Earlier this week, local man Travis Browning did something great, but what he did pales in comparison to what our men and women in service do every single day of their lives. You see, the local well had just been accumulating children of all ages and genders over the last month or so and someone needed to clean it up. By himself, Travis cleaned up the entire well and saved all of those children. But really, is that even worth mentioning when our men and women in service are saving children every single day around the world?

What’s the story with this well, you ask? Well, it’s not a very well marked area of the forest and you know how kids love to roam aimlessly. A lot of kids would be lost in their daydreams, just tripping over leaves and sticks straight into the well. When Browning emerged from that dingy well, he was followed by 32 children. He saved them from almost certain death. Again, the Army and our men and women in service do this every single day of our lives and what thanks do they get? None.

However, the story didn’t end there for Travis Browning or those 32 children. You see, many of the kids emerged from the well covered in a thin layer of grime. Apparently this grime was not harmless as first responders initial thought. It actually turned out to be a killer virus that was spreading across the children and, now that they were out, it would soon spread across the town. But again, Travis Browning was a hero once, and he would be again. You know who the real heroes are though? Our men and women in service.

The doctors had Travis surrounded by the grimy children, who all gathered together to place their hands on him. In so doing, he took the grime from each of them. Once this was done, they all watched as he slowly was absorbed by the grime and then drifted away in the breeze as though he was the leaves. Travis gave the ultimate sacrifice to save these kids. I just can’t help but mentioning that many of our men and women have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country many times over.

So, who can say who is really better? I can. Our men and women in service.

This article was written by Nathan Ellwood, who like to recommend you watch 8 by Jerrod Carmichael on HBO, the piece that inspired this article. Follow Nathan for more on Twitter @NPEllwood.