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SN20 - A Little Happiness to Start Your Week
36 Plays1 month ago
Let Jeff and Sam start your Monday off with a little happiness! This week, they share heartwarming stories that will remind you of the kindness and resilience in the world.
🎉 A man given just three years to live celebrates his 27th birthday in style
❤️ 20 volunteers perform CPR for 96 minutes to save a man's life
🏥 A beloved doctor was denied cancer treatment—so his patients came to the rescue
Enjoy these uplifting stories to start your week on a positive note!
📢 Visit us on Linktree for the collection of links, Instagram, or email us at downtherabbitholepod@gmail.com.
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Transcript
Starting the Week with Positivity
00:00:18
Jeff Rogers
Hello. ay How are you? I'm well. How are you? I'm well. It's Monday. It is, so you know what that means. Yeah, happy Monday. We're going to send you all out into the world, our lovely people, on this beautiful Monday.
00:00:33
Jeff Rogers
Even if it's not too beautiful, pretend like it is, go with us on this. We're going to send you out into the world with a positive attitude. We will. Start your week off right. If you're listening to it on Tuesday, not our fault.
00:00:45
Jeff Rogers
You should have been listening to it on Monday when it comes out. True, true, true.
Significance of March 24th
00:00:49
Jeff Rogers
So what's up, buttercup? This day is very important to me. um Historically. What day is it? It is the 24th of March. Okay.
00:01:01
Jeff Rogers
Historically, not great. But personally, I think it's great. I'm going to give you a few happy happy moments about this. Okay. On this day, Harry Houdini was born.
00:01:13
Jeff Rogers
Jessica Chastain was born. I love me some Jessica Chastain. and Steve McQueen was born. Ooh. Also, on this day, love the little snap thing that you just did. 1943, G.I. Joe, one of the most decorated homing pigeons in military history, was hatched.
00:01:34
Jeff Rogers
G.I. Joe was known that for during World War two he flew 20 miles in 20 minutes in the nick of time to save a battalion from being bombed. That little pigeon that is is credited with saving some 1,000 British troops.
00:01:50
Jeff Rogers
Oh, that's amazing. Way to go, G.I. Joe. Amen. What else? Let's see.
Historical Reflections: 1944 and 1950s
00:01:58
Jeff Rogers
1944. Damn. The Germans slaughter Italian civilians.
00:02:04
Jeff Rogers
Yeah, like I said, not a great day. Also 1944, British Army officer Ordi Windgate was killed in a plane crash. 1955, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof opened.
00:02:18
Jeff Rogers
Woo! Woo! well 1958, Elvis Presley was inducted into the U.S. Army. Those were his hot years. Can I just say? her He was doing great. Elvis was hot. 1950s Elvis.
00:02:31
Jeff Rogers
There you go. um Well, that's a good one. Oh, 1972, Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather, opened in theaters. I love me that movie. Me too. You know, we were just talking about it. Yeah.
00:02:45
Jeff Rogers
um 1987, Act Up holds its first action on Wall Street.
00:02:53
Jeff Rogers
1998, school shooting in Jonesboro, Arkansas kills five people. 99, NATO Yugoslavia. ninety-n nine nato bombed yugoslavia 2002, Halle Berry, the gorgeous Halle Berry becomes the first black woman to win a best, well, that was a hard sentence to say. Halle Berry becomes the first black woman to win a best actress Oscar.
00:03:18
Jeff Rogers
You do love your Oscars. Wait, did we skip year, though? We did skip a year. The most important year, personally. What was that?
Community Stories and Celebrations
00:03:24
Jeff Rogers
On this day, a handful of years ago, i won't say how many,
00:03:29
Jeff Rogers
Um, my friend Brian was born. Brian. Brian, you sassy, sassy man who yelled at me that I didn't give you a birthday shout out earlier in the month, but not knowing that I was planning this for your actual birthday. You get it on your birthday, buddy.
