Facing down homelessness, the death of his mother and numerous other hardships, Griffin Furlong never missed a class and has graduated with a perfect GPA from First Coast High School becoming the 2014 valedictorian.
The word “inspiring” doesn’t begin to describe what Griffin has done for himself and many others.
Griffin’s friends started a fundraiser to help him throughout his time at Florida State University. Currently, the total raised exceeds $100K. Click the link to donate anything you can to help a guy who’s helped himself.
Nico Calabria’s true life story promises to inspire you.
From the YouTube clip description:
He was born with only one leg, Nico Calabria didn’t let his disability keep him from any sport he was passionate about.
Encouraged by many and driven by internal strength, he eagerly participated and excelled in a variety of childhood athletics. Nico continues to astound teammates, competitors, and fans with his talent today, and is living proof that there’s power in every game.
Overcoming this challenge through hard work and unwavering commitment, Nico exemplifies Powerade’s mantra to Power Through and shows a tough determination that lets him rise up and push past his challenges.
On Tuesday’s episode of The Biggest Loser, trainer Bob Harper came out publicly as gay to encourage contestant Bobby Saleem, who comes from a very strict Catholic family, to speak openly about his own sexual orientation to his father.
The 48-year-old personal trainer, who’s never denied his sexual orientation but hadn’t discussed it on the program, was moved by Saleem’s struggle to come out to his dad.
“I haven’t talked about my sexuality on this show ever, and now meeting Bobby, I really do believe this is the right time,” Harper said on camera. “I want to show Bobby that he doesn’t have to live in shame.”
Harper then decided to share his own story with Saleem and viewers.
“I’m gay. I knew I very long time ago that I was gay,” Harper revealed. “When I came out — when I was 17 years old — it was one of those things where I realized that there was going to be so many obstacles, but being gay doesn’t mean being weak. And being gay doesn’t mean that you are less than anybody else. It’s just who you are.”
Saleem said he would come out to his father.
Harper received an outpouring of support from viewers and tweeted a message to fans:
THANK YOU to everyone that supported my decision to talk about being gay w/ Bobby. I felt like it was appropriate & necessary. LOVE Y’ALL!! — Bob Harper (@MyTrainerBob) November 27, 2013
A three minute ad produced at a fraction of the cost of most movies is more moving and poignant than almost anything the big studios have to offer today.
The Thai telecommunications conglomerate True is getting rave reviews worldwide for its latest spot, “Giving,” which tells the story of a man unexpectedly rewarded for a lifetime of good deeds he performed without expecting anything in return.
The billboard pictured here is real, it’s located in Lima, Peru, and it produces around 100 liters of water a day (about 26 gallons) from nothing more than humidity, a basic filtration system and a little gravitational ingenuity.
The billboard is located in Lima, Peru, the largest city in Peru and the fifth largest in all of the Americas, with some 7.6 million people (closer to 9 million when you factor in the surrounding metro area). Because it sits along the southern Pacific Ocean, the humidity in the city averages 83% (it’s actually closer to 100% in the mornings). But Lima is also part of what’s called a coastal desert: It lies at the northern edge of the Atacama, the driest desert in the world, meaning the city sees perhaps half an inch of precipitation annually (Lima is the second largest desert city in the world after Cairo). Lima thus depends on drainage from the Andes as well as runoff from glacier melt — both sources on the decline because of climate change.
According to Mayo DraftFCB, the billboard has already produced 9,450 liters of water (about 2,500 gallons) in just three months, which it says equals the water consumption of “hundreds of families per month.” Just imagine what dozens, hundreds or even thousands of these things, strategically placed in the city itself or outlying villages, might do. And imagine what you could accomplish in any number of troubled spots around the world that need potable water with a solution like this.
Wanna know when it’s your second, your minute, your time Sick of dreamin’, wanna lay the pictures in your mind Never been like all the others, you’re one of a kind I know you’re feelin’ like you wanna break free, it’s a sign Just wanna fly above it all, see where you can land Know that you can do it on your own ’cause you can Know that you can conquer all with a plan Forget about the negatives buried in the sand Yeah, never forget this is your life Your path, your dream, this is your fight Victory, you’ll see, you’ll be alright Get through the darkness, on the other end is pure light
p.s. I was one of those kids who lived through a lot of this. And I made it “out that town.”
A few Broadway shows later; a happy 19 year marriage; and the respect of people I actually respect – folks who regarded me as a peer. I brought a megaphone up to my voice and found a whole lot more self-esteem once I realized I could like myself.
