The good guys thread

[kuhio98]

~~ Cats pay it forward ~~

During a stroll, my son pointed out a puff of black & white fur trying to keep up beside us in a weed infested field, I stopped him from heading over to it, "It probably belongs to one of these houses." Like most good teenagers he didn't listen. When he came back with the bundle his eyes were moist & his voice trembled. "I think someone's poked his eyes out." The barely palm size matt was covered in fly eggs, there were swollen red mounds where eyes should have been, it smelled like sickness. At home, a warm, wet wash cloth was the best I could do for a mother's cleaning, until Big Thor came over. Thor was a massive cat, we had found him in the snow by our apartment dumpster years before where his mother & siblings had frozen to death. He had bitten through my husband's leather gloves (winning his affection immediately). Now he came, pawed at the kitten softly. At first I was afraid how he might react to this new invader. With one paw on the little guy's head, he started cleaning & purring. With its’ mouth open came the loudest purr I had ever heard from any cat, much less this little tennis ball-sized matt. Thor became a surrogate, even allowing him to nurse his "Male" nipples at times. The vet treated his severely infected "eyes", after a month, he could see. Being quite the hunter, we named him Nimrod. He slept with Thor everyday even till the last breath Thor breathed, when he cleaned Thor's head and walked away. My nieces brought in a sick, abandoned kitten from their barn 2 days later. Nimrod grabbed him by the nape of the neck, he's cleaned him every day for 4 years. Cats pay it forward.

[Catty1]

http://www.viralnova.com/5-years-to-...ampaign=aweber

This Father Was Given 5 Years To Live. What He Did For His Young Daughter Is Beyond Words.

January 28, 2014

One of the most touching stories I have ever seen was recently posted to Reddit.com. A father was diagnosed with a cancer that would only leave him months or years to live. Doctors said that there would only be a 8% chance he would live for 5 years. So, he decided to leave behind something wonderful for his daughter.
Garth is 44 years-old and has been diagnosed with cancer three times.

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He has been writing notes for his daughter, Emma, every day since she was in second grade.

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Garth knows that he will soon die, but he doesn’t want Emma to go one day without a note from him. He wants to know she will be thinking of him.

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So, he decided to write a note for every day she would be in high school.

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He has written 740 notes. He has 86 to go.

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The notes are just tiny words of encouragement for her.

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Just so she can smile.

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It’s unfair that Garth will be taken from Emma so soon.

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But at least she will always have his memory and words to keep her company.

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Especially the memories of them dressing as Jedis together during a superhero dance (even though the school didn’t recognize Jedis as superheroes).

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To find out more about Garth and Emma’s napkin notes, visit their Facebook page or this post about their story.
Source: reddit.com
Life is rarely fair, but it’s inspiring to see people rise up against their fate and do something incredibly inspirational. Just like Garth. Share his touching story with others by clicking share below.

[Catty1]

http://www.viralnova.com/college-stu...ampaign=aweber

What A Poor College Student Did In His Dorm Room Is Unbelievable. Everyone Should See This.

January 28, 2014 Stories

Guo Shijun is a young man that has faced incredible difficulties in his life. His father became paralyzed during a building accident while on the job. He has to care for him full time because his mother is unable to. She was mentally disabled from a long battle with meningitis when Shijun was just a child. But, even though Guo Shijun spent the majority of days caring for his parents, he found a way to make it into a top university. That’s not all he was able to accomplish, though.
Instead of giving up on his studies or leaving his family behind, he did something else. He convinced the university to let him keep his father in his dorm room.

EuroPics


Guo Shijun rigged up a special bed for his paralyzed father. He’s able to check up on and take care of his dad much more easily now.

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Shijun’s grandparents take care of his mother while he cares for his father.

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No one would have blamed him for leaving his father behind, but this son couldn’t possibly abandon him.

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Guo Shijun is paying his tuition with help from his family and friends (approximately $3,400). He managed to earn a scholarship to help him on his way, but he doesn’t mind the hard work. He knows life isn’t easy. But even though he is struggling now, he still has hope.
“I think once I graduate things will get much better.”
Source: dailymail.co.uk
Share his inspirational story with others by clicking the Share button below. More people need to hear about this son’s unconditional love and kindness.

[kuhio98]

Former Shawnee Mayor left stranded outside from fall rescued by ‘Kansas City Star’ delivery man

SHAWNEE, Kan. - Former Shawnee, Kan., Mayor Tom Soetaert lay in his garage for almost an hour before receiving help from the newspaper delivery man.

