Growing up in the Philippines, my father had a best friend named Roderick Flores. They were both in the Boy Scouts and loved going to school. Roderick was great at soccer, taekowndo, and swimming. He and my father bonded over a love of Voltes 5, a Japanese anime show about robots, and hanging out with their friends after class.
When they were in high school, their troop decided to go on a three-day camping trip. My father could not attend, so he stayed behind while Roderick and the rest of their troop went on the trip.
My father would never see Roderick again.
On August 18, 1984, two younger Boy Scouts started to have leg cramps while swimming in tumultuous waters. Roderick and some of the other older troop members noticed and jumped in without hesitation to save them. The waves were difficult for most of the other members, but Roderick was able to reach the boys and bring them safely to shore. However, he got caught by a large wave before he could make it to safety himself and drowned at sea.
At his memorial service, a mentor who knew him well stated:
Flores isn't a hero because last Saturday he generously dived in to help someone in danger. That action was the culmination of a long series of countless gestures of selfless concern for others during the 15 years of his life. He is a hero because he practiced the discipline of serving, loving, of being generous..."
One doesn't need to dive into dangerous waters like Roderick to show kindness and love. Rather, those everyday acts of kindness allow for us to grow in our capacity to love and care for others. His story shows that he didn't suddenly get the courage to jump in - his desire to help others was developed over time. Greeting people with a warm smile, inviting others to be part of a group, holding the door open for strangers... these are just some small acts that spark the light of kindness and love in ourselves and in others.
And in the darkest of moments, when the seas are at their roughest, it's that spark that becomes a beacon that leads people to do amazing things and inspire others. Roderick's act of bravery and kindness live on in the Boy Scout troop of Mandaluyong, the friends and family that he left behind, and now in those who read his story.
This season, in all that you celebrate with light and love, remember to cultivate that spark just like Roderick did.
Shine bright and share your light.
To learn more about Roderick Flores and his act of heroism, click here to read the piece "Cool Boys: Saints in Shirtsleeves."
Committee Members
- Katherine Ellison, Glen Grove Principal
- Aurora Joaquin, Glen Grove Speech-Language Pathologist
- Katelyn Kelleher, Glen Grove Psychologist
- Hedy Helfand, Glen Grove English Langauge Learning Teacher
- Pam Leister, Glen Grove English Langauge Learning Teacher
- Lisa Funke, Glen Grove Learning Resource Center Director
- Marie Chang-Pisano, Glen Grove Reading Intervention Associate
- Sylvia Gorski Duarte, District Title III Family Resource Teacher
- Lindsey Lurie, District Multilingual Instructional Coach
Email: GGCommunityProject@gmail.com
