Articles – Lumin Story

Sharing Bread During a Snowstorm

Lumin Story — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 19:30:14 +0000

After almost 21 hours of being stuck on 95 South, sleeping here over night, not having access to food or water, and all of the nearest towns being out of power we were tired, frustrated, and hungry. Many of the people stuck out here had small children, were elderly, had pets in the car, and hadn’t eaten in almost a whole day.

We reached out to Schmidt Baking Company and begged them to open their truck that was stuck out here with us. We didn’t think it would actually work, but less then 20 minutes later we got an incredible suprise. We received a personal call from the owner of the company Chuck who contacted the driver. This driver Ron Hill opened the back of the truck and with the help of some people close by passed out bread to more than 50 cars who were all incredibly thankful.

This was one of the kindest moments I have ever witnessed. Thank you Schmidt.

Source: Casey Holihan Noe / Facebook

Heroism from United Flight 93

Lumin Story — Sun, 12 Sep 2021 02:33:06 +0000

This is the transcript of the 911 call made from Todd Beamer from United Flight 93…

Todd: Hello… Operator…listen to me…I can’t speak very loud. – This is an emergency. I’m a passenger on a United flight to San Francisco.. We have a situation here….Our plane has been hijacked…..can you understand me?

Lisa: (exhaling a deep breath to herself) I understand… Can the hijackers see you talking on the phone?

Todd: No

Lisa: Can you tell me how many hijackers are on the plane?

Todd: There are three that we know of.

Lisa: Can you see any weapons? What kind of weapons do they have?

Todd: Yes…. they don’t have guns….they have knives – they took over the plane with knives.

Lisa: Do you mean…like steak knives?

Todd: No, these are razor knives…like box cutters.

Lisa: Can you tell what country these people are from?

Todd: No…..I don’t know. They sound like they’re from the mid-east.

Lisa: Have they said what they want?

Todd: Someone announced from the cockpit that there was a bomb on board. He said he was the captain and to stay in our seats and stay quiet.

He said that they were meeting these men’s demands and returning to the airport… It was very broken English, and… I’m telling you…it sounded fake!

Lisa: Ok sir, please give me your name.

Todd: My name is Todd Beamer.

Lisa: Ok Todd….my name is Lisa…Do you know your flight number? If you can’t remember, it’s on your ticket.

Todd: It’s United Flight 93.

Lisa: Now Todd, can you try to tell me exactly what happened?

Todd: Two of the hijackers were sitting in first class near the cockpit. A third one was sitting near the back of the coach section. The two up. front got into the cockpit somehow; there was shouting. The third hijacker said he had a bomb. It looks like a bomb. He’s got it tied to his waist with a red belt of some kind.

Lisa: So is the door to the cockpit open?

Todd: No, the hijackers shut it behind them.

Lisa: Has anyone been injured?

Todd: Yes, ..they…they killed one passenger sitting in first class. There’s been lots of shouting. We don’t know if the pilots are dead or alive. A flight attendant told me that the pilot and copilot had been forced from the cockpit and may have been wounded.

Lisa: Where is the 3rd hijacker now Todd?

Todd: He’s near the back of the plane. They forced most of the passengers into first class. There are fourteen of us here in the back. Five are flight attendants. He hasn’t noticed that I slipped into this pantry to get the phone. The guy with the bomb ordered us to sit on the floor in the rear of the plane……….oh Jesus.. Help!

Lisa: Todd….are you ok? Tell me what’s happening!

Todd: Hello…..We’re going down….I think we’re going to crash……Wait – wait a minute. No, we’re leveling off….we’re ok. I think we may be turning around…..That’s it – we changed directions. Do you hear me….we’re flying east again.

Lisa: Ok Todd…. What’s going on with the other passengers?

Todd: Everyone is… really scared. A few passengers with cell phones have made calls to relatives. A guy, Jeremy, was talking to his wife just before the hijacking started. She told him that hijackers had crashed two planes into the World Trade Center……Lisa is that true??

