United States Navy veteran Kendrick Taylor was walking through a grocery store parking lot on his way to the gym when he heard someone screaming for help. Looking in the direction the noise was coming from, he saw a that a thief was assaulting an elderly woman, attempting to take her purse. Taylor instantly knew he had to swing into action. He and two other men responded like a police tactical squad, or perhaps Navy commandos, and chased after the robber. Kendrick tackled him hard and held him down until the police arrived.
As Taylor recalled, “When I looked down I didn’t know if he had a knife or a gun but I just saw the lady — she was so old. And when he threw her down, she was so fragile and I knew she needed help.” Although she was traumatized, the victim, 76 year-old Rosemary Carelton, was uninjured except for a few cuts and bruises. Her family said they were incredibly grateful for the actions taken by Taylor and the other good samaritans.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office awarded Taylor a Medal of Merit for his bravery, although he insists he really isn’t a hero. “What if that was my grandmother?” Meanwhile, the assailant, who was already on probation, was charged with robbery and attempted battery on a person over 65. We’re hoping he’s going to be off the streets for quite some time.
We’ve posted a local television news report about this amazing story. You’ll see surveillance video of the incident as well as an interview with the day’s hero (even if he won’t admit it) Kendrick Taylor.
Were you as impressed as we were by the modest hero and Navy veteran Kendrick Taylor? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments at Facebook. Don’t forget to like and share!
