Humble Heroes

Over the Christmas holidays the Northeastern part of our country was rocked by a major snowstorm, particularly hard hit was New York. Snow drifts piled several feet high in a matter of hours, stalling traffic, knocking out electric lines, and shutting down airports that left thousands of people stranded. It was one of the worst blizzards on record. 

Tragically, dozens of people lost their lives in what should have been one of the happiest and most carefree times of the year. But as tragic as it was, it could have been much worse had it not been for the heroism of a gallant few. We never know the character of people until they are faced with a crisis, and over the Christmas holidays the people in New York and elsewhere learned a great deal about some of their citizens. In an emergency some people become paralyzed with fear and grab for the nearest life vest to save themselves. Other people, at the risk of their own lives, first put the life vest on others. The storm certainly proved that point by revealing the courage and selflessness of many New Yorkers.

Jay Withey’s story is one of the many stories of heroism and sacrifice that surfaced during the deadly Christmas weekend. During the height of the storm a friend called and asked for his help. The friend’s car was stuck in the snow, and he needed help in getting his car out of a drift. Even though the temperature was well below freezing, and motorists were warned to stay off the roads, Jay climbed into his truck and drove to find his friend. Along the way, he picked up a young man walking in the snow who did not have nearly enough warm clothing on and probably would have frozen to death had it not been for Jay.

It wasn’t long, however, before Jay’s truck also became encased in the rapidly falling snow. Unable to drive his truck, his fuel gauge nearing the empty mark, Jay left his passenger in the truck and went to a nearby neighborhood to look for help. He knocked on door after door pleading for refuge, but each occupant turned him away, even though he offered them five-hundred dollars if they would allow his companion and him to sleep on the floor.

Jay finally found his way back to his truck amidst the blowing snow and freezing temperatures. Later, as the two of them sat in his truck wondering what they should do, he spotted an elderly woman in her car who also needed assistance. He invited her into his truck and now the three of them tried to stay warm. But Jay knew the truck was low on gas and when it stopped running, so would the heater, and they would all freeze to death.

Jay Withey & New Friends - Buffalo, NY

By looking at his phone he saw that a school was nearby. Their only chance of survival was to head to the school and try somehow to get in. Jay finally broke a window and climbed into the school, where he opened the door to let his companions in. Jay then left the relative comfort of the school and walked outside to look for other motorists who might also be stuck. He found a number of people and escorted them back to the school. Ten or more people were rescued by Jay’s efforts and spent several nights in the school. When the weather finally began to clear, Jay and his new-found friends left the school but not before leaving a note apologizing for the break-in!

Jay Withey’s Handwritten Note

Crises can and do bring out the best and worst in people. Someone has said that “crises do not make heroes or cowards; they simply reveal them.”

Craig Elston & Barbershop - Buffalo, NY

The story of a barber, Craig Elston, reveals another man’s heroic character. Mr. Elston, who owns a barbershop, opened up his shop when he realized that people on the streets were stranded and couldn’t get home. Other people in nearby apartments were without electricity, and he invited them into his barbershop as well. In all, some fifty people found shelter in Mr. Elston’s barbershop. He provided food and drink and a warm place to sleep for people who otherwise might have died.

These stories and so many others have deeply touched me as they have millions of Americans. I want to reach out and embrace these heroes who modeled the very best of human character. We hear so much these days of greed, selfishness, violence, and other base behaviors almost every day that it is refreshing to hear that there are people who are doing “what is right and good in the Lord’s sight” (Deut. 6:18). I suspect that these stories of sacrifice are repeated all over our country on a daily basis, but, unfortunately, bad news travels much faster and further than the good.

Every year my wife and I watch CNN Heroes, a tribute to men and women who have made extraordinary contributions to make a difference in their communities and beyond. What we find remarkable about these heroes is that they are ordinary men and women, sometimes teenagers, who are using their gifts and talents in extraordinary ways to help people.

The truth of the matter is we don’t have to look far to find heroes. In the neighborhood where we live I see people lending a helping hand to those who have special needs—anything from mowing a sick person’s yard to running an errand for an elderly person to driving someone to a doctor’s appointment. A hero is anyone whose sense of duty and responsibility extends beyond himself to others.

I find in these acts of kindness the heart of what it means to be a person of faith. According to the teachings of both the Old and New Testaments, putting others before ourselves is the mark of authentic religion. The Jesus Way isn’t complicated, but it is demanding.