Maya Eaglin, age 13, of Carmel Valley, California, showed supreme courage on the morning of May 6. She was able to fend off the would-be assailant thanks to her years of training in jiu-jitsu. On the walk home from school — 75 miles outside of San Jose — a man jumped out from between two parked cars. He then lunged at her in an attempt to punch her squarely in the face.
The young girl, whose identity has not been revealed, began her jiu-jitsu journey about three years ago. Along the way, she practices at the Carmel Youth Center under the instruction of Michael Blackburn. It was during this course that she gained the knowledge and skills that truly empowered her to defend herself from the attack. As Blackburn recounted, “She punched him, she … got him in a headlock, kneed him a couple of times, spun him around, threw him on the ground.”
In a display of unimaginable self control and strength, the teenage girl actually broke her attacker’s ankle in the process. Local law enforcement officials have yet to catch the suspect. They praise the young person for having the courage to stand up to the perilous encounter.
Screengrab, Jason Smith Digital Commander Todd Trayer of the Owen County local police department stated that he was proud of what the girl did. “We’re proud of her, and she did exactly what she was supposed to do,” he stated. Community members echoed this sentiment, with Richard Cushman remarking, “I think it was amazing what she did,” while acknowledging the unfortunate nature of the attack, adding, “It’s fantastic, but it’s horrible what happened.”
Keith Padgett, another local resident, commented on the importance of the girl’s assertive self-defense. “A young person taking charge of their life and not letting anything happen to them – it’s a sad story but a great ending,” he said.
The hit-and-run was shocking enough to prompt frank discussions within the tight-knit beach town of Carmel, which has a population of roughly 3,100. Residents say they have a healthy mix of admiration for the girl’s courage and protectiveness for their neighborhood, where kids are always welcome to roam.