our lives can change in an instant the greatest thing to ever happen to us can
greatest thing to ever happen to us can
greatest thing to ever happen to us can sometimes feel like the worst thing is
sometimes feel like the worst thing is
sometimes feel like the worst thing is what’s happening the greatest thing that
what’s happening the greatest thing that
what’s happening the greatest thing that ever happened to me
ever happened to me
ever happened to me is no different in the weeks leading up
is no different in the weeks leading up
is no different in the weeks leading up to my 21st birthday I began to notice
to my 21st birthday I began to notice
to my 21st birthday I began to notice some wording changes to my health
some wording changes to my health
some wording changes to my health I remember feeling more and more tired I
I remember feeling more and more tired I
I remember feeling more and more tired I felt as if I needed to rest when doing
felt as if I needed to rest when doing
felt as if I needed to rest when doing activities I ordinarily wouldn’t need to
activities I ordinarily wouldn’t need to
activities I ordinarily wouldn’t need to I remember my boss telling me I looked
I remember my boss telling me I looked
I remember my boss telling me I looked pale and my friends and family would
pale and my friends and family would
pale and my friends and family would tell me the same the more you hear
tell me the same the more you hear
tell me the same the more you hear things like that the more you listen and
things like that the more you listen and
things like that the more you listen and the scarier it gets after a while I
the scarier it gets after a while I
the scarier it gets after a while I began to notice that something was
began to notice that something was
began to notice that something was really wrong so I went to a local
really wrong so I went to a local
really wrong so I went to a local pharmacy to check my pulse with a
pharmacy to check my pulse with a
pharmacy to check my pulse with a blood-pressure cuff my vitals were all
blood-pressure cuff my vitals were all
blood-pressure cuff my vitals were all normal but the next day an enormous
normal but the next day an enormous
normal but the next day an enormous bruise encircled my arm right where the
bruise encircled my arm right where the
bruise encircled my arm right where the blood pressure cuff had been I couldn’t
blood pressure cuff had been I couldn’t
blood pressure cuff had been I couldn’t understand what was happening to me and
understand what was happening to me and
understand what was happening to me and without insurance I didn’t know what to
without insurance I didn’t know what to
without insurance I didn’t know what to do I woke up one day with the intention
do I woke up one day with the intention
do I woke up one day with the intention of going to work but I quickly realized
of going to work but I quickly realized
of going to work but I quickly realized this was going to be impossible I
this was going to be impossible I
this was going to be impossible I couldn’t walk six steps without passing
couldn’t walk six steps without passing
couldn’t walk six steps without passing out so I called out of work and then
out so I called out of work and then
out so I called out of work and then called my mom to drive me to the
called my mom to drive me to the
called my mom to drive me to the emergency room they wheeled me inside
emergency room they wheeled me inside
emergency room they wheeled me inside took a blood sample and then gave me the
took a blood sample and then gave me the
took a blood sample and then gave me the news that would change my life forever
on October 3rd 2011 I was diagnosed with
on October 3rd 2011 I was diagnosed with cancer leukemia I’ll never be able to
cancer leukemia I’ll never be able to
cancer leukemia I’ll never be able to explain the feeling I felt when they
explain the feeling I felt when they
explain the feeling I felt when they uttered those words but I’m here today
uttered those words but I’m here today
uttered those words but I’m here today to tell you that getting cancer was the
to tell you that getting cancer was the
to tell you that getting cancer was the best thing to ever happen to me two days
best thing to ever happen to me two days
best thing to ever happen to me two days after my diagnosis Apple CEO Steve Jobs
after my diagnosis Apple CEO Steve Jobs
after my diagnosis Apple CEO Steve Jobs passed away from pancreatic cancer I
passed away from pancreatic cancer I
passed away from pancreatic cancer I remember sitting on my hospital bed and
remember sitting on my hospital bed and
remember sitting on my hospital bed and watching a documentary about his life
watching a documentary about his life
watching a documentary about his life and I was amazed to see all the
and I was amazed to see all the
and I was amazed to see all the wonderful things he did for the world
wonderful things he did for the world
wonderful things he did for the world the innovations his company set into
the innovations his company set into
the innovations his company set into motion and how he helped push humanity
motion and how he helped push humanity
motion and how he helped push humanity forward I admired that and I aspired to
