Acts of Kindness
Navy veteran melts hearts when internet rallies to get him new scooter
All the Navy vet wanted was a new scooter, but the internet went above and beyond.
Cherie Gozon
02.14.22

Our veterans deserve a better life when they go home after their service.

Unsplash - Sydney Rae
Source:
Unsplash - Sydney Rae

Their training took a toll on their bodies, and the wars they went to were mentally taxing. This is why veterans love the thought of finally coming home. Others may have families to go home to, but other veterans are not as lucky.

Kenny is just one of those veterans.

TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny
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TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny

He lives alone but is never lonely because he enjoys the company of others. He gets around town and visits his favorite places with his scooter. He goes to the veteran park, coffee shops, church dinners, and more.

There, Kenny often brought smiles to the people around him.

TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny
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TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny

It’s no wonder how he was able to make lots of friends. One of them is Jerry, one of Kenny’s closest friends and the reason he was learning sign language. Another was his neighbor, Amanda Kline, who checked on Kenny from time to time.

One sad day, Kenny’s scooter broke down.

Unsplash - Jon Tyson
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Unsplash - Jon Tyson

They called a technician to repair it. A couple of hours later, the technician and his assistant brought some bad news. Kenny’s scooter is irreparable since it is a 2003 model, and they don’t manufacture the parts for it anymore.

This made Kenny sad because he knew he wouldn’t be able to interact with people anymore.

TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny
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TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny

But his neighbor, Amanda, knew she had to do something to bring the smile back on Kenny’s face. She set up a GoFundMe page to raise around $5,000 for a new scooter “including a ramped trailer hitch for behind the car, a ramp for the yard for safety, a cover, a coffee cup holder, a storage bag, and of course, some new flags and decorations.”

The support was astounding! Amanda shared this news with Kenny, and his reaction was priceless!

TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny
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TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny

From the original goal of $5,000, they raised nine times more!

@patriotickenny Kenny reacts to the @TikTok donation for his scooter (and more!) has grown to $45k. #fypシ #viral #fyp #oprah #theview @Randy Travis @didyouknowthatasl ♬ Up – From “Up” – Giampaolo Pasquile

No wonder why Kenny was filled with so much joy and surprise. He was in complete disbelief at what Amanda told her. We got to admit that was pretty cool!

Kenny and Amanda were also invited to an interview with FOX News.

TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny
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TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny

At that time, Kenny had no idea how much more they raised in GoFundMe. Kenny couldn’t help but cry when they told him that his fundraising had already reached $75,000. To date, that GoFundMe page has earned over $110,000.

Because of this, Kenny thought of giving it back to other veterans.

TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny
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TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny

They put up separate fundraising for that cause, which is now at around $45,000 – less than $15,000 more to their goal. That, plus the excess money they originally had from Kenny’s fundraising.

Kenny initially planned to give ten free scooters to veterans.

GoFundMe
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GoFundMe

Amanda, who handles the GoFundMe page, has received a lot of nominations of beneficiaries from other concerned citizens. It was such a difficult decision for the two, but since they had more than enough funds, they created the other fundraiser to give out 15 more.

See what happens if we choose to be kind to others? It creates ripples.

TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny
Source:
TikTok Screenshot - PatrioticKenny

Thanks to Kenny (and the rest of the crew) for showing us kindness always wins.

See Kenny’s emotional reaction in the video below!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

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