Anthony Sadler

Anthony Sadlerwww.today.comThe definition of a hero isn’t a concrete idea. It’s a specific idea shaped from every individual’s own experiences. A hero doesn’t need to possess immense strength and power nor be able to solve any problem they may encounter. They can be ordinary, everyday people who happen to be in the right place, at the right time. An example of one such hero is Anthony Sadler who, on August 21st 2015 at 5:45 PM, while on a reunion with two of his lifelong friends, Spencer Stone and Alek Skarlatos, encountered and apprehended Ayoub El Khazzani, a terrorist who boarded a train from Amsterdam to Paris armed with an AK-47, 280 rounds of ammunition, a pistol, and several knives. As a result of this action, Sadler was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal of Valor and France’s highest honor, the Knights of the Legion of Honour. Sadler possesses two traits every hero should have. They should use their voice to inspire others and should put the lives of others before their own. Sadler embodies both these traits. He uses his popularity to compel people to act and prioritizes the lives of others over his own.

Anthony Sadler(middle), Alek Skarlatos(left), and Spencer Stone(right).KCRA.comSadler’s used his popularity and influence to inspire the hearts of others, making him a hero. In an article from USA Today, Sadler says his takeaway from their confrontation with the terrorist was in times of need, “‘Do something. Don’t just stand by and watch’”(Bacon). Sadler uses the attention people give him in order to inspire people to do something in times of crisis or chaos. Sadler takes advantage of the moments he is in the spotlight. Like a true hero, he instills courage into the hearts of people everywhere. While Sadler is at the ceremony where he is to receive France’s highest honor, the president says,

‘If something happens, ‘the voice in his ear said, ‘you have to respond. You have to do something.’ That didn’t sound very official. It sounded like something Anthony himself would say. In fact it sounded like something he did say, at the press conference yesterday - a shiver ran through him. The president of France had just quoted him! (Sadler, Anthony, et al.)

The president of France uses Sadler’s words to amplify his message. Sadler’s words set off a chain reaction telling people to do something in times of need. Despite the fact Sadler could’ve wasted the opportunity, he chose to use it to project a message. That when in a crisis, people should act instead of cowering in fright.

Sadler’s prioritization of the safety and needs of other people, rather than his own, makes him a hero. In an article by The Guardian, a witness and actor Jean-Hugues says,

Then, a young man, Anthony Sadler, ran into our coach shouting that the gunman had been overcome by off-duty American soldiers and that everything was fine. He was looking for blankets and a first-aid kit for the two seriously injured. He knocked on the door of the guardroom, but once again there was no answer. (Willsher & McVeigh)

Just after stopping a terrorist, Sadler’s mind is likely overloaded and in complete disarray. However, like a true hero, he isn't worrying about himself, he prioritizes the injured first. In the book The 15:17 to Paris, there is a description of what the train scene was like:

A photo of the trio next to President Barack Obama.sacramento.cbslocal.comIf there are screams, Anthony doesn’t hear them; if the sound of wind rushing by the windows is loud, he doesn’t register it. He is totally focused. The terrorist is bound, hog-tied on the floor. Mark groans. Anthony feels as if the people lying there below him are the only other people in the world. (Sadler, Anthony, et al., pg 5)

Sadler is so focused, so involved in the moment, that all he’s thinking about are the injured people in front of him. He blocks out all his extraneous senses so he can be completely focused on those who were injured. He puts others’ lives as his first priority, demonstrating that he is deserving of the title of a hero. Sadler shows how a true hero should act. His desire to help others and put himself at risk to do so, is a quality of a true hero.

Sadler uses his position to do good, inspiring others to act in times when they’re needed and always kept others in his mind, going through great lengths to ensure their safety. He sends a message to people across the world and saves lives when he is just an ordinary college student. Sadler is an inspiration because when the spotlight is on him, he used it to deliver a message to the whole world. “Do something, if something happens, do something.” Those words will forever be ingrained in the minds of those who hear them. The words may become lost in people's’ minds, but they will never be forgotten. The world is always in need of a hero like Anthony Sadler. Someone with a heart of gold and a powerful voice to change the lives of others. He inspires people to make use of their opportunities and to think about others before yourself, which is what makes him my hero.

Works Cited

Bacon, John. "Train Heroes acted on instinct." USA Today, 24 Aug. 2015, p. 01A. Student Resources In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A426474002/SUIC?u=powa9245&sid=SUIC&xid=ae8ad890. Accessed 29 Mar. 2018.

Dickstein, Corey. "Paris train heroes honored at Pentagon for valor." Stars and Stripes, 17 Sept. 2015. Student Resources In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A429023469/SUIC?u=powa9245&sid=SUIC&xid=dc5a0a42. Accessed 26 Mar. 2018.

Nir, Sarah Maslin. "Hometown Salute for 3 Boyhood Friends Who Thwarted Train Attack in France." New York Times, 12 Sept. 2015, p. A11(L). Student Resources In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A428339476/SUIC?u=powa9245&sid=SUIC&xid=ff472f70. Accessed 29 Mar. 2018.

Sadler, Anthony, et al. The 15:17 to Paris: the True Story of a Terrorist, a Train, and Three American Heroes. PublicAffairs, 2018.

Willsher, Kim, and Tracy McVeigh. “US Student Tells of His Attack on French Train Gunman.” The Guardian, The Observer, 22 Aug. 2015, www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/22/us-student-tells-of-attack-on-french-train-gunman.