Chadwick Boseman Gave Away His MTV Award to James Shaw Jr., Who Stopped Nashville Waffle House Shooter

Following the news of Chadwick Boseman’s tragic passing, the world is looking back on the actor’s life fondly. More specifically, many are recalling some of the times when Boseman gave back to his community. In 2018, the Black Panther actor appeared at the MTV Movie and TV Awards, during which he received the award for Best Hero for his turn in the fan-favorite Marvel film. However, instead of accepting the award on his own behalf, Boseman gave away the prize to James Shaw Jr., the man who stopped the Nashville Waffle House shooter in April of 2018.

Boseman first took some time to address the fans when he initially received the award for Best Hero for his portrayal of the titular superhero in Black Panther. He then turned his focus on Shaw Jr., telling the audience that he is a real hero for his actions in the Waffle House shooting. In the end, he gave the award to Shaw Jr., providing for an incredibly touching moment at the awards ceremony. “Thank you to the fans, you made this movie special, you made this moment special when Black Panther came out. Ryan Coogler and I wanted to make sure that we did a movie that everybody could embrace. So, thank you so much for what you did,” Boseman told the crowd. “Receiving an award for playing a superhero is amazing. But, it’s even greater to acknowledge the heroes that we have in real life. So, I just wanna acknowledge somebody that’s here today, James Shaw Jr. If you don’t know James Shaw Jr., he fought off a gunman in Antioch, Tennessee at a Waffle House, saved lives. So, this is gonna live at your house, God bless you.”

On Friday night, it was reported that Boseman passed away following a four-year battle with colon cancer. His passing was confirmed by his team, who posted a tribute to the actor on his social media accounts. “A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” the statement read. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more – all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.” Boseman reportedly died at the age of 43 with his family and wife, Taylor Simone Ledward, by his side.