Vicky Soto, 2012’s Person Of The Year
Miss Soto was teaching her little angels when the shooting started.
A gunfire burst down the hall. Shouts. Two more bursts. Miss Soto didn’t know what was going on, but she knew there wasn’t any time. So she told the kids they were going to play a game. She told the kids to hide in the closet, cupboards, cabinets, anything they could fit in. She gave the kids coloring books, colored pencils, anything to keep them quiet.
Wait for the good guys, they are coming. Show me your smile! Miss Soto whispered to her little angels as the footsteps came closer.
The kids aren’t here, Miss Soto told the madman with guns. They’re in the gym.
But the kids were confused. Some bolted from the closet. And the madman with guns fired again. Until Miss Soto dove in the way.
Police found Miss Soto covering a little angel. Police found five little angels—Dylan Hockley, Allison Wyatt, Jesse Lewis, Avielle Richman, and Olivia Engel—with her.
Police also found Miss Soto’s nine other 2nd grade little angels. Unharmed.
We don’t know how we will act in moments of sheer, unadulterated terror. We hope valiantly, but we truthfully have no idea. Most of us will do nothing at all. Others may photograph victims as Subway cars near.
Miss Soto could have made a dash for it that Friday morning. She could have hidden in the closet herself. But she didn’t do any of these things. Miss Soto stood toe-to-toe with an armed madman, told him the kids weren’t there, and laid down her life so her little angels could live on.
Miss Soto’s nine little angels will go on to graduate. Many will go on to have little angels of their own. And maybe someday, some of Miss Soto’s little angels will go on to become little Miss Sotos in their own right.
Mott the Hoople and the game of Life yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Andy Kaufman in the wrestling match yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Monopoly, Twenty one, checkers, and chess yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Mister Fred Blassie in a breakfast mess yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Let’s play Twister, let’s play Risk yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I’ll see you heaven if you make the list yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Now, Andy did you hear about this one?
Tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Andy are you goofing on Elvis? Hey, baby
Are we losing touch?
If you believed they put a man on the moon
Man on the moon
If you believe there’s nothing up his sleeve
Then nothing is cool
Moses went walking with the staff of wood yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Newton got beaned by the apple good yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Egypt was troubled by the horrible asp yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Mister Charles Darwin had the gall to ask yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Now, Andy did you hear about this one?
Tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Andy are you goofing on Elvis? Hey, baby
Are you having fun?
If you believed they put a man on the moon
Man on the moon
If you believe there’s nothing up his sleeve
Then nothing is cool
Here’s a little agit for the never-believer yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Here’s a little ghost for the offering yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Here’s a truck stop instead of Saint Peter’s yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Mister Andy Kaufman’s gone wrestling yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Now, Andy did you hear about this one?
Tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Andy are you goofing on Elvis? Hey, baby
Are we losing touch?
If you believed they put a man on the moon
Man on the moon
If you believe there’s nothing up his sleeve
Then nothing is cool
If you believed they put a man on the moon
Man on the moon
If you believe there’s nothing up his sleeve
Then nothing is cool
If you believed they put a man on the moon
Man on the moon
If you believe there’s nothing up his sleeve
Then nothing is cool
If you believed they put a man on the moon
Man on the moon
If you believe there’s nothing up his sleeve
Then nothing is cool
Man on the Moon by R.E.M. Remember?