Hero of the Week 8

Welcome back viewers!

This week's hero is....

Joseph Zito

Giuseppe Alessandro "Joseph" Zito was born on September 1, 1883 in Serra Campania, Italy. He immigrated to the United States in the early 20th Century and found work as an elevator operator who worked in the Asch Building (now called the Brown Building) in Manhattan, New York City. The Asch Building was a ten story building that was location of a number of garment making factories. It was constructed in 1901 and was known throughout the state of New York for having "fireproof" rooms. Most of the workers in the building were female immigrants. Zito's job was to operate one of the building's two elevators to transport workers to and from their working floors at the beginning and end of work hours.

The most notable garment making business in the Asch Building was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory (located on the top three floors). Although the factory's business income was great, its safety conditions were deplorable. The doors to the staircases were locked during the day (to prevent theft), the fire escape ladder was old and rusty, the staircase itself was only 13 inches wide, and all doors opened in instead of out. In other words, it was a disaster waiting to happen.

March 25, 1911 was a day that started out like any other. The workers of the Triangle factory (Zito among them) reported to their work stations without any incidents. That is, until 4:30 PM when a fire ignited on the 8th floor. In just a few minutes it had spread to the 9th floor and eventually the 10th floor (most of the workers there would escape to the roof). The workers attempted to escape but found themselves trapped behind the locked doors. Some tried to escape down the fire escape, but it collapsed under their weight. It became clear that the only way to escape would be to use the building's two elevators.

Although elevators were not supposed to be used when there was a fire, the trapped workers had little choice. Joseph Zito heard their cries for help and brought his elevator up to the burning 8th and 9th floors. Along with Gaspar Mortillalo (the second elevator operator), Zito repeatedly risked his life to save as many people as possible. The 6-by-9-foot elevators were only built to carry 10 people at a time, however Zito recalled that on one trip he counted at least 40 people who crammed into the elevator. Unfortunately the workers were so panicked that many jumped into the shaft and land on the elevator as it was descending (Zito would be forever haunted by this). This caused the cables Zito's elevator to snap after his fourth trip down (Gaspar's elevator lost power due to the fire). Once this happened, escape became impossible and more than 100 people were left behind on the burning 8th and 9th floors. With no options left, most of them jumped to their deaths. All in all, the fire claimed the lives of 146 people (23 men and 123 women). The youngest victim was only 14 years old.

During his trips to the lobby, Zito saved 150 people from dying. For a short time he was heralded in press as a hero. Sadly, Joseph Zito died in poverty on October 25, 1932. Like many other heroes, he never sought recognition for what he did. It was not until many years later, that he finally received major recognition for his heroism that day. Joseph Zito was a brave man who did the best he could to save as many people as he could. He is definitely someone who should be held in high regard by people around the world.

https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/triangle-fire-the-building-survives/?mcubz=0

https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/21/triangle-fire-a-half-hour-of-horror/?mcubz=0

http://www.wnyc.org/story/119910-family-keeps-memory-triangle-fire-elevator-operator-alive/

http://consumergrouch.com/?p=5890

Hero of the Week 7

Welcome back viewers!

This week's hero is...

Hiram Bingham IV

Hiram Bingham IV was born on July 17, 1903 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the year 1940, he was an American diplomat who served as a Vice Consul in Marseilles, France during World War II. His job there, was to issue traveling visas to those who wished to travel to the United States. On May 10, 1940, the forces of Nazi Germany invaded and conquered France. When a German controlled government (Vichy France) was set up in France, it began to actively target the country's Jewish population (beginning with foreign Jews). For the next year, thousands of Jews were rounded up and placed in internment camps throughout France and many would later be deported to concentration camps. This caused many Jewish people to seek visas from the US consulate located in Marseilles.

Despite the pleas of the refugees, most American diplomats were unwilling to issue visas. This was largely due to an anti-immigration policy from the US government which was hoping to maintain good relations with the new Vichy government. Hiram Bingham was one of the few who felt sympathetic to the plight of the Jews. In direct defiance to America's immigration policy, he issued visas to the refugees. For the next ten months, Bingham (with help from the journalist Varian Fry) issued 2,500 visas to refugees, enabling them to emigrate to the United States. Some of those he helped to emigrate included famous people like the novelist Lion Feuchtwanger, the artist Marc Chagall, and the activist Hannah Arendt.

