Daily good news about people, places, things, business, sports, technology and more...no wars, violence, gossip and car chases here - just the GOOD NEWSZ!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Brotherly love: Jeffrey Russell helps his sister Jessie (who has Lupus) complete the Boston Marathon...
Just when Jessie Russell was about to give up, her brother sprung into action.
The 26-year-old from West Bridgewater, Mass., has been dealing with the effects of lupus since her junior year of high school, according to the Boston Globe. Sunlight can worsen symptoms in people with lupus, but Russell didn't let that stop her from fulfilling her lifelong dream of running the full 26.2-mile Boston Marathon... and her supportive brother did everything to make sure that happened.
He followed along Russell's route, took pictures and cheered, but by the 14th mile, the sun was getting the best of her. Russell had spotted a medical tent in the distance and was ready to quit.
That's when her brother ran to a toy store, CBS Boston reported. He came back with an object that he hoped would help Russell finish the race.
Help came in the form of a child's blue umbrella covered in sharks to represent "her tenacity," Jeffrey, 30, told the Boston Globe.
"If you think it's just the sun," Jeffrey told his sister with the umbrella in hand, according the outlet. "I'll be your medical tent. I'll be your water stop."
The siblings took it slow for the next 12 miles as he held the umbrella above her head, giving her the shade she needed to finish #BostonStrong.
“I just love him," Russell told CBS Boston. "I absolutely could not have finished without him there."
Two year old Arianna Moore to get a new kidney from complete stranger Christy Harding...
When a Florida woman stumbled upon a Facebook page created in support of a 2-year-old who suffers from a rare genetic disorder that affects the kidneys, she felt the urge to get involved.
So Christy Harding reached out to the children's hospital in Minnesota where the toddler was being treated to see if there was anything she could do. There was:Arianna Moore needed a kidney and, as luck would have it, Harding was a match, according to ABC News.
While Harding may have been a complete stranger who lived more than 1,500 miles away, she was compelled to do what she could to help save the 2-year-old girl's life. That's why, on May 7, the 37-year-old will travel to Minneapolis to donate one of her kidneys to Arianna, WKRN-TV reported.
"I have a 2-year-old daughter, and that's probably one of the biggest reasons," Harding told KMSP-TV to explain the reasoning behind her decision. "When my husband and I were talking, we knew that if it were her, we would want everyone in the world to try and save her."
Diagnosed with diffuse mesangial sclerosis shortly after birth, Arianna has undergone dialysis for about 10 hours a day, every day, for the past two years. Though her kidneys failed when Arianna was about 7 weeks old, none of the potential donors, including Arianna's blood relatives, were a match. So Arianna's family turned to social media to share her plight.
Now, nearly two years later, Harding has answered their call and offered up her own kidney for donation.
"Christy emailed me to let me know she was the one donating," Arianna's mother, Ashley Booth, told ABC News. "I was in tears reading her email to me. It was pretty crazy. All I can do is cry every time I think about it."
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
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ESPN host Michelle Beadle attends prom with paralyzed hockey player Jack Jablonski...
It was a very special prom night for Jack Jablonski.
The teen, who was paralyzed during a hockey game in late 2011, asked ESPN2 host Michelle Beadle to attend his high school dance with him during a radio interview in March -- and she said "yes."
So, on April 25, Beadle flew to Minnesota to meet Jablonski for his senior prom the next evening.
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) April 26, 2014
Beadle dined with Jablonski's family before the big event on Saturday, and even rode a school bus to Benilde-St. Margaret's dance with fellow prom-goers.
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) April 26, 2014
Apparently, the school made an exception so the 38-year-old sports reporter could attend.
"I’m happy that the school actually allowed me because I know they’re very, they’ve got some really good rules here. And, so it’ll be fun. I get to go on a school bus. Hello, it’s going to make me young again," Beadle told local CBS affiliate WCCO.
