I have been planning to write this letter for quite some time. May be I just waited for you all to grow up to understand what I am trying to convey. The story goes back many years. When God sent you to this world it was perhaps the best thing that had happened to your parents. Every little nudges and kicks in your mother’s womb opened up a new world of happiness and expectations. Then one day, a miracle happened. You were to begin a new journey. From the warm, happy, secure world of your mother’s womb to a world that is cold and full of insecurities. Nevertheless, the joy that your parents felt after this journey knew no bounds. They were on top of the world.
But, unfortunately, this happiness was very short lived. That very day you started turning blue in color. The doctors had found a hole in your heart that shattered the dreams of your parents. They were devastated and could not understand why they were being punished in this way. They had no choice but to accept the inevitable reality and decided to give you the best possible medical care. Before that they had to overcome two major hurdles. They could not afford the cost of your heart operation and they could not wait since you were turning blue every time you cried. I guess this is a penalty you have to pay for being born in a third world country.
Yes, when you were ten days old you had a price tag on your life. If your parents paid the price, they can have you, if not you would have to go back to where you came from. Your mummy and daddy went through phases of self-pity, denial, mutual accusations and anger towards the society, which was indifferent to their problems. Your daddy was most upset since he knew that the price tag on your life was less than what his boss would spend on a Saturday evening party. But that is life and one has to accept it. Time was running out and your daddy was getting desperate until he came to know about me.
The first thing he told me when we met was “I heard you love children”. Yes, I love children and I have four of my own. My profession is giving hope to people suffering from heart diseases and giving them a chance to start life in a fresh new way. I am essentially a technician who can cut and stitch people’s heart; they call me a heart surgeon. When I met you first you were barely 10 days old, cuddled in a warm blanket close to your mother’s heart. Except for a bit of rapid breathing and bluish nails on your finger, you looked like an angel. I am sure you cannot remember but I asked you a question “do you want to be my friend”? This is the question I ask all the children I see. I did want to be your friend and I worked so hard to gain your friendship. I clearly remember your mother’s face when she was handing you over to the operation theatre nurse. She kissed you and looked at my face with an expression that she is handing over her most precious possession to me; also with the total confidence that I will take care of you. It was a different sort of love triangle between your father, mother and myself with you at the centre. We would have done anything in this world to get you back.
It took me six hours of intense concentration to operate upon your heart and so many sleepless nights before you started smiling again. God was kind to you that time and you made a marvelous recovery. It was a big day for your family when you were being discharged from the hospital. Both your mummy and daddy would have thanked me a million times before they left the hospital. But they didn’t have to tell me anything since I knew every world what they wanted to say. Tears of joy rolled down their cheeks. But you were blissfully unaware of what was going on clinging on to your mother’s chest. My eyes began to swell with tears and I turned my face the other way since a cardiac surgeon is not supposed to cry. Through the corner of my wet eyes I saw your face one more time and I knew I found one more friend.
Story submitted by jhuma laha
Filed under Public Service by 
Since i was a little girl, my mother has been handicapped. Her entire right side of her body permanently disabled. Throughout my life, I’ve watched her struggle and progress through things that I’m not entirely sure i could even do. She’s had two brain surgeries, open heart surgery, and a number of scars on her body entailing all the hardships she’s been through. Her husband of 0ver 20 years, my dad, had stood by her the entire time. Up until 8 months ago. My father had started using drugs, and everything was falling apart. He’d leave to Ft.Lauderdale for months at a time, and finally he came back and decided he wanted a divorce. My sister and dad were no longer living in our house, just me and my mom alone. My dad’s mother then started threatening to kick us out of the house, because my dad was never able to make any of the house payments or bills. My boyfriend came down from Daytona and put just about our entire house in a U-HAUL truck. It was me, him, and my mom. We sat in the truck for almost 2 days driving to south Texas to be with my mother’s family. 8 months later she’s doing so much better than anyone would’ve expected. She’s my personal hero, no one on this planet could accomplish as much as she has in my eyes.
Story submitted by stacy turner
Filed under Family by
I credit one man with saving me from a terrible life, as well as giving me a reason to wake up each day. In this sense he is my personal hero, and I will never forget his contribution to my life at a time when I had less than nothing.
At the age of 18 I was considers to be the greatest violinist that had ever come through the doors of Felix Varela High School. Even with my young age, I had already been commissioned by local schools and composers to perform their pieces in concert, and I was the leader of a very talented and profitable string quartet. The most influential person I knew at the school was my music teacher Mr. Matheny, an elderly and passionate cellist who taught orchestra. It was thanks to him that I was the musician that I was.
