A 9-year-old boy rescues a girl from 3 men who are trying to kidnap her, showing great courage
"He is Tiernan McCready" and, if you are wondering, "this is what a true hero looks like" are the words in the Derry Police Facebook post. The young Tiernan, a boy of only 9 years, was the hero in an incredible rescue and the local police wanted, rightly so, to pay him tribute for having shown more determination and courage than many adults would hae shown. One afternoon, while walking home from school, Tiernan witnessed an attempted kidnapping: three men were trying to drag an 18-year-old girl into their white van. Tiernan was frightened but, at the same time, he couldn't turn away from what he had just seen: that girl's life was clearly in danger. Fortunately, his intervention was providential!
Facebook / Police Derry City & Strabane
"I only did what he thought was right," said little Tiernan, but the truth is that many adults would have panicked at the scene and would have been petrified. On the other hand, when he saw that three men had grabbed a girl by her arms and legs, in an attempt to force her into a white van, he realized that something was wrong and immediately acted accordingly. With great courage, he yelled at the three thugs that he had a cell phone and that he would call the police immediately. "I think this scared them a little bit, because they let go of the girl, who managed to escape," Tiernan said. Together, the two ran off and continued down Bishop Street, running away as hard as they could. Once they got away, Tiernan told the girl to go home and that he would tell his mother to call the police.
Tiernan and his mother Ciara
"I told her that the situation was very serious and that anything could have happened to her. I also told her that her mother could have woken up tomorrow without a daughter. I ran home and together with my Mom we called the police and told them everything." commented the child, frightened but still happy to have saved that girl's life. Ciara, Tiernan's mother, was a little annoyed at first because her son had put himself in danger (it's every mother's concern, after all!), But then she immediately claimed to be super proud of her son: "He is like that, he is a true gentleman. He has a big heart and I am very proud of what he has done. I am happy that both he and the girl are well".
The local police officers were very grateful and showed up at Tiernan's home with a "badge of honor" and a box of chocolates as a token of recognition. A real little hero!
