Swandeh Terhide

From the heart of Sikhism emerges a remarkable narrative about a retired army colonel dedicated to liberating his fellow citizens from addiction through positive reinforcement. Colonel Dr. Rajinder Singh, the founder and director of the Akal Drug De-Addiction Center in Punjab, has successfully assisted over 10,000 individuals in overcoming various forms of addiction. At 91 years old, Dr. Singh remains tirelessly committed to enhancing the center’s operations and is actively working on plans to establish a third location. His approach is rooted in transformation driven by compassion and consistent reinforcement. Dr. Singh, recognized as one of the first psychiatrists in independent India, credits his military experience during the 1962 Indo-China War with shaping his understanding of addiction’s psychological underpinnings. He explains that army personnel often face intense stress and prolonged separations from home, which can significantly impact their mental health, sometimes leading to conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At the Akal Center located in Punjab’s Sangrur district, Dr. Singh encounters a wide range of addictions, including intravenous drug use and inhalant abuse. Notably, he once treated a patient addicted to the adrenaline rush from snake bites. His treatment methodology consistently includes physical exercise, organized sports, yoga, medical intervention when necessary, and instilling a sense of service aligned with his Sikh beliefs—without resorting to nagging or preaching. Dr. Singh posits that the root causes of addiction often stem from traumatic experiences, and he aims for patients to achieve moral reconciliation with themselves or those who have wronged them as part of their recovery. He recalls a patient who had struggled with substance abuse that led to two failed marriages; through a combination of medication, individual and group counseling, and spiritual healing, this patient successfully navigated withdrawal symptoms and improved his overall well-being. Today, he is employed in a factory, happily married, and has referred over 60 others seeking help to the center. The Sikh philosophy emphasizes that human life is a continuation of existence through all living beings and should be cherished; this perspective fosters an attitude towards healing addiction that recognizes the inherent value and purpose of every life affected by addiction.

An Olympic kite surfer from Brazil, Bruno Lobo, found himself in an unexpected role as a lifesaver while testing video equipment on his board. During this session, he became the sole hope for a stranded and exhausted swimmer. Lobo, 31, described the incident as “the day that God used me as an instrument to save this young woman; all honor and glory to Him.” The husband and father recorded much of the rescue incident inadvertently while experimenting with a new camera mount attached to his board. In his Instagram post, Lobo recounted, “I went in at 17:40 to do the last test on the camera. It was a cloudy day, and the wind conditions were not ideal, but I decided to try out the new equipment. After sailing a short distance, I heard a cry for help and saw the girl who was drowning. I quickly approached her with my kite, tried to calm her down, and asked her to climb onto my back as she was very tired and powerless. I used my gear to bring her safely to shore.” After reaching the beach, the woman was examined by lifeguards and expressed her gratitude by hugging Lobo, thanking him for saving her life. Although he is set to make his Olympic debut in Paris and has won gold medals at the last two Pan-American Games, Lobo’s Instagram has primarily featured messages of appreciation for his heroic act. He humbly stated that he did what was necessary and within his capabilities.

A New York truck driver has been honored as a ‘highway hero’ for his courageous actions in a tense situation where he helped apprehend a shooter who had injured a police officer. In June 2023, Timothy VanNostrand, who owns a logging transport company in Northville, New York, was driving on Interstate 88 when he noticed a state trooper approaching a vehicle he had pulled over. As VanNostrand prepared to pass, he witnessed the trooper suddenly move sideways, prompting him to pay closer attention. “I wasn’t 100% sure what I saw at first,” VanNostrand recounted. “But then I saw the driver pull out a gun and start shooting from the back window at the trooper, which led to a chaotic 12-minute exchange of gunfire.” In a decisive moment, VanNostrand maneuvered his logging truck in front of the shooter’s vehicle, effectively trapping him against the roadside and preventing his escape. The details surrounding the shooter’s fate were not disclosed, including whether he was captured or injured during the incident. For his bravery, VanNostrand received recognition from both the New York State Police and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, being awarded the “Highway Hero” title. Joe Burke, vice president of Goodyear North America Commercial Business, emphasized the significance of this award in highlighting the vital role of commercial truck drivers in ensuring road safety and community well-being. VanNostrand was presented with a cash prize and an opportunity to ride in the Goodyear blimp. Reflecting on the harrowing experience, he noted that while it felt like an eternity amid the gunfire, he believed he made the right choice in intervening. “Most of the people I know would have done the same thing,” he stated. “We all look out for each other.”