Four years after graduating, my life had turned around for the worse. My parents, who both lived in Puerto Rico, were unable to assist me with school and expenses; I had to resort to selling most of my possessions in order to make tuition. My car, my computer, most of my cloths… everything went. The last thing to leave my hands was my violin, without which I had nothing to express myself with and no passion for anything. The apartment soon followed, and I found myself homeless, empty and alone. I roamed the streets for weeks, maybe months, begging and going what I could to manage.
Then one winter’s day I found myself outside a Salvation Army store near my teen neighborhood, when I happened to spot Mr. Matheny from across the street just as he’d spotted me. We quickly reacquainted ourselves, and I told him my story. He could not believe that I did not have the instrument that I’d dedicated my entire young life to, and so he invited me to his home. There he showed me a violin his grandfather had given him, and since he did not know how to use it, and his children weren’t musicians, he gave me the instrument, which was more than 100 years old and beautifully toned.
I stayed with Mr. Matheny for a few weeks, doing chores around the house and practicing my violin daily until my arms gave out. When I’d regained my skills, Mr. Matheny introduced me to a local network of dedicated stringed musicians, where I found a group that was in need of a violinist. We’ve since performed all over Miami at weddings and events, making decent money while doing what we love.
Eventually I was able to find a job tutoring on violin, and the combined income of the group and the tutoring allowed me to move out of Mr. Matheny\’s house and find an apartment of my own. I was in contact with my old professor until his death in 2008, and I kept him up to date on all my musical accomplishments, including being accepted into several local professional orchestras. Today when people ask me what my inspiration is, I tell them my story and keep Mr. Matheny’s memory alive. If not for him, I don’t know where I’d be right now, and I most definitely would not be doing what I love with my life, and because of that, Mr. Matheny is and will always be my greatest personal hero.
Story submitted by karl Hernandez
Filed under Mentor by
My 4 1/2 year old little girl is truly my hero. At only 19 months old, she was diagnosed with Acute Meyloid Leukemia, and was sent to St. Jude for 6 months of intensive chemotheraphy. My husband and I were both by her side the entire time. We saw her bravery everytime she had to get an “ouchie”, everytime she had to meet a new doctor, everytime she underwent sedation for a bone marrow aspirate. She was so brave! To this day she inspires me to be brave when ever I have a difficult choice to make. She fought the horrible battle against childhood cancer, and won. Today she is a happy, healthy, little girl who will turn 5 in March of next year. She continues to amaze me with her positive little attitude and everytime we have to return to St. Jude for check-ups, she puts on a brave face and always comes out smiling! I love her with all of my heart and I know she will always be my hero! To keep updated on her and her story, you can visit, www.caringbridge.org/visit/littleabigailyoung, and post her a message. We love to hear from people who have been touched by her story!
Story submitted by Renee Young
Filed under Family by
It may be a hackneyed sentiment, but my big brother Bill will always be my hero. Now I was the baby of the family you see, and he was the ‘first born’. By a full sixteen years. To image the distance think of this – he was pre-war and I was Korean War, he was a grad student and I primary. None of my friends even knew what grad school was.
For many an unbridgeable gap. But not for us. We were as close as any two brothers ever could be, which may in part be due to the six sisters between us. That and the fact that my father, the only GP in the county was never around. So often it was Bill who would fill his shoes.
Which may be why he never had kids of his own. which was sad as he is a gentle and fair man. He could yell and roar, yes, but he was a toothless lion who never laid a hand on me. No matter what.
He was also my teacher and mentor. At four he was teaching me about nature and math. At seven he raised the ante and started me on German and Russian. Sometimes I resented this constant pushing. But on those Sunday mornings when we want for a ride in his Austin Healey all was forgotten, after all none of my friends had a brother with a sports car ! Nor did they ever get taken to university on the weekend.
For many years, a lifetime for some, our paths rarely met. The winds of time having scattered us far and wide. But ten years ago we both ended up back home. Living only blocks apart. Since then our relationship has been renewed. This time as peers and brothers.
Yes he is my personal hero and always will be.
