We all know that natural disasters ravaged Houston, Puerto Rico, and Mexico City within weeks of one another. Photos and videos of the damage dominated social media and sent Americans including many of our NAHREP friends with ties to those regions into panic mode. The stories and images of human suffering are too painful to contemplate but some of the agony is mitigated by evidence that the worst of times always seems to bring out the best in certain people. While hatred and divisions seem to be running at an all time high, I get inspiration by reading about the dozens of amazing stories about the strength of the human spirit. These stories may not make page one, but are there if you look. Here are a few examples:
- Residents in Houston formed a human chain to rescue a pregnant woman who was trapped in her home and another human chain saved an elderly man who was trapped in his flooded car (see pic above)
- A reporter in the midst of the Mexico City quake writes that she is “in awe of the solidarity of Mexicans” as she witnesses people rushing toward collapsed buildings, residents grabbing shovels to remove rubble, social media turning into a place to watch for signal flares from those still trapped, and citizens being turned away as volunteers because there were already more than enough.
- Cruise ships provided haven and a mattress store converts to sleeping shelters
- Celebrities Pit Bull, Mark Cuban, Jennifer Lopez, J.J. Watt, Kristen Bell, Marc Anthony, and Ricky Martin send private jets, raise millions, roll up their sleeves and post passionate pleas
- NAHREP members from around the country start their own fundraisers, meet with government officials and post heartfelt messages to family and friends
Check out this story for more on these acts of human kindness and courage
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