Author: Darby Jones

Over $170k Raised in 24 Hours for Mother and Three Daughters Facing Eviction
On Monday, Aug. 2, Dasha Kelly was facing eviction and unsure how to pay her back rent. On Tuesday, Kelly was sitting on her couch, one of the only pieces of furniture left in her Las Vegas apartment, when she was told how much money was raised. “I just want to tell everybody thank you so much,” said Kelly, with tears rolling down her face. “I’m still in denial.” Last year, Kelly lost her job as a card dealer when casinos were forced to close due to the pandemic, and she has struggled to stay on top of her rent payments since. She started a GoFundMe page Monday night, hoping to raise $2,000 to cover the back rent she owed. “I had no idea what we were going to do,” said Kelly. Within 24 hours, the fundraising campaign had reached over $172,000 from more than 2,700 donors. The campaign just reached $225,000 in donations from approximately 3,800 donors. Kelly plans to deposit the money into savings accounts for her three daughters. She also plans to pay the remainder of her apartment lease and pay it forward for others. “It gave me a lot of hope,” Kelly told CNN. “And I just want to make sure I do the best that I can to help the next person that is in my same situation.”

Taylor Swift Brings Simone Biles to Tears With Touching Tribute
Taylor Swift narrated an inspirational video for NBC's broadcast of the Tokyo Olympics ahead of the balance beam final. In the video, Swift called Simone Biles a “hero” for all she has done in Tokyo. “What do we want from our heroes? What do we expect from them? What do we need from them?,” Swift says in the spot. “What happens when they surprise us? When you have the attention of the world, everything you do takes on a bigger meaning. It can be a heavy burden. It can be a chance to change everything.” The video shows Biles discussing putting “mental health first.” She had withdrawn from the gymnastics team final, citing needing to prioritize her mental health. She then withdrew from the all-around competition or the finals for vault, uneven bars or floor exercise. Then, she announced that she would be returning for the balance beam finals. “Throughout the last week her voice has been as significant as her talents. Her honesty is as beautiful as the perfection that had long been her signature,” Swift continues. “But don’t you see? It still is. She’s perfectly human, and that’s what makes it so easy to call her a hero. Simone Biles, back on the beam in Tokyo.” Following the publishing of the video clip, Biles tweeted, “I’m crying. How Special. I love you @taylorswift13.” Swift then responded with, “I cried watching YOU. I feel so lucky to have gotten to watch you all these years, but this week was a lesson in emotional intelligence and resilience. We all learned from you. Thank you.” Image source: The New Yorker

Stranger Passes Heartfelt Note to Woman Crying on Subway
Ceara Ledwith is an actress in New York City that has had an especially hard year. Her mental health was suffering greatly until she joined a class that became her creative space and gave her a sense of community. Eventually, she decided to leave the class which left her feeling lost and hopeless, and questioning her future as an actor. Ledwith was visibly upset after saying goodbye to her classmates as she hopped on the A train heading downtown to work. She cried silently underneath her mask when she awkwardly made eye contact with a man sitting across from her. “I could just see the empathy and compassion in his eyes. It made me kind of embarrassed, but it was also kind of comforting to not feel alone,” said Ledwith. She finally got lost in her phone when someone stuck a piece of paper in front of her face. She thought someone was trying to sell her something, so she said, “no thank you.” The stranger shook the paper again, so Ledwith looked up, realizing it was him, and took the paper as he jumped off the train. “I immediately read the note and started bawling again. It really resonated hard with a lot of the things I was feeling, and I was amazed at his kindness,” Ledwith said. The stranger left his number on the note, so she texted him to say thank you. “We left it there and the rest is history,” said Ledwith. “I appreciated how wholesome and genuine it was. Just a good guy spreading good energy in a hard time.” Image source: Ceara Ledwith

High Schoolers Build Device so People in Wheelchairs Can Walk Their Babies
37-year-old Jeremy King underwent an eight-hour brain surgery in 2017, which left him with impaired mobility and speech challenges. His “golf ball-sized” cancerous brain tumor was successfully removed, but he had a new set of hurdles to overcome after the surgery. “Even going out on a walk is so incredibly difficult for me,” Jeremy told The Washington Post. He said that balance is his biggest struggle, and he often has to use a wheelchair to get around. His wife, Chelsie King, is a 32-year-old middle school teacher at Bullis School in Potomac. A group of students discovered that one of their teachers was pregnant, and her husband may never be able to walk his own child. Three years post-operation, Jeremy could not contain his excitement for the baby, but constantly worried how he would be able to parent. “It was an immediate concern,” Jeremy said in a statement. “I was very concerned with the safety of myself and our child especially with Chelsie having to potentially support both of us. It played on my mind constantly which is why it was important for us to find things to help.” So, Chelsie reached out to Matt Zigler, a fellow educator who runs the school’s creative lab, or BITlab, and teaches a course called “Making for Social Good.” “We knew we were expecting in March and I asked him if he thought he could build something for us as a personal favor and he had the idea to throw this to his Making For Social Good class and I thought that was an amazing idea,” Chelsie said in a statement. Ten of Zigler’s students began working on the project they called the “WheeStroll,” dedicating their entire winter semester to the project to be ready for the baby’s arrival in March. After consulting with the expecting parents, the students knew their design would have to meet three requirements: It had to be safe, easy to maneuver, and something Jeremy could attach and detach without help from others. Through trial and error, the students successfully created a solid prototype. They connected several metal pipes to securely attach the car seat to the wheelchair and conducted weight tests using 55 pounds of cinder blocks to ensure that the mechanism could safely support a baby. “It was emotional to see it all come together and to put Phoenix in it for the first time” said Chelsie. Since receiving the attachment in March, Jeremy has been able to talk Phoenix on several outings by himself. “These students gave me the opportunity to do something I thought I would never be able to do. I’m really grateful,” said Jeremy.

