Chadwick Boseman won the Best Hero Award at the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards. The Black Panther star took the stage to accept his Golden Popcorn award and his speech blew everyone away.
Boseman told the audience that he wanted to honor a real-life hero and announced, one who was sitting right there in the crowd. Then, he called out to James Shaw Jr., the Waffle House hero, the man who stopped a shooting near Nashville in April.
“It’s even greater to acknowledge the heroes that we have in real life,” Chadwick said. “He fought off a gunman in Antioch, Tennessee, at a Waffle House. He saved lives … a real-life hero.”
Chadwick Boseman then urged James Shaw Jr. to stand up and join him on stage. “This is going to live at your house,” Boseman told him and gave Shaw his prized Popcorn Trophy.
??????? RT @ImPepperAnne: I’m crying RT @PhotosByBeanz: .@chadwickboseman you a real one for this. #MTVAwards pic.twitter.com/EnWXONhGmL
— Chantellephone (@mariechantelle) June 19, 2018
James Shaw Jr. is the man who stopped a live shooting at a Waffle House back in April. The 29-year-old wrestled the gun away from accused shooter Travis Reinking.
Four people died in that shooting and several more, including Shaw, were injured. Shaw has been hailed as a hero whom many believe deserved more recognition for his lifesaving selflessness.
The moment between Chadwick Boseman and James Shaw Jr. was powerful and the Waffle House Hero finally got some of the recognition that he deserved.