Do you believe in second chances? Richard Davis changed the world with his.
In the late 1960s and early 70s, Richard Davis was an ex-Marine running a pizza shop in Detroit. One day, while delivering pizzas in a rough neighborhood, he was robbed at gunpoint. After that, he decided to carry a gun for protection.
Not long after, the same thing happened again—but this time, there was a shootout. Both he and the attackers were injured. While recovering in the hospital, Davis learned about a new material called Kevlar. It was a lightweight, super-strong fiber invented by the chemical company DuPont. Kevlar was five times stronger than steel.
Davis had an idea. He bought some of this material and used it to make a bulletproof vest. He believed the police, more than anyone, needed this protection. But when he tried to convince people to invest in his invention, no one listened.
Then, he came up with a bold plan: he would prove his vest worked by shooting himself in the stomach while wearing it. He had never tested it on a person before, not even himself. It was a huge risk. But it worked!
That one brave demonstration changed everything. Thanks to Richard Davis and his “Second Chance” body armor, police officers—and many others—are safer today.