It is easy to sit at our computers and say "I'd jump in to stop something happening", but the fact is that a single outsider rarely has the courage to face down a mob. This story reminds me of this one that happened earlier this year (though this one has a happier ending)
This NRL star saved my girl's life | Herald Sun
Quote:
JUNIOR Sau spent the night at Mayfield Bowling Club. Listening to his DJ cousin spinning discs. About the tamest Saturday night you could ever get for an NRL star.
And for that a young Newcastle girl now owes him her life.
Sau is today being hailed the new White Knight of Newcastle after intervening to save a 15-year-old girl as she was being punched, kicked and glassed in a savage mob assault.
The 102kg centre was driving past a house party in Waratah on Saturday night when he noticed a group of teens encircling the gang bashing as it spilled on to the street.
The girls' distraught parents, who had responded to a phone call and arrived only moments earlier, witnessed Sau jump from his car and move toward the crowd of up to 100 teens who had already begun hurling beer bottles at their car. Speaking out last night, the girl's mother - who asked that her family remain unidentified - said she had no doubt Sau saved her daughter's life.
"When Junior arrived, they still had her on the ground, punching and kicking her in the head," she said. "But when he came across to see what was going on they all sort of moved back. "And to be honest with you, I don't even want to think about what would've happened had he kept driving. Because (name withheld) had already been glassed in the back of the head. (She) remembers someone saying 'we should cut up your face and leave you scarred for life'.
"This was the very first party we had ever let her go to. We'd been told there would be security guards too. But who knows what would've happened if Junior didn't stop to help like he did."
Enjoying a rare afternoon off at home yesterday, 21-year-old Sau said he had only done what any other bloke would've if confronted with the same situation.
"You see four on one, five on one, beating the crap out of a young girl, that's not fair," he shrugged. "I just saw the young girl struggling and basically got out of my car to ask the parents if they needed help.
"I used to be a security guard so I guess in the back of your mind you're thinking that you just need to break up the all-in brawl. I hung around for a while too because the kids were drinking and you never knew what else might happen."
Only hours before Roosters players Jake Friend, Mitchell Pearce and Sandor Earl would be caught up in a wild brawl at city bar Tank Nightclub - where a woman was left with facial bruising - Sau was listening to his cousin DJ for a local cricket function.
But this is far more than simply some positive PR spin midway through another black week for the NRL - as evidenced by a letter the girl's family sent to Knights HQ.
"This act will not be forgotten by our family," the typed thank you said. "We can not thank him enough for what he did. A real gentleman."
Refusing to take matters further with police, the family were last night just thankful their daughter was home safely and able to return to work for the first time yesterday.
She underwent head X-rays on Monday but was cleared of any damage while the glass that was smashed against her head also failed to produce any serious head wound.
"And for that we can thank Junior," the mother said. "Not only for stopping to help but the way he did it. He never shouted or got angry, never tried to intimidate anyone."
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The fact is that this guy is a professional footy player and in no way a small guy. I'm not sure I'd have the courage to jump in. I'd like to think I would, but I suspect faced with the situation that I'd be calling the cops.
This is maybe worse in the US as the possibility that one of the hoodlums is carrying makes the this scenario seem a heap more dangerous.