The trigger for this True Personal Story (TPS) was a memory of how I rushed to protect my 2 1/2year old daughter Sara from harm. She tried to put a large glass onto high counter top and it fell. It broke into smithereens. I was on couch and when I heard the crash. I sped to kitchen and had lifted Sara off the floor so fast she could not process what happened. I sustained a “happy hurt” from the glass but I felt good!

Background for story: I was trampled at age 5 by a much larger boy. He was running at full speed. I thought I was out of harm’s way but erred. This took place one evening outside “Joy Apartments” in Miami Beach. It was anything but a joyful moment.

The Related True Personal Story: Fast forward from age 5 to about age 22. I was in role of the “much larger boy” and a 4-year old girl was in my former role. The scene was on basketball court at East 56th Street park in Brooklyn. We were playing 5-on-5 full court basketball on concrete when the young girl ambled across the empty part of court. I brought ball up and had my pass intercepted by a “ball thief.” The guy dribbled ball towards other basket thinking he had easy lay-up. I ran full speed to stop him. I was gaining ground when suddenly he veered to his left after nearly running into the girl. Upon reflection, the girl likely had turned left to look at the ball thief who ran past her. This allowed me to see she had a summer dress with straps. She had no idea that a second guy was about to trampled her.

It was a good thing I had excellent mental and physical reflexes. Instead of barreling her over with both of us crashing to ground, I instinctively grabbed those the back of her dress to protect her from me. I lifted her up into the air as I crashed to ground. I held her up in the air for several extra moments. I had to be convinced it was safe to return her to the ground. I was in prone position at the time. I kept her in a “downright upright” position the entire time. When I carefully and slowly lowered her to her feet, the girl said something to me that I shall never forget. It was sweet, caring and simple: “Are you all right?” She touched my heart. She had not a scratch but when the shock of it all set in, she burst out crying before walking to wherever she had been headed within the park. I was forced to leave the game since my knee bled for nearly an hour. I am prouder of that scar than any of the many I have sustained over the years. The guys on the sidelines nodded to me with a knowing look. They knew catastrophe had been averted. This was without doubt the best play I have ever made on the basketball court and it had nothing to do with basketball! I look back and feel good at that errant pass that was intercepted by the “ball thief.”

Original Posting 1:28AM February 7, 2022. Revised 9:33PM September 4, 2022