It seems Jablonski had a great evening with his special prom date:
@MichelleDBeadle thank you so much for going out of your way and making my senior prom! Can't thank you enough! You're the best!
— Jack Jablonski (@Jabs_13) April 27, 2014
Dolphins come to the aid of long distance swimmer Adam Walker...
Long distance ocean swimmer Adam Walker was midway through his crossing of New Zealand’s Cook Strait when he saw a great white shark approach him from below. The British athlete was raising funds for a group focused on whale and dolphin conservation.
Suddenly, a pod of dolphins swam up and surrounded him, seemingly focused on human conservation.
A crew on his assist boat recorded the event and posted it on YouTube reporting that the dolphins stayed with Adam for more than an hour, close enough for him to touch.
“Incredible,” one woman is heard exclaiming as she recorded.
A swim coach, Walker is tackling the hardest 7 oceans in the world, “the Oceans Seven” to raise money and awareness for Stop Whaling. He is set to be the first British person to complete the Oceans Seven and only four people in the world have completed it so far. With the English Channel, Gibraltar Straits, Catalina Channel, Molokai Strait, Tsugaru Strait and now the Cook Strait under his belt, Adams final swim of the seven takes place this August in the Irish Sea.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Waitress Melissa Manier gets huge tip from philanthropist Benjamin Olewine - and then continues to pay it forward.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -
College paid for with kindness? A Harrisburg area waitress received a life-changing tip from a loyal customer with a big heart and deep pockets.
Shuffling with his walker, Benjamin Olewine III gave Melissa Manier a big hug as he got off the elevator. Manier, a nurse, began chatting with Olewine about her job. The two sounded like they were long-time pals, but they're really just strangers.
A few years ago, Manier waited tables at the Peachtree Restaurant and Lounge in Susquehanna Township. She worked for tips in order to help pay her way through college. One day, Olewine went to his favorite restaurant and had Manier as his server.
"First, when he came in, I had no idea who he was," she said.
Unaware she was serving the area's biggest philanthropist, Manier chalked up Olewine's chatter as another friendly customer.
The World War II veteran became fond of Mainer's personality and demeanor – her determination.
On a typical day, the two described a life-changing conversation.
Manier: "I was working at the front desk."
Olewine: "I asked her about how she was paying for books…"
Manier: "I said, I have student loans but, [I am] gonna have to pay them back."
Olewine: "I said, 'Oh, well just give me the bill and I'll take care of them for you.' "
Manier: "At first, I didn't exactly understand what he meant."
Olewine: "She left me know how [paying for college] was a struggle."
Manier: "I was thinking, I do have a bill sitting on my desk right now. So, I was like ... well, I'll bring it in for you if that's what he's asking for."
The 25 year-old said she was skeptical at first, but Olewine paid off her outstanding debt and continued to pay every cent of her tuition bills and book expenses.
Manier said she was in disbelief and shock and felt undeserving of such fortune.
When asked how much this meant for her and her family, Manier broke down in tears.
"While I was in school, after he'd started paying for me, my dad passed away," she said. "I just keep thinking of him right now. He'd be so shocked and just so happy for me."
Mainer studied to become a nurse and earned her BSN through HACC. Her area of interest landed her a job out of school.
"I'm so happy I got the job here, because it's a perfect fit," she said.
Manier is now working as a nurse at PinnacleHealth's General Osteopathic Hospital in no other than the Benjamin Olewine III wing. Last October, the new patient floors were named in his honor after he donated many funds over the years to the spine, bone, and joint institutes.
"The real icing on the cake is that Melissa is working in that area," Olewine said.
To go from struggling waitress to a successful nurse with a new career is very surreal, according to Manier. She said to be debt-free at her age is still hard to grasp.
"Anytime I get a bill that he helps me with, I still feel strange asking him because he really doesn't know me," she said. "It's just crazy."
Mainer said she is currently enrolled in online classes through Drexel and will soon earn her bachelor's degree. Olewine has suggested she forward her education and earn a master's degree, all while flipping the bill.