However, when the American government learned of Bingham's actions, he was pulled from his position as Vice Consul and transferred to Portugal and later Argentina for the remainder of World War II. He eventually resigned from the US Foreign Service in 1945, after being passed over for promotion (likely due to his defiance of American foreign policy). For the rest of his life, Bingham lived off an inherited sum and hardly spoke of his wartime activities (even to his own family). He died January 12, 1988 at the age of 84. It was not until after Bingham's death that his widow (Rose Morrison Bingham) and of his sons (William Bingham) discovered a number of old documents that revealed details about the people Hiram Bingham had helped rescue. These documents were later donated to the United States Holocaust museum which contacted many of former refugees (or their decedents). After this, Hiram Bingham finally received recognition for his actions in Marseilles.

Hiram Bingham was an exemplary human being who defied his own government to do the right thing. He was directly responsible for saving more than 2,000 people from being murdered in the Holocaust. He did so much and received so little in return. His heroism should serve to educate and inspire those who wish to learn from the tragedy that was the Holocaust and prevent similar horrors from ever happening again.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hero-quietly-did-the-right-thing/

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/saving-the-jews-of-nazi-france-52554953/

http://archives.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2006_05/where.html

https://www.facinghistory.org/rescuers/hiram-bingham-iv

Hero of the Week 6

Welcome back viewers!
This week we have a team of heroes.

Allow me to introduce the dogsled teams of Nome, Alaska!

During the winter of 1925, the small city of Nome in the state of Alaska faced a terrible crises: a deadly outbreak of the highly contagious sickness called, diphtheria. Diphtheria is a respiratory tract illness caused by a bacterium called, Corynebacterium diphtheria. It causes blockage in the throat and  if it is not treated, it will lead to a painful death by suffocation. It is especially lethal to children. By January 21 1925, two of Nome's children had died and a further twenty people were diagnosed with diphtheria.

When the doctor of Nome (Dr. Curtis Welch) diagnosed diphtheria the situation became clear. An antitoxin for diphtheria would be needed before other people became infected with the disease. Dr. Welch learned that the nearest supply of antitoxin was located in the city of Anchorage, Alaska. It was decided that the antitoxin would be shipped from Anchorage by train. However, the weather proved to be a major obstacle (literally). The train made it to the town of Nenana before being blocked by heavy snowfall caused by a major snowstorm blowing in from the Arctic. With the temperature dropping to -50° Fahrenheit and the snowstorm turning into a blizzard, it became clear that the serum would need to be transported to Nome another way. Flying the serum to Nome was not an option due to the limited daylight of the time of year for Alaska. Transportation by sea was not an option either, due to Nome's ice-choked harbor. With nearly all forms of transportation shut down due to the blizzard, Alaskan Governor Scott Bone gave authorization for a dogsled relay.

Although the idea seemed ludicrous to some people, dogsled teams had been regularly used for mail transportation in Alaska. The dogs and their mushers were known for their skillful navigation of the Alaskan territory and their speed in delivering. Governor Bone chose 20 teams of mushers with at least 150 sled dogs to make an over 600 mile run from Nenana to Nome while using their mail route. What followed would go down in history as, "The Great Race of Mercy".

The relay began on January 27. For the next five and a half days, the teams struggled to reach their checkpoints. By now the temperature had dropped to -60° Fahrenheit and the speed of the blizzard's winds were estimated at 80 mph. The dogs (the names, Balto and Togo would become very famous) and their mushers also battled frostbite and snow blindness that forced them to rely on the sense of smell to navigate their way to Nome. During the trip, some of the dogs froze to death and others suffered permanent injuries. Despite all this, the antitoxin arrived in Nome on February 1st. Altogether, the dogsled teams had covered 674 miles in just over 127 hours. Dr. Welch quickly administered the antitoxin to the sick people of Nome. Although at least five people had already died, the rest of the city largely made full recoveries.

