Brave Little Boy Tells Oprah How He Survived His Father’s Murder Attempt.

For many, bravery is built up over years, but for little Anthony Sutko, it came naturally and when he needed it the most.

For the vast majority of parents, the thought of hurting their own child is enough to make them sick. Sadly, however, some commit acts of violence that are too awful to even imagine. Such was the case for little Anthony. One night in 2004, his own father murdered his mother and then proceeded to stab the tiny boy. Thinking they were both dead, the murderer walked out, at which point Anthony mustered up all the bravery he could to call 911.

 
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“I woke up suddenly,” he explained to the dispatcher, “and my dad, he was killing my mom. And then my dad told me to go on the other bed and then he was like, ‘You’re next,’ then he killed me. And I was still alive. I kind of survived.” The heartbreaking call is almost too much to bear.

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But all of the sudden, Anthony said he had to go and hung up the phone.

His father had returned and he just knew that he had to play dead. In 2006, he explained to Oprah Winfrey that he felt that angels guided him to call emergency services and then play dead when his dad returned. Sadly, his mother was already gone.

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Miraculously, just as the killer entered the room, police showed up. Sergeant Mark Eakes was the first to step onto the scene, telling Oprah that he “sent up a prayer” after seeing that Anthony was about to be lost forever.

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“Why is he so special to you?” Oprah asked the sergeant. “Anthony, as you know, is an incredible kid,” he said. “He’s got an inspiration that’s just contagious. Anthony has courage. He reminded us all of what that is again.”

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Ever the fighter, Anthony held on and ultimately survived the traumatic ordeal. He left Seattle and moved in with his aunt in Florida, who became his legal guardian. Eight years later, he caught up with the beloved talk show host for her “Where Are They Now?” segment.

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It was at that point when Oprah learned that Anthony’s father had been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to more than 25 years in jail. Anthony has not had any contact with him, but he says that he is open to seeing his dad when he’s out on parole and that he’s learned to forgive him for what he did.

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Incredibly, Anthony remained friends with the men who rescued him so many years before and ended up staying with Sergeant Eakes when he visited Seattle in 2015!

Learn more about this incredible young man’s story in the video down below and share to remind the people you love what bravery and courage look like.