Today's Good Newsz Only Quote of the Day...

Sebastian was told he couldn't use his walker in a road race - so he started his own...

Sebastian, who is a very determined 19 year-old living with Cerebral Palsy, tried to enter a race as a contestant in 2009 but the organizers wouldn’t allow it. He then decided with his therapist and 30 other special needs children to organize their own all-inclusive race.

The hardworking young man trained with his walker for three years until he finally achieved his goal of walking 1.5 miles.

“It bothers me to be told I can’t do anything,” says Sebastian, who is quadriparesic (has muscle weakness affecting all four limbs).

Three annual races so far have raised money for a summer camp funded by Centro María de los Ángeles (CMA), a non-profit organization in Puerto Rico founded in 2001. It began as an effort by parents whose kids have functional disabilities caused by diseases like CP or spina bifida. Its goal was to organize a summer camp that offers individual assistance and group participation in structured recreational activities adapted to their conditions. These include art, dance, swimming, gymnastics, and field trips — like the experiences that most children enjoy in a summer camp.

The camp, named VIDALEGRE, is probably the only summer recreational option for these 30 kids who work hard through therapies during the entire year. They also go to school to maximize their potential and achieve some degree of functional independence. VIDALEGRE improves quality of life in all of Puerto Rico by giving these kids the opportunity to go out and share in a protected environment, so they can be part of their communities, contributing with their unique skills and talents.

“We’ve been doing this race for three years now and it’s been very inspirational for everybody involved,” Sebastian’s mother, Nora Vallejo, told the Good News Network. “This year was very important for us because after trying for two years, Sebastian finally achieved his goal of walking the entire 3K.”

Ford Motor Co. sponsored the race and created a website where you can see that the video has been viewed in 96 countries, so far. The site www.endlessrace.com collects donations for virtual miles run in a never-ending contest they are calling the Endless Race.

Miss South Texas Keli Kryfko - from "fat Girl to Beauty Queen...

Nine years ago, Keli Kryfko could barely do push-ups.

Now, the Miss South Texas pageant queen is dreaming about becoming Miss America.

The 23-year-old Houston woman says her 100-pound transformation wasn't the result of a trendy diet or expensive fitness classes. Instead, she says, she used a bully's taunts to stay motivated to make small changes to her lifestyle.

Kryfko weighed in at about 230 pounds and wore a size 24 back in the eighth grade. She remembers feeling left out in middle school. It was hard to make close friends. At one point, she asked someone to a school dance and was rejected right away. She was also unable to do things other middle school kids dream about, like becoming a cheerleader or starring in the school musical.

"I wasn't in the right body for that," Kryfko told The News. "And I definitely wasn't in the right mindset. I didn't treat myself well."

KELI KRYFKO AND ZAC GRIMALDO'It was small, incremental changes," Kryfko said about her weight loss.

She isn't alone. According to a 2010 study published in the journal Pediatrics, obese children are 63% more likely to be bullied than their peers who are of a healthy weight. And obese children are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety or loneliness.

Kryfko remembers taking a fitness test for gym class and failing all the requirements. She couldn't do sit-ups or push-ups, and she couldn't finish running a mile.

"I wasn't able to do any of it and it was so embarrassing," Kryfko said. "So I went back into the locker room hoping no one would notice and I overheard these girls saying, 'Can you believe the fat girl couldn't do any of it?'

"And I realized, oh my gosh, they're talking about me," she continued. "I didn't want that to be my definition. I'm much more than those names that people are calling me."

'I was an emotional eater,' said Keil Kryko, who has come a long way since being bullied as 'the fat girl.'

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KELI KRYFKO

She started out small: first cutting out her favorite sugary drink, Dr. Pepper.

"That is still my toughest breakup to date," Kryfko said.

Then, she took aim at fatty foods. She started ordering Taco Bell tacos without the cheese. From there, she started cutting out fried foods and made sure to stick to healthy portions. Then, she added in exercise.

"It was small, incremental changes," Kryfko said. "That's the most important thing — not fighting it."

Kryfko says she likes to work out at the gym for at least an hour every day. Her favorite way to work out is to take classes like Zumba, hot yoga or hip hop aerobics.

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CBS

In a year and a half, she lost about 70 pounds. Now, she weighs about 129 pounds.

"It's an ongoing transformation," Kryfko said. "I'm still trying to get that six pack."

