3 STORIES OF UNSUNG HEROES Emil Bloom
Behind this page lie 3 amazing stories about very inspirational people. Each one of them has done incredible, even unbelievable things to help others without asking anything in return. They are the Unsung Heroes people who’s stories have not yet been heard. The following pages will tell their story and continue their legacy. Go for it - turn the page...
DAN CUMMINGS
He broke his in an accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. The doctors diagnosed him as QUADRIPLEGIC
told him that he would NEVER
BE ABLE TO WALK
A G A I N .
INSTEAD OF ACCEPTING THEIR OPINION AS TRUTH,
HE WAS DETERMINED TO BEAT THE ODDS AND REGAIN HIS ABILITY TO WALK . He went to physical therapy for 3 years without any remarkable progress. His insurance refused to pay for more. But he refused to give up. He moved to California
so he could take part in a much more intensive rehabilitation program called Project Walk, which uses innovative therapies to help patients with spinal cord
injuries regain and improve motor skills. After 4 years of hard work, he proved the doctors wrong - with the help of a walker, he could walk again.
Journey
He decided to dedicate his life towards helping others with the same injuries, so he founded a physical rehabilitation center called
Forward
to support other patients with spinal cord injuries.
AFTER HIS ACCIDENT,
HE MANAGED TO WALK A MILE
IN SUPPORT OF THE CENTER, RAISING INCREDIBLE
$75 000
FOR T HE organization
THIS WAS ALL MADE POSSIBLE BY HIS REMARKABLE DRIVE AND DETERMINATION TO NEVER GIVE UP.
NEVER GIVE UP.
Worried about scam artists and content with their average, peaceful lifestyle, they decided that the money would bring them unnecessary stress. They helped their family with some of the money and then divided the rest of the money between churches, organizations fighting cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, cemeteries, hospitals, also their local fire department.
VIOLET & ALLEN LARGE
A loving elderly couple from Nova Scotia, Canada, won in the lottery. But instead of living happily ever after in luxury, they decided to give their winnings away.
$11.2 million
The couple has no regrets. “What you’ve never had, you never miss”, Violet said. They are happy just to have each other.
DAVE HARTSOCK
For Dave Hartsock, a 44-year-old
Shirley attached to Dave, who was
skydiving instructor,
hovering above her
going skydiving had
and would open the
been standard routine
parachute.
for years.
At first, everything
For Shirley Dygert,
went according to
a 54-year-old woman,
plan. Shirley was
it was her
enjoying herself and
first time to go.
the remarkable view.
She decided to go on the adventure to
But when it came time for Dave to open
celebrate her
the parachute, it
54th birthday.
opened only partially.
She was afraid, but also very excited to be doing something so adventurous and out of the ordinary. Dave was her instructor at this important day. They did what is
Disasterously, the backup parachute got tangled with the first one. They were now freefalling through the air. Shirley was terrified, praying to God she
referred to as a
wouldn’t have
tandem jump -
to die this way.
they jumped together,
Dave was determined
to do everything in his
Dave was completely
power to make sure
paralysed from
that she wouldn’t.
the neck down.
Courageously, he
But Dave remains
repositioned himself
brave and optimistic
so that he was falling
even in the face of
below Shirley, hoping
paralysis, and some of
his body would be
the feeling in his body
enough to soften the
has already returned.
blow for her. They hit the ground, with Dave’s back taking most of the impact. After they hit the ground, he, though in extreme pain,
When Shirley visited him in the hospital, he was joking around, and cheering her up. He has even suggested they go skydiving again. The two now have a
managed to selflessly
close relationship.
ask her if she was OK.
Shirley says she’ll
After she replied, he passed out. Dave’s spine was completely shattered by the fall. Shirley had broken some vertebrae in her neck.
never forget what he did for her. He put his own life at risk to save a stranger’s. But Dave doesn’t think of himself as a hero. He says he wouldn’t
While Shirley
have been able to live
recovered fully from
with himself, if he had
her injuries,
done anything else.
That’s it for now, but it doesn’t mean that everything stops here. You are the future and it is up to you to make good things happen. Be inspired, be happy, help yourself and help others. Together we can do amazing things. Remember, everyone needs a helping hand now and then, just some need it more than others. Thank you for being a part of the story.
A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HERO In this era of Information Technology we are more and more interested in money, fame, new gadgets, clothes, sex, drugs, TV and politics. Most of us only think about ourselves. Just me, me, me.. But what about others? Not everyone is as lucky as you and me. But we can change that, we can make a difference and this book is the proof. Here you will find 10 incredible stories about selfless acts that people have done in order to help others. Every one of them is a true story about unsung heroes who live among us. They don’t care about fame and glory, they care about others instead. This book is here to tell their story, to inspire you. Be inspired. /E. Bloom/
2012