The good guys thread

[kuhio98]

RANDOLPH (CBS) – They are the gifts Mike Grinnell and his family wanted, but didn’t think they could afford.

“It means a lot to give my son something for Christmas when we’ve struggled so much,” Grinnell says.

A toy crib for his niece, an activity play set for his 18 month old son Aiden and a tablet for his wife. More than Mike could afford right now, but suddenly they are here on his table, and he doesn’t even know who to thank.

“I just want them to know what they did matters and what they have chosen to do with money is an amazing thing,” Grinnell says.

He put the stuff on layaway at Walmart for Christmas, and he didn’t think he would be able to afford it, until Walmart called him and left him a message. They told him someone acting as a Secret Santa paid off his bill and he was free to come get his toys.

“We were shocked and floored and almost didn’t believe it,” Grinnell said.

This father couldn’t believe his luck because they haven’t had much of it lately.

“My wife’s been out of work fighting Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and so I’ve been working various second jobs to make ends meet,” he said.

But now, thanks to a stranger who calls himself Santa, this dad won’t have to work extra shifts, to give his family a Christmas this year.

“It’s just amazing cause the tough time we’ve had the couple last years, it’s really nice and a sigh of relief the presents are all set this year,” he said.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/video?aut...lipId=10929626

[kuhio98]

27-Year-Old Donates All Scratch-Off Ticket Winnings To Animal Shelter

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A 27-year-old who won $500 on a scratch-off lottery ticket, is giving all his winnings to the city shelter at Dallas Animal Services.

Bryce Vucekovich surprised shelter workers on Saturday, when he arrived with a pickup truck loaded down in food, litter and other necessities for the dogs and cats living there.

“I always kind of told myself, I always want to give to them if I ever come across extra money,” he said.

Vucekovich, who lives in The Colony, says he was inspired to give to the Dallas shelter because he found his own shelter dog, a three-legged mix named Fred, there last Christmas.

“I don’t think anybody wants to adopt a three-legged dog, but I made a bee-line for him,” says Vucekovich, who also owns a one-eyed dog. “That’s my goal in life is to have a bunch of adopted rescue dogs.”

With more than 600 dogs and cats waiting to be adopted or fostered, the shelter is always in need of donations, says manager Teresa Cleek.

She says Vucekovich’s donation is heart-warming, especially in this season of giving.

Vucekovich says he never considered keeping his winnings – he always told himself if he ever had extra money on hand, he’s pay it forward to the shelter.

“Just the mass amount of animals they have there, it can’t be easy to manage all them,” says Vucekovich.

It’s a blessing to say the least, for the shelter, which stays at capacity most of the year.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/video?autoSt...lipId=10933657

[kuhio98]

'Layaway Angel' Pays for $20,000 Worth of Toys

Linda got the surprise of her life on Wednesday when Toys 'R' Us called her to let her know that the gifts she'd put on layaway had been paid off – by a stranger.

The "layaway angel," as she is being called, spent $20,000 at a Bellingham, Massachusetts branch of Toys 'R' Us, paying off more than 150 accounts, the Milford Daily News reports.

"I thought, 'You have to be kidding me,' " Linda told the paper of the moment when she heard the news. "I almost wanted to cry. It was only $50, but to me that's a lot of money, and that someone would go and do that gave me chills."

She added: "What she did was so caring and thoughtful. I feel like I was part of something special – touched by an angel."

The individual in question wishes to remain anonymous, but employees describe her as "bubbly older woman" who said that she would "sleep better at night" by doing the good deed.

And she's not the first: So-called 'Layaway Santas' are on the rise after a story by the Associated Press highlighted the do-gooders in 2011.

[kuhio98]

Girl battling rare cancer inspires local high school

EAST BOSTON (WHDH) - A sick little girl is inspiring a lot of people and on Tuesday, it paid off.

Three-year-old Alisha Savage is battling a rare form of brain cancer. Her family decided to move all the way from Ireland to Boston to get the best treatment they could.

She’s only 3 years old, but Alisha has already had an impact on so many lives.

“It touched our hearts. It's very special to use. We went through ordeals like this,” said Robert Anthony, hockey coach.

Alisha and her family moved to Boston last month so that she can receive treatment for AT/RT, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer.

When members of the East Boston High School hockey and baseball teams heard about Alisha's story, then knew they wanted to help.

“So many of us have been touched by cancer…we came to the decision to donate the money to her,” said Anthony Bruno, senior.

A $5,000 donation; money the teams raise every year to go towards cancer research, but this year they voted unanimously to give the money to Alisha and her family.

“I don't think words can describe it. To come from as far as we have and to receive this kind of response is amazing,” said John Savage, Alisha's father.

John Savage and his family don't have insurance, so they are paying for Alisha's treatments out of their own pocket and it's going to be a long and expensive battle.

“We're more than appreciative of the funds and she's gonna need them. Hopefully we can get the result we're all looking for,” said John Savage.

It's a big check for this little girl with a big heart as she continues her fight against this horrible disease.

[Karen]

Aww, that's good! Gotta love when kids step up, especially a hockey team, as they do not have the best reputation in general!