A Ripple Can Save A Life

The Life Saving Ripple - Life can change in an instant

Some of you that follow me know that my dad had a nasty fall on November 7th, 2020. An 85 year old man, he still likes to piddle in his yard. On this particular unseasonably warm fall day, his front yard weeds needed tending to. He worked most of the day and as the sun was settling down below the trees, he headed back towards the house. That's when the fall happened.

He still has no idea how or what caused him to fall but I suppose it doesn't really matter. The fall had happened in between the house and a big rock that he had placed near the house years ago. He laid in pain, shock actually. His femur was broke in 5 places.

As the daylight was beginning to fade into the cool embrace of dusk he knew he was in trouble. He could not move. His cell phone was in his pocket on the leg that was now throbbing.

That's when probably the biggest Ripple of his life happened.  A life saving ripple. voice called from the driveway, "Jim, it's Dino. Are you okay?"

Good luck or was it something else?

Dino Moreno was the dad of my youth soccer club goalkeeper. We had been friends for the few seasons of soccer that I played with their son but had lost touch once we got in to high school as we went to different schools. Their family lived two and half blocks from the house where I grew up and where my dad still lives.

Mr. Moreno was always so kind and positive towards me. In some games. it was hard to know who was rooting louder for me to score, him or my dad. He was just an all around nice guy and has always been a found memory from my playing days.

Unbeknownst to the Morenos I always took the long way down dad's street on my trips home. Always hoping to catch Mr. Moreno out in his yard to just say hi and ask about his son. In 30 plus years I never saw him. However with each trip home I felt an obligation to keep driving by just to check on his house and make sure everything looked okay.

Little did I know, Mr. Moreno had been doing the same for my dad for years. Ever since he knew my mom had passed away.

It was on that late Saturday afternoon when he spotted something that didn't look right. Thank God he stopped his vehicle and decided to investigate.

Ripples Really Are Magic

My dad might not have made it through that night had Mr. Moreno not found him. My dad's house is not very well illuminated and despite being on a corner, the chances of a driver stopping to look back towards my dad's house at any time, but especially at night, seems highly improbable.

For Mr. Moreno to catch a glimpse of my dad's shoe and pant leg while he laid on the ground hidden almost completely by a big rock was so very lucky. For him to want to take a second to realize something wasn't right and go back to investigate was incredible. For him to find my dad, call 911 and to save his life is a Ripple of the highest magnitude.

When Mr. Moreno and I spoke on the phone a few days after dad's accident, he was so humble, so kind. He shared how much he thought of my dad and my family. His keeping track of my dad was a direct result of how he felt we treated him and his family all those years ago during soccer. My friends we are talking 35+ years!

A stone was cast wayback when to create a powerful Ripple of respect and friendship between our two families. Who would have ever thought that when that Ripple returned it would quite literally be at the moment my dad needed it the most.

Ripples really are magical. You just never know the power of the actions you take and ultimately how those Ripples will come back to you but they always do. Sometimes in ways so big that they can quite literally alter your life. For my family, this was a life saving ripple!

Thank you Dino Moreno for being a Ripple hero to me and my dad. I can never repay you for what you've done but I sure hope to try.

Ripple On!!!

ICYMI: Count Your Blessings