Whether its karma, fate, or just the way things work out, the fact that Manier chose a field that focuses on helping others and paying it forward is not lost on the young woman.
"I think that's the most important part of the story, is that he helped me, so I just want to help everyone else," she said.
23 year old Cesar Larios acts as human bench for elderly woman after elevator gets stuck...
An employee from College HUNKS Moving and Hauling service in Florida proved that the company's motivation "to make the world a better place" is more than just a slogan.
A student from the Art Institute of Florida was performing a move for College HUNKS at an assisted living facility inside a 10-story building when the elevator got stuck.
"We were riding with a very nice elderly women," said Cesar Larios. "As soon as it got stuck the lady said she could not stand for extended periods."
So, what did Cesar do? He created a human bench for her.
"I offered to serve as a chair," the 23-year-old told his boss, who contacted the Good News Network. "She was so thankful."
For a full 30 minutes he sacrificed himself for her comfort, as shown in the photo taken by one Larios's workers.
"I thought this was a great example of old-fashioned service and helping your fellow neighbor," said Co-Founder & President of College HUNKS Nick Friedman in an email to us. "Our company mission is to Move the World both literally and emotionally, and this is an example of our brand coming to life."
HUNKS, which stands for Honest, Uniformed, Nice, Knowledgeable Students, has 52 franchise locations and is based in Tampa, Florida.
This motivated company doesn't simply employ "clean cut" college students, their training program, "HUNKS University." teaches them how to embody a leadership mindset and provide WOW service to keep the client stress-free.
Certainly Cesar Larios must have graduated Magna cum laude.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Brotherly Love - 10 year old Conner Long gets Miracle Recreation to build a wheelchair friendly playground so he and his 9 year old brother Cayden can play...
These siblings epitomize brotherly love.
Cayden Long, 9, has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. His family was accustomed to driving almost an hour away to use a playground he could access, Good Morning America reported.
Big brother Conner, 10, wasn't shy speaking out about the injustice. He voiced his opinions on a panel hosted by Miracle Recreation, a company that builds commercial playground equipment, mentioning how hard it was to find a playground that he and Cayden could both play on together.
His brave and honest words prompted a response. Miracle Recreation agreed to build a wheelchair-friendly playground in White House, Tenn., where the Long family resides.
The grounds, which officially opened earlier this month, is inclusive for all children wishing to have fun, regardless of physical disability. According to the brothers' community Facebook page, Conner named the playground A Roll Around the Park, in honor of Cayden.
This isn't the Long brothers' first time in the spotlight. Conner was initially invited to attend the Miracle Recreation panel because of his heartwarming efforts to include Cayden in the triathlons he competes in. The duo has never placed in the competitions, according to The Tennessean, but that doesn't matter. Conner guides his younger brother in the grueling contests, regardless -- Cayden rides on a trailer on land, and in a raft during the swimming portions.
"It’s not always about winning," Conner told the outlet. "It’s about having fun and crossing the finish line, and Cayden and I love to do it together."
The brothers' touching story of triumph inspired others from coast to coast, including NBA star LeBron James.
Conner and Cayden were Sports Illustrated Kids' 2012 SportsKids of the Year. You can learn more about their story and watch the brothers' beautiful acceptance speech below:
Jon Bon Jovi reaches out to those in need...
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jon Bon Jovi's hit tune "Who Says You Can't Go Home?" took on new meaning Tuesday as the rock star cut the ribbon on a namesake housing development for low-income residents and the formerly homeless in Philadelphia.
The 55-unit JBJ Soul Homes opened in the Francisville neighborhood after about 18 months of construction. Bon Jovi's Soul Foundation provided the lead gift for the $16.6 million complex, which he hopes will offer tenants the support they need to get back on their feet.
"This is not a handout, it's just a hand up," Bon Jovi said in an interview before the official ceremony. "This opportunity for them is special and it's not easy to come by."