forward I admired that and I aspired to
forward I admired that and I aspired to be like that
be like that
be like that so after the documentary aired and a few
so after the documentary aired and a few
so after the documentary aired and a few moments of reflection I promised myself
moments of reflection I promised myself
moments of reflection I promised myself that if I was going to somehow survive I
that if I was going to somehow survive I
that if I was going to somehow survive I was going to do something I didn’t know
was going to do something I didn’t know
was going to do something I didn’t know what but I promised myself that if I was
what but I promised myself that if I was
what but I promised myself that if I was going to live I would work for the rest
going to live I would work for the rest
going to live I would work for the rest of my life to make this world as great
of my life to make this world as great
of my life to make this world as great as I believe it can be a few days passed
as I believe it can be a few days passed
as I believe it can be a few days passed and I figured it’s probably time to
and I figured it’s probably time to
and I figured it’s probably time to break the news to my friends and as a
break the news to my friends and as a
break the news to my friends and as a millennial guess what
millennial guess what
millennial guess what I chose Facebook the reaction I got I
I chose Facebook the reaction I got I
I chose Facebook the reaction I got I never expected people are so caring and
never expected people are so caring and
never expected people are so caring and shows so much support people I hadn’t
shows so much support people I hadn’t
shows so much support people I hadn’t talked to in years called me and
talked to in years called me and
talked to in years called me and messaged me saying if there’s anything
messaged me saying if there’s anything
messaged me saying if there’s anything they could do to help for me to just ask
they could do to help for me to just ask
they could do to help for me to just ask I told some of my friends how I didn’t
I told some of my friends how I didn’t
I told some of my friends how I didn’t have insurance and they began to find
have insurance and they began to find
have insurance and they began to find ways to help me a friend of my sister
ways to help me a friend of my sister
ways to help me a friend of my sister got her sorority sisters together to
got her sorority sisters together to
got her sorority sisters together to make insel bracelets at their college
make insel bracelets at their college
make insel bracelets at their college and this helped me so much but what I
and this helped me so much but what I
and this helped me so much but what I found so fascinating about this is that
found so fascinating about this is that
found so fascinating about this is that these people didn’t know me all they
these people didn’t know me all they
these people didn’t know me all they knew is someone needed help and because
knew is someone needed help and because
knew is someone needed help and because of Facebook and the human need to
of Facebook and the human need to
of Facebook and the human need to connect they found a cause worth
connect they found a cause worth
connect they found a cause worth supporting my cause after some time went
supporting my cause after some time went
supporting my cause after some time went on enough people had shared my Facebook
on enough people had shared my Facebook
on enough people had shared my Facebook post that basically my whole town knew
post that basically my whole town knew
post that basically my whole town knew what was happening to me and people all
what was happening to me and people all
what was happening to me and people all over were trying to find ways to help me
over were trying to find ways to help me
over were trying to find ways to help me a friend of my brother got local bands
a friend of my brother got local bands
a friend of my brother got local bands together to organize a concert open to
together to organize a concert open to
together to organize a concert open to the entire community and in the course
the entire community and in the course
the entire community and in the course of two days they raised over two
of two days they raised over two
of two days they raised over two thousand dollars to help me pay for my
thousand dollars to help me pay for my
thousand dollars to help me pay for my medical bills and this was wonderful and
medical bills and this was wonderful and
medical bills and this was wonderful and it helped but again think about this
it helped but again think about this
it helped but again think about this these people had never met me before in
these people had never met me before in
these people had never met me before in their lives all they knew is someone in
their lives all they knew is someone in
their lives all they knew is someone in their community needed help and so they
their community needed help and so they
their community needed help and so they did to me this says there’s a hidden
did to me this says there’s a hidden
did to me this says there’s a hidden power in our communities an untapped
