We Should All Be a Bridge

While browsing through some old newspaper articles online, I discovered “Woman, 22, Sacrifices Her Life to Save Her Friend in a Hit and Run.” Upon reading the title, I was automatically intrigued. The woman’s selflessness and love stood out in a world full of hate and crime, selfishness and greed, and so of course I read the article.

The article dives right into a heart-touching subject, asking how far an individual would “go to save a friend.” For New York City resident Erinn Phelan, the answer was as far as need be. Phelan pushed her friend out of the way of an oncoming car, taking the hit for herself. The friend survived with little injury, while Phelan was left brain dead, and her family had to make the unbearable decision to disconnect life support.

If laying down her life was not enough by itself, Phelan also had wishes to be an organ donor. Before life support was removed, arrangements were made for donation. This young woman’s generosity was not only present in her last moments, but was shown throughout her life. Phelan was a member of City Corps, a smaller, more local version of the Peace Corps.

This article reminded me of an old Simon and Garfunkel song “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The song basically conveys the message that the singer would be willing to help out a friend whenever, wherever, with whatever. My favorite lyric of the song is “I'll take your part when darkness comes, and pain is all around. Like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down.”

It is comforting to think that I have friends and family who love me enough that they would help share my burden in times of darkness, that they would willingly take some of my pain to make me feel better. After all, they know I would do the same for them, because regardless of who we are, we all need a bridge over troubled water even if just to “ease our mind.”