Saturday, July 18, 2015

True Stories with Happy Endings

Nicolas Gomez
 
The Goodness of People
by Robert A. Waters

Nicolas Gomez is safe, thanks to Courtney Best.  Standing outside on her break, the Corpus Christi, Texas pizza shop employee saw a white Dodge Avenger drive up.  Two people, a man and a boy, got out and walked to a store.  Best later said: “The man was walking across the parking lot, looking at me because I was the only person out here...[The boy] looked scared.”  Best remembered that she had seen an Amber Alert when she’d turned on her cell phone a few moments before.  While the man and boy were in the store, the pizza clerk checked the license plate of the Avenger.  It matched that of the tag number given in the Amber Alert.  Best called 911, then waited until the suspect and the child walked out of the store and left.  Following the Avenger in her own car, she relayed directions until police arrived and arrested Channing Galbraith, former boyfriend of Nicolas’s mother.  He did not have custody of the child, and has been charged with kidnapping.  Described as an angry, rejected lover, no one knows what he planned to do with the child.

When Brenda Hurst’s home burned down, the community of Boiling Springs, South Carolina and Alabama-based Carpenters for Christ rebuilt the structure as a gesture of respect.  Students raised money while business leaders donated furniture and appliances.  Hurst has been lead custodian at Boiling Springs High School for twenty years.  A student, Drew Peden, told reporters that Hurst is “always that caring person, you know when somebody’s just having a bad day, she’s always the first person to run up to them and give them a hug.  She’s always there. She’s at every sporting event ... going crazy.  She’s just the life of Boiling Springs High School.”  Hurst’s home had been in her family for decades, and when it burned down, the only item that survived was her family Bible.  Members of Carpenters for Christ, which has gained a reputation for building churches, decided to use their expertise and volunteer personnel to rebuild her home.  When she viewed her new residence, Hurst screamed with joy.
Last Christmas, Raleigh, North Carolina resident Sheree Carter moved into her first apartment.  For many years, she and her two children had lived in shelters and temporary housing for the homeless.  In October, she got a job at Chik-fil-A.  Working hard and saving money, Carter finally rented her dream place.  When employees at the restaurant learned she’d been homeless, they chipped in and bought Carter furnishings for her pad, as well as dishes and a dishwasher.  They also bought Christmas gifts for her children and gave her an envelope filled with cash.  The surprise gifts so touched Carter that she went to the media with her story.  When asked what she most looked forward to over the holidays, Carter said: “Seeing my kids’ faces, how happy they are, and actually be able to have our first official Christmas here and don’t have to worry about where we're going to stay the next day.”

3 comments:

Zack said...

With all the crime and apathy in the world, its nice to see that good people are still willing to do something good for others.

Zack said...

With all the crime and apathy in the world, its nice to see that good people are still willing to do something good for others.

Unknown said...

This is so true..Zack. That's why at 54 years old I still believe in Santa Claus, with all the gloom and doom we have in this would it a real treat when you hear about people doing good for others.