Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Not all heroes wear capes. Sometimes, they are just our neighbors, our coworkers, our friends; and once in a while they are random strangers who share the planet with us. They step in to help us weather the storms of life- and in some cases, they help us fight our way through literal storms.

As the Territory has been pummeled with wild and rainy weather lately (it is, after all, hurricane season), one of those emergencies popped up recently. On Saturday night, March 8th —this past weekend— a distress signal went out in the harbor. 

Tim Jones, a businessman and longtime resident of Tutuila, got a call for help on Facebook Messenger. In spite of the fierce winds and heavy rainfall, he took his own small dinghy out and wound up as a lifeline for two separate boats in danger from the storm and high winds.

One of those men, listed as Alvin McStu Tanya Ibasco on Facebook, posted a "heartfelt Thank You to Mr. Tim Jones" for his selfless deed. 

According to Ibasco, "with just one call, Jones rushed into action, saving four lives and rescuing two boats from danger." 

Ibasco went on to note that Jones' "bravery in such treacherous conditions speaks volumes about his character and commitment to helping others."

When asked about the incident, Jones said that the storm had blown in fast and furious, and it had caught two fishing boats off guard. It was late at night, very dark, and winds were gale force, so when he got the call, he knew there was no time to waste. He grabbed his rain gear and took his boat out into the storm. According to Ibasco, it was mere minutes before Tim arrived. Ibasco said they were rowing furiously because their anchor — which had been stuck — suddenly came loose. "We tried rowing toward Tedi's but the wind was pushing us outwards," he said.

Jones found Ibasco and his friend near the fuel dock, hanging on to the rope of a nearby purse seiner.  While all this was going on, two elderly men came by in a small boat... as they were being blown down the harbor as well. 

Jones secured the first boat and went back to rescue the second. In spite of the risk, he went again straight into the storm.

Speaking of it later, Tim Jones said that he has always loved the ocean. He joined the U.S. Navy right out of high school and under their guidance, he became a gas turbine engineer in the U.S. destroyer fleet. He noted that he had never actually seen the ocean until he received his first duty station...and he was hooked for life. As luck, or fate, would have it, Jones wound up in one of the most beautiful places in the Pacific and never looked back.

Speaking to Samoa News, Jones said that he really appreciated what Ibasco had written. He has rescued others at sea, but never been acknowledged publicly. He mused, "When nature gets violent, she creates a place that boys run from and men run toward. It's what unmasks the pretend warriors from the real ones." He has lived his life with that in mind.

BACKGROUND

Tim Jones was appointed by the governor to be the head of the Department of Marine & Wildlife Resources (DMWR). However, he was rejected by the House of Representatives in recent confirmation hearings being held for cabinet directors.