The four-story building, which was financed by public and private funds, also includes retail and office space. Residents will receive social services from Project HOME, a nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness in Philadelphia. HOME stands for Housing, Opportunities, Medical and Education.
JBJ Soul Homes is "taking our work to a whole new level," said Project HOME co-founder Sister Mary Scullion.
The grand opening of the facility, which coincides with the agency's 25th anniversary, is part of an initiative to build 500 such units across the city, Scullion said. Two developments totaling nearly 200 units are scheduled for groundbreaking over the coming year, she said.
Residents of JBJ Soul Homes will have access to basic medical care, employment training and educational classes; they are required to contribute part of their income toward rent. Several units have been set aside for young adults to help them transition out of programs for homeless teens.
One new resident, 53-year-old Anthony Gulley, said he had been sleeping in a local park when outreach workers from Project HOME began talking to him. Although resistant at first, Gulley said he eventually agreed to come in from the cold.
He stayed at a couple of shelters and attended regular counseling sessions before qualifying for JBJ Soul Homes. He now hopes to get a barber's license.
"I'm getting myself back together, and this is a big, big step," Gulley said. "When they give you the help, you have to be willing to do what they ask you to do. It's beautiful."
Bon Jovi has previously shown brotherly love to the city's less fortunate, supporting the Covenant House for homeless youths and helping to rebuild dilapidated row houses in gritty north Philadelphia.
JBJ Soul Homes functions as a small but crucial safety net "by providing shelter and an integrated array of services to so many of Philadelphia's most vulnerable youth and adults," he said.
The first JBJ Soul Home was built in Newark, N.J. Bon Jovi's foundation has also worked in Detroit, Los Angeles and Louisiana.
The New Jersey native once co-owned the Philadelphia Soul arena football team.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Man misses bus...not a problem says the guy who pulled up next and offered him help.
How's that for a pick-me-up?
In the video above, watch as a motorcyclist helps a stranger catch an elusive bus.
"I was driving around and I saw a man trying to catch a bus which [he] obviously missed," reads the caption that accompanied this clip. "I stopped and ask the guy if he wanted a ride to the next bus stop and he climbed on my scoot. He told me that the bus stops there every one hour [all sic]."
It took a couple of attempts to get his passenger safely on the bus, but the motorcyclist was persistent, chasing down the bus as it barreled down the road.
"It was the Friday before Easter and I think the guy was going home," said the video caption. "The guy thanked me a lot."
The video, which was posted on YouTube Thursday, had racked up nearly 80,000 views by early Friday afternoon.
It's unclear where the video was captured, but some Redditors say it was likely shot in Romania.
Washington corrects an error, recognizes 92-year-old Marine Jesse James Jackson...
Congressman Bill Keating presented Jesse James Jackson of Plymouth with the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor for distinguished achievement, on Thursday, April 17. The ceremony recognized Mr. Jackson as one of almost 20,000 African-American United States Marines who trained at a segregated boot camp at Montford Point, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, between 1941 and 1949. The medal is considered equal to the Presidential Medal of Freedom, but it has been awarded far less often.
GREG DERR/ THE PATRIOT LEDGER
At right, Major Stanley Calixte, USMC, gives one of his “oakleaves” to Sgt. Jackson as Rep. Keating watches.
On June 23, 2012, Oak Bluffs resident C. J. “Cee Jay” Jones travelled to Washington to participate in a White House ceremony honoring the Montford Point Marines, and Sergeant Jackson read the account in the Martha’s Vineyard Times. He contacted the reporter who wrote The Times story to say that he was also a Montford Point Marine, but he had not been included in the Washington ceremony. With the reporter’s help, Mr. Jackson wrote President Obama, and the error was corrected.
