Victoria Soto

Imagine having a split second to choose between your life and 6 others. Imagine the courage it would take. Imagine being in that heart wrenching situation. Well that was Victoria Leigh Soto's final choice; she made the decision to save six young lives. 27-year-old Soto, a first grade school teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School in New Town, Connecticut, lived a nice life. She was kind to others and an all-around caring person. On December 14^th, just one week away from Christmas break, when Adam Lanza decided to cause a shooting during school hours. The fatal choice that came after this decision is what makes Soto a hero. A hero places the needs of others above their own. Victoria Soto is not only unbelievably selfless, but strikingly courageous in a time of crisis.

Soto is a hero for thinking of the safety of her student before thinking of her own. In an article on CBS News, Victoria was is "hailed a hero for giving her own life to shield her young students." When she realized that there was a shooter on campus, Soto's first impulse was to hide her students. Her initial reaction to the danger proves that Victoria is a deeply selfless person. "The 27-year-old tried to distract gunman Adam Lanza, but when half of her class tried to run, that's when police said Lanza open fired." ("Slain Sandy Hook Teacher"). Soto thought nothing of her own life when she attempted to buy her students enough time to run to safety. This amazing act highlights the deep-set care that Victoria Soto has for others and the selflessness that she uses to benefit the people around her.

The unimaginable bravery it would take to sacrifice your own life for others is that of Victoria Soto. An article by CBS News tells of how "the children got out, but the young teacher who had bravely shielded her students was left dead." ("Slain Sandy Hook Teacher"). Victoria didn't give a thought to her own safety when she physically threw herself in front of her students in an attempt to save their lives. This one action shows more courage than most people  portray in their life time. Victoria Soto had an amazing fearlessness that was strong enough to face a bullet dead-on. Soto used this courage to save half a dozen young lives.

It is an unusual thing to find someone who is not only amazingly selfless, but also extraordinarily courageous. Victoria Soto displayed both of these heroic traits in a single fatal afternoon. Her ability to stand face to face with gunman Adam Lanza showed incredible bravery. The fact that the reason for this stand-off was the safety of her class, shows that Victoria possesses a selflessness that is astonishingly developed. Victoria Soto was an amazing woman who used her selflessness and bravery to save lives; she will be remember as a hero and an inspiration for years to come.

Works Consulted

"Slain Sandy Hook Teacher." CBS New York. N.p., 17 Dec. 2012. Web. 22 May 2013.