In a flash they both died
On that simple car ride
After picking up the kids from the airport

But a man in a truck
Ran the light
They were struck
At fifty miles an hour

The minivan burst to flames
The children called out their parent’s names
But they were busy choking on the smoke

But a man in a black shirt
Saw the people get hurt
And he broke down the rear window

He pulled a child free of his restraints
And carried him to where he would be safe
And the parents crawled out gasping for air
The smoke they inhaled was more than they could bear
And Mr. Black Shirt guided them to the sidelines

Out of a nearby store
People began to pour
And they sprayed the car with their extinguishers

But the fire fought if off
You could hear the children cough
As their lives were swallowed up in the flames

Then the cops all arrived
And the firemen got there but not in time
To save the fourteen year old girl and her six year old brother

The sight that the cops saw
Filled the veterans with awe
And brought even the most experienced to tears

I sat at home in my chair
With my mouth open wide and a constant fixed stare
As they told story late that night on my television screen
The name of Mr. Black Shirt remained a mystery
But the reporters had just deemed him a Good Samaritan

I wondered if in his heart
He felt he’d done his part
By saving that burning child from his demise

Or if he felt guilty
That saved one life but he couldn’t save three
Was he sad that two flames were snuffed out?

I know these things happen every single day
But I still wish that it could be some other way
I know life if precious and could end any time
So I do what I can to make the best of mine
But I can’t sit here watching the innocent die
At the hands of a man who doesn’t know how drive
Yes he made a mistake I know he was wrong
But that doesn’t explain why I’m singing this song
Those children didn’t run the light they followed the rules
They shouldn’t pay for the mistakes of a renegade fool
They wore their seat belts so why weren’t they safe?
Is this a sign of the times or just a lack of faith?