'Save My Brother First': Boy, 13, Sacrifices Life in Australian Flood

[Lucinda]

Jordan Rice was only 13, but when he realized not all of his family could be saved, he ended up making the ultimate sacrifice.

As floodwaters rushed up around him and his family, the Toowoomba, Australia, boy -- who was afraid of the water -- made a decision that would cost him his life: His little brother should be rescued first. Rice and his mother were swept away and drowned in the country's massive floods this week.

"Jordan can't swim and is terrified of water," his father, John Tyson, told the Toowoomba Chronicle. "But when the man went to rescue him, he said 'save my brother first.'"

MUCH more at link including story, video, and link to a FB page posted in his memory:
http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/13/jordan-rice-13-sacrifices-life-to-save-brother-in-australian-f/

[ananda]

1. Oh Jesus, that's sad.

Sigh.

[hamsterjill]

2. The tears are flowing!

What a brave young man. Yet another young life cut short. Sadness...

[Teaser]

3. The universe is a cruel and heartless place

A shame we can't move.

[Lucinda]

10. Too true at times.

Too true.

[xchrom]

4. A Saint. Nt

[Judi Lynn]

5. Too sad for words. Unbearable. n/t

[asjr]

6. There has been too much hurt this week. I am

just now recovering from last Saturday and now I read this heartbreaking story. It is boys like Jordan and girls like Christina that are our future. We have elected officials in Washington who want to get rid of all of us so they can rule the country. They have no souls! They have no compassion! What will we do? What have we become? Excuse the rhetoric but I am just about ready to give up.

[Lucinda]

8. I know the feeling. I watched video of the water rising the other day.

It was soooo fast and powerful. And then reading this article, and seeing the man's pain because he couldn't save them all broke my heart. Contrast this, with politicians playing power games at the expense of the people who put them in office and its obscene.

There has to be a better way...

[FLPanhandle]

7. I really hate reading these stories

You never get to read "Two rapists die in flood". *sigh* Sounds like someone who the world will miss.

[Lucinda]

9. Yawp. I even hesitated before posting...but there has been so much

devastation In Australia, I decided to post this. Coverage has been lost in the shuffle with the horror in AZ and all the Palin threads.

[Catherina]

11. I thought I was out of tears but I see not. Rec'd with a heavy heart. n/t

[underseasurveyor]

12. Oh how so very sad.... the little angel hero

:cry:

[renate]

13. exactly the kind of person the world needs

What a heartbreaking loss. Any child's death is unspeakably tragic, but when a boy this young loses his life so heroically it just rips your heart out.

I hope his brother will be okay. The guilt must be tremendous, but his safety is what Jordan wanted.

:cry:

[MrSlayer]

14. Courage in defense of a noble cause.

That is valor. Sacrificing yourself for the benefit of others. That is altruism.

This kid was a hero.

[Number23]

15. I read this yesterday and was talking to my husband about this last night

My heart goes out to the 10 year old boy who lost his heroic older brother and his mother. Jordan did a wonderful thing that no one in his family will ever forget.

[Lucinda]

17. Such a tragedy. I was tracking another story when I ran across this.

:(

[KamaAina]

16. Bad week for young people

perhaps he and Christina Green will sneak off behind a cloud for a make-out session up there. :cry:

[glowing]

19. Too young for make out sessions... Hopefully they are puddle hopping together.

[FredStembottom]

18. Too sad.

Amazing, Heart-breaking.

[yurbud]

20. the parents can at least know they raised a good kid.

[yurbud]

21. is there some way we can inject some of this kid's DNA into the sociopathic assholes on Wall St?

[Rex]

22. Just goes to show self preservation doesn't always win out.

Poor poor kid and his mom, may they RIP. :(

[Urban Prairie]

23. Two completely polar opposites: Jordan vs Jared

So sad that this heroic teen Jordan Rice had to make the selfless choice of giving up his life to save another.

Then there are evil psychopathic young life-robbing monsters like Jared Loughner.


Why?