OUR VIEW: Nation watches unity in our valley

It’s all over the news — CNN, MSNBC, NPR and so on. A news source in Chile contacted us to get more information. We’ve been able to awe at the bravery of our peers and community members, from students to construction workers, as they lifted a 4,000-pound, flaming vehicle off the motorcyclist it collided with. It was a frightening event, and we are relieved that everyone involved could live to tell the tale. We are grateful to see the motorcyclist, who is one of our own USU students, is in stable condition — our hopes are with him.  In the footage, we see a girl lying on the road, checking on the trapped student a few feet from the flames engulfing the motorcycle. We see construction workers and passersby rush to the aid of anyone in danger. All of this footage was captured on video from a nearby building.

What’s incredible is considering the immediate reaction these people had to this situation. Most of them had never met before and had no way of knowing who was trapped under the vehicle. Together, they attempted to lift the car and pull the student out from under it. When their first attempt failed, more arrived at the scene to contribute their strength. Finally, the car comes off the ground, and we see the student freed, but unconscious. This act represents charity at its finest — a group of people without any emotional connection to one another become unified in an effort to save a life.

The footage is not only moving, but makes us proud to be among people who are willing to put their own safety on the line to rescue one in need. We are proud to say we live in a community where people of this nature exist. We already knew we lived in one of the safest cities in the nation; but now we feel even more at peace, knowing complete strangers in our community have the courage to jump to our aid in times of dire need.

So, why is it that this particular accident was broadcast throughout the nation and abroad, when so many of a similar nature occur every day? How often do accidents like this happen where so many are willing to jump into danger? We have watched the footage again, and again — more impressed with every viewing. The nation was drawn to this act of courage in a small town, because we were able to watch a group of total strangers, together, become heroes.