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23rd Mar 2016

This baggage handler pulled seven people to safety after the Brussels airport attack

Jordan Gold

Heroes aren’t born. They’re made.

Yesterday morning Alphonse Lyoura was just your average baggage handler working at Belgium’s Zaventem Airport. Today he’s a national hero, at a time when one is desperately needed.

Alphonse didn’t flee the first blast in yesterday’s tragic attack the International Airport in Brussels. He didn’t flee the second blast either. Instead, Alphonse chose to carry 7 wounded people to safety and remain behind to stay with one man who was dying.

Shortly after the police evacuation Alphonse was interviewed by French news network AFP:

“I helped at least six or seven wounded people. But we took out some bodies that were not moving. It was total panic everywhere.”

In one particularly disturbing video clip circulating online Alphonse is heard shouting “I’m not leaving, get over here where it’s safe” while escorting wounded people to the exit of the smoke-filled terminal building. Sheer selfless bravery.

Only when the police arrived and asked him to leave did Alphonse actually exit the airport himself, even then he made sure everyone else got out first.

As Mr. Rogers once said, in life, “Look for the helpers.” We should be grateful people like this exist.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iCndxSGSLM

https://twitter.com/CountRapula/status/712453894253711360

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