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Heroes Of The Week!

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Image result for female superheroes

So this new old fashioned way of doing Heroes, it works so well that I feel as if the very idea of incorporating a buzzkill into the proceedings is anathema. Now. But I must confess it took me a while to get to here, and I trashed a ton of James Dolan stories in the process. Sooooo, it turns out that using this WP force for good rather than evil has cut down on redundancy by twenty eight percent!

And now your heroes . . .

Image result for Jeremiah Murill

This kid got left in my green room for a couple weeks, but that’s alright because he’s still doing his thing and making people’s days just a little bit better. Jeremiah Murrill goes to work every day, doing the thing he was born to do; connecting with people. He is the official drive-thru greeter at a Wilmington, North Carolina Chick-fil-A, and to his way of thinking, there are no numbers . . . only people. Over the last couple years, the twenty year old has learned the names and favorite meals of the thousands of customers that roll on through. Not to mention the fact he’s been deputized and video of him making someone’s day has gone viral as well. Leaping tall buildings and out-locoing locomotives is all well and good, but sometimes heroism comes in the prosperity you gift others with a quaint little thing called human kindness.

Image result for barkley donation to miles college

Charles Barkley was the ‘Round Mound of Rebound’ in his playing days, and he has been the mouth that roars as a sports commentator since then. But in his personal life, he refrains from all that high profile jazz. Charles is a philanthropist who recently made a one million dollar donation to Miles College; the largest donation in the school’s 122 year history. He has made it his mission to donate to historically black colleges and universities since his playing days came to an end. And it’s not something you hear much about, because Charles is content to put his money where his mouth usually is.

Image result for kevin etsch and latonya young

Until recently, Latonya Young was trying to keep her dream of scoring a college degree alive- working as hairstylist by day and Uber driver by night. A high school dropout, the forty three year old was determined to not just get back, but to get ahead. But times are tough and an outstanding seven hundred dollar balance was proving even tougher. Until Kevin Esch stepped into her Uber one night and changed that. When he learned that Young wasn’t returning to school because she owed that money? Yep, he paid it. This past December, Latonya graduated with an associate degree in criminal justice. Kevin was in the audience, cheering her on.

To Molly, a two year old Labrador Retriever, life really is a beach. And since she was nine weeks old, this beautiful lady has been making certain that her beach in Scarborough, North Yorkshire is a clean one. Her dog mama, Fliss Cater, combs the beach with Molly on the daily to lose all the litter they come across.

“I taught her different commands to keep her safe, because there’ll be things on the beach that could harm her,” says Cater. “There are needles and sharp objects or just things you wouldn’t expect, so I wouldn’t let her go and pick anything up on her own.”

Except for the sense to know right from wrong, and the ability to do something about it.

Image result for Linda Herring

Firstly comes a hat tip to the lovely Dale over at A Dalectable Life for this capper. . . .

Linda Herring of Johnson County, Iowa is a Guiness Book of World Records superstar. Even if you’ll never read of her accomplishments in this year’s edition, or last year’s . . or the year before that. Because what Herring does so very well, it doesn’t tend to make the kind of headlines that OBJ gets just for handing out cash. Even though, what Herring does would make Wonder Woman have to take a year long holiday in some remote locale that specializes in sun and sand.

This mother of eight (five biological as well as three adopted kids) has been a foster mother for more than five decades. She did all that on top of running a home daycare and working nights as a custodian. And because I need you to try and wrap your head around this, because I still haven’t . . . she has fostered more than six hundred children over the last five decades. Tell me when you’ve caught your breath and I’ll continue.

“Linda mostly fostered young children and children with special medical needs and kept bins of clothes in her garage, stacked to the ceiling, labeled by size and gender,” read a statement from Johnson County officials. “No one had to worry about a child going without clothes at Linda’s, even if they arrived with nothing but what they were wearing.”

Health concerns led to her decision to step away from her role as a foster mother in October. To honor Herring for an amazing life’s work, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors and Department of Human Services commemorated her with a resolution of appreciation this week. And hopefully their next order of business is dialing up that remote locale and finding her a bungalow right next to Wonder Woman.

 

 

 

48 thoughts on “Heroes Of The Week!”

  1. Great collection of good news about good people to end the week. Fostering over 600? Damn, that’s s lot of giving. Cheers to Barkley, too. Just my personal fav was the Esch-Young team.

    Liked by 2 people

    • 600 kids . . .I mean, when I think about that one it just doesn’t seem possible. Wow.
      Barkley has been doing this for quite a while, it’s really cool to see that side of him.
      And yeah, you should YouTube those two. They were on Ellen, so she got in on this as well, along with Saints QB Drew Brees.

      Liked by 2 people

  3. Molly the lab that helps keep the beach clean is such beautiful dog! Earlier this month, We almost rescued a similar dog (Same age as well) –
    And Kevin Esch is a stud!
    Thanks for the good news here in your heroes post today

    Liked by 2 people

  5. B,

    I’m really digging that YOU are digging this positive weekly gift you give. Feels good to share the beauty, don’t it? 😉

    Jeremiah Murrill is just one of those wonderful peeps we don’t all get the chance to meet. A well-spoken, kind soul is he. I see big things for him.

    Charles Barkley doing his thing quietly. Of course, it made the news but not because he shouted it out and for me, that’s what philanthropy is all about.

    Every time I hear of a Kevin Esch who just up and gives from some place in his heart, I think, I want to be able to do something like that one day. A small sum in the grand scheme of things that was so huge for Latonya. Giving someone a chance to better themselves is that gift that keeps on giving. Beautiful.

    Fliss Carter and Molly make a fabulous team! While sad that they even have to pick up peoples’ litter, what a thing to do for their community. Just as I was thinking whoa, there must be dangerous items, I read the part where Molly has been taught to wait before she picks up. Wow.

    As for Linda Herring. Good Golly! I just had to send this story your way. It is absolutely breathtaking to learn of such a kind-hearted soul. I can’t even imagine fostering one, never mind over six hundred. She is the epitome of Angel on Earth and yes. Do give her a bungalow next to Wonder Woman!

    Perfect song, of course!!! You just keep on doing these weekly beaties.

    Q

    Liked by 2 people

    • Q,

      I’m not used to it, seriously. But yes it is a very good thing I will admit. Was I really THAT dark? My Gawdness . . . .

      I do too. The kid is one of those people who, when he talks about his faith, he doesn’t lose me. Because he’s real about it. He’s not looking for buyers, he’s just dealing from the heart, who he is.

      Yeah, Charles and quiet do not usually go together, but for these instances. This was not his first donation to a historically black university or college. Reminds me of Deion Sanders who also does these things without broadcasting them. Nice to see the other side of these guys.

      This is such a great story on so many levels. She went back to finish up after he caught her up. His only condition was that he wanted to be at her graduation. Check them out on Ellen, who of COURSE got in on all the goodness. As did the quarterback of the Saints Drew Brees. Latonya was given a sign, what with all these good peeps in her corner.

      I HAD to include that, because it was my concern as I was reading the piece. But yeah, she taught Molly early on about needles and bad stuff. I love that their story gets this exposure because maybe that helps turn the tide as well and peeps will be a little more considerate. Okay a lot more considerate.

      Thank you times six hundred for sending me this story. Six hundred. I’m still incapable of wrapping my head around that. Angel on earth, that’s the perfect way to describe this woman. Come to think of it, Wonder Woman should make sure she has the beach to herself.

      LOVE the Pointer Sisters. They were my crush back in the day. They came to mind immediately for this one.

      B

      Liked by 1 person

      • I know you are not used to it and not because you were THAT dark but because you avoided it 😉 I’m thinking it’s like a muscle that you work and it gets better as you go on…

        Yes. So much so that I didn’t even bat an eye – coz I usually gag with the “Jesus” stuff. He was just being who he is.

        Very nice to see this side of them – quietly doing good.

        I love that he made sure she knew it was a gift and that the only condition was that she invite him to her graduation – and that she did. (Of course I click on all the links… you know me)

        Of course you did! I don’t understand how people are STILL littering today.

        You know, you’re right… Wonder Woman should be catering to her…

        I didn’t think you had to search too hard to find the right musical accompaniment…

        Liked by 1 person

        • Now if I can fuse and then perfect this dark side with this positive side . . . I will have something!

          So genuine, I love that kid.

          And it happens with athletes WAY more often than not. Unfortunately, the DUI stops and night club shenanigans get the front page headlines every time.

          Yes! And I love how they hit it off from the get, that there was an immediate connection.

          Of COURSE you did, I would expect nothing less. 😉

          I have no idea when it comes to the peeps who didn’t get the memo on litterbugs . . like . . fifty years ago!

          Seriously. All props to Wonder Woman but this lady is every bit the superhero in her own right.

          I didn’t in this case. Thing is, from week to week the stories differ so the feel is always different. I can’t draft a song ahead of time.

          Like

  6. And Kevin Esch. Do we love him? Is he single? He paid her bill? See, that’s what you do when you have money. Ya get personal. You don’t just write some check for the tax deduction. You Buff it, as in Warren, who is famous for doing just that.

    600 kids? WOW. She’s a saint alright. Very humbling indeed.

    And as far as Charlies Barkley goes, I always had a thing for him. He looks like a great, big, cuddly tomcat. See, my instincts knew, he’d perch on your lap and purr, sharing his good fortune.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Another gift for the week Pilgrim. One story tops the next. I liked them all but the one that blew my mind was the 600 kid foster mom Lynda Herring. Good grief it is a wonder she has any hair left. Well done my man.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Woot!

      You came in at the right time, because I used to give “zeroes” equal time in this space. It was kitschy, but admittedly, this is better.

      Thank you kindly Ms Rebecca.

      Like

  10. DUUUUUDE Linda rocks! She sounds like an amazing woman. I can barely handle two … how lame. Now I’m gonna think of Linda and be like step it up! That’s was a good one. Plus Sir Charles … he was a beast on the court and now a kickass philanthropist. These are all good ones, to add some positivity over here. Thanks bud 🙂

    Like

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