Swandeh Terhide

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”.

A PhD student in the United States has expressed gratitude towards a kind woman who provided him with food on credit during his time as a corps member in Ibadan. The former corps member took to Facebook to seek a reconnection with the woman who helped him avoid the risk of developing an ulcer. Internet users assisted in reuniting him with this compassionate individual, leading the grateful international student to send her financial support. Ifeanyi Eze, a Nigerian student studying abroad, has captured hearts with his generous gift to Mama Kowope, who once sold him food on credit while he was serving in Ibadan for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). In his Facebook post, Ifeanyi shared how Mama Kowope’s kindness prevented him from going hungry and potentially suffering from ulcers. He noted that her shop was located next to his primary assignment at Holy Trinity Grammar School on Old Ife Road, and she lived with her young granddaughter. Mama Kowope’s generosity extended beyond Ifeanyi; she also offered chilled water to other corps members on their way home from Community Development Service (CDS) activities. In a subsequent post, Ifeanyi confirmed that he had been reconnected with Mama Kowope and shared a screenshot from their video call, expressing joy at seeing her looking strong and healthy.

A woman in Portland narrowly escaped a fiery death due to the swift actions of police, fire, and medical first responders during a dramatic rescue in late December. Sgt. Sarah Kerwin of the Portland Police Bureau reported that the 911 call came directly from the driver, who was trapped inside her burning vehicle. “This was the first time I’ve ever… had anyone call in saying ‘I am trapped,’” Kerwin stated. “All of a sudden the person in the car is calling in saying they’re on fire and they can’t get out.” When Kerwin and her partner arrived at the scene, they found the vehicle overturned and engulfed in flames, making it impossible for them to attempt a rescue on their own. With assistance from Portland Fire and Rescue, they managed to extricate the woman from the car. Firefighters first contained the blaze using hoses, then donned protective gear to approach the vehicle. They broke the windscreen with a battering ram to reach her. Once freed, the woman was not breathing when she was laid on the grass at a safe distance. Kerwin immediately began CPR, and oxygen was administered shortly afterward. “I felt this was the epitome of the call that you train for, and that Portland Fire was critical in getting her out of the vehicle because I just don’t think we could have safely done it,” Kerwin remarked. This incident carries a clear picture of the courage and dedication humans exhibit in perilous situations, showcasing an extraordinary level of kindness and bravery among humans.

In a video shared by the Cleveland Clinic, a woman reunites with a boy whose life she saved through organ donation. Sandy Flash became a living donor, providing a portion of her liver to one-year-old Sonny, who was battling biliary atresia—a condition characterized by bile duct scarring that hinders bile flow to the intestines, leading to severe liver damage. Biliary atresia can be treated with the Kasai procedure, which has advanced significantly, allowing 80-90% of infants diagnosed with the condition to survive into adulthood. This surgery requires a liver donation, which is where Flash stepped in. After her husband received a liver donation in 2022, she felt inspired to help others and registered as a donor, ultimately being matched with Sonny. Katie White, Sonny’s mother, expressed her gratitude to Flash, stating, “Sandy gave a piece of herself to save my baby’s life. Organ donation is truly an unconditional gift,” as reported by Good Morning America. Flash remarked that after experiencing motherhood, donating her liver was the most fulfilling act she has ever accomplished. The Cleveland Clinic confirmed that Sonny has now reached all typical developmental milestones for his age.