HeroicStories

by Betty J Rosentrater
California, USA

My sons — hyperactive, red-haired Ray and super-sensitive, artistic Eldon — were excited and happy. At four and six they no longer needed to tiptoe quietly through the house during the day while their Poppy slept. Finally, the family could eat breakfast together. And he would be back home in time for play before supper. My husband had been working night shift setting type at a publishing house in Kansas City, Missouri. But now that wretched night shift was at an end.

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by Dawn
North Carolina, USA

Several years ago we moved to North Carolina. My husband headed to his new job, and I remained behind to sell our house and arrange the move. During this stressful time there was one crisis after another, including a dear friend’s suicide.

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Nicole Koon
Arizona, USA

My son experiences social challenges due to having autism. We often see how he is different from those around him, but on one particular afternoon, we got to see how much he is the same, thanks to some amazing middle school kids.

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by Andara Bledin
California, USA

In the late ’80s, my brother, David, barely a teenager, took his first long trip on his own, to visit my grandmother.

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by Kerri
Iowa, USA

It was early in April 2003, so it still got dark early. My 8-year-old daughter and I were carrying groceries from the car in the garage to the back door of our house. As we made our way across the yard, a man was standing on our sidewalk watching us. Holding onto my daughter’s hand, I watched him watch us as we moved toward our house.

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by Marie Clark
Pennsylvania, USA

Rain began to pour down in buckets as my husband and I left a lovely Philadelphia restaurant and headed back to our car. Purse in one hand, dinner leftovers in the other, we raced toward the parking lot. My husband Mark popped the trunk and I threw leftovers and purse in, and then jumped in the car.

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by David McLaughlan
Ayrshire, Scotland

It was just another nothing much kind of day, in January 2009. I’d done a little shopping and was walking home with nothing much on my to-do list. I overtook a wee old lady. To be honest, she hardly registered on my radar. Just another ordinary old lady.

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Jodi Hendon
Texas, USA

Twenty years ago seems like ancient history to my 21-year-old son, of course, but seems such a short time ago for me. In 1986 I made a quick weekend trip from Texas to Cuernavaca, Mexico to attend a friend’s wedding. I took only about $50 in cash, since the trip was so short and
I was staying at my friend’s house.

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by B. Leeann Springer
Arkansas, USA

I had a plethora of items to buy that were needed for our farm the next day; this shopping trip couldn’t be put off for another time. My 4-month-old grandson was with me, as I am his caregiver. It was pouring down rain that day in April 2001, a true “April showers” day.

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