The good guys thread

[kuhio98]

Struggling homeowner gets Thanksgiving surprise
Builders Care & Roof Smart come through for 78 year-old woman

CAPE CORAL, Fla. - Chanting the words "Builders Care, Roof Smart," a group of smiling people marched right down Alabar Lane to the home of 78 year-old Joan Annunzio

"Surprise!" they yelled when they got to her front porch.

"Hi," she said with a shy smile.

The group's spokeswoman, Heidi Taulman explained they were there to give Joan good news: the leaking roof that's been worrying her for years will finally be fixed.

"It leaks in various place and tiles are blowing off of it," said Joan.

The group said a prayer as Joan was presented with flowers.

"Lord, you are a God of new beginnings," someone whispers.

"Make this a new beginning for Joan and the Annunzio family."

"She's not going to worry about anything any longer," said Peter Simeone who co-owns Roof Smart with John Gillam.

The company is installing a $6500 roof for free on Annunzio's home. She's lived in it for 28 years.

"I'm just overwhelmed with Thanksgiving, just overwhelmed," Joan said as she teared up.

Joan couldn't afford to have the roof replaced or even repaired.

She raised her son in the house and always put him first.

Despite some serious health problems - including a heart condition and failing eyesight - she often walks 2 miles to the store to pick up things for her neighbors.

"Joan worked hard all of her life, taking care of friends whenever she can," said Taulman of Builders Care.

Now it's time for someone else to take care of Joan.

"I'm just overwhelmed and feelingn appreciation," said Joan.

"Thank you from bottom of my heart which is pounding," she said with a laugh to the group.

The co-owner of Roof Smart said it's just as gratifying for his crew as it is for Joan.

"This is what the holidays are about about," says Simeone.

"Giving to someobdy who needed something."

"You reach out and help out," he said.

"We should be more thankful to her than her to us," he added.

Simeone says his company is thankful to have met with a lot of success over the years and wants to pay it forward.

"We've been so blessed the community has taken care of us." he said.

"Now we can take care of people need to be taken care of."

True to form, Joan's thoughts quickly shifted others who are getting ready to celebrate the holiday as she wished that, "everyone could be as thankful as I am right now and that we have a happy Thanksgiving day."

Hers will most definitely be a thankful - and dry holiday. The leaky roof should be completely replaced just in time for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday.

"Thank you so much," she told the group again,

"And may we all have a all happy Thanksigving in a world in peace."

[kuhio98]

Hotel Rewards Homeless Man Who Returned Guest's Wallet with Thanksgiving Stay

Joel Hartman has been homeless for a year. He spent last Thursday sleeping in the woods outside of Duluth, an Atlanta suburb. He made it into Atlanta, and was looking for food in a dumpster outside the Omni Hotel when he found a wallet. What happened next is pretty extraordinary.

Hartman returned the wallet, which belonged to a French tourist, to the hotel. The Omni's general manager, Scott Stuckey, found out, and released surveillance footage of Hartman's honest gesture, which made it to the Internet.

Hartman eventually learned that the Omni was looking for him and returned to the hotel last week, where he was greeted by Stuckey, who had an offer for him: a room through Thanksgiving with room service and a $500 reward.

"It's just for doing the right thing," Hartman told WSB Atlanta. He intends to hop a freight train to Alaska when his stay at the Omni is up. Best of luck to you, Josh!

[kuhio98]

Watch a Man Be Surprised by a Room Full of People He Rescued During the Holocaust

Sir Nicholas Winton is one of the lesser-known figures of World War II. He organized the rescue of over 650 children (mostly Jewish Czechoslovakians) in an operation called the Czech Kindertransport.

The children were destined for the Nazi death camps, and Winton was instrumental in getting them safe passage to Britain.

After the war was over, Winton didn't brag about his exploits. In fact, he didn't tell a soul for half a century, not even his wife Grete. Then, in 1988, Grete found a scrapbook dating to 1939 in their attic.

It held all the children's photos, a list of their names, letters from some of their parents, and other documents. It was the first time she'd learned of her husband's story.

Later that year, the BBC program That's Life aired a reunion between Winton and the children – obviously now grown adults – he rescued. Winton was surprised when one of the children he rescued was revealed to be seated beside him, so imagine how he felt when the show's host asked if there were any other people he'd helped to save in the audience and two dozen others stood and applauded.

[kuhio98]

Gas station clerk helps missing elderly couple with dementia get home


TACOMA — An elderly couple, both suffering from dementia, have been found safe, thanks to an observant gas station clerk in Tacoma.

People come in to the Pink Elephant Car Wash and Gas Station asking to use the restroom all the time. But when an elderly woman came in Thursday morning, then returned just a few minutes later, Susan McConnell knew something was wrong.

