Category: Uncategorized

  • First-Ever Commencement Inside Prison Celebrates 25 Inmates that Earned Bachelor’s Degrees While Behind Bars
  • Twenty-five students, who are incarcerated at California State Prison, Los Angeles County (LAC), just celebrated their commencement ceremony in the prison yard. The program is a partnership between Cal State LA and LAC, which allows incarcerated individuals to pursue a Bachelor of Communication degree. “Today, an education to me, means freedom, redemption, and opportunity,” said graduate Dara Yin during his speech at the ceremony. "The freedom to create better lives. A redeeming quality in the sense that we can step out of an identity that was destructive and into the person our mothers always meant for us to be. The opportunity to show that we are not our worst decisions.” The program is California’s first in-person bachelor’s program that takes place within the prison, according to the university. So far, 37 incarcerated students have completed the program, 12 of whom have had their sentences commuted and have since been released. Those who were released before completing the program from prison finished their bachelor’s degrees on campus and graduated with the entire student body. Five of the graduates on the outside are now completing their Master’s degrees at Cal State LA. "The power of a college education is about more than just receiving a piece of paper. What this bachelor's degree encapsulates for these men is hope and transformation," Taffany Lim, director of the Prison B.A. Graduation Initiative, told CNN. "Their accomplishment has a positive ripple effect on the other men in the prison, their friends, families, and communities. And because of this, we believe that a college education is about breaking the cycle of incarceration." Image source: CNN
  • Former Marine Creates America’s First Driving Rehabilitation Program to Help Veterans, Wounded Warriors Get Back on the Road
  • Marine Veteran Josh Himan was severely wounded in Afghanistan and decided to team up with his occupational therapist and driving rehab specialist, Tammy Phipps, to help people in need get back on the road. The duo developed the Driver Rehabilitation Center of Excellence (DRCE) in 2016, which is the nation’s first driving rehab program that offers a full suite of services meant to help people who are either injured or physically challenged. Himan and Phipps first met at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where Phipps had created the first-ever driver rehab program in the Department of Defense. Himas was one of her patients – he was paralyzed from the waist down after his vehicle drove over an IED (improvised explosive device) during his final month of deployment in 2009. "During my time in the hospital, you know, one of their things was, what can I do back in society again?" said Himan. "They told me that I had the ability to drive…but the problem was trying to put the whole package together."  On top of figuring out how to get back on the road, Himan said that the Veterans Affairs paperwork was especially challenging. So, he called Phipps for help, and everything changed. Phipps recalled getting several similar calls, and said the problem is due to there being only a “very small niche” of occupational therapists that do driving rehabilitation. So, they formed the DRCE, which is located in Fairfax County, Virginia. DRCE staff evaluates each driver to determine which equipment they need and then installs it properly. The driver goes through the driving rehab program until they are comfortably back on the road. Veterans are not the only beneficiaries of the DRCE, though. "What I really find a lot of pride in is I help quadriplegics all over America," Himan said. "We're able to take those skills that we learned in the military and from all those military injuries and now actually pass that along to the civilian world." Image source: Pehal News
  • Police Officer Helps Elderly Man Install TV After Pulling Him Over for Speeding
  • Michigan police officer Kevin Coates pulled over a 79-year-old man named David for speeding when he noticed David was visibly upset. In a video released by the Sterling Heights Police Department from the Sept. 30 traffic stop, Coates can be heard asking David what was going on. “Everything’s going wrong,” said David as he held back tears. David went on to explain that his wife was in bad health and their adult son is mentally ill. He was upset because he bought a new TV for his wife but was having trouble setting it up. “I really try to drive right,” David told the officer. “I bought a new television today because I wanted to make my wife happy, you know, and I can’t get it hooked up.” Coates let David go with just a warning and told him he would stop by later that evening to help him set up the TV. About an hour later, Coates and two other Sterling Heights officers, Remi Verougstraete and Jeremy Jaushevich, arrived at David’s house to help him set up the TV and explained how to navigate it. David said that he is not very tech-savvy and that had it not been for the officers’ help, he would have never been able to set up the TV on his own. Lt. Mario Bastianelli praised Coates and the other two officers for their “outstanding job.” "I think the world needs a little bit more acts of kindness like this. It was a great showing of a lot of [what] law enforcement does across the nation day-to-day that doesn’t get publicized," Bastianelli told Fox News. "We’re very proud of our officers for stepping outside the box and going above and beyond what they normally do to help our citizens." Image source: Daily Mail, Fox News
