Four Teens Investigate After They See A Girl In Trouble
Most people like to believe that they would do the right and courageous thing if they were to see someone else in trouble. Although everyone likes to think of themselves as a hero, you never know how you might act unless you're actually placed in that situation. Well, that's exactly what happened to four Canadian teenagers in April 2015 when they saw a girl who appeared to be distressed. By following their guts and putting others in front of themselves, they prevented something awful from happening.
Just A Regular Night
For teenagers Carsyn Wright, Arnaud Nimenya, Starlyn Rivas-Perez, and James Hielema, it was just another regular night practicing their skateboard maneuvers in a parking garage. Of course, time flew by and before they knew it, they were going to have to head home soon before it got too late.
So, as they were saying their goodbyes and heading out, they were all stopped simultaneously. They each saw something that looked clearly suspicious in the underground of Calgary, Canada.
Something Seemed Off
Down the lot, the boys saw what looked to be a well-dressed, father-looking man walking with a clearly upset girl around 15 years of age.
However, what made the situation even more strange was that the man seemed to be incredibly forceful with the young teen, even carrying her on his shoulder as they walked. Yet, even that wasn't what really caught the attention of the teenage skaters.
Clearly, Something Was Wrong
Considering their age difference, the boys assumed that it could be a father and his daughter. However, as if seeing the girl being carried on an older man's shoulder wasn't alarming enough, the fact that she was screaming and yelling let the boys know something was actually wrong.
They knew they couldn't leave the two alone in good conscience, so they readied themselves to confront the man. They hoped it was just a father helping home his underage drunk daughter, but there was only one way to find out.
Getting An Answer
Approaching the man, the teens asked what was going on. With almost zero hesitation, the man clarified that the girl is his best friend's daughter and that he was taking care of her because she was drunk, which she was.
He claimed that he had been trying to get ahold of her father but was unsuccessful, and was going to wait with her until he could get her a ride home. Since his explanation seemed legitimate, the boys figured that everything was fine.
The Girl Had Calmed Down
By that time, the young teenage girl had stopped her screaming and struggling, making it seem as though the man was telling the truth. Instead, she remained quiet while the man explained himself.
Because of this, the boys assumed that his story must be the truth, so they began to back off. Even though the girl was "scuffed up and dirty," the teens figured that she had probably fallen down drunk. They didn't want to think the worst about the man either.
Time To Head Home
Feeling like they had done their duty, the boys left the man alone about his business taking the girl home. The boys thought his story sounded totally believable and he never seemed suspicious, so they had nothing to worry about.
So, they went back to where they had left their skateboards and other belongings to head home. By then, it had become late in the evening and they knew it was far past time to go home.
A Gut Feeling
As the boys began to make their way back home, they started to discuss what had happened. While they were happy they at least checked things out, something still wasn't adding up. What if something terrible happened because they left?
Before long, they all agreed that they didn't feel totally comfortable walking away from the situation. Deciding that they wouldn't be able to live with themselves otherwise, they ended up going back to look for the man and the girl once again.
Going Back To The Parking Garage
The group made their way back to the Chinook Centre parking lot, the last place they had encountered the man and the teen. However, the two were nowhere to be found, leading the boys to feel increasingly worried about the entire situation.
While they wanted to believe the man's story that the girl was his friend's inebriated daughter, something much more sinister could actually be going on. It was now clear, they weren't going to leave anything up to chance.
Looking For The Girl
Since the 15-year-old girl and older man weren't around, the boys knew that they would have to go looking for them. While some people might just assume everything worked out and the two had got a ride home, that wasn't the case for these boys.
Still debating if the man might have been telling the truth, they agreed it wouldn't hurt just to take a look around. They then started to brainstorm all of the places that they could possibly be.
A Disturbing Discovery
Started to feel even more concerned, the boys made their way to a stairwell where they eventually found them. However, what they saw couldn't have been more shocking. The man was assaulting the young girl right in front of them, leaving all the boys silent and frozen.
Carsyn Wright described the scene as "disgusting" with Arnaud Nimenya adding "you don't know what to do" when you encounter something so unbelievable. As shocked as they were, the boys now knew that the girl was their responsibility and they needed to save her.
