EVERYONE RECOGNIZES HIM. . .Right?
ANY GUESSES. . . ?

In 1976, Shavarsh Karapetyan, an Armenian Olympic swimmer, had just completed a 12-mile run with his brother when they saw a trolley bus crash into a dam reservoir. The trolley bus sank 80 feet offshore at a depth of 33 feet. Shavarsh immediately dove in and swam to the bus and despite zero visibility, managed to kick in the back window, injuring himself in the process. He proceeded to save twenty people trapped in the bus, one at a time, for hours. 

The combined effect of the cold water and his inquiries from breaking the glass window led to his hospitalization for 45 days after the incident, during which time he developed pneumonia, sepsis, and lung damage which ended his athletic career. 

For years, his story wasn’t known, until an article about the event identified him by name in 1982. In 1985, he happened to pass by a burning building and rushed inside, again saving people trapped inside one at a time until he collapsed. He was again hospitalized with severe burns and lung damage. 

He’s still kicking it at 66. . .Just a person. . .an awesome person that I just learned about the other day who made me think about a person, just another about to be 66 year old, ME(a-not-so-awesome-person); who may make you think about another (not-always-so-awesome person) YOU. . .

We are not often called or put in a situation to dive into freezing waters and kicking windows in or running into burning buildings and saving people at the risk of our own peril but that doesn’t mean we’re not called constantly to be caring, compassionate, loving, accepting, forgiving and giving of everyone we possibly may meet who’s not drowning in the water or burning in the fire but going through tremendous amounts of unseen hurt and personal tragedy. . .

To be
THAT PERSON
THAT CARING CATALYST. . .

ARE YOU THAT PERSON?

Psssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssst:

Never let a half picture
tell a whole story
. . .be the FILL
in the in-betweens of
Another’s Life. . .
THAT IS NOT
being heroic
THAT IS BEING
A CARING (DARING) CATALYST