KCAL9 Talks To Family Of Man Hailed A Hero For Helping Thwart Paris Train Attack
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Anthony Sadler, 23, has the thanks of a nation. Two nations, actually.
He also the pride of his great aunt and cousin in Los Angeles.
While he was in France, he was one of three American men credited with stopping a terrorist attack on a Parisian train. His family, understandably, swells with pride back home.
"Just the thought it could have went so bad. It made my heart pound," says Sandler's great aunt Lottie Valentine. "He is a hero. He is our hero."
Three people were wounded in the attack but no one was killed.
The suspect was armed with an arsenal of weapons -- an assault rifle, nine magazines, a pistol and even a box cutter. Even though he was so heavily armed, several men -- including a Brit -- didn't hesitate to take him down.
Sadler, a Cal State Sacramento student, was traveling in Europe with his lifelong buddies airman Spencer Stone and National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos -- who just wrapped up a a deployment in Afghanistan.
They were heading from Amsterdam to Paris when the heavily armed terrorist barged into their train car.
Stone was the first to tackle suspect. The suspect cut him with a box cutter several times during the skirmish.
Now words of praise for the fearless American trio are pouring in from the White House. And Sadler and his friends have been invited to the French presidential palace.
"He wasn't one for the limelight," says cousin Jimmy Valentine, "That's why it's so hard to find his photo. He's always off helping someone
Now Sadler will have to get use to posing for pictures -- at least for awhile.
His family told Fajardo Sadler has always been a good kid who always did the right thing Now the world knows it, too.
Valentine told Fajardo she cannot wait to hug Sandler and tell him how much he's loved.