Helping a Friend Help a Stranger

I didn’t know Jon U. I never heard of him before Friday. He lived in Kansas City and recently died of injuries sustained after he witnessed a purse snatching and chased down the culprit.

A good friend of mine, Kenny Holland, is a morning DJ on the Kansas City radio station 97.3, The Planet. During his Friday morning broadcast, he determined that he would stay on the air until they had successfully raised $50,000 to support the Jon U Good Samaritan fund to support Jon’s widow, and the child he and his wife are expecting in August.

I help Kenny out by setting up a blog for him, and this morning he contacted me looking for help in setting up an online payment option for those who would like to contribute to the fund online. So I spent some time this morning helping him to setup a PayPal donation button, and creating a graphic to show their fundraising progress towards their goal.

I don’t know Jon U any more than he knew the lady he gave his life to help. But I’m glad to know there are people out there like him. And I hope his community’s efforts to remember him and support his widow and child can provide them some small comfort in the face of such a devastating tragedy.