Chadwick Boseman Gives His MTV Movie Award to Waffle House Hero James Shaw Jr.
Chadwick Boseman won the recognition of Black Panther fans during the 2018 MTV Movie and TV Awards, taking home the coveted golden popcorn trophy for Best Hero. His performance in the record-breaking film was certainly deserving of the honor, but the actor decided to use his time in the spotlight to appreciate a person he called his personal hero — James Shaw Jr.
James, who has been dubbed the "Waffle House hero," earned national recognition after disarming a gunman who shot and killed four people at an Antioch, Tennessee, Waffle House in April. In addition to his act of bravery, James also started a GoFundMe to help offset the cost of the victims' funerals. As of this writing, his fundraiser has earned more than $200,000 in donations.
As Chadwick took to the stage to accept his award, he noted how "amazing" the honor was for his performance in the hit film. He continued, saying, "It's even greater to acknowledge the heroes we have in real life. So, I just wanna acknowledge someone who is here today... James Shaw Jr." He then invited James to stand, and revealed that the "Waffle House hero" had "no idea" that Chadwick planned to acknowledge him.
The Black Panther star then invited James to join him on stage, where he presented him with his award. "This is gonna live at your house," Chadwick told James as many audience members stood for a standing ovation.
After the moment aired, many on social media, including Chadwick, commended James for his bravery. "During the show, I was honored to meet @JamesShawJr9," Chadwick wrote. "He saved countless lives by tackling a gunman who opened fire on people in Antioch, Tennessee in April. He’s a true hero that walks among us." Other fans noted their feelings about the moment, tweeting, "So much respect to chadwick boseman for giving his award to james shaw jr and recognizing his heroism" and "Chadwick Boseman acknowledging James Shaw Jr. and bringing him on stage and GIVING HIM HIS HERO AWARD is the greatest moment I’ve ever seen on television."
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