New York City Guardian Angels
You may have or be watching Russian Doll Season 2. Great show. But did you know the Guardian Angels they reference are indeed based on a true story. One that actually continues today. Here’s an experience I had to prove it.
I was on the A train, one late evening when I first encountered them. I had read all the texts on my phone, so I started people watching folks on the train. If you live in NYC, you know the kind of people you can see at night on the train. My eyes fell on three men all wearing jackets that read NY Guardian Angels. Was it a sports team? I wasn’t very sports literate, so it was entirely possible.
The train left the station and we weren’t riding long before the train slowed, but didn’t stop outright, and all the lights went out. There were some groans by experienced passengers, but also some murmurs of concern. It didn’t take long for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, aided by the tiny emergency lights that gave off some illumination. I heard one of the men in the branded jackets tell an older woman, “Don’t worry. We’ll help you get off at your stop.” What kind of sports team would do that? I couldn’t help it; I’m a naturally curious person so I spoke out. “Who are you?”
The same man answered me. “We’re the Guardian Angels.”
What was that, some kind of church cult that required conversion, or something? “What is that?” I asked.
It was another man in a jacket who answered this time. “What the name says. We help people who need help. We’re working to keep the community safe. If you see something going on that can harm the public, give us a call. We’ll be there.”
Don’t you just love New York?
If you’re a fan of the Netflix series, Russian Doll, you may have seen the Guardian Angels in several episodes of the second season! I love that they’re getting some well deserved spotlight time.
Here’s some basic information about the Guardian Angels (taken from their website):
They formed in 1979 by Curtis Sliwa and 12 other people
Since that time, hundreds of safety patrol chapters have been formed in 130 cities across 13 countries
Volunteers are trained in protection
They also teach self-help skills in schools, community centres, and local chapter facilities
I just love the obvious care they have for their communities and the work they do to make those communities safer and stronger. Make sure you check their website out, and if you’re able to, I know they’d love a donation to support their program.