That story is the one of a beautiful bride with a deadly disease. She got her diagnosis early in 2013. She decided to make the most of the time she had left. Jen didnt know it at the time, but there were some special people, one in particular, who were going to help her do just that. Time can be a tricky thing. No matter what any clock tells you, time doesnt move at a steady pace. Something jen bullock knows all too well. The few days left until her wedding to fiance jeff lang cant go fast enough. What is likely to happen a few months after that . Well jen and jeff met six years ago. She was a hairdresser, he a yoga instructor. Jen making people beautiful on the outside, jeff on their insides. A friend thought these two opposites would attract. Shes like, you know, he kind of took all my weirdness in stride. So i think hed be really good for you. There was talk of a wedding. In fact, the couple shopped for rins just last december, just about the time, it turned out, that jeff developed a cough she couldnt shake. And i went to the doctors a couple times and they diagnosed it as pneumonia. Im 35. So they werent thinking like this is something else. In january came the diagnosis, lung cancer, stage four. Last month came the prognosis. Four to six weeks untreated and four to six months treated. So when i heard that, i said, lets get married. Because i wanted to focus on life. Jeff and jen gave themselves two weeks to plan a simple wedding and barbecue reception in jens parents backyard. That was the plan until a friend posted a call for help on a Facebook Group for wedding planners. A posting erica read and couldnt forget. This was an opportunity i saw to do something extraordinary for somebody else. Why not . I never thought about the bamboo, but i think it would go perfectly. Erica, a social worker turned wedding planner thought perhaps she could help a little bit on the wedding day, but then stumbled on jens pinterest account and picture after picture of what jen imagined her dream wedding would look like, one that time and money now made impossible. So what were going to do with that well, impossible until erica decided to get jen everything on that page. A job that would normally take months, she did in two weeks. Corraling goods and services from more than 60 vendors, worth more than 50,000. All of it donated for free. It was my goal to have them not pay a dime. I thought to myself, these people have already suffered enough, and why not be able to give them a gift, you know, a wonderful gift that both of them will never forget, their families will never forget . I think its amazing the generosity in her heart and that theyre so touched by our story. And that thats just like people have feelings. So the plan was set for the last saturday in july. Jen and jeff saying their vows under the redwood trees of a nearby park. A marching band then leading them back to jens parents house transformed into something magical. So cute. Where jen bullock would likely wish time could stand still. Thank you for coming here to celebrate the marriage but time doesnt, which is why video is so great. Jen and jeff able two weeks later to relive what truly was their dream wedding, unsure to this day i now pronounce you man and wife. If it wasnt all a dream. It was magical. It was the magic moment that we were going for. And erica able to look back and realize that, yes, she did pull all this off. I thought it was amazing. Truly, truly one of the best weddings ive ever done if not the best. But the wedding, it turns out, was just part of it. After our original story on jen and jeff aired, it was viewed, shared, posted and tweeted thousands of times. People from all over the world began sending words, not just of encouragement, but praise. I dont know. I felt like i was in an alternate world. Like im just jen bullock and here all these people like want to hear what i have to say. The highlight for jen was when legendary actor chuck norris wrote a lengthy blog post trumpeting jens courage and strength. Qualities others had long seen in her but she had not seen in herself. All the people coming out and saying, i always thought i knew you were unique, i knew you were special. Like youre the strongest person ive ever known. And i didnt know that. The events of the past few weeks have clearly changed jeff and jens lives, but it turns out, they werent the only ones. Erica, who started the whole thing just trying to help two people and ended up touching so many lives says the way she lives her own is forever changed. Taking it day by day, minute by minute and just savoring every single minute. I dont think ive ever really lived my life that way. Im starting to learn how to do that after meeting jen and jeff. Jens doctors prediction was sadly very accurate. She died at home very peacefully her husband tells us on october 10th. Thousands of people also responded to the story of lisa blanchacd, a woman filling a need that most of us didnt know existed. Providing clothing to victims of sexual assault. During a post assault exam victims have to give up their clothing. They often dont have much to replace them with. Sometimes sending victims home in paper hospital gowns. This is completely unacceptable. I had like this slow this compulsion to jump to my feet to do something about it instantly. It wasnt an instant, but lisa, a widowed mother of three, an undergraduate college student, decided to do something about the problem. As part of her senior project, she started collecting food and new clothing. Her first stop was at santa claras facility. Thanks to lisa and her grateful garment project, santa clara has a closet full of new clothes. In two years it has expanded to help start programs in 13 communities with more asking to join all the time. Still ahead, its a tiny Bay Area Community that turned a big idea into reality. Its crazy to look at and just think in my head, we did that. How against all odds a youth group got a brand new at a time of the art multimillion dollar home. And she did what many other students in her neighborhood never got the chance to do graduate from college. If it wasnt for them, i wouldnt be here