She tries to prepare meals by herself whenever possible, but she makes sure to eat healthy whenever she goes out. She likes trying to eat out at Chinese food restaurants and asking for simple clean foods, like steamed chicken and broccoli.

"People need to be comfortable enough to know that it's okay to be picky when you order your food," Kryfko said. "To ask for meals to be prepared without butter, for example."

Today's Good Newsz Only Quote of the Day...

Injured Veteran gets a lift home from the cops - they push him for a mile after his scooter breaks down...

A Vietnam veteran injured in the line of duty was about to have a lousy Memorial Day weekend when his motorized scooter broke down on a sidewalk in San Diego on Sunday.

Two police officers, Eric Cooper and Milo Shields, spotted 67-year-old Gil Larocque waving for help. And when they couldn't get the scooter started, they decided to push Larocque all the way home, a distance of about a mile.

“He told the other officer, ‘Are you up for a walk?’" Larocque told Fox San Diego. "The other officer said, ‘Yeah.’ They gave me a push all the way home. If it weren’t for them, I don’t know what I would have done."

The San Diego Police Department posted a video of the push on its Facebook page:

Post by San Diego Police Department.

The police department said Larocque needs the scooter due to injuries sustained in combat.

“I got back all messed up,” Larocque told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “My legs.”

"The least I could do was push him, you know. That's the least I could do," Shields told 10News. "He's sacrificed and given so much to this country."

Larocque told Fox the scooter has a 20-mile range, but he had only gone three miles before it lost power. Larocque also told 10News he needs the device to run errands for himself and his father, a 90-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor.

“About halfway through, we realized it was Memorial Day weekend,” Cooper told the Union-Tribune. “We would have done it for anyone, but we definitely wanted to get that guy home.”

The scooter is being repaired.

It's a tie - National Spelling Bee has two winners for first time in 50 years....

Sriram Hathwar and Ansun Sujoe correctly spelled so many words Thursday that the Scripps National Spelling Bee had to declare them both winners.

Why? Because there weren't enough words left on the competition's list for them to keep facing off until only one was left standing.

In the bee's final round, Hathwar, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Painted Post, New York, correctly spelled the word "stichomythia" -- dialogue especially of altercation delivered by two actors.

Sujoe, a 13-year-old seventh-grader from Fort Worth, Texas, correctly spelled the word "feuilleton" -- part of a European newspaper.

It's the first time the bee has ended in a tie in more than 50 years. The last time there were co-champions was in 1962, organizers said. Ties also ended the bees in 1950 and 1957.

"I think we both know that the competition was against the dictionary, not against each other," Hathwar said on ESPN after the win. "I am happy to share this trophy with him."

The two quickly garnered praise from high office. President Obama tweeted his kudos: "Congrats to Ansun and Sriram, the incredible co-champs of the #ScrippsNationalSpellingBee. You make us all proud! -bo"

In this year's national championship, 281 spellers from eight countries competed for the title. The contest started Tuesday and finished up Thursday night with the finals broadcast live on ESPN.

Sujoe told ESPN that he got hooked on the bee by watching it on television. In addition to spelling, he has perfect pitch and plays piano, bassoon and guitar.

"I was pretty happy when I made the finals, and now I'm even happier that I'm a co-champion," Sujoe said.

Hathwar, who placed third in last year's competition and first made it to the National Spelling Bee as a second-grader in 2008, was a favorite to win this year's contest.

The youngest competitor this year was 8 years old. And the oldest was 15 years old, organizers said.

Even students who didn't walk away with a trophy seemed excited about their next steps.

Tejas Muthusamy, 11, said he'd return home ready to change his studying routine for future competitions.

"Now I'll prepare more for the finals, and try to go through more esoteric words," Muthusamy said, minutes after misspelling "hallenkirche" got him kicked out of the competition.

Eighth grader Kate Miller, who struck out in the finals when she misspelled the world "exochorion," said there's a lot she'll be bringing back to Abilene, Texas.

"I will take home with me a suitcase full of happy memories, great friends and a true feeling of acceptance," she told ESPN.

And she didn't hesitate when asked what her next move would be.

"I don't need to study spelling anymore, and I don't really need to sleep anymore," she said. "So I'm going to go home and watch every horror movie on which I can get my hands."

Today's Good Newsz Only Quote of the Day...

NFL star takes kids from children's hospital on a helicopter ride...to the Indy 500.

It didn't involve a Hail Mary pass -- it was just good luck.

