Every once in a while I come across a story that touches my heart. A story that makes me feel great to be alive. To know there are people in this world who were sent here to help others by helping themselves. Yesterday I came across the story of Antoinette Tuff and knew she was an angel both to herself, to the young man who wanted to kill, the children and others she saved at the elementary school in Atlanta.
Antoinette Tuff saved the lives of several people including many children when she listened to a young man in trouble. Talked to him like he was a human being. Made him feel like he mattered such that he put down his gun and surrendered. Surrendered himself to the police.
Her story is an amazing story. A story of courage, compassion, forgiveness and love. A story of surrendering all to the Divine in the face of her life being on the line. She did not show her panic or her fear. Instead she showed compassion. She looked into that young man’s soul and saw her own pain reflected back through his eyes and because she did, she was able to relate to him. She was able to understand why that young man had been sent to her with a loaded gun. Why she had been sent to sit in that chair she did not normally sit in.
She understood in that instant if she was to save her life, the lives of the innocent children and faculty of the school as well the other lives that would be lost including the young man’s, she had to remain calm and speak to the young man. She sensed she could not add to his angst. From a place deep within, she knew she and this stranger were sent to help save each other. Him so he would not take innocent lives then take his own. Her to see that she had come a long way. She understood first hand, there is only 6 degrees of separation between us all. There by the grace of God go I was probably her thought as she looked at that broken young man.
She told him he was not alone by opening up about her own hardships. About her own pain. About her own experiences. That she too had suffered and continues to suffer as is he suffering but she is working on turning her life around. She did not in any way try to diminish the young man. Nor admonish him for his actions. She consoled him.
Made him see her as a human being with feelings and responsibilities not just a nameless face. Made him feel loved such that he could feel like a human being and not just a nameless face. She saved that young man’s family from being devastated by the news that their son was a murderer. All because he felt like he did not matter. That he had nothing to live for and the only way he could see a way out was to kill himself but not before taking innocent children along with him.
She saw that young man was hurting and wanted to be remembered for something. Wanted to be heard so she listened and then she talked. Talked him out of shooting and into surrendering. Assuring him that everything was going to be okay. Assuring herself that everything was going to be okay. And then she let go. Surrendered it all to the divine.
Antoinette Tuff is an unsung hero. A woman who saw a broken young man and helped him to find the light again. Helped him to see that he mattered and as such all the other people around him mattered too. I wanted to share her story today to remind us that everything that happens in our lives is leading us to the place we are right now. All the hardship Antoinette Tuff suffered, all the tragedy and despair, rejection and fear led her to the encounter with that young man so she could help him to see he was not alone in his struggles. That he mattered. All her pain came to a head when the two strangers met by Divine Intervention in that elementary school in Atlanta to forevermore change their lives. To let them both know they are not alone in their struggles and when they keep the faith and surrender all that is beyond their control, life will reward them. And recognize them for their contributions. A powerful lesson for us all.
To Ms. Antoinette Tuff for her courage, compassion and love, I am truly grateful. Her story can be found on the following link:
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