No Joker Here-This Isn’t Gotham City, Our Heroes Don’t Wear Capes

We will certainly mourn for those who have been lost, injured and hurt. We will rally around the families, the friends and the loved ones who have lost friends, brothers, sisters and children. We pray for them and wish them the best. While we hurt for these people and are saddened by their loss, many reports indicate that the horrific deaths and injuries could have been far worse had it not been for the true heroes of this story. Don’t we owe it to the dead and the injured, our fellow Americans that were lost, to take the news out of the villain and recognize those who risk their lives every day to prevent and minimize casualties such as this?

Since the attack in Aurora, much of the media has been focused on one aspect of the story, the villain. Media outlets throughout the world, share a photo of the attacker with a troubling grin. It’s time for that to change. Our challenge – let’s put the focus on the heroes in America.

This isn’t Gotham city; our heroes don’t wear masks or capes. The true heroes of this story often go unnoticed. We rarely refer to them by name but more often as part of a brotherhood of police, fire fighters, EMT’s, medics, nurses and doctors. Many reports indicate that police were on the scene of the crime within the first ninety seconds and medical personnel quickly followed.

Had it not been for the quick attention of these national heroes, how many more loved ones could have been lost? To these nameless heroes we will forever be grateful.

In the coming weeks, there will no doubt be stories of the heroes without uniform, who acted bravely in Colorado. One of these first heroes to emerge is Jarrell Brooks. According to ABC news, Jarrell’s first thought, like many others, was to get out of the theater alive. That thought all changed when he saw a mother shot and wounded with two young children, asking for someone to help. Jarrell immediately put thoughts of his own personal safety aside, risking his life for these three strangers.

Jarrell assisted the mother, moving, guiding and pushing the children and mother toward the exit. That’s when it happened; Jarrell himself was shot in the leg. “As I was pushing them, that’s when I got hit on my thigh.” The 19 year old did not immediately know he had been hit. “It felt like a sharp pain,” Jarrell told ABC.”But when I tried to move my left leg I went down.  I looked at my hand and noticed there was bleeding and that’s when it got pretty real, at that moment.”

Jarrell later said, “I don’t consider myself a hero, I just felt like there was someone who was in distress. I’m not the kind of person who would let them be in that kind of situation.” Now that’s what a hero is, unassuming and willing to help. That’s why American’s Believe.

To view the whole interview visit, http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/colorado-movie-theater-shooting-heroism-16827192

Sight Impaired Golfer Jake Olson Speaks On PGA.com

Jake Olson attended  the PGA Champion’s Tour Nature Valley Open, where he spoke about his love and passion for the game of golf.

Travis Mathew Golf- Jake Olson Sight Impaired High School Golfer to Team (Video)

After losing his eyesight to cancer, Jake refused to give up his passion for golf. Today, he is a part of team Travis Matthew (clothing designer) and playing high school golf.

Check out more posts about Jake here… http://www.americansbelieve.com/?p=338

http://www.americansbelieve.com/?p=335

Overcoming Adversity- Jake Olson Story (Video)

Jake Olson is an inspiring young man, who has battled cancern from the age of one. Though he successfully beat it eight times, he has now lost his eye sight. That Doesn’t stop him from following his dreams. Today he insires thousands through his charity “Out of Sight Faith”

You can check out his website here… http://outofsightfaith.ning.com/

Other links Jake Olson & Travis Mathew Golf

15 Year Old Golfer Makes Highschool Team Without Eyesight

As an avid golfer, I have experienced all of the frustration that comes along with the game. One of the more frustrating experiences came two years ago as I played in a night lighted golf scramble. With only a glowing ball to guide the way, the challenge of hitting the ball in the dark only multiplied the difficulty of golf.

For that reason alone, the story I am about to share is all the more amazing.

Meet Jake Olson. At 15 years old, this kid is something special. Now entering his sophomore year of high school, he plays on his schools golf team with plans to one day play on the tour. Before you shrug this off and say it, “sounds like any other kid in love with the game”… you need the back story.

At the age of one, Jake was diagnosed with retinoblastoma or cancer of the eye. At that early age he lost his left eye, for the next eleven years he would undergo surgery after surgery on his right eye, each time beating the cancer. That all changed at the age of twelve, when cancer appeared to win and he lost his other eye.

Rather than be defeated, Jake drew from within a determination so great that he refused to be beaten. Instead he persevered, remaining committed to his faith and his love for the game of golf. How do you play golf when you can’t see the target, let alone the hazards that lay in waiting?

Like most talented golfers, Jake relies on his caddie for advice.

Not unlike any other good father, Bruce Olson wants to see his son succeed. That’s part of the reason why he spends most every summer night at the golf course with his son. Together they keep Jake’s game tuned up, at the tournaments Bruce is there to assist with alignment, distance and obstacles. Trusting completely in his father, Jake plays the shot just as instructed. It would seem the two have a pretty good thing going. According to foxnewswest.com, Jake scored in 13 of 15 matches that he competed in last year. That is no small feat, vision impaired or not.

Check out this video about Jake…

Check out more posts about Jake here…
http://www.americansbelieve.com/?p=338
http://www.americansbelieve.com/?p=344
http://www.americansbelieve.com/?p=363 

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