In 1938, a twenty-nine year old clerk from the London Stock Exchange recognized a desperate need in Nazi-occupied Prague, Czechoslovakia. There were a lot of children in danger from the impending war who had to be rescued. So Nicholas Winton arranged for more than 650 children to be put on trains, transported through Germany, and eventually brought to England. You can read his story here: CBS News Story
Then, as if nothing had ever happened, Nicholas went back to his job. For nearly fifty years he didn’t even speak of what he’d done, until his wife found his documents in their attic. After his heroics were brought to light, Winton downplayed his role in the events, and until his death last week he remained humble about what he had done. Winton never seemed to see his actions as praiseworthy in his own mind. He saw only a moral imperative to save children.
I love Winton’s story, and although later in life he gained notoriety for what he had done, primarily because others found out about it, he never saw himself as much more than a simple bank clerk. He lived a quiet life, and when things needed to be done, he did them.
His story reminds me of so many parents I know, parents who are good people. They don’t perceive themselves as heroes, nor are they seeking the limelight. They love their families, and when their circumstances changed and life presented them with a challenge, they simply stepped up to that challenge.