Keanon Lowe, Football as well as Track and Field coach at Parkrose High School, has been praised for his heroic actions after preventing another school tragedy from happening. According to The Washington Post, on May 17, 2019, 19-year-old student Angel Granados-Diaz walked into school with possession of a firearm concealed under his coat. In what appeared to be a casual Friday at Parkrose, Diaz abrupted the normalcy of the students day after taking out the firearm from under his coat and pointing the weapon at himself. Without hesitation Loew lunged for the weapon and placed both of his hands on the rifle as he tugged with Diaz to free the gun from his grasp. According to reports, Diaz planned to take his life that day after battling with suicidal thoughts for months and recently breaking up with his girlfriend. 

Since this day, as reported by CBS News, security footage has recently emerged showing the dramatic moment where Lowe wrestled the weapon from Diaz and ultimately embraced him in a hug that lasted over a minute. This empathetic display of kindness shocked many viewers, as it directly contrasts the violence that many authorities use to de-escalate similar situations. In describing the incident to CBS, Lowe comments how most people “don’t know what they’re doing until it’s done.” While Diaz planned to take his own life on this day, when he uncovered the gun, the initial reaction for students and teachers was to flee in terror. However, Lowe’s immediate reaction to grab the gun and stop a tragedy from occurring is a rare instance where a cry for help had been answered. The kindness that Lowe showed Diaz leaves viewers speechless. Too often have news outlets focused on violent de-escalation of similar situations where authority figures tackle the gunman or use violence to beat violence. Lowe is not only an example to law enforcement, but also to this country on how we have to battle this violent epidemic of mental illness. As a country we do not fight violence with violence, but rather with kindness. Following his trial, Diaz will receive mental health and substance abuse treatment as part of his 36 month probationary period. Many commentators have criticized this mandate as not being harsh enough for the trauma that has been imposed on the students at school, but rather than focusing of Diaz’s punishment, we should be focusing on the heroic actions of Keanon Lowe. 

Lowe’s response to Diaz shows how this country does not need to arm our teachers or have more security or firearms. Instead, what this country needs is kindness. We need to remind each other that we are loved and valued. Coach Lowe’s hug to Diaz shows more kindness to an individual in a single minute than this country has shown each other in decades. Lowe was able to de-escalate the situation by embracing the student and reminding him of his self-worth and how he is loved by the community, not through tackling the student or resorting to violence. The instance of May 17 and Coach Lowe’s response reminds us that there are genuine and heroic people in this country, and it is important that we continue to remind our peers that they are valued and wanted. When people are internally suffering, we cannot ostracize them and lead individuals to the extreme of being willing to take their own life. We need to support our peers and provide them with the necessary resources to help them heal. Coach Lowe did not just save a life, but he saved a family and a community from the tragedy that this country knows all too well. 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255