What
does a hero look like?
Is a hero one of comic book lore, who flies into danger, cape whipping in the
wind, muscles bulging, as citizens watch in awe-struck wonder?
Perhaps heroes are more often found singing on a stage, playing in a stadium or
starring in movies as millions of adoring fans faun over them for their extreme
giftedness?
Or perhaps, just perhaps, a true hero doesn't even know he or she is a hero?
Maybe true heroes are so selfless and focused on compassionately loving others,
that to even consider themselves heroes would cause them profound
embarrassment?
On Tuesday afternoon, January 29, 66-year-old Charles ("Chuck" to all
his many friends) Poland Jr. was doing what he loved — driving a busload of
"his kids" home from their Midland City, Alabama, schools. Chuck
didn't know it, but in just a handful of minutes, the litmus test of hero
definition would literally be handed to him.
Chuck and his wife of more than 40 years, Jan, were longtime members of Grace
Assembly of God in nearby Newton, Alabama. And this rural bus route was not
just a job to Chuck, it was a ministry he had enjoyed for the past 4 years —
picking up and delivering kids safely to and from school each day.
Chuck's pastor, Ray Layton, says there was no doubt how much he cared for the
kids.
"He really loved those kids on the school bus," Layton says. "In
fact, a little boy, named Ethan, was really afraid to ride the school bus, so
Chuck always saved the seat right behind him so he could talk to Ethan and
assure him and help ease his fears. Jan told me recently that Chuck had said he
felt his little buddy — what he called Ethan — was finally getting comfortable
riding the bus."
Layton, says the Polands were also a gift to his small, but friendly church.
"Chuck and Jan were members of the choir and were usually one of the first
ones to be at church on Sunday morning, Sunday night or any other time the
church doors were open - and one of the last to leave," Layton says.
"He enjoyed the fellowship. He was warm, compassionate and anything we
needed help with at the church, he was ready to volunteer."
Layton explains that no matter what words of praise he bestowed on Chuck, it
really couldn't be enough.
"He was a humble man, a caring man, who, when he spoke, spoke with
wisdom," Layton says. "I can't add to his life. He just really loved
the Lord, that was Brother Chuck, that was just him."
But Chuck wasn't just all about the "warm fuzzies" of being
surrounded by a loving church family and being a "surrogate" father
to about two dozen children each day. No, Chuck lived out what he believed -
demonstrating the love and compassion of Christ, even when the warm and fuzzy
was more of a "hard and thorny."
When Jimmy Lee Dykes moved to the community, it quickly became obvious to
neighbors that he was a hard-nosed loner, who seemed to have a survivalist
mentality. He did nothing to ingratiate himself to his neighbors - in fact, he
frequently threatened them and their property.
But Chuck didn't see Dykes as an enemy, but rather a soul to be pointed towards
Christ. He did his best to befriend Dykes. In apparent appreciation, Dykes
created a place on his property for Chuck to be able to turn the school bus
around more easily.
So, when Dykes approached the school bus that Tuesday afternoon, Chuck was not
overly concerned. Why, just that morning he had brought over some homemade
jelly and fresh eggs to Jimmy Lee. But when Dykes stepped on to the bus stairs
and handed him a note, Chuck knew something was wrong.
Few people face that moment when death looks them in the face and gives them a
choice — live or die? Fewer still pass the test heroically as the instinct to
survive is powerful.
Although no one is certain of the words Chuck responded with to Dykes' note —
now backed by a loaded gun — demanding two children between the ages of 6 and 8
be given to him, Chuck's refusal was clear. He physically blocked Dyke's access
into the bus. No one was going to come on to his bus and take any of the kids,
not his kids!
"Some people have called Chuck a hero, and deservingly so," Layton
says quietly. "But what Chuck was most of all, was a true Christian. He
understood what love and sacrifice was all about."
Soon after Dykes stepped onto the bus steps, he fired one warning shot into the
bus roof and then four more shots directed at Chuck, with the first of the four
piercing Chuck's heart. Dykes, apparently surprised by Chuck's dogged refusal,
then grabbed little Ethan, who had passed out with the shock of the shooting,
and took off. Things were no longer going according to Dyke's plan as he left
behind 21 shocked and terrified children.
"If Chuck hadn't given his life to protect those children, there's no
telling what could have happened," Layton says.
