austraLasia #2714
This is what young men are really made of
17 year old wins outstanding bravery award
MELBOURNE: 14 September 2010 -- When Sam Porter visited Rome, and the Pisana, with his parents a few years back he was just like any young 15-year-old; champing at the bit to get around and see the sights, doing his best to get on with his sister, not annoy mum and dad too much ... though already then Sam wasn't just your ordinary 15-year old. He was already lining up to do a year's international exchange as a student in Holland. His grandparents, Salesian Cooperators of old, have spent many, many years working with young people in almost every field you can imagine - scouting, student international exchange, nursing.... it rubbed off on their kids, (teachers, scout leaders, policewomen, fine upstanding members of the community in every respect) and now we see how it has rubbed off on the grandkids too.
Today Sam Porter, by now 17 years of age, and son of Rod and Marielle (nee Arendse) Porter, stands tall as the winner of the Outstanding Bravery Award, Pride of Australia, announced in Melbourne on 14 September. His citation? A violent June 6 bashing at a Melbourne suburban train station ended with the victim throwing himself on the train lines, in a bid to take his own life. While other commuters stood by horrified, Sam followed the victim onto the tracks, dragging him back to safety moments before the train arrived. "I've been brought up better than to watch someone get bashed then take his own life", Sam said later. "I wasn't going to stand there and watch him get killed". Sam stood between the victim and the train, and walked him home, protecting him from his attackers.
"I think the bullies were cowardly", Sam said, "I didn't think about my own life, I just did what I hoped anybody would do".
The Pride of Australia awards are given to ordinary people who have done extraordinary things. The program was launched in 2005 with the aim of unearthing and celebrating unsung heroes.
Sam is now unearthed and sung!
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AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2009 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org
This is what young men are really made of
17 year old wins outstanding bravery award
MELBOURNE: 14 September 2010 -- When Sam Porter visited Rome, and the Pisana, with his parents a few years back he was just like any young 15-year-old; champing at the bit to get around and see the sights, doing his best to get on with his sister, not annoy mum and dad too much ... though already then Sam wasn't just your ordinary 15-year old. He was already lining up to do a year's international exchange as a student in Holland. His grandparents, Salesian Cooperators of old, have spent many, many years working with young people in almost every field you can imagine - scouting, student international exchange, nursing.... it rubbed off on their kids, (teachers, scout leaders, policewomen, fine upstanding members of the community in every respect) and now we see how it has rubbed off on the grandkids too.
Today Sam Porter, by now 17 years of age, and son of Rod and Marielle (nee Arendse) Porter, stands tall as the winner of the Outstanding Bravery Award, Pride of Australia, announced in Melbourne on 14 September. His citation? A violent June 6 bashing at a Melbourne suburban train station ended with the victim throwing himself on the train lines, in a bid to take his own life. While other commuters stood by horrified, Sam followed the victim onto the tracks, dragging him back to safety moments before the train arrived. "I've been brought up better than to watch someone get bashed then take his own life", Sam said later. "I wasn't going to stand there and watch him get killed". Sam stood between the victim and the train, and walked him home, protecting him from his attackers.
"I think the bullies were cowardly", Sam said, "I didn't think about my own life, I just did what I hoped anybody would do".
The Pride of Australia awards are given to ordinary people who have done extraordinary things. The program was launched in 2005 with the aim of unearthing and celebrating unsung heroes.
Sam is now unearthed and sung!
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2009 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org
