The Spirit of Helping One Another
Nick Patrick
Our friend Nancy has the biggest heart and a firing spirit. I first met Nancy two years ago when I had just finished a 340 mile bike tour in Alpine, TX. That day I had an Amtrak train ticket to the El Paso Airport where I was then going to fly home back to New Jersey. The train was a dreadful few hours late, and subsequently so, I was certain to miss my flight home. Nancy overheard my story at the local cafe and offered to give me (and another stranger from Alaska, now our good friend named Feldman) a ride to the airport. The airport was 4 hours round trip! I'll never forget that act of kindness.
We’ve kept in tough since then. I of course had to pay her a visit when we were back in the Big Bend, TX area, it was so great to catch up with her. She offered her home as a safe base for a couple days while we finished the solar electrical work on the Yeti Nest and some truck repairs before heading deeper into the desert.
When traveling you meet some great people, and Nancy is one of the GREATEST of greats. She donates much of her time to her community and is very active in issues she is passionate about. When I was visiting her, she was leading a committee focused on elephant rights. Their aim was to have legislation release them from the repressive and destructive lives they live in the traveling circus. Throughout my travels, I feel energized to “pay it forward” whenever I see or hear a person in need. Thanks to Nancy for cultivating that human spirt that seems to be fading from our world, and spreading it out like wildfire!