We start this week’s Good News Friday with a story that had me crying at the end of it. The late Paul Newman’s work with so many good causes is well-known, but sometimes we forgot how his legacy lives on, especially with the fantastic Hole in the Wall Camp.
Founded 25 years ago, it’s a place where for one week a year, very sick children can come and play and have fun, and forget for just a few days about how ill they are, and how difficult life can be.
Watch the above story if you can, and realize how special this camp is for so many.
Look at the faces of those kids and try to tell me the world is a cruel, heartless place.
**OK, I may have mentioned this before, but if not here goes: My new favorite thing on the Internet is a regular feature found on Grantland.com called “Rembert Explains the ’80s.” And this is how it works: The editors of Grantland pick a clip from the 1980s every week or so and show it to Rembert Browne, a 25-year-old African-American kid who’s never seen any of this pop-culture ephemera.
Then Rembert watches the clip and writes down his thoughts, and it is beyond freaking hilarious for a Gen Xer like myself to see some of that classic TV or music from a fresh perspective. He’s done breakdowns of Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like the Wolf” video, an episode of “Small Wonder,” and my favorite, the 1985 American Music Awards, when Prince was, well, the coolest man in the planet.
This one was a recent favorite, because it was one of my favorite shows back in the day. Boys and girls, Alfonso Ribiero and Ricky Schroeder, breakdancing. That is all.
**Finally, a story of a Philadelphia Eagles football player once again using his fame for good causes. Desean Jackson, a star wide receiver, occasionally acts like a jerk on the field, showboating and taunting and all that. But they guy has a huge heart.
Last year he befriended a severely bullied teenager named Nadin Khoury, surprising him on “The View” and taking an active role in his life.
Now, Jackson has donated $50,000 to the Wounded Warriors project, a wonderful cause.
“The people in the military put their lives on the line for us every day. I think it’s important to recognize the great service they provide for this country, especially at this time of year,” Jackson said. “I’m excited to meet some of the soldiers and let them know how much I appreciate what they do. They are true heroes.”
Desean Jackson: An athlete who gets it.
Wide World of Stuff 