New York, USA - The most "inspiring person" this year, in the eyes of 50,000 voters and the staff of multi-faith spirituality website Beliefnet.com, was ultimately a community — the Amish of tiny Nickel Mines, Pa., where five schoolgirls were murdered this fall.
Their example of "incredible Christian forgiveness, charity and love" after a neighbor, Charles Carl Roberts IV, shot 10 little girls trapped in their schoolhouse, "made them the overwhelming choice" among 12 nominees, says Steve Waldman, co-founder and CEO of Beliefnet, the Internet's top religion and spirituality site with 3 million visitors last month, according to Web traffic tracker comScore Media Metrix.
"The first thing they did was bring food and comfort to the family of the killer. Secondly, one of the little girls reportedly offered to be shot first, hoping to save other lives. And lastly, the community all came together to help each other through their grief.
"They were living their faith and exhibiting values we all wish we could live up to — a personal commitment to forgiveness that few of us can match. In our 'Belief on the Street' interviews with ordinary people, we asked, 'Could you have done this?' Everyone said no."
Other finalists in the seventh annual vote were Lance Cpl. Todd Corbin, a Marine who rescued wounded comrades under fire in Iraq to earn the Navy Cross, and Immaculée Ilibagiza, who survived mass murder in Rwanda and works for reconciliation and forgiveness.
"It's always a dilemma on whether to list famous names among the nominees. After all, to be inspiring, you first have to be known for what you did," says Waldman, noting that this year's nominees included billionaire Warren Buffett, who announced that his estate would go to philanthropy.
"But every year it's the less-famous people who win, because when you read about them, you go 'Wow, that's incredible.' "