Brother Dies Saving Woman
by Tim Reuter • June 2008 • 10 Comments •
Core Values form the foundation of Lambda Chi Alpha’s approach to brotherhood. As a part of the True Brother Initiative, our Seven Core values — Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Service and Stewardship, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage — once learned and internalized equip each Lambda Chi Alpha undergraduate brother and associate member with a clear moral compass always orienting him, no matter the environment or consequences, toward making ethical decisions.
True Brother’s Positive Impact
In May 2008, preliminary data results of Lambda Chi Alpha’s groundbreaking True Brother Initiative demonstrated that the educational program is having a positive impact on the development of young men’s internal “moral compass.”
Obtained through undergraduate surveys, the data results are currently being validated by independent third-party experts and plans for releasing the final results are scheduled for early fall 2008.
“As a leader in the Greek movement, and a champion of fraternities being accepted as a co-curricular part of a college campus, we firmly believe this new initiative shows that there is a clear benefit to values-based teaching of undergraduate men,” says Lambda Chi Alpha Executive Vice President Bill Farkas (Butler 1988). “We see this revelation as the foundation of the future, for not only Lambda Chi Alpha, but for the entire Greek community.”
With the preliminary data results, Lambda Chi Alpha now has an unprecedented opportunity to influence the social developmental process of hundreds and thousands of young men across North America.
The new Fraternity Education program includes five primary areas of social and psychological impact for brothers and associate members: self awareness and self esteem, empathy, intimacy, and altruism. These developmental competencies combine to influence late adolescent and young adults, and are rooted in concepts of mentorship and role modeling; growth from failure; commitment; and, servant leadership.
Scientifically, development of these areas is proven to: lower alcohol abuse in college males; heighten leadership skills; create higher stability of attachments; and heighten life satisfaction and success.
For Lambda Chi Alpha, it is not enough simply to know how to do things the right way; more importantly, it is to do the right things, for brotherhood and leadership are ultimately about action, about doing.
Core Value in Action: Personal Courage
On July 29, 2006, an Australian woman, Kimberley Dear, was to have made her first skydive in the United States. But when engine failure caused the plane to plummet to the ground minutes after take-off, Robert Cook (Missouri S&T 2007), her instructor, clipped his skydive harness to hers and demanded she use his body as a human shield. He was killed on impact.
The 22-year-old Cook, a skydiving fanatic and civil engineering student at the Missouri University of Science & Technology (formerly University of Missouri-Rolla), had clocked up 1,727 jumps and earned every possible United States Parachute Association certificate.
In the mere seconds it took for the plane to fall, Cook turned to Dear and told her to focus on his instructions. He clipped his harness to hers and told her to brace herself using his body to cushion the fall.
Cook then whispered words of comfort to her and was a voice of calm as the Twin Otter aircraft crashed just minutes after take-off from the Sullivan airstrip near St Louis, Missouri.
His actions saved her life but cost him his own. Cook, the pilot and four other passengers were killed in the crash. Dear survived the crash but suffered spinal injuries, a broken pelvis, and other injuries.
“There aren’t many people who would put their life on the line for a stranger — you might do it for the people you love but would you do it for someone you just met?” Dear told reporters in 2006 about Cook’s heroic efforts.
“He was an amazing person and he was going to go on to do amazing things himself but now he can’t,” she said. “I am 100% certain he could have taken measures to save his own life but he didn’t. He saved mine.”
Bravery Award
On March 17, 2008, Cook was awarded posthumously the Star of Courage — Australia’s second-highest honor, which recognizes actions of bravery in peacetime.
Dear, who is still recovering from the accident, told reporters she was thrilled Cook was being recognized. Dear’s father says Cook’s parents will be happy their son’s bravery is being recognized.
“Nothing can compensate for losing a child, but to know that everybody knows the kind of person that he was, certainly gives some comfort and some sense of connection to their son,” he told reporters.
Chris Broglin-Sigma Alpha 59 Says:
June 2nd, 2008 at 2:41 pm“Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for another”. May we all be stronger for this example!
ZAX,
Chris
Dr. Steven E. Fitzgerald Says:
June 2nd, 2008 at 2:52 pmI will use this story as an illustration of what it means to live the life of Christ in my sermon at First Baptist, New Bern, NC this coming Sunday. Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Robert Cook became the presence of God to Kimberley Dear through his self-sacrifice. What an example to the world and Lambda Chi brothers worldwide!
Darin Harris-Iota Omicron 691 Says:
June 2nd, 2008 at 5:20 pmI am proud to be in the same great fraternity as Robert Cook. This young man is a shining example of all that we stand for and believe. Robert is truly a hero in my book. I only hope I can be as brave in my time.
Peter A.S. Pfeiffer Says:
June 2nd, 2008 at 8:43 pmWe should be reading more stories about the sacrifices brothers have made and the ideals we have pledged.
Less about materialistic success..more about eternal maturity as brothers in the bond of spiritual fellowship.
Mike Oghia Says:
June 2nd, 2008 at 9:01 pmThis really is a true brother, and I am proud to be able to say he was mine. This is a very inspiration story indeed I plan to share with our Kappa to outline in the AM education program. This is truly inspiring. All of Zeta-Sigma’s thoughts and prayers go out to his family!
ZAX,
ZS 1002
Brian Gustafson Says:
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:26 amIn a time when so many people are primarily looking out for number 1, it is inspiring to read about someone that took self-sacrifice to this level. To be faced with a split second decision and to go into it so calmly… You always think about those “what if” scenarios, I can only hope that if I am ever put into one of mine, I can act as selflessly as Brother Cook did.
My deepest sympathy goes out to his family and zeta brothers.
IN ZAX,
Brian (Phi Theta 182)
Toby Lewelle Alpha Alpha 1612 Says:
June 9th, 2008 at 12:13 pmThat is amazing. Cook really is a genuine example of what we all should strive to be
Greg Schmall Says:
June 16th, 2008 at 5:14 pmWow! It amazes me that a young, talented person would do this. Praise the Lord! He was with Robert that day, and now has him at His side.
David Lee Daniel Jr. (BLZ 502) Says:
June 28th, 2008 at 11:06 amI was surprised to see the story in the magazine that’s because in our ever present media culture we don’t get to hear the positive but sad stories. If we did maybe more people would look more kindly to the nightly news to uplift them versus make them feel like the sky is falling. I am proud to be in fraternity that encourages such self-less acts.
until then,
David Lee Daniel Jr.
BLZ 502
Annette Says:
September 3rd, 2008 at 8:18 pmHi,
This is Robert’s mother and I just wanted to say how very proud Robert was of being apart of your brotherhood. Robert was an amazing kid who turned into an amazing man and I know that what he learned and shared with his Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity and the values that he had not only came from his upbring but also from his commitment to the Fraternity.
Annette