Through a combination of courage and skill mushers and their dogs of Nome performed a legendary feat. They faced a long and dangerous journey to save a city from a deadly disease. They all should serve as an inspiration to people around the world.

Further information:

http://www.history.com/news/the-sled-dog-relay-that-inspired-the-iditarod

https://alaskaweb.org/disease/1925serumrun.htm

Salisbury, Gay; Salisbury, Laney (2003), The Cruelest Miles, W. W. Norton & Company

Hero of the Week 5

Welcome back viewers!

This week's hero is...

Betty Robinson!

Betty Robinson was an olympic athlete who won multiple medals at the games. In the 1928 Summer Olympics at Amsterdam, she won a gold medal in the 100 meters and a silver in the women's 4x100 relay. She did this when she was only 16 years old. Despite this incredible achievement, Robinson is probably best know for a horrific incident that nearly took her life and her incredible road to recovery.

By the year 1931, Robinson was training hard for the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. However, on June 28 one of her cousins invited her to take a ride in a biplane, which she accepted. For about an hour Robinson and her cousin (named Wilson Palmer) enjoyed their flying trip. But when the plane reached an altitude of 400 feet, its motor stalled. As a result it plunged in an uncontrollable nosedive and crashed. Both Robinson and her cousin suffered severe injuries. Robinson suffered a broken left arm, an eight-inch gash across her head, a concussion, and a shattered left leg. When she and her cousin were found the former was initially thought to be dead and taken to a morgue. That is, until the undertaker noticed slight movement and immediately rushed her to the hospital where doctors struggled to save her life.

For the next eleven weeks Betty Robinson drifted in and out of consciousness. After that she was confined to a wheel chair. As a result of her terrible injuries, she missed the summer olympics in 1932. Despite this, Robinson was determined to walk and eventually run again. Once she was discharged from the hospital, she immediately began a long road to recovery. Although she continued to suffer physical pain in her legs from her injuries, Robinson was able to make the 1936 Olympic team for the Women's Relay. In Berlin, Robinson ran the third leg of the relay before passing the baton to her teammate (her fellow runners were: Helen Stephens, Annette Rogers, and Harriet Bland). Although the German team was the favored to win the gold, their fourth runner dropped the baton. As a result the American team (Robinson included) won the gold medal.

Betty Robinson's story is one that draws much inspiration. She was a professional athlete who suffered terrible injuries from a freak accident. And yet through determination and dedication, she was able to comeback and return to doing what she loved. Betty Robinson is without a doubt, one of the most remarkable athletes in the history of the Olympics.

http://www.teamusa.org/News/2015/April/28/Betty-Robinson-The-Gold-Medalist-Who-Came-Back-From-the-Dead

Hero of the Week 4

Welcome back viewers!
This week's hero is....

Alfred Tibor

Alfred Tibor was a holocaust survivor and an artist. He was born Alfred Goldstein on February 10, 1920 in Konyar, Hungary. In 1940, Alfred was drafted into a slave labor battalion for the Axis forces. Less than a year later he and his battalion were captured by the Red Army. Instead of being liberated, Alfred and his battalion of laborers were then deported to Siberia. For the next 6 years Alfred struggled to survive in the horrific conditions of a Soviet prisoner of war camp. He was eventually released in 1947. Of his battalion of 273 men, he was one of two to survive the ordeal. Alfred then discovered that the rest of his immediate and extended family, except for his younger brother Andre, had all been murdered by the Nazis. Alfred and his brother then changed their name from Goldstein to Tibor in honor of their older brother (Tibor Goldstein), and then chose to immigrate to the United States.


Upon his arrival, Alfred Tibor settled in Columbus, Ohio. He then decided to become an artist (something he had wanted since he was young). For the rest of his life Alfred Tibor sculpted many sculptors that depict human life in order to educate the people of the United States. He dedicated many of his artwork to those who lost their lives in the Holocaust. He himself said, “As a Holocaust survivor, I believe that my life was spared to do my work so people may enjoy it. Whether it is one of my Holocaust sculptures, a biblical figure, or a woman standing proud and tall, the human aspect of the piece is what is being expressed to the viewer — that there is beauty and value to be found in all our lives, for I truly believe that life is a celebration.” 


