Step By Step's 8th CAMPAIGN
Torch Of
Life
April 14,
2010 -
TORCH OF
LIFE
On April 14, 2010 in
Washington DC,
George completed 25% of
Step by Step's 7th
Campaign SOSTheAmericas. The bank was taking his house & George had to abandon his dream of bringing the Torch through 35 countries to
Argentina. Ironically this happened at
Pope John Paul 2 Cultural Centre. Throughout the rest of 2010, George desperately tried to raise the funds & resources to continue the campaign but time & time again was unsuccessful, and accomplished smaller activities in
Toronto.
In
January 2011, George went to his friend
Lorenzo home in
Vancouver BC.
Something remarkable happened, that indirectly set off an