Superstorm Sandy helped highlight how the American Red Cross provides disaster relief to people in need.
But the Red Cross and its army of volunteers are actually, quietly, active every day, doing much much more than just disaster relief: from saving lives through blood donations, to teaching CPR skills, comforting families living through house fires or floods, and bringing military families back together when they need it most. And they’ve been doing this for more than 130 years.
And who better to tell this story than the families themselves – people whom the Red Cross has helped, and who passionately want to give back.
Which is exactly what the American Red Cross “Stories Project” is all about. BBDO New York sent people a simple kit with a camera, and some tips for how best to depict their story. In fact, in the true spirit of giving, the cameras were provided at cost by Sony; and shipping services were donated by FedEx.
People bravely opened their hearts, sharing stories that are inspiring, tragic, uplifting and unbelievable…more than two dozen stories to date and counting, from 23 states, over 250 hours of filming and a year in the making. With no director. And no script.
The “Storytellers” trailer drives traffic to www.redcross.org to view a sampling of these many stories.
These are the stories of the American Red Cross. It’s humanity at its purest.
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More