now. Who they are and what they did for bianca and hundreds of other children coming up next. Did you get chips for the party . Nope. [ ding ] cheese plate . Cheese plate. No, i made something better. You used the oven . Boom. [ male announcer ] pillsbury crescents. Make the holidays pop. So i should probably get the last roll. Yeah but i practiced my bassoon. [ mom ] and i listened. [ brother ] i can do this. [ imitates robot ] everyone deserves ooey, gooey, pillsbury cinnamon rolls. Make the weekend pop. Dance has always been a big part of her life and now shes choreographing a little more happiness for kids at oaklands childrens hospital. She found solace through music an movement through a tough time in her life and figured it would help sick children, too. I was stuck. They were stuck, too, theyre stuck with their cancer, theyre stuck with their traumatic brain injury, theyre stuck with their burns, theyre stuck with that life that they didnt ask for. Seven years later her nonprofit dance and power has over a dozen teachers and has expanded to a second hospital. Our next story about the amazing journey of Michael Santos is going to sound a lot like a movie, which is fitting, because it starts with a movie scarface. In his early 20s michael wanted to be just like the drug kingpin character. It took him two years to reach that goal and the next 20plus years to reach a very different one. Did everybody check your email today . I sent you ten questions. If any of Michael SantosSan Francisco state students began this school year asking their teacher how he spent his summer, the answer might have surprised them. Today were going to talk about the federal prison system. Michael was in federal custody. I just want to share my experience with you. Then again, prison is where Michael Santos has spent the last 26 summers of his life. 26 years, 9,500 days. 9,500 days from entrance to release. It was in 1987 that michael was convicted in federal court of being a drug kingpin. Of shipping kilos of cocaine from miami to his hometown of seattle. I made every bad decision you could make. But before michael was even sentenced, before he spent a single of those 9,500 nights in prison, michael made one very good decision. He picked up a philosophy book and learned about socrates. Particularly when socrates had an opportunity to escape and socrates said, no, im not going to do that. I live in a democracy and i have a right to change the laws that i dont believe in, but i dont have the right to break the loss. Thats what totally transformed my life. Michael vowed then and there to do his time. Educate himself. And become a contributing member to society. What followed was an undergraduate degree from mercy university, a degree from hofstra. He was on his way to a ph. D. Before the warden shut this down. The warden said this is a threat to our security. Were not a university, were a prison. That just enabled him to focus on writing aided at that point by his wife kara. They met while michael was behind bars and have been married for ten years now. While in prison, michael published more than half a dozen books about his experience and prison life in general. Professors around the country began adding his works to their courses. But it was one school, though, that decided to add michael himself. And i said, really . It was an amazing moment for me to think that a university was going to hire me. The transition, though, was not without its bumps. The Biggest Surprise was learning how to drive. I didnt know that id forgotten how to drive. I didnt know when i forgot how to drive. I didnt know i didnt know how to drive. But as soon as i got behind the wheel, i realized i didnt know how to drive. But if you are the bright mind that this institution cultivates michael, true to form, has conquered that by now. Now traveling the country, spreading the word about what he sees as the biggest evil in our country mass incarceration. Everybody here knows somebody whos been incarcerated. And how society and prisoners can overcome it. I believe anybody can do it. Anybody can become more than the bad decisions of their past. Stand up. Be heard rising above adversity is what the mearillac academy is about, too. Its about giving the children of the tenderloin a leg up for an education. Bianca roejo was one of the first students to get a degree. It prides itself on helping students all the way through their education. Bianca needing both since both her parents were deported to mexico eight years ago. There was always something that could be done from d de marillac, that im always going to be grateful because if it wasnt for them, wint be here now. The kids stay in school from 7 00 a. M. To 5 00 p. M. The staff says the long day is intended to keep the kids off the streets of the tenderloin and out of trouble. Coming up, proof that youre never too young to make a difference. I seriously am just amazed that at 7 years old she gets it and she knows how to drive towards a goal. How the death of this young girls mother to blareast cance inspired her to help find a cure. Our next story begins on a morning in january. 7yearold kenna reeder just lost her mother to Breast Cancer the day before. She walks into the kitchen with a jar, pulls out money and starts counting. Her dad asks what shes doing. The answer, shes doing something about the disease that took her mom. Lets go ahead and get started. A thursday night in april and the relay for life captains are meeting at a san jose middle school. There are just a couple weeks left until their annual fundraising walk for the american cancer society. Superexcited about how were doing so far this year. Among the close to 100 captains, though, one stands out. And by that we dont mean you sometimes find her standing on a chair. No, 7yearold kenna reeder is not just the youngest captain, by far her team has raised the most money, by far. This years relay is not kennas first. Her family fielded a team last year. Seven laps equals a mile. Kennas mother robin had been diagnosed with cancer but after a period of success, thanks to raid yag, chemotherapy and surgery, the cancer had returned. Robin