Volunteers pulling off heroic moves at World Games

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - On barely any sleep... “Start at 7:30 and sometimes I don’t leave till 3 a.m.,” Amanda Reyes, a World Games volunteer, said.

Reyes and Helen Allred along with their volunteer team are pulling off heroic moves for World Games athletes.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever lost your luggage,” Allred said.

On Saturday, Allred found herself in a race against time to find the German finswimming team’s... well, fins.

“Your suitcase is in Atlanta two hours away and you don’t have a way to get it in time,” Allred said. “I can’t imagine that stress.”

In arguably the country’s busiest airport, Allred somehow locates swimmer Justus Moerstedt’s luggage.

“Then I call Justus and his response was.. Can you say that again for me?” Allred said.

He has hope!

“We told him go there, practice, don’t pull out of the event.” Allred said.

Every green light and state trooper had to be on Allred’s side, because the volunteer from Gadsden delivered!

“I think you got to him like 10 minutes before he had to compete,” Reyes said.

Not only did Justus and Germany compete, they took home gold in the four by 100 relay!

“We felt like we won the gold, I got out of the car and was like they won,” Allred said.

Allred’s pride comes from more than just helping out.

“My mom is German, I was born in Germany, so to be able to do this for the German team, when I called her and told her she just started crying,” Allred said.

A forever bond is born.

“We are following each other on social media, we have each others number,” Reyes said.

Proving sometimes good things can come with a little baggage.

“Absolutely, I am actually going to Berlin in a couple of months, my sister is running the marathon, so I’m sure we will meet up then with the coach,” Allred said.

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