1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: Hello, friends, Welcome to Story Behind podcast. This is the 2 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: show for people who love hearing a good story and 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: who believe the world could use more positivity. We're the 4 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: team behind God Updates and God Too, and we hope 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: these weekly short stories will brighten your day. 6 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 2: Eighteen year old wins the National Grocery Bagging Championship after 7 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 2: training for months. Written by MICHAELA. Godoni, read by Julie Provost. 8 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,240 Speaker 2: Eighteen year old became the best bagger in America after 9 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:39,599 Speaker 2: months of training. Thanks to his family's help, The grocery 10 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 2: bagging pro won a ten thousand dollars prize. The young 11 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 2: talent comes from a family of grocers, so naturally he 12 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 2: has to make them proud. The teen Roko Comodaria, is 13 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 2: from Swahi, Georgia and works at publics where his dad 14 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 2: has worked for thirty two years. This year, I went 15 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 2: to the nationals and I want it all, Roko said. 16 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 2: Roco says it's harder than it looks. There's a technique. 17 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 2: Get your two wall in on the side, cans on 18 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 2: the bottom, put your filler items on the top. He explained. 19 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 2: Concestants must pack groceries in under fifty to three seconds 20 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 2: while keeping fragile items protected and balancing the weight of 21 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 2: each bag. Roko trained for several months. We would train 22 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 2: three or four days a week for an hour and 23 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 2: a half. Broca said. My dad or mom would time 24 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 2: me and then I would go weigh my bags. Training 25 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 2: was boot camp for him. We call it Roco's den. 26 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 2: His dad, Martin said, bagging is in his blood. Roco's 27 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 2: older brother also competed, and Roco's parents even met at Public's. 28 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 2: We definitely want to one up him, Martin's dad said, 29 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 2: and I think he's done that. It's amazing for the store, 30 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 2: amazing for his peers, amazing for Publics, said store manager 31 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 2: Scott Drew. Roco really prides himself on the way he 32 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 2: bags and how he takes care of his customers. Rocco 33 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 2: also has bragging rights for being the first from Georgia 34 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 2: to win in the first from Publics. Isn't that a 35 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 2: cool story? Hopefully the team uses his money wisely. Maybe 36 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 2: he'll even open up a grocery store of his own someday. 37 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 2: Heartbroken mom honors her late son's legacy by dancing with 38 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 2: the people he helped save. Written by Heather Ricklemann, read 39 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 2: by Julie probost. A heartbroken mom honors her late son's 40 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 2: legacy by dancing with people he helped at an organ 41 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 2: recipient reunion. Some stories don't just touch your heart. They 42 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 2: hold it still for a moment, like time itself pauses, 43 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 2: to let you feel the weight of love that never 44 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 2: really leaves. This is one of those stories. Grab a 45 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 2: tissue and tennessee. A mother named Carrie Hollis chose to 46 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:36,239 Speaker 2: honor her son in a way that feels both tender 47 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,679 Speaker 2: and breathtakingly brave. Her son, Austin Hollis, was only twenty 48 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 2: six years old when he passed away in March of 49 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,639 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four. He was a dance instructor, someone who 50 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 2: spent his days helping others move, laugh and feel live. 51 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,959 Speaker 2: In one quiet, powerful decision checking the organ donor box 52 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 2: on his license, he gave that gift of life in 53 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 2: a way none of them could have imagined. Because even 54 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 2: after his passing, Austin kept saving lives. Carried something most 55 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 2: of us can hardly phantom. She found the people her 56 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 2: son helped save, the ones now living and breathing because 57 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 2: of him, and invited them to step into his world. 58 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 2: Not for a somber gathering, but for a quiet remembrance, 59 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 2: but for something that just felt like him. She invited 60 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 2: them to dance inside the dance studio in Nashville where 61 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 2: Austin once taught. Something sacred unfolded. The people carrying pieces 62 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 2: of her son, his lungs, his liver, his legacy, stood 63 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: together with the woman who raised him. And instead of 64 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 2: only tears, there was movement, There was music, there was life. 65 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 2: They learned Batsha, his favorite dance. Can you imagine it? 66 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 2: A mother whose heart had known unimaginable loss chooses not 67 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 2: to remember her son but to celebrate him. See the 68 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 2: breath in someone else's lungs and know that breath is 69 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 2: part of him, To watch feet live across the floor 70 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 2: and know his life is still echoing forward. When a 71 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 2: recipient had once been told she only had months to 72 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 2: live before receiving austin flungs, another had been hours from 73 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 2: death before receiving his liver, and now there they were, alive, 74 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 2: dancing because one young man said yes to something bigger 75 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 2: than himself. This is the kind of story that makes 76 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 2: you pause in the middle of your busy, full life. 77 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 2: The emails can wait, the laundry can sit, because this 78 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 2: is what matters. Reminds us that love doesn't end, it multiplies. 79 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 2: It reminds us that even in heartbreak, God is still 80 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 2: writing redemption in ways we cannot see in the moment, 81 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 2: and it gently nudges us to ask ourselves, what are 82 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 2: we leaving behind? What quiet decisions today might become someone 83 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 2: else's miracle tomorrow. For the women reading this, the ones 84 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 2: carrying grief or love or both, this is your reminder. 85 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 2: Your story matters. Your life matters. The way you love, 86 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 2: the way you show up, the way you say yes 87 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,720 Speaker 2: to God in small, unseen moments. It all matters more 88 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 2: than you know. Because one check box changed everything. One 89 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 2: life became many, and one mother chose to turn sorrow 90 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,159 Speaker 2: into something that still dances. The Lord is close to 91 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 2: the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit, 92 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 2: Psalm thirty four eighteen. 93 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening to Story Behind podcast. 94 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: We're really glad you joined us for this week's story. 95 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,239 Speaker 1: To see photos and videos that may have been referenced 96 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:14,119 Speaker 1: in this episode, check out the links and the show notes, 97 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 1: and if you enjoyed what you heard today, subscribe to 98 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: our podcast and please tell a friend about us. 99 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 2: We'd also love it. 100 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: If you'd rate us and leave us a review, it 101 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 1: really does help more people find us. Story Behind is 102 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: a Salem Web Network production.