Here is what three Americans did to prevent a train massacre a couple of days ago:
A Kalashnikov assault weapon with nine magazines of ammunition, a Luger automatic pistol with extra ammo and a box cutter were carried by the man who attempted to attack a packed high-speed passenger train, according to the French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, on Saturday.
With that kind of firepower, a massacre might have occurred if three American friends traveling together and a British passenger had not tackled, beaten and tied up the suspect, authorities say.
Of the Americans, two are U.S. service members. Spencer Stone serves in the Air Force and Alek Skarlatos is a member of the Oregon National Guard. The third American is Anthony Sadler, a college student.
The train was speeding through Belgium when the man emerged from the train bathroom, shirtless with an AK 47 slung over his shoulder, according to the Americans.
The three men responded quickly and prevented a deadly attack on the high-speed Thalys train.
“My friend Alek (Skarlatos) yells, ‘Get him,’ so my friend Spencer (Stone) immediately gets up to charge the guy, followed by Alek, then myself,” Anthony Sadler said.
“By their courage, they saved lives,” President François Hollande said. “They gave us an example of what is possible to do in these kinds of situations.”
Today the French government has shocked the American people by recognizing the bravery, selfless service, duty, and courage that our service members showed when they were willing to die to save the lives of innocent people. For their actions, all three Americas were awarded The Legion of Honor — France’s highest recognition.
As an American soldier, I am beyond proud of those service members for their actions to prevent another terrorist attack, but I can’t help to ask myself… what will the Obama administration do to honor them?
Honestly – I think nothing; Obama has shown us that when our military does the right thing, it doesn’t deserve an award or recognition.
I’m not saying we should award them the Congressional Medal of Honor, but for once, give our service members some recognition. A press conference or a simple pat on the back will do. But we all know is – sadly, that’s never going to happen.
INSTEAD OF FINDING A WOMAN IN DISTRESS AND GETTING REWARDED FOR A GOOD DEED...
I HAVE BEEN LEFT WANTING... FOR A VACATION. MAYBE A TRIP TO FANTASY ISLAND. INSTEAD, WORK HAS ME TIED DOWN. WE ARE DOING 50% MORE FOR THE CUSTOMER WITH 10% LESS MANPOWER. YOU ARE TOLD TO USE YOUR VACATION TO STAY STRONG AND HEALTHY, BUT THERE IS NO TIME AVAILABLE TO LEAVE.
WE ARE SLAVES TO THE MAN!
DON'T TRY TO SNEAK OUT, THEY HAVE RESOURCES AND YOU WILL BE HUNTED DOWN AND...
THANKFULLY I HAD CATARACT SURGERY ON THE LEFT EYE AND AM DOING FINE. THE LEFT EYE HAD GOTTEN REALLY BAD, NOW THE RIGHT EYE IS GIVING UP THE SHIP BECAUSE THE LEFT IS DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB.
I HAD GOTTEN LAZY WHEN READING AND THAT IS ABOUT 75% OF WHAT I DO AT WORK. MY EYES JUST DID NOT WANT THE STRAIN OF READING HOUR AFTER HOUR. WORKING IN THE AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY LEAVES NO ROOM FOR A BLINDMAN, SO SURGERY IT WAS. WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT! OCTOBER WILL FIND THE RIGHT EYE GETTING IT'S RESCUE FOR THE DURATION OF MY LIFE.
THE LEFT EYE IS NOW FREE OF BLURRED VISION. WHAT WAS MOST STARTLING WAS THE RESTORATION OF COLOR AND CLARITY. THIS PICTURE SHOWS EXACTLY THE GOOD VISION ON THE LEFT AND THE DULL EFFECT ON THE RIGHT. THROW IN BLURRED VISION AND EVERYDAY TASKS BECOME MISSIONS IN FAILURE.
LEFT EYE - AFTER RIGHT EYE - NOW
LOOKING OUT THROUGH A CLOUDED LENS... LOOKS LIKE ZOMBIE SHIT TO ME!
THEN SURGERY WITH THE DOC... I WAS KNOCKED-OUT AND GLAD OF IT. TOTALLY PAINLESS RIGHT UP TO TODAY. THE DAY AFTER SURGERY I WAS 20/25! WHOO HOOO!
TWO HOURS AFTER SURGERY AND FEELING NO PAIN... STONED!
NOW I WILL BE LOOKING FOR KIMBERLY JANE!
ANYWAY... NEW POSTS OF THE SAME OLD STUFF COMING SOON!!
Pacemaker Press 09/7/2015 Medical Team carry the coffin followed by Family members during The Funeral of Dr John Hinds takes place at St Patrick's Church in Portaferry. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker
The heartbroken partner of motorbike racing's 'flying doctor' John Hinds, who died in a tragic accident at the weekend, has called on people in Northern Ireland to back his campaign for the introduction of an air ambulance here.
Speaking for the first time about the Portaferry man whose funeral yesterday was attended by more than 1,000 mourners, Dr Janet Acheson described him as her "quiet man who will own my heart for ever".
