Meet A Real Hero: Michael Patterson

In order to make the media notice you today, you have to do or say something outrageous, offensive, and over the top. If you do, you can be assured of at least three day of media attention. It's a sad state of affairs and tends to make me wonder where are the real people in this country. I often wonder where are the people that work hard, stay out of trouble, and live by "the good book". That's why I want you to meet Michael Patterson, a common man and a real hero.

Michael Patterson is the 43-year-old Georgia man who dived into a creek to save a 4-year-old girl from drowning. Because of his act of bravery, Javeah Jones was able to be resuscitated.

Patterson's dive was not the first time that he had demonstrated his bravery. A week before, he and another man had pulled a truck driver from his cab after the truck caught fire. His mother told WSB-TV that her son didn't see what the big deal was about his part in rescuing the man from the truck fire.

"He said he did what he thought, what he hoped anyone else would have done for him. That's not a very common thing anymore, for anyone to care about someone they don't know," she told the press.

Patterson's bravery was commended across the Web. Comments on the Yahoo News story after his injury reflected the immense respect people had for his actions. One commenter wrote, "there really are no words to express the character of this man." Another wrote, "now this is what a hero looks like."

"He jumped in head first and after I grabbed her, I looked back and he was floating on top of the water," Carlissa Jones told WSB-TV.com. Michael's son was at the scene that day.

 

During the dive, Patterson hit his head, broke his neck and severed his spinal cord and became paralyzed from the chest down during the rescue. He also developed respiratory acidosis, pneumonia and a bacterial infection after the injury. Michael Patterson died after spending three weeks in a hospital. The medical problems that came after the broken neck contributed to his death, Polk County Coroner Trey Litesey told news outlets.

The Patterson family shared the news on Facebook

Mike’s spirit and selfless actions inspired tens of thousands who sent cards, letters and emails and engaged in posts at the Friends of Mike Patterson Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Friendsofmikepatterson). His life and the lives of others are forever changed by his courageous, split-second decision to save another’s life. Mike’s tragic story made news headlines around the globe. His heroic act stirred an outpouring of emotion and a desire to help Mike in his time of need. His caring nature will forever be honored.

At this time, funeral or any other arrangements are not known. The Friends of Mike Patterson Trust will post additional information as it becomes available. Please keep Mike's family and friends in your prayers.

 

My heart goes out to Michael's family. He was a true hero and I'm glad he passed this way.

Star Wars Creator Jumps The Broom

People magazine reports Star Wars Creator George Lucas (69) jumped the broom with fiancee Mellody Hobson (44) this past weekend. The couple announced their engagement in January after dating for seven years. The pair tied the knot  at an intimate gathering in Marin, California, the same location as Lucas' Skywalker Ranch. The bride was given away by former U. S. Senator  and NY Knicks star Bill Bradley.

Lucas sold his "Star Wars" empire to Disney last year. his estimated net worth is about $7.3 billion. He was previously married to Marcia Lucas from 1969 to 1983.

With a Bachelor's degree from Princeton University, it seems that George Lucas isn't the only genius of the duo. Hobson earned her degree in 1991 from Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. This power couple is certainly an intellectual "force" to be reckoned with.

The new Mrs. Lucas probably makes a grand total of just under $ 1 million per year, so her net worth is probably several million dollars. According to Forbes, the bride serves as the President of Ariel Investments (Chicago-based investment management firm and adviser to the mutual funds offered by the Ariel Investment Trust) since 2000, and as President and Director of its governing member, Ariel Capital Management Holdings, Inc. She also serves as President (since 2002) and Chairman of the Board of Trustees (Chairman since 2006, trustee since 1993) of the Ariel Investment Trust (registered investment company). Ms. Hobson has served as a director of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. since 2004 (Chairman of the Compensation Committee and member of the Nominating and Governance Committee), Starbucks Corporation since 2005 (Vice-Chairman of the Audit and Compliance Committee) and Groupon, Inc. since 2011. She also works with a variety of civic and professional institutions, including serving as board member of the Field Museum, the Chicago Public Education Fund and the Sundance Institute. 

 

Congratulations to the happy couple.

Alex: The New Guy on Sesame Street

For more than 40 years, “Sesame Street” has been helping kids tackle tough topics like death and divorce. With one in 28 kids having a parent behind bars, the show will now be tackling the topic of understanding jail time. NBC’s Erika Hill reports.

The Sesame Workshop says it created the “Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration” initiative, an online tool kit intended to help kids with a parent in prison find support and comfort, and provide families with strategies and tips to talk to their children about incarceration.

Travel Agents-Pros and Cons

That time of year has come for my honey and me to take our much loved vacation to Jamaica. We stopped by our local travel agency, expecting to make our travel arrangements through Donna, our reliable long term agent.  Much to our surprise, we were told that Donna no longer worked for the agency. We left the office, totally stunned and faced with the decision-travel agent or the DYI approach.

Happy Birthday, Mr. ZIP

Fifty years ago, the Post Office was in trouble due to an overwhelming increase in business mail. Luckily, Mr. ZIP came to the rescue.

In 1963, the agency rolled out the Zone Improvement Plan, a five-digit code that helped the mail sorting process for delivery to specific locations. The Post Office introduced "Mr. ZIP", who disguised as a caricature of a friendly postal worker helped deliver the message to the public: Remember your ZIP!