Today, my biological mother who has never been a part of my life since I was born, is donating her bone marrow as often as medically possible (22 donations so far) in a selfless attempt to help save my life. MMT

Today, is my 17th birthday. 17 years ago my mom was told by doctors to abort her 3rd child (me) due to a high risk of complications. They told her there was a chance she could die if she gave birth. According to my dad, she told them she would rather die than not give her unborn son a chance. My mom is healthy today and so am I. But her decision will forever MMT.

Today, I was at Disney World when a blind couple was struggling to exit the Space Mountain ride. Two young teens were at the very front of the 45-minute long line when they left the line to help the couple and guide them safely through the exit. MMT

Today, after doubting my acting abilities and listening to the negativity of others who kept telling me it wasn’t worth my time for nearly 15 years now, I called in sick to my job as a cook at a public high school and drove an hour south to L.A. to audition for a recurring part in a sitcom. The director called me this evening on my drive home and said he really liked my work and wants me to read more lines in his studio tomorrow afternoon. MMT

Today, my old boss at the depression hotline where I worked for four years when I was in college eight years ago, still forwards me a thank you email at least once every few months from a person I helped while I worked there. MMT

Today, a random female student in a wheel chair offered to carry my backpack on the back of her wheelchair for me after she saw me limping out of my class with my casted, fractured ankle. She helped me all the way across campus to my car and refused any kind of compensation. MMT

Today, a homeless woman who I have seen at a few of our community outreach efforts in the last few months came into our donation office and donated a fairly well-kept pair of winter boots. She said, “I already have two other pairs, so I figured someone else probably needs these more than I do right now.” MMT

Today, one of my business heroes replied to an email I spent her inquiring about how she had handled all of her failures to get to where she is today. Part of her response: “I’ve fallen down hard a hundred times, at least. I’ve seen many people close to me fall flat on their faces too. Sometimes you wake right up. Sometimes it totally knocks you out. And sometimes, when you fall, you fly.” MMT

Today, my dad received the surgery he needed to remove a cancerous tumor from his pancreas. His health condition has kept him out of work for almost a year now. My family has been struggling to make ends meet for several months, and we were finally forced to sell our townhouse last week. We close in 12 days and had nowhere to go. My sister and I have been openly discussing my dad’s medical situation and our dilemma on Twitter and Facebook. This evening, a friend of a friend, who is a wealthy real estate investor, saw our comments and volunteered to let us stay in one of his properties rent free for the next twelve months. MMT

Today, a nurse named Kay gave up a planned anniversary date she had with her husband and worked three straight shifts without a break to help my son who is in the emergency room. She was the only person watching him at midnight, at which time she made emergency calls and got the doctors to order the emergency surgery that saved my son’s life. MMT

Today, earlier this morning, before she went into a coma that her doctors say she will not awaken from, my 88 year old mom wrote this as the final entry in her journal: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, which makes us more worthy to be at peace as lay at our final resting place. And thankfully, I have found this peace.” MMT

Today, a homeless man came into the homeless shelter where I volunteer two nights a week. His name is Sean and he is my friend from high school. He is now sleeping in my guest bedroom rent-free until he gets himself back on his feet. MMT

Today, I met a 53-year-old pediatric neurosurgeon who retired early and lives in a trailer in a remote part of Africa simply so he can perform surgeries and provide medical care free of charge to children in need. MMT

Today, after watching the three homeless men who hang outside my deli share a sandwich one of my customers bought for one of them yesterday, I gave each one of them their own sandwich for lunch today. They were so appreciative that two of them came back this evening and washed the front window of my deli – a job that was long overdue. MMT

Today, on a crowed subway train in Manhattan, I watched as a wealthy businesswoman dressed in a Gucci woman’s suit and wearing a Rolex, limped onto the train using a cane for support. It appeared that she had an injured ankle. Without hesitating, a homeless man sitting in the first seat by the doorway jumped up and offered her his seat. She smiled, sat down, reached into her pocket and handled the man $200 in cash. The man began thanking her repeatedly and crying with tears of joy. MMT

Today, my little brother has a hearing disability that medically classifies him as being legally deaf. He can still hear low tones of sound, and he has used the low tones he can hear to learn to play the drums like a true rock star. He just got into a music school on a full ride scholarship based on his performance in our school’s competitive drum line. My brother’s perseverance MMT.

Today, I have now lived 227 days beyond the 9 month life expectancy they gave me. Every single one of these days has been a true blessing. MMT

Today, when I asked my business mentor what pushed him to start the successful coaching practice he owns, he said, “One day I thought to myself, ‘Somebody should do something about that someday.’ Then I realized I am somebody, and I got to work.” MMT

Today, on my mom’s side of the family, the majority of the women have had breast cancer - many of them multiple times. But none of them have died from it. The amazing beauty and strength of the women in my family MMT.

Today, it’s been a week since I got in a bad car crash in a snowstorm. When it started snowing again yesterday afternoon, the thought of crashing again overwhelmed my mind. I sat in my car in the student parking lot crying. A kid from one of my classes who I barely know came up to my window and offered to drive me home in her 4-wheel drive SUV. This morning she picked me up without me even asking because she remembered my car was still at school. MMT