Joe Biden made the trip to Hawaii recently. Wildfires had ripped through Maui and Joe took the time to comfort the survivors with a heartwarming story of hope from his own past. You see, Joe knows what loss is like. He’s been there. Now the people of Lahaina, some of whom who lost everything, were about to learn something about Joe. One time? He almost lost his corvette. That’s a gut check. That’s when you find out what you’re really made of. When you almost lose a car that may or may not have been a classic. Joe Biden knows that instinctively. You don’t teach that or learn it. You either have the Corvette empathy or you don’t. Joe has it. In spades.

Now Joe said he didn’t’ want to compare difficulties with the people of Lahaina. Then he went ahead and did it. Courage. Sure, the people of Lahaina had lost homes, loved ones and an entire town, but they were about to find out about a man named Joe who had a small kitchen fire one time… yeah. A small kitchen fire when his wife was home. And his cat. And that corvette? That was in danger too. They all were! No one was hurt and firefighters called the event almost an insignificant fire, but you’re missing the point. Joe almost lost his corvette. That’s empathy. Hawaii had a fire. It was bad. So, did Joe. He knows how you feel because one time it almost happened to him. On a much smaller scale. Almost.