Lisa: Todd…..I have to tell you the truth…..it’s very bad. The World Trade Center is gone. Both of the towers have been destroyed.

Todd: Oh God —help us!

Lisa: A third plane was taken over by terrorists. It crashed into the Pentagon in Washington DC. Our country is under attack….and I’m afraid that your plane may be part of their plan.

Todd: Oh dear God. Dear God…….Lisa, will you do something for me?

Lisa: I’ll try….if I can….Yes.

Todd: I want you to call my wife and my kids for me and tell them what’s happened. Promise me you’ll call..

Lisa: I promise – I’ll call.

Todd: Our home number is 201 353-1073…….You have the same name as my wife…Lisa….We’ve been married for 10 years. She’s pregnant with our 3rd child. Tell her that I love her…….(choking up)..I’ll always love her..(clearing throat) We have two boys.. David, he’s 3 and Andrew, he’s 1…..Tell them……(choking) tell them that their daddy loves them and that he is so proud of them. (clearing throat again) Our baby is due January 12th…..I saw an ultra sound…..it was great….we still don’t know if it’s a girl or a boy………Lisa?

Lisa: (barely able to speak) I’ll tell them, I promise Todd.

Todd: I’m going back to the group—if I can get back I will…

Lisa: Todd, leave this line open…are you still there?……

Lisa: (dials the phone..) Hello, FBI, my name is Lisa Jefferson, I’m a telephone supervisor for GTE. I need to report a terrorist hijacking of a United Airlines Flight 93….Yes I’ll hold.

Goodwin: Hello, this is Agent Goodwin.. I understand you have a hijacking situation?

Lisa: Yes sir, I’ve been talking with a passenger, a Todd Beamer, on Flight 93 who managed to get to an air phone unnoticed.

Goodwin: Where did this flight originate, and what was its destination?

Lisa: The flight left Newark New Jersey at 8 A.M. departing for San Francisco. The hijackers took over the plane shortly after takeoff, and several minutes later the plane changed course – it is now flying east.

Goodwin: Ms. Jefferson…I need to talk to someone aboard that plane. Can you get me thru to the planes phone?

Lisa: I still have that line open sir, I can patch you through on a conference call…hold a mo…..

Todd: Hello Lisa, Lisa are you there?

Lisa: Yes, I’m here. Todd, I made a call to the FBI, Agent Goodwin is on the line and will be talking to you as well.

Todd: The others all know that this isn’t your normal hijacking. Jeremy called his wife again on his cell phone. She told him more about the World Trade Center and all.

Goodwin: Hello Todd. This is Agent Goodwin with the FBI. We have been monitoring your flight. Your plane is on a course for Washington, DC. These terrorists sent two planes into the World Trade Center and one plane into the Pentagon. Our best guess is that they plan to fly your plane into either the White House or the United States Capital Building.

Todd: I understand…hold on……I’ll…….I’ll be back..

Lisa: Mr. Goodwin, how much time do they have before they get to Washington?

Goodwin: Not long ma’am. They changed course over Cleveland; they’re approaching Pittsburgh now. Washington may be twenty minutes away.

Todd: (breathing a little heavier) The plane seems to be changing directions just a little. It’s getting pretty rough up here. The plane is flying real erratic….We’re not going to make it out of here. Listen to me….I want you to hear this….I have talked with the others….we have decided we would not be pawns in these hijackers suicidal plot.

Lisa: Todd, what are you going to do?

Todd: We’ve hatched a plan. Four of us are going to rush the hijacker with the bomb. After we take him out, we’ll break into the cockpit. A stewardess is getting some boiling water to throw on the hijackers at the controls. We’ll get them….and we’ll take them out. Lisa, …..will you do one last thing for me?

Lisa: Yes…What is it?

Todd: Would you pray with me?

They pray: Our father which art in Heaven

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive our trespassers,

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory

Forever…..Amen

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…

He makes me to lie down in green pastures

He leads me beside the still waters

He restores my soul

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for His name’s sake

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…..

Are you guys ready?

