Wheelchair Hero Larry Skopnik Tackles Would-Be Robber

Larry Skopnik, a wheelchair-bound man from Vancouver, tackled a would-be thief.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on November 12 2010

It takes a lot of guts for anyone to tackle a robber—but Larry Skopnik of Vancouver, Canada has a special kind of chutzpah. Skopnik lost the use of his legs a decade ago after an ATV accident, and has been wheelchair-bound ever since. But despite his physical limitations, when he saw someone threaten a friend of his, he jumped in to protect her.

Skopnik was at a convenience store, and is friends with the clerk, Cindy Grewal. When a fellow customer tried to pass off a counterfeit $50 note and was denied, the man got angry, and went behind the counter.

It looked like the would-be counterfeiter was about to assault Grewal, so Skopnik sprang into action. He wheeled himself over to the man, and then tackled him to the ground. Two other customers then jumped in to hold the man on the ground until the police arrived, and no one was injured in the incident.

Skopnik’s received plenty of kind words for his heroic action, but he is humble about the situation.

“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 CTV.

Check out the surveillance footage of Skopnik stopping the thief.

Filed under: Heroes,

Liked this? You'll love these, too:

A Fallen Soldier’s Last Gift: Bruce Hays and the Apache Project

After soldier Bruce Hays died in Afghanistan, his Wisconsin neighbors worked to restore an old truck that he'd promised to his wife Terry. Read More
10 Animal Heroes from History: Cher Ami, 9/11 Nikie and More

A carrier pigeon, a Golden Retriever dog, a Shih Tzu, a cow and a goat are a few amazing animals who've saved the lives of humans. Read More
5 More Life-Saving Animals: Filippo the Dolphin, Binti Jua the Gorilla, and More

A continuation of our story on 10 animals who've rescued their human friends. Read More
Paralyzed Woman Claire Lomas Completes London Marathon in Bionic Suit

Wearing a ReWalk suit, paraplegic Claire Lomas walked the entire London Marathon in 16 days. Read More
Janitor Rescues Failing Business, Now Is Co-Owner

Tony Lee, who worked as a janitor at car parts company Ring Masters in Massillon, Ohio, came up with a business plan to save the company, which is now profitable. Read More