Woman shields Asian senior from attack. Gets attacked herself

A Black woman is telling her story for the first time since protecting an elderly Asian man who came under attack in Oakland.

The incident happened in April, but this is the first time the hero who only wants to be identified as Mychelle is telling her story.

She spoke exclusively to ABC7 News.

According to police, a man on a bus began yelling at Hua Lin, 69, before striking him with a cane. Lin is having trouble seeing and is in much pain.

The woman who only wants to be identified as Mychelle stepped in between the two and shielded Lin from further attack.

The attacker ran off the bus, but Mychelle chased after him and came under attack herself. Despite that, she still managed to flag down an ambulance for Lin.

“I wouldn’t sit there and watch anyone get hurt,” she told reporter Dion Lim.

Carl Chan, president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, heard about Mychelle’s heroics and made it a point to meet her.

“She is not only courageous but someone with integrity,” said Chan.

Chan is raising money for Mychelle to find her a new apartment in a safer neighborhood. He’s asking any landlord who can help to contact the chamber.

“It doesn’t matter who we are, Black, Asian, white, Hispanic, whatever race. We need to unite and work together to fight COVD-19 and fight hate. I hope many of us will step up in recognizing our bus hero,” said Chan.

Mychelle who works for a non-profit doesn’t think she did anything extraordinary.

“That’s what you’re supposed to do. I don’t know how else to say it,” said Mychelle.

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