Walmart to Cover 100% of College Tuition and Books for Employees
In an effort to reduce the growing, nationwide student loan debts, Walmart announced that it will pay 100% of college tuition and book fees at some schools for its U.S. workers, starting Aug. 16. The country’s largest private employer will eliminate its existing $1-per-day fee for employees who participate in the Live Better U education program. Walmart also hopes to make its benefits more appealing to attract and retain talent in the current tight job market. The program includes 10 academic partners, such as the University of Arizona and Southern New Hampshire University. To be eligible, participants must remain part-time or full-time employees. Around 28,000 workers currently participate in the program, which Walmart first launched in 2018. “We feel that eliminating the dollar a day investment removes the financial barriers to enrollment, and it will increase access,” Lorraine Stomski, senior vice president of learning and leadership at Walmart, said on a call with reporters. Employees who have participated in the program are twice as likely to get promoted and are retained at a “significantly higher rate” than other workers, Stomski said. With the new plan, Walmart intends to invest nearly $1 billion over the next five years in career training and development for employees.

A Historic Day of Firsts
July 26 was a historic day for the Philippines and Bermuda at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, as each country won their first-ever gold medals. The Philippines’ Hidilyn Diaz won gold in the 55-kilogram category of women’s weightlifting. Diaz also set an Olympic record, lifting a combined weight total of 224 kilograms in two attempts. The tight battle resulted in China’s Liao Qiuyun taking the silver. “I sacrificed a lot. I wasn’t able to be with my mother and father for how many months and years and then of course, training was excruciating. But, God had a plan,” Diaz told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Diaz also serves in the Philippine air force and takes immense pride in representing her country. Flora Duffy took home Bermuda’s first-ever gold medal in women’s triathlon. The two-time world champion dominated all three legs of the race — swimming, cycling and running — to clinch the victory, ahead of Great Britain’s silver medalist Georgia Taylor-Brown and bronze medalist Katie Zafares of Team USA. Duffy’s time of 1:55:36 is especially impressive due to the difficult weather conditions that the athletes faced that day and that initially delayed the beginning of the race. Duffy’s gold also made Bermuda the smallest country to ever win gold at the Summer Olympics. Bermuda began participating in the Olympics in 1936, while the Philippines competed in their first Olympics almost 100 years ago in 1924.

America’s Oldest Working Nurse Retires at 96
Florence “SeeSee” Rigney worked for more than 70 years as a nurse at the MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital in Washington. At 96 years old, Rigney is believed to have been America’s oldest working nurse before hanging up her stethoscope in July. Rigney served as an operating room nurse, where she set up operating rooms for surgeons and prepped patients for surgery. She also served as a relief nurse when necessary. “Even working into her nineties, SeeSee has never been one to slow down,” said Laureen Driscoll, president of MultiCare Tacoma General and Allenmore Hospitals, in a statement. “Some of her colleagues joked that they had to sprint to keep up with her.” "She's continued to be a dedicated nurse and an incredible resource to her colleagues and community. It's humbling to stop and think about the thousands and thousands of lives she's cared for. Everyone at MultiCare thanks SeeSee for her unmatched dedication and service, and we're proud to honor her by supporting tomorrow's future nurses," Driscoll continued. When Rigney began her nursing career, penicillin had just been introduced to the medical field. She began as a student nurse at the Tacoma General School of Nursing, then worked across the U.S. in Texas and Wyoming before returning to Tacoma. Rigney only took a “break” from nursing to raise her two children. "I don't like to sit around – I've always got to have something to do. That's my nature," Rigney said in a statement, adding that she always wanted to become a nurse. "I love to interact with patients and give them the help that I can." Rigney intended on retiring at age 65, but after six months at home, she decided to continue working to keep her mind sharp and stay active. As she said goodbye to nursing, Rigney offered some words of wisdom for other nurses. “Don’t ever think that you know it all. I kind of did that when I was in the operating room and you have to always be open,” she said. “You never stop learning.” The hospital announced the creation of its SeeSee Rigney Nursing Endowed Scholarship Fund, which will provide scholarships to MultiCare employees for continued learning and development.