Story submitted by Marsden Cross
Filed under Family by
My mother is not always around since I was 6 years old. She went abroad to work for our family. My mother is formerly government employee in our country but because there is no enough income to sustain our needs she decided to apply abroad and work their as Domestic Helper aside from being helper in a Chinese family she also got a part time job like cutting hair so she can provide all our need from food to eat,to bills and to pay and provide a money to pay a more better school for our education. She did everything to give us a good life .I also hear from her friends abroad while they are their my mom also helping them in lots of thing like sometimes they don’t have a employer to sign for their visa my mom is also helping them to look for a employer and negotiate about their terms and salary matter,those story make me more proud and even she is not around for long time I always think for the reason why shes not around and that is enough to be more thankful to her for all the things that she did for our family. I am so much thankful that God gave me a very responsible and loving mother.
Story submitted by Rochelle Calpatura
Filed under Family by
Its story about my Brave Uncle. He is Police officer in malegaon.Every one Know him in this village.Once upon time when village was in big problem my uncle was not present in the village.Then i call him and tell him problem. The problem was very big.The family of tiger is enter in that village. No one courage to go near the tiger family then my uncle come and fight with tiger all tiger family attack on my uncle but he not lose his confidence and then some young people saw him to fight with tiger then they also go with gun and speer and fight with Tiger. After some time every thing was fine but my Uncle were not fine because tigers are really very dangerous they attack on him very rarely people pickup my uncle and run for hospital. When Doctor saw my uncle he said to us your uncle is really very brave because some time these type of case people die but your uncle is not died its really like miracle.
Story submitted by VIPIN AHIR
Filed under Public Service by
The Sierra Leone president Ernest Bai Koroma, has been received warmly at the African Union summit by his counterparts from across the region. The host, president Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, welcomed Dr Koroma and his delegation to his country and expressed his appreciation to his colleague for attending the summit. President Koroma in return thanked the Ugandan leader for the kind reception accorded to him and his entourage and said he was delighted to be in Uganda with other African Heads of States.
The Sierra Leone president has earned the respect and admiration of his counterparts for his steadfastness and determination to end the poverty-stricken environment of his people. The Head of State has also been working tirelessly to mediate the peaceful transition to democratic governance in the republic of Guinea, and has encouraged all parties to work towards a peaceful, free and fair elections in the West African country.
Sierra Leone stands out as a country in transition with a dramatic change of its political and economic agenda. A true example of change that has seen its leadership challenge the country’s development threats and introduce measures to alleviate poverty and ensure a good standard of living for its people. A well designed administrative structure has been put in place to create the necessary institutions to salvage the country out of its economic difficulties. As the AU meets, the presence of President Koroma must be a poignant reminder to those African leaders who continue to hold their people hostage and mismanage their country’s economy and stifle democracy and free press, that Africa is indeed witnessing change, a change that will soon knock on their doors as the people are becoming more aware of the democratic dawn taking place elsewhere in the continent.
Story submitted by john huidrom
Filed under All by
Of all of the teachers I’ve had in my years I would have to say that my College Professor and advisor Ed Smart had the biggest influence on me. He not only encouraged me and the other students in the program to really push ourselves beyond our comfort level, but he expressed daily how he truely valued our ideas and concepts. He really nutured a love of architecture and design that I\’m not sure I would have further pursued without him as a mentor. He encouraged us to explore all solutions to a problem, practical or not, and even encouraged us to challenge the limits of what is possible. Due to this I can honestly say that Ed helped me to hone in on my creative skills and my problem solving abilities. Shortly after completing the program I was able to obtain a job as a furniture designer in New York City where I\’ve always dreamed of being. I have since met my husband and had a beautiful baby boy. Without the college program and Ed as my guide I don\’t believe that I would have ever made the move.
Story submitted by Corinne Verdolino
Filed under Mentor by
I’d like to share a story about the person who my wife & I named our son after; Jason McDonald. There are so many reasons we wanted to honor my brother by naming our son after him, but here is one example we’d like to share.
My Brother graduated at the top of his class as an Engineering major from UCSB. He immediately landed a job as a mechanical engineer with one of the top firms in the country. He was doing quite well, but something was missing. Although his projects were exciting, they just weren’t doing anything for him.
Jason decided he wasn’t making a difference, so he quit his job. He moved to Colorado and started using his talents to help troubled kids turn their lives around. It was extremely rewarding, but unfortunately, that was only a summer job so he decided to do something else that “filled in the time” between summers by becoming a private tutor to help students struggling with Math & Science.
Jason is now a private tutor in Maine and because he is limited in how many students he can help, Jason has since launched an SAT math prep website. Now, instead of only being able to help students who are in his geographic area, he is able to reach out to students across the country and help change each of their futures.
Thanks for letting me share.
Sincerely,
Joel McDonald
Owner: Colorado real estate company
