Last night (Wednesday), two of our daughters (18 and 20) went into Vancouver with a group of friends, to watch the (Stanley Cup final) game outside with the crowd.
They were among the majority of people who went to the game with nothing but good intentions, and found themselves in the middle of a riot.
They were tear-gassed four or five times just trying to make their way back to the SkyTrain.
Our youngest was hit in the chest with something.
They witnessed violence being done to innocent people – slashing, beatings etc. But they also saw and were affected by the good guys out there too.
Our oldest had a heavy object that flew past her head, nicking her ear and smashing into a window.
A wonderful young man, who I believe represents true Vancouverites and Canuck fans, stepped in.
He saw my daughter narrowly miss being injured, and also the force of it, spun her around and she nearly fell into the broken glass from the store window.
He asked them if they were OK, turned to the ones throwing things and pleaded with them to calm down, that they’d nearly hit these girls, who weren’t doing anything.
“Come on guys – why’d you wanna do that? Come on!”
His reward for being a stand-up guy?
A couple of guys from the crowd rushed him, threw him into the BMO window, and began beating him.
Whoever he is, he’s a hero to me, and he really is what a Canuck fan, and a Vancouverite, is all about.
There were many more like this young guy, but all we got to see was the idiots.
I’m disappointed to say that there were also way too many in the crowd that just passively stood by, taking pictures with their cell phones, and encouraging the ones tearing up the city, simply by their silence and/or by being an audience for their destruction.
They should be ashamed of themselves – standing and watching violence just encourages it.
I am so glad our girls got home safe last night – shaken, but safe.
Thank you to all those other solid citizens that helped out where they could – even at their own personal cost.
I hope we get to hear more stories about the many heroes that stepped up last night.
Why give the idiots all the press?
I think it would be good to be reminded that good men and women rise up in times of need.
Pam Dyck