The ceremony was held at the White Cliff Country Club in Plymouth. Mr. Jackson, tall and erect at 92, walked slowly through a tumult of applause to the front of the room, wearing a brand-new dress blue uniform and an enormous smile. The ceremony was attended by dozens of current Marines in dress uniforms, former Marines and other veterans, local politicians, and Mr. Jackson’s neighbors, friends and family.
During World War Two, the black Marines served with courage and distinction, and they were instrumental in the integration of the United States armed forces. Their military service also contributed materially to the civil rights movement, and many went on to become mayors, ambassadors, educators, lawyers, ministers, and doctors. Sergeant Jackson served in the Pacific theater and stateside. Honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 1946, Mr. Jackson went on to become a successful entrepreneur, owning a dozen businesses and some prime Boston real estate.
Montford Point
On June 29, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802, which forbade discrimination in the armed services. The prospect of the coming war meant that more soldiers, sailors, and marines would soon be needed, and one suspects that the President’s wife would have also supported this order as the right thing to do. However, 8802 did not end prejudice and segregation in the military. The Marines had to accept black recruits, but they didn’t have to treat them as equals. Montford Point, a part of the Marine training base at Camp Lejeune, N.C., was set aside as a segregated boot camp for the new men.
There were no black officers or any plans to create them. Their barracks were little more than huts. The black recruits experienced discrimination and scorn, both on base and off. Black Marines were not allowed on the main base unless accompanied by a white Marine.
One commandant told the recruits, “I’d rather have 5,000 white marines than 250,000 black marines.” After two years at Montford Point, in his farewell address, he apologized for his initial bias. “You are the finest men I’ve ever served with,” he told them.
GREG DERR/ THE PATRIOT LEDGER
Sergeant Jesse James Jackson, USMC, 92 years of age, received the Montford Point Marine Congressional Gold Medal, Thursday April 17.
In the first two years, the drill instructors were white, charged with training black drill instructors. By the time Mr. Jones and Mr. Jackson arrived (in different years), they were trained by the new black drill instructors. According to the Montford Point Marine Association, the black drill instructors were tougher on the recruits than the white ones had been, because they wanted the men to prove they were as good soldiers as whites, or better. Both men told The Times that their Montford Point experience taught them the value of honor, loyalty, and especially perseverance. “Don’t ever give up. Give a little extra effort, and you’ll be surprised what you can do.” Lessons they carried through life.
Friday, April 25, 2014
Grandfather James Flanagan's Final Letter To His Grandchildren Offers Life Lessons To All...
On Sept. 3, 2012, James K. Flanagan of West Long Branch, N.J., died unexpectedly of a heart attack. He wrote this letter to his five grandchildren just months earlier. It was reprinted in Huffington Post:
Dear Ryan, Conor, Brendan, Charlie, and Mary Catherine,
My wise and thoughtful daughter Rachel urged me to write down some advice for you, the important things that I have learned about life. I am beginning this on 8 April 2012, the eve of my 72nd birthday.
1. Each one of you is a wonderful gift of God both to your family and to all the world. Remember it always, especially when the cold winds of doubt and discouragement fall upon your life.
2. Be not afraid . . . of anyone or of anything when it comes to living your life most fully. Pursue your hopes and your dreams no matter how difficult or “different” they may seem to others. Far too many people don’t do what they want or should do because of what they imagine others may think or say. Remember, if they don’t bring you chicken soup when you’re sick or stand by you when you’re in trouble, they don’t matter. Avoid those sour-souled pessimists who listen to your dreams then say, “Yeah, but what if . . .” The heck with “what if. . .” Do it! The worst thing in life is to look back and say: “I would have; I could have; I should have.” Take risks, make mistakes.
3. Everyone in the world is just an ordinary person. Some people may wear fancy hats or have big titles or (temporarily) have power and want you to think they are above the rest. Don’t believe them. They have the same doubts, fears, and hopes; they eat, drink, sleep, and fart like everyone else. Question authority always but be wise and careful about the way you do it.