  • Hospice Staff Helps Couple in Their Late 90s Take Wedding Photos They Never Had
  • On Sept. 16, 1944, Royce King and his highschool sweetheart Frankie tied the knot at Grace United Methodist Church in Oelwein, Iowa. Frankie wore a tailored suit instead of a gown, and Royce had only two days before leaving to serve overseas as an Air Force pilot in World War II. The couple did not have a photographer on site to capture the special day. The couple went on to have two kids, four grandchildren and several great grandchildren. They are now in their late 90s and recently celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary from their Oelwein home, where the staff members from St. Croix Hospice care for them. When the staff members learned there were no photos from the couple’s special day, they decided to come up with a plan to capture the pair’s love — including a vintage dress, 1940s hits, lots of photos and even a wedding cake.  “It was definitely one of the most special things ever,” said Sue Bilodeau, the Kings’ daughter. “When Mom mentioned she didn’t have time to plan a big wedding and didn’t have a photographer, the St. Croix staff members worked together to make sure they could get their special day.” The couple’s backyard served as the venue — complete with a wedding cake that had two seven-shaped candles, a flower arch and even a bouquet for the bride. The couple had a big reveal of each other’s special looks. “We walked Mom down the back steps and across the yard, and then she stood in front of Dad, and I said, ‘Are you ready to see your bride?’ before taking off the handkerchief,” Bilodeau said. “He was just absolutely beaming.” “Together, they demonstrate that a great love takes kindness and perseverance,” she said. Image source: The Washington Post
  • New U.S. Coins to Honor Maya Angelou, Sally Ride, and Other Trailblazing American Women
  • Last week, the U.S. Mint unveiled five new quarter designs that will be released in 2022 and feature “trailblazing American women.” These are the first five of 20 designs that will be released between 2022 and 2025 as part of the American Women Quarters Program, which was authorized by Congress earlier this year. The first five coins will recognize the achievement of poet Maya Angelou; astronaut Sally Ride; actress Anna May Wong; suffragist and politician Nina Otero-Warren; and Wilma Mankiller, the first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. "These inspiring coin designs tell the stories of five extraordinary women whose contributions are indelibly etched in American culture," said United States Mint acting Director Alison L. Doone in a statement. "Generations to come will look at coins bearing these designs and be reminded of what can be accomplished with vision, determination and a desire to improve opportunities for all." The front of the coins will feature George Washington in honor of his 200th birthday, and the back of the coin will feature a depiction of each woman and their name, along with the motto “E pluribus unum,” meaning “out of many, one.” Image source: United States Mint
  • Former Paratrooper Becomes First Double Amputee to Climb World’s Eighth-Highest Mountain
  • Rustam Nabiev became the first person without legs to climb Nepal’s Mount Manaslu, the world’s eighth-highest mountain at 26,781 feet. The 29-year-old former paratrooper from Russia lost both of his legs in 2015 when his barracks collapsed. Nabiev climbed Russia’s tallest peak, Mount Elbrus, in 2020 and decided to attempt an even higher peak on Mount Manaslu. His journey lasted 34 days, and Nabiev pulled himself up the mountain with the help of Sherpas. “It was like a mission that I had to finish for all those people who were watching me,” Nabiev told NBC News. “With this act I wanted to show that anything in this life can be accomplished through action.” Once Nabiev reached the peak, he said his body felt “beat up” due to the “great deal of physical work,” but it was worth it.  ​​"I thought a great deal about what I've accomplished and I realized that I did something unbelievable," he said. "Deep inside I can't even believe it." Image source: Everest Chronicle
  • Ariana Grande Partners With BetterHelp to Give Away $5 Million in Free Therapy for World Mental Health Day
  • Ariana Grande has teamed up with digital therapy platform BetterHelp once again, this time to provide mental health support for her fans on World Mental Health Day. The pop singer announced on social media that they will be giving away $5 million in free therapy. “I acknowledge that there are very real barriers when it comes to accessing mental health resources, and while this is only one small gesture (and a much larger systemic problem remains) I wanted to do this again with @betterhelp in hopes of bringing access to a few more people and perhaps inspiring a few of you to try something new and prioritize your own healing,” she captioned her post.
