
Happy day-after-xmas. Here's a heartwarming story about some asshole kids who knocked over an occupied port-a-potty a year and a half ago, paralyzing the guy inside from the chest down. More to the point, here's a story about the guy who was inside the port-a-potty, and how he's forgiven the little fuckers who fucked up his whole life.
His name is Pedro Toala, and I came across his story recently when I saw an article about how a number of strangers had renovated his house pro-bono, to make it handicapped-accessible. His horrific story, his decision to forgive the little fuckers, and his determination to move on with his life inspired Susan Simmons and Cher Przelomski of a special events firm called The Planning Factory to organize a renovation project.
Seventy contractors and more than 60 volunteers agreed, signing on to "The Pedro Project" with such enthusiasm that the project doubled in size, according to Bill Hart, senior projects manager for Wohlsen Construction. Saturday afternoon, Toala and his wife, Yira Graciano, and their children, 13-year-old Gale and 3-year-old Gregory, returned home to an estimated $175,000 to $200,000 in home improvements.
Improvements included new furniture in every single room, a new master suite with French doors that led to a newly constructed patio, and of course, a wheelchair lift that will allow him to visit parts of the house he's been unable to reach since he was injured.
That's really freakin' cool, hugely generous, charitable and awesome, but it doesn't change the fact that some stupid, misguided, unattended little fuckwads caused him permanent physical damage, and all for a cheap laugh.
Pedro Toala, soaked with human waste and blue-ish chemicals, could hear the kids laughing outside the portable toilet they had just tipped over.
Toala was inside, face down in the liquid that had spilled from the toilets holding tank.
He tried to turn over, but could not move his legs. He couldnt even feel his legs.
He worked to push himself out of the filth, mustering just enough strength to keep his mouth above it. Something had splashed his face when the building tipped and he tried not to swallow.
Unable to free himself and unable to move, he prayed.
God, help me get out of here.
God, help me forgive the kids that did this to me.
They were still out there, still laughing.
Some of the paramedics wouldn't even touch him when they arrived later, because the stench was so bad.
"Some of them wouldn't touch me because of the smell," Toala said. "Finally one of them said, 'I'll get him up. I'll get him on the stretcher.' "
Meanwhile, the little bastards who did this to him got away.
Wilmington police have no leads on who tipped the privy over, Master Sgt. Steven T. Elliott said.
"Those kids probably didn't know they were doing something wrong," Toala said. "Maybe they're going to live with that in their heart and they'll be haunted all their life.
"Maybe they'll come forward one day. Maybe they'll talk to me. They won't be free until they do. ...
"But I have no grudge toward these kids or whoever did it," Toala said. "I forgive them."
He forgives them, which is hugely generous of him, and something I really don't think I'd be able to do.
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