This year saw violence spread across the country including a number of horrific stabbings, riots and a spate of deadly dog attacks.
But despite the pain and anger that many felt after these tragic events, communities came together to put back the pieces which brought a much needed message of hope to the nation.
As well as uniting during the times of despair, there were a number of brave individuals who fearlessly stepped in at crucial moments to make the biggest difference and save lives.
To mark the end of the year, the Mirror is looking back at five unsung heroes who sprang into action without a second thought to show the best of humanity in 2024.
Joel Verite
Joel Verite took a little girl to safety after rushing towards danger
A new dad and personal trainer Joel Verite, 25, bravely rushed to the scene of a horrific stabbing where three young girls – Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King were attacked at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 30.
Speaking to the Mirror at the time, his colleagues explained how he went into the face of danger and heroically took a little girl to safety.
Danny Noble, 28, co-owner of Level Up Gym in Southport where Joel works, said: “Joel was driving down the road and there was a woman on the floor and he’s gone over to her. She said forget about me, there’s a fella stabbing kids in there. He went in and the fella was in there with a knife or whatever he had.”
The trainer’s colleague Kyle Shaw, 20, added that Joel had been a “true hero” showing “nothing but fearlessness” saying that “he took himself to a different place and did what he had to do.”
Axel Rudakubana, 18, has been charged with a total of 16 offences including the murder of the three young girls.
A trial is set for January 20 and is expected to last four weeks.
Abdullah
Abdullah, 29, who works at TWG tea bravely took on the attacker after hearing screams
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Image:
bbc.co.uk)
A heroic security guard stepped in to pin down an attacker after an 11-year-old girl was stabbed in Leicester Square while on holiday with her mum on August 12.
Abdullah, 29, who works at TWG tea shop, said he heard a scream and went out and found a man with a knife. He told the BBC: “The moment I saw it I just jumped on that guy and grabbed his hand… and put him down on the floor and kicked the knife away from him.”
Ioan Pintaru, 32, has been charged with attempted murder and the court heard how he put the girl in a headlock before stabbing her eight times. A trial is set for May 2025.
McArthur Okorocha
McArthur Okorocha said his main goal was to get the kids away from the dog which mauled them
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Image:
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A brave man rushed to save a mum and two kids aged four and six who were savagely mauled by a very ‘big dog’ described as a “Staffie” in Orpington, London on October 5.
McArthur Okorocha told the Mirror how he heard screaming and saw a dog viciously biting the two children.
He said: “I heard screaming and shouting from the neighbours across the road and I heard the mum shouting to the girl to ‘get out’ and ‘run out’. Then I saw the dogs biting the girl, so I had to rush over there and separate the girl from the dog when I noticed there was another little boy… who the dogs were also biting.
“So, I grabbed the first girl and I held her and I tried to grab the second boy, then the dogs tried to attack me so I had to separate the little girl [from the dogs] and call 999. I got neighbours to call the police.”
McArthur added that he wasn’t afraid but that his “goal” was just to “get the kids out of there.”
A woman was arrested on suspicion of having dogs dangerously out of control and the animals were also taken into custody.
Abdul Javeed
Taxi driver Abdul Javeed was honoured for ‘act of heroism’ after saving a man from burning car
A taxi driver who bravely saved an unconscious man from a burning car before ‘getting back on with his fare’ was honoured and hailed a hero.
According to Lancashire Post, Abdul Javeed noticed a vehicle that had smashed into two houses before rushing to the rescue as it burst into flames in the early hours of the morning of Saturday, March 2 in Chorely, Lancashire.
The cab driver was honoured alongside his bosses by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and received gifts from Selfridges for his bravery.
Mothin Ali
Local councillor Mothin Ali was praised for heroically stepping in to extinguish fires and stop the disorder that broke out in Harehills, Leeds
A local councillor was praised for heroically stepping in to extinguish fires and stop the disorder that broke out in Harehills, Leeds on July 18.
Mothin Ali, a Green Party representative, told the Independent he tried to form a “human shield” along with friends after a “family incident” in the area sparked chaos, with Leeds City Council’s chief executive Tom Riordan stating that the actions of police and social service workers were “misinterpreted”.
In footage shared widely on social media of the night of destruction, the councillor was filmed kicking away a wheelie bin to prevent it being dragged towards a fire as well as stopping a rioter from throwing a wooden object into flames.