If the terrorists goal is to have Americans live in fear, it’s definitely not working.
A 17-year-old student injured in this weeks awful terror attack (whose name was not released) decided not to stay home, largely because he had a perfect attendance record, and he was not going to let anything stop him from completing school with that perfect record in tact.
According to ABC News, He was one of the students on the bus when the terrorist crashed his rented Home Depot truck into the back of it, causing severe damage. Several other students were badly injured, as were the two adults on board.
The teenager reported that he was able to keep such high morale going because he had complete confidence that there would be an outpouring of support from his school, city and country. “I told myself I’m going to be fine because a lot of people want to help me,” he reportedly said.
The student injured on the bus wasn’t the only one who toughed it out to get back to school without missing a beat – an injured teacher who was on the bike path and fortunately survived, also decided not to let the terrorists have their day, and did the same as well.
Many of the students and teachers felt the same sense of determination to get back up and not let this horrible, despicable act deter them in any way. It’s “their duty to be back” at school was the message heard over and over again, as they were determined to prove that “terror would not stop us,” according to Mayor De Blasio.
It’s that kind of resolve that inspires a nation to keep going, even in the midst of such evil and dark times. The terrorist gains no greater joy than to watch Americans be filled with fear. While we grieve the unnecessary loss of life, it’s great to see when Americans refuse to back down, and refuse to shrink in the face of a challenge.
Terrorists hope we will live timidly, afraid. Thanks to courageous people like these students and teachers, it’s more clear that America will never back down in the face of evil.
(h/t ABC)