The Kindest People: Be Excellent to Each Other (Volume 7) By David Bruce Copyright 2015 by David Bruce WORDPRESS EDITION Cover Photo Cute young woman ID 13895303 © Lana Langlois | Dreamstime.com 1 Chapter 1: Stories 1-50 “Ma, It was Really Neat. But It was Kind of Gross” In February 1995, John Firneno, at the time a 20-year-old Army private, first class, from Centerville, Utah, was stationed in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. While patrolling the streets, he saw a Haitian woman in labor. He and his companions jumped out of the Humvee and helped her deliver a healthy baby boy. The mother told Private Firneno that she would name the boy after him. In a speech to U.S. troops stationed in Haiti, then-President Bill Clinton said, “I met Pfc. John Firneno, a [combat] medic from the 32 ACR. He was on patrol about midnight last month when he came upon a young Haitian woman about to give birth. Now, that requires courage. As his comrades clustered around him with flashlights, he helped to deliver an eight- pound baby boy. Well, he didn’t get a medical degree, but the boy now bears his name. Thank you, Private Firneno.” Linda Firneno, Private Firneno’s mother, who had been an Air Force nurse, said about him, “He said, ‘Ma, it was really neat. But it was kind of gross.’” Private Firneno’s friend Helen Langan said, “In the letter he sent me [relating the incident] he signed his name, then under it he put ‘Doc’ in parentheses.”1 Jimmy Durante: Owner of a Kind Heart Jimmy Durante was a kind-hearted comedian who was greatly loved. Here is one reason why. During World War II, Ed Sullivan once received a telephone call from Father Delaney, who was the chaplain at Staten Island’s Halloran General Hospital. He had heard that Mr. Durante was in the area and wanted him to entertain some recently returned 1 Source: Alan Edwards, “UTAHN'S GOOD DEED GIVES BIRTH TO LOTS OF PUBLICITY.” Deseret News (Salt Lake City, Utah). 31 March 1995 <http://tinyurl.com/p2fwvma>. 2 American soldiers who had been prisoners of war. Mr. Durante had a bad cold and he had a radio broadcast to do, but he agreed, and they set up the performance so that he could leave at a certain time and catch a boat so he could do his radio performance. But Mr. Durante did his act and then stayed late, singing comic song after comic song to the audience’s great pleasure. Finally, he got off stage. Backstage, Mr. Sullivan said to him, “Are you out of your mind? You’ll never make your broadcast!” Mr. Durante told him to look at the front row. Mr. Sullivan did, and Mr. Durante said, “Ed, now you can see why I stayed. When I saw that, I realized that my broadcast wasn’t so important.” Mr. Sullivan remembered, “Sitting in the front row were two young lieutenants who had each lost an arm and were applauding by clapping their two remaining hands together.”2 “We are Happy to have the Opportunity to Shed Some Positive Light on Such a Sensitive Subject” After a photograph of some members of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority taking selfies at an Arizona Diamondbacks professional baseball game went viral, some people mocked them. The Diamondbacks and Fox Sports offered them free tickets to another game, but the sorority members turned them down and instead asked that the sports organization donate the tickets to a non-profit organization that helps victims of domestic violence. On Facebook, the sorority posted this message: “Alpha Chi Omega at Arizona State University would like to thank the Arizona Diamondbacks and Fox Sports for reaching out to the chapter after last night’s game and subsequent media frenzy. We appreciate their generous 2 Source: Jhan Robbins, Inka Dinka Doo: The Life of Jimmy Durante, pp. 176-177. 3 offer of tickets to tonight’s game. However, instead of chapter members attending the game, we have asked the Diamondbacks and Fox Sports to provide tickets to a future game for families at A New Leaf, a local non-profit that helps support victims of domestic violence. “Today, October 1 [2015], marks the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. If everyone who viewed this statement took the time to make a donation in recognition of domestic violence awareness, which is Alpha Chi Omega’s national philanthropy, we would be so grateful! We are happy to have the opportunity to shed some positive light on such a sensitive subject. All proceeds will go directly to A New Leaf to help struggling Arizona families get back on their feet by providing