Here's one to restore your faith in the teenagers of today.

[Ianab]

Here's one to restore your faith in the teenagers of today.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/4913209/Hero-in-the-rubble-at-just-19

As he roamed through central Christchurch checking earthquake-crushed cars for survivors, Leon Handors grabbed a jacket and a hard hat from a plumber's damaged van.

Equipped with the gear, he helped rescue workers sifting through the ruins of the Canterbury Television (CTV) site after the February 22 quake.

Last night, the 19-year-old Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology student thanked the company for the borrowed gear, and said he was keen to meet others who helped out at the CTV site.

"It was one of those things that brought lots of people together and everyone was helping each other," he said.

When the quake hit, Handors, who is studying hotel management, was about to return to class after lunch.

"I managed to get hold of my mum. I told her I was fine and I couldn't just stand around doing nothing and needed to help someone," he said.

When Handors arrived at the Manchester St-Lichfield St corner, he realised the extent of the quake damage.

He joined others searching cars for survivors.

Realising he was not equipped to work amid the rubble, Handors borrowed a jacket and hard hat from a crushed van.

"There was a work van parked in Poplar Ln. It was pretty much crushed," Handors said.

"We had a look to see if there were any people. I saw this jacket hung around the driver seat, and a torch and helmet.

"I thought I'd get in touch with the [owner] afterwards.

"The gear just really helped out. Without that, I couldn't have done anything.

"I had a T-shirt, jeans and sneakers on. The gear helped me stay at the [CTV] site without being kicked off."

After the helpers arrived at the CTV site they were told to grab supplies from the Inland Revenue building in Cashel St.

Later, they were told to go to a pharmacy to get medical supplies.

"We had to break into a pharmacy with a sledgehammer to get supplies for Latimer Square [where the injured were being treated].

"There were three of us who just rocked up. We filled a big bin with syringes, bandages, whatever we could find."

Eventually, Handors began to work on the CTV site, pulling at rubble in a desperate attempt to find survivors.

"Every single time you'd find something, a camera or a wallet, you'd realise people were in there and they needed you," he said.

"After a couple of hours we found, I think it was, three Japanese girls [alive]."

Handors had offered to return the borrowed items, but the company declined.

[paul case]

i am certian that even teenagers get a bad rap from the 10% of their population that are trouble makers. good job to this young man for wanting to help others in a bad situation. pc

[DanG]

Good people are just good people, no matter their age or circumstance.  Leon Handors is a good man.

[thecfarm]

That should make front page news.  better yet the world news on TV

[Ianab]

That should make front page news.  better yet the world news on TV

One guy did I think.
"Awesome Maori Guy" got a lot of coverage for his efforts trying to rescue a trapped victim.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T6kJZQW2UE&NR=1

A lot of times it's how the media portray things too. They can report the positive stories, or just the negative.

Ian