As of today, Alfred Tibor's artwork can be found in nearly 500 museums and private collections around the world, including Israel's Yad Vashem monument in Jerusalem. Many of his sculptors can also be found throughout the city of Columbus. One of the most well known is a piece he called, "Freedom". He dedicated that to the city as a form of gratitude for the freedom he found in the United States. Alfred Tibor continued to make sculptors until is death on March 18, 2017. He was 97 years old. Like many people around the world, Alfred Tibor suffered a horrific ordeal and unimaginable loss. However, despite all his suffering he never gave in to despair. He picked himself up and found a new life and dedicated it to educating the world about the values of life through his artwork. Alfred Tibor should be seen as an inspiration to all who have suffered terrible loss in their life. 

This week's blog is also dedicated to the brave people of Charlottesville who confronted violent racists who still embrace the toxic Bigotry of people like the Nazis.

http://nbc4i.com/2017/03/18/holocaust-survivor-and-sculptor-alfred-tibor-dies-at-age-97/

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170319/alfred-tibor--1920-2017-prolific-sculptor-shaped-by-holocaust

http://nbc4i.com/2017/03/20/family-friends-mourn-loss-of-local-sculptor-holocaust-survivor-alfred-tibor/

http://alfredtibor.net

Hero of the Week 3

Welcome back viewers!
This week's hero is....

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker

Mary Walker was both a physician and an activist for women's rights. She was born November 26, 1832 in Oswego New York. She decided to become a physician early in her life (despite the profession being considered a male field at the time). She attended Syracuse Medical College and graduated with a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1855 (she was the only woman in her class). Despite enduring a constant condescension from many of her neighbors and fellow doctors, Dr. Walker continued to practice medicine as she was determined to follow her dream and serve her country.

When the Civil War began in 1861, Dr. Walker immediately volunteered to be a surgeon for the Union Army. At first she was only allowed to serve as nurse, since the prospect of female surgeons in the military was unheard of at the time. However this changed when her skills as a surgeon became clear. Throughout the war, Dr Walker frequently rescued many of wounded soldiers from the battlefield and treated their wounds. She was present at the battles of Fredericksburg, Chickamauga, and Chattanooga.

In September of 1863, the Dr Walker was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland at the request of General George Henry Thomas. She became the very first female surgeon to be employed by the United States Army. She was even allowed to wear her own military uniform (that she designed herself). She also created an organization called the, Women's Relief Organization for the purpose of aiding the wives and mothers of wounded soldiers of the Union Army. In April 1864, she was taken prisoner by Confederate soldiers and spent 4 months in a prisoner of war camp until she was exchanged. By the time the Civil War ended, Mary Walker had saved hundreds of lives. She was commended by many soldiers for her service and received the Congressional Medal of Honor on November 11, 1865. 

Unfortunately her medal was rescinded by Congress in 1917, due to a reappraisal of the designated eligibility for the terms of receiving the medal. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter had Congress posthumously restore it to her. To date, Dr Mary Edwards Walker is the only female recipient of the Medal of Honor. From the end of the Civil War to her death on February 21, 1919, Walker became an activist for women's rights (mainly focusing on dress reform and women's right to vote). In 2000, she was inducted in the National Women's Hall of Fame.

Dr Mary Edwards Walker was a remarkable person who desired nothing more than serve her fellow countrymen regardless of the prejudice that she received from them. Her skill and determination both serve as a major inspiration for all people (women and men) who wish to serve their nation and try to make the world a better place. She is definitely one of the best people to have ever lived.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/mary-edwards-walker-only-woman-receive-medal-honor-n111596

Walker, Dale L. (2005). Mary Edwards Walker: Above and Beyond

http://www.history.army.mil/news/2016/160200a_maryEdwardsWalker.html

https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_325.html

Hero of the Week 2

"Nobody asked to be a hero. It just sometimes turns out that way" (Black Hawk Down).

