Well, hello, my friends, and welcome to the Live Inspired podcast with John O'Leary for this week's

Monday moments. We create them to help start your week on fire with a quick burst of inspiration.

Bobby Kennedy once said,

Only those who dared to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.

Have you ever wondered what might happen if you really dared greatly and did your absolute best?

Let me share a story with you.

Early on the morning of September 8th,

1860, a passenger ship on Lake Michigan collided with another vessel. Many of the 385 passengers

aboard tried desperately to swim the several hundred yards to the shore, but the turbulent waves

and riptide made it nearly impossible. So they grabbed

on to pieces of the wreckage, hung on for dear life, and screamed for help. A group of shore stood

helplessly in the dark as they heard, but could not see, passengers clinging desperately for their

lives. Then, one of the young men on shore named Edward Spencer took off his jacket

and shoes, dove into the water, swam through the violent waves toward the wreckage, grabbed a passenger,

and swam back to land. He pulled her ashore, then turned, and went back into the frigid water.

After his final rescue, Spencer lay bloodied

and exhausted on the shore. He looked up in delirium, repeatedly asking the question,

did I do my best? Did I do my best? 385 passengers entered the water that night. 287 died.

98 were saved by a rescue boat.

The remaining 18 survived because of the unbridled courage, selflessness, and valiant choice

of one man who dared greatly for others.

Yeah, I think it's safe to say that Edward Spencer did his best.

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