Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery (2008)

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, in which at least 206 people with ties to Massachusetts perished. The first flights to be hijacked took off from Boston Logan International Airport. Madeline “Amy” Sweeney, a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11, displayed extraordinary cool under extreme pressure during the hijacking. The Massachusetts 9/11 Fund Blog is profiling the Sweeney Award recipients for the past quarter century every week leading up to the naming of the 2026 Honoree(s) at the 25th Anniversary Commemoration on September 11th.

Red Sox intern rushes back to calm women in wrecked trolley in Newton

Ben Papapietro was returning home from his second day as a Red Sox intern on May 28, 2008. He was jolted when his trolley collided with another train at Riverside Station in Newton. Ben escaped unscathed from the smoldering train as sparks flew. Then he heard screams.

“It was a matter of how long you could have listened to these people screaming inside the train,” Ben, 19, said. “I guess my breaking point was just sooner than everyone else’s.”

Ben climbed back into the mangled train and found Min Perry, 37, trapped behind the operator’s cabin. She was in agony – bleeding with her legs pinned.

Per David Abel of The Boston Globe:

Papapietro, barely a year out of high school, managed to stay calm enough to take off his shirt and urged Perry to breathe through it rather than inhale the noxious fumes. “I didn’t want this lady to die right in front of me,” he said. “I’m trying to keep her going, doing everything I can, but at the same time doing nothing, because I can’t do anything. It’s the most helpless feeling in the world.”

Down on his knees, he pleaded with Perry to stay conscious. He grabbed her hand, imploring her to keep squeezing. “Hey, keep your eyes open,” he told her. “Keep looking in my eyes.” It worked. Slowly, she began to relax …

It took emergency responders 20 minutes to free Perry using the Jaws of Life. She was sent to hospital with bad cuts and a broken ankle. “I think we cloud the definition of hero today,” MBTA Police Chief Paul MacMillan said. “But under any definition, (Ben’s) a hero.”

For his courageous actions, Ben received the Madeline "Amy" Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery in a ceremony at the State House on Thursday.

“If it wasn’t for (Ben’s) actions, she may not be around,” Min’s husband, Joe, said. “It’s hard to put into words your appreciation for his actions. You don’t meet people of his caliber.”

Next week: Dorchester crossing guard dies shielding student from speeding car