positive news

Teen Gets Nike to Make Shoe for Disabled

Hmmm…….I really like this one.

One of Nike’s newest shoes, the LeBron Soldier 8 FLYEASE, may not be designed to be worn by professional athletes on the biggest stages in sports, but the shoe’s impact may be more important than any championship or trophy.

“I am currently 19 and in my second year of college,” Matthew Walzer, a teenager with cerebral palsy who helped to design the new shoes, told TODAY.com. “The shoes are the reason why I am able to go away to school on my own.”

Aha, that’s pretty much it. Read the story to understand Matt’s journey. I’ll leave you with quote that convinced me this was more than a fashion statement:

“It was the first time ever that I was able to put my own shoes on. I remember breaking down crying.”

 

Teen Helps Elderly Woman Walk

Kailen Young was just doing his job washing windows when he decided to help an elderly woman walk to her car. Someone took a picture, and the rest is viral history.

“I felt a little touch of heaven, that kindness and goodness in the world,” Clare (woman helped) told the WBIR of the teen’s help. “We need that so much, don’t we?”

That’s great. The man who took the picture had this to say:

“It spoke volumes. Black and white, male and female, young and old, all came together in one photo,” Yardley told HuffPost. “It was just a tender moment. … At the end of the day, it was a young person having enough compassion to help to help an older person.”

Stories like this are what this blog’s all about.

News: Man Uses Facebook to Save Life

This is a story that’s a little…odd…I mean…ugh, I just…it’s cool but there’s a problem I have with it. Anyway:

He (Chris Thomas) told The Huffington Post that he was attempting to get to the bathroom when his wheelchair caught the edge of a tall box just inside his bedroom. The heavy shelf in the box landed on his legs and tipped the chair over. He hit the back of his head hard on the linoleum, and when he tried to push up, he hit his head a second time. Thomas remembers little of the next hour, as he slipped in and out of consciousness.

So, Chris, while going in and out, needed help, and his smartphone became the only thing available to him. It just so happened that Facebook was open on the phone so he sent a message.

The response was rapid as his friends around the country dropped whatever they were doing and leapt into action. Out-of-state friends contacted in-state ones. In some cases, they didn’t know each other personally and all they had in common was Thomas.

Finally, as Thomas lay on the floor woozy and helpless, he saw his phone beeping and a text appeared. His friend Brad had summoned the EMT; help was coming.

This is great and all. But…if your phone was right there…I mean…he couldn’t call for anybody? I know he was drifting in and out but…I don’t know. It all worked out so that’s great. And I love putting Facebook in a positive light because people look at it as if it’s the worst thing in the world when it’s not.

 

Charity Opens Theater for Homeless

Friends of the Streets, a Russian charity, has set up a makeshift movie theater in a tent next to a homeless center. They’re letting the city’s homeless decide which movies they feature this summer. In an effort to help the homeless have more mainstream lives, Friends of the Streets plans to show at least one movie a month. The group has also opened a hair salon for the homeless and is organizing a soccer match for them this weekend.

Do I want to be homeless?

Anyway, check out the whole story.

Minion Saves Girl’s Life

Those Minions from the Despicable Me series have really made a name for themselves. Now, after a career of being bad, they are saving lives of the innocent.

The girl broke her arm, but Colorado Springs police say she held on to the toy and it cushioned her fall Thursday night. Police said the girl was playing in her room when she fell backward out her bedroom window. She dropped about three stories to the ground.

Five year old girl managed to fall out of window. I hope we can do something about that to make sure that isn’t likely to happen again. Yikes. But, her love for her Minion saved her life, apparently.

The Daily Positive: Policeman Helps Shoplifting Mother

help yourself

The title may seem off but it’s true. A mother was caught shoplifting and the policeman called to the scene decided to help this struggling mother of six.

Sarah Robinson, a mother of six from Kansas City, Kansas, went to a Walmart store earlier this month, after running out of diapers for her 2-year-old twin daughters, ABC News reported. The family had fallen on hard times after Robinson’s husband died a few years ago and without money to buy what she needed, the mother tried to steal diapers, wipes and shoes.

The officer listened to Robinson’s story and learned that the family had been struggling financially. After issuing Robinson a citation for theft, Engraville went into Walmart and used his own money to purchase the items the family needed, The Kansas City Star reported.

But it doesn’t stop there.

Following the incident, Police Chief John Morris and Sgt. Randy Costlow helped Robinson set up a bank account, Prairie Village Post reported. And as the news of Engravalle’s good deed spread, local radio stations also got involved in helping the family. Hosts of KMBZ’s radio show “Dana and Parks” put out a call for donations and brought in more than $6,000 for the family. KCMO, another station, organized a donation drive to collect some basic essentials for the family as well as other monetary donations.

Take a look at the entire story.