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As I pulled down the window while attempting to check what the interruption to our adventure was, a plume of smoke encompassed my head. 
 
“Our tire is stuck in the mud! It’s at least one foot deep!”, I exclaimed. We got out to push the car but could not even move it one inch forward. 
 
My dad assessed the situation and determined, “We don’t have cell signals here! Let’s leave the car and try to walk out of the jungle.” 
 
As we walked out, the sun blazed intensely on our necks. It felt like we had spent an eternity on the muddy road without seeing anyone, and we were both on the brink of dehydration. Suddenly, I spotted a man standing at the end of the road. “I will help you guys out,” he assured us after hearing what happened. His words rang like music to my ears. At last, we were saved by our hero – Santos – a down-to-earth farmer living at the edge of Altun Ha, a Belize jungle.
 
In that moment, I owed my life to a stranger, and afterward, I felt compelled to give back my immense gratitude to another stranger; I was ready to be someone else’s hero. 
 
Soon after we returned home, a historical hurricane devastated the Texas gulf coastal areas. On TV, I saw people stranded on rooftops and in cars by flood water like I once was in Belize. It was time for action. An idea sparked – why not help sell artwork by my artist friends to raise relief funds? My best friends Laura, Sophia, and Cathy were excited about the idea, so I established a nonprofit organization called ‘Kids Help Kids through Art.’
 
We launched on Instagram with our inaugural post, which said, ‘Your artwork will help many others affected by the hurricane!’ The responses from young artists were overwhelming – we received over 400 drawings, ceramics, and sculptures in eight days. We went to various social gatherings – such as festivals, community events, and even family reunions to sell the artwork. We successfully raised over $2,000, which went directly to relief efforts from our nonprofit. Not only did the experience give me the joy of helping others, but also it further honed my leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
 
After this experience, I wondered if I could do more. I craved a deeper impact. The jungle sun and the thirstiness continually returned to my memory to bring me back to my experiences in the jungle, and I felt a lingering empathy for people impacted by water damage. An ‘aha’ moment finally came when I was tinkering with my robotic team. In a fury of excitement, I found my quadcopter, a big piece of styrofoam, and a servo and started assembling a drone. I configured it to drop the styrofoam from mid-air via remote control. As I continued to refine it, I replaced the styrofoam with a self-inflatable jacket and strapped a smartphone for communication purposes. 
 
After months of hard work, my invention evolved from a prototype to a product. Verizon selected my lifeguard drone startup for its global incubation program. We deployed with first responders in Texas and Florida. They were amazed by the speed and success of the lifeguard drone in water parks, beaches, and flood water. 
 
Through this experience, it dawned on me that giving and receiving help is the essence of life. Heroes are ordinary folks among us who lend a hand to others in need. Helping others brings all kinds of opportunities, from inventions to businesses. With my compassion, creativity, entrepreneurship, and perseverance, I plan to carry this realization into the future as I pursue innovative solutions and social initiatives to solve today’s most challenging problems.