10 Heroic Kids Who Will Make You Feel Better About The World

#CoryMonteith, #TrayvonMartin, #RIPTalia These past few weeks have been rough, you guys.  It’s been punch after punch of bad news. Just when I start to pick myself up, another awful headline hits my screen. It all piles up and weighs me down. To cope, I usually unplug, disconnect from the news and watch a lot of That 70s Show on Netflix. So, I’ve been sort of out of the loop lately, which is why I missed the story about Temar Boggs.

If you’re like me and missed this story, here’s a quick recap: 15-year-old Temar Boggs was hanging out with friends last Thursday when he heard news that local 5-year-old Jocelyn Rojas had gone missing. Immediately, Temar and his friend Chris hopped on their bikes and joined the search. Temar noticed a car behaving suspiciously and took chase. He made eye contact with the driver who, feeling caught, let Jocelyn out of the car. Temar escorted her to the police who then reunited her with her family.

Temar Boggs is a hero and in a time when negative news seems to be overwhelming, stories like Temar’s make me feel better about the world. So, in an attempt to add a little brightness to all the dark stuff floating around, here are ten stories of heroic kids that give me hope for the future.

1. Marcos Ugarte, Age 14

When his neighbor’s home went up in flames, Marcos climbed a ladder held by his father, entered the burning home and saved the life of 8-year-old Cody Ma, who was trapped inside. Marcos, like a true hero, said, “I can’t say I really consider myself a hero. I think anyone would have done what I did.”

2. Anaiah Rucker, Age 9

9-year-old Anaiah was walking to the bus stop when she noticed a truck about to hit her 5-year-old sister. Without a second thought, she pulled her sister out of harm’s way, bearing the brunt of the impact herself. Anaiah suffered severe injuries, resulting in months of hospitalization and the loss of one of her legs. However, Anaiah still doesn’t feel as if she did anything heroic, because if she hadn’t taken the hit, her sister probably would have died.

3. Riley Braden, Age 5

Riley was swimming in a hotel pool, when she noticed an 18-month-old toddler fall in. Riley, a strong swimmer, was going to call for help, but there was no lifeguard on duty and the toddler’s parents were too far away. So, Riley dove under and retrieved the girl from the bottom of the pool herself. When she emerged, she yelled, “I’ve got the baby! I’ve got the baby!” The little girl was reasonably shaken up, but fine. Riley was given an award for her quick thinking and bravery.

4. Caleb Taylor, Age 5

Caleb was sleeping in the car when he woke up and noticed his mother having a seizure. Calm, cool and collected, Caleb unbuckled, climbed into the drivers’ seat and steered the car to safety. Once the car was safely on the side of the road, he found someone to call 911. Caleb, aware of how special he is, has requested to be called “Caleb Batman,” which seems fitting to me.

5. Stuart Crang, Age 10

Stuart, whose father is a lifeboatman, was enjoying a row in the sea when he noticed two people bobbing in the water. Despite is father’s rule that he stick close to the shore, Stuart paddled out to them. The couple had been stranded for 45 minutes. Stuart helped them patch up their boat enough to float and then towed them into shore. His father didn’t seem to mind that he had broken the rules.

6. Kyle Forbes, Age 10

Kyle, a Boy Scout and child with autism, was alone in a classroom with his teacher when she began to choke on an apple. Kyle, who had been trained in the Heimlich Maneuver by the Scouts and his father, was able to dislodge the apple from Ms. Lowe’s throat and save her life. I hope he earned a bravery badge for his courage!

7. Jaden Kanka, Age 9

Jaden was hanging out at home on a Sunday, when two armed robbers entered his house. Jaden, being the smart kid that he is, hid in a closet. When he heard his mother and her boyfriend talking to the robbers in the living room, he made a run for it, out a bedroom window and to a neighbor’s house. The neighbor called 911 and when the officers arrived, the two robbers were still in the house. Go Jaden!

8. Johaven Gonzales, Age 8

Johaven was riding with his pregnant mother, grandmother and younger sister, when their car went off the road and down a steep mountain cliff. Johaven called 911 and then climbed the 100ft cliff to direct the responders to the car. According to officers, the car was so far down the mountain that if it hadn’t been for Johaven, they probably wouldn’t have located them. He received a bike from the first responders as a thank you gift for helping them out.

9. Piper Rolfe, Age 10

Piper, who is legally blind, was outside playing with her little brother and friend Irie when a raccoon attacked Irie. Piper asked Irie to describe the animal to her, then grabbed a stick and began beating at the raccoon until it let Irie free. Irie suffered six bites, but it would have been much worse if Piper hadn’t stepped in. We’d all be lucky to have a friend like Piper!

10. Chloe Olson, Age 5

Chloe was hanging out at home when her mother started choking on a potato chip. Knowing that her mom wasn’t okay and that there wasn’t a grownup around to help, Chloe dialed 911. She thought her father was on the other end of the line and told the dispatcher, “Daddy, mommy’s choking.” The dispatcher told her to open the front door and help would be on the way. Chloe ended the call with, “Love you, bye.” Chloe saved her mother’s life and undoubtedly made one dispatcher’s day.

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