Boy Cries Every Time He Sees One-Legged Reflection in Mirror until He Gets $50K Rehab from Stranger — Story of the Day

Sam thought it was the end of the road for his dreams of being an athlete after he lost a leg in a terrible accident. Weeks later, his life turned around, thanks to the kindness of someone he had never met before.

When Sam was on the running track, everything else disappeared. There was a fierceness to his stride, zipping past one white line after the other, his eyes laser-focused on the finish line, sweat running down his face, knowing he was going to make it.

Ever since the 15-year-old had started running, he had come a long way from being the timid, shy boy who wore the same outfit twice in one week and avoided eye contact with any soul who brushed past him.

Sam's family was still living on that thin line between poor and middle class. But his confidence and popularity had shot up ever since he became "Mister Speed," one of the fastest runners in the entire school.

Girls were fawning over Mister Speed, too. They would find the silliest reasons to walk up to Sam for a chat. The girls would have realized how awkward he was, but his charming wide smile was a great cover.

There was only one kid in the entire school who was a thorn in Sam's side – or at least that's how he saw it. It was the only other guy who was just as popular among schoolmates and perhaps just as good on the track as Sam. Ryan. Or as his fans liked to call him, "Mister Flash."

"Ha! He'll never be as good as me. His dad may be a professional coach and all, and he may have bought him the shiniest of trophies. But when the little brat races me someday, nobody can save him from losing–not even his millionaire daddy!" Sam would mock his opponent and bump fists with his fans.

"This is a small gift for a big future athlete."

Mister Flash was competitive, too. But he only responded to such meanness with a cold calmness in his eyes and half a smile before turning away.

Ryan did come from a lot of wealth. His father, Mr. Hoffman, was a successful trainer for professional runners. Ryan was a stoic-looking child, very serious about his studies and the multiple sports he played. Sam couldn't remember a time Ryan had talked to him or even smiled.

That's what fuelled Sam's anger towards the boy - apart from the fact that Ryan was born into better circumstances than him.

It had been the most-awaited competition in school that year. The kids sat at the edge of their seats, knowing they would finally get to watch the two fastest runners race each other for a prestigious golden trophy.

"...and Mister Flash gets past the finish line seconds before Mister Speed. What a fascinating performance by the boys. Congratulations on that brilliant lap, Ryan! And well-played, Sam!" the announcer was almost out of breath, but his exhilaration reflected that of the audience.

Sam muttered angrily under his breath and ran towards the locker room. He slammed every open locker as hard as he could and kicked the walls before finally bursting into hot tears.

"Mister Flash was wearing fancy shoes his fancy papa bought him, didn't you guys see?" Sam was trying to convince his friends and mock Ryan the following day.

"Anybody can become a roadrunner with $300 shoes! Real runners don't need them…" he managed to get a few chuckles from his heartbroken fans.

Ryan heard that and, as usual, chose not to respond.

The truth is Sam had his eyes on the exact same shoes, but his parents couldn't afford to buy them for him.

He knew they would've bought it for him if they could, but he needed someplace to put his anger, and he chose to vent at his parents–specifically, his dad.

Father and son were driving home after watching a baseball game at the local stadium, and Sam was still sulking over his loss to Ryan a week ago.

"Chin up, kid. You win some, you lose some. How you lose is just as important as you win, Sam. Did you congratulate Ryan after the race?"

"Why would I? It was embarrassing enough to lose. And I wouldn't have lost if I had new shoes…" Sam said, eyeing his feet and then his father with a disappointed sigh.

"Tell you what. I'll get you the shoes for your birthday in a few months! And get over your silly fight with Ryan. Both of you would make great friends, I can tell," the doting father tried to reach out to his son.

Sam didn't respond, and that became the greatest regret of his life.

It was the last chance to tell his dad he loved him for the next several months. Because in just a few seconds, an incoming truck would crash into their car, rendering Sam's father unconscious and crushing Sam's left leg…

More than a week had gone by after the terrible accident. The doctors were unable to say when Sam's dad would come out of the coma. And Sam was back home, but he felt like a stranger in his own body.

He hoisted himself on his crutches to stand upright in front of the bathroom mirror. He looked at his face, still swollen and red from the accident. He looked at his t-shirt, the last thing his dad had bought him. And his eyes hesitated to look further down. Sam closed his eyes, tried to breathe the overwhelm out of his body, and looked again.

