The Outsiders
Realistic Fiction
Speak
April 1967
Paperback
180
Murderer Becomes Hero
Trinity Lappe, The Oklahoma Daily
Oklahoma City, October 18, 1960
On Tuesday, October 1, in Oklahoma City, Bob Sheldon was murdered by a kid with the name of Johnny Cade. Johnny stabbed Bob with a switchblade to save Ponyboy from being drowned. Johnny then became a hero by rescuing kids from a church fire.
Randy, Bob’s best friend said, “He was the best buddy a guy ever had.” After Johnny Cade murdered Bob Sheldon, he ran away with his friend Ponyboy Curtis. Dally Winston, who was a friend of Ponyboy and Johnny found them. He was bringing them back to their hometown. When they saw the church they were hiding at was on fire, they came to a sudden stop. Johnny and Ponyboy rushed over to see what was happening. They saw that the church was on fire.
They were trying to figure out what was really going on when they realized that there were kids in the church. Johnny and Ponyboy immediately went to go save them. They went through a window to get into the church. Dally was helping from the outside of the church while Johnny and Ponyboy were inside getting the children out. They got all the kids out safely.
Ponyboy and Dally got out of the fire with small injuries, but part of the ceiling of the old church fell onto Johnny. Johnny was seriously hurt. He and the others were rushed to the hospital.
On the ride to the hospital, one of the adults that were at the church said, “I swear, you three are the bravest kids I’ve seen in a long time.” The adults and parents of the kids are very thankful for what the boys did. Johnny stayed in the hospital for a few days because he was very hurt. He ended up passing away on October 12 in the hospital.
Johnny may have murdered someone, but he also put his life on the line to save the kids in the church fire. Johnny should get some credit for risking his life for these kids he didn’t even know.
