Dear Editor:

The beginning heroic act was made by two Muslim greeters welcoming faithful prayers. “Good morning brother,” and the terrorist response was two shots ending their lives.

The next hero the world heard was the voice of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announcing the hateful event perpetrated by the person known as “terrorist,” noting he had attacked all of New Zealanders; not just Muslims “for they are us and we are them.” She is a leader who put a cloth of humanity on us all.   

Somewhere between those kind and loving heroes, was a remarkable brave soul at the Linwood mosque. Abdul did not run away or look for a gun, or find a place to hide. Instead he saved many lives using a credit card machine and ran straight towards the terrorist screaming “Come here!” 48-year-old Abdul Aziz confused and frightened the terrorist with a credit card machine. saving at least 33 or more lives based on 41 having been killed at the first mosque.

What do you do when a terrorist runs back to his car to get another gun? You throw the credit card machine at the terrorist. When this hero found an empty gun  he saw the terrorist was again headed back to his own car. Abdul threw the gun as if it was an arrow blasting the car window. The terrorist drove the car down the street being chased by our brave hero causing the terrorist to drive away.

This brave immigrant hero was once a boy from Kabul, Afghanistan and settled in a more peaceful home of New Zealand. We should never forget the Muslin heroes in World War I who helped save Allies from defeat. 

Other New Zealand heroes came out to honor their friends and neighbors crying with them side by side for they felt the loss of a brother or sister as if everyone was from the same family of humanity. Some chose to wear Hijabs to challenge anyone who attempts another attack on their neighbors. When you love your neighbor it is because you have become one family. You cry the same tears for the loss of life.

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb