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Heroes Of The Week!

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Another week, another less than satisfying noodle salad of empty calories when it comes to the trend-mill news cycle. In sports, football insists more games will mean less injuries! In politics, Bernie Sanders trashed his Fidel Castro screensaver. And Harvey Weinstein goes on a long (Rikers) Island vacation.

Well then, let’s ditch all that traffic and get to our heroes . . . .

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Selfless Savior- Here’s yet another story in which a kid is more grown up than the adult table. And this little man’s name is Robbie Gay. The eight year old resident of Palm Coast Florida is giving old dogs a new leash (I just had to) on life by adopting as many of them as his adoptive parents will allow (which is six and counting because he just had to).

Robbie spent the first six years of his life in the foster system and he relates to their plight. “He knows what it feels like not to be loved and cared for. He’s the most hopeful, optimistic, and genuinely caring kid who has absolutely no reason to be that way,” says adoptive mom, Maria.

Thanks to this incredibly resilient kid, every dog is getting its day. (Thank you to the lovely Dale for this get).

See the future for the trees- I’d like to think that incarceration has come a long way from the days of locking em up and throwing away the keys. And in some places, it really has. Lawrence Jaramillo and Joshua Melendrez served in a state-run forestry program while inmates at the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility. The two learned about fire prevention and fire fighting, and are now putting there knowledge to work. They opened their own forestry company, All Around Forestry, in the fall of 2019 and currently have six employees. They’re encouraging other former inmates to apply in the hopes of providing a bridge to a brand new life. Imagine a world where redemption possesses such a brilliant nobility? These guys are doing just that.

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Where everybody knows your name- Every neighborhood has that place, and for forty years Mac and Bob’s restaurant was it. And then 2018 brought hard times when two waitresses sued the company regarding its shared tips policy, which had become illegal under a federal labor law. While there had been no ill intent by the owners, the cost of the lawsuits was prohibitive and the Salem, Virginia institution announced that it would have to close its doors. Until the locals got wind of the story and decided to step up, in the form of donations, GoFundMe pages and fundraisers. Two years later, business is booming and the regulars are calling it their own personal “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Jimmy Stewart would be proud.

Gimme Shelter- Nine years ago, Dr. Kwane Stewart brought his veterinary supplies to a soup kitchen event in Modesto, California. According to the good doctor, a quarter of the homeless population owns a pet and he felt the need for treatment was evident. Ever since then, he has taken to the streets, making sure the pets he comes across are provided with checkups and vaccinations.

Stewart has treated more than 400 animals and last year he created a GoFundMe campaign to help raise money for his great good work. To date, he has raised $29,000 and he was even named the GoFundMe Hero for the month of February. The coolest part of this story is that nobody was calling for this level of outreach until Stewart showed up to provide it.

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This last story takes the cake. Literally speaking.

One minute Holly Grimet was walking into a Kroger to purchase a birthday cake for her daughter and the next? She was taking home a story that will stay with her for the rest of her life. Because when she went to pay for the cake, she was told that it had already been covered. And then she discovered that a note had been left behind:

“My son Nehemiah would be 8 years old today. I wanted to remember my son by doing good to others. I hope you enjoy your child’s cake and I hope your day is special. Hold your baby a little tighter today, watch them as they play, be patient with them, kiss their sweet little hand and tell them how much you love them. Our children are such special gifts! Hope your day is beautiful. Much love from me and my angel in heaven to your family.”

Of course, this left everybody in the bakery as well as Grimet in tears. The idea that someone could lose everything and somehow find it in their heart to make the day special for a complete stranger was humbling. The mother of two was in the right place at the right time, and the advice she was given seems to have been gifted by a real life angel, seeing as how her daughter happened to be celebrating her eighth birthday.

When the universe speaks, you listen.

 

 

 

 

75 thoughts on “Heroes Of The Week!”

  3. I thought I would make it through one of your “Hero” posts without crying but the last story did me in. My heart is so full of joy because of these stories but it is hard to see through my tears. Beautifully done!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Pam,
      And the thing is, I just happened to come across this story when I was reading up on something else. I love it when stories find their way in like that. Thank you for always providing such lovely commentary.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. 6 🤩 dogs… I wanna be that child! My mom never allowed any dogs :), from the other side …we had no space at all… and she worked 2 jobs.
    The kid is lucky 🙂

    Story about the cake is incredible too ❄️❄️❄️

    Liked by 1 person

  5. B,

    The “regular” news is so annoying and yes, empty-calorie-like, we appreciate your efforts all the more!

    Robbie Gay knows what’s what, that’s for sure. Knowing you are adopting a pet that won’t be around for long is hard enough, doing it because you know what it is like to be pushed aside as unwanted takes it to a whole ‘nother level. Glad I was able to participate this week.

    Now Jaramillo and Melendrez are the reason prison rehabilitation and learning programmes exist. Because it is always good to believe and have hope that prisoners are not all lost causes. They can turn their lives around and become worthy citizens again. If one in ten inmates turns his/her life around, it is a worthy cause.

    Mac and Bob’s restaurant is pretty darn lucky the neighbours came in like they did. I don’t want to piss on this parade and I know it was unintentional to find themselves in such a position but ignorance is no excuse when it comes to treating your employees right. Sorry – must be the fact I now work in this domain that it hit a nerve…

    Kudos to Dr. Stewart. For the homeless, having a pet is a small piece of comfort so the fact he has decided to come in and donate his time and efforts for the care of these pets is a beautiful thing.

    The cake story. Oh lawzy! I was doing fine until I reached this story! What a beautiful thing to do. I particularly love that this now childless (or one-child-less) mother has remained anonymous. That the recipient of the cake shared the same birthday is definitely a crazy coinkidink… or is it?

    Wonderful song to go with. I absolutely love this Jewel song. You may not have been feeling it when you wrote this, but you brought the feels nonetheless. Which tells me lots!

    Q

    Liked by 1 person

    • Q,

      The empty calories add up to needing a diet, don’t they? Ugh . . the news.

      Robbie is so beyond his years. To think, so young and yet he possesses such a mature perspective. He turned adversity into a positive? Wha? A kid? Well, yeah . . . they’re the grown ups these days.

      These two men really are proof as to what serving time CAN mean. They had this vision and they made it a reality. And now they’re looking to build on this by providing a bridge for others.

      Yes, the owners were ignorant of the situation and I agree. But it’s the peeps who came to the rescue that had me so impressed. It was THEIR restaurant, their place to gather.

      You never think about the homeless and pets, but they do have companions. And what of them? Stewart knows.

      The cake story is something else, isn’t it? The idea that this mother came in there and took that cake, her daughter sharing the same age as that mother . . coincidence? Hmmmm . . .

      I was so preoccupied but I’m always there for Fridays. 🙂

      B

      Like

  7. Between…Robbie spent the first six years of his life in the foster system and he relates to their plight. “He knows what it feels like not to be loved and cared for….

    And the cake, I’m done. Woke up melancholy that Mr. Imma has just taken out for a spin.

    Heroes in our midst. WE NEED MORE.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Robbie acting like a grown up in a world where grown ups acts like five year olds. We need that kind of future to help make up for this kind of present.

      The cake, oh . . the cake! Between the note and the age of her daughter . . yeah . . that had me.

      I agree SB. We are way more than a quart low when it comes to heroes. Give us more!

      Like

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