Last week, I had a flurry of e-mailed stories from readers, all different, but all with the same theme.
"Thank you."
Brandon, 5, meets Blue Bomber mascot Boomer at a game this summer.
I thought you might enjoy reading them as much as I did.
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Hi Mr. Sinclair,
I was hoping you could help me pass along a thank you to some local businesses.
My son Brandon is five-years-old and has a Mitochondrial disease. "Mito" is a genetic defect in the body's ability to create energy for its cells, and can lead to serious problems in every part of the body. In Brandon's case, it affects his muscles and the movement centre of his brain, so he has difficulty walking and cannot talk or eat most food due to muscle weakness. His disease obviously permeates every aspect of our life in spite of our efforts to "keep things normal".
Erin Shattuck injured her arm in a biking accident while on her way to work and is thankful for the help and care of a passerby who called an ambulance.
In spite of his physical challenges, Brandon is a very typical five-year-old, who is starting First Grade this fall. He loves most things that five-year-old boys like. Bugs, mud and anything loud. And loves to do all the same things as other five-year-olds, even when they are nearly impossible for him to do.
This spring, thanks to the generosity of a local business and local foundation (Kern-Hill Furniture and the Rehabilitation Centre for Children Foundation), we had the opportunity to attend a Manitoba Moose game. Brandon came alive at the arena. He was absolutely in his element. He still talks about it and asks to see their website regularly. He was able to sit and watch, and be a regular kid at the hockey game for a night and he was just thrilled.
This summer, again thanks to the generosity of another business and local foundation (Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Variety Children's Charity), Brandon was able to attend a Blue Bomber game. He was glowing the whole night. He met the mascot, he met the cheerleaders, he met the policeman near the staircase.
Then today, once again, thanks to a local business, and another local foundation (ReMax and the Children's Hospital Foundation), Brandon had the chance to go to a Goldeyes game. Again it was a total blast. He got right into the game, he got right into the Fudge-icles, he got right into the Pepsi.
The point to this is to offer a face to the local donors who made this possible. The face of a little boy who three times this year, for a few hours, was able to leave his disability and illnesses at home, and go out to be another little boy at the ballpark, or arena or stadium. For one night he was able to sit and enjoy himself, and eat ice cream, drink slushies, and stay up late because he's all hopped up on chocolate.
It may have only been three nights this year, but I guarantee you that by Brandon's standards they were the best three nights of the year.
So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, for giving my son the chance to get out and just be a boy for a few hours. And thank you to the folks at the arena, stadium and ballpark for making the extra effort to make the visits special for him. These three nights were the best gift in the world for all of us.
Tonight, I am particularly proud to call myself a Manitoban.
Keely Schellenberg
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Dear Mr. Sinclair,
I was hoping you could help me to thank a wonderful man who came to my aid Friday morning, Aug. 8th. I had been biking to work -- my normal route, which I have biked many times before -- when I came upon some new construction barriers and was unable to stop my bicycle due to a thin layer of sand on the ground. My bike's handle bar clipped the edge of the barrier and I guess my bike stopped, but I kept going. I hit a guard rail and crumpled to the ground.
That's when Larry appeared.
He was biking as well and saw the whole thing. He stopped to help me. He called 911. He tied a shirt around my grossly injured arm, and stayed with me while we waited for the paramedics. He kept me talking and made me feel safe. He saw me into the ambulance. He even showed up later at the hospital to see how I was doing.
All I know is his name is Larry and I believe he works for the hydro company. I just wanted to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Larry and let him know that I really appreciate everything he did for me that morning.
I also wanted to point out that I was wearing my bike helmet that morning, and even though I've never cared for what it does to my hair-do, and I've always felt the yellow and black color made it look like a plastic bee on my head, I am pretty sure it saved my life.
So, to all of you bike riders out there -- please always wear a helmet. And to Larry, thank you so much for being there for me.
Sincerely,
Erin Shattuck MacDonald
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Dear Gordon Sinclair,
Last year, in the early winter, my purse was stolen from my car outside my parents' River Heights house. I was picking something up from them and was only in the house for a very short while. And of course, I didn't lock the doors. Anyways, when I came out my purse was stolen.
You know how the story goes with stolen purses.
It's a real hassle.
You have to immediately cancel all of your credit cards, call the bank, cancel cheques, replace all of your identification.
Well, yesterday I came home to find a package in my door addressed to me with no return address.
Inside was my purse.
With everything still there.
And a note attached to my wallet that read: "I found this bag when clearing out the room occupied by a former foster son. Sorry for any inconvenience this must have caused you. I am enclosing $10 as a gesture of apology. Not sure if any money was taken."
This signifies the human decency and good nature that you always want to see in people. It is truly an example of what it means to really "pay it forward".
Sincerely,
Anne Davidson
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Simple stories with simple thank yous.
But they made me feel good.
Strange how keeping life simple -- and kind -- can do that.
gordon.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca
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