【推荐2】It’s been a long journey from January 10, 1972 when Rick was born a spastic quadriplegic (四肢瘫痪者) with cerebral palsy (脑瘫). Doctors told the young Hoyts that their son had no hope of a normal life.

As Rick developed, his parents noticed he was far from a “vegetable” as doctors had called him. “We could tell by looking in Rick’s eyes that he understood everything we were saying. We taught him the alphabet and numbers and did a lot of reading with him.” says Dick. the father.

Then with the help of the Tufts Interactive Communicator (TIC), Rick was able to use his head movement to tap out words and phrases.

As Rick tapped out his first words, his parents debated over what he’d say. To their surprise, his first words were “Go. Bruins!” “We knew right then and there that he understood everything, and that he loved sports and followed the game just like anyone else.” says Dick.

When Rick was in high school, he wanted to take part in a 5-mile road race, and they did finish the race. That night, Rick tapped out a message that would change the course of his life. He wrote. “Dad, when I’m running it feels like I’m not disabled.”

“That was a very powerful message for me.” recalls Dick. He knew he wanted to “loan Rick my arms and legs so he could compete in other races.”

With the father pushing his disabled son in a wheelchair, the father-son “Team Hoyt” began running races. Dick says that some people thought he was being selfish, pushing his disabled son in races. “They thought I was doing it for myself. They didn’t understand Rick was the one wanting to race,” he says.

Team Hoyt has completed to date over 1.075 running events, including marathons and Ironman triathlons (三项全能运动).

Rick was once asked, if he could give his father one thing, what would it be? Rick responded. “The thing I’d most like is for my dad to sit in the chair and I would push him for once.”

【推荐3】When was the last time someone did something unexpectedly nice for you? Not someone you knew, but a total stranger? It happened to me a few times, but two examples really stand out.

A few years ago, I was dining out with a person who kept going on and on about himself, completely not aware of the fact that I was sitting there in misery. It wasn’t his company that disappointed me. I was recovering from a broken heart, and just sitting down to dinner reminded me of my last relationship. I could have burst into tears right there at the table.

When we picked up the check, the waitress said, “Your meal was already paid for.” My friend and I didn’t have a clue how it happened, Then I remembered a man coming in out of the corner of my eye. He was dressed in mostly white, sat down at the bar, had a glass of wine, stayed for maybe ten minutes, and then left. The waitress said, “Yes, the gentleman who was in here a while ago paid for you.”

Just last year, I was running a half-marathon. With just 1 mile to go, I was out of gas. Runners call it “hitting the wall”; I thought I couldn’t move another muscle. Out of nowhere, a teenager jogs up next to me and says, “What’s your name, sweetie? Jennifer? Okay, Jennifer, let’s go! Come on! It’s just around the comer! You can do it!” And he ran with me until I picked up ray pace. I found him at the finish line to thank him for the encouragement only to learn he wasn’t even supposed to be in the race that day. He was running in place of someone else. I still shake my head when I think of these momentary angels that came to me at my point of need. Do you have any experiences like this?

【推荐2】Seventeen-year-old Sariah Estrada didn’t expect to receive anything in return when she saved a drowning man on Marianne Beach in Blanchisseuse earlier this year.

However, for her random act of kindness, Estrada was awarded the Hummingbird Medal-Bronze for her bravery, loyalty and devotion to Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, September 24, when the country celebrated its 42nd year as a republic. President Paula-Mae Weeks presented the national award to her.

In July of this year, Estrada along with two friends went to the Marianne Beach to relax. Upon leaving the beach, Estrada and her friends noticed a man struggling in the water. Immediately, she and her friends sprang into action. The teens borrowed a body board from some people on the beach and swam to the man’s rescue.

She said when they reached the man, he was already unconscious and they dragged him out of the water on the body board. Estrada remembered what she learned during a life-saving course the week before and quickly started pumping the man’s chest. After several attempts, she was successful and the young man’s life was saved.

In an interview with LoopTT, the teenager said while she is grateful for the award, she wasn’t expecting anything in return.

“This award was never expected because I thought of helping someone as an act of humanity and never looked for anything in return, but the award is well appreciated. As I reflect on the action I took, I felt as though I could help this person as I have the proper training. The week before the incident I participated in a basic life support-training course offered by the North Central Regional Health Authority.” Estrada explained. She said she intends to continue assisting people.

The national award receiver also had this message for the youths of Trinidad and Tobago.

“I would like to encourage the young people of Trinidad and Tobago to strive for excellence, never sell yourself short by believing that you cannot do what you desire, all things are possible and hard work surely brings success.

【推荐3】When Ariel Cordova-Rojas rode her bike to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, New York, last November, she planned to go hiking and bird-watching. Bingo! A mile into her walk, she spotted a gorgeous female mute swan near the water’s edge. Cordova-Rojas, 30, who had worked at the Wild Bird Fund rehabilitation (康复) center in Manhattan, knew that mute swans can be aggressive. But as she approached this one, it didn’t move.

She was certain that the bird needed medical attention. Cordova-Rojas draped her jacket over the bird’s head to keep it calm, carefully picked it up, and held it in her arms. And then a thought struck her: What do I do now?

Her best bet was the rehab center, but that was across the East River and clear on the other side of town. How was she going to transport a 17-pound swan on her bike all that way? Luckily, some bemused strangers driving by offered her, her bike, and the swan a lift to a nearby subway station.

On the subway, no one seemed particularly annoyed by the feathered passenger. “One guy”, says Cordova-Rojas, “was sitting right in front of me on his phone. I don’t know if he noticed there was a swan in front of him.”

Cordova-Rojas called the rehab center on the way, and Tristan Higgin, an animal-care manager, picked her up at the subway station and drove bird, bike, and rescuer to the facility. There, staff members determined that the swan might have lead poisoning, caused by swallowing weights used on fishing lines.

The staff got the swan back up on her webbed feet. She even made a boyfriend at the center — another injured swan. Sadly, even with all that TLC, the swan contracted a bacterial infection. Two months after Cordova-Rojas came to her rescue, she passed away.

It’s a disappointing ending, but the real story is just how far some people are willing to go to save a swan in the big city — literally. “In all, Cordova-Rojas traveled two hours by foot, car, and subway,” says Higginbotham, “That’s the perfect summary of who she is.”