Wideman
Jessica Johnson
Jessica also saved another life. As she rode her bike, she saw a man climb the far end of a bridge railing. She spoke to him and convinced him not to jump. She stayed there until emergency services arrived.
Jessica Johnson
Sonia Hafeez Yousaf
What makes this story so incredible was that Sonia was only ten years old when she received the award. She helped her mother after she was assaulted by an ex-business associate of hers. The girl escaped to the neighbor’s house and called the police. Luckily, they caught the suspect, and her mom survived as well.
Sonia Hafeez Yousaf
Shirley Thiessen
Shirley got the award after she worked hard to develop the death notification course of the Calgary Police Service. In 2012, she found out about the death of her son Jordan. However, the grieving family had to suffer some more because the police did not deliver the news with care. She used her terrible experience to help out other people instead! Isn’t that the most admirable thing you have ever heard?
Shirley Thiessen
Constable Patty Desormeau
Constable Patty Desormeau, meanwhile, developed the vulnerable persons self-registry for the Calgary Police Service. She got the inspiration to work on this after learning about the Ontario autism registry. As a member of the Diversity Resources Unit in the service, she knew that it was a good idea to do this. After all, this would help protect the people who needed help the most.
Constable Patty Desormeau
Nestor Aravena Bonastre
Nestor was also honored during the gala. He saw a teen at the edge of a bridge. She informed him that she wanted to kill herself, so he convinced her not to do this. “As he got closer, she went over the ledge and hung by her hands. Nestor made a split-second decision and grabbed hold of her arms to stop her falling,” the police explained, “Nestor hung there, leaning over the bridge, holding the girl for more than three minutes in 35-degree temperatures before police arrived. An officer arrived, leaned over the edge and grabbed hold of the girl’s leg to pull both her and Nestor back to a safe location.”
Nestor Aravena Bonastre