Americans who stopped French train attack meet Obama at White House

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama on Thursday met with three Americans who subdued a gunman on a crowded French train, saying the men make him "extraordinarily optimistic about the future."

Spencer Stone, 23, Aleksander Skarlatos, 22, and Anthony Sadler, 23, met Obama in the Oval Office one month after they stopped the attempted terror attack.

Obama praised the trio, who, along with British national Chris Norman, 62, were awarded the Legion D'Honeur, France's highest honor, last month for their involvement in ending the incident.

"I think all of you are familiar with the incredible story of three high school friends who were getting together -- two of whom had served in uniform on behalf of the United States armed forces -- thinking that they were just going to have a fun reunion in Paris and ended up engaging a potential catastrophic situation and pinning down someone who clearly was intent on doing a lot of harm to a lot of people, inflicting terror on the French people," Obama said. "Because of their courage, because of their quick thinking, because of their teamwork, a real calamity was averted.

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"They represent the very best of America, American heritage, and it's these kinds of young people who make me extraordinarily optimistic about the future. I thank each and every one of them and wish them well."

Skarlatos and Stone are U.S. military members.

Skarlatos' next endeavor is as a contestant on the television dance program Dancing With the Stars.

"Aleksander, as soon as he's finished on Dancing with the Stars, plans to get into law enforcement. Whatever they may do, they're going to do it well and we just wanted to say thank you to them not only for saving so many lives but also for making America look so good," Obama said.