Recently I was scrolling through Facebook when one post jumped out at me. I couldn't believe what I was reading. I had to reach out to her for more details.
Well, within a few hours former CMAA student HD responded and gave me the full story. It was Wushu - Kungfu for the win! As a martial arts instructor I hope my students will never need to use their skills. I’ve always said it is better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them. However, a former student HD recently found herself in situation while traveling abroad.
A college girl traveling in Paris, France, HD was ready for a day of fun. HD says “I was hanging out with a friend at a cafe's with outdoor seating and got out my wallet to pay. I put it down on the table and took a picture of something. All of the sudden a guy made a really fast grab for my wallet and ran. I immediately shouted, “STOP! GIVE IT BACK! STOP!” and chased after him. Honestly, I wasn't really thinking. I sprinted after him through this plaza and across a street. I was gaining on him. Then, I really gained on him as he slowed down on the stairs to the metro. He attempted to jump the train turnstile but I grabbed him and he didn't make it all the way. I held on to him with one hand and started punching him with the other. A guy I was with at the cafe finally caught up to us and grabbed on to him to. The whole time I was yelling “HELP”, “HELP” and such and yelling at him to give me my wallet back. He dropped my wallet and some French pedestrians also came to help. A guy helped move the thief away and then we retrieved my wallet from the ground and made sure everything was still there”.
HD’s friend GL, who was with her at the time said “HD jumped out her chair and sprinted after the guy before I even knew what happened. She had beat him up by the time I caught up”
HD explains, “I think it's was because he made a fast move, that it caught my attention and triggered my reflexes. It made me think about bystander intervention. If everyone had the same sense of importance to helping others, as I did to getting my wallet, then I don’t think anyone would just watch injustices happen or stop and ruminate over little details of whether it's rude to involve yourself in other people’s issues or like what's p.c. and such.”
Well, I am just glad that HD is safe. I would never recommend chasing a thief over material possessions. However in this case, "All's well that ends well". No one was seriously injured, though the thief’s pride may have been destroyed after being beaten in public by a young college girl and HD got her wallet back. Way to not be a victim. Way to stand up and get back what is rightfully yours. Great job HD!
