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Elaine Murakami, her arms full, her purse slung over a shoulder, was heading into the Federal Office Building in Seattle just after 2 p.m. Thursday.
Chaim Van Den Hof was walking to his office after lunch.
Misionare Toilolo was waiting for a bus to take him to West Seattle, where he was to serve Christmas dinner to poor families.
Within minutes, the three would meet — Murakami, the victim of a purse snatcher, Toilolo and Van Den Hof, the fleet-footed heroes who helped nab the thief and recover Murakami's purse.
The story would have ended there, but while Toilolo, 17, was running down the purse snatcher, someone stole the bag of Christmas gifts he had left at the bus stop at Third Avenue and Marion Street.
It had taken Toilolo six paychecks and three months of allowance to save the $600 he used to buy presents for his family. His bag gone, Toilolo sat on the curb, head in his hands and crying. The Sony PlayStation 2 video-game console he'd promised his 12-year-old brother was gone.
"That is cold, cold nature, that a person could take a bag when a citizen is trying to help another citizen," Toilolo said. "I had just bought this PlayStation for my brother ... when I told him I was getting it for him, his eyes just lit up.
"Now, I'm not going to get to see his face light up like that," Toilolo said. "I just hope Elaine was happy because I was so happy when I saw her, just so happy I could help out."
When Murakami's purse was snatched from her shoulder, Van Den Hof and another man began to chase the thief, but they were losing ground, Van Den Hof recalled. That's when Toilolo appeared and said, "I'm fast."
"He had no fear," Van Den Hof said. "He didn't even think about it. He stopped the guy and rustled him to the ground." Police arrived soon after and arrested the purse snatcher.
Seeing the teen upset by the loss of his gifts, Van Den Hof said he felt even worse later, when a police officer who'd given Toilolo a ride to the West Seattle Boys and Girls Club called to say Toilolo was serving dinner to families who couldn't afford their own Christmas. Toilolo is president of Keystone, the club's volunteer service.
"He lost all his Christmas presents and he was on his way to volunteer his time," said Van Den Hof, who works on the trading floor for Washington Mutual Bank. "It just broke everyone's heart, and one of my colleagues said, 'We've got to do something about this.' "
Yesterday, Van Den Hof sent an e-mail to co-workers and in a couple of hours raised $605. He called Murakami, who gave another $200. He then phoned Toilolo and asked him to come downtown so they could give him the money.
"I didn't lose anything — and this young man, who'd worked so hard to buy presents, not even things for himself... ," said Murakami, her voice breaking. "One person did something that wasn't very nice, but a lot of people stepped in to help me, and I'm so glad so many people were so selfless."
Rewarding Toilolo for his bravery and altruism was rewarding in itself, Murakami said.
"Misionare was really overwhelmed, and he was crying," she said after he'd been given the money. "He kept saying, 'Oh, you guys, you don't have to do this.' I just think he's a really good role model for young people today."
good kid
Chaim Van Den Hof was walking to his office after lunch.
Misionare Toilolo was waiting for a bus to take him to West Seattle, where he was to serve Christmas dinner to poor families.
Within minutes, the three would meet — Murakami, the victim of a purse snatcher, Toilolo and Van Den Hof, the fleet-footed heroes who helped nab the thief and recover Murakami's purse.
The story would have ended there, but while Toilolo, 17, was running down the purse snatcher, someone stole the bag of Christmas gifts he had left at the bus stop at Third Avenue and Marion Street.
It had taken Toilolo six paychecks and three months of allowance to save the $600 he used to buy presents for his family. His bag gone, Toilolo sat on the curb, head in his hands and crying. The Sony PlayStation 2 video-game console he'd promised his 12-year-old brother was gone.
"That is cold, cold nature, that a person could take a bag when a citizen is trying to help another citizen," Toilolo said. "I had just bought this PlayStation for my brother ... when I told him I was getting it for him, his eyes just lit up.
"Now, I'm not going to get to see his face light up like that," Toilolo said. "I just hope Elaine was happy because I was so happy when I saw her, just so happy I could help out."
When Murakami's purse was snatched from her shoulder, Van Den Hof and another man began to chase the thief, but they were losing ground, Van Den Hof recalled. That's when Toilolo appeared and said, "I'm fast."
"He had no fear," Van Den Hof said. "He didn't even think about it. He stopped the guy and rustled him to the ground." Police arrived soon after and arrested the purse snatcher.
Seeing the teen upset by the loss of his gifts, Van Den Hof said he felt even worse later, when a police officer who'd given Toilolo a ride to the West Seattle Boys and Girls Club called to say Toilolo was serving dinner to families who couldn't afford their own Christmas. Toilolo is president of Keystone, the club's volunteer service.
"He lost all his Christmas presents and he was on his way to volunteer his time," said Van Den Hof, who works on the trading floor for Washington Mutual Bank. "It just broke everyone's heart, and one of my colleagues said, 'We've got to do something about this.' "
Yesterday, Van Den Hof sent an e-mail to co-workers and in a couple of hours raised $605. He called Murakami, who gave another $200. He then phoned Toilolo and asked him to come downtown so they could give him the money.
"I didn't lose anything — and this young man, who'd worked so hard to buy presents, not even things for himself... ," said Murakami, her voice breaking. "One person did something that wasn't very nice, but a lot of people stepped in to help me, and I'm so glad so many people were so selfless."
Rewarding Toilolo for his bravery and altruism was rewarding in itself, Murakami said.
"Misionare was really overwhelmed, and he was crying," she said after he'd been given the money. "He kept saying, 'Oh, you guys, you don't have to do this.' I just think he's a really good role model for young people today."
good kid
