Hometown Hero

OK—so he’s from Battle Creek instead of Benton Harbor. But he certainly is a hero down here in southwest Michigan! The two families, who were both celebrating birthdays this last weekend at the Silver Beach hotel down by the lake in St Joseph, didn’t know each other from Adam. But given the winter outside, the hotel’s heated pool was a popular hang out Saturday evening. That’s when something caught the attention of 29 year old Tim Rose. Sitting poolside with his family and friends, he had observed a 10 year old boy from another family party darting like a fish under water, doing fine. Tim turned his attention back to his own birthday party. But a few moments later, happening to glance at the pool again, he saw the same boy rise to the surface and then for some reason sink back down again, this time all the way to the bottom of the eight-foot-deep section. A few air bubbles escaped from the boy’s mouth, and Tim realized the boy was no longer moving. He reacted instantly, plunging into the pool, diving down to the bottom to grab the boy and bring him to the surface. He yelled for help, as bystanders rushed to pull the boy from the water and laid him on the concrete edge of the pool. Tim, who learned CPR a few years ago, immediately began mouth to mouth resuscitation alternating with chest compressions. Somebody called 911. Two minutes into his rescue efforts, Tim rolled the boy’s head to the side and seconds later the boy coughed up some water, and showed signs of coming to. Paramedics arrived and rushed the now conscious lad to Lakeland Hospital. The boy’s life had been saved. The next morning the 29 year old tree trimmer ran into a family member of 10 year old Melvin Jackson, of Benton Harbor. “Wait right here,” she instructed the life saver. A few moments later she brought young Melvin to meet his savior. “He gave me a hug and told me I was his angel,” Tim told a reporter. “It was a serious moment in my life. It seemed like forever. I was just hoping for a response and when I finally got that it was definitely a relief” (South Bend Tribune 1-28-15). “It was a serious moment in my life.” Let’s face it—it always is when a life is on the line, isn’t it? That’s why I hope you’ll give prayerful consideration to joining the new Contagious Adventist GROW Group this new season. Offered at three different times to accommodate your schedule, this new GROW Group will equip you with a winsome and friendly strategy to share your faith with friends, colleagues and neighbors (even strangers). You’ll never look at the seven greatest truths of Scripture in the same way again—and now you’ll “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15 NIV).  Because there is no greater joy than saving a life. Just ask Tim Rose. And Melvin Jackson.