Sometimes, being in the right place at the right time isn’t enough—it also takes courage to act.

Arnaud Nimenya, Carsyn Wright, James Hielema, and Starlyn Rives-Perez were skateboarding in an underground parking lot when they saw a disturbing scene: a well-dressed older man dragging an intoxicated 15-year-old girl. Although the man claimed to be her father, the boys felt something was wrong.

“We didn’t want to believe the worst,” Wright said. But their instincts told them to check again.

When they returned, they were shocked—the man was assaulting the helpless girl. Without hesitation, the boys rushed to stop him. The attacker tried to flee, even striking them with a skateboard, but the teens fought back until the police arrived.

Thanks to their bravery, the girl was saved. In recognition of their heroic actions, the police honored them at the Chief’s Awards Gala.

These young men are true heroes, showing that courage and quick action can save lives.