United Way's 2009 campaign was halfway over when Loaned Executive Michelle Smith drove onto the Narrows Bridge, going home.

When two other cars halted ahead of her, she hit the brakes and got out. She walked into a scary scene: three passersby doing their best to keep a young woman from trying to leap off the bridge.

Michelle joined them. While the others restrained the woman, she went to the woman's car. She found why the woman wanted to kill herself, a foreclosure letter on the woman's home. She also found something else - pictures of the woman's children.

She took the photos and returned to the scene. "I started talking to her, telling her she's loved," Michelle said later.   The rescuers hung on for 15 minutes until police, State Patrol and fire arrived and pulled the woman to safety.

At Michelle's urging, a fund was established with a local bank to help pay the woman's mortgage for several months. When she was interviewed by local media, Michelle said, "I'd like think everyone has that in them, and would do the same thing. They would all pull over."

Talk about having a story to tell. We hope you remember how important those stories were in motivating others to give. We know Michelle won't forget. When we asked her about it lately, she answered, "Genuine compassion comes from within. By one touch we can alter lives forever."