As it happens6:13Has terminal cancer so he travels to the United States to volunteer in all states
When Doug Ruch received a diagnosis of terminal cancer, he realized that one of his biggest repentance in life is that he did not spend enough time helping others.
« I spent so much time, you know, working and trying to make a lot of money, I didn’t volunteer. I didn’t help a lot of people, » Ruch said 55 -year -old As it happens Host Nil Kӧksal.
« I can’t go back and change this. All I can do is move forward with the time I stay. »
That is why the man of San Antonio, Texas, leads to the United States with a mission of volunteering in all states: a journey he has dubbed « dying to serve ».
“Nothing to lose”
Ruch, who spent most of his life working on sales, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021. He knew in January that he had spread and his doctors estimated that he is between 12 and 18 months old to live. It was that the idea of his road trip began to be considered.
Eddie Gallagher, a 30 -year -old Ruch’s best friend, thought it was a great idea.
« I said, » Why not, man? Go. You have nothing to lose, « Gallagher said. » I think what he does is great. «
So far, Ruch has volunteered with Food bankshomeless shelters, Soup kitchensOlder houses, youth centers and community centers in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah.
He describes himself as a little lonely with a turbulent childhood that has suffered anxiety of a lifetime and says that all the effort has put him very out of his comfort zone.
But volunteering, learned quickly, feels good.
« It is actually soothing. The days when I have volunteer missions, I feel very good and I am energized. Happy hormones flow, » he said.
Angie K. Smith, executive director of sending foods Charity Kitchen Angels to Santa Fe, NM, says volunteering is not just good for the community; It is also good for the volunteer.
In fact, some studies I have found links between volunteering or altruism, and happiness and health.
Ruch stopped by the kitchen angels to help them on March 25 and Smith says they were happy to have it.
« We make absolutely (follow) and thank our volunteers, » Smith said. « Doug is an inspiration and we support his message and support him. »
Ruch, who raises money for his trip to Gofundme, says he has been drawing a lot of attention since his history began to make national and international headlines.
« This week has been crazy. It has been achieved, » he said. « I have a lot of emails of requests and media things and they are like: » Hey, can you convey to Doug? « No, Doug is.
Asked if he would consider enlisting volunteers to help him, Ruch insisted that he does not want to load anyone.
But when his friend when Khuu met Ruch’s mission, he knew he had to launch.
« I knew he was coming to California, but he did not stop in San Francisco. So I did guilty of visiting -me, » Khuu said.
Khuu and a few friends joined Ruch for a volunteer day with Project Open Hand, an organization that provides meals to the sick and vulnerable.
Khuu says he is proud of his friend.
« I’m glad he does what he has been doing and leaving a good legacy, » he said.
Ruch, meanwhile, wants this legacy to last. He says he plans to die to serve in an official charity organization that connects people with voluntary work.
« The mission will be to inspire and educate people from all over the country, if not the world, you know, Micro-Volunter in their communities, » he said.
For « Monkey-Folunteer », it means volunteering a few hours at once. Returning, he says, should not be a huge commitment of time.
« If enough people volunteered … three, four hours a month, will make a world of difference. »
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