Three Gateway High School students in Ottumwa, Iowa raced to rescue a stranger who had fallen on active railroad tracks behind their school.
We often hear stories about young people doing amazing things, and this one touches our hearts in a special way.
God works through people of all ages and backgrounds, and these boys prove that heroes can come from anywhere. Their quick actions remind us that God places us in the right place at the right time to help others.
The rescue happened one October day when Paul Clanry looked out his classroom window. He saw someone had fallen on the train tracks and knew they needed to act fast. “I felt like he needed help,” Clanry said. “So I just told these guys to come help me out real quick.”
The three friends didn’t waste a second. They ran past their science teacher’s room, calling out, “Hey, Mr. E, there’s a guy in the railroad tracks, we’re going to go save him!”
Their teacher, Matt Erlandson, followed them outside to help, but the boys had already reached the man. “We went to check it out. We didn’t think twice. We just went out and helped him out,” Clinton Ring explained.
By the time their teacher caught up, the teens had helped the man stand up and were walking him to the bus stop. “It was just a selfless act,” Erlandson said. “They didn’t wait and ask for permission, they just said, ‘we’re doing this.'”
Gateway High School is different from regular schools. It’s an alternative school where students come for various reasons. Some struggle with attendance or grades, while others prefer a smaller learning environment.
The three friends grew even closer after helping the stranger that day. “I think they’re great people,” Daveson Hartman said about Clanry and Ring. “They help me a lot. They help others, too, and I’m thankful for being their friend.” As Ring wisely said, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
When asked what message people should take from their story, Clanry gave a powerful answer: “Be righteous for the people around you.” Though they never saw the man again after he thanked them, their kindness left a lasting mark on their community.
God often uses unexpected people to show His love and care for others. These three young men remind us that we should always be ready to help someone in need. They didn’t stop to think about themselves or worry about getting in trouble. They saw someone who needed help, and they acted.
Their story calls us to look at others through God’s eyes and be ready to help at a moment’s notice. When we see someone in trouble, may we have the courage to act quickly and show God’s love through our actions.
WATCH: 3 Teens Hailed as Heroes After Saving Man Who Fell on Train Tracks
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