The chaotic pace of the world seemed to take pause during the horrific terrorist attacks in Paris. It was a dark and devastating day felt around the world. However, numerous heroes emerged through the unspeakable devastation. These heroes were everywhere. There were police officers, firefighters, and ordinary citizens trying to save and protect others. These heroes came in all shapes and sizes. This includes Diesel, a dog that is being honored around the world for her courage.
Diesel was a Belgian shepherd dog. She was seven years old, and she was in the service of the French special forces. Operating in Paris on the morning of November 18, she assisted the French in raiding an apartment believed to house some of the terrorists wanted for their involvement in the attacks. Unfortunately, Diesel and her companions were met with hostile fire from the occupants of the apartment. Diesel and the French special forces endured a brutal stand off with the occupants of the apartment for several hours.
In an attempt to break the stand off, Diesel entered the hostile apartment. Her mission was to scope out possible booby traps in the area. After she entered the apartment, a woman terrorist ran towards Diesel and the police. She was armed with an AK-47, and she began shooting it at Diesel and the police officers. With Diesel near her, the terrorist detonated her suicide vest. The explosion killed Diesel instantly. However, none of the police officers were killed, and only five of them were injured. It is believed that Diesel’s courageous action of approaching the apartment caused the female terrorist to reveal herself and detonate her suicide vest prematurely. If Diesel had not bravely advanced towards the apartment, the police officers themselves would have entered the apartment, and the woman terrorist would most likely have killed all of them.
The world is thanking Diesel for her brave actions and the sacrifice of her own life. As soon as the situation was contained, the Police Nationale tweeted, ‘Diesel, a seven-year-old Malinois, police dog for RAID [France’s anti-terrorist police unit], was killed by terrorists in the ongoing operation.’ The outpouring of love for Diesel is nothing short of incredible. These expressions of love include sharing Diesel’s story on social media. It has also spawned a unique hashtag on Twitter. The hash tag is #JeSuisChien. Translated into English, it means, “I am a dog.” The touching hashtag is meant show support for a canine that gave her one life so many human beings could live.
Photos of Diesel are being shared around the world. You can see pictures of Diesel standing bravely with members of the Police Nationale. You can see her holding flags to demonstrate her love of country. You can even see Diesel posing in a photograph with medals she earned from previous operations. People are incredibly touched by Diesel’s actions, and it is inspiring other law enforcement agencies to value the support of their canine team members more than ever before.
What do you think of all of this? Are your thoughts with Diesel? Are you grateful for her sacrifice? Part of the tragedy of Diesel’s sacrifice is that she couldn’t have possibly understood the complex beliefs of the terrorists. She had no way of knowing why they were harming people on such a massive scale. All she could know was that her police unit was in danger, and it was her job to keep them safe. That innocence amid such carnage deserves tremendous respect. Thankfully, the world is providing it. Share Diesel’s story, and let the world know she will never be forgotten!