Arizona heroes: Shining light in a time of darkness

Out of darkness, sometimes a ray of light emerges. Amidst the horror of the assassination attempt on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, four "senior citizens" personified valor, energy and fortitude in the line of fire. Dorwin Stoddard, age 76, died shielding his wife, Mavanell, from Jared Loughner's bullets. Retired Army Col. Bill Badger, 74 and wounded in the shooting, tackled Mr. Loughner and restrained him with the help of a bystander, Roger Salzgeber.

Patricia Maisch, 61, rushed to pick up Loughner's fallen ammunition clip after he was wrestled to the ground by Badger and Salzgeber. Pima County Sheriff Clarence W. Dupnik, 75, denounced the nation's rancorous political atmosphere, noting that free speech is "not without consequences."

At the other end of the age spectrum, Daniel Hernandez, a 20-year-old University of Arizona junior and intern to Rep. Giffords, is credited with possibly saving her life by applying pressure to the entry wound and placing her in an upright position so she wouldn't choke on her blood.

There are still good people in our great country. Let's keep that in mind when things get ugly.

Lois A. Engel, Washington