Rightfully deserve. There wasnt a dry eye in the pla is. Heres nbc bay areas garvin thomas. Good evening. And thank you so much for welcoming us into your home tonight. As 2013 draws to a close, we want to share some of the most memorable bay area proud stories of the year. Theyve not only touched those of us who told them but thanks to the power of social media have touched the lives of thousands and in one case hundreds of thousands of people. That story is the one of a beautiful pride 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. Theyre going to go in the second. Something jen bullock knows all too well. You see, the few days left till her wedding 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 hair dreser, 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, you know, he would be really good for you. There was talk of a wedding. In fact, the couple shopped for rings just last december. Just about the time it turned out that jen developed a cough she couldnt shake. And i went to the doctors a couple of times and they diagnosed it as pneumonia. I mean, im 35 so they didnt think, like, this is something else. In january came the diagnosis lung cancer. Stage iv. Last month came the proeg noise sis. Four to six weeks treated. And four to six months. So when i heard that, i said lets get married. Because i wanted to focus on life. Okay, great, perfect. Jeff and jen gave themselves two weeks to plan a simple wedding and barbecue reception in jens pampts backyard. That was the plan at least until a friend posted a request for help on a Facebook Group for wedding planners. A posting erica oda read and couldnt forget. This was an opportunity to do something extraordinary for somebody else. So why not . I never thought about the bamboo, but i think it would go perfectly. Erica, a social worker turned wedding planner thought she would help a little bit on the wedding day, but then stumbled upon jens pintrest account and picture after picture what she imagined her dream wedding would look like. One that time and money now made impossible. So what were going to do with that is well, impossible until erica decided to get jen everything on that page. A job that would normally take months she did in two weeks, corralling goods and services from more than 60 vendors worth more than 60,000. 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 their hearts. And that theyre so touched by our story. And that i guess, like, people have feelings. So the plan was set for the last saturday in july, general and sdwref saying their vows under the redwood trees of a nearby park. A marching band then leading them back to general jens parents house, transformed into something magical. Where jen bullock would likely wish time could stand still. Thank you for kwoming here to celebrate the marriage of 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. I now pronounce you husband and wife. Unsure to this day if 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, pfs viewed, shared, posted and tweeted thousands of time. People from all over the world began sending words, not just of encourage. But praise. I felt i was in an alternate world. Like im just jen bullock. And here all these people want to hear what i have to say. The highlight for jen was when legendary actor chuck norris trumpeted her courage and strength, qualities others had long seen in her but she had not seen in herself. People said i knew you were unique. Youre the strongest person ive ever known. And i didnt know that. 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 savoring every single moment. I dont think ive ever really lived my life that way. And im starting to learn how to do that. After meeting jen and jeff. Jens doctors prediction was sadly very accurate. Jen died at home peacefully on october 10. Thousands of people also responded to the story of lisa blanchard, a woman filling a need most of us dent didnt know existed. Providing clothing to victims of Sexual Assault. During a post assault exam, victims often have to give up their clothes for evidence. The states Sexual AssaultResponse Team due to budget issues often dont have much to replace them with. Sometimes accepteding victims home in paper hospital gowns. Its completely unacceptable. And i remember i had this compulsion down to my feet to do something about it instantly. It wasnt an instant, but lisa, a widowed mother of three and undergraduate College Student disided 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 project, santa clara has a closet full of new clothes and theyre not the only ones. A little more than two year, it has expanded to help start programs in 13 california communities with more asking to join all the time. Still ahead, its a tiny Bay Area Community that turned a big idea to reality. We did that. How against all odds, a youth group got pa brandnew stateoftheart multiuntil dollar home. And she did what many other students in her neighborhood never got a 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 children of the tenderloin coming up next. Lance has always been a big life of vonias life. She found solace during a tough time in her life and figured it would help sick children, too. I was stuck, right . Theyre stuck, too. Theyre stuck with their cancer, theyre stuck with their traumatic brain injury, their burns, their life that they didnt ask for. Seven years later, bonnies nonprofit dance and power has 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. Scar face. In his early 20s, michael wanted to be just like the drug kingpin main character. It took him just 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 San Francisco state students began this school year asking their teacher how he spent his summer, the answer might surprise them. Michael was in federal custody. You know, i just want to share pli 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 bag 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 he had an opportunity to escape he said no, im not going to do that. I live in a democracy and in a democracy, i have the right to change the laws that i dont believe. But i dont have a right to break the laws. 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 mercer university, a masters degree from hofstra university. Michael was even on his way to ph. D. Until his warden shut that down. The warden sate, this is a threat to our security. Were not a university. This is a prison. Still he says that enabled him to the focus on writing, aided at that point by his wife carroll. 