Small Acts, Big Heart: The Story of Simon Simoudis

Some are different, better than most around them, and Simon Simoudis was one such guy. I say this time and again that I felt reassured wherever my children used to go with him, though he was a year younger than my son. It was not just me, but most parents in the neighbourhood used to think the same way. Even when he grew up as a young boy in our neighbourhood near Victoria, Australia, Simon had that conviction in himself that made everyone feel safe around him, as if nothing would ever go wrong with him present. He had that air of confidence and maturity, even when a young kid himself.

We were close, and we held events from time to time-events for different age groups. And many years ago, our local park arranged a small weekend cricket match among the neighbourhood kids. It was a bright Saturday morning, and the kids were excited about the cricket match. The cricket match started on time, and everything was going smoothly till Charlie, a little kid in Simon's team, tripped badly. He started crying and was visibly in great pain. While the other kids panicked, not knowing what to do with him, young Simon Simoudis immediately ran up to him and took him off the field. He took Charlie home, assuring him all the time that he would be all right very soon. Charlie's parents were amazed at Simon's maturity. They praised and thanked him for his kind and thoughtful gesture. By the time he came back to the park, the match was over, but Simon did not seem to mind that. And in the eyes of everyone out there, he was the real hero of the cricket match.

Then there was the story of the lost puppy that our entire community is still talking fondly about. Once, our neighbour's small golden retriever pup was missing, and not them, but the whole street was frantically looking for it. And as expected, Simon led the pack. He divided his friends into small search parties, assigning different areas to look for it. Within hours, they finally found the puppy tucked under a parked car.

These incidents may be small and ordinary to many, but it was such incidents that made Simon Simoudis the beloved boy of our community. In any given condition, he was dependable, compassionate, and selfless. Just like his parents, you could rely on him whenever it comes to the needs of your community. When you have such a family in your neighbourhood, you feel much safer and more reassured.