Coming Face-To-Face With A Monster
The man noticed the boys almost instantly and knew that he had been discovered. However, he certainly didn't have any intention of being caught and knew he needed to get out of there and fast.
However, before he did anything, he smiled at the boys, which Nimenya described as a smile that said: "you can't do anything about it." The man then pushed past the boys in a hurry to get through the door. Still stunned, they didn't know what to do.
The Chase Was On
As the man walked out, to his surprise, he saw Nimenya, Rivas-Perez, and Hielema all chasing after him. They were determined to not let this predator away with such a despicable crime.
Wright stayed behind with the girl to comfort her, make sure she was alright, and do anything that he could to help. The other three boys were prepared to chase the man to the ends of the Earth if need be. There wasn't a chance they were going to give up easily.
Things Got Physical
After the criminal realized that he wouldn't be able to outrun the boys, he figured that he might have a better chance of fighting them off. Somehow, he managed to rip one of the boy's skateboards from their hands to use as a weapon.
Not only had he assaulted a young girl, but now he was preparing to harm a group of young boys as well! In the dead of night, he attempted to swing the board at the boys to keep them at bay, but it was no use. The four ended up in a brawl. Luckily, the police were on their way.
Subduing The Perpetrator
Although it had come down to violence, the three teens managed to overwhelm the man and bring him to the ground. They kept him down until the police finally arrived and apprehended him.
The police came up, thanked the boys, handcuffed, charged the man, and threw him in the back of the cop car. Along with some other officers, the boys went back to check on the girl and their friend. Both were okay and the girl was taken home to her parents.
Afraid For Doing The Right Thing
While the boys may have thought that their traumatic ordeal might have been over, that wasn't necessarily the case. Instead, the boys were receiving countless phone calls from the police after they had returned home.
Unsurprisingly, none of them wanted to answer for fear of being in trouble for fighting with the man. Of course, they couldn't avoid the police for forever, so they eventually mustered the courage to answer.
Honored For Their Actions
Although they thought they might be punished for getting into a physical altercation, that couldn't be farther from the truth. Instead, they were thanked for their heroic actions and ensured the girl might not have been so lucky if they weren't there.
They were also invited to the Calgary Police Chief's Awards Gala as a token of the police's thanks for what they had done. They were dubbed as heroes, although they hope other people would have done the same.
Preventing Domestic Abuse
A couple who also were invited to the Gala included Jasmine Simpson and Juan Dolph. The couple was in a car dealership parking lot when they noticed another couple getting into an argument.
As their child watched on, the argument escalated to the point that the man shouted at the woman before physically assaulting her. Jasmine and Juan then scared the man away and waited for the police to arrive. For their actions, they both received the Chief's Award.
Calm In The Face Of Danger
Erin O'Connor witnessed a fight break out in the parking lot of a convenience store. During the altercation, she also saw the attacker fatally wound one of the men. Regardless of her own well-being, to prevent any more victims, she chased the attacker off, even though they were clearly dangerous.
After they left the scene, she tended to the people that had been injured during the fight, stabilizing them until they were taken away in ambulances.
Risking Her Own Life
Another recipient of the Chief's Award was Paris Hazelwander. She had witnessed a drive-by shooting and saw that a woman had taken several gunshot wounds. While the shooting was still occurring, she ran to the car that the woman was in, instructing other bystanders on how to help.
She then got the woman out of her car, dragging her to safety. She called emergency services, relayed what had happened, and took care of her wounds until professional help arrived.
An Honor That Shouldn't Be Taken Lightly
The boys and the other award recipients shouldn't take attending the Calgary Chief's Awards Gala lightly. It's an honor to be recognized as a citizen for heroic actions that nobody told you to explicitly do. Who knows what would have happened to that poor girl if the boys hadn't stepped in.
They could have gone about their own business but instead decided to check on the safety of another, ultimately saving her from something horrible. These boys are an excellent example of what it means to be a gentleman and stand-up citizen.
A Police Officer Saved The Life Of A Girl Who Always Waved To Him
At nine-years-old, Klynn Scales found her first hero; a local police officer who was assigned to make the rounds in her neighborhood every day. She kept track of what time he would be passing by her house and would sit by the window waiting. When he'd pass by, Klynn would excitedly wave to say hello.
