Still some kindness in the world

Spectra · 01-08-2004, 07:38 PM

I came across this on another site, then did a little following up on it. It's so nice to see that there is some pure kindness left in the world. I'm not much on sappy stories or attention grabbers, but this warmed my heart when I read it. It's apparently making the rounds around the web, and I thought it would be nice to share it here.

Quote:

I am posting this on behalf of my son whom you see coming to visit this great site as fruit_loops. My son is 13 years old and very sick. He wants to play paintball but his disease wouldn't allow him. His friends play paintball while he is left at home in the mercy of pain.

Ever since he registered with this great site, no day would pass without him checking what's new with paintball in Canada. He reads them, both of us actually, and finds fun in reading them. He loves clicking on the flags to change provincial locations. He boasts of being able to know what's happening in paintball in different provinces just by clicking the flags. He loves looking at your markers tirelessly in the showcase.

2 nights ago, he checked the Live Chat feature but I remember him saying nobody was online. Then suddenly "Welcome" was sounded from his speakers. It was the Support Crew. Then they started chatting. The guy from the other end asked him how he was doing and my little man answered, "I have a headache". I remember the guy asking him questions about how frequent his headache occurs, what type of pain, what his age was and whether he has seizures. My son answered them truthfully. Then, the guy asked him if he was taking medicines and if he is, what medicines were they. My son listed his medicines then suddenly the guy said ... "You must be very sick buddy. Are you on chemo?" I started to wonder, how come a computer guy can be conversant in the medical field, too. Their conversation became so interesting until the guy said: "Correct me if I'm wrong and you may not answer my question if you wish. Did your doctor tell you that your seizures is caused by meningioma?" That totally stopped my heart and my suspicion that he might be a medical professional was proven right. A computer guy knows medical diagnosis just by interviewing? I thought, only kids use this site.

The guy asked my son if he can ask permission from me to phone him. Thinking why not, I gave our number. We had a chat and he was such a nice guy. Changing topics, he asked what presents he received for Christmas. Then asked my son what he wanted that he didn't get. He replied: "xbox. My nintendo is too old". The guy casually said, you'll have it pretty soon, don't worry. My 13-year old kid replied: I will work for it when I get well.

About 1 'o clock this afternoon, a lady knocked on our door with a big gift nicely wrapped. I asked where it came from and she answered me: open the box when I leave. At the sight of the big present, my poor son whispered: "this is the biggest present I have ever received". The lady introduced herself as "Stacey". According to her, they got our address from our phone number then left while we were still at the door.

When we opened the present, it's an XBOX! I found myself lost in tears while my son was so amused. I thought it was from a relative. It came complete with everything he needs: a wireless router, a wireless xbox adapter, 2 wireless controllers, 2 headsets, a prepaid xbox Live subscription for 1 year and 10 DVD games. More tears flowed from my eyes, I will never afford to buy my son these stuff. A card was enclosed: "This must be your missing gift. I hope this takes some of your pain away. It's all wireless so you won't bother getting up just to play. A technician will come by your place and hook you up with high-speed internet and make sure that you will be playing your xbox before the day ends. Tell your mom not to worry about anything. I already created your Gamer Tag and I will play online against you soon. Be sure to beat me. Get well buddy. Be strong. I'll always remember you. (name removed) (xtremepaintballcanada.com)". He was the guy my son had a chat with and must be one of the Support Crew.

About 3 'o clock, the technician came and brought with him a high-speed modem and hooked my little man's xbox and fixed our computer. With just a phone call the technician made, we got upgraded from dial-up to broadband prepaid for one year. He played a game with him before he left. He requested to keep the identities of everyone involved.

I'm in tears. I definitely am. We will never forget your kindness, sir. Please call us back. Thank you thank you. May the Lord help you and keep you safe always.

To you all who participate in this site, thank you. You all help ease the pain and hardships my son is suffering day in and day out. Thank you. Happy holidays everyone.

You can find more about the little boy here. Link

He has recently died, the thread is now massive from the global response it has recieved.

sidez · 01-09-2004, 02:21 AM

wow... I'm really touched inside

Telemakhos · 01-09-2004, 02:38 AM

We need more people like that. Less Kenneth Lays and more people like that.

This is reason I get so angry at people like the British royal family. They have so much power, money and influence and could improve the lives of many people a great deal, but spend a pittance (compared to what they have) as a symbolic gesture and do not help to their potential.

TCorp · 01-09-2004, 02:53 AM

that's awesome. I lost 2 of my friends last year to cancer. Knowing that they were content and with friends and family as they passed away helps the ones left behind.

random · 01-09-2004, 03:43 AM

Woah. I couldn't finish reading all the posts in that forum about him. That's some heavy stuff.

heathrowe · 01-09-2004, 04:23 AM

left me speechless and in tears
truely a wonderful story

heathrowe

mihai · 01-09-2004, 04:39 AM

powerfull stuff compassion. Maybe we're ripe for a little candy and heart warming stuff - enough grunge and thrashy style... I guess this is how things get started - from a nice story - I sure hope people don't stop at posting stuff - maybe they will actually do things for the less fortunate and be kinder to eachother...

Pganguly · 01-09-2004, 07:40 AM

Wow...

