Harvey Leaves Texas Down But Not Out As Stories Of Hope Shine Through

After so much destruction and despair — hospital evacuations of the medically vulnerable, families trapped in rising floodwaters, a toddler clinging to life on her dead mother's back — the clouds peeled away to reveal stories of love and hope to soothe the heart of Houston and southeast Texas, and indeed the hearts of those following Harvey's unrelenting fury from afar.

An impromptu gospel sing-along at a shelter lifted hope when it had been lost. Selfless Houstonians gave up their birthdays to help neighbors clean up what was left after they fled houses with only what they could carry on their backs. Someone took puppies to comfort weary sheriff's deputies and staff. Someone else ferried baked chicken to rescuers who had worked through lunch.

The tragedy of Harvey is immense and evident at every turn, but for every death, for every person who has been displaced, for every business flooded, there is the story of someone reaching deep inside to show the best of what we can be.

People Rose As The Rains Fell

Just look at the story of Annie Smith, a 32-year-old doctor who had moved to Houston with her husband, also a doctor, just a few months ago. Nine months pregnant, as the floodwaters filled the streets, she went into a labor. A few phone calls later and a flatbed truck arrived to help get her out. It wasn't enough. She still had to get to the truck. Neighbors formed a human chain to get her there, a moment captured on video by one of her neighbors.

Watch for yourself:

Mom and baby are reportedly doing fine.

In Shelters, Spirits Were Lifted

"So, this just broke out in the shelter."

That was Joni Villemez-Comeaux's comment on Wednesday as she posted a video she recorded at a shelter at the Lone Star Convention & Expo Center in Conroe.

She had been volunteering at the shelter. Gospel singer Victoria White showed up. And just watch. More important, just listen.

The video got noticed. It is approaching 20,000,000 views.

A couple of days later, Villemez-Comeaux returned to Facebook to let people know about all of the people she's heard from who just want to help.

"My heart overflows at the generosity of the human Spirit," she wrote. ""Please know I feel your love and kindness."

The day that she shot the video as she volunteered to help others? It was her birthday, and her gift to Houston was a chance to rejoice.

How Jackie Celebrated Her Birthday

Jackie Kirk also gave her 46th birthday to Houston. The secretary at a Houston elementary school says it was "the best birthday." She had spent it along with 60 others helping a teacher whose home had been destroyed by the floodwaters.

"She had feet of water in her house," Kirk says. "I have never experienced anything like that. You see it on television but until you're there, nothing prepares for you it."

Kirk spent the day breaking up baseboard and sheetrock and moving couches and other furniture from the house to the front yard. As she schlepped Harvey's ravages to the curb, people moved through the neighborhood, distributing food and drink, supplies that were needed.

"Kids, parents, people, neighbors, all working together, ignoring the fumes, just trying to help people," she says. "It was so sad and so fulfilling at the same time.

"I needed to help. You don't think. You just do it."

Emergency Workers And Puppies

With floodwaters rising and trapping thousands of people and emergency workers from multiple agencies needing their efforts coordinated, the workers at Houston TransStar, the city's traffic and emergency management center, have certainly had their hands full.

Shifts that have pretty much gone on for days have left people not just physically tired but emotionally spent.

So, imagine their surprise, their relief, their moment of respite when someone arrived with comfort dogs — better yet, comfort puppies.

Did they work? Did the puppies have the desired effect?

Take a look.

"This pup is bringing us a lot of smiles," the Harris County Sheriff's Office tweeted

The Storm Chaser And The Dog

Aaron Jayjack is a storm chaser. He is doing what he always does last weekend, chasing a storm — in this case, Harvey. He was headed to Austin after having been in Victoria.

That's when things went temporarily off the rails.

"I stopped for gas and this guy was following me down the road and when I stopped, he jumped into the Jeep," Jayjack said in his Twitter video. "I really need help trying to find this guy's owner. We'll call him Harvey."

As it turns out, "this guy" was a dog.

Jayjack had tweeted out pictures and video, trying to find the owner of "Harvey."

It worked.

Jayjack heard from Harvey's owner. Harvey's real name is "Cash."

Happy ending. And it all played out on National Dog Day.

The Boy Became A Man

For Jews, there are few ceremonies as important as the Bar (or Bat) Mitzvah. It happens when the teen is 13 years old and is transitioning not just physically — but spiritually and religiously — into adulthood.

It's about coming of age.

For Adam Buchsbaum, Saturday, Aug. 26, was going to be his big day. He had been preparing for months.

Then the flood waters came and closed his synagogue.

As The Forward reported, he didn't become discouraged or admit defeat. The family went to another synagogue for services that day. When a member of the congregation found out what had happened, he snapped into action.

"Let's do this," the man said, according to the paper. "We're going to get you a Bar Mitzvah."

And that's what happened. Take a look.

Suffering Means Nothing Compared To Joy

That's from Romans 8. The actual quote is: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

For Houston pastor Aric Harding, he took it to heart when the Tropical Storm Harvey, downgraded but no less menacing, flooded his home.

Surrounded by water, he played his piano — offering what might be a final concerto on an instrument he clearly loves while his friend recorded. He took in the moment and just played. And it was beautiful.

Listen for yourself.

Lead photo courtesy Jamie Kirk, used with permission