Adam Kinzinger, Milwaukee 

When Adam Kinzinger got back from a two-week mission with the Air Force and decided to go out with some of his friends, he never planned on risking his life. 

It was just after midnight when Adam was walking home on North Avenue with his date.  He heard a scream and turned to see a woman running and holding her throat – she was bleeding heavily.  At that point, Adam realized there was a man chasing the woman with a knife, and Adam knew he had to get involved. 

At first Adam tried to get the man to calm down, but when the man turned and looked at him, Adam could tell he was far from calm.  The man continued to go after the woman and eventually had her pinned up against a car.  Adam didn’t give up. He grabbed the man’s knife-wielding arm and wrestling the knife free then pinned the man to the ground with the help of another man. Adam’s date kicked the knife away.

“Be ready for anything,” Adam says humbly, “Humanity needs to look out for each other.  If we can prevent things earlier, maybe we won’t see such extreme cases as this.  Just do what’s right.”