A teacher is given the gift of life by one of her colleagues, a Purple Heart recipient gets a life-changing surprise, a man starts a movement of positivity with one simple gesture and service dogs get a chance to serve the nation's bravest.

<div class="block">A teacher is given the gift of life by one of her colleagues, a Purple Heart recipient gets a life-changing surprise, a man starts a movement of positivity with one simple gesture and service dogs get a chance to serve the nation&#39;s bravest.</div>

On a Positive Note

On A Positive Note: Doing Good for Others

Mhm Coming up on a positive note where good news does exist. Now, this calls for a celebration. Hopefully, it's all very successful. And we're able to, I'm able to have many, many, many, many more years with my kids and my husband. After desperately searching for an organ donor, this school teacher has been given the gift of life by one of her colleagues over in the Bronx. This purple heart recipient has just been given a life changing surprise. Plus how this new Jersey man has started a movement of positivity. God bless you have a wonderful day. He's boosting the spirits of school kids all through one simple gesture and some very good boys have officially become service dogs, how they'll be assisting some of the nation's bravest today. Good news does exist and you've come to the right place to find it. It's time for on a positive note. Yeah. Mhm. Hello. Hello, I'm Jordan and thanks for tuning in. You're watching on a positive note where good news does exist. So rest assured here on a positive note, you can be sure to find some of the most heartwarming stories from all around our areas. There are stories that will move you and inspire you. There's stories that prove people are good. Well, thank you for being here. And on that note, let's jump right in. There is a major celebration happening over in New Jersey. One school teacher's prayers have just been answered following her desperate search to find a kidney. Well, she's found a donor and he was closer than anybody might have thought. Check it out the entire school. Cheering on two teachers, one who finally found a match for a life saving surgery and another who agreed to donate a kidney to a co worker. When I first came to ST Leo's, I thought I was just going to teach at the school that my kids went to. Um and just, I now see that I was here for a much greater reason. Lauren Ruby, a teacher and mother of two was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease. Her kidneys began to fail more rapidly. In December. The whole process has been really long daunting at times, her husband made a Facebook post looking for a match. They founded at Lawrence school, computer science teacher, Mike Deneen volunteered to get tested, became the only match and agreed to donate one of his kidneys. I lost my mom when I was very young and when I was five to cancer. And so I know how important it is that, you know, these kids have their mom. I actually teach their son in class and their daughter is the same age that I was when I lost the process will take about 4 to 5 hours. But it could add years on to her life. Hopefully, it's all very successful and we're able to, I'm able to have many, many, many, many more years with my kids and my husband. Well, we are keeping the theme of doing good for others. Coming here on a positive note today over on Long Island, the bond between a pair of brothers has just become stronger than ever. That's because one has just gifted his sibling a second chance at life. There's Johnny Valli. He was born with a kidney disease which causes blockages in the urinary tract and found out last May, his kidneys were failing. Well, Johnny and his family search for help, didn't take them too far. Tests showed his younger brother, Tommy was a perfect match. Now we'll hear from Johnny following the life saving transplant. It's a different bond. I mean, I have a part of his body inside of me and something that I have to honor and cherish and take care of for the, the, the rest of my life. What a blessing. Wow. Well, it turns out Johnny's family is just chock full of miracles. Johnny and Tommy's uncle also donated his kidney to his brother Ralph in 1993. And now it's time for one of our favorite parts of the episode. Here's today's. Did you know, did you know that your ability to save lives? Just like Tommy and just like Mike from our earlier story may be even closer than you think. Check out your screen. The National Kidney Foundation lists all types of resources here if you're in need of or maybe looking to donate a kidney information on kidney transplantation, understanding organ donation. And so much more now instances to make big impacts and change lives in a great way are everywhere and this is just one of them. So if you're looking to save a life in this way, hopefully we've made it a bit easier for you. And of course, if you do, please be sure to share your gift of life stories with us right here on a positive note and that Ladies and Gents is today's did you know, let's head on over to Connecticut for our next story where one teenager is making a huge impact. It's all for an organization that helps little ones learn to play hockey and so much more. Now the teens, one idea has led to thousands of dollars in donations for a wonderful cause. Take a look, you're about to meet a Fairfield prep hockey star who plays hard on the ice right here in Bridgeport. He's been voted one of the team captains. So you know, he's a leader on the ice, but the same goes for off the ice as well. By all accounts, 17 year old James Murphy of Fairfield is an all American boy hockey player. 