The spring day in 2020 began as any other for a mother who had just gotten off a Greyhound bus in Las Cruces, New Mexico, with her three children. In a sudden and terrifying act, a man grabbed her 2-year-old child. Demanding she surrender her other kids, he launched into a violent frenzy, striking the mother and those who dared to intervene. In a desperate bid for safety, the mother broke free and rushed her three children into a nearby convenience store. The store turned into a scene of chaos. Bystanders, armed with whatever was at hand — brooms, bottles — attempted to fend off the assailant. Their efforts proved insufficient as the aggressor relentlessly pursued the family into the store. Courage Knows No Age
How a Teen Saved a Mom and 3 Children
Using his wrestling training, which won him the District 3-5A championship in the heavyweight division, Bower quickly pinned the attacker. Others tried to help hold the attacker down, but Bower didn’t want anyone else hurt and knew he had the situation under control thanks to his training and size — half a foot taller and almost 100 pounds heavier than the attacker. He also knew there might be a weapon and needed to keep the attacker from accessing it. Bower kept the attacker pinned until the cops arrived. The man was later charged with battery, assault, child abuse, and kidnapping. There was no connection between the attacker and the mother. It was a random attack, and thankfully, Bower was there to stop it. His actions are a powerful reminder to parents and teenagers that heroism is not defined by age or stature but by the willingness to act in the face of adversity. Unfortunately, Bower was in a motorcycle accident two years later and died at the scene. Who knows what other wonderful things he would have accomplished? His memory and actions live on through his friends, family, and the mother and three children whose lives he saved.
Nearby, Canaan Bower, a 16-year-old high school wrestler, was fueling his truck when he heard piercing screams across the street. He drove to the store and ran inside. The scene that unfolded before him was chilling. There was blood on the ground, which meant the assailant might have a weapon, but there were also three children to protect.
Reuniting With Roots A Decadelong Awaited Trip to South Africa
It was such a perfect evening for all of us, but especially for our daughter, Annabelle, who was only 7 months old the last time she was in South Africa. It was like meeting her family for the first time! We then did a ton of sightseeing in and around the Johannesburg area. We spent time shopping at the Mall of Africa. We toured Soweto and got to see Nelson Mandela’s house and the Hector Peterson Museum. Annabelle got to see and experience the horrible legacy of apartheid and poverty. It was a stark reminder of how lucky we are to live where we live and how grateful we should be for what we have. One of the best parts of our trip was spending time in “the bush” — the African wilderness. We spent several nights at Morokolo Lodge at the Pilanesberg National Park. We got to go on three guided safaris and got to drive around some on our own. We saw rhinos, hippos, giraffes, elephants, cheetahs, impala, and kudu. We even got to go to a sanctuary and pet cheetahs. It was an incredible experience we will never forget.
We finished out the trip with a short stop in Sun City and said goodbye to our sweet family and friends. It is always so hard to say goodbye, but it is exciting to look forward to the next trip. I have told a lot of our clients in the past that I would highly recommend visiting South Africa, but I definitely recommend going with a tour company or with people who know how to navigate the country. Crime is an issue if you don’t know where to go, but I never felt unsafe because we were always with people who knew where and how to keep us safe. South Africans are wonderful and gracious people. The food is delicious, and the weather is absolutely perfect. It’s basically in the 70s year-round, with little to no humidity! It is about a 16-hour flight from Atlanta, which is tough. But the exchange rate is good for Americans. If you ever need recommendations on things to do in South Africa, feel free to reach out!
Y’all are going to think all my family does is travel, but we generally try to take one big trip every year. This year was special because we got to go “home” to South Africa. My husband is proudly South African. Almost his entire family still lives there, and we have not been in about 10 years. COVID-19 messed up previous travel plans. So, this was a long-anticipated trip for us. In addition to being excited to see family we hadn’t seen in years, we were also excited because my parents were able to come with us. They had never been to South Africa before. It was so wonderful to spend two weeks surrounded by family, friends, and new experiences. We started the trip with a surprise 40th birthday party for my husband; we had over 50 people show up to celebrate Nic.
–Chasity and TC
2 • www.strattonreynolds.com
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