Reader experiences emotional roller coaster?

After reading Jason B. Grosky's article, "Rescuer experiences emotional roller coaster," I was left with the lingering feelings of heartbreak and loss.

The article, which centred around the emotional plight of firefighter, William J. Cunningham, zoned in on the aftermath of a tragedy involving the drowning deaths of four boys. Cunningham, once named Firefighter of the Year, had thrown his life into peril in an attempt to save the lives of four young boys who, as fate would have it, chose to play on the ice that day.

Unfortunately, his valiant and heroic efforts were not enough as Cunningham heard those heartwrenching words--"all four are dead."

The article outlined, step-by-step, Cunningham's rescue efforts. From his use of a 6-foot rod with a hook to his crawling on hands and knees for 15 minutes in 36-degree Fahrenheit weather, the reader is painted a vivid picture of what happened that ill-fated day.

We are left with a sense of loss and sympathy for, not only the man who risked his life to save others, but for the families who lost their young children. We wonder why life throws such seemingly unfair and unwarranted curveballs at the most wonderful people. We ask ourselves what we would do if dealt with similar situations.

We feel.

In an article such as this, Grosky humanizes heroes and evokes emotion from his readers. We are drawn to the tragedy of the story, and we feel pain for the characters involved. I believe these are the factors that determine whether a story is great, or simply mediocre. Grosky perfectly depicts Cunningham as the hero who did everything in his power to save lives. He also successfully capitalizes on the sense of dejection and failure, which this hero ultimately feels when the outcome turns out to be a tragedy.

"You did everything you could," his wife says in the story's lead. At this, Cunningham lowers his head and tears well up in his eyes.

As a reader, I felt for him. Not only was the story wrought with emotion and heartbreak, but Grosky's words brought it all to life. We feel like we are there by Merrimack River, and we feel like we know Firefighter Cunningham. And that's what great stories are about--the reader is engaged and intrigued. We envelop ourselves in the stories and we remember it long after we are finished reading.