“I told her, you were just here five minutes ago,” said McConnell. “The look on her face was very disappointed. I don`t think she remembered being here.”

McConnell’s father has Alzheimer’s. She thought the woman and her husband, who were both in their 80s, were showing similar signs.

“Having a parent that`s suffering from it has made me more aware of the disease. It`s hard dealing with them because they don`t understand.”

Before she came to work, she had heard on the news that a couple from an assisted living facility in Normandy Park was missing. She wasn’t sure if it was this couple. But she convinced them to sit down and get warm, while she called 911.

“I figured if they said yes to the coffee, I got them for a few minutes. And I kept praying for the officers to please show up, show up quick.”

Officers did show up and positively identified Richard and Doris Rogers. The couple had been missing more than 12 hours. But thanks to McConnell’s quick thinking, they were safe.

“So many times we`re busy and we don`t have time to get involved, that`s not always good. So this time, I made sure to get involved. If something like this happened to my father, I would want someone to do that for him.”

McConnell didn’t want to work on the holiday. But she says it was worth it, to see the Rogers` reunite with their daughter and head back home to Normandy Park.

“I don`t know, I have honestly had the best thanksgiving ever,” she says. “To know they`re home, they`re safe, they`re with their family. Honestly, it`s the best Thanksgiving ever.”

[kuhio98]

Precious Ornaments

When my daughter, Lauren, was 14 months old she got cranky and didn't want to eat. The doctor diagnosed an ear infection and gave us antibiotics. Two days later Laura died in her sleep. My husband, David, and I were devastated.

It turned out that Lauren had a rare metabolic disorder that prevents the liver from breaking down fat. We had had no idea -- she had always seemed healthy.

That first Christmas without her was hard, but our family and church provided us with strength. The next Christmas, in 2006, my mother-in-law gave me an etched-glass ornament with Lauren's name and dates of birth and death on it. It's beautiful, but the best thing is that it's tangible. I can proudly display it because I want people to ask about my daughter; I want to talk about her. That's what keeps her memory alive.

Since then, Lauren ornaments have become a tradition -- we now have six. They're always up on our mantel, not just at Christmas, for anyone who comes into our home to see.

-- Nicole, Decatur, Georgia

[kuhio98]

Eastern Iowa father pays it forward after son's cancer fight

CEDAR FALLS (KWWL) - Paul Woodward is collecting toys for cancer patients because he says it's just the right thing to do.

"It's a good feeling to see those people going through such a bad time and have something good happen to them even if it is just for a few minutes," said Woodward.

Last year Woodward collected more than 400 toys for cancer patients at the University of Iowa Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House in Iowa City.

This year he hopes to get more, that's because for Woodward it hits close to home.

"Even if it was for two minutes, it put a smile on his face and gave him something to do to keep his mind off of the doctors, nurses coming in all the time," said Woodward.

At 10-years-old, Woodward's son Brady was diagnosed with a rare form of muscular cancer. Brady spent six weeks at the hospital in Iowa City while going through radiation.

"There was up and down days that he had with the sickness and reacting to the chemo and stuff," said Woodward.

In August, Brady celebrated his fourth year cancer free.

"Some days I still can't believe what he went through and he made it," said Woodward.

Woodward is collecting toys through December 12th.

If you would like to donate you can find Paul Woodward on Facebook.

[kuhio98]

Boynton Beach woman gets surprise of lifetime


BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. - To watch Yolanda Thomas at home with her four kids, is to watch an engine at work.

"I have to work so fast," she said. "Dinner, homework, showers, it's a lot."

She gets up at 5 a.m. every day so she can get ready for her new job as a clerk and run them to school.

In a word, she's: "Exhausted."

And stressed out, financially.

When she left military service in 2010, she never imagined transitioning would be this hard.

"When I was in the Navy I could get them whatever they wanted," Thomas said. "Two of my sons have birthdays in November. I didn't have the funds to give hem the gifts they wanted. So Christmas I said I'll make it up to them."

While Yolanda was at work Wednesday, dozens of volunteers from Florida Power & Light and Boynton Beach Police Explorers transformed her home.

They put up Christmas lights, snowmen and presents.

"I just can't wait to see the look on her face," said FPL volunteer Heather Kirkendall.

A few weeks ago, Yolanda told local veterans group, Stand Down House, that she wanted a Merry Christmas for her kids.

After another twelve-hour work day, she drove up to dozens of people and thousands of lights on her home.

"I don't know, I don't know what to say. I'm speechless," she said.

Hours later, as she went over a paper she'd written for the college degree she's taking online classes for, she had a moment of satisfaction.

"I learned that my service really is appreciated. I hear people say it all the time. To see it in action means so much more."

Thanks for her service in the Navy, and as a mother.