I’D DO IT AGAIN: Upwey’s Luke Frizon was threatened with his life when he intervened in a bag theft two years ago. He is to receive an Australian Bravery Award this year and says he would not Shaun Inguanzo
LUKE Frizon was only 14 when he feared he would be stabbed to death by a man who he confronted on a Belgravebound train.
The Upwey teenager, now 16, is about to receive a Commendation for Brave Conduct from the Federal Government after he approached a man who was rummaging through a woman’s bag underneath her seat on a train as he was travelling home from school in October 2003.
Luke said he intervened because the man did not appear to know the lady whose bag he was looking through.
“I just saw it and knew it was not right, and I did not see anyone else doing anything about it.
“I was kind of curious because he did not look like he knew the lady; he looked like a dodgy person.”
The man then threatened Luke and put his hand in his jacket pocket indicating he may have had a weapon.
Luke stood his ground, aware that there were many people in the carriage whose presence he hoped would deter the man from harming him.
But despite the numerous onlookers no one made any immediate effort to help the teen when he was assaulted.
“The guy grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and pushed me back and started knocking me in the head and smacking me against the side of carriage, and at that time I was scared. No one was doing anything about it, they were just kind of watching which was a bit disappointing.”
An offduty police officer intervened and the man fled the train at Boronia Station with a friend.
Luke’s parents later consoled him after the incident and took him to the police station to make a statement.
Despite his actions, Luke said he does not class himself as a hero and would help again if need be.
To the spectators of assaults, he had this to say.
“I’d say get off your butts and do something about it.
“If there is a group of you (the aggressor) will have to back down.
“One person can make a difference to the whole situation.”
The Commendation for Brave Conduct is one of several Australian Bravery Awards given for acts of extreme bravery.
The awards are approved by the GovernorGeneral, and have been presented since 1975.
