Like hundreds of millions of others, last Friday my wife and I observed the unfolding of a horrific event as ISIS terrorists perpetrated a series of coordinated attacks throughout Paris, resulting in the deaths of 129 individuals and injuries to at least 350 others.
It was only yesterday that we became aware of the heroism of a man later identified as Sebastian Besatti. He risked his own life to save a pregnant woman (identified only as Charlotte) who was dangling from a ledge 20 feet from the ground.
A journalist for the French newspaper Le Monde documented the incident on film.
The video was recorded by a journalist in a nearby building, according to a report from ABC News. The journalist, Daniel Psenny, ceased recording to assist, but managed to capture the moment when an individual from within the building was able to assist in pulling the pregnant woman back inside, as she expressed that she was losing her grip.
The individual in question was, of course, Sebastian Besatti. The 34-year-old Besatti was present at the same concert as Charlotte was, where the perpetrators killed 89 innocent individuals.
Like many members of the audience, Besatti sought refuge from the unfolding tragedy, as the assailants methodically killed one person after another. Charlotte attempted to flee the Bataclan theatre via the window. He observed her suspended from the roof, imploring assistance from the bystanders below, who were rendered helpless by the situation.
At one juncture in the video, the subject utters a French phrase, “Please, I’m pregnant,” according to NBC News. After what seemed to be an interminable period, Besatti emerged from the vehicle and pulled the woman inside.
At the outset, he was unaware of the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.
He was subsequently apprehended by one of the assailants and subjected to a traumatic ordeal as the perpetrators continued to murder his fellow concert-goers. He was fortunate to survive until police officers arrived at the theatre and were able to rescue him.
Subsequently, Besatti’s brother observed a public announcement on Twitter from Charlotte’s family, requesting that the individual who had saved her come forward so that they could express their gratitude for saving Charlotte and her unborn child.
According to Bonny Fuller, Sebastian’s brother was the first to identify the message after it had been widely disseminated. He then proceeded to establish a connection between the two.
Asked by radio station France Bleu Gard Lozère why he risked his own life by coming out of his hiding place to save Charlotte and her baby, Sebastian said because “it’s not possible to let someone die in front of you — there had already been too many.”