A little bit about being a first responder and what I have experience. A number of times I have been involved with extremely I'll patients and family members or friends have said "All I can do is pray." If I hear this I will try to take a moment to look them in the eye and say "No. What you CAN do is pray." "All I can do" is a statement of defeat. We have to build ourselves and others up to remember we have the power of prayer and this is not a hopeless act.
What a great post. This is more along the lines of what I have witnessed in the field. These acts are not a rarity. Unfortunately the media is much less likely to consider this newsworthy.