Good Andrew Luck, that is. The Indianapolis Colts quarterback dropped in on the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, via helicopter, with two companions: MaKenzi Rooksberry, 11, and Johliel Austin, 14, both of whom attended on behalf of the Riley Hospital for Children.

On the ground Andrew Luck.@IMS Indy 500 pic.twitter.com/jUDsZKlIV5

— Dana HunsingerBenbow (@DanaBenbow) May 25, 2014

According to the Indianapolis Star, Luck also took the two kids for a lap in the pace car, telling the paper afterwards the experience was "a lot of fun."

The helicopter ride was particularly significant for MaKenzi, as the exact same chopper airlifted her to the hospital in 2013, after a traumatic sledding accident left her fighting for her life.

"A year ago we didn’t know if she was going to make it," MaKenzi's mom, Toni, recalled to the hospital's blog. The hospital adds the 11-year-old is now doing much better.

NFL.com reports Johliel was selected for the ride to represent "Change the Play," a fitness and nutrition program Luck developed with the hospital.

U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills has no arms and no legs..."I'm not wounded anymore - I'm just a guy living life"

Travis Mills has no arms or legs. He is an American hero who served three tours in Afghanistan and lost all his limbs when a bomb exploded under him.

"How I survived, I have no idea," he said. "I was yelling at the medic, 'Get away from me,' because I thought I was done."

The retired United States Army staff sergeant spent months 

recuperating at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, but don't dare call him a wounded warrior.

"I'm not wounded any more," he said. "I'm just a guy living life."

Recalling comrades killed in combat, he asks: "How selfish would it be if I gave up?"

He snowboards, bikes and recently jumped out of an airplane with the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team.

And now, he has a new admirer in Mike Rowe, the star of "Dirty Jobs" and the upcoming CNN series "Somebody's Gotta Do It." He met Mills a few weeks ago at a conference in Washington and wrote a Facebook postabout their exchange to honor him this Memorial Day. As of Monday night, the post had more than 90,000 shares on Facebook.

"He has a motto: Never give up - never quit. He has a Foundation. He's featured in a new documentary. He also has a wife and a kid, and a deeply personal commitment to help other wounded vets cope with their injuries." Rowe wrote. "But when I asked why I hadn't seen him in any of the typical commercials and PSA's for wounded veterans, his answer was stunning. He said he didn't consider himself to be wounded. 'I'm not a victim, Mike. And I refuse to be portrayed that way. Case closed.'"

Rowe ended his candid post by reflecting on the holiday meant to honor America's military fallen.

"That's called a gut-check, and I could use one from time to time. Especially on Memorial Day, when the biggest decisions I face are what to grill and which type of frosty beverage to enjoy. This year, as I resolve these and other important issues, I'll think of Travis Mills."

Today's Good Newsz Only Quote of the Day...

Heather Dorniden proves its not how you fall its how you pick yourself up...

An inspiring runner has proven yet again that success and failure are not measured by how you fall, but by how you pick yourself up.

In 2008, Heather Dorniden, then a celebrated runner for the University of Minnesota, was leading the pack during the final heat of the 600-meter race at the Big Ten Indoor Track Championships. There was about 200 meters of the race to go when Dorniden tripped, landing hard on her face.

But instead of throwing in the towel, the young woman jumped back onto her feet and began sprinting around the track, rapidly gaining speed.

“I knew team points were close, so there was never any doubt that I would finish the race,” Dorniden said in 2008, per the University of Minnesota Alumni Association website. “Luckily it was a home meet, so my whole team, my parents, and fans gave me so much energy. I heard the announcer say, ‘Watch out for Heather Dorniden.’ I thought, yeah, watch out for Heather.”

Incredibly, Dorniden managed to zip past her competitors, finally crossing the finish line in first place.

"That last 50 meters, I hit a gear that I never knew I had," Dorniden said, according to a 2009 post on the University of Minnesota website.

Though the race happened years ago now, the athlete's incredible show of perseverance continues to move all those who witness it.

Last week, Distractify.com unearthed the video of Dorniden's astonishing 600-meter race, prompting a viral resurgence of the clip.

"I can't believe how she handled what could've destroyed her," the site wrote on its Facebook page.

In the end, Dorniden clinched second place in the 600-meter finals at the 2008 Big Ten Indoor Championships. As a team, the University of Minnesota clinched the title of Big Ten Women's Champion.

(To get right to the action, start the video above at 1:10.)

