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Canadian teenager Malyk Bonnet took extraordinary measures to save a young woman’s life. Bonnet, aged 17, is being hailed as a hero all across Canada: he was on the front page of a Montreal newspaper, officers collected money for him, he is being nominated for an award from the department, and he will receive a national award for his bravery… But despite all the praise, he remains modest. “I don’t think of myself as a hero, I’m just a normal guy,” he said. “I guess I saved a life, though, and that’s really awesome.“
Sharp Instincts
On August 1, Bonnet had just finished work and was waiting at the bus stop. He saw a couple fighting there, and then they asked him for bus fare. Bonnet had a bad feeling about the situation. After paying for their fare, he lied and said he was getting off at the same bus stop as them. He lives in Montreal, but he accompanied them to the town of Laval. He did not want to leave the woman alone with the man, so he came up with a plan. “My plan was to keep them in a public place where he wouldn’t hurt her. I decided to be friendly with the man and have him think I was his friend. I played my game and he seemed to trust me,” said Bonnet. He was right to be worried – the police had been searching for the woman all day. The 29-year old woman was reported missing by her parents. She had reportedly been kidnapped by an ex-boyfriend who was recently in jail for violence and had been found guilty of assault and death threats against her.
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A Clever Plan
Once they stopped in Laval, Bonnet needed to keep them in public until he could call for help. He invited the couple to get something to eat with him. Then he told them he had to use the restroom so he could get away and call the police. “I borrowed a cell phone from someone because mine had died and told police that it was an emergency, that someone had been kidnapped and were at this restaurant,” he said. Police officers were at the scene within the next few minutes. Bonnet says the woman made eye contact with him, and she had tears of happiness in her eyes. In the past, he has had less positive run-ins with the police. But now, Bonnet says he has a new-found appreciation and respect for police officers. The officers are all praising the boy for his smarts and bravery. “He’s a real hero, we all think,” said Lt. Guerin. “His quick actions may have saved this young woman’s life. He now has 500 new friends in our department.” Officers collected more than $250 to reimburse Bonnet for his bus fare and for food that night.
SEE ALSO: A High School Pays Tribute To Kidnapping Survivors With A Touching Gift.
