Riverview student meets woman he saved during attack at Publix
RIVERVIEW, Fla. (WFLA) — After he was released from his last class of the day, Andrew Papp said he and his girlfriend went to the Publix shopping center near Riverview High School for a haircut on December 4.
The sophomore said they weren’t even in a parking spot yet when he saw what was happening.
“I told her, ‘Stop the car,’ whenever I heard, ‘I have mace. I will spray you,'” Andrew remembered. “It’s like, an easy indicator. I’m like, she’s in distress.”
Billie Richert said she just finished ringing the bell for the Salvation Army when the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office said she was attacked by 42-year-old Robert Moore, trying to take her keys and steal her car.
“That could be someone’s mom, someone’s aunt,” Andrew said. “If that was my mom and someone did that to my mom and he got away, that’s just like, that’s terrible.”
Andrew said he ran over and yelled at Moore, chased after him, then tried to fight him before another Good Samaritan tackled Moore.
“I wasn’t really thinking, I just put my hands up,” Andrew recalled. “I wasn’t really thinking about if he had any weapons on him, I was just trying to make sure that he didn’t get away with any of the lady’s stuff, and that the lady was fine.”
Andrew was able to meet Billie via FaceTime on Wednesday.
“Thank you so much for helping me when I needed help,” Billie gushed.
The 65-year-old grandma was making Christmas cookies with her granddaughters in Virginia during the call.
“Thankfully, Andrew and the other person subdued him until the police got there,” Billie explained. “I am eternally grateful for both of you.”
Andrew said he sees lots of people filming incidents and standing by.
“15-year-old kid stepping in for adults that won’t do stuff like that,” Andrew said. “Maybe it’s inspirational for other people.”
Andrew’s stepdad surprised him at school Wednesday as well.
“I just tried to instill a sense of right and wrong with him,” said Coy Reavis. “Thankfully, he’s one of the kids that listens.”
Coy was able to speak with Billie as well.
“It just emphasizes to me more so that I’m so glad that Andrew was there,” Coy said. “To jump in and help them.”
Coy said Andrew didn’t make much of the incident either, considering what Andrew did once it was over.
“I just went in Publix and I washed myself off, all the blood,” Andrew said. “And I went to go get my haircut.”
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