Let’s Roll…

Covering a Patient’s Co-Pay

Lumin Story — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:34:03 +0000

My 58 y/o patient has colon cancer and part of her treatment is an oral chemotherapy.

At her recent visit she asked me how many months she’ll need, since the monthly copay for her chemo pills is $80.

I told her that our “office has funding” and can we help her with her copays?

She nodded quickly, and I told her I will call the pharmacy to swap out her credit card for the “office” (aka Patreon) credit card.

I notified our in-house pharmacist, who communicates with the mail delivery pharmacy and asked him to email them.

He came back to my desk later.

“I spoke to Jasmine* at the pharmacy to change credit cards. She said she never heard of an office paying for a patient’s medications before.”

I shrugged.

He continued. “She was so moved, she said she’ll ask her boss if the pharmacy can absorb the cost.”

We high-fived.

Source: Facebook / Blimi Marcus

Swinging with Compassion

Lumin Story — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:12:30 +0000

A year ago, in a park in London, Ontario, Greg Horton heard a man scream. When he looked around, he could see a man sitting on a swing, and it looked as though he was hitting himself. And there was a lot of yelling going on.

Greg immediately called 911 and told the dispatcher there was a man at the park having a mental crisis. What happened next really surprised him.

An officer walked up to the swingset at the park, sat in a swing near the man, and began to calmly talk to him. After about 30 minutes, the man got up and walked away with the police officer.

Said Greg: “I thought it was a compassionate and beautiful thing with the officer sitting down at a swing beside the person, rather than confronting him. It was really nice to see, especially with all the media that’s kind of negative toward the police.”

Photo courtesy: Greg Horton

The Heart of America

Lumin Story — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 03:31:45 +0000

The power had been flickering in and out in Austin as the storm swept through. As hundreds tried scrambling for necessities, the grocery store lost power. But rather than making everyone leave their carts since they could no longer process payment, each person was allowed to leave, with all of their groceries, for free. Here is a Facebook post from Tim Hennessy who was shopping with his wife, Deb, on February 16, 2021, when this happened…

Today, Deb and I went to our local grocery store called: H.E.B.

We wanted to pick up a few things before the next snowstorm and historically, crazy weather we are getting near Austin, Texas.
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Halfway through our shopping the stores power went out. It was still light out as it was only about 3:30pm. We kept shopping as hundreds of other people were too. I told Deb let’s hurry in case they tell us we must stop shopping and check out right away. We were picking up some milk and other items for other family members too and wanted to be sure we got everything we went there for.

Sure enough, about 10-15 minutes later one of the HEB employees asked us to head to the check out area and said: “we’ll check everyone out as quickly as we can as we have a process for these kinds of things”.

We got to a line with about 10 full carts in front of us and there were many other lines to both sides of us and many people behind us – probably several hundred people waiting to be checked out. BTW: the store had lots of empty shelves already but there was still enough stuff for most people’s needs.

We waited in line for about 15-20 minutes and barely moved up 1-2 slots. Then all of a sudden we started moving faster. We both thought: Wow, they are checking out people quickly. Must be all hands on deck.

In a few minutes, we were asked to move to the next checkout aisle that was open. We got to the checkout woman and she asked: “Do you have any alcohol?” I said: “No, but if you are giving out drinks, I could use one about now”

She then said: “Please go ahead but we can’t bag anything up for you.” At first, Deb and I were a bit confused and I asked: “How or who do we pay for our groceries?” We probably had a couple of hundred dollars worth of groceries. She said: “Just go ahead and be safe driving home.” Then we noticed the lines of people after the checkout stands proceeding with full carts of groceries all being directed out the store with many employees there to greet us on our way out.

Deb began tearing up which always gets me teared up too – as we could not believe the generosity of H.E.B. and the kindness of that wonderful gesture. They could just as easily asked us all to leave the store as soon as the power went out and asked us to just leave the groceries in the carts. But instead, they allowed people to continue to shop for another 10-15 minutes after the power went out and then let everyone leave the store without so much as a single dollar being asked for from the hundreds of people leaving the store.

