Keanon Lowe was walking to a classroom to get a student. Not an unusual task for the security guard and football coach at Parkrose High School.
Only, as he walked he quickly realized an armed student was standing directly in front of him.
This is the flight-or-fight moment, the try-or-die seconds and we all like to think we’d react with bravery. We think that we’d remain calm and do the right things, our hands would shake and head would pound, but we would do the right thing.
But how many of us would? How many of us would act out of bravery rather than fear, when every part of our mind is screaming not to?
Lowe did.
I saw the look in his face, look in his eyes, looked at the gun, realized it was a real gun, and then my instincts just took over. I lunged for the gun, put two hands on the gun.
This is heroism in its simplest and most literal sense. He was willing to risk his life without a second thought, he was willing to risk his life on instinct and on value.
He was afraid and in shock, but instead of stopping there, with the threat gone and school safe, he reached for the student.
He reached for the student and embraced him, holding the crying boy, who only seconds ago was willing to shoot him.
I felt compassion for the kid, to be honest. Obviously he broke down and I just wanted to let him know that I was there for him. I told him I was there to save him. I was there for a reason and that this is a life worth living.
And this is the heroic act, deep-felt empathy and compassion for someone you might be scared of, for someone you might not understand.
Instincts are often brave, but they are more a reaction than a choice.
This is a choice: to believe people are deserving of kindness and humanity, even when there are a million reasons to think otherwise.