Last June, two coworkers bravely saved an elderly woman during a saber attack. Yesterday, the Ministry of the Interior honored them for their exemplary courage.
On June 19 in Nice, on Boulevard Dubouchage, an incident left a lasting impression. A man, armed with a Japanese saber, attacked a 75-year-old woman. The scene unfolded in broad daylight, under the astonished gaze of bystanders. However, amidst the crowd, two locals from Nice chose to act.
Thomas Intartataglia and Thibault Reuter, coworkers, were nearby. Upon seeing the armed man and the victim in danger, they didn’t hesitate. With a swift and determined move, they disarmed the assailant and subdued him to the ground. This instinctive and heroic act saved the life of the elderly woman. Shortly after, military personnel from the Sentinel force took over, arresting the assailant.
A Well-Deserved Recognition
This exemplary courage did not go unnoticed. A few days after the incident, the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, awarded the two heroes the city’s medal. However, the act of Thomas and Thibault deserved more. Christian Estrosi therefore made a request to the prefect of Alpes-Maritimes, Hugues Moutouh. He wished for the two men to receive the medal of honor for an act of courage. The Ministry of the Interior responded favorably to this request. Consequently, the ministry will award the medal of internal security to these two citizens. The date for the formal ceremony has not yet been set.
Thomas and Thibault shared their experience with emotion. In an interview with our colleagues at BFM Nice Côte d’Azur, they expressed their belief that they did the right thing. For them, it was impossible to remain spectators. “We didn’t calculate anything, we didn’t control anything, it was the heart that led us to do this,” stated Thibault Reuter.
