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  • WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 26 2007 4:00 PM

I Wouldn't Be Able to Forgive These Fuckers

Submitted by Rahodeb

Edited by erin_broadley



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 toilet’s holding tank.

He tried to turn over, but could not move his legs. He couldn’t 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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Comments
DhD_No_Pants

DhD_No_Pants

Katy, TX
May 2006

DEC 26, 2007 07:28 PM

defaultx said:
jackass 2 caused this.



Yep, we all know tipping over porta potties was never even thought of before jackass 2 came around. whatever

That story was just fucked up. I'm glad people are coming together to help him out.

ckdexterhaven

ckdexterhaven

USA
December 2005

DEC 26, 2007 07:28 PM

defaultx said:
jackass 2 caused this.


I blame Reno 911! Miami.

ClovenBunny

ClovenBunny

I'm lost
October 2007

DEC 26, 2007 08:08 PM

Ewwww....
I feel sick.... puke

avidity

avidity

I'm lost
June 2006

DEC 26, 2007 08:15 PM

let them soak in their own waste for a couple days, then maybe, just maybe i'd forgive them. however, why spend the rest of his life angry? it takes a really big person to forgive them.

jrmccabe

jrmccabe

Bremerton, WA
June 2007

DEC 26, 2007 08:22 PM

He's a better man than I am ... I'd love to be able to track their asses down and kill each and every one of them myself = "seriously wanted felon"; oh well.

I can't seriously imagine being THAT paralyzed. Those kids would pray to take that two minutes of laughter in their lives back ... even if it was the last thing I'd do.

shapeshifter23

shapeshifter23

San Francisco, CA
September 2005

DEC 26, 2007 08:51 PM

Man, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I'd pulled such a stupid-ass prank as that. I did some dumb things when I was a kid but nothing this thoughtless...

JDPatriot

JDPatriot

Fort Lauderdale, FL
January 2004

DEC 27, 2007 12:50 AM

Renshai said:
I'd forgive them...only after I sprayed burrito fueled diarrehia in thier mouths and put it on YouTube. mad



I like how you think.

SpeedGlacier

SpeedGlacier

Lafayette Hill, PA
October 2007

DEC 27, 2007 01:07 AM

When I was a wee lad I was capable of such dick-headery as exploring abandoned buildings and stealing old pornography from the post office's trash bins. Nowadays, atleast in Philly, we have kids dropping baby carriages filled with bricks off of over-passes. I blame those damned vid-yo games and marijuana cigarrettes.

zombiejunk

zombiejunk

Australia
June 2007

DEC 27, 2007 03:03 AM

Not to go to a place that's horribly gross, but despite being a genuine and sad story, can you ever imagine trying to take a dump after this? Talk about a nervous pooper. I wouldn't be able to go again without someone acting as look out.

Though the stupid fuckhead kids have robbed him of almost any independence for the rest of his life, I guess.

I wish the kids would come forward, just so the poor guy would have someone to sue for the many years of wages he'll now lose because of this.

Isinglass

Isinglass

I'm lost
December 2007

DEC 27, 2007 03:41 AM

Horrific that this happened to someone but lets not jump to the 'Jackass made them do it' line like Jack Thompson foaming at the mouth for videogames. The little shits who did this MAY have been influenced by something they saw but it takes a person with real problems to do something like this. Still Pedro is a bigger man than I.

Tangus

Tangus

Chicago, IL
November 2005

DEC 27, 2007 04:44 AM

I'm just trying to figure out how being in a knocked over porta potty can paralyze someone.

zombiejunk

zombiejunk

Australia
June 2007

DEC 27, 2007 05:12 AM

All it takes is a sharp hit to the neck or back on the right nerve to paralyse you. Could've been anything, those portable toilets are pretty heavy.

Tiger_Fodder

Tiger_Fodder

Braintree, MA
June 2007

DEC 27, 2007 05:27 AM

Good to see that there is room for forgiveness in this fucked up world!

jrmccabe

jrmccabe

Bremerton, WA
June 2007

DEC 27, 2007 05:27 AM

This story is just so fucked up ... I sure as fuck hope these kids get what is now coming to them for this.

TaoAndCoffee

TaoAndCoffee

Stoney Creek, ON
June 2007

DEC 27, 2007 06:20 AM

Anyone who says that this Pedro guy is inspiring, but would never forgive the little prankster bastards, are people I can not relate to. I personally think the guy is inspiring because of his capacity for forgiveness. The cliche that springs to mind is "The best revenge is living well", and it looks like the guy is doing well in spite of his new handicap.

I believe that, while forgiving people who wrong me (especially if it were this severely) may be difficult, holding a grudge is pointless. At best, it makes me a miserable, bitter fuck, and at worst it makes me no better than the people who wronged me.

And I hope a good portion of you who are "blaming" Jackass are doing so sarcastically.

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