Twice in recent time, I have watched an elderly individual, fade into the busy life in which we all live. One man just needed Panadol for his wife but the shop assistant simply said it’s in ‘6’. But he struggled to navigate the supermarket and as I watched him go in the wrong direction, I left all my groceries and took him where he needed to go. Again, I watched an elderly man struggle in the heat, who had obviously had a fall with a huge scrape and blood on his leg. He walked past people in the cafe, while he slowly made his way to his car. Not one person stopped. Or looked. Or acknowledged him. I took him to his car and checked he was ok. He told me he had a fall and wasn’t sure how the air con worked in his car so he just didn’t use it. I sat with him, until his air con kicked in and heard him talk about the old frail body that he is in, that fails him now, every single day. When you see an elderly person walking down the street, searching in the supermarket or struggling to their car, take a minute out of your busy schedule and ask them if they need a hand. Think about your grandparents and your parents and how pissed you would be if someone didn’t stop to help them. But more, think of them as you. Once upon a time they were you. They were busy, they had work, they had children, they were able… Today, they are just in an older body that is not going as fast as it used to and this busy life is confusing. They deserve our utmost respect and consideration. One day it will be you, it will be us. I wish more people showed more concern about them and acknowledged them for their admirable existence. And Dear Heavens, I hope someday, not that far away, someone does it for me.

A man with a huge tumor on his jaw finally got life-changing surgery, after it got very big, he almost couldn’t eat or speak. Alex first noticed a swelling on his jaw as a teenager. It turned out to be a non-cancerous tumor, but it kept getting larger and larger. By the time Alex was 23, the benign mass had grown to the size of a tennis ball and began to affect his ability to speak, eat, and swallow. He was warned that it may eventually make it impossible to breathe, but none of the local hospitals around Freetown, Sierra Leone, were able to help—neither did any medications nor herbal treatments. He suffered with infections and tooth loss and, perhaps worst of all, from social isolation as most people shunned him and he was unable to make friends. “I found it difficult to sit among people because they would laugh at me. I used to run away from them and sit alone in my room.” Two years ago, he was told that global health charity ‘Mercy Ships’ would be docking one of their hospital ships in Freetown—and it became his last hope. Once the Christian charity assessed his situation, they agreed to help and Alex had his first surgery aboard the ‘Global Mercy’ which removed his jaw in October 2023. The second surgery was in April 2024 to reconstruct the jaw using a bone from his head. The surgery changed Alex’s life—and he has since made new friends and got his confidence back. “After the surgery, I was very happy, especially when people were around me and when they were hugging me.” “People were afraid to be close to me, but now, everybody wants to be my friend.” One of his doctors was Manjit Dhillon, a consultant surgeon in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland. “In the UK, we see benign jaw tumors like Alex’s, but they are most likely picked up very early during a routine dental scan,” explained Dr. Dhillon. “The patient would have the tumor removed at an early stage and so it would never grow to the size we see in Alex’s case.” His mother, Zainab, greeted him when he emerged from the ship. “I shed tears of joy when I first saw him after his surgery. He had been so isolated and shunned from society. “The place was crowded with people who were surprised and happy for him. It was incredible to watch Alex come alive and be part of his community again.” Dr. Manjit said it was “amazing“ to be part of his journey and “to see him embracing a future of hope”.