Naval SEAL commander William H. McRaven delivers 10 life lessons in University of Texas commencement speech...

U.S. Navy Admiral William H. McRaven, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, gave the commencement speech at his alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin, last week.

The speech contained 10 life lessons that he supported with stories from his years as a Navy SEAL.

“And while these lessons were learned during my time in the military, I can assure you that it matters not whether you ever served a day in uniform. It matters not your gender, your ethnic or religious background, your orientation, or your social status. Our struggles in this world are similar and the lessons to overcome those struggles and to move forward—changing ourselves and the world around us—will apply equally to all.”

Today's Good Newsz Only Story of the Day...

Man's best friend...Greg Mahle has traveled more than 1 million miles to save over 2000 dogs.

Everyone likes a road trip. Especially the nearly 80 dogs whose lives Greg Mahle saves every time he embarks on one.

Twice a month for the past decade, Mahle has taken a five-day, 4,200-mile road trip, one that takes him from his home in Ohio, south to Houston, then north all the way to Connecticut and New York, before heading back to Ohio. The "Today" show notes that's more than 1 million miles, or 42 times around the world in total.

On the southernmost stretch of his journey, Mahle collects around 80 dogs facing imminent euthanasia, then delivers them to pre-arranged homes in the north.

Mahle's company, Rescue Road Trips, saves an estimated 2,000 animals from euthanasia each year, reports the Associated Press.

"You see the worst of people and you see the worst situations in the beginning when you’re picking the dogs up ... By the time you get to New England, though, you have people crying for these dogs, these dogs who have never had anyone to cry for them,” Mahle told Ohio's Zanesville Times Recorder.

He added that the South has a larger stray dog problem than the North due to what he describes as a culture that doesn't believe in (or enforce) spaying and neutering animals.

Along the way, an army of volunteers meet Mahle's semi-trailer full of dogs, helping feed, walk, water and play with the animals. Mahle charges $185 per animal, which is just barely enough to cover his cost for fuel, maintenance, dog food and trailer cleaning after every trip.

Though he isn't getting rich off the endeavor, Mahle told the "Today" show it's fulfilling work. "I like the world I've created," he said in a recent segment. "I'm happy in it."

"Hidden Cash" - an anonymous person is hiding cash all over San Francisco...

If you live in San Francisco, be on the lookout for some mysterious white envelopes -- they may contain $100 bills.

An anonymous person is dropping off sums of money around the city and then tweeting hints about the locations in a project called "Hidden Cash."

Could you and 25 of your friends use a @Sightglass Coffee? Look in the abandoned phonebox next door. pic.twitter.com/tzh9Ffk6dt

— Hidden Cash (@HiddenCash) May 23, 2014

Why not use this to tip your @YogaToThePeople teacher this morning? 🙏 (Find it under the key box) pic.twitter.com/0ERUndkajF

— Hidden Cash (@HiddenCash) May 23, 2014

The person behind Hidden Cash told The Huffington Post that the project will soon expand to other cities.

"I am OK with giving out at least $1000 a day for the foreseeable future. It will not affect my finances significantly," he or she wrote in an email. "We are planning to add more cities, starting with LA next weekend, and NYC shortly afterwards."

The donor said they "want to start a nationwide movement" around this anonymous charitable giving.

According to the Bold Italic, which also interviewed to the man or woman behind the project, the Hidden Cash benefactor is a real estate magnate who wants to give back to the community.

“I’ve made millions of dollars the last few years, more than I ever imagined, and yet many friends of mine, and people who work for me, cannot afford to buy a modest home in the Bay Area,” the person told the Bold Italic. “This has caused me quite a bit of reflection. I am determined to give away some of the money I make, and in addition to charity, to do it in fun, creative ways like this.”

After each money drop, a tweet goes out from @HiddenCash with hints about the location of the envelope. @HiddenCash also requests that the lucky recipients tweet photos of their discovery.

The person behind the campaign told HuffPost that she or he is maintaining anonymity for fear of "business associates who may take me less seriously."

He or she also told the Bold Italic that part of the inspiration for the project was staggering wealth inequality in San Francisco. (The city has the largest wealth gapof any city in the country.)

It will probably take more than a few cash-stuffed envelopes to address the broader causes of the wealth gap that the person behind @HiddenCash is concerned about. Nevertheless, it's a clever, generous idea and is definitely brightening the days of some lucky San Francisco residents.