The 77-year-old man was taking out the trash Monday morning in the sub-freezing temperatures when he fell and could not get up.

He managed to crawl to his open garage before Jeff Stockwell, a delivery man for the Kansas City Star, arrived.

“It’s not my usual route,” Stockwell explained. “I’m doing this route until we find a permanent replacement.”

Soetaert’s relatives were glad Stockwell was on the job that day. “We are so grateful,” Soetaert’s daughter Julie King said. “Jeff was at the right place at the right time, and my dad is going to be fine because of it.”

Stockwell said when he drove by the home he heard something that sounded like a cat. “When I drove by the second time, I saw the garage door was open, and the trash can was overturned,” he explained. “I knew something wasn’t right.”

Soetaert was unable to stand up but he managed to drag himself into the shelter of the open garage where he opened the car door and blew the horn. No one responded.

Stockwell says after he pulled over, he could hear Soetaert calling for help. “I dialed 911 and with the help of paramedics, we pulled him into the house where they checked his vital signs and then took him to the hospital,” he explained.

“It’s a good feeling to know that I helped someone,” Stockwell said. “I’m just really glad that I followed my instincts to check out the situation.”

Soetaert was treated for hypothermia; his body temperature was 92-degrees and hypothermia is defined as a body temperature 95-degrees or lower. Relatives say he’s now alert and is expected to make a full recovery.

Soetaert’s family personally thanked Stockwell for helping their dad, and vowed he would never be taking out the trash in the freezing cold again.

[kuhio98]

Anderson community effort keeps homeless man warm

ANDERSON, SC (FOX Carolina) - Morning and night hundreds drive down N. Main Street in Anderson and while doing so pass a elderly homeless man named Jessie on their way.

Jessie has been living near various businesses on the street on and off for years. According to several people who have stopped and talked to him, he is Vietnam War veteran who served the country for nine years.

Anderson resident Bud Hanley chose to stop and talk to Jessie this week, and discovered he has no place to go when the temperatures fall below freezing.

"He said sometimes I have a place to go. Sometimes I find a place out of the wind, and sleep a little bit," said Hanley.

Determined to do something to help Jessie, Hanley expressed his feelings on Facebook.

"Within just a few minutes tons of people started to respond with comments and messages, text messages in support of doing something for him," said Hanley.

Just 24 hours later, a huge community effort developed a fund for Jessie to stay at the Quality Inn on N. Main Street. At press time donations had come in to provide Jessie with more than 60 nights lodging.

"The outpour of support is amazing, we're using both phone lines," said Latasha Leonard, a front desk receptionist at the Quality Inn. "People calling in paying with their credit cards, paying for one night, two nights and even five nights."

The people involved in helping say they hope others are inspired to pay it forward, and do good deeds in their communities as well.

"It's just about following your heart," said Hanley. "If there's something on your heart to do, go ahead and do it. Put it out there, there's a lot of good people that will have your back."

Hanley is just one of the several people that helped get this effort up and running.

The community has also started a tab for Jessie at the Waffle House connected to the Quality Inn on N. Main Street. If you would like to help out, you can call the Quality Inn at 864-226-6051

[kuhio98]

Man Says Dog Saved His Life After Seizure

VENTURA (CBSLA.com) — A man is in a Ventura County hospital thankful to be alive.

And he’s grateful not only to his doctors – but to his dog.

KCAL9′s Jeff Nguyen reports 48-year-old Tim Mullen says his Golden Retriever, Garth, helped him to escape his latest brush with death Monday night when he was alone at a relative’s home.

“He’s an angel. He’s sent down from heaven,” the Arizona resident said, revealing,”When the first responders showed up I wasn’t breathing.”

That could’ve been fatal had it not been for Garth.

The three-year-old pooch is trained to hit a button on an electronic bracelet when Mullen suffers an epileptic seizure – a condition he’s battled since the age of 12.

Mullen’s fiancée, Shauna Meyers, says the pair went through a training process together in Arizona and bonded almost immediately.

“It’s usually six months they say approximately,” she said of the process. “Tim and Garth, I would say within a week-and-a-half, started bonding. Within three weeks the bond was complete.”

That bond paid off on Monday night for the first time.

Garth picks up on Mullen’s seizures because of the scents in his body.

Thanks to Garth, paramedics were alerted to Mullen’s seizure and were able to transport him to Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks in time. He woke up with Garth by his side.