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 work to their courses. But it was one school, though, that decided to add michael himself. I said really . It was an amazing moment to think the university was going to hire me. The transition though was not about its bumps. The biggest bump was learning how to drive. I dont know that i didnt know how to drive, but as soon as i got behind the wheel, i realized i dont 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 mas incarceration. Everybody here knows somebody whos been incarcerated. And how societies and prisoners can overcome it. I believe anybody can become more than the bad doifgs their past. Stand up be heerd rising above adversity is what one middle school is about. Giving students a leg up with a free education. The school was founded last decade. And bianca rojo was one of its first graduates to get a College Degree from San Francisco state. The school prides itself on helping students all the way through their education, either financially or emotional bianca needing both, since both her parents were deported to mexico eight years ago. There was always something that could be done, which was something that im i mean, im always going to be grateful because in it wasnt for them, i wouldnt be here. The kids stay at school from 7 00 a. M. To 5 00 p. M. Its intended to keep the kids off the streets and out of trouble. A. Coming uh, proof that youre never too young to make a difference. Im seriously 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 Breast Cancer inspired her to help find a cure. You are our next story begins with a 7yearold who just lost her mother to cancer. Shes in the kitchen counting money. Her dad asks her what shes doing. She said shes going to do something about the kanser that killed her mom. The captains are meeting at a san jose middle school. There are just a couple of weeks left until their annual fundraising walk for the american cancer society. Sumer excited 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 chair. No, shes not just the youngest captain by far. Her team has raised the most money by dpar. This is not kennas first. Her family fielded a team last year. Seven laps equals a mile. I walked ten, my mom walked ten. Her mother robin had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2009. But after a period of success thanks to radiation, chemotherapy and surgery, the cancer had returned. Robin would not live to see this years relay. Bake sale, bake sale. Cookies, brown knees. Bake sale. Beginning the day after her mothers day, kenna has thrown herself, all 50 pounds of it into this years event. She says team reader kids has raised the most because they work the hardest. And are the cutest. Both were in evidence at a recent bake sale outside their neighborhood safe way. The more than 700 this event pulled in are on top of the more than 16,000 kennas team has raised. Evening 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. Shes an inspiration to her father. She says ironically its been his daughters who set the for life without their mom. Its almost like it neutralizes my pain. If they can handle it as well as they are, i should be too. 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 the community of ash land . If you havent youre not alone. People who live there say theyre used to being overlooked and underserve pd but with the help of a teenage group and their inspirational leader, all that changed to the tune of a brandnew 25 Million Community youth center soaped earlier this year. Nine years ago. Hillary bass met a group of kids who said theres nothing to do in town. Together they lobbied as loudly as they could until nate miley listened, eventually corralling millions of regomt money to make their dream come true. Hes been an egg. Le scout in his heart for as long as he can remember. Now that honor is in a place for all to see. Why it took 60 years for his achievement to be recognized. Our very first story of 2013 is about george maher owho for decades have volunteered for the boy scouts, helping 5,000 men reach eagle scout. Completed all the requirements to be an eagle scout 60 years ago, which is why what happened in january is still so special. Spend enough time around the boy scouts like they do at the pacific skyline 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. Its something special. On the inside. Anyone whos ever known george says is inside him. Its why when Mark Manchester started work here last year and met george, he didnt even ask george if he were an eagle scout. I didnt ask if i said what year did you get your eagle scout . And i said it should have been march 10, 1944. Should have, because george never official 4ri was an eagle scout. He had all the merit badges, sure, but in the mid 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 headed to the hospital. I didnt say anything. I just grabbed my stuff and i said were going. Joorjs father died later that day and within a matter of week, 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 about the deck so violently he lost his wallet containing his life card, the only written proof of his boy scout accomplishments. George returned to the states, got married, raised a family and did write one letter to the boy scouts asking about his award. And the letter that i wrote 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 a letter saying that i am an eagle scout and they gave me the date of march 10, 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. Hohn my honor i will do my best which is why this past sunday meant so much. 68 year, nine months and seven days late, george got his pen, his patch. Got what he had earneded. Ultimately whats in your heart matters so much more than whats on your chest. In georges case, though, the two finally are in perfect match. Thanks again for watching some of our favorite bay area proud stories from the last year. To see all our stories go to our website, nbc bay area. Com. bay area proud. Have a great night. Welcome to on the money. Im becky quick. The markets end the year with bang, but what will next year bring . What you need to know to invest in 2014 and beyond. Were putting january 1st to the test. Making new years resolutions for the market for congress and for you. How to be wealthier and wiser in the new year and healthier with a profit. Businesses try to add to their bottom line. On the money starts right now. This is americas number one Financial News program. On the money. Now becky quick. Here is a look at whats making news as we head into a new week. Santa claus came to town. The dow and s p extended their record runs hitting fresh