power in our communities an untapped
power in our communities an untapped resource just begging to be released if
resource just begging to be released if
resource just begging to be released if only we could get this resource to the
only we could get this resource to the
only we could get this resource to the people who need it most after some time
people who need it most after some time
people who need it most after some time it was pretty evident that chemotherapy
it was pretty evident that chemotherapy
it was pretty evident that chemotherapy wasn’t working and I faced a bone-marrow
wasn’t working and I faced a bone-marrow
wasn’t working and I faced a bone-marrow transplant luckily
transplant luckily
transplant luckily I have a lot of siblings but one after
I have a lot of siblings but one after
I have a lot of siblings but one after the other were tested and we’re coming
the other were tested and we’re coming
the other were tested and we’re coming up- doesn’t match and it got down to my
up- doesn’t match and it got down to my
up- doesn’t match and it got down to my older brother at this point I really
older brother at this point I really
older brother at this point I really thought this was going to be the end for
thought this was going to be the end for
thought this was going to be the end for me but I was wrong my brother was not
me but I was wrong my brother was not
me but I was wrong my brother was not only a match he was in a hundred percent
only a match he was in a hundred percent
only a match he was in a hundred percent match I got my life back I survived but
match I got my life back I survived but
match I got my life back I survived but things were different I stopped seeing
things were different I stopped seeing
things were different I stopped seeing barriers and I realized that if I can
barriers and I realized that if I can
barriers and I realized that if I can take chemotherapy biopsies surgeries
take chemotherapy biopsies surgeries
take chemotherapy biopsies surgeries there’s nothing I can’t do
there’s nothing I can’t do
there’s nothing I can’t do someone once told me you never know how
someone once told me you never know how
someone once told me you never know how strong you are until being strong is all
strong you are until being strong is all
strong you are until being strong is all you have a changed I got into school and
you have a changed I got into school and
you have a changed I got into school and I resumed my life but I never forgot how
I resumed my life but I never forgot how
I resumed my life but I never forgot how my community helped me and I never for a
my community helped me and I never for a
my community helped me and I never for a second forgot the promise I made myself
second forgot the promise I made myself
second forgot the promise I made myself the day Steve Jobs passed away they say
the day Steve Jobs passed away they say
the day Steve Jobs passed away they say there’s six degrees of separation
there’s six degrees of separation
there’s six degrees of separation between any two people on the planet and
between any two people on the planet and
between any two people on the planet and that’s true and all that means is
that’s true and all that means is
that’s true and all that means is between you and anyone else there are at
between you and anyone else there are at
between you and anyone else there are at most six other people between you and
most six other people between you and
most six other people between you and them a friend of a friend of a friend
them a friend of a friend of a friend
them a friend of a friend of a friend the idea that we’re all separated by six
the idea that we’re all separated by six
the idea that we’re all separated by six people first comes from a short story
people first comes from a short story
people first comes from a short story written in 1929 it was popularized by
written in 1929 it was popularized by
written in 1929 it was popularized by the play six degrees of separation by
the play six degrees of separation by
the play six degrees of separation by John Gorrie in the 90s and it was
John Gorrie in the 90s and it was
John Gorrie in the 90s and it was actually proven by a Columbia University
actually proven by a Columbia University
actually proven by a Columbia University professor in 2001 and to see how a
professor in 2001 and to see how a
professor in 2001 and to see how a simple Facebook post can reach so many
simple Facebook post can reach so many
simple Facebook post can reach so many people it was proven to me I bring this
people it was proven to me I bring this
people it was proven to me I bring this up because during my time in college I
up because during my time in college I
up because during my time in college I began to formulate an idea what if there
began to formulate an idea what if there
began to formulate an idea what if there weren’t six degrees of separation
weren’t six degrees of separation
weren’t six degrees of separation between us what if there was zero and
between us what if there was zero and
between us what if there was zero and what if we could digitize how my
what if we could digitize how my
what if we could digitize how my community helped me I met Dominik Gregor
