Last Friday, outside Elderwood Nursing Home in Burlington, Vermont, Leceadricke Young faced a moment that tested everything he’d learned decades earlier. A man had grabbed a woman by the throat and slammed her to the ground. When Young and a fire captain attempted to help, the situation escalated dramatically—the attacker pulled a knife and chased the fire captain across the parking lot. Young didn’t hesitate. Drawing on military-style disarming techniques he’d learned as a teenager in an explorer program back in Mississippi, he ran up behind the attacker, grabbed his arm, and executed a flip that sent the suspect to the ground and the knife flying out of his hand. Police arrived within minutes and arrested Wayne Butchino, who now faces multiple charges including attempted murder.
What makes this story especially meaningful is Young’s reflection afterward. “I knew what to do, but I never thought I would have to use it,” he said. His willingness to act, combined with his training, likely prevented serious injury or worse. Beyond his work as a traveling nurse, Young actively teaches intervention and self-defense skills to young people he mentors, believing that preparedness is a gift we can pass along. He understands something many of us overlook: training isn’t just about being ready for the worst. It’s about having the confidence and capability to help when someone else needs it most.
This story raises an important question for all of us: What skills are worth learning, even if we hope we’ll never need them? Whether it’s CPR, first aid, de-escalation techniques, or self-defense, the people who make a difference in emergencies are typically those who’ve already invested time in preparation. Young’s actions remind us that ordinary people can do extraordinary things when training meets courage. What safety or self-defense skills do you think are most important for your community to learn?