He tried to hold his tears when he saw what was left of his amputated left leg. But the avalanche of emotion came over him again, and he fell onto the floor in a puddle of his own tears.

He had been doing this every day, trying to overcome his feelings. But every single day, he'd fall.

Sam was angry, and it seemed like nothing was going to change that. He kept to his little dark room all day, although, in his mind, he had abandoned the world.

"Baby, don't be like that. Be grateful you're alive! I don't know what I would've done without you…" Sam's mother tried uplifting the boy but ended up breaking down herself.

She had nobody to turn to for help, emotional or monetary. Her mother, Sam's grandma, had moved in for a while, but she wasn't in the best shape to help around the house.

Sam's mother had quietly started toiling harder, asking friends and co-workers for money to pay for her husband's hospitalization.

And yet, she was most worried about her son.

She wanted to tell him that life could still be beautiful, that he could still make a name for himself. But she started to doubt that, too.

"I'm never going to school. I'm never stepping out of this room. Go away!" Sam would yell at her.

After a few more days, Sam's mother and grandmother stopped bothering him. Nobody was knocking on the door now. Nobody was going to try to cheer him up. He was free to be devastated. He was free to mourn for his athletic dreams.

But not for long.

"Sam? Sam!" he heard his mother screaming from the other room one day.

Sam sat up in bed and was startled when his mother came running into the room, opened the curtains, and kissed him on his forehead, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Sam, look!" the overjoyed woman breathed heavily as she handed her son an open envelope.

Sam read through the note, again and again, unable to wrap his head around it.

Dear Mister Speed,

The world needs you up and running back on the tracks. And so does your opponent.

This is a small gift for a big future athlete.

You will also be getting a new prosthetic leg specially made for fierce runners like you.

And, of course, I'm going to coach you all the way through. You're going to be an international star someday. I just know it!

The world needs you up and running back on the tracks. And so does your opponent, Mister Flash.

Chin up, Mister Speed! Recover soon…

Love,

Mr. Schmitt

The name didn't ring a bell, and Sam was shocked at how a complete stranger knew so much about him.

With trembling hands, Sam turned the note over and found a check attached. "$50,000!" Sam shrieked.

That's when he heard someone ring the doorbell. His mother opened the door.

"Sam is in there," he heard her tell someone.

Sam watched as the bedroom door opened, and when he realized who was behind it, he froze in disbelief.

"Sam! I've missed you…"

It was Ryan! All this while, Sam had thought Ryan hated his guts, but there he was, smiling at him with teary eyes.

For the first time ever, the boys sat down and spoke like friends. Sam's dad was right. They did end up being unusually great friends.

It turned out that Ryan had approached his dad heartbroken, telling him about Sam's devastating story.

And luckily, the wealthy father also had a heart of gold.

He didn't waste a second before using his contacts to connect to the best prosthetics specialist and writing the boy a generous check and a heartfelt note.

A feeling of shame rushed to Sam's face. "I–I'm so sorry, Ryan. I've been really mean to you. And your dad, too…"

Ryan stopped his new friend's apology by throwing an arm around his shoulder, letting him cry in peace.

Soon, Sam got a sophisticated prosthetic leg, and with the help of Ryan's father, he went through rigorous rehabilitation with dedication and focus. Soon, he started walking, then jogging, and eventually running…

On one such day on the practice tracks, Sam saw a man standing in the distance with his mother, watching him run. It was his father, who had been discharged from the hospital and wanted to surprise his little boy.

"I love you, son. My champ! And didn't I tell you Ryan and you would make great friends?" he said, hugging his brave little champion and thanking Ryan and his father with a grateful smile.

And when Sam won the gold at the city's annual Paralympic Championship, the stands were roaring with cheers and chants for the one-legged boy who ran at the speed of lightning.

What can we learn from this story?

• Give generously when you can. Ryan's father was healthy, and he didn't hesitate to step up and help when he found out about Sam's story.
• Sometimes help comes from the most unexpected sources. Sam and Ryan didn't talk to each other for the longest time, but it is Ryan's dad who ultimately ended up bringing Sam's life back on track.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about another one-handed boy who promises on his departed father's grave that he would become a basketball star. Years roll by, and finally, the biggest day in the boy's life comes...

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.