Swandeh Terhide

In Pensacola, an extraordinary rescue unfolded when a teenage girl caught in a riptide was saved through quick thinking and an innovative use of technology. Andrew Smith, a local shark fisherman who lives with a seizure disorder, used his specialized drone to deliver a life preserver to the struggling swimmer. This allowed her to rest and regain enough strength to fight the powerful current and stay afloat. The girl’s father hailed Smith as a “guardian angel,” while witnesses praised the rescue as a “true act of humanity.” Smith had just finished work last Thursday when a friend persuaded him to return to the beach. Shortly after arriving, a woman urgently asked if he or anyone nearby could swim. Smith, who cannot swim due to his seizure condition, responded that he could not. Fortunately, Smith had brought his drone along—an essential tool he uses to set shark bait from shore because he cannot kayak or swim. The rescue took place at section 21-C of Pensacola Beach, just outside the restricted airspace of Fort Pickens, allowing Smith to operate his drone freely. When he saw the girl struggling in the water, he grabbed a life preserver and attempted to fly it out to her. His first try missed due to strong winds and premature release. Encouraged by a bystander who handed him another flotation device, Smith tried again while a witness, Robert Nay, recorded the moment on his smartphone. On the second attempt, Smith skillfully adjusted for the wind, lowered the life preserver right into the girl’s grasp, and released it. The tension was overwhelming. Smith described feeling shaken and close to tears as he faced the pressure of the life-or-death situation. “If it wasn’t for that second drop, she wouldn’t have made it,” he told news outlets. Emergency responders, police, and lifeguards all agreed that the girl’s survival was thanks to Smith’s quick and courageous action.

On my way home, I witnessed a vehicle hit a motorcycle from behind and send the driver 25 feet into the air landing him in a ditch. I immediately called 911, pulled over and climbed down to stay with him until they arrived. He wasn’t moving and I assumed the worst.A medical professional happened to be driving by and pulled over to help as we waited. I stayed and held Joe’s hand and asked him questions to keep him awake and with us. He told me about his wife, joked about his motorcycle and asked me to take photos so he had a cool story to tell.Once EMS arrived, I backed away and a woman watching said ” I’m shocked you did all that.” She saw my confused face and replied with “Honey, this is the south. I’m just saying. I’m shocked you did all that for him” and my heart sank. I was speechless. I didn’t care what he looked like. I didn’t care how long I had to sit there. I didn’t care about social distancing. He needed help.We don’t have to look the same to be kind to one another. Not a single person is born hating others because of race, political views or background. People learn to hate. My favorite saying by Nelson Mandela, ‘If they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.’ Love everyone, including yourself. Humanity is my race and love knows no boundaries.” *Incident from 2022 Credit: Hannah Elizabeth Vieira

When firefighters sifted through the ashes of Bruno Serato’s burned Anaheim White House restaurant in 2017, they found a single silver crucifix-a gift from Pope Francis. For Serato, it was a sign to keep his faith and persevere. Inspired, he rebuilt his beloved Italian restaurant and expanded his mission: serving the city’s wealthy at night and feeding thousands of underprivileged children by day through his charity, Caterina’s Club. Serato’s journey from busboy to acclaimed restaurateur has been marked by resilience and generosity no doubt. Named a CNN Hero in 2011, he now provides free dinners to over 5,000 children daily in Orange and LA counties, with every meal at the Anaheim White House helping to fund a meal for a child in need. His work has earned him numerous honors, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. As Caterina’s Club approaches its 20th anniversary, Serato reflects on the encouragement he received from Pope Francis-“Bravo, continua cosi,” or “continue like this” – and remains committed to serving others, seeing his efforts as a tribute to the Pope’s legacy of compassion for the poor

On September 16, 1976, a trolleybus carrying 92 passengers plunged into Yerevan Lake in Armenia after veering off the road. Shavarsh Karapetyan, a 23-year-old champion finswimmer, witnessed the accident while training nearby with his brother and coach. Without hesitation, Karapetyan dove into the frigid, murky water and repeatedly swam to the submerged bus, which was about 10 meters (33 feet) deep and 24 meters (80 feet) from shore. He broke the rear window with his legs, injuring himself in the process, and began pulling trapped passengers out one by one, passing them to his brother and coach who helped bring them to safety. Karapetyan made around 30-40 dives over 20 minutes, each taking about 25 seconds, despite near-zero visibility and severe wounds from broken glass. In total, he managed to rescue more than 30 people from the wreckage, but only 20 survived due to the severity of their injuries and time underwater. Karapetyan suffered serious health consequences, including pneumonia and sepsis from his injuries, which ultimately ended his athletic career. His heroic actions are widely recognized in Armenia and beyond, and he has been honored with awards, including Armenia’s Medal of Courage. Our true wins must be the ones where we made effort to improve on the situation of another. May our kindness be as natural and spontaneous as breathing.

For the communities devastated by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, the process of rebuilding homes and businesses is gradual. However, an extraordinary influx of volunteers has accelerated the restoration of community spirit in towns such as Chimney Rock and Bat Cave. Chimney Rock Village suffered extensive damage from Helene’s flooding, but residents witness daily arrivals of supplies, workers, and construction materials from across the nation, fostering hope for a brighter future. According to a WCNC special report, every store on Chimney Rock’s historic main street undergoing reconstruction is being rebuilt with donated materials. The majority of the labor force consists of Pennsylvania Amish volunteers affiliated with the Great Needs Trust. Amos Stoltzfus, one of the Amish volunteers, shared with WCNC, “We come out here every morning, working mostly in Chimney Rock and in Bat Cave. We have been cleaning the campground, insulating a new building, and organizing donated products, paper supplies, and drywall.” The Amish women, dressed in traditional frocks and bonnets, efficiently install drywall panels alongside men in straw hats, whose renowned carpentry skills are helping restore the town’s rustic charm lost to the floods. Stoltzfus expressed the emotional fulfillment derived from the work: “It just fills my heart with joy, watching people get their life back again. Somebody that was completely devastated through the storm… somebody who didn’t have anything… it is just so encouraging to see them get back on their feet.” WCNC reports that the combined efforts of the Great Needs Trust and local volunteers have brought about 2,000 pairs of helping hands to Chimney Rock. Volunteer Susan Miller remarked, “It was really great being here… and working. It is definitely something I would love to come back for, like how it is in a couple of years… it is fun making a difference.” This remarkable volunteer-driven recovery highlights the resilience and solidarity of these North Carolina communities in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s unprecedented destruction