     
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    This is not the first time Grande has partnered with BetteHelp – they teamed up back in June to give away $1 million of free therapy. “Healing is not linear or easy but you are worth the effort and time, I promise!” she wrote at the time. To sign up for the initiative, visit betterhelp.com/ariana. Image source: Clipart Library
  • Mississippi Homecoming Queen Gave Crown to Classmate Who Lost Her Mother to Cancer That Very Morning
  • In a moment that most girls dream of, Nyla Covington had the homecoming queen crown placed on her head. The crowd was stunned at the touching act of kindness as the senior at Forrest County Agricultural High School in Brooklyn, Mississippi removed the crown from her own head and placed it on the head of her friend and classmate, Brittany Walters. Brittany’s mother, A.J. Walters, an employee at the high school, had died from cancer that very morning. "All I could think about was my mom and how she wanted to be here, and then the next thing I know, Nyla walked towards me, and she hugged me," she told WDAM. "I just didn't really think anything of it, and then she started to take off her crown." Brittany tried to refuse the crown, but Nyla insisted. "I told her it belonged to her, and then she was, like, backing away," Nyla recalled. "I was like, 'No, come here, get it, you're your mom's queen.' I wanted her to know that. And then I hugged her." Before her passing, Brittany’s mom made her promise that she would not miss her special day. The entire community ensured Brittany had everything she needed for homecoming – her mother’s friend helped her find a dress, get her hair and makeup done and even scheduled senior portraits so her mother could see her daughter in a cap and gown. "I think it is remarkable what Nyla did but I firmly believe that moment was possible because a community came together to help get Brittany to homecoming itself," said A.J. Walters’ friend, Tyra Willamor Idom. Image source: Southern Living, Daily KOS
  • Tunnel to Towers Foundation Pays Mortgages for Families of 50 Fallen Heroes
  • The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is a nonprofit that honors fallen 9/11 hero Stephen Siller through various initiatives that support those affected by the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Last week, the foundation announced that it has paid off the mortgages, in-full, on the homes of 50 fallen first responder and Gold Star families. This is the largest one-day mortgage payoff in Tunnel to Towers history. “This year, Americans came together to remember the incredible loss of life that occurred 20 years ago when evil struck at the heart of our great nation. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation promised to NEVER FORGET what happened on that day and so many people across the country have joined us on our mission of doing good by giving back to our heroes, both living and fallen. Thanks to the generosity of this great nation, the Oberheim family and 49 additional families will never have to worry about making another mortgage payment, and will always have a place to call home.” said Tunnel to Towers CEO and Chairman Frank Siller. The foundation has spent over $250 million thus far to honor and support first responders and veterans and their families. CEO Frank Siller is the brother of Stephen Siller, an off-duty firefighter who died after running through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Recipients of the mortgage payoffs include 20 police officers, 15 of who responded to Ground Zero and lost their lives due to 9/11-related illness; 12 firefighters, including five who responded to Ground Zero and lost their lives due to 9/11-related illness; one sheriff’s deputy; one state trooper; one conservation officer; six U.S. Army service members; three U.S. Navy service members; three U.S. Marine Corps service members; and three U.S. Air Force service members. Image source: amNewYork
  • Community Surprises Terminally Ill Father With Christmas in October
  • Fake snow and streamers fell from the sky as a crowd sang Christmas songs to bring some Christmas magic a little early this year for a special neighbor. Matthew Sandbrook, a 36-year-old from Worcester, England, was diagnosed with a brain tumor recently and given only three months to live. Sandbrook’s cousin, Nikki Lee, asked the community for help to bring some Christmas magic for the family. Matthew and his girlfriend Rebecca Rushton, along with their three sons Connor, 15, Kyle 13, and Tyler, nine were surprised when hundreds of people showed up in festive outfits, singing “Stand By Me” as the family came out of their home. The crowd then moved on to more festive carols, such as “Merry Christmas Everyone” and “Fairytale of New York.” “We have really brought the Christmas spirit to Warndon - we really did it,” Lee said to Worcester News. “I can’t believe it. All the hard work, sleepless nights and text messages to my best friend Sam asking ‘Can we do this?’ has been worth it. My emotions have been up and down but seeing them all together I’m so happy we managed to do it. Thank you to everyone - it meant the world to them.” Image source: Worcester News