community helped me I met Dominik Gregor
community helped me I met Dominik Gregor and my entrepreneurship class and we
and my entrepreneurship class and we
and my entrepreneurship class and we began developing an application that
began developing an application that
began developing an application that would be capable of doing just that we
would be capable of doing just that we
would be capable of doing just that we asked ourselves what if people could
asked ourselves what if people could
asked ourselves what if people could post a status not just to their friends
post a status not just to their friends
post a status not just to their friends but to everyone within a ten-mile radius
but to everyone within a ten-mile radius
but to everyone within a ten-mile radius what if we could change the way we meet
what if we could change the way we meet
what if we could change the way we meet people by having our city right in our
people by having our city right in our
people by having our city right in our pocket we are captivated by the
pocket we are captivated by the
pocket we are captivated by the possibilities of such an app
possibilities of such an app
possibilities of such an app and so we built it and we named it
and so we built it and we named it
and so we built it and we named it Brighton you can think of bright as
Brighton you can think of bright as
Brighton you can think of bright as community networking an open social
community networking an open social
community networking an open social media not focused on just a friends list
media not focused on just a friends list
media not focused on just a friends list but on your entire city we want to
but on your entire city we want to
but on your entire city we want to eliminate segregation created by our
eliminate segregation created by our
eliminate segregation created by our social circles and create truly
social circles and create truly
social circles and create truly connected communities if I had had
connected communities if I had had
connected communities if I had had bright when I was sick I wouldn’t have
bright when I was sick I wouldn’t have
bright when I was sick I wouldn’t have had to wait for friends of friends to
had to wait for friends of friends to
had to wait for friends of friends to find out with one simple post everyone
find out with one simple post everyone
find out with one simple post everyone within a 10-mile radius would have known
within a 10-mile radius would have known
within a 10-mile radius would have known at once and I could have gotten the help
at once and I could have gotten the help
at once and I could have gotten the help that I needed much faster my dream is
that I needed much faster my dream is
that I needed much faster my dream is that this application will help others
that this application will help others
that this application will help others in the way that I was helped by my
in the way that I was helped by my
in the way that I was helped by my community I believe all of us have the
community I believe all of us have the
community I believe all of us have the power to make a difference in the world
power to make a difference in the world
power to make a difference in the world Steve Jobs once said the world was
Steve Jobs once said the world was
Steve Jobs once said the world was created by people no smarter than you
created by people no smarter than you
created by people no smarter than you you can change it and those people crazy
you can change it and those people crazy
you can change it and those people crazy enough to believe they can change the
enough to believe they can change the
enough to believe they can change the world are the ones that – personally I
world are the ones that – personally I
world are the ones that – personally I don’t think social media is good or evil
don’t think social media is good or evil
don’t think social media is good or evil I think it’s how we use it that matters
I think it’s how we use it that matters
I think it’s how we use it that matters most I survived one of the worst things
most I survived one of the worst things
most I survived one of the worst things that can happen to a person but I lived
that can happen to a person but I lived
that can happen to a person but I lived because of people like I said cancer was
because of people like I said cancer was
because of people like I said cancer was the best thing to ever happen to me
the best thing to ever happen to me
the best thing to ever happen to me because it taught me that a life
because it taught me that a life
because it taught me that a life connected to others is the happiest life
connected to others is the happiest life
connected to others is the happiest life a person can live and in this age of
a person can live and in this age of
a person can live and in this age of social media connecting with others is
social media connecting with others is
social media connecting with others is the brightest thing a person can do so
the brightest thing a person can do so
the brightest thing a person can do so get out there connect share and make a
get out there connect share and make a
get out there connect share and make a difference thank you
”
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