Be sure to check out the remarkable story this week about Steve Castleton, who’s had his lease on life renewed several times and has dedicated his remaining time on earth to helping others. The holidays give us pause to reflect on the gift of precious life and how we can live with purpose knowing that any day could be our last.
I’m reminded of the story we covered earlier this year of Alan Beck, the retired fireman who shocked everyone by coming back from what doctors said was an impossible place. His family had already said goodbye. A priest had administered last rites. They turned off the machines that were keeping him alive. Then, against all odds, he breathed on his own, lifted his thumbs, and quietly reassured everyone: “Daddy’s all right.”
Stories like Alan’s stay with us because they strip life down to what matters. Love. Family. Gratitude. Time. In the days after his recovery, the Beck family spoke not about fear, but about togetherness—about not wasting a second of what had been given back to them. It’s a powerful reminder that tomorrow is never guaranteed, and that grace can arrive when we least expect it.
We saw that same fragile line between life and loss in the rescue of Lenny Muzzillo at a senior picnic. One moment he was dancing, the next he was gone—until three Suffolk County officers refused to give up. For more than seven minutes, they performed CPR and used a defibrillator, fighting for a man they did not know. Because they acted, Lenny went home ten days later to his family, alive and grateful.
It’s fitting that those officers were honored at a New York Jets game before tens of thousands of fans. But the real honor was quieter: a life saved, a family made whole again.
As the holidays approach, these stories invite us to slow down. To forgive sooner. To say what needs saying. To help where we can. Life is precious, fleeting, and often miraculous—and the greatest gift we can give is to live it with purpose and compassion.