Some brothers and sisters fight. Others save their siblings lives. Bridger is the latter. He is only six, but he has the empathy, courage, resilience and strength of someone many times his age. We often wonder what we would do if a loved one was in harm’s way. It is easy to think we would risk our lives, but until the situation arises, it is impossible to know. Bridger though didn’t think, he didn’t fear, he didn’t calculate. He just did what needed to be done, taking all the pain himself, so that his little sister wouldn’t suffer.  Read the post from his aunt, Nikki Walker (@Nicolenoelwalker), that she posted on Instagram.

“Hey, all. Please, share my nephew’s story so that it gets as much exposure as it can. We know that our little hero would love some words of encouragement from his favorite heroes. On July 9th, my six year old nephew Bridger saved his little sister’s life by standing between her and a charging dog. After getting bit several times on the face and head, he grabbed his sister’s hand and ran with her to keep her safe. He later said, “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.” After receiving 90stitches (give or take) from a skilled plastic surgeon, he’s finally resting at home. We love our brave boy and want all the other superheroes to know about this latest hero who joined their ranks.”

When Antonio Gwynn Jr. saw the damage from protests in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, he grabbed a broom, bought some trash bags and started cleaning the streets by himself.

He started at 2 a.m. on Monday and did not stop cleaning for the next 10 hours. When an organized group of neighbors arrived later that morning to start clearing the damage, they found that Gwynn had already done most of the work.

Gwynn is an 18-year-old high school senior. He told CNN that he saw on the local news that Bailey Avenue in Buffalo was covered in glass and garbage, and he knew people needed to use that street to get to work in the morning.

When word spread of how Gwynn single-handedly took action, his community responded.

Matt Block saw Gwynn’s story on the news and decided to give him his prized 2004 red Mustang convertible. Block, 27, told CNN the car is one he wanted since he was a child, but these days he is only using it occasionally. He saw Gwynn ask for some car buying advice on Facebook, and Matt decided to offer up his sports car.

It turns out that gift has more meaning than Block ever imagined. Gwynn’s mother, who passed away in 2018, also drove a red Mustang. When he realized the coincidence, Gwynn says that he was so shocked he “didn’t have any words,” and Block says it gave him “goosebumps.”

Local businessman Bob Briceland learned of Block’s gift, and he decided to extend a year of free auto insurance coverage through his insurance agency.

“I just felt compelled to help him out. We just need to get together our whole city and show people how there’s so many good people here,” Briceland told CNN affiliate WKBW.

After high school, Gwynn had planned to go to trade school while saving up to go to college. Upon hearing Gwynn’s story, Medaille College in Buffalo offered him a full scholarship where he plans to study business starting this fall. One of his many career goals is to open a cleaning business.

This is the first time Gwynn received this type of recognition for his good deeds, but this is not the first time he stepped up to help others. He is a member of Kappa Phi where he enjoys doing community service, and he helps out at churches.

Gwynn is thankful for the community response, saying, “I appreciate everything everyone is doing for me.”

In the English town of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, Devonte Cafferkey, 13, Sammy Farah, 14, and Shawn Young, 12, were coming home from St Mary’s High School when they saw a man sitting at the edge of an overpass in Waltham Cross. There was a rope strung around his neck.

This man was much older, and much stronger than these young boys…but they were the only ones around and therefore the only ones who could save him. One ran for help as the other two held onto him with all they had. Soon others came to grab the man as well and keep him from hurting himself.

While clearly this was traumatic for the boys, they didn’t focus on themselves or their fears and just did what needed to be done. And in doing so, they saved this man’s life.

Jewish philosophy teaches that there is no such things as coincidence. While it would be easy to think that these boys were not the ideal ones to help this man, there is a reason they were at that place at that time. And their incredible courage and quick action is something that impacted not only the man they saved, but clearly their own lives and the lives of so many others.

It’s easy to criticize teenagers and focus on how they so often they lack responsibility, respect and awareness of others. But in doing so, we forget their abilities and their potential. I don’t know the four kids you are about to read about. I don’t know if they waste hours playing video games, or goof off in school or do other things that maybe they shouldn’t be. But I know one thing. When it boils down to it, these boys are heroes. When they were needed, they acted and did what needed to be done, regardless of the stakes. They didn’t hesitate, they didn’t wait for someone else to take action, they just acted. There is a saying, “Ha’maseh hu haikar” meaning “it is the action that counts.” More than anything else, what we do is what makes the difference. And these boys did exactly what needed to be done, and in doing so, saved the life of Catherine Ritchie. Read what her family had to say:

“Two weeks ago, my 90-year-old mother, Catherine Ritchie, was preparing herself for bed at around 9pm. After brushing her teeth and hair, she turned around to find her bed completely engulfed in flames. She made an attempt to extinguish the flames herself by throwing blankets and pillows on the fire. The smoke and heat were so overwhelming that she immediately got disoriented, gave up fighting the fire, and decided to flee. She pushed the emergency call button she wears on her necklace, called 911, and attempted to get out of her now engulfed bedroom. She walked into the closet several times thinking it was the door that leads to the hallway. It wasn’t. She couldn’t find her way out. She was stuck. Smoke everywhere.

Across the street, 4 boys saw the smoke and reflection of flames. Not an adult in sight. 4 kids who took immediate action to save an elderly woman who they couldn’t guarantee was home and who 3 of them had never even met. One started breaking the glass on the front door. One called 911. One went to the back door and began kicking it in. One went to the neighbors for an ax and help. Within minutes, a door was kicked in by a 14-year-old child who found my mother in the hallway outside of her bedroom and picked her up in his arms. Kids who are told about all the things they aren’t old enough to do saved the life of the most precious and beloved woman we know. Courageous young men. Young men who risked their own lives, their own safety, perhaps their good standing with their parents who might have chosen for them to do otherwise, and they carried my mother out of her burning home into the street, where firetrucks and ambulances would soon arrive.

Dylan Wick – 16 years old, Nick Byrd – 14 years old, Seth Byrd – 16 years old, and Wyatt Hall – 17 years old, thank you! Thank you for your selfless acts of heroism and courage. Thank you for not allowing this to be the tragic end to our mother’s amazing life. Thank you for staying with her, hugging her, and helping her feel less alone until we could get to her. Thank you for being the kind of young men who thought about another person above yourselves. Thank you for staying safe yourselves as well. Thank you to your parents who obviously raised you in such a way that lead to you making life saving and heroic decisions on behalf of someone else. Thank you for more than we know how to thank you for! We will forever be indebted to the time you bought for us and the example you set for us. God Bless each of you for being such a blessing to us.

Sincerely,

Michael Ritchie, Karen Ritchie Sontag, Pat Ritchie, Jimmy Ritchie, Kelly Ritchie, John Ritchie, Tim Ritchie, Tom Ritchie, Missy Ritchie Nicholas, Ryan Ritchie, and 42 very grateful grandchildren.”

The Jewish month of Elul which precedes the start of the Jewish New Year is a time to ask for forgiveness from others and grant forgiveness to those who have wronged us. For without being willing to let go of past hurt, it is hard to move forward in a healthy way. This beautiful post illustrates this lesson from a very wise teacher, a little toddler girl.

Header Image: Facebook page of Mary Katherine Backstrom