John Macartney was skiing down Crystal Mountain in Washington State when he saw two legs sticking out of the snow near a tree off to the side of the ski run.

He knew that when a skier falls into a tree well, the air pocket collapses, trapping the unsuspecting person who can lose consciousness in as little as two minutes. John had to act quickly.

Pulling and digging furiously, after five minutes he finally dislodged the body. He was stunned. It was his wife who had skied down the slope ahead of him.

Jesus Christ gave us the story of the Good Samaritan to remind us of the importance of helping our neighbor.

Macartney’s heroic efforts to save a trapped skier gives new meaning to the Scriptural command, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” By helping another in distress, Macartney helped himself. His unselfed love saved his own wife, preserved his family, and eliminated potential guilt and remorse for not being alert when a crisis called for immediate action.