He stepped forward when everyone else ran. A true hero — and now, he’s paying the price for his bravery.

When 61-year-old football fan Stephen Crean boarded the train home from Nottingham, he was just another man returning from a match. But moments later, chaos broke out. A knife-wielding attacker stormed through the carriage, leaving terrified families scrambling for safety. Stephen didn’t think twice. With nothing but his bare hands, he tried to stop the man — and saved lives in the process.

He was stabbed several times — in the hand, back, and even the head — before police finally intervened. “He put his life on the line,” one witness said. Days later, as Stephen lay recovering from his wounds, he received more bad news. His long-awaited trip to Austria to see his beloved Nottingham Forest play had to be canceled. Yet when he asked Ryanair for a refund, the airline refused, saying he should have bought travel insurance.

Friends called the decision “heartless.” Fans across the country rallied behind him, raising tens of thousands for his recovery. Even his club stepped in, offering him a private charter trip to their next European match.

He may have lost his flight — but Stephen’s courage gave others a second chance at life. Sometimes, true heroes don’t wear uniforms. They just stand up when it matters most.