Not Racing Through the Holidays

In September 2011, Josh Ripley, a Minnesota student at Andover High made national news when he stopped his cross country race to help a fallen competitor and carry him to safety. Exactly a year later, it happened again; this time it was a yeshiva student in Memphis.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported this week that Seth Goldstein, 17, was halfway through his cross country race when he saw a competitor ahead of him fall to the ground. While the others continued their way to the finish line, Goldstein stopped and saw that the teen was in severe distress, convulsing and losing blood. A lifeguard, the Cooper Yeshiva High School of East Memphis senior had took control of the scene and had an adult call 911 and another get ice.

When an ambulance arrived, and began treating the teen, Goldstein left to finish the race. It was the slowest race he’s ever run, but his personal best.

Note: The graphic is the cover of Losing the Rat Race, Winning at Life By Rabbi Marc D. Angel (2005), in which he discusses finding a life with meaning and why winning a race is not about being the first one across the finish line.