“I started crying,” Mullen said. “She told me, ‘Garth saved you.’ I know Garth saved me.”

The cost for a service dog like Garth is nearly $22,000, which isn’t covered by all insurance policies.

In Mullen’s case, Medicare doesn’t cover the cost. He’s thankful for the thousands of dollars of donations that came in after the company that trains dogs like Garth created a video about Mullen’s story that went viral.

“I’m scared of my seizures. I’ve been too close to death too many times this last year. And I think there’s other reasons for me to be here,” he said.

[kuhio98]

Canaan woman asks Dunkin Donuts to donate its leftovers

CANAAN, CT (WFSB) - A Connecticut woman has started a petition asking officials at Dunkin Donuts to donate the uneaten leftovers to those less fortunate.

After a visit to her local Dunkin Donuts in Canaan, Nancy Lewis noticed that "large amounts" of food was being thrown out.

"I couldn't believe it when I found out how wasteful my local Dunkin' Donuts is," Lewis in a statement Friday. "Every day when new donuts arrive, my local store gathers up their leftover donuts and muffins and throws them into the dumpster."

Lewis went on say that the store's employees were not allowed employees to take any of the food home with them.

What was worse, Lewis said there is a food bank located a block away.

"They won't donate these perfectly good leftovers to the needy," Lewis said.

According to Lewis, she contacted Dunkin Donuts headquarters, who told her that "there is no company-wide policy for dealing with leftover food."

So, Lewis started a petition to ask Dunkin Donuts to donate the leftovers to shelters and food banks in their areas. As of Friday, it had more than 1,400 signatures.

"Each Dunkin' Donuts store is allowed to dispose of leftovers however they wish, and since throwing out leftovers is the easiest thing to do, hundreds of Dunkin' Donuts around the world are wasting leftovers while people in their communities go hungry. I think it's wrong to deprive people in need of food that Dunkin' Donuts no longer wants to sell. Instead, Dunkin' Donuts should direct their branches to donate to local food banks and other outlets that help feed the hungry," Lewis wrote on her petition.

According to Lewis, she learned that at one time, the Dunkin Donuts in Canaan was donating its leftovers to pig farmer to be used as pig feed.

Lewis acknowledges that the food at Dunkin Donuts is not the healthiest, but she said "there is no reason for perfectly good food to be thrown out in such large quantities."

[kuhio98]

Deputy Mascitelli stopped for a soda at Sunoco and ended up saving a man's life

Brooksville, Florida -- A deputy stopped by a gas station to get a drink and ended up saving a man's life.

Around 3 a.m. on Friday morning Deputy Mascitelli and Deputy Locke stopped at the Sunoco gas station on South Broad Street to get a soda. As the deputies left the store they saw a woman waiving her hands and yelling for help near one of the gas pumps.

The woman was next to a man holding his throat and turning pale -- it was evident he was choking.

Deputy Mascitelli began to perform the Heimlich maneuver while Deputy Locke called fire rescue. Eventually the food that was obstructing the victim's airway became dislodged.

After the man was able to breath normally paramedics were called off. The man and his wife thanked the deputies for saving his life.

[kuhio98]

Alabama Surgeon Walks Six Miles Through Snowstorm to Operate on Dying Man

As winter weather shut down highways and crippled portions of the South, one Alabama neurosurgeon made a heroic decision Tuesday not to let Mother Nature get in the way of life-saving treatment.

Dr. Zenko Hrynkiw, a 62-year-old brain surgeon (who has had a liver transplant), was working in Birmingham's Brookwood Medical Center when he was contacted by another hospital. There, a patient was desperate for emergency surgery for a traumatic brain injury.

Hrynkiw set off across town to operate, but his vehicle could only go so far in traffic and snow-stalled roads. His cell phone service went in and out as he tried to communicate with nurses. So he made a brave decision to get out and walk – for more than six miles, in a massive snowstorm – a feat that has earned praise at Trinity Medical Center where he operated, as a hero, NBC reported.

"He had a 90 percent chance of death, and the nurses and the ER physicians called me when I was walking and told me he was deteriorated and went into unconsciousness," Hrynkiw told the Associated Press about the desperate patient. "He was dying. If he didn't have surgery, he would be dead. It's not going to happen on my watch."

The determined physician made it to the operating room and his patient, according to the hospital, is now doing well.

