What happens to accidental heroes when the headlines fade? ‘You get your award and then there’s nothing’
After traumatic events we look for reminders of humanity's good, and flashes of courage from ordinary people become symbols of hope. But it can be hard to wear the hero's crown
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The smell of burning flesh and pulverised concrete is seared into the psyche of Anneke Weemaes-Sutcliffe. On 22 March 2016, the Australian expat was due to check in for a flight when Islamic State suicide bombers detonated two nailbombs inside Brussels airport. Miraculously unharmed, she sprinted to the exit after the second blast exploded metres away from her - but then, risking her life, decided to turn back.
Screams, wailing alarms and a thick blanket of dust choked the air. The ceiling had caved in. It turned from buzzing with life to a war zone. It's horrific, absolutely horrific," Weemaes-Sutcliffe says.
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