Wheelchair Hero Thwarts Convenience Store Robbery

posted on Nov 12 by Sherri in the Disability News, Fun, Health, Interesting Links, Opinion and Discussion, Spinal Cord Injury category

Larry Skopnik became a hero after wrestling a would-be robber to the ground at his local Vancouver convenience store. As if that were not brave enough, the most amazing part is that he did all of that despite being a paraplegic who has been confined to a wheelchair since suffering a spinal cord injury in an ATV accident a decade ago.

At first it seemed like any other Saturday night. Skopnik was shopping at a Food Stop, when he noticed some commotion at the counter. Apparently, another customer thought he would try to use a counterfeit $50 bill to pay for some tobacco. When the female clerk refused to accept the bogus money, however, the counterfeiter became irate, forced himself behind the counter, where he shoved the clerk and threatened to rob her.

That’s when Skopnik rolled up, pulled the man out from behind the counter and managed to get him in a headlock. Although he did get pulled out of his chair and the two men wrestled on the floor for a bit, Skopnik did not let go. After a few minutes, a couple of other patrons rushed over to help hold the man until police arrived.

Although authorities recently pressed charges against an able-bodied good Samaritan in a similar Vancouver case, they’ve stated that they will not be pressing any charges against any of the customers who helped, including Skopnik.

“Larry’s a hero, honest to God,” the clerk  told police.

Footage of the events of that night have made their way across the web and onto international news, earning Skopnik some much deserved praise; Skopnik is quite humble about the whole experience.

“I don’t think there should be any big deal made about it. Yes, I’m in a wheelchair, but I still have all the morals and standards that my dad and mother put into me — to help people, to stand up to bullies,” he told Canadian reporters.

“People have a perception about people in wheelchairs as being unable, when we’re 99 percent able. There are only four things I can’t do in life, and that’s walk, run, jump and kick,” he said. “Everything else, I’m totally able to do, and helping other people is one of them.”