Martial arts instructors often emphasize that the techniques learned in class should only be used in emergency situations. A recent incident in Philadelphia illustrates this perfectly. A karate practitioner, Stephen Venter, demonstrated his skills by swiftly intervening in a robbery. He chased down a thief who had stolen a woman’s purse and used a low kick to retrieve it.
The scene unfolded when one of Venter’s students alerted him to a commotion outside. A woman, Jennifer Romanelli, was frantically calling for help after her purse was snatched. Venter quickly assessed the situation and gave chase. When the thief refused to drop the purse, Venter used his martial arts training to deliver a kick to the thief’s leg, causing him to stumble and drop the bag before fleeing.
Romanelli was amazed by Venter’s sudden appearance and described him as “like a ninja.” This incident inspired Venter to offer a self-defense and kickboxing class for women, highlighting the practical application of martial arts in real-life situations. Despite his heroic actions, Venter had only been living in Philadelphia for six months.
His intervention helped stop the woman from losing her purse. Each one of us has in us what it takes to brighten the face of another. Let’s not hold back on being generous with empathy. When we think of others in positive light and consider their feelings too, we illuminate a grand scale of positivity that ripples through out creation.