Video: Mourners pay tribute to 'quiet man' Dr John Hinds
source: Belfast Telegraph
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And as his remains were carried from St Patrick's Church in Portaferry, Janet placed a red rose on his coffin as the song he played to her every night before they went to sleep rang out over the chapel's PA system.
Janet fought back the tears and clung to Dr Hinds' parents Dermot and Josephine for support as she listened to the lines that said "rest in peaceful sleep" and "just give love to all".
Dr Hinds, who saved the lives of many road racing riders and spectators, died on Saturday morning after sustaining extensive injuries while providing medical cover at a practice session for the Skerries 100 motorcycle races in the Republic the day before.
Dr Hinds - who was a consultant anaesthetist at Craigavon Area Hospital and a lecturer in trauma science - was travelling on his own motorbike behind the riders when he crashed into a wall. Yesterday dozens of bikers, paramedics, fire officers and motorcycling marshals provided a guard of honour as his huge funeral cortege wound its way the three miles from the Hinds' family home to the church where John was baptised 35 years ago.
Two PSNI motorcyclists were at the head of the cortege, which also included dozens of motorbike enthusiasts from all over Ireland.
Fr Michael Hinds conducted the funeral service for his cousin and read out a message from Janet, who said John had radiated grace from the heart and peace from the soul.
She added: "John believed it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission and that is how his achievements leave us in his wake. There has been much made of John's age, but as he used to say to me, with his infectious sense of humour: 'Age doesn't matter unless you are a cheese'."
Earlier, in a statement, Janet said: "I urge you all today on John's behalf to help us ensure that his dream of a first-class, world-leading trauma network - with a doctor-led helicopter emergency medical service at its core - becomes a reality so that it can start saving lives on our doorstep."
Dr John Hinds who was killed in a crash during Skerries 100 practice session. Photo: Stephen Davison
Fr Hinds said the role reversal as doctors fought to save John's life in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin was almost too perverse to comprehend, adding: "The administration of medical care was his role, his expertise and even to a large degree his raison d'etre in life."
Fr Hinds, who called his cousin the 'bikers' guardian angel', said he had been a great but unassuming and unaffected man who with his brilliant mind and skilled medical hands had "perpetuated life for so many other people without seeking reward or praise in return".
He finished his homily by saying: "Ride on in peace Delta 7, ride on" - a reference to Dr Hinds' call sign, which had been given to him after he volunteered to work with the Ambulance Service to respond to road and industrial accidents. An emotional eulogy was delivered at the Requiem Mass by Dr Fred McSorley, another road racing medic and a close friend of Dr Hinds.
Dr McSorley said John had been an extraordinary man, an inspirational teacher and doctor, who only two weeks ago had spoken passionately at a prestigious trauma conference in Chicago.
He said that he first met Dr Hinds when he was a young medical student who was keen to join his travelling doctors team at road races, but was too young.
"He just wouldn't go away," said Dr McSorley.
"Little did we know what a star he was to become and rapidly the master was being taught by the pupil." He said Dr Hinds usually got to the scene of accidents first.
He added: "So instead of being the travelling doctor, I was becoming the travelling second opinion."
Dr McSorley spoke of the shock among the medical team who arrived on the scene of Dr Hinds' crash at Skerries.
"They thought they were going out to a fallen competitor. They had no idea they were going out to Dr John, their mentor, their teacher," he said.
"Through extraordinarily different circumstances, they worked heroics, but they did exactly as John had been teaching them during the winter (training) sessions. They just stuck to his teachings."
Dr McSorley said after Dr Hinds passed away, Janet had urged him to go to the Skerries races to help the emergency medical teams, as it was what he would have wanted him to do.
Turning to Dr Hinds' legacy, Dr McSorley said his friend had realised it would take a long time to improve the trauma care system in Northern Ireland.
"He recognised that a helicopter had to be part of an integrated, reformed trauma service, so it was integral to the service and not just an add-on.
"That will take several years of hard work and John was the very person who would have driven that on.
"I don't know who will take that on now - hopefully someone will."
Dr McSorley made a plea for people who wanted to keep Dr Hinds' memory alive in the shorter term to become blood donors.
He revealed that blood from 54 donors had been used on Dr Hinds at Beaumont Hospital.
He added: "That kept him alive long enough so that the last of his family, his brother Colin, could fly over from London to be with him while he was still alive."
Dr McSorley said he hoped that in time his colleague's dream of improving the trauma service here would come true, with a helicopter at the heart of it.
He revealed that Dr Hinds' Delta 7 pager had been deactivated by the Ambulance Service on Tuesday.
"I would hope with the help and dedication of people here that in the years to come the call sign will be heard again (on a helicopter) - as clear to land on a heliport at the top of the Royal Victoria Hospital."
Dr Hinds was buried in a graveyard adjoining St Patrick's Church at the foot of Portaferry's Windmill Hill, with the sun shimmering on the Mourne Mountains in the distance.