See, the social climate in Canada is clearly different that it is in the states, in that we seem to be more cynical, meaning that we would have likely thought the person was some kind of pedophile, or something. It's just hard to imagine that people do things out of the kindness of their heart anymore. Especially something as costly as that. An X-Box with all those peripherals had to run...what, $700-$1000? For someone he never met, let alone, could have actually been lying, though after reading that, I doubt he was.

The whole thing's pretty amazing for several reasons. I mean, the father actually knew how to post. Also, the father didn't flip out when he saw his son was talking to someone in a chat room.

The whole story's pretty remarkable. I mean, who's ever thought of something like that actually happening?

Oddly, I'm reminded of a request that Hobowitharolex once made...

mihai · 01-09-2004, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Oddly, I'm reminded of a request that Hobowitharolex once made...

man - I think that even if it's a lie - in the beginnig I mean - 700-1000 is a small price to pay if so many people actually thought nice thoughts and got a little better from it.

I don't know about the people from the states being cynical....where I live - more than half the population is so poor and ignorant and hungry that mothers sometimes sell their kidneys to rich ill foreign people to buy food for children - while others sell their children to rich foreign people who can't have their own because the husband is drinking and beating them all day long and they must have money for booze.... a lot of contrast and a lot of bad things....I'd say I'm in the right place to be cynical about life and stuff....it's easy not to believe. But when you see so many people gathered together and just...feeling - I say it's worth it - even if it's a lie that started it. - Kinda like Santa

and the time sure was right.... I for one choose to disregard the fact that it may be a lie - and - maybe I'm saying this because life and death are cheap in my country but the death of the poor kid comes second in importance after the ripples it spread. I know that for parents it is the most important and sad thing in the world - but for the rest of us - it should have been just one more death - yet it wasn't. It counted somehow - and not because if was artistically and professionally "milked" on TV for audience ratings - but because people actually cared - it just happened - and I feel good because of it.

lazyroll · 01-10-2004, 12:46 AM

thaats the best thng i have heard in such a long time......

truly amazing...... i think i will send that to loads of people.... maybe they will all become famous ?

Paladin D · 01-10-2004, 09:04 AM

That story is amazing, if only the world was filled with more people like that.

maraanderson · 01-10-2004, 04:04 PM

What a wonderfully heart warming story... it is sad to me that there is such kindness as this, while so much pain and violence exists. Can't everyone be as compassionate and kind as that? Wishful thinking...

Mara

01-09-2004, 02:21 AM	#2
sidez Sony Ericsson P800 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Singapore Posts: 3,389	wow... I'm really touched inside Last edited by sidez; 01-09-2004 at 02:25 AM.

01-10-2004, 12:46 AM	#10
lazyroll iamthewalruscoocoo Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 817	thaats the best thng i have heard in such a long time...... truly amazing...... i think i will send that to loads of people.... maybe they will all become famous ? Last edited by lazyroll; 01-10-2004 at 12:46 AM. Reason: actually that sounds soooo fickle.. tyhat comment about gettign famous i mean

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

01-09-2004, 02:38 AM	#3
Telemakhos vagrant Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: wherever Posts: 1,220	We need more people like that. Less Kenneth Lays and more people like that. This is reason I get so angry at people like the British royal family. They have so much power, money and influence and could improve the lives of many people a great deal, but spend a pittance (compared to what they have) as a symbolic gesture and do not help to their potential.

01-09-2004, 02:53 AM	#4
TCorp <something cool here> Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Germany Posts: 182	that's awesome. I lost 2 of my friends last year to cancer. Knowing that they were content and with friends and family as they passed away helps the ones left behind.

01-09-2004, 03:43 AM	#5
random Down with The Pab Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 1,034	Woah. I couldn't finish reading all the posts in that forum about him. That's some heavy stuff.

01-09-2004, 04:23 AM	#6
heathrowe Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 687	left me speechless and in tears truely a wonderful story heathrowe

01-09-2004, 04:39 AM	#7
mihai ...pixel peddlar Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: ) Land of Dracula Posts: 2,471	powerfull stuff compassion. Maybe we're ripe for a little candy and heart warming stuff - enough grunge and thrashy style... I guess this is how things get started - from a nice story - I sure hope people don't stop at posting stuff - maybe they will actually do things for the less fortunate and be kinder to eachother...

01-09-2004, 07:40 AM	#8
Pganguly Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 1,016	Wow... See, the social climate in Canada is clearly different that it is in the states, in that we seem to be more cynical, meaning that we would have likely thought the person was some kind of pedophile, or something. It's just hard to imagine that people do things out of the kindness of their heart anymore. Especially something as costly as that. An X-Box with all those peripherals had to run...what, $700-$1000? For someone he never met, let alone, could have actually been lying, though after reading that, I doubt he was. The whole thing's pretty amazing for several reasons. I mean, the father actually knew how to post. Also, the father didn't flip out when he saw his son was talking to someone in a chat room. The whole story's pretty remarkable. I mean, who's ever thought of something like that actually happening? Oddly, I'm reminded of a request that Hobowitharolex once made...

01-10-2004, 09:04 AM	#11
Paladin D Isn't my helmet pretty? Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: East coast, United States Posts: 136	That story is amazing, if only the world was filled with more people like that.

01-10-2004, 04:04 PM	#12
maraanderson Teamps e-mom Join Date: May 2003 Location: Meridian, Idaho Posts: 566	What a wonderfully heart warming story... it is sad to me that there is such kindness as this, while so much pain and violence exists. Can't everyone be as compassionate and kind as that? Wishful thinking... Mara