(CNN) A US Navy and Coast Guard operation on Tuesday rescued three mariners stranded on a tiny Pacific Ocean islet for more than a week after the trio spelled out “HELP” using palm fronds laid on a white-sand beach.

The men were on a fishing trip in the remote area when rough swells resulted in engine damage, ultimately beaching them on the island. Matters went from bad to worse when their radio batteries died before they could put out a mayday.

They'd apparently watched enough TV or movies to know their next best move was to use palm branches to spell out the word "HELP" on the sandy shore. They had no idea if anyone would ever see their desperate plea. But they hoped and waited.

For the next week, they survived on coconut meat and water from an old well they found on the tiny island — just 31 acres of land in the middle of the massive Pacific ocean.

They must have felt like the dust particle Horton the Elephant carried about on a flower in the famed Dr. Seuss classic, Horton Hears A Who. And just like those little Whos on that tiny speck of dust, the palm frond letters were their way of screaming out, "We're here! We're here!"

Two police officers and a first responder were killed in Burnsville, Minnesota, responding to “a call of a family in danger” Sunday morning, according Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. 

The two officers and a pardemic firefighter were killed during a domestic disturbance call. The shooter had barricaded himself inside his home with 7 children and his wife therein. During the standoff and attempted negotiations, the man opened fire, killing the 3 first responders before being hit by other officers who had arrived on the scence. The children and wife were safely escorted out after the man was found deceased at 8:00am. 

The officers and firefifghters were there to respond to a man clearly in crisis, perhaps assailed by his own pain, his own frustration, his own despair, his own internal turmoil, and perhaps the turmoil within his own home and life. Whatever was happening in his life, whatever was occruing or contributing to such a deadly response, the fatal blow to both himself and the responders was actually dealt the moment he refused to respond to the efforts of those who were ulitimately there to spare him, to save him, the woman, and the children.

Sure, he would have faced consequences. But maybe the family would have forgiven him, refusing to press charges. Maybe the state would have been understanding and lenient.

If only he had stood down, his life, and the lives of the others, could have been spared.

A small little bird was trapped in a net ball containing bird food near our back window. It was fluttering about trying to escape. We went out to help it, but when it saw us coming, it chirped furiously in panic. We pulled down the net ball, bird attached, and held it gently, speaking softly to the little guy. At this point he was listless and tired from trying to escape, for perhaps hours. We carefully and gently cut the net from around its legs and gently set it on the picnic table. It immediately flew away in freedom.

Its initial panic eventually yielded to let one much more powerful, yet gentle, release it from bondage.