"It was not just a walk in the park," Keith Granger, CEO of Trinity, told Alabama news site AI.com. Given what the doctor was up against, "it's a remarkable physical feat and mental feat. And we have an individual alive today who wouldn't be here if not for his efforts."

[kuhio98]

Papa John's donates pizzas before the big freeze

Gulfport, Mississippi ~ The freezing rain wasn't enough to stop Papa John's from feeding those in need. The pizza restaurant delivered free pies to several organizations across the Coast as the temperatures fell.

Papa John's manager Josh Green said he knew people could be shut in for several days due to the freeze and didn't want them to go hungry.

"It's a service to the community. I mean, these people deserve to eat just like anybody else, and we're in a position to give that to them, and that's what we're trying to do," said Green.

Debra Fox, director of the shelter, said that she was grateful to Papa John's for the donation.

"He came by to bless the shelter with something to eat and we're so glad about it," said Fox.

Sister Strengthening Sister wasn't the only organization that received the pizza donations. Green made sure his company stayed open long enough to deliver pizzas to police and fire departments, the Salvation Army, several churches and other homeless shelters.

After that, the pizza place shut its doors due to the weather.

[kuhio98]

'He wouldn't give up': Hero boy follows hunch to save elderly woman

Ten-year-old Danny DiPietro was on his way home from lacrosse practice with his dad on Saturday night when he thought he spotted a dog lying in the open garage of a condo complex near his home in Howell, Mich.

“It was really cold out and something didn’t seem right,” Danny told TODAY.com.

DiPietro’s parents assured him that no one would leave their dog out on such a frigid evening, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. After a bit of prodding, his mom, Dawn, agreed to investigate the garage for him.

“He wouldn’t give up,” Dawn, 44, told TODAY.com. “Thankfully, he was persistent.”

As Dawn walked up the driveway, she realized what Danny had seen was actually an elderly woman lying on the ground, waving her gloveless hands in the air for help.

The woman, 80-year-old Kathleen St. Onge, had been stuck in below-freezing temperatures for an hour and a half after slipping on a patch of ice in her garage. To make matters worse, she had lost her gloves and shoes in an attempt to scoot herself to the front of the garage, where she thought she would be spotted more easily. And a bitter wind was carrying snow inside.

“She said she had prayed to the Blessed Mother that someone would help her and find her,” St. Onge’s daughter Sandy St. Onge-Mitter told TODAY.com. “She knew she only had about an hour left. She thought she would be gone.”

Dawn immediately ran home and called 911. The DiPietros and a neighbor came back with blankets and chatted with St. Onge while she warmed up. When police arrived, she was rushed to a nearby hospital.

“I was amazed,” Danny said. “I just felt really good that she was okay.”

St. Onge was released on Wednesday afternoon after being treated for hypothermia and dehydration. Doctors told her family that she would not have survived an hour longer in the extreme cold.

“She’s grateful,” St. Onge-Mitter said. “She knows that if it wasn’t for Danny's persistency, she probably wouldn’t be here today. So he is a hero.”

St. Onge has yet to meet Danny in person, but her daughter says she “can’t wait.” The DiPietros had an opportunity to meet St. Onge-Mitter on Tuesday during an interview for local television.

“It was very emotional,” St. Onge-Mitter said. “Danny’s a remarkable boy, but his family should also be getting a lot of credit. They acted on his hunch. It was a family affair.”

The two families plan on staying in touch.

“We’ve made a life-long friend,” St. Onge-Mitter said.

[kuhio98]

Horse rescued in Hamilton after falling into pond

HAMILTON, Mass. (WHDH) -- - After nearly two hours, first responders were able to rescue a horse that had fallen into an icy pond in Hamilton.

The 1,800-pound horse, named Moon, had gotten loose early Saturday and was wandering through a swamp when it broke through the ice.

A couple and their son were out for a walk when they heard a noise, spotted the horse and dialed 911.

“We walked to the end of the road and came back and heard a sound,” said eyewitness Amy Cavilla.

Moon has a few bruises and was cold when she was finally able to get out of the water, but veterinarians said that she’s expected to be okay.

“She was able to stand and maintain her balance and walk into the barn. She is just freezing cold after two hours in the cold,” said an official on the scene.

[kuhio98]

Comforted by a Canine Angel
When a dog unexpectedly appeared in her husband's hospital room, she wondered why he was there. But not for long...
By Peggy Frezon, Rensselaer, New York

I huddled in the vinyl chair near the foot of the hospital bed. That man lying there, pale and still, monitors blinking all around him, oxygen tube clamped to his nose–I barely recognized him. How could that be Mike, the husband I’d relied on for 31 years?

