Crushing Conditions
I feel the capacity to care is the thing which gives life its deepest significance. — Pablo Casals The “Your Heroic Heart” series is inspired Succeed and Soar’s August 21, 2021 post. There, Eleanor Roosevelt said, “We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time.” After the Carnegie family left Scotland in 1848, they settled in Allegheny, now part of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There, Andrew and his father worked in a cotton factory. The teenager would have worked 12 to 16 hours a day. and earned—at most—$1.50 a week. In time, the bobbin boy became one of the world’s wealthiest men. He invested much effort and resources into ending West Indies and Asian colonization. When the United States bought the Philippines from Spain for $20 million [over $757 million in 2024 dollars], Carnegie offered to purchase the islands for the same amount to assure those people’s freedom and democracy. Six years later, Carnegie dedicated a fortune to honor, “deeds of heroism where men or women are injured or lose their lives in attempting to preserve or rescue their fellows.” For their actions following a 1954 sewer excavation cave-in, three men were honored by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. In trying to rescue Richard Fisher, who’d been buried to his neck. 20-year-old construction worker Nicholas A. Bruno, was the first to swing over the edge, followed by Arlin Vance and John Weaver. Within 30 seconds, a second, massive section of earth shoved shoring and timbers forward. Bruno, seven feet below ground, was pinned between the shoring and sustained severe internal injuries. 27-year-old John Weaver was caught at the hips and legs. A worker atop the wall freed him. Weaver suffered a fractured pelvis, torn muscles and bruises. He was disabled nine weeks. A timber pinned Arlin G. Vance’s legs, but he freed himself. With others, Vance raised some shoring and sawed away other portions. Vance’s chest and shoulder were wrenched. After two hours , Bruno was freed. Fisher had died of suffocation. Bruno was rushed to a hospital but died of his injuries the following day. Six months later, and two days before Thanksgiving, 27-year-old Alden Hartz rescued a woman who fell into a hole 70 feet deep. Catherine Murphy had been crossing a field that collapsed into an abandoned coal mine. Because the hole’s sides were unstable, others wouldn’t enter the cave-in. The 72-year-old woman had been half buried, and died two days later. Hartz was shaken but recovered. Nominate a Hero. Myths tell of ancient gods placing heroes among the stars. Some stories tell of heroes’ eyes becoming stars to watch over their children. ‘Hero’ comes from ancient words meaning demi [half, unfinished, almost]-god and to watch over, to protect. A “Random Act of Kindness” qualifies, as in this post’s video. Imagine a world where everyone goes to bed a hero. Wouldn’t more monuments honoring these kinds of heroes be great? Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. COMMENT. Stranger’s Gift Inspires Grieving Widow Click Here to View [2 minutes, 36 seconds] As a young mother, I worked at Jones and Laughlin Steel’s Pittsburgh Works during its heyday when over 10,000 people struggled and snoozed, played and died in that fire and brimstone world. I saw the last steel poured inside those bleak walls. I watched those miles of cinder and char change as new life evolved from the mill’s ashes. Steel Genesis presents images and experiences of making steel, the metal and human mettle. Book Details: High quality, soft laminate cover. 50 Pages. 8×10, $69. Preview. Hard Back, printed on Premium Lustre Paper. 8×10, $125. Previews. Shop All Radiant Tree Books Thanks!