4. Make a Life List of all those things you want to do: travel to places; learn a skill; master a language; meet someone special. Make it long and do some things from it every year. Don’t say “I’ll do it tomorrow” (or next month or next year). That is the surest way to fail to do something. There is no tomorrow, and there is no “right” time to begin something except now.
5. Practice the Irish proverb: Moi an olge agus tiocfaidh si “Praise the child and she will flourish.”
6. Be kind and go out of your way to help people — especially the weak, the fearful, and children. Everyone is carrying a special sorrow, and they need our compassion.
7. Don’t join the military or any organization that trains you to kill. War is evil. All wars are started by old men who force or fool young men to hate and to kill each other. The old men survive, and, just as they started the war with pen and paper, they end it the same way. So many good and innocent people die. If wars are so good and noble, why aren’t those leaders who start wars right up there fighting?
8. Read books, as many as you can. They are a wonderful source of delight, wisdom, and inspiration. They need no batteries or connections, and they can go anywhere.
9. Be truthful.
10. Travel: always but especially when you are young. Don’t wait until you have “enough” money or until everything is “just right.” That never happens. Get your passport today.
11. Pick your job or profession because you love to do it. Sure, there will be some things hard about it, but a job must be a joy. Beware of taking a job for money alone — it will cripple your soul.
12. Don’t yell. It never works, and it hurts both yourself and others. Every time I have yelled, I have failed.
13. Always keep promises to children. Don’t say “we’ll see” when you mean “no.” Children expect the truth; give it to them with love and kindness.
14. Never tell anyone you love them when you don’t.
15. Live in harmony with Nature: go into the outdoors, woods, mountains, sea, desert. It’s important for your soul.
16. Visit Ireland. It’s where the soul of our family was born — especially the West: Roscommon, Clare, and Kerry.
17. Hug people you love. Tell them how much they mean to you now; don’t wait until it’s too late.
18. Be grateful. There is an Irish saying: “This is a day in our lives, and it will not come again.” Live every day with this in mind.
As was written in his obituary,”was proudly liberal and fought unyieldingly for the underdog. He was an accomplished author, poet, and seanchai — Irish storyteller; he reveled in recounting the joy of growing up Catholic in Jersey City and his adventures in the Adirondack Mountains and on the Western coast of Ireland. His greatest love was spending time with his family, most of all his five grandchildren” Ryan (11); Conor (10); Brendan (9); Charles (8); and Mary Catherine (5).“
Credit: Huffington Post
From the things I've read about Mr. James Flanagan, he very much lived by these words. And he is still very loved and missed by his family, friends, and students.
Man leaves 1000 tip to help with dog "Tucker's" surgery...
(CNN) - Good people, not to mention good tippers, do exist. Christina Summitt knows that for sure now after what happened Saturday night.
The paw-print tattoo on Summitt's wrist often leads to conversations with strangers about her love of animals; she's a volunteer with a pit bull rescue group and spends lots of time finding homes for animals of all kinds.
While tending bar at the Holiday Inn in Clinton, New Jersey, Summitt got to chatting with a friendly couple before the night got busy. The man asked her if she had dogs of her own; she confided that her "baby," a Great Dane-black Labrador mix named Tucker, was at the veterinary hospital after having emergency surgery hours earlier after he swallowed a hard plastic ball. She was worried about him.
The man said something about surgery being expensive. She confided the estimate was around $2,700, but she would do whatever she had to do for the dog, whom she adopted in 2011. Summitt, 37, works three jobs -- full-time as a chef at the hotel, Saturdays as a bartender, and as a food prep worker two days a week at a deli in her town. Her husband works full-time and Summitt has three stepchildren.
The couple ordered drinks and dinner at the bar. When it was time to close out their $80 tab, the man filled out the receipt with a tip -- for $1,000.
Summitt said she started shaking and crying. She showed the bill to her sister, who tends bar with her, to make sure she was seeing three zeros after the 1.
