on July 16, 2014 at 3:45 PM, updated July 16, 2014 at 4:49 PM
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — From as close as Manhattan and Staten Island to the far reaches of Afghanistan, hearts have been touched by an Advance story about disabled Vietnam veteran Michael Sulsona of Graniteville. He was helped recently by three Lowe’s Home Improvement Center employees after his wheelchair fell apart in the Mariners Harbor store.
Sulsona, who lost both of his legs after stepping on a land mine in Vietnam 40 years ago, was the recipient of a random act of kindness on July 7 after his wheelchair broke. After seeing what happened, three employees at the store told him, “we’re not leaving here until the wheelchair is fixed,” and proceeded to repair the broken parts.
The Advance initially published a letter Sulsona wrote to the “good news editor” thanking the Lowe’s employees’ for their good deed. The Advance then wrote subsequent stories about Sulsona.
Soon after, dozens of news and social media outlets picked up the newspaper’s stories about Sulsona, who had been waiting two years for a replacement wheelchair from the Veterans Affairs (VA). While the VA came through this week with a new wheelchair for Sulsona, his initial story of appreciation went global.
From BuzzFeed and Gawker and the major television networks, to Facebook and Twitter, Sulsona’s story has gone viral. He’s scheduled to be on NBC’s Nightly News on Wednesday.
On Twitter, many media organizations and individuals commended the Lowe’s employees for their act of kindness.
And the Advance’s initial “good news” story about Sulsona was shared over 186,000 times on Facebook.
In addition, the Advance received many phone calls and e-mails from people looking to help.
Karen Collins Huling of the Independence Fund, a volunteer organization that helps injured veterans, contacted the Advance because the organization wants to provide him with a track chair free of charge.
“A track chair can be taken just about anywhere outdoors, like fishing or camping,” she said.
And members of the Hallowed Sons, a Brooklyn-based motorcycle club that is very involved in helping veterans, are planning to organize an event for veterans’ awareness.
“After reading the story (on silive.com) on our vet, we are very moved and we all want to get in touch with Michael Sulsona so we can thank him for his service,” said Robert “Burnout” White, a New Springville resident.
After talking to Sulsona, White said, “We are going to organize something to gain awareness to our vets who have been forgotten.”
Some U.S. military personnel called the Advance to extend their thanks for bringing awareness to Sulsona’s story.
“I read the article on silive.com about the Lowe’s employees (David, Marcus, and Souleyman) (who) fixed the wheelchair for Michael Sulsona,” wrote U.S. Army Captain Daniel Harrison, who noted he read the story while stationed oversees.
“I was deeply moved and was hoping you might be able to put me in contact with the employees or their manager and Mr. Sulsona. I’d like to personally extend my deep thanks and show my gratitude to those Lowe’s employees and reach out to Mr. Sulsona to provide him some support from his brothers in arms…I commend you for running that story; it is reassuring and gratifying to see in the news.”
