Alek Skarlatos

Aleksander Reed Skarlatos (; born October 10, 1992) is an American former Army National Guard soldier who, along with Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler and three others, stopped a gunman on a Paris-bound train travelling from Amsterdam via Brussels in August 2015. He was awarded the United States Army's Soldier's Medal from U.S. President Barack Obama. All six received France's highest decoration, the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, from French president François Hollande. The Americans were also awarded the medal of the city of Arras. Skarlatos competed on season 21 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars with pro dancer Lindsay Arnold as his partner. They finished in third place. Skarlatos, along with his friends, portrayed themselves in the Clint Eastwood-directed movie The 15:17 to Paris, based on their autobiography, which was written with reporter Jeffrey Stern. He was the Republican nominee for Oregon's 4th congressional district in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections, but was defeated by incumbent Democrat Peter DeFazio. He ran again to represent Oregon in the 4th congressional district in the 2022 House elections, but was defeated by Democratic state Labor Commmissioner Val Hoyle. Early life Aleksander Reed Skarlatos was born in Castro Valley, California. His father, Emanuel Skarlatos, immigrated to the United States from Germany as a child. He was raised in Sacramento County, California, where he first met Spencer Stone and Anthony Sadler while attending a parochial school in Fair Oaks. Skarlatos graduated from Roseburg High School and attended Umpqua Community College. 2015 Thalys train attack