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News MARCH 1, 2009 EDITOR'S NOTE Mar 01, 2009
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My staff and I had an amazing experience on the set of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” when they came to Fresno in January. With all the streets being blocked off and the “circus” feel, we lovingly referred to it as “Extreme Takeover” (see page 42 to read the entire story).
After the first day, I began to comprehend how many people from Fresno contributed to this monumental event. All of us on the set, the media, crew, designers and spectators, knew something special was happening. There were more than 3,800 volunteers, many of whom had never donated time for a cause
before. I spent most of my time studying the behind-the-scenes action, as I was fascinated with the process and wondered how we could continue this tradition of generosity for Fresno. Can we carry on the momentum of neighbor-helping-neighbor without the glamour of a national TV show to motivate people? Would local-elected officials and the city be able to work towards the same common goal, pure from an agenda? It was just so inspiring to see this many people coming together to help one family.
When I looked at the beautiful new home that had been built in just a few days, and then at the smiling faces of the nearly 10,000 spectators anticipating the family’s return, I remember feeling a sense of victory and pride. Fresno had reached the pinnacle of being a cohesive community. For that moment, we were one city -- there wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd. It was so emotional that I could barely speak for about an hour (and that’s rare for me!).
I spoke to the executive producer of the show, Conrad Ricketts, and asked why he came to Fresno. He told me they were looking for heroes and after seeing Mary Ann’s story, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. This experience made me think about what it means to be a hero. Today, more than
ever, we need a few good heroes. So how do we define a hero? We have lost faith in some heroes who let us down – like sports figures who admit to steroid use, or financially successful people who swindled money and even
some religious leaders who were busted for drug use and prostitution. Today, more than ever, we need a few good heroes. See page 30 to read about another local hero.
To me, courage is at the top of the list. When I first heard about the plane that crashed into the Hudson River, I was, ironically, standing in the Riojas family’s driveway, waiting for them to arrive so we could all yell “move that bus!” In fact, when reports started to come in through various people in the crowd, some people were confused and actually thought the Riojas family’s plane had crashed!
The pilot, Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, said as he lowered the plane towards the glistening surface of the Hudson River, he felt a mixture of “calm on the outside, turmoil inside.” Once the plane was in the water, Sullenberger then walked the length of the airplane twice to make sure that
no one was left onboard before he exited the sinking aircraft.
Commitment to excellence is another character trait that most heroes have. Sullenberger was on Good Morning America recently and during a commercial break, he went to its weather map and corrected the spelling of Yosemite.
When asked why he cared so much, he replied “I’ve been there. It’s a beautiful place and deserves an ‘e’”. Did you know that Sully had also checked out a book from Fresno State’s library that went down in the plane? See page 24 for more of this story.
Another trait is tenacity. The Fresno State Bulldogs Baseball team never lost their hope or commitment to the game. Even though a newscaster predicted during the first game that they “would be the first team to go home on the bus” since they were also the lowest-ranked. As you know, they went on to win the 2008 College World Series of baseball!
The main thing all of these people have in common is that they didn’t realize they were heroes, nor did they plan to be a hero. They just lived their lives with courage, calm intensity, integrity and commitment to excellence in everything they do. If you are willing to do the same, then
you are also being a hero – even if no one else sees it. Being a good parent, providing for your children, loving your family – that is heroic even if it’s not as glamorous. If you have kids, chances are – they will see it and you will influence who they are and who they will become.
Some people feel overwhelmed when they try to do great things and often feel small or invisible. There’s this quote from Mother Teresa that I’ll always remember: “We cannot do great things in this world. We can only do small
things with great love.” Maybe we can’t save the world, but we can help one person at a time, especially in Fresno.
I hope these stories inspire you to be someone’s hero. We plan to continue the tradition of helping to make Fresno a better place by finding ways to help improve the lives of local families. If you would like to be involved as a vendor, donor or volunteer, please visit www.fresnomag.com for more details.
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