The police officer enjoyed the friendly interaction and would wave back. Every day, the pair would exchange hellos, often brightening otherwise hard days. There's a reason Klynn’s neighborhood was patrolled daily. She didn’t exactly have an easy childhood.
The Life Of Young Klynn Scales
Klynn Scales grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. During the 1990s, when she was a little girl, she would help her mom take care of her two younger brothers. To anyone on the outside, she seemed like just another young girl living a normal life.
Her life, however, was anything but normal. Klynn's neighborhood was so dangerous, she would look forward to seeing the police officer drive by her house every day. This was the truth of Klynn’s life, and somehow she found a way to embrace it. It was, for this reason, she survived through the most difficult time of her life.
Klynn Raised Her Brothers
The house that Klynn Scales grew up in with her brothers and mother was in a neighborhood ruined by drugs and violence. It was no place for a child to have to grow up, but it was the reality of Klynn's situation.
Making matters worse, Klynn’s mother was rarely home, having to work ruthless hours to keep a roof over her family’s heads. This meant a lot of Klynn’s life growing up was spent raising her brothers. That’s a lot to ask someone who isn’t even a teenager.
Klynn Played The Role Of Mother
As the oldest sibling in a household with an absentee parent, Klynn took responsibility for her brothers. She knew they needed to eat, so she would walk through her dangerous neighborhood to go to 7-Eleven. Without money to pay for the essentials, young Klynn was forced to steal what she needed to survive.
The troubled life of Klynn and her brothers is heartbreaking to think about. No child should grow up without a childhood, and that's essentially what happened. Klynn became a mother to her brothers, and her love drove her to do whatever needed to be done for their well being, even at her own health’s decline.
The Police Noticed Klynn
Because of the way she was forced to live her life, it wasn't long until the police noticed Klynn Scales. They learned everything they could about the down-on-their-luck family. One police officer in particular, found himself especially concerned.
This was the officer who ended up driving by Klynn’s house every day, becoming a light in an otherwise dark world. Their daily exchange became expected and highly anticipated. This officer was making a huge difference in Klynn’s life. He had no idea that before he knew it, he’d also be saving it.
The Officer Pledged His Allegiance To Klynn
Not only did the unnamed police officer drive by Klynn's house every day to make sure she was safe, he told her that he was there to protect her. Fully grown today, Klynn said, "Through all the bad situations, I would just picture him saying that he was here for us."
This dedication helped Klynn get through even her darkest times, “those words would come to me during the worst times of my childhood life.” It wouldn’t be long until this promise would be fulfilled, proving to Klynn that good still existed in the world.
A Daily Greeting Became A Warning Sign
Little Klynn Scales quickly grew attached to her new friend, "He was the one person that I trusted in my life as a kid." She loved greeting him every day, and he loved waving back. When she didn't show up to greet him one day he knew something was wrong.
Their greeting had become routine, and considering the neighborhood Klynn lived in and the responsibilities she had as a “mother,” her missing her daily greeting was a troubling warning sign that something wasn’t right.
The Officer Approached The House
Cautiously, the police officer approached the Scales household and let his instincts take over. What he found when he opened the door was devastating. Little Klynn was laying on the floor, struggling to take a single breath.
The officer rushed Klynn to the emergency room, where all he could do was wait. We know now that Klynn survived, but imagine being this officer with no idea what was happening. We can't imagine how hard it must have been to helplessly wait outside of the emergency room.
Klynn Was Given A Clean Bill Of Health
Luckily for the police officer, his quick thinking saved Klynn's life. At the hospital, it was determined she had suffered a severe episode of malnutrition. If he hadn’t have found her at the time he did, there’s a good chance Klynn would not be alive too.
Shortly after the incident, Klynn moved with her family to Texas. She was never able to say thank you to the man who had saved her life. Knowing it’s never too late, Klynn set out 20-years-later to track down her unnamed hero.
Klynn Turned To The Internet
One of the firsts things Klynn did when she began searching for her hero was to post about her experience online. She didn't know who might see what she was posting, but she stayed optimistic. Her optimism paid off when she saw a comment by Jennifer Jones.
Jones was a Sergeant with the Kansas City Police and saw Klynn’s story. She told Klynn she thought she knew the officer being described. Was Klynn about to find out the true identity of her childhood hero? Was her search for the truth uncovered this easily?
