Saman Kunan is my Person of the Year

Arguably, we had also forgotten how to die well. Throughout history, war heroes  and religious crusaders have defined the meaning of sacrifice. But Saman’s death at Tham Luang Cave reminded us all that there is another kind of goodness, one which transcends race, politics and every other divisive sphere. 
The term “dying for a good cause” is a slippery one. The famous phrase “one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter” explains that judging whether a cause is good depends on which side you stand. But when Saman left home to join the frantic race to save 12 boys and their coach trapped by rising floodwater, he was not out to overthrow anyone or push any agenda. The man was not an activist nor a fighter, just someone who believed his athleticism and diving expertise could help in a dire situation.
As it turned out, both qualities were insufficient for his own survival. But they played a big part in what became a successful mission that was hailed around the world. The youngsters were all brought out alive and well, although he did not live to see the outcome he set out to achieve. But Saman did not just help save the boys. In a world where many take pride in their own personal achievements, he symbolised a flash of real inspiration, no matter how brief.
The cave rescue mission displayed human togetherness and spirit at their best. For 18 days, the rivalry– religious, political, social and sporting – that defines our world temporarily ceased to exist. Western experts joined hands with their Asian counterparts. Media outlets put ideological differences on the backburner and focused entirely on the boys’ suffering. For once, football players, their coaches and their clubs were praying for exactly the same outcome.
Everyone shared the same noble objective of rescuing 13 people who were starving, running out of air and increasingly desperate in the dark. All over the world, film stars, athletes and other celebrities shared clips and messages of heartfelt hope and support. Diplomacy, dictated by narrow national interest rather than morality, stepped aside. Governments looked on at the staggering public support for the Wild Boars and were made aware of what truly mattered to ordinary people.
In the middle of that universal unity, one man died. Saman lost consciousness while placing air tanks in the narrow passages of the flooded cave system. He laid down the lifeline for others but in doing so laid down his own life.
The world, which had been praying as one, holding its breath and cheering, also cried together when the news emerged. The anguish came from the heart, a raw emotion at a tragedy of selfless sacrifice. The last thing anyone wanted was for his death to become overshadowed by controversy. It threatened to do so, however, after the last boy left the cave. Everyone agreed on the nobility of Saman’s actions, but a fierce debate blew up over other aspects of the Tham Luang rescue. Politicisation and commercialism reared their ugly heads.
Why did Saman touch all our hearts? The answer is not complicated: He felt what everybody else did and acted on it. He empathised with a small group of boys, trapped on a narrow ledge in the dark, with nothing to eat and air running out.
Their desperate plight did not divide opinions or spark the kind of anger that can end in wishing death upon our “enemies”. The world is plagued with misguided allegiances, but once in a while we are reminded of what true, human empathy means.
The scores of people involved in the rescue have since been honoured, and rightly so. For a fleeting moment they revealed a better world, where “noble” actions are unambiguous and indisputable, and gaps in capability are bridged with only a selfless purpose to help others. 
That world has returned to normal, albeit different from the time when Saman left home for Tham Luang and placed the air tanks. During that mission it seemed the murky waters that flood the world were drained, allowing us brief access to fresh air. No doubt all of us would have liked that to continue a little bit longer, but he and every other person involved in the rescue did their bit and their efforts will be remembered for many years to come.
For showing what is greatest in the human spirit, for sacrificing everything without a private agenda, for reminding everyone of us who we can be, and for doing so without seeking honour or glory, Saman Kunan is my Person of the Year for 2018.