Airport Pianist Earns $60k in Tips After Stranger Posts Him on Instagram
It was a typical Wednesday for Tonee “Valentine” Carter as he headed to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. He plays the piano in Terminal A, amid the hustle and bustle of one of the world’s busiest airports. Author and motivational speaker, Carlos Whittaker, was on an hour-long layover to Nashville when he noticed the 66-year-old pianist “playing his heart out.” Whittaker pulled his phone out and began recording him for his more than 170,000 Instagram followers. Whittaker approached the tip bowl and struck up a conversation with Carter. “He asked me: Do I have hope in humanity?” Carter told The Washington Post. “And I told him no. I didn’t see it. Of course, that changed.” In a matter of minutes, Whittaker’s followers and strangers began sending money through cash apps, which accumulated over $10,000 in just half an hour. In two days, the amount topped $61,000. Messages poured in expressing their appreciation for Carter and his talent. Carter was unaware of the generosity at first, but Whittaker revealed the tip amount just before his flight took off. “Come on, man,” said Carter. “Are you kidding me, man?” Since this day, Carter has gained over 10,000 Instagram followers and has become a must-see destination for fans traveling through the Atlanta airport. "This guy, Carlos Whittaker, blew into my life like a tsunami," said Carter. "I was having a typical day at work, and now, I've been blessed by this man and his followers." As the two men spoke, Carter shared with Whittaker that he receives nightly dialysis treatment for kidney disease. Despite his hours-long, daily treatment, Carter said that he had it much better than others. "He's just so happy and joyful," Whittaker told The Post. "He kind of has this smile that he does when he plays where his mouth is halfway open like he's laughing. It's just his energy is very impactful." Carter plays the piano for approximately 16 hours per week. “Some people are listening, some people aren’t,” he said. “But for me, it’s not a big deal, because I enjoy playing the music. I play for one person like I play for 300. It doesn’t matter.”

46-Year-Old Gymnast Gets Farewell Ovation After Eighth Olympics
Oksana Chusovitina, or as her teammates call her, 'Chuso,' competed in her last Olympics, on the vault, in Tokyo. The 46-year-old gymnastics legend fought back tears as she blew kisses to the cameras during a standing ovation from those allowed in the arena. “It was really nice,” said Chusovitina. “I cried tears of happiness because so many people have supported me for a long time.” Her illustrious Olympic career began by representing the Soviet Union in 1992. She gained German citizenship in 2006 and represented Germany in Beijing in 2008. In 2013, she began competing for Uzbekistan again. Her husband, Bakhodir Kurbanov, is also an Olympian from Uzbekistan that competed in Greco-Roman wrestling in 1996 and 2000. In 2016, Chusovitina became the first gymnast to appear at seven Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Then, in Tokyo, she pushed to become the oldest gymnast to compete at the Olympics. She competed with two vaults during the qualifying round and earned an average score of 14.166. The score was not high enough to advance, but she says she did not even look at the scores. “It was really nice. I cried tears of happiness because so many people have supported me for a long time,” she said, according to the International Federation of Gymnastics. “I didn’t look at the results, but I felt very proud and happy. I’m saying goodbye to sports.” Chusovitina posted about her final Olympics on Instagram. She said her sports life had “ups and downs” and “tears of joy and tears of grief, but I don’t regret it for a single minute.”

Rita Marley Announces New Scholarship to Empower Women
Rita Marley celebrated her 75th birthday on July 25, and Bob Marley’s widow decided to mark the occasion by announcing a new annual scholarship for young women and single mothers. The Rita Marley Scholarship will be awarded to three women every year, striving to empower “women from the lower socio-economic stratum of Jamaica’s society,” according to Jamaica Observer. It will be offered to one student enrolled at the Women Centre of Jamaica and two students from the University of Technology Nursing. Sharon Marley, Rita Marley’s oldest daughter, told Billboard that fostering the next generation of women is one of her mother’s top priorities. “Providing scholarships for young women needing assistance to complete their educational goals — thus maintaining and bringing high standards to their communities — is a big part of Dr. Rita Marley’s vision,” said Sharon Marley. “Programs created by The Rita Marley Foundation are giving voices to hundreds of youths.” In addition to the scholarship announcement, Rita Marley celebrated her birthday through a livestream tribute concert on her official YouTube channel. The six-hour-long event saw tributes from friends and family, as well as performance from Judy Mowatt, Tessanne Chin, and former backup vocalist for Bob Marley, Marcia Griffiths. “Yes, she has preserved and protected Bob Marley’s legacy, but on a larger scale, she has not only inspired generations worldwide, but has also increased tourism to our country,” Griffiths told Billboard of Rita Marley.