housing, food, childcare and more. You can donate using the link below [http://tinyurl.com/pkpw7az]. We appreciate your support!” For information about A New Leaf, use this link: [http://tinyurl.com/nvnse5d].3 “It has to be the Most Reassuring Thing in the World to Have Mike Tyson Telling People Not to Touch Me” In September 2014, Ryan Chesley was knocked off his motorcycle when a taxi cut him off in Las Vegas, Nevada. He suffered a broken ankle and torn ligaments and muscles; he needed surgery. Fortunately, Mike Tyson and three of Iron Mike’s friends assisted him until professional help arrived; they also blocked traffic to keep him safe. Mr. Chesley’s lawyer, Stephen Stubbs, said, “He looked up and saw Mike Tyson. [Mr. Tyson] was saying, ‘Don’t worry, don’t worry,’ people are coming.’” Mr. Stubbs added that 3 Source: Alpha Chi Omega. Post. Facebook. 1 October 2015 <https://www.facebook.com/axoasu?fref=nf>. 4 Mr. Chesley “didn’t know what was happening. [Mr. Tyson] just stood by him and talked to him. When he was done with the good deed, he just took off.” Mr. Chesley later sent a fruit basket and a thank-you letter to Mr. Tyson. Mr. Stubbs said that Mr. Chesley “wanted to say thank you. We asked if we could send chocolates, but his rep said, ‘No, he’s a health nut.’ We sent him a fruit basket because he is into antioxidants.” This is the text of the thank-you letter: “Dear Iron Mike, “Thank you so much for looking over me after my accident. It has to be the most reassuring thing in the world to have Mike Tyson telling people not to touch me. “I can never thank you enough. “Ryan Chesley”4 A Firm Stand Against Bullying On 6 October 2014, following allegations of harassment and bullying and intimidation by Sayreville War Memorial football players in the Parlin section of Sayreville, New Jersey, school officials announced that the rest of the football season had been cancelled. Superintendent Richard Labbe said, “There was enough evidence that there were incidents of harassment, of intimidation and bullying that took place on a pervasive level, on a wide-scale level and at a level at which the players knew, tolerated and generally accepted. Based upon what has been substantiated to have occurred, we have canceled the remainder of the football season. We can set the standard right now for all kids for 4 Source: Joe Landau, “Mike Tyson assists victim of motorcycle crash on way to Las Vegas: lawyer.” New York Daily News. 23 September 2014 <http://tinyurl.com/jw2t2sa>. 5 all school districts in Middlesex County, in the state and in the nation that we are not going to stand around and allow kids to do this to one another. We are going to start holding our students responsible for doing the right thing and reporting these kinds of behaviors. I believe with every fiber of my body that the only way we are going to stop bullying is if we get the kids to go to an adult or to the authorities.” An unidentified local official told ABC News, “They [Freshmen] would live in fear of seniors and juniors. They would race to the locker room to get changed and get out before the older kids got there.” A parent of a younger player did the right thing and called the police. The unidentified local official said, “It was a parent of a younger kid being taunted, threatened, bullied.”5 “I Wanted to Help. Anybody Would Do the Same Thing” After the New England Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts 45-7 in the AFC Championship Game on 18 January 2015, Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork helped a woman who was trapped in an overturned Jeep Wrangler. Mary Ellen Brooks, the driver of the Jeep, was unable to get out of the vehicle. Mr. Wilfork said, “I wanted to help. Anybody would do the same thing. I saw the lady in there. I asked her was she okay, can she move, can she grab my hand. … I actually opened up the door and pulled her out. It wasn’t a big deal. It was just seeing somebody that needed help and helping them.” He added, “I’m pretty sure she was 5 Source: “GG Sayreville, New Jersey Superintendant.” Imgur. 7 October 2014 <http://i.imgur.com/MxoFrlH.png>. Also: “Sayreville football season canceled.” ESPN New York. 7 October 2014 <http://tinyurl.com/mwo38q7>. Also: Dan Good, Josh Margolin, and Rheana Murray, “Freshmen on Sayreville Football Team ‘Lived in Fear’: Official.” ABC News. 7 October 2014 <http://tinyurl.com/lelgxxz>. 6 kind of scared. So the last thing I want to do was have her panic. And that’s the first thing I told her. I said, ‘Don’t panic.