The white supremacist rally that occurred in Charlottesville over the weekend was horrifying, with violent Nazis and a terrorist car attack that killed one counter-protester. But during a scene of such hatred, there was also inspiring bravery, as demonstrated by the many counter-protesters standing up against the white supremacists.

Marcus Martin was standing up against the violent bigotry transpiring in Charlottesville when a driver attempted to kill a crowd of counter-protesters with his car. Without thinking twice, Martin quickly pushed his fiancee out of the way. 

Marcus Martin at the memorial for Heather Heyer
photo: Getty/Chip Somodevilla

Martin's fiancee, Marissa Blair, told The Daily Mail she and Martin were peacefully chanting and marching alongside a group of counter-protesters — until they heard a car come speeding into the crowd.

‘It was so fast. All he could think was to push me. He saved me, then he was under the car. I checked myself and then immediately thought, 'Where’s Marcus?'” she explained.

Speechless...... #IsThisOurCountry ??#PrayForCharolettesville #PRAYforourCOUNTRY #charolettesville

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Blair searched frantically for her fiancee, telling Daily Mail that she "saw his hat had blood all over it but he wasn’t there." Thankfully, when she did finally find him there was no blood, but he had broken his leg. 

In the ride to the hospital, Martin and Blair learned their friend Heather Heyer, who they were marching with, was killed by the same car that struck Martin. 

Although still recovering from his own injury and the trauma of his near-death experience, he returned to the exact spot where he and Heyer were attacked for a memorial service that was held in her honor. The crowd was wearing shirts featuring Heyer's face and the quote, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” It was her last Facebook post before her death. 

At the service, Martin said to reporters, “It’s a hate crime and Donald Trump won’t call it that because it’s what he believes in.” Blair added, "My friend is dead. Heather was with us because this is what Heather believed in. She died standing up for what she believed in."

You can donate to Heather Heyer's family here.