John Ayer, who braved a menacing mob in Florida to rescue a 19-year-old girl, insists he isn’t a hero. But judging by the praise heaped upon him, he’ll do until a better one comes along. How different is his story from recent accounts 0f people who stood by, refusing to “get involved” in helping to save a life or prevent a rape. The 34-year-old Ayer, who operates a home repair service, is credited by police with saving the life of Angela Vivier. The young woman was involved in an automobile accident on a dark road in a “low-income, predominantly black area” of south Dade County. As she tried to restart her car, according to news accounts, a crowd of 50 to 100 men surrounded the vehicle. When she opened the window, she was threatened and assaulted. Ayer, driving by in his van, saw a man begin climbing through the girl’s car window. He stopped, walked through the crowd, opened the car door, and calmly told Angela tofollow him. They were attacked and repeatedly struck, but escaped in the van, assisted by an unidentified motorist who leaned on his horn, temporarily distracting the crowd’s attention. Ayer was hospitalized with a broken jaw, cuts and bruises and some lost teeth. A heartwarming aspect of the incident was the public response, People sent messages of appreciation, wellwishes, offers of money and medical assistance. Ayer’s deed brought numerous calls, many of them long distance. Angela called Ayer her “guardian angel.” Her father, Tech. Sgt. Guy Vivier of Homestead AFB, said, ‘Somehow, he came out of the night and saved my daughter’s life.” People still look up to men and women with selfless courage who stand tall in a crisis. We need heroes and example setters.