He carried a secret for 50 years, and now he’s considered an angel on earth. In the wake of World War II, Nicholas Winton knew he needed to help the Jews who were being persecuted by the Nazis.
Born to German-Jewish parents, Nicholas was grateful his parents moved his family to London. There, he and his family embraced a fresh start. They changed their name from Wertheim to Winton.
Later, he became a stockbroker and began to get involved in humanitarian efforts to help those who were persecuted. He knew he couldn’t look the other way when thousands of men, women, and children were being murdered simply because they were Jewish.
When rumors began about an invasion of Czechoslovakia, he secretly made a plan to help as many people as he could.
On the eve of the invasion, Nicholas rescued 669 children. He took it one step further and recorded the names of every child rescued in a journal. Each child included photos and details of their parents and the families who took these children in. Once the mission was over, Nicholas packed up the journal, hid it away, and told no one.
Fifty years later, his wife Grete found the journal in their attic. Astonished, Grete gave the journal to a journalist. Because of his heroic efforts, he was invited to attend what he thought was a live TV show. He sat in the front row with his wife and thought he would enjoy a performance. But what happens next will leave you in tears.
Collectively the audience stood up and began applauding Nicholas. He had no idea each individual in the audience was a child he had rescued! They came to thank him for saving their lives. The moment took him by surprise and left him in tears. Nicholas was truly an angel on earth.
At the age of 106, he passed away from this side of Heaven into the arms of Jesus. I have no doubt he was welcomed with open arms, and the Lord told him, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”