Because of Tracy’s physical defect, the other middle school students would taunt: “Don’t go near her. She’s got some sort of disease. Stay away or you’ll get it too.” The shunning pained her.
A couple of years later during high school, Tracy noticed Rick, another student sitting on the bus by himself. So Tracy asked Rick if she could sit next to him. The next day she sat next to him again. Soon Tracy and Rick sat together every day.
Ten months later, Rick finally confided, “The day I met you, I was going to clear out my locker and end it all with suicide. But when you sat next to me, I changed my mind. You gave me hope.”
Tracy had no idea that Rick was struggling. But because of her own difficulties in middle school, Tracy had learned to be kind and focus on others. In doing this, she saved Rick’s life. The power of kindness rewrote his life.
For reasons of security, names have been changed.
Color Me Orange—Color Me Kind
Coloring with Kindness
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
September 21 to October 9, 2016
Vote 62626
(Located outside on the museum plaza)
Tell Us Your Story. #ColorMeKind