Welcome back viewers!
This week's hero is...

Frank Edward (Ed) Ray

Ed Ray was a bus driver who worked for a school in Chowchilla California. On July 15, 1976, he was driving 26 children home from summer school when the unthinkable happened. Three armed men stopped the bus and kidnapped Ray and all the children off the bus and forced them into two vans. The kidnappers then drove Ray and the kids to a rock quarry near Livermore, California. The captives were then forced to enter a trailer that was half-buried in a large hole. After the captives entered the trailer, the kidnappers then proceeded to bury it under four feet of gravel. After being buried for at least 16 hours, Ray and two of the older kids managed to open one of the trailer's trapdoors and dig their way out through the gravel. Ray then helped all 26 children out of the trailer and managed to get hold of the police. The children were eventually reunited with their overjoyed families after they had gone missing for over 17 hours. The three kidnappers were later arrested and sentenced to life in prison.

Thanks to Ed Ray's heroism, all 26 kids survived their horrific ordeal. He received a citation from the California School Employees Association for his heroism and saving the children on his bus. February 26th was declared "Edward Ray Day" by the city of Chowchilla in his honor. Frank Edward Ray continued to work as a bus driver for Chowchilla until he retired in 1988. In the last years of his life he was frequently visited by the kids he helped rescue. He passed away on May 17, 2012, at the age of 91. Frank Edward Ray showed incredible care and dedication to the children he swore to protect. He never asked for any rewards nor did he ever capitalize on his fame. As a bus driver he put the safety of his kids ahead of his own and helped save their lives during a horrific ordeal. He represents the best of the people who work to educate the youth of our country.


http://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/local/community/chowchilla/article11304704.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/19/us/ed-ray-bus-driver-who-helped-save-kidnapped-children-dies-at-91.html?mcubz=0

Hero of the Week 1

Hello Viewers,

For the sake of fun and learning, I have decided to write a short essay every week dedicated to influential yet lesser know people who did something heroic that deserves our admiration. To all those who read this, many thanks.

There are three categories that this blog will explore:
1. An individual hero
2. Multiple heroes who share a connection
3. A team of heroes

This week's hero is....

Marcus Hanna

Marcus Hanna was both a soldier and lighthouse keeper who performed heroic work throughout his life. He was born in Bristol, Maine to a family of lighthouse keepers. Although he intended to follow his family's footsteps the Civil War came and he chose to put it aside to serve his country. He enlisted in the 50th Massachusetts Infantry and rose the rank of sergeant. During the Siege of Port Hudson, Sergeant Hanna ran through the crossfire carrying water to his comrades. He did this while often exposing himself to enemy fire. As a result he saved many soldiers from dying of thirst and heatstroke. For his heroism in risking his life to save his brothers in arms, Sergeant Marcus Hanna received the Congressional Medal of Honor.

However, Hanna's service to his country did not end there. When the Civil War was over, he received an honorable discharge and returned to Maine where he became the keeper of the Pemaquid Point Light in Bristol. In 1873, Hanna was transferred to the Cape Elizabeth Light Station near Portland (also known as: Twin Lights). It was here that once again, he courage and dedication to duty would make a difference.

On January 28, 1885 a schooner named Australian, was wrecked by a furious gale storm. Its two surviving crew members clung to the wreckage and struggled to call for help. After spotting them from the lighthouse, Marcus Hanna grabbed a rope and waded into the frigid sea. Despite nearly freezing himself, Hanna threw the rope to the trapped sailors and pulled them from the sea, saving their lives. For his heroism on that night, Hanna was awarded the Gold Life Saving Medal. 

To date, he is the only individual to receive both the highest decorations for soldiers and civilians in the United States. Throughout his life, Marcus Hanna was dedicated to helping his fellow citizens at the risk of his own life. He is remembered as brave and selfless individual and symbolizes the very best in American servicemen.

https://www.uscg.mil/history/awards/GoldLSM/28JAN1885.asp

http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/civwaral.html