Student in Moonboot Saves 30 Lives in Stairwell Crush

Samson Aruwa wasn't supposed to be anyone's hero that night. He was wearing a moonboot, nursing an injured knee at a crowded house party in Dunedin, New Zealand.

But when hundreds of partygoers became trapped in a stairwell crush at The Manor flat, Aruwa did something extraordinary. After freeing himself from the collapsing pile of bodies, he didn't run to safety.

He turned back. Again and again and again.

Over the course of that terrifying night, Aruwa pulled 30 people from the crush. Using his strength and stature, he worked through what witnesses described as "a never-ending pile of people" until everyone who could be saved was free.

Tragically, 19-year-old Sophia Crestani died in the incident. Aruwa carried her lifeless body outside, where police tried desperately to revive her. It's a moment he thinks about every single day.

This week, New Zealand Police Commissioner Richard Chambers officially recognized Aruwa's bravery with a special award. "That night could have been so much worse," Chambers told him during the ceremony at the University of Otago. "It could have been so much worse, had it not been for your courage, your selfless actions and your leadership."

Sophia's parents traveled from Wellington to witness the ceremony. Her mother, Elspeth McMillan, noted how Aruwa's actions differed starkly from the flatmates who hosted the party and locked all doors except the main entrance, creating a death trap.

"Sadly for Sophia and her location to the side of the front door, there was no relief for her, and she was crushed to death," McMillan said. But she expressed deep gratitude that Aruwa's heroism prevented more families from experiencing their loss.

Why This Inspires

Aruwa's testimony at the 2024 coronial hearing moved everyone in the courtroom to tears. Inspector Ian Paulin said his heartfelt evidence meant "there was not a dry eye in the whole court." The coroner praised his crystal clear memory and honesty when others couldn't remember details.

Now a registered nurse, Aruwa credits that night as part of his calling to healthcare, though his mother and wife were already nurses. "I know how I'll act in an emergency," he said quietly outside the ceremony.

When Commissioner Chambers joked about recruiting him to become a police officer, Aruwa responded with characteristic humility and humor. "Given I was in a moonboot on the day, and I've injured my knee quite a few times, I think I would fall apart if I tried to be a police officer."

He also made sure to acknowledge the others who helped that night, insisting "it wasn't just me."

Thirty families have a loved one today because one young man chose courage over safety.