Hug Power
Don’t forget, you are the hero of your own story. -Greg Boyle When steel magnate Andrew Carnegie set aside over $175 million [in 2024 dollars] to support those who’d performed heroic acts, his criteria included: The life of a human victim must be in imminent danger of being lost without intervention; this must be believed by the rescuer. The rescuer must be a civilian who knowingly and voluntarily risks death or serious physical injury to an extraordinary degree. The rescuer must have rescued or attempted the rescue of another person. Since 1904, 10,422 people from the United States and Canada have been honored. Here’s the nomination form Ages can range from teenager to elderly. Adding this year’s honorees, 10,422 have received the award since 1904. Among those recognized this year were: Junyi Liu, A Fiery Escape On May 20, 2023, Junyi Liu was working as co-owner of a Comox, British Columbia gas station a woman’s car struck a gas pump. As Lin turned off the pumps’ electrical breakers, flames erupted from the car’s front end and a gallon of gas caught fire. Then propane spilled onto the woman’s vehicle, flowing from burned rubber nozzles on a nearby dispenser. Flames flared ten feet high as Liu tried to release a fire extinguisher’s pin, but it was too tight. After trying to reach the woman from the passenger door, he ran to the driver’s side. By the time Liu pulled the woman to safety, flames filled the entire carport. The woman was in shock, with burns to her face. Liu’s hand and arm were also burned. Read More. Robyn Handley, Savage Dogs On Dec. 22, 2020, Robyn Handley heard screams. She ran barefoot from her Florissant, Missouri home, waving and shouting at four pit bulls that were biting into a woman’s body, limbs and had torn off parts of the woman’s scalp. While the dogs circled in a nearby yard, Robyn’s calls for help drew another woman. The dogs also attached her. By the time Robyn again chased the dogs, another neighbor arrived. He loaded the first woman into his car to await medics. She continues to recover from scalp and leg wounds, plus severe eye and facial damage. The second woman was treated for bites to her legs. The dogs later attacked two more people. One was hit by a car. The other three were caught and euthanized. All three women were in their mid sixties. Read More. Myths tell of ancient gods placing heroes among the stars. Some stories tell of heroes’ eyes becoming stars to watch over their children. ‘Hero’ comes from ancient words meaning demi [half, unfinished, almost]-god and to watch over, to protect. A “Random Act of Kindness” qualifies, as in this post’s video. Imagine a world where everyone goes to bed a hero. Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire.COMMENT. A Bond for the Ages Click Here to View [5 minutes, 19 seconds] Heroes can come at all ages. Here, a 4-year-old opens an elderly widower to a love he didn’t know existed. First aired November 18, 2016. This Month, Shop Inspiring Succeed & Soar Weekenders Details: Chic tote perfect for a day on the town, staycation or weekend Soft, spun poly-poplin fabric Double-stitched seams for added durability Size: 24”x16” 1” thick rope, color choices: White or Natural Cleaning: spot clean or dry clean Shop All Weekenders Thanks!
Your Heroic Heart – Caring Rides
Heroes are ordinary people who do extraordinary things. Anonymous When Andrew Carnegie created his Hero Commission, the steel magnate’s first intent was,To place those following peaceful vocations, who have been injured in heroic effort to save human life, in somewhat better positions pecuniarily than before, until again able to work. In the case of death, the widow and children, or other dependents, to be provided for until she remarries, and the children until they reach a self-supporting age. For exceptional children exceptional grants may be made for exceptional education. So far, six people have received the Carnegie Medal twice. In 1958, Ruddell Stitch was a 26-year-old boxer who rescued a dam operator who fell into the Ohio, fractured his leg and could not swim. While drifting downstream, Ruddell kept the man afloat until help arrived. Eighteen months later, Ruddell was helping a friend across the sill of the same dam when his buddy slipped, pulling Ruddell with him. Ruddell swam over 100 feet and kept diving, trying to find his friend. Ruddell left a wife and six children. When his widow died two years later, the Hero Fund provided a monthly stipend to the children’s grandmother for 16 years. On May 12, 1963, 20-year-old Daniel Stockwell ran 150 feet to a small beach where two men had fallen into the Atlantic Ocean. He then swam 35 feet to support one unconscious man until help arrived. On October 15, 1991, Daniel was a school principal who offered himself as a substitute hostage for fifteen students being held at gunpoint. For 40 minutes, Daniel talked with the assailant until police subdued the gunman. Research and Photos Source: Carnegie Hero Fund Commission Wouldn’t more monuments and statues honoring these kinds of heroes be great? ‘Hero’ comes from ancient words meaning demi [half, unfinished, almost]-god and to watch over, to protect. A “Random Act of Kindness” qualifies, as in this post’s video. Imagine a world where everyone goes to bed a hero. Random Acts of Kindness:Mr. Bill’s Village Click Here to View [2 minutes, 37 seconds] A Great Gift Through midnight EST, May 11, Succeed and Soar’s “Beyond The Sky’s Limits” series is 25% off. The 72-page books are sketch journals that offer space for “Illustrated Wisdoms,” a Contemplative Art guided by the heart. This doodling and drawing can open peaceful and inspiring spaces while: * Clarifying choices * Offering important insights * Relaxing body, mind and spirit All books have high-gloss, laminated covers. Three versions of Beyond the Sky’s Limits can be previewed here: 6×9, Standard color, 72 page sketch journal. Regular $33. This week $25. View. 5×8, Economy color, 72-page sketch journal. Regular $16. This week $12. View 5×8 Standard color, 36-page book of visual inspirations. Regular $18. This week, $13.50. View. Shop All Books Thanks for your support!