When a man allegedly berated, insulted, and assaulted an 18-year old woman from Richmond on the Canada Line no one stepped in to help, except for Jake Taylor – which is why someone has set up a GoFundMe to thank the Good Samaritan.
A foreign correspondent for the ABC network with ties to Canada is raising money to thank Jake for helping Fadel.
“Here’s a guy who risked his own safety, risked his own life without thinking twice to safe somebody that he never met before,” said Muhammad Lila.
LISTEN: Steele & Drex talk to man crowdfunding to reward Good Samaritan
Fadel was on the Canada Line around 9:30 p.m. last week when 46-year-old Pierre Belzan allegedly started walking towards her and yelling at her.
According to Transit Police, the man spoke in Arabic and allegedly made remarks using “extremely offensive language.”
The man allegedly told Fadel to go back to her country and that he’d “kill all Muslims.”
He allegedly grabbed Fadel’s head, forced it toward his crotch and then tried to remove her hijab.
That’s when Taylor intervened and put himself between Fadel and the suspect.
Lila said the first thing he thought when he found out about the story was “that could’ve been anyone,” adding it could’ve been his daughter, sister or a friend.
WATCH: Transit Police make arrest in shocking racial attack
“The fact that nobody on the train stood up and did anything except for one person, I think that what that one person did was remarkable and I think that we as Canadians, we as Muslims, owe him a debt of gratitude.”
Taylor has never asked for money, said Lila, but we wanted to reward him in some way. Lila said he reached out to Fadel, who also thought it was a great idea.
“I mean all of us, wherever we are in Canada, we’ve been in the subway, we’ve taken the train, and nobody in a million years expects something like that would ever happen,” said Lila.
Lila is planning to fly out to Vancouver before Christmas and surprise Taylor, who he’s never met before, with the money.
Belzan, accused of attacking Fadel is now facing a charge of sexual assault.
He was arrested and charged with assault and uttering threats last week. He is back in court on Wednesday.
WATCH: Racist outburst on SkyTrain goes viral
~With files from Amy Judd and Charmaine de Silva, CKNW
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