In a time when so many are so consistently focused on the negative, it’s imperative that we allow for time to focus on the positive. I have noticed more and more that I can’t go to a new source be it on the internet, television or radio without being bombarded with negative news reports. A quick scan of google news, right now, shows reports of deputies in Arkansas under investigation for violently arresting a man, a shooting in Atlanta leaving one dead and 2 wounded, a NYC man beaten unconscious with a rock, another man stabbed at a subway station and the list goes on. Don’t despair, though. I have dug through recent new reports to find some hometown heroes that were recognized in the news. Sad to say I did have to dig for these but maybe we can shine the spotlight a little longer.
The first article is about a teen who drowned after saving his 4 year old brother’s life. He not only saved the brother but he apparently played a large role in saving his younger sister’s life as well. The world needs more people like Alex Harris and we need to give them the recognitions they deserve, even if it occurs posthumously. Read the news article here.
This hero, Scot Wolfe, risked his own life to rescue a woman who was drowning. It is said that he believed she would have drowned if he waited for the authorities to arrive. It should also be noted that Scot Wolfe took this risk despite having a heart condition. You can read about this hero here!
I will write about one more hero today, although I do have a few other articles lined up for a future post. I don’t know that I can even do this next hero justice. This man, Nicholas Bostic, is a 25 year old pizza delivery man from Lafayette, Indiana. According to reports, and captured video footage, Nicholas saved 5 children, ages 1 to 18, from a burning home. Nicholas stated that he saw flames while driving by the house at midnight. He then ran in through the backdoor with his yells waking 4 of the children who were sleeping upstairs. After helping them out of the house they told him that there might still be a 6 year old in the house. Nicholas ran back int the burning house straight to the bedroom upstairs. When he couldn’t find anyone he started looking for an exit, which is when he was able to hear the sound of a child crying from downstairs. After finding the child Nicholas was unable to locate the door lading out of the house. Instead, he ran back upstairs, punched out a window and jumped to the ground landing in a way to protect the child from the impact. I can’t believe this story didn’t get wider coverage. Read the full story here.
The point of this post is to show that there is good in the world. When all you see is negative take some time to search for the positive, it’s out there, even if just below the surface. I will try to continue writing these ‘Hero” posts so that we can highlight some of the good in the world. I’d also like to further explore the idea of heroism and what qualities make a hero. Stay tuned…
The Science Of Behavior 