Brody's Notes... Married Lesbian Couple Saves Dozens During Norway Shooting Rampage

Hege Dale Hansen & spouse Toril,  

Photo by Maija Tammi via Helsingin Sanomat

By Brody Levesque | HELSINKI, FINLAND -- The Finnish capital city's largest daily newspaper and media outlet, Helsingin Sanomat, published the following article in last Saturday's edition, (24-7-11):

[ The following is a direct translation from Finnish ]

Hege Dalen and her spouse, Toril Hansen were near Utöyan having dinner on the opposite shore across from the ill-fated campsite, when they began to hear gunfire and screaming on the island.

"We were eating. Then shooting and then the awful screaming. We saw how the young people ran in panic into the lake," says Dale  to HS in an interview.

The couple immediately took action and pushed the boat into Lake Tyrifjorden.

Dalen & Hansen, drove the boat to the island, picked up from the water vicitms in shock in, the young and wounded, and transported them to the opposite shore to the mainland. Between runs they saw that the bullets had hit the right side of the boat.

Since there were so many and not all fit at once aboard, they returned to the island four times.

They were able to rescue 40 young people from the clutches of the killer.

"We did not sleep last night at all. Today, we have been together and talked about the events," Dale says.

Norway's Television 2 verified the accuracy of the Finnish account by phone, adding that the couple's actions have been publicly noted by the Norwegian government.