Meghan VogelThere are moments in life in which you don't have time to think; you just act according to instinct and follow your heart. They, I believe, are the ones that show our true character, and in one such moment recently, high school runner Meghan Vogel showed her incredible spirit of kindness and good sportsmanship.

Vogel had just an hour earlier won first place in the 1600 Meter race at the Ohio state track meet. According to KSDK, it was the first track title a female from West Liberty Salem school had won in 20 years. So she was already a winner, but it was during the 3200 Meter race that she really won people's hearts.

Exhausted from her previous award-winning run, she was just trying to complete the race. She was in the final 100 meters, when her opponent, Arden McMath, fell about 50 meters in front of her. She could have just kept running by, or even finished and then gone back to help her. Instead she did something incredible.

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She stopped running and helped her opponent to her feet, then she carried her across the finish line. She even made sure that McMath crossed first since she'd been ahead of her before she fell. She told KSDK:

I just didn't think twice about it. I knew I was going to pick her up and help her out. If you work to get to the state meet, you deserve to finish no matter who you are. I was going to make that happen for her no matter what.

Here's the video of the amazingly touching finish.

As a parent, I so badly hope I'm able to raise children who would do the same thing. As much as I believe that you should play to win in sports and life, I also believe that human compassion and good sportsmanship should always come first. Megan is an incredible example of both. 

Have you seen great examples of compassion in your own children? Do you think they would do the same in a similar situation?


Image via YouTube