While it is unfortunate that tragedies such as the Jan. 24 house fire that claimed the life of one young woman and severely injured a young man occur, the darkest moments sometimes reveal a sliver of light.
Recognition is due to neighbours on Centennial Drive East, most of whose names haven’t become public, for their bravery and selflessness in ensuring that more were not killed or injured in the recent fire by rushing towards the flames, helping to pull one occupant out of the burning building via a first-floor window and encouraging another to jump to safety.
This is the second time in Thompson in a month that people, upon witnessing a fire, have put themselves in harm’s way in order to save others. And that behaviour is a far better demonstration of what it means to be a citizen, and a human being, than anything that can be written.
The world can be an ugly place, and it is often the worst aspects of it that get the most attention. But the people who helped rescue others from fires two days before Christmas and again last week are examples of what is good in the world, and they didn’t do it expecting or even being willing to accept attention for their acts. They just thought that it was the right thing to do.