As Chuck entered eternity, a few miles away, Michael Senn, pastor of Midway
Assembly of God in Midland City, was attending a funeral service. As he and his
wife headed towards the gravesite, they suddenly got a call from a neighbor —
were they okay? There were swarms of emergency vehicles in the Destiny Church
parking lot and shots had been fired.
"We live on 12 acres," Senn explains. "We live on one end and on
the other side, Destiny Church (a building Midway Church rents out to another
congregation) is located. Dykes lives right next to Destiny Church and our
16-year-old son was home alone - and we weren't sure what was going on or where
the shooter was."
After making sure their son was okay, Pastor Senn headed to Destiny Church. His
church, Midway, was just down the street with their activities building/youth
center just across the street from Destiny Church and Dykes' home.
"I was on the scene about 35 minutes after it happened," Senn says.
"There were still a lot of kids there, and I was able to talk and pray
with some of them."
Senn recalls one 13-year-old boy being particularly distraught, with some
school officials approaching Senn and asking him to talk with the boy. Senn soon
learned that the boy was a friend of little Ethan. The boy's mom would some
times watch Ethan at their home.
"We went inside the church and talked," Senn says. "He explained
to me what happened - he had seen the whole thing and was really upset about Ethan
being taken. I was able to talk with him and then pray with him, but I could
tell, he was really traumatized by what he had just seen."
With emergency vehicles, police officers, FBI, snipers and bomb squad personnel
swarming the area, the media was soon present in full force as well. At first,
Senn allowed the media to use the youth center as its base, but then the FBI
requested its use, with Senn agreeing.
Senn says that he was originally asked to gather ministers to counsel with the
kids at the schools in Midland City, but as classes were cancelled for an
extended period, professional counselors from around the country came in to
assist when school resumed.
However, as Senn was in constant contact with officials, the media — which
included every major national and local network — frequently came to him for
interviews.
"I always had an opportunity during the interviews to encourage people to
come together and pray for Ethan, focusing on Ethan's safety and return to his
family," Senn says. "And Sheriff Wally Olson, every time he went to
the media, also asked people to pray."
The church property also became a key to the rescue of Ethan. Behind the
church's youth building, authorities built the mock set-up of Dykes underground
shelter to practice their rescue attempt.
While Senn was working with the media and officials, urging people to pray,
Layton was ministering to his congregation and Chuck's wife, Jan. Layton says
when he and his wife visited Jan in the hospital — as she was taken there when
she learned of Chuck's sacrifice — they had the opportunity to comfort another
young woman, as in a small town (2,300), one person can impact a significant
percentage of his or her community.
"When we came in and asked for the Poland family, the young woman at the
counter pointed down the hall and then began to cry," Layton recalls.
"My wife went to her and the young woman explained that Chuck used to be
her bus driver."
Senn says that through the experience, the entire community has a greater
realization of the needs that exist in the community and are more conscious of
their relationship with God.
"Evil has no geographical boundaries or age categories," Senn says.
"Evil is everywhere. I believe the enemy is coming against us by attacking
what is close to us - our children. We need to be constantly aware of our
relationship with God and be praying, praying God's protection for our children
and our families."
After being held captive for seven days, Ethan was rescued and Dykes was killed
in a surprise raid by authorities on the bunker. Layton says that just prior to
Ethan's rescue, he and a pastor friend had sat together and prayed once more
for Ethan's safe release. Layton says the news of Ethan's rescue was like a
refreshing to his spirit, though he felt sorry that Dykes had lost his life.
"But some times you bring things upon yourself," Layton says of
Dykes, "and I believe he did."
In reflection, Layton recalls that the Sunday before Chuck's death, he had
asked him a question.
"I asked Chuck what he would like to see God do in this church and in this
community," Layton says. "He told me, 'I'd like to see this house
[the church] filled. I believe that would please the Lord.'"
In one sense, Chuck's desire was fulfilled to overflowing. Layton said that
they had to hold Chuck's funeral, not at the church, but at the Ozark (Alabama)
Civic Center, with an estimated 1,000 (or more) attending.
"We had scores of bus drivers, teachers, principals, officers even people
from Washington, D.C., at the funeral," says Layton, who officiated the
service. "The family asked me to take the opportunity to preach God's Word
as they realized not everyone attending would be Christians or even know who
the Lord was — that I should present Scripture for those people, so that's what
I did."
. . . some people have questioned why it had to be such a loving person like
Chuck who lost his life in this tragedy. It's a difficult question, but the
answer may simply be, God knew that on January 29, 2013, on a school bus in
Midland City, Alabama, 22 kids would need a real hero.