would not live to see this years relay. Bake sale bake sale cookies, brownies, bake sale beginning the day after her mothers death, though, kenna has thrown herself, all 50 pounds of it, into this years event. Kenna says team reeder kids has raised the most because they work the hardest. Bake sale and are the cutest. Both were in evidence at a recent bake sale outside their neighborhood safeway. The more than 700 this event pulled in are on top of the more than 16,000 ken nas team has raised. I think shes amazing. I seriously am just amazed that at 7 years old she gets it and she knows how to drive towards a goal and shes making it happen. Kenna has not just been an inspiration to other fundraisers. Shes an inspiration to her father. He says ironically its been his daughters who have set the tone for life without mom. Its almost like it neutralizes my pain because i go, if they can handle it as well as they are, then i should be, too. It seems they knew the right recipe for dealing with a loss. Do keep busy, dont feel sorry for yourself and, above all, make sure you find at least some good in something bad. Have you ever heard of a community of ashland, if you havent, youre not alone. Tucked between san leandro and Castro Valley in the east bay, people who live there say theyre used to being overlooked and also underserved. But with the help of a teenage group and their inspirational leader, all that changed to the tune of a brand new 25 Million Community youth center opened earlier this year. Nine years ago, hilly bass met a group of kids who said there was nothing to do in town. Together they lobbied as loudly as they could until amaed me da county supervisor listened corraling money to make their dream come true. Hes been an eagle scout in his heart for as long as he can remember. And now that honor is in a place for all to see. Coming up, why it took 60 years for his achievement to be recognized. [ laughter ] he loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me thats right. [ mom ] warm and flaky in 15, everyone loves pillsbury grands [ girl ] make dinner pop so i should probably get the last roll. Yeah but i practiced my bassoon. [ mom ] and i listened. [ brother ] i can do this. [ imitates robot ] everyone deserves ooey, gooey, pillsbury cinnamon rolls. Make the weekend pop. Very first story of 2013 is about george maher who has helped young men reach the goal of eagle scout. George himself has completed all the requirements 60 years ago, which is why what happened in january is still so special. Spend enough time around enough boy scouts like they do at the Pacific Skyline Council headquarters in foster city, and they say, you can always spot the eagles. Its not the pin on the chest or the patch on the sleeve, though, its Something Special on the inside. Its something anyone whos ever known george maher says its inside him. Its when Mark Manchester started here and met george, he didnt even ask george if he was an eagle scout. I didnt ask if, i said what year did you get your eagle scout. I said it should have been march 10th, 1944. Should have because george never officially was an eagle scout. He had all the merit badges, sure, but in the middle of his board of review hearing, the very last step needed before becoming an eagle scout, georges mother interrupted the meeting. She told me my father was not doing well. And she was heading to the hospital. And i didnt say anything. I just grabbed my stuff and i said, were going. Georges father died later that day. And within a matter of weeks george was in the South Pacific fighting the japanese a violent typhoon. And the weather. It was during one typhoon in particular that george was tossed around the deck so violently, he lost his wallet containing his life card, the only written proof of his accomplishment. George returned to the united states, got marry pd and raised a family and did write one letter to the boy scouts asking about his award. The letter was returned to me, addressee unknown. Thats it, im out of luck. And that was that. Until that day last year when george told mark his story. This time mark sent some letters off himself. These were returned with a very different message. It was the letter saying that i am an eagle scout, and they gave me the date of march 10th, 1944. And there wasnt a dry eye in the place. George had always told himself the eagle scout thing didnt bother him too much, but perhaps down deep it really did. On my honor, i will do my best which is why this past sunday meant so much. 68 years, 9 months and 7 days late, george maher got his pin, his patch, got what he had earned. Ultimately whats in your heart matters so much more than whats on your chest. In George Mahers case, though, the two finally are a perfect match. Thanks again for watching some of our favorite bay area proud stories from the last year. To see all the stories go to nbcbayarea. Com bay area proud. Heres wishing you good news in the new year. Because we know how much you do to make the holidays just right. From ornaments to ottomans, memories are made with ikea. Lights, camera, action right now on access hollywood oprah, the conversation. Everything you want to know. Her relationship with stedman. Oprah. Will you leave this earth as a snefrmarried woman . An interview with lindsay lohan. The kind of come to jesus meeting you had with lindsay lohan. It wasnt come to jesus. It was come to oprah. Why oprah thought she was on the verge of a breakdown. Ill tell you why i realized if i dont calm down im in serious trouble. Plus what got oprah into hysterics. How did that happen . Oprah the conversation starts right now. You worked on this thing. You didnt just come with no red carpet questions. Lights, camera, access Oprah Winfrey has gone from extremely humble roots to now being one of the most influential people in the world. Hi, everybody. Welcome to a very special Weekend Edition of access hollywood. Im shaun robinson. I sat down with oprah for a 45minute conversation. Topics covered, everything from will she ever marry stedman to feeling like she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown while keeping own