This is the America that I know. Despite all the negative we hear/see being reported daily in the news. America and most Americans are still kind, thoughtful, generous, and caring.

I salute H.E.B. for the kindness they showed us, the thoughtfulness they showed us, the generosity they showed us, and the caring that they showed us (along with the other hundreds of fellow Texans in the store at that time).

From the bottom of mine and Deb’s heart, we will never forget what you did when no one would have blamed you for taking a different action and when no one expected such a wonderful gesture.
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— With Love Always and Grateful that America is Still the Land I Love, Tim H.

P.S. On the way out the door, I turned to the HEB employees and said: “Oh wait…I forgot the Filet Mignon!” We all got a good laugh out of that one.

Source: Facebook/ TR Henny

Raspberry Preserves and the Holocaust

Lumin Story — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 21:06:35 +0000

At a supermarket in New Jersey this past Sunday, Professor Michael Perino found a small, elderly woman standing in front of a high shelf holding BonneMaman preserves. She was having trouble finding the flavor she wanted because the jars were set back on the shelf.

She couldn’t read the labels. She could barely reach them. He offered to help.

After he handed her the raspberry preserves, she thanked him, paused, and then asked, “Do you know why I buy this brand?”

He laughed and replied, “Because it tastes good?”

“Yes, it tastes good.” She paused again. “I am a Holocaust survivor.”

This was not the conversation one expects on a Sunday grocery run. “During the war, the family that owns the company hid my family in Paris. So now I always buy it. And whenever I go to the store, my grandkids remind me, ‘Bubbe, don’t forget to buy the jelly.’”

That was the best reason I ever heard to buy any company’s product. And then we both smiled behind our masks and went our separate ways.

I researched the story and indeed, the town that Andros Company, the makers of Bonne Maman, comes from, hid and saved Jewish families in WW2. It was called Biars sur Cere, which then had about 800 villagers.

From an article, “You have to understand what it was like then. There were posters on the walls, from the Nazis and from the collaborators, and they said that if you are found to help a Jew, a freemason, a communist, a socialist, or a pervert, you will be shot on sight.” Despite the great danger in which helping them put the villagers in, still they kept the children safe.”

A good reason to buy Bonne Maman products. And a poignant reminder that when we look out for each other it can change lives, and that there are good and selfless people in the world.

Source: Michael Perino @ProfessorPerino

Beyond the Call of Duty

Lumin Story — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 03:14:48 +0000

It is with a very heavy heart that we have to report that Bob passed away earlier today. While the end of one’s life is always sad, it is the love and compassion that he received from Officer Pauly that gives us a smile knowing he is now in a much better place!

You may look at this picture and see a caring granddaughter comforting her beloved grandfather as he lies in a weakened state in a hospital bed.

The truth is that this woman is a police officer and she met Bob only two years ago while she was on duty. Lawrenceville Police Officer Dena Walker Pauly’s life was changed forever when she was dispatched to a local pawn shop, where staff were unsure how to help him.

Life has not been kind to Bob. He’s been on his own since he was a child and has no known family. He was homeless most of his life and a stroke eventually left him non-verbal. His life is a series of sad stories strung together by poverty and loneliness.

Officer Pauly arrived at the pawn shop and was also unsure how to assist Bob, but she sensed he needed help and offered to take him home so he could show her what he needed. She was horrified when she saw Bob’s living conditions.

She may have been dispatched that day by police radio, but we have no doubt she was really sent by God. She immediately addressed Bob’s deplorable living conditions and taught him basic skills such as throwing garbage in the trash can rather than the floor. She’s ensured he has food to eat and routinely cleans his small apartment.

She eventually sought and received a Power of Attorney for Bob’s medical care. He’s been in the hospital since May and today was an important day for Bob and Dena.

Officer Pauly made the difficult decision to begin hospice care for Bob, so she held his hand and told him many times that she loved him. It’s quite possible she’s the first person to ever utter those words to this poor man.