00:03:46
Jeff Rogers
Yeah, you do. You get this shout out on your birthday. Indeed. And not many people get that. So you're welcome. Thanks for being born. Happy birthday, Brian. We'll save the shows for you today then.
00:03:58
Jeff Rogers
It is. So we're going to send you guys out into the world with a couple of good stories. Okay. You got time for a good story? I do. Do you? I do. Do y'all? Okay. And we're going to, I'm going tell you the first one.
00:04:09
Jeff Rogers
Okay. Okay. Let me open it up. The suspense, the suspense. The According to the American Heart Association, the overall survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is about 10%.
00:04:25
Jeff Rogers
While the survival rate in hospitals is about 20 to 25%. However, those can vary obviously, right? Now there's a town, um a really small town in Minnesota.
00:04:37
Jeff Rogers
i mean, it's really, really small. It doesn't even have a traffic light. It's that small. I kind of love that. It's called Good Hue, Minnesota. And Howard Schnitzer, who was 54 years old at the time, Howard was on his way to Don's Foods to buy groceries when suddenly Howard collapsed on the sidewalk, suffering a massive heart attack.
00:05:00
Jeff Rogers
The clerk inside the grocery store called 911 and the only customer in the store was an off-duty corrections officer. He rushed out to Howard's side and began performing CPR on Howard.
00:05:13
Jeff Rogers
Across the street, the owner of a body shop heard the commotion and hurried over. Well, news spread because it's a small town, very, very small town. News spread and the numbers grew.
00:05:25
Jeff Rogers
The team of first responders and good who is made up entirely of volunteers, as is a lot yeah of places around the country. In total, about 20 pairs of hands worked to the point of exhaustion to save Schnitzer's life in CPR marathon that lasted for 96 minutes until the paramedics arrived.
00:05:45
Jeff Rogers
hell were they coming from? it's a far It's a small town. i looked on the map. like It's a small town in the middle of nowhere, so they probably have to come from Minneapolis. Oh, my. Okay, so when the paramedics finally arrived via helicopter, they witnessed an astonishing scene.
00:05:59
Jeff Rogers
Mary Svoboda, a Mayo Clinic flight nurse who flew in on the emergency helicopter, helicopter said, quote, quote it was unbelievable There were probably 20 people in line waiting their turn to do CPR, and they just kept cycling through.
00:06:16
Jeff Rogers
After 10 days, Howard, our dear Howard, was released from the hospital, miraculously healthy and incredibly grateful. Howard said, quote, I feel like I have a responsibility to them to live the best life possible and honor the effort they made, Howard said.
00:06:36
Jeff Rogers
Way to go. Yeah. That's inspiring. Isn't that a good one? Oh, that was good. That was good. Have you got one?
Inspiring Lives and Supportive Communities
00:06:45
Jeff Rogers
I do. I know you do. yeah For nearly 40 years, Dr. Michael Zollicoffer, affectionately known as Dr. Z, has been a beacon of kindness in his community.
00:06:56
Jeff Rogers
The 66-year-old pediatrician never let money stand in the way of care, treating patients regardless of their ability to pay. Now, after a cancer diagnosis left him struggling to afford his own treatment, his patients are stepping up to return the favor.
00:07:13
Jeff Rogers
Dr. Z has always put people first. Forget that dollar bill, he often told his patients. You walk in that door, you will be seen. You bring your grandma in with you. I'll see her too. i love him.
00:07:25
Jeff Rogers
He dedicated his life to helping others, taking no real vacations and making himself available to patients 24-7. But when he was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago, a paperwork issue with his Medicare plan left him without insurance to cover his radiation treatments.
00:07:42
Jeff Rogers
That's when the community he served so selflessly decided it was their turn to take care of him. His patients launched a GoFundMe campaign, raising more than $229,000 to ensure that he gets the care he needs.
