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Bunch of punks, some folks might think and look askance at those walking down the street with baggy jeans or unconventional haircuts.
Heroes is also a word that’s overused.
It seems in this world where just being nice and polite are exceptions, someone who does a simple kindness is nearly heroic.
But 16-year-old Drakkar Ware of Winona is a hero, and it’s a good reminder that more often than not teenagers are still the best hope at a great tomorrow. You see, we’re going to be in good hands if there are more like Drakkar.
He jumped into the Mississippi River to try and save Robert Plinski, who apparently slipped out of his boat while trying to dock last week. The 70-year-old Plinski drowned, but not before Ware tried to reach the struggling fisherman.
While the outcome was tragic, the effort was heroic. And as anyone familiar with the river knows, jumping in it is putting your life at risk. So, when a 16-year-old risks his life to save another’s, it’s pretty remarkable.
And it’s a good reminder in summertime, when we all enjoy the Mississippi River, that for all of its beauty and quaintness, it’s still an incredibly powerful and dangerous force of nature. It’s hard to look at that rolling muddy water and think there’s really much danger. Unfortunately, accidents like Plinski’s death serve as painful reminders. It’s a good time to remember life jackets and boater safety courses, especially for the young ones.
Before the investigation was wrapped up, Ware was near the river, on a boat. He wasn’t basking in the brief flurry of attention; he wasn’t waiting for the news helicopters to arrive. There were no television cameras. There were no certificates or medals; heck, Ware didn’t even have a shirt to pin them on had they been there.
No one even uttered the word “hero.” It was simply understood that folks around here watch out for each other; they rush to each other’s aid when needed; and, they don’t ask for thanks — they don’t even expect it.
But just as comforting as it is to live in a place where any neighbor could save your life, it’s easy to take it for granted. That’s why it is important to pause a moment and give thanks that we live in a place where a teenager can jump into a river to save a man nearly five times his age.
By Darrell Ehrlick, editor, on behalf of the Winona Daily News editorial board, which also includes publisher Rusty Cunningham and online editor Jerome Christenson. To comment, call 453-3507 or send e-mail to letters@winonadailynews.com.
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