How did you spend Memorial Day this year? Or the last, for thatmatter?

If you are like many Americans, the recollection of 2011 may benebulous at best. Perhaps you were able to catch up with family andfriends while working the BBQ circuit on an otherwise ordinary day.This year, I managed to singe off some hair around my face in agrilling snafu, but took it all in stride.

Now if you are one of the many deployed to Joplin, Mo. last year, your answer may be markedly different.Just talk to Todd Klingaman and Todd Waers of CNA. In the wake ofthe deadly EF5 multi-vortex twister on May 22, 2011, both rushed toJoplin, where they would remain for two weeks, including MemorialDay, sleep-deprived, and emotionally and physically fatigued.

Did I also mention they stayed at a hotel with no running waterat the time? Remarkably, they fared better than many adjustersworking in the area, most definitely as the result of due diligencebefore the storm, as well as aligning themselves with the rightvendors and strategies to ensure the operational viability ofFreeman Health System, a three-hospital system that provideshealthcare and behavioral health services to an area encompassingfour states and 450,000 people.

During Freeman's greatest time of need, the duo known informallyas “Todd squared,” not only helped ensure that dialysis patientscontinued to receive critical care but also shielded autisticpatients from further trauma during a confusing time. In this case,meeting policyholder needs meant giving others a chance at life. Itis clear that Freeman's $9 million loss could have beenexponentially higher, and significantly more frustrating, were itnot for the dedication of the claims and remediation experts working the case.

It seems to me that we talk too little about acts of valor ingeneral. When we do, the stories usually pertain to war heroes.Rightly so, as surviving veterans and those who never returned aredeserving of our reverence, support and gratitude.

Where would we be if ordinary people failed to act inextraordinary ways?

Sure, accounts of heroism can seem farfetched at times. Do youknow anyone who has risked his or her own life to save someoneelse, even a total stranger?

For the vast majority of the everyday heroes in Joplin, therewill be neither recognition nor shiny medals. Rather, theirselfless acts of courage are destined to become local lore. On theone-year anniversary, several locals spoke of a doctor who watchedhis house get swept away, only to head moments later into thedarkness to the emergency room, where he performed the first ofseveral life-saving surgeries that evening. Another doctor, whowill be featured in People magazine, rushed to the aid ofa girl who was impaled by the metal rod supporting a stop sign. Thechild went on to make a full recovery.

One of the many stories that resonated with me was that of aHome Depot worker. Suffering from a broken leg, the man ran fourblocks to try to get help for a dying child. The local Home Depothas since been rebuilt, but five people died that day.

I hope this Memorial Day you were able to reflect on thecontributions and unfathomable sacrifices of our veterans of warand claims comrades. Moreover, I hope you were able to spend theday with those you hold dear and appreciate the special people whomake this journey anything but ordinary.