"I went back over and said 'Sir, I cannot accept this, what is this for, why would you do this?'" she said. He told her to put it toward Tucker's medical costs.
"I just stood there in shock. I walked around and hugged this couple. They said, 'We'll be praying for Tucker.'"
Hotel manager Michelle Satanik told CNN she followed up with her comptroller and also tracked down the customer this week to verify that the gesture was legitimate. CNN has attempted to contact the generous tipper through Summitt, who kept his name anonymous for his privacy.
"Apparently this man does this quite frequently. Just a really nice guy and humanitarian," Satanik said. "I have never ever seen a $1,000 tip like that."
Summitt shared the story on Facebook and CNN iReport with a photo of the credit card slip and a picture of Tucker being held by her 16-year-old stepson before they left the dog at the hospital for surgery. A Facebook page she follows called "Why Bartenders and Servers Hate People" reposted the story on Easter Sunday with this caption: "This is a place for us to vent but every so often, especially on holidays, we have to be thankful for the amazing customers that are out there."
Summitt says she's since gotten messages of support from all over the world.
"I would also love nothing more than to publicly thank this couple in front of the world. I've never seen a random act give so many people so much hope," she wrote.
Tucker is recovering at home.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Young and old blind people using echolocation to navigate similar to techniques used by dolphins...
Bats and dolphins use echolocation to navigate, but it’s not a technique generally associated with humans. While the process used to echolocate is different for humans than it is for bats and dolphins, BBC Earth found an extraordinary man named Daniel who uses echolocation to determine how far away objects are, the objects’ size, and other useful information to help him navigate…
But Daniel isn’t the only human using echolocation to guide him through his darkened world. 8-year-old Sam is also learning to do it, guided by his father, and it’s fascinating to observe him just five months into the process…
3 year old Emily James and "Rapunzel" give up their hair...
Three-year-old Emily James’ favorite princess is Rapunzel. Born with a full head of golden brown hair, which continued to grow and grow, Emily loved her locks as much as she loves sparkly dresses and all things girly.
But in a recent video that has gone viral, Emily shows her real princess powers of compassion and kindness. With encouragement from her parents, Emily decided to cut her hair and donate it to those in need — children who lose their hair to cancer.
Emily’s parents, Amy and Richard James, are filmmakers who live in Ontario, Canada, with their three children. When it became clear that Emily’s long hair was becoming impractical to care for, Amy James recalled her own decision in high school to donate her hair to an organization that made wigs for cancer patients.
Amy James
Emily James shows off her (and her doll's) new bob haircut.
James and her husband sat down with Emily and explained that some children are sick, and lose their hair as a result. Explaining that her haircut would have to be very short, James says they showed Emily pictures of children with cancer and talked about treatment, hair loss and the need for wigs.
Emily’s response? She was in — as long as her Rapunzel dolly could get a haircut, too.
Emily’s uncle, Matthew Collins, who co-owns a hair studio, cut Emily’s hair. In the video, Collins cuts and styles both Emily and her doll’s hair into stylish bobs, while Emily sweetly narrates the process
“I don’t want any kids to be sad that they have no hair,” she says. “What I want to do is give them my hair.”
James and her family have been “blown away” by the response that their video has received in the week since she posted it.
“We hope to instill an attitude of giving to all of our kids,” said James. “We want them to realize that everything we have is a blessing from God and it’s really important to give to others when we can.”
In the days since Emily’s haircut, James says that both she and her daughter are enjoying the ease of the shorter, simpler style. The six inches of hair Emily donated were sent to the Canadian Cancer Society, where it will be used to create a free wig for a pediatric cancer patient. James says she chose the organization for many reasons, one of which was that Emily would receive a thank-you note from the person who receives her donated hair.
“What we are most proud of as her parents is that Emily has accepted an opportunity to give what she had a lot of to others who could use it more,” said James. “Emily brings so much joy into our lives. She is spunky, rambunctious and keeps us laughing. We love that others are finding joy in her little spirit.”
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