My take-charge guy was battling multiple blood clots in his lungs that had debilitated his body. The doctor said the worst was over. Now we just had to be patient.

But I’d made myself sick with worry, spending my days at the hospital and night after sleepless night at home, scared and completely on my own. For the first time in my life, I had no one to depend on.

We were one of those couples who did everything together.

At breakfast we did the daily crossword puzzle, sharing a pen. We went together to the gym, where we climbed aboard adjacent treadmill machines, plugged in our ear buds and watched the same show on TV. When Mike tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to the screen, I always knew exactly what he was thinking.

Mike was my rock. Lord, please help him get better. I feel all alone without him. A strange sound came from the hospital corridor. A sharp click-click-click-click on the linoleum floor drew nearer till it stopped outside Mike’s room. I did a double take. A dog loomed in the doorway.

I recognized the breed by his distinctive black and white coat highlighted by rust-colored markings–a Bernese Mountain Dog. The special collar distinguished him as a therapy dog. I gazed at Mike, awake but dazed.

I’d been a dog-lover all my life, but what could a therapy dog possibly do to help my husband? The dog seemed to read my thoughts. He had a job to do and he got to it.

Purposefully, he stepped into the room, handler in tow. I sat quietly watching this well-trained beauty. Maybe petting the dog’s soft fur will give Mike some small comfort.

As the dog headed toward Mike’s bedside, he suddenly stopped. He padded over to my chair and looked into my eyes. With that, the dog nudged his head against my waist, as if asking for a hug. I put my arms around him and buried my face into his thick, velvety fur till I felt the gentle pulsing of his heart.

I am here, its rhythm seemed to say.

My whole body relaxed. My stress lifted away. Mike smiled from the bed. The dog let me hold him for as long as I needed to. When I finally released him, he put his paw on my knee and looked up at me. I turned to his handler. “How did he know that I was the one who needed him?”

“Gabriel always knows,” she said.

I stroked the dog’s neck. Gabriel. My angel dog. The Lord knew how to soothe me. He’d keep me strong while my husband regained his health. On that I could depend.

[kuhio98]

Yard sale raises over $10,000 for fire victims

Brooksville, Florida - From t-shirts to golf clubs, Papa Joe's Yard Sale in Brooksville had overwhelming support from the community this weekend.

Papa Joe's is raising money to help its employees, who lost their jobs after the mom and pop restaurant was destroyed in a fire on Jan. 24.

The event was so successful on Saturday, the restaurant's owners, Joseph and Donna Giarratana, decided to hold it again on Sunday. They wound up raising more than $10,000.

"They bring items and they go away with items. So, it's just great. They just really do whatever they can do to show support," said Papa Joe's owner Joseph Giarratana.

"It means a lot. The community kicked in and put a lot to us. I've been here 25 years and I don't have anything. So hopefully he'll come back pretty soon," said former employee Teresa Mott.

The owners tell 10 News they will rebuild, but they don't know when or where.

Papa Joe's will hold another fundraiser in two weeks on Feb. 16. It will be at the Spring Lake Methodist Church in Brooksville from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.

[kuhio98]

Lenexa teen recognized for pulling 53 cars from snow for free

LENEXA, Kan. - As the snow storm blew through the area Tuesday night , most of us were fast asleep, but Andrew Flood of Lenexa, Kan., was hard at work.

The 19-year-old spent the entire night pulling cars out of the snow. He was out in the cold so long that the bottom of his jeans had frozen solid and by the time the sun came up, he had helped 53 people.

Andrew's work was done completely as a volunteer. He didn’t ask or take a dime from any of the people he helped, but his good deeds aren't going without recognition.

When 41 Action News featured Andrew on Wednesday's morning show, Mary Montgomery-Shatz was watching. She is the director of operations for LongHorn Steakhouse and gave Flood a $200 gift card.

Flood was stunned and said he just likes helping people.

"Sometimes people don't have money for road side or towing," Flood said. "For us to show up and help them out, families they appreciate that. If it's their daughter or son and they're stuck out in the middle of nowhere, they like to know the feeling that people are out there willing to help them."

His father Brad Flood couldn't be more proud.

Flood plans on maintaining that spirit of helping others. He's currently studying to become a paramedic.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...2026189&type=1