This photo depicts the true nature of law enforcement officers. We are drawn to this profession because we care. We care so deeply that it hurts sometimes. We see the worst, but sometimes we also get to see the best. And we have opportunities to truly make a difference for people.

Like Bob.

Officer Pauly, your dedication and commitment to your oath of office, and fellow man, embodies what it means to be a Officer. Stories like this happen every day, but because they don’t fit a certain narrative, no one hears about it.

Credit : Georgia Law Enforcement

Taking a Walk Together

Lumin Story — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 03:10:38 +0000

We often talk about the rewards of police work. On Friday, we captured a moment.

Officers responded to a 911 call from a woman who reported her 81-year-old mother missing. It seems her mother left her house to take her daily walk up and down the driveway, but when she didn’t return, things got a bit scary because the woman’s mother has dementia. Officers P. DeBoe, C. Caywood, B. Morrison, Sgt. C. Black, and Cpl. C. Clevenger and his K9 partner responded to the scene and began a search of the heavily wooded area.

After 40 minutes, the woman was found. At first, she seemed confused at the sudden appearance of police officers on the tree-lined trail, and she asked if the officers were out taking a walk too. They quietly replied ‘Yes,” after all, it was a beautiful day. And then she seemed relieved and told them she had lost her way. “No problem,” said Officer Morrison who then gently took her hand and, along with the other officers walked her back to her house. Along the way, the officers made small talk with the woman, to make her feel at ease. When asked what the key to a long, healthy life was, the woman replied, “Eat good and stay active.”

Officers encounter different situations every day. Some good, some not so good. In this case, a frightening situation for the family ended happily. For that, they were thankful. For us, it’s the rewarding part of policing.

Credit: Charles County Sheriff’s Office

A Superhero Caretaker

Lumin Story — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 16:43:17 +0000

This is Sharon, my mother-in-law.

She taught me it’s important work to see someone for who they are and not what you expect.

When I first met my mother-in-law I had a hard time understanding her thick south Virginia accent. And she seemed a little bossy in that southern passive aggressive polite way. But I knew she was important to the love of my life, so I accepted her grudgingly as some of us do when family is forced on us.

After 5 years I still didn’t really know her.

When my wife got leukemia at 30. When our world was shattered and changed forever, Sharon very quietly and very firmly stepped into the role she was born for. She moved, with her dependent Vietnam vet husband, into our house and became Michele’s caretaker too.

Over the last two years she bought most of the groceries, cooked almost every meal, did most of the laundry and cleaning, drove both dependents to almost every one of the 300+ doctor appointments, sorted tens of thousands of pills, and made sure they were all taken on time at every hour every day.

And she did this when she herself was diagnosed with cancer 6 months ago. When she was getting a mastectomy. When she is going through chemo.

She hums when she works. She talks to herself when there’s no one to listen, and she goes about every day with humility and grace.

I took this photo before I left work this morning. She didn’t know I was there.

This, friends, is what greatness looks like in a quiet moment. Waiting on oatmeal to cook for her daughter for the 300th time since she got sick.

Not everyone gets to have a real-world superhero in their lives. And for this I am filled with gratitude every day.

Credit: Scott Mann

The LifeWrite Project: Helping Ourselves and Others Through Writing

Lumin Story — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 00:25:42 +0000

The global pandemic of Covid has affected each and every one of us in a unique way. And while this is our reality right now, this is also a historic situation that generations from now will be learning about and trying to comprehend. Therefore it is imperative that we provide them with something that shares with them not just the facts but the thoughts and feelings that we are experiencing. The LifeWrite Project was started to do exactly that. It is creating a written-word thought capsule titled: The Corona Silver Linings Anthology. The goal is to get submissions from around the world and all walks of life to share stories of strength, courage, overcoming and resilience to inspire us now and to have something everlasting that captures these times. The non-profit is simultaneously using this opportunity to support charities that are running Covid initiatives to help those in need through donating the $15 tax-deductible submission fee to such organizations.

You have a story. We all have a story. So put it into words and submit it so that your voice can be captured for others to always hear: http://www.LifeWrite.org