00:07:58
Jeff Rogers
A quote, Dr. Z will not give up on you, so we damn sure ain't giving up on him. Hell yeah. By Ray Beverly, a longtime patient. Despite the hardship, Dr. Z remains overwhelmingly grateful.
00:08:10
Jeff Rogers
With a voice full of emotion, Dr. Z said, I am the happiest man on the planet, no matter what the outcome. What we have shown and why we're sitting at this table right now is to show America that this is what we're about.
00:08:24
Jeff Rogers
We're about giving. I can't make it without them, nor can they make it without me. Oh, that was good. Sweet Dr. Z. Yeah. You know, just not only are we trying to give you guys happy stories, but it's just.
00:08:39
Jeff Rogers
It's good for us to bring. Yeah. Bring happiness to the people around you. you know share a smile with them. Help them when they're down. Because you never know when it's going to come back tenfold.
00:08:52
Jeff Rogers
It's good for everybody. And it's karma. It is. That is karma. Good things will come back to you. um Well, we're only nine minutes in. And I've got another one Do it to it.
00:09:05
Jeff Rogers
You ready? Okay.
00:09:10
Jeff Rogers
Shimmer shimmy. There's a young man in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, who's a shining example of resilience and positivity. His name is Aaron Warren, and Aaron's 27 years old.
00:09:23
Jeff Rogers
But the thing is, Aaron was never supposed to be 27 years old. But he's here, and he's just marked his milestone golden birthday 27 the 27th.
00:09:35
Jeff Rogers
Aaron shared a joyful photoshoot with a bold balloon display reading disabled AF perfectly capturing his spirited approach to life.
00:09:46
Jeff Rogers
Because Aaron Aaron was born with spinal muscular atrophy and nobody expected him to live past three years of age. He said, quote, I've officially lived to see 24 more birthdays than I ever expected to see.
00:10:02
Jeff Rogers
And he shared, if I had to sum it up in one word today, it would be thankful. He expressed gratitude for his family, friends, business team, and even his trusty wheelchair.
00:10:16
Jeff Rogers
Joking that the wheelchair, quote, kind of carries a whole operation. Beyond his contagious enthusiasm, Aaron is also an entrepreneur making a difference.
00:10:26
Jeff Rogers
he's He founded Zipped Brands, a company that transforms stylish name brand shoes by adding zippers to them, making them easier to wear for people of all abilities.
00:10:38
Jeff Rogers
He said, quote, because of my disabilities and my bent toes, wearing shoes, especially ones I loved, was nearly impossible. He also said, i accepted that stylish shoes weren't meant for me. Well, Erin, they're not meant for me either, so I get it.
00:10:53
Jeff Rogers
Then came a breakthrough. What if I could add zippers to my favorite shoe brands? That simple yet powerful idea sparked a business built on inclusivity, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their ability, has access to fashionable footwear.
00:11:08
Jeff Rogers
Aaron's story is a powerful reminder that resilience, humor, and gratitude can turn any challenge into an opportunity. He refuses to be defined by limitations. Instead, he uses his journey to uplift others, whether through his infectious optimism or his innovative business, making life easier for people of all abilities.
00:11:27
Jeff Rogers
His golden birthday isn't just a celebration of age, but of perseverance, purpose, and the incredible impact one person can have on the world. He said, quote, now I'm off to celebrate with one of my favorite foods, lobster bisque soup.
00:11:43
Jeff Rogers
And if you happen to spot a margarita on my wheelchair tray, no, you didn't. End quote. And that is the story of Erin Warren. That was good. Did you like that one? That was good. Way to go, Erin. Way to go, Erin.
Closing Thoughts on Positivity and Gratitude
00:11:58
Jeff Rogers
And way to go, you. And thank you guys for listening. Happy Monday. go out into the world with a smile on your face. Even if it doesn't last for long, just go out there with one on your face. And that will be all for today. Bye-bye. Brian, happy birthday. Happy birthday. Bye.