Welcome to 2015!
It’s sometimes hard to believe that HeroicStories was founded nearly 16 years ago, and here we are still going strong – bumps in the road and all. 🙂
As always one of the best things you can do to help HeroicStories is to share our stories, point people at the web site, and encourage them to subscribe. The success of our mission and, heck, our very existence, depends on getting out to as many people as possible.
The podcast continues apace. In the next few weeks the podcast publication schedule will sync up with our stories, and each Monday’s story will be simultaneously released in both text and audio form. If you’re not familiar with the HeroicStories podcast there’s lots more information here: The HeroicStories Podcast.
The end of 2014 saw us publish our first brand new story in over two years: I Could Have Died. We’re slowly filling the pipeline with new stories, and hope to be able to keep that up throughout the year. The next is currently scheduled for January 23rd. Do you have a story to tell? Check out the guidelines to submit it to HeroicStories.
On to your comments on the stories of the last few weeks…
The Old Fisherman
Sometimes a truly frightening appearance can hold a beautiful heart.
Annette N sums it up nicely: “At times it does seem that the most beautiful souls are placed in not so beautiful containers. Maybe there is so much light emanating from the souls the container does not matter at all. Thank you for resharing this lovely story.”
Jeanne adds: “This is just a beautiful story, full stop. It is a perfect reminder that beauty on the outside does not determine inner beauty, the beauty of the soul.”
The Housewarming
Unexpected kindness furnishes an apartment and inspires a life dedicated to passing it forward.
Tom Carten shares his story: “Our neighbor across the street came home one afternoon and found a sheriff’s sale sign in front of his house. Mom and I got the neighbors together and raised some money to help pay off what he owed (his wife co-signed on a note taken out by her irresponsible sister). With what he could raise on his own, it saved the day. Like Sue, we told him to forget paying it back but to pass it on when he got back on his feet and that we, ourselves, had been in pretty much the same position when he was a little boy down the street and the neighbors bailed us out. It had been years later, but we finally found a way to ‘pay it back.'”
To which Phyllis Bala replied: “Wow, lucky neighbor to have you there in the community to help repay the debt. Amazing work to rally the caring folks to help donate funds. And how wonderful to have an opportunity to give to someone willing to receive.”
Phyllis Bala adds: “Having people show up in your life to restore your trust in humanity overnight…is a miracle in itself. In addition, the gifts of household items was a bonus on top of that. I couldn’t even imagine how terrifying it would be to go through the overnight loss of a parent and being tossed out on the street. I’m grateful you’re such an open hearted and forgiving person in our world. Happy New Year blessings to everyone.”
Out on Frost Road
A childhood story turns out to be a true act of heroism.
betty frank comments: “Imagine if they had refused to turn around. Most probably they would have lived with regret, however, because of their caring actions, this young man’s life was saved. Thank our blessed Lord for such good samaritans.”
Mark adds: “I had forgotten how much Heroic Stories have touched my soul. I’m also surprised by how many of the stories, being reprinted, are from Michigan. I don’t know Frost Road, but I do know St. Charles, MI and can attest to the fact that the roadside ditches are often 6 feet deep. It is a miracle that the van was found that night. There have been many times when a vehicle has gone into a ditch in that area and not found for weeks.”
I Could Have Died
Choking happens so suddenly that only a truly prepared person can come to the rescue.
Jeremy Robinson shares: “20 years ago, when I was an editor in a publishing firm in Manhattan, I was walking down the office aisle at lunchtime, and was approached by a co-worker who was red-faced and pointing to his throat. I knew immediately what his problem was, and having been trained in the Heimlich maneuver, I performed it on him, to his (and my!) great relief. If worked instantly. I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime event, but some time later, I was having lunch with one of this man’s colleagues in a restaurant when she gasped and pointed to her throat. I performed the maneuver on her while she was still seated from the back her chair. It happened so quickly that she and I were the only ones who knew what had happened, and we just continued with our lunch. Everyone should learn how to do the Heimlich maneuver. You never know when you will need to use it!”
Bunny relates her experience: “At dinner one evening, several years ago, my husband managed to choke on a big chunk of steak and baked potato. He was opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. I asked him if he wanted me to do the Heimlich maneuver on him and he nodded emphatically, yes. We were sitting on the floor to eat dinner and he’s a big guy but I managed to get him into position and performed it once. Out popped an enormous bite of food and he was able to breathe. I called the emergency room and asked the doc on duty if he should be seen (he was feeling shaky after that) but the doc just said to watch him. Hubby was pretty careful about eating smaller bites and remembering to chew before trying to swallow. Thank goodness for CPR training at work.”
Charity Begins at K-Mart
Truly noticing a need is the best charity.
Annette N says: “Thank you – I believe we are here to care about one another —–and it is quite evident your father cared and illustrated that fact to you. We learn by what we observe. Aren’t you fortunate to have had such a good guy as your dad?”
Bunny shares: “Having rung the bell myself with my young children, this is a great story. Sadly, there weren’t any bell ringers in our town this year. I miss them.”
Honouring Patience and Courage
A young girl witnesses the power of love in facing a disability.
Steve comments: “I raised 2 special needs kids, and I can only say thank you for the article. The heroes are not just the parents and family, or even the ‘special’ people themselves, whose work is harder than we “normal” people can ever understand. It also took courage for the young clerk to ‘…clearly understand and surmount the prejudices…’. I salute the clerks, waitresses, other parents and people on the street that treat my kids as normally as possible. That is the finest you can give.”
Jim Baltaxe shares: “This story is the reason why I look forward to your blogs so much. It isn’t that the story evokes feelings of warm fuzziness and sentimentality, but that it forces me to consider a small moment in another perspective and learn from it. My respect goes out to the mother for the strength and patience she displayed and to Heather Mainwaring for putting the lesson in front of us so gently.”
Happy New Year, everyone!
