Tim Richards
O’Leary struggled with how much to get involved. He was not a big man, and he feared for his own safety. Thinking about his own wife and children, he wondered whether he should find a public phone and call the police or confront the attacker himself.
O’Leary did not consider himself either brave or athletic, but when the girl’s cries began to grow weaker, he knew he had to do something, even if it meant putting himself at risk. Perhaps partially because of the element of surprise, he managed to pull the woman’s attacker off of her. The two men fell to the ground and wrestled for a few minutes before the goon managed to free himself from O’Leary’s grip and run.
Fighting to regain his breath, O’Leary slowly approached the terrified girl who was crouched on the ground sobbing. In the darkness he could barely make out her outline, but even in the dim light he saw she was trembling from the shock of what had just occurred. Not wanting to frighten her even more, O’Leary gently said, “It is okay, ma’am, your attacker is gone, you are safe.” There was a long pause before the girl tentatively asked, “Daddy, is that you?”
The hesitant hero nearly fainted as he realized the victim was his youngest daughter, Katherine. He trembled as he considered how close he had come to not stopping his daughter’s attack.
Everyone who reads this story wonders how they would have responded in the same situation, and how they would have lived with themselves if they had not helped. I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote, “…whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone.” (Galatians 6:10, NLT) Paul’s words challenge us to look for ways to help others.
While we cannot help every person in every situation, O’Leary’s story illustrates that we should do what we can whenever we can. Getting involved has the potential to impact others in ways we could never imagine, and it is often a divine opportunity to make a difference.