4.0 GPA. No trouble and works with developmentally challenged kids. Oh, and that's not all. He, uh, made a three on three hockey tournament and raised about $13,500 for the ticket more on the Storm hockey team in just a moment on his own. James came up with an idea. He wanted to do a tournament to help the Storm and link it to a Go Fund me page. I had so much outreach. I think I got about 24 teams reach out about playing in the tournament. We had to cut that number down to 16 teams. James had help too. For example, the folks at Wonderland Ice Rink in Bridgeport donated every minute of ice time all free. If you're thinking this mom is proud, you couldn't be more, right. I'm incredibly proud, but I'm so grateful. It's a tremendous half community and friends, neighbors, people. We don't know plenty of anonymous donors now about the Storm hockey team who James raised the money for. It's an organization where an eight year old with autism or a 16 year old with Down Syndrome can have a place to go play hockey. More importantly to have some fun and smile. It's all volunteer. Not only have I done so much for them, but they've done so much for me. I started eight years ago, John mccormick with the Storm team says kids like James are invaluable. Over 100 men who was volunteer helping one player at a time and the money raised, it helps more than, you know, it can be equipment, um, including skates. Um Sometimes we get, uh, these players get a hockey bad. James says he's really looking forward to his senior year and then applying to school. He's thinking about maybe Boston College or Villanova wants to study business. Probably a safe bet. He writes that college essay on what he's done for the storm. He'll nail it coming over to the Bronx with me. Now, for our next story that just continues to prove that people around our communities are giving back and changing lives in big ways every day. Let's take a look at how one nonprofit organization that provides custom built mortgage free houses to war veterans pulled off the surprise of the century and offer a purple heart recipient. This is just an unimaginable gift. Check it out July 29 th 2009, the day army specialist, Evan Marcy lost his leg while serving in Afghanistan as a combat military photographer. It's still a tremendous difficulty. May 30 th 2023 Marcy's life would soon change again. Building homes for Heroes is going to be giving away the 343rd home to another well, deserving the surprise today taking place at the Bronx firehouse, a place held near and dear to the Marcy family growing up in the fire department coming here for different events and coming here, seeing my dad work. He kind of just instilled with that brotherhood mentality. Marcy's father, Dwayne served as a firefighter in this buried firehouse for 10 years, also serving as a first responder on 9 11. Dwayne Marcy also instilled a sense of resiliency in his son. He would not stop riding, riding from Monta to Virginia in his wheelchair. Father reminisces on the time he and his son rode 343 miles to honor the 343 firefighters who died on the day of the attacks. Marcy's grit and determination earned him this house. It being the 343rd of its kind. All the more special mayor of East I that you are welcome to our community and our community will rally around Evan and his family on September nine th the 9 11 memorial ride will take place again this time ending in East Haven, Connecticut at Marcy's new Home. Later this year, the 9 11 memorial ride will take place again this time ending in East Haven, Connecticut at Marcy's New Home. Ok. Well, no matter your age location or otherwise, our next segment is sure to resonate. It's time for one good thing while we're so grateful to police officers for serving and protecting us. One officer in New York helped protect a real life. Bambi that officer officer call on was called on to the scene where a young fawn had fallen into the stairwell of a basement. Take a look at the sweet moment. He rescued the deer and released him back into the wild. Stop, stop, stop. It's up, it's up. It's ok. Well, well, that was an incredible rescue, believe it or not. That little f wasn't even the only animal the officer helped save that week. Officer call on tells our crews that he also saved a young kitten and transported the newborn to a veterinary office to be treated. That kitty you can see there on your screen was eventually placed for adoption. Well, what a week for that officer, those animals were lucky to have you. And so are we? And on that note, thanks for spending the last half hour with me and for embracing all of this positivity. Remember, good news does exist and you can always be sure to find it right here on a positive note, I'm Jordan and I'll see you next time. Hm.