Injured British soldier completes London Marathon

LONDON -- A British soldier who lost the use of his legs in a rocket attack in Iraq has completed the London Marathon, two weeks after starting the race.

Maj. Phil Packer set off April 26 and walked the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) course on crutches at a rate of two miles (3.2 kilometers) a day.

Packer entered the marathon to support Help for Heroes, a charity for wounded soldiers. He has raised more than 600,000 pounds ($900,000) and hopes to reach 1 million pounds ($1.5 million).

The 36-year-old military policeman has been a paraplegic since he was injured in Basra in February 2008.

Packer crossed the finishing line Saturday and said the feeling was bittersweet, because it followed the deaths of four British soldiers in Afghanistan in the last two days.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pulau Tioman - Krisnamoorthy has redeemed our faith in young people

KRISNAMOORTHY, a wireman, was the hero who saved dozens at the Seagull Express inferno off Pulau Tioman last Saturday.

Dictionaries define “altruism” as “the unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others” This teenager fits the bill well.

Survivor, Ng Soon Tiong, said he saw Krisnamoorthy selflessly handing out lifejackets to other passengers and helping children off the burning ferry.
He repeatedly dived into the water to pull others to safety, including Ng's two sons, aged seven and nine as well as several other relatives.

Glowing tributes befell this teenage hero from all fronts: the 18 survivors, politicians and the Group of Concerned Citizens. Ng acknowledged that many of them were alive today because of him.

However, this teenager was a picture of modesty, saying that his main concern was the children although he was struggling to keep afloat as his jeans were water logged. His reaction to the tragedy was immediate and spontaneous.

This guy is a cut above the rest. His action was one of exceptional commitment to save others in the face of adversary. It was a moral and spiritual challenge to him that he readily accepted. Not many would have taken the risk.

This guy has redeemed our faith in young people. He has made us proud to be Malaysians! He deserves the Guinness Award for Bravery.

DR A. SOORIAN,
Seremban, Negri Sembilan.