The Name Behind The Face Revealed
In 2016, an officer named Jeff Colvin opened an email from Jennifer Jones. The email talked about Klynn and the story she wrote about online. She explained there was a little girl who lived down the street from the station Colvin worked at was grown up and looking for her "guardian angel."
Colvin recognized the story right away. He knew who Klynn was, and knew that the little girl whose life he saved was able to grow up. Years of worry and wondering were flushed away with joy and happiness.
Colvin Was Ecstatic
Just as Klynn Scales had never forgotten about Jeff Colvin, he had never forgotten her either. As he said, "I had actually thought about her and wondered whatever happened with her." Now he didn't have to wonder anymore, he knew the truth.
The truth made him ecstatic. He was overwhelmed with happiness to learn that Klynn was alive. He was also incredibly touched she remembered him and had reached out to find him. The only thing left to do was be reunited with Klynn.
A Reunion With Tears
After 20 years not knowing what had happened to the other, Colvin and Klynn reunited in person. Both were overwhelmed with emotions. Klynn even broke down in tears upon seeing her childhood hero again. She admitted that she thought it would never happen.
Colvin's life was changed by the reunion too. He had spent so long on the force dealing with more failures than successes he was losing his passion for the job. Seeing Klynn reignited a fire inside him.
Colvin Found The Love For His Job Again
When Jeff Colvin saw Klynn for the first time in 20 years, something amazing happened. His passion for the job returned. He said, "most times we go through our career not realizing we truly helped anybody out. I wondered if I was even in the right career path."
Officer Colvin, at that moment, knew without a doubt he had made the right career choice. He then learned that his choices led Klynn to make a unique career choice of her own!
Klynn's Grown-Up Job
Inspired by her childhood hero, Klynn Scales revealed to Colvin that she applied to be a police recruit in Houston. His heroics had led her down her own path to become a police officer and work to make a positive impact on the lives of those around her.
The surprises didn't end there. Scales had been dreaming of this reunion for twenty years. Not only was Colvin her childhood hero and career inspiration, he was like a surrogate father to her. With that, she had one more thing to tell him.
Klynn's Tribute To Colvin
As soon as Klynn learned the name of her hero, she had a bracelet made with the words, "Sgt. Jeff Colvin 'A True Hero'" engraved on it. She said she got the bracelet to honor her hero and friend, reiterating she sees him as her “guardian angel.”
The story of Klynn and Colvin proves the positive power that police officers can have on communities and individuals. Klynn isn't the only person who has ever had her life changed by an officer, something she found out when her story went viral.
Klynn's Story Went Viral
Knowing there are few things as powerful for police stations as community outreach, the Kansas City Missouri Police Department shared the story online. Her story went viral instantly, with many people inspired to share their own amazing stories about police officers.
Not surprisingly, several commentators shared their own stories about Sgt. Colvin and the amazing things he had done for them. As it turns out, Klynn's life wasn’t the only one he saved after all his years on the streets. He was a true local Kansas City hero.
The Support Was Incredible
In today's world, police officers aren’t always treated with respect, and the overwhelming support Klynn and Colvin received was incredible. One comment read, "I have great respect for all police, though some deserve it more than others."
In this case, no one deserves more respect than Jeff Colvin for the time and care he took in protecting Klynn during her time of need. And Klynn has now made it her life’s mission to pay it forward.
Klynn's Future Is A Reflection Of Her Past
Talking about her plans for the future, Klynn chooses to focus her attention on the past, "I hope one day I can become someone's hero, or make a positive impact like you [Colvin] did mine." With two kids of her own, Scales plans to start with them.
Then, with her new career, she plans to become an even bigger hero. Colvin’s heroics showed her there was light in the dark. Now she sees it as her job to “pay it forward” and show a new generation of lost souls that there is hope.
The Story Comes Full Circle
The story of Sgt. Jeff Colvin and Klynn Scales is one of sadness turned into happiness. It stands as proof that there's good in the world, and there are people committed to being good. This is important to remember, especially during tough times.
After graduating from the police academy, as of June 2018, Klynn is officially a police officer. Can you guess who was in the audience cheering her on? Jeff Colvin and his wife, along with Jennifer Jones all showed up to congratulate Klynn on her accomplishment.
