Liberators in Action: A Cleveland community

Sometimes it takes just one moment to remind us of what greatness truly looks like. When a devastating explosion ripped through an apartment building in Cleveland, Ohio, the community experienced that greatness in action—and liberation. 

A panicked mother on the third floor of the building realized she was trapped as she saw a fire closing in on her and her baby. She knew she had only seconds to act. 

Reginald Barnes, a nearby neighbor, raced toward the building upon hearing the explosion and seeing flames engulf it. Then, he saw the petrified mother at the window cradling her child. “Drop the baby,” he yelled. “I’m going to catch her.” In that terrifying moment, he said he was thinking of his own kids and what he could do to save this baby’s life. 

A group of people surrounded him, forming a safety net below for the baby. With the fire spreading quickly, the mother made the unimaginable decision to drop her baby from her apartment window, trusting strangers below to catch her safely. 

The moment of terror turned into a joyful liberation. Mother and child were both saved through the caring spirit of community and a neighborly faith in their collaborative power to save a neighbor's family.

People like Reginald and his community are exemplary citizens; meeting a crisis with courage and rising to protect what matters. These everyday heroes don’t wear capes or uniforms. They are neighbors who instinctively give graciously what they can, where and when it's needed. And it's this instinct that makes America great.

We honor the mother who trusted, the people who stepped in, and those now gathering supplies to help families rebuild.

In a world that often feels like it’s falling apart, this Cleveland neighborhood defines the glue that still holds us together, paying no mind to who one prays to or votes for. They affirm the best in us, along with the truth that no one person on their own can make this country great. It takes all of us bringing our humanity to the fore to help and hold each other up during a crisis. The video footage clearly demonstrates it.