RandoCM Random Acts of Kindness~Haruna by Guest Blogger Uriah Hodgson
So we all have a story or two or maybe more that we love to to tell to everyone we meet. And while I’m no different this story isn’t just mine, it’s my families and how one CM changed our little boy’s world forever. And this is the first time we will be telling it to everyone.
Let’s go back way back to August 2013 and just open the doors to a Unplanned Disney adventure. I’m not going to kill you with details but just tell a quick story and then let the real Disney Magic unfold. So August 2nd after learning that our son was according to the Doctors only going to live to be 5 or 6 years old we like every other loving parent out there were devastated. But to us this meant letting Gabriel see and do everything imaginable. And we meant or at least I did. See I asked my wife Denise…
“Do you want to go to Disney?” I think still to this day she thought I meant lets plan a trip. WRONG! Yes folk 30 minutes later we were on the road. Through whispered phone calls and a lot of Mickey Magic we landed two room next to each other at the Caribbean Resort Pirate rooms. We told them at check in all about Gabriel and how we were making memories. Guess what that meant we got first time pins and that was all. Hmm I had been told they did so much more… My hopes were dashed for this and we enjoyed our first week in WDW going everywhere without extra memories. Then when we were to leave I just didn’t want to leave. So again some more phone calls and Disney Magic all from inside Spaceship earth at 10:30 at night. And, soon we were checking in at the Fort Wilderness Cabins where we met a young lady named Haruna Mizuno. And little did we know that this chance encounter would change Gabriel’s world forever. As I checked in I told her about Gabriel and how I wanted him to enjoy every moment of his life. She asked could she meet him and so I obliged by bring him in from the car to say Hi. After checking in and getting our Cabin card key we headed off for a good nights rest. The next day we went out first to the Animal Kingdom and we were to have dinner at 1900 Park Fare. And here is where the story begins…
Imagine if you will coming into your Disney room or Cabin and seeing balloons and lots of them, all attached to the most adorable Mickey Mouse you have ever seen. And then you see a miniature Goofy and a Pluto too. Than as your tears dry you realize that sitting there on the table are two pictures in card style holders signed not by one character but all of them… Then the tears return and the joy comes into your heart again. But before we could allow anymore of this moment to set in we had to head of for 1900 Park Fare for dinner. After dinner we caught the Fireworks at Magic Kingdom and made our way back to our Cabin. Now here is the story behind that life changing moment. When we got back I called the front desk and asked about the pictures, balloons and Mickey and well everything. I was unsure as this was not expected what we were to pay for all this. The gentleman at the desk told me there was no charge. Wait No Charge? But how, I mean who why… I’m sorry I was now at a loss and asked the CM to explain this to me. I’m sure he smiled as he did, but I cried tears of Disney Magic that I’m sure turned to Pixie dust and helped to cement this moment in time forever. This is what he told me. The front desk CM said to me “So Mr Hodgson this morning as her shift was ending Haruna the young lady who checked you in last night told the story about your son to her boss and then asked if she could do something special for Gabriel”. Her boss told her yes but also said she would have to make the Magic herself. So according to the CM Haruna then spent most of the day calling and talking to everyone. She didn’t just want a picture she wanted a memory. The CM told me how she arranged for the balloons and the the pictures, but then he told me how she went to find that one of a kind memory. Soon he said she was back and to the best of his knowledge she made sure that everything was hand delivered and set up in our room. It wasn’t just a CM doing a little extra it was a CM member doing everything to bring Disney Magic to us and too Gabriel. The pictures were signed to Gabriel the Mickey Balloons had his name on some and others were just there. The little mickey shaped confetti had his name hand written on it in different characters hand writing and than. Than there was the Mickey Mouse it was as though Gabriel know this was his bestest friend in the whole world. For from the moment he picked it up till this moment as I write this story he has never let Mickey out of his sight. (Oh and a note this call while I’ve condensed it here actually took over an hour as the front desk CM told me a tale so grand I could not do it justice) And if this all wasn’t enough Haruna was never there to get our thanks before we left the cabins for another destination. To this day she has made what we consider the biggest Disney fan in the world out of our son and given him a memory far greater than a million trips could ever. For on that day Haruna Mizuno brought some Disney light into a darkened life and showed that even when the greatest of tragedies may strike the power of Disney will always be stronger. But if it was not enough that she did this for us she must have told everyone about Gabriel for everywhere we went from then On, Gabriel was treated like he was a king for a day. And our Disney memories where made for life in the single moment of Kindness from a very very special young lady…
This is just a part of what we found that day when we returned to our Cabin… The kids were quicker then I and had already started moving stuff etc. before I could take pictures.
After everyone was back outside and ready to head off to 1900 Park Fare I put some of the stuff back and took this.
About Uriah Hodgson: Uriah is a father, Disney fan, and international man of “Where In Disney Are We” photo mystery. As a TMSM Fan Nation member the photos he uses for his son’s upcoming MAW trip to create a daily count down image challenge sometimes leave even leave the most experienced Disney fan scratching their head. To read about his son Gabriel visit the blog written by Uriah’s wife Denise.
Michele also contributes theme park news for Fox 35 Orlando 11pm news and on the radio on WDBO.
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I’m adding this as a last note… If you know Gabriel or have seen him cruising around in his wheelchair then you also know that his bestest friend Mickey Mouse is with him everywhere. And if you don’t then I pray one-day your paths will cross.
But more important this is not just a Random Act of Kindness this is an event that forever changed Gabriel’s life and the life of his whole family… May we one day be able to give the thanks deserved for this to Ms. Haruna