The man's a victim and scarred for life, and I've seen a lot of people run through this self-loathing after-action account, some of whom were very brave people who were also very well trained and in past or prior occasions, some even more dangerous or confused, acquitted themselves with honor.

I also think it's contemptible for the media to even be interviewing these people. Beyond police reports these people should be talking about these experience with counselors, not reporters, and if they choose to make an account for the public, it should be down the road when distance gives a clearer view.

More, eye-witness accounts are garbage, even those from people discussing their own thinking and trying to be honest. Your memory of a traumatic event like that is not accurate and often includes contradictions and impossibilities. It's not that time slows down and your thinking speeds up, it's that you replay bits and pieces and make so many mental annotations that you've got a whole chapter written about your thoughts and actions that took 15 seconds and consisted of virtually no coherent thought.

Man may be a coward, lots of people are, but I think it is unwise to jump to conclusions on that score. People are programmed to try to survive, and the line between unconsciously flinching and panicking and showing your attacker a fast set of heels isn't that wide.

I don't think anyone would nominate the guy for a medal, and the other fellow surely deserves accolade, but to say he's an awful person and that another person who knows him far better than you is a fool to want to marry him seems very unfair and kneejerk. It's frankly none of your business and the media shouldn't be broadcasting interviews of the victims like this, it's disgusting. Both of them are clearly way to shook up to be making decisions right now or relating traumatic events to anyone other than the authorities, who need to know, and mental health professional or close friends and family.