Kindness Hero of the Month: Ziwei Mao of Miami, Florida! A note from Orly Wahba, Founder and President of Life Vest Inside… It’s been one year since Kindness Boomerang first went viral spreading its message of kindness to the hearts of millions across the globe, and igniting the feeling of hope and possibility. I remember the hundreds of emails that would flood my inbox daily from people far and near expressing their gratitude in what the organization stands for. With every email my love for people grew. From a short email with a simple thank you, to a long email filled with a person’s most inner thoughts and hopes – each email, each tweet, each post inspired me, energized me, fueled me to keep pushing forward. To push beyond the fear of making Life Vest Inside not just a hobby but a life choice. I remember people calling me crazy. Saying, “Orly, you don’t need to answer every youtube comment, email and post! That’s insane!” But I refused to pay any attention. The way I see it, if a person takes the time to share their appreciation or thoughts with me, the least I can do is send a response. Looking back, I now see that it was those simple responses to people I didn’t even now that became the foundation for the organization, what we stand, who we are, and who we will never forget to remain. PEOPLE MATTER – plain and simple! I remember the very first email that Ziwei Mao, this month’s Kindness Hero, sent my way. Little did I know back then that he would grow to become such a vital of the organization and the Volunteer Leader representing Miami in LVI’s WorldWide Dance for Kindness event. Ziwei wrote: “Hey LVI, Just saw your Kindness Boomerang video, it was so inspiring. What kind of volunteer opportunities do you offer? I am in the Miami, Fl area. Thanks.” At first Ziwei was intrigued by the Acts of Kindness Cards and I gladly sent a bunch his way. Not long after he contacted me with excitement as he shared experiences with the cards. But Ziwei wasn’t done; he had only just begun to show his dedication to the organization. “I want to help in any way I can. I want to spread this message and do whatever you need. You tell me and I’m on it!” That was Ziwei’s approach. Various ideas were thrown around but when it was decided that LVI’s next main event would be a WorldWide Dance for Kindness, Ziwei didn’t hesitate in the least bit. “I have received your world wide flash mob video and eagerly awaiting the next step!” Ziwei’s enthusiasm empowered me and pushed me to get things moving along. From the beginning he was on top of everything, ensuring that the event would be a great success and more importantly that the organization would be represented with honor and dignity. Watching the Miami FlashMob video brought tears to my eyes. He did an exceptional job and what more he uplifted others and got them excited about kindness! Now that is AMAZING! So if you’re out there and you want to make a difference, never EVER think “how can I possibly organize an event?” YOU CAN! All you need to do is begin. Is it easy? Is it simple? No! It may not be – but can you do it? YES of course you CAN! Ziwei took the event to another level and as a result of his amazing work he has now stepped forward to become an official Kindness Ambassador for Life Vest Inside in Miami! Our next event…well you’ll have to wait and see! But one things for sure, with Ziwei as a member of my team I know we are in for yet another great success! Ziwei, you may have been inspired by Kindness Boomerang, but I have been inspired by YOU! Your fan and friend, Orly We asked Ziwei what led him to Life Vest Inside… Well, it started about around February of this year, I forgot how but I came across the “Kindness Boomerang” video. The very minute I watched it , I told my self I need to be working with LVI. LVI’s mission directly correlates with what I believe in and what I want to do in the world. So I contacted Orly and that’s where it all began. When I was asked to be a group leader for the World Wide FlashMob, honestly I was hesitant and a little bit afraid. I had never taken up a project like that before and never even participated in a flashmob before, when I got the email I was speaking with a close friend of mine, her and I always spoke about what we can do to change the world and that sort of stuff. So when I told her I didn’t know how to reply because I was afraid I would not do a good job being a group leader, she said one thing “Just Do It!”, she kind of pushed me out of my comfort zone and help me realize if I want to help change the world I am just going to have to dive in. That is the story how I ended up being a group leader, she has been with me every step of the way and have helped me spread LVI’s mission across Miami. For me, it has been such a wonderful experience. I can see the direct impact that LVI has, when I look at all the people that was involved with the flashmob. Everyone it touched has been inspired. We love you, Ziwei! We are so honored to have you as our Miami, Florida Kindness Ambassador!


click here to read the whole story