Editorial: Hail to our better angels

Some days, it seems, the world is filled with violence and hate.

It certainly surfaces in months of toxic political rhetoric. Just in the last week, a near-riot shut down a campaign rally in Chicago. Coverage showed the volume was turned way up, but it was doubtful whether any of those involved heard what the other side was saying.

It's almost as if, as in the old "Ghostbusters" movie, there's a flowing underground river of bile causing all this anger.

Then we hear about volunteer efforts to help Tierney Darden and Matt Olson and it restores a little lost faith in mankind.

Darden, a 24-year-old dancer and college student from Mundelein, was injured last summer when a pedestrian shelter she was standing under at O'Hare International Airport collapsed during a storm.

Olson, a 20-year-old junior league hockey player from Minnesota, was hurt last month when his skate blade caught an edge in the ice and he fell awkwardly during a game at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates.

Both suffered spinal cord injuries and are paralyzed. Both face treatment, physical therapy and long recoveries. They are two young lives facing uncertain futures.

But from those tragedies have sprung inspiring stories about suburban residents who have come to the aid of the injured. While family and friends take the lead in such efforts, there have been plenty of strangers who rolled up their sleeves and opened their wallets.

At least 50 volunteers have donated an estimated 1,000 hours since October to renovate a Vernon Hills house to make it accessible for Darden. After her father purchased the house, professionals and laymen have donated services ranging from plumbing and electrical to painting and drywall so she will be able to move about in a wheelchair, wash dishes in the sink, cook meals on the range and exercise in a basement workout area.

"Whether they (volunteers) know her or don't know her, I think we're lucky to live in a community that's so tight-knit," Darden's longtime friend, Tara Jennings, told our Bob Susnjara last week.

Olson had started playing for the Chicago Cougars in September and was living with a host family in Wauconda, but he became part of the community in that short time. He participated in charity events for seniors and for children with Down syndrome. He was a leading mentor and role model for young hockey players in the Hoffman Estates Park District.

In the days after his injury, the community gave back with fundraisers to help defray medical costs. A GoFundMe account established to accept online donations has collected more than $117,000, thanks to more than 1,300 contributions in a matter of a few weeks.

These are only two examples of the many cases of suburban residents who are quick to help others. Their empathy stands in stark contrast to the tone of this election season and too-frequent senseless violence.

It's worth remembering that better angels walk among us.