“There’s so much bad news in the world all the time, and this could be good news and an uplifting story.”

That is essentially what Wheaton resident Patricia Busch said to me on the phone last Tuesday when pitching me a story that ran on today’s front page.

She’s absolutely right. Often times, the news is a drag. One of the main goals of any newspaper should be to root out problems and present solutions. It is one of our goals as a news organization, and we get our fair share of accusations of pot stirring. It comes with the territory.

There are a few pieces in this issue specifically that fall into that category, but I want to talk about one that realizes another goal of ours — holding up the mirror to the bright spots in the community, as well.

I was delighted last week to hear from Patricia, who said that very morning, her in-home care provider saved her life.

Julie Phillips, of Monett, APC (advanced personal care) with Integrity Home Care and Hospice, performed the Heimlich maneuver on Patricia while she was choking on a piece of apple. Julie visits Patricia’s home three days a week to help with meals, chores, medications and other in-home needs that keep the 75-year-old in her own apartment in Wheaton.

On Tuesday, she made Patricia a chicken wrap with a some chopped apple in it. When Patricia began choking, Julie jumped into action. When a glass of water did not solve the issue, she knew the Heimlich maneuver was needed.

“Being trained on it, I was just like, ‘I have to do this,’” Julie said. “Instincts took over… and the best thing to do in those situations is to try not to panic.”

While Julie has been trained in life-saving measures for many years, this was the first time she’d ever had to use the Heimlich in a life-or-death situation, and Patricia could not have been more thankful.

The story all but wrote itself, and after the interview was over, I found myself reflecting on the experience from the perspective of a storyteller and the fun side of being a journalist.

For one, Patricia did not tell Julie I was coming. She said they were having company, and Julie was surprised to see a newspaperman walk through the door and not a friend from Patricia’s church like usual.

Patricia’s Christianity is at the forefront of everything she does. Taped signs on her front door, kitchen table and walls served as a constant reminder to any visitor they were in God’s house and at God’s table.

Multiple time during the interview, Patricia delved into her faith, delivering Biblical messages with a heartfelt sincerity and love that could only be respected.

Julie handled the surprise interview well, and it did not come to my surprise her words were succinct. She did what needed to be done at the time she needed to do it. That was that.

A page can be taken from both of their books. From Patricia’s view, there was no question God put Julie in her life a few months ago to be there in that moment and handle an intense situation with poise. From Julie’s point of view, keeping calm in that moment and taking a logical, measured approach is what made her actions effective.

It was a double-whammy of good news we are delighted to share. And, if it inspires someone else in the same situation to keep their calm, that good news will extend far beyond an apartment in Wheaton.

Kyle Troutman has served as editor of the Cassville Democrat since 2014 and owner/publisher since 2023. He was named William E. James/Missouri Outstanding Young Journalist for daily newspapers in 2017, and he is a two-time ISWNE Golden Dozen award winner. He may be reached at 417-847 2610 or ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com.