A brief preview of eight upcoming stories

The Good Samaritan Doctors of Bristol:

Paul Derden and Tim Schwob were the ultimate “good doctors”. They both came to Bristol nearly half a century ago, at which time I made their friendship. In 2001 they began a nonprofit to serve the medical needs of thousands of our region’s most underserved folks firsthand. They named it Crossroads Medical Mission, using a mobile unit to go directly to the neediest people - wherever they lived. Brilliant minds they have, yes, but if you look up the word “humility”, a picture of Paul and Tim is likely included alongside the definition.

Teacher Jeannette Triplett:

Perhaps the prettiest lady I have ever seen. And as a career elementary school teacher I saw a lot of pretty ladies, believe you me. I taught side-by-side with Jeannette for a few years. One of the most moral and ethical souls I ever knew, though these wonderful facets of her personality too often went underappreciated due to her physical beauty. If only our culture would learn to search for the beauty of souls more than of faces. Jeannette became a dear lifetime friend. I rank her among the best teachers I ever knew. It was evident how much she loved every child who came her way.

Anonymous Dave:

An inmate I got to know while teaching at the Bristol Jail. When I asked him his name he said, “I’m not even worth having a name. But you can call me Dave.” Dave was a decorated combat medic in Vietnam. Then in an attempt to block out the horrors of war, drug addiction happened. He fought for decades on end to stay alive, often homeless, in and out of jail and prison. Finally Dave pulled himself together and beat all the odds, putting his immense carpentry skills to work by building houses over in North Carolina. By the grace of God and a lot of luck he became a millionaire. But almost as soon as he became worldly rich, he developed deadly cancer. That’s when he returned to Bristol and did one of the most amazingly unselfish things I’ve ever seen done - just a few days before he died.

Homeless Cat Lady Sue:

She once lived beneath a bridge in Bristol. Well, kinda. Like all homeless folk, her abode was transient. My granddaughter and I stopped by one Christmastime and visited her and her cat. I was dressed as Santa. We brought gifts for her cat. She refused any for herself. “Give them to somebody who needs them,” she politely but earnestly told us. My granddaugther sang Christmas carols with her.

Coach Bob Zeiger:

Perhaps the winningest high school golf coach in American history. Coached golf at Bristol TN High School for 49 years. I played for him in years 2-5 of his long tenure. Coach Z attended Bluff City High School, where he was a multi-sports star. Even had a tryout as a pitcher for the Braves. Coaching golf, however, is where he shone the most. Coached two state championship teams, one on which I was honored to have played. Like all great coaches of any sport, he also became like family to many of his players.

The Spirit Bear of Holston Mountain:

He began showing up on some of my Holston Mountain hikes maybe fifteen years ago; a male black bear barely just weaned from his mother. He seemed to sense that I meant him no harm and that I respected him greatly. I saw him several times over the next twelve years - always when hiking alone. He never revealed himself if I had a hiking partner. He seemed to want to see only me. Sometimes I’d go a year or two without seeing him, then I’d begin catching glimpses of him again - sometimes for two or three hikes in a row. Bears just don’t behave like that. They don’t allow you to get close to them. Not unless you feed them, which I never did. He was just an unusally curious and sensitive creature. I felt we formed a deep bond. Then one winter’s day the hunters came. This bear was ruthlessly chased by hounds until he climbed a tree, where his body was filled with bullets until he could hang on no more. Then he fell to the earth where he was butchered, not for food - but for ”sport”. I know he’s not roaming Holston Mountain anymore, but I still look for him on hikes there. At times I do feel his spirit, most often in those places where our eyes gazed upon one another once upon a time.

Retired Elementary School Principal Dennis Staton:

My principal for twenty years during my teaching career, Dennis also became a true friend. A more forthright and honest person I have yet to meet. Even when I got into trouble of some sort, he would often leave me with the words, “Whatever you do, just keep being you.”

Allan Eccleston:

Once a football and track star at Bristol VA High School, this man now works miracles at Girls Inc. of Bristol. I have personally observed Allan in action for several summers now, while we take the girls hiking together at Sugar Hollow Park. He is truly a role model as to what a “real” man and gentleman is like. In his quiet but very strong way, he also inspires the girls to be the best they each can be; strong, smart, and bold - as is the Girls Inc. motto. Allan is one of Bristol’s unsung treasures.