I want to share a couple of very neat experiences I’ve had with the foundation. I am so pleased with the direction it is going right now. A special thanks to all of you for your donations and support.
The first one happened when I was driving back from Pocatello. I received a phone call from a gentleman who told me he was from the Ririe area. He started giving me some names of people from the area and asked me if I knew any of them. I didn’t recognize any of the names and started to wonder why he was calling me. Then he told me he got my number from a gift card he received from Teton Cancer Institute. He told me he went to the foundation website and wanted to give me his condolences on losing Shannon. He was very sympathetic and kind. I had a feeling of comfort and peace come over me. I thanked him for his condolences and wishes. “This truly means a lot to me that you called,” I told him. I asked him how he was doing, and he started telling me about his treatment, and all the difficulties he had been going through. He explained all the different chemo and radiation treatments he has had to endure. “Every time it seems like they might be getting things under control, something else happens and they have to take more aggressive measures. The worst part it is watching the effect it has having on my family,” he said. “I’m so sorry to hear that,” I told him trying to be as consoling as I could. Then he told me the day he received the card, he was feeling extremely down. “When they gave me the card, I can’t tell you how much that picked up my spirits,” he said. “It changed my entire outlook knowing someone would do something like that for someone they didn’t even know,” he said. I was overcome with emotion. I told him about the people who reached out to me when I needed it the most. We talked about twenty more minutes, and his strength and attitude is such an inspiration to me.
The second one happened last Saturday night at the Chukars game. First, I want to thank Justin, Cassidy, and the adopted granddaughters for all their help. A young man in his early twenties came up to the booth. I could tell he was a special needs young man and he asked me how much the keychains were. “There free when you purchase 5 dollars’ worth of raffle tickets,” I told him. He got kind of a sad look on his face and said “Okay.” Then I said, “But you seem like a really great guy, so I’ll just give you one for free,” I said as I handed him one. He got a big smile on his face when I handed him the keychain. Then he reached in his pocket and handed me what had to be his last three pennies. “I want to donate what I can to your cause,” he said as he handed me the pennies. My first thought was to tell him to keep them, but I realized I needed to let him donate them for his sake. I knew his donation was fulfilling and rewarding for him.
These two experiences are terrific reminders to me of the great people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting through the foundation. It reminds me how the foundation is fulfilling and rewarding to me. I want to thank all of you again for your donations and support. I want to thank my Angel Shannon for her example of strength. I will always LOVE AND MISS YOU sweetheart.
Next week: Looking Back
P.S. I was told the storyline at the Chukars game will be “Shane takes a special needs mans last three cents!” My reply is simply, “And your point is…?”