#StayKind (post from Frank Somerville KTVU)
This is Deborah Greene with her father.
10 months ago he committed suicide.
She learned about his death in the middle of a Whole Foods store.
She says she will never forget how the people in the store helped her that day.
And she just wrote an open letter to them that was printed in themighty.com
Dear Strangers,
I remember you.
10 months ago my cell phone rang with news of my father’s suicide.
My brother was telling me my father was dead, that he had taken his own life early that morning and through his own sobs, I remember my brother kept saying, “I’m sorry Deborah, I’m so sorry.”
And as we hung up the phone, I started to cry and scream as my whole body trembled.
Overwhelmed with emotions, I fell to the floor, my knees buckling under the weight of what I had just learned.
And you kind strangers, you were there.
You could have kept on walking, ignoring my cries, but you didn’t.
No, instead you surrounded me as I yelled through my sobs, “My father killed himself. He killed himself. He’s dead.”
I remember in that haze of emotions, one of you asked for my phone and asked who you should call.
What was my password?
You needed my husband’s name as you searched through my contacts.
I remember I could hear your words as you tried to reach my husband for me, leaving an urgent message for him to call me.
I recall hearing you discuss among yourselves who would drive me home in my car and who would follow that person to bring them back to the store.
You didn’t even know one another, but it didn’t seem to matter. You encountered me, a stranger, in the worst moment of my life and you coalesced around me with common purpose — to help.
In my fog, I told you that I had a friend, Pam, who worked at Whole Foods and one of you went in search of her.
Thankfully, she was there that morning and you brought her to me.
She took me to the back, comforting and caring for me until my husband could get to me.
And I even recall as I sat with her, one of you sent back a gift card to Whole Foods; though you didn’t know me, you wanted to offer a little something to let me know that you would be thinking of me and holding me and my family in your thoughts and prayers.
That gift card helped to feed my family, when the idea of cooking was so far beyond my emotional reach.
I never saw you after that.
But I know this to be true: If it were not for all of you, I might have simply gotten in the car and tried to drive myself home.
I wasn’t thinking straight, if I was thinking at all.
If it were not for you, I don’t know what I would’ve done in those first raw moments of overwhelming shock, anguish and grief.
But I thank God every day I didn’t have to find out.
Your kindness, your compassion, your willingness to help a stranger in need have stayed with me until this day.
And no matter how many times my mind takes me back to that horrible life altering moment, it is not all darkness.
Because you reached out to help, you offered a ray of light in the bleakest moment I’ve ever endured.
You may not remember it.
You may not remember me.
But I will never, ever forget you.
And though you may never know it, I give thanks for your presence and humanity each and every day.
–Deborah Greene
As sad as this story is, it’s also so refreshing to me how everyone jumped in to help.
I’ve always believed that down inside people are good.
And I’ve always found that when things are at their worst, it tends to bring out the best in people.
Just ask Deborah Greene
Handing Out Resumes (post from John Tesh)
Instead of asking for money – this homeless man handed out resumes – and landed a job!
For 2 years, Frederick Callison has been living on the streets – ending up outside a Smart & Final in Sacramento, California.
That’s where Michael Marteen noticed him, while shopping with his fiancee and two daughters.
Michael was impressed that he wasn’t asking for money – just food and a job. And he also had his food handler’s certificate, Social Security card and ID on hand to show that he was serious about finding work.
So Michael gave him some food and posted Frederick’s picture and resume on his Facebook page. Well, it worked!
Someone came across the post and offered Frederick a job as a cook at a downtown restaurant called Pizza Rocks.
He now has a steady paycheck and is staying with a friend until he can afford a place of his own.
Michael Marteen says: “It’s easy to look at someone and not see anything but a homeless man, but after talking to him I realized he’s so much more than that. He’s a well spoken, cool and friendly guy who knows what he wants and is going after it.”
Awesome 5th Graders (post from John Tesh)
These 5th grade students give up recess once a week to learn American Sign Language, so they can communicate with their deaf classmate, Rhemy Elsey!
It’s been a few months since the club was formed and his classmates’ participation makes Rhemy really happy!
He says: “It’s like they want to be like me.”
So far, the club members have learned basic signs on different topics including school, food and clothing.
Nice job class!
Hero of the Day (post from John Tesh)
Hero Of The Day: Michigan Firefighter Ryan McCuen!
He used his own money to pay a family’s electric bill for $1,023!
McCuen went on a medical call earlier this month.
One of the residents, a child, needs to be connected to a ventilator to breathe, and had to be rushed to the hospital as the parents had fallen behind on their electric bill and improperly completed a medical waiver that would have prevented the disconnection.
As a new dad himself, McCuen was moved by the family’s situation so he anonymously paid for the full, $1,023 bill.
His kindness didn’t stay anonymous for long, though. His Fire Chief Michael Phy wanted to recognize the generosity, saying:
“I have not seen an individual be so monetarily generous. I, and the Administrative Staff, am very proud of Firefighter McCuen.”
McCuen also explained the situation to the electric company’s service representative and ensured keeping the family’s power on would be a priority.
Way to go!
Get To Bed By 11 (post from John Tesh)
Get to bed by 11pm – even if you’re a night owl – or you like Jimmy Fallon!
Research shows that getting to bed by 11pm – that one thing – can increase your energy and mood by as much as 400%!
That’s because getting sleep before midnight increases your brain’s production of mood-boosting serotonin and endorphins. That dials down your stress, increases your energy, and lifts your mood after only 2 days of getting to bed by 11pm.
