ADVERTISEMENT
What followed was a masterclass in the power of community vigilance. In an era where many people are accused of being buried in their smartphones, the residents of this neighborhood proved that they were still very much attuned to their surroundings. A neighbor across the street, noticing the unnatural color of the smoke and the erratic behavior of the father, did not hesitate. Without waiting for official confirmation of an emergency, they raised the alarm, shouting for help and sprinting toward the scene. Other bystanders, alerted by the commotion, abandoned their tasks to join the effort. This collective instinct to protect—to move toward the danger rather than away from it—is what ultimately rewrote the ending of this story.
