TWO STORIES OF PRIDE, COURAGE & GIVING

The kickoff to the "holiday season"  officially kicks off tomorrow, unless you were in a certain bodega in the city with me yesterday.  "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Andy Williams was blasting on a radio with tin foil on the antenna.  I'm not kidding by the way. I joked with the owner and told him it was 2012 and he should upgrade.  Needless to say, I've been stopping in there for 10 years off and on and I think I overstepped. I should have kept my mouth shut...maybe I'll buy him a new radio and make a truce. Anyway, I'm getting off track...

(In Photo: Rich Porcello / Megan M, Indianapolis Colts Cheerleader)
Last week when Torii Hunter was traded to the Detroit Tigers for a 2 year deal, read HERE, it was revealed that teammate Rick Porello decided to give up his #48 for Torii, who wore that number with the Angels and the Twins before that.  The exchange was simple, Hunter gets the number, but Hunter needed to step up to the plate and give money to Sandy Relief.   Porcello is a New Jersey native.

Porcello said, “Being from New Jersey, I’ve been looking at opportunities to help... I’ve seen the impact the storm had, the devastation it caused. I wanted to try to make some difference and when Torii made his offer, this was definitely one way. We’re putting something together for the relief efforts and I’m going to be giving back as well.” Read HERE.  Can you say Big Heart? Kudos to Torii and Porcello for that classy exchange.

But that's not all. There's another story that really gets to me every time I read it. Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano has leukemia. Currently it's in remission but the city of Indianapolis loves Chuck and wears "ChuckStrong" shirts in support for him and leukemia is a bitch of a disease. The whole thing is a mess. But this is what gets me...you want to cry? Watch Pagano give a speech to the Colts players in this video below:


So here's the deal, the other day, the Colts Mascot tweeted this:

Soon after, one of the Colts cheerleaders, Megan M, accepted the challenge and if all $10,000 is raised by the game on Sunday, we should expect Megan's locks shaved. So once again, if $10,000 is raised for leukemia research, the clippers come out! Read about it HERE. If you can donate, donate! Let's do this!

It's feel good stories like this around this time of year that just makes you realize just how many wonderful people there are out there.  Sure, we get nagged by family and there is a ton of stresses involved with the holidays. But when you're dealing with that stress and that nagging, think about Chuck Pagano... think about those victims that are struggling after Sandy and realize... you don't know it that bad.

I applaud Torii Hunter, Rick Porcello, Megan M. and Chuck Pagano for standing tough and doing the right thing when called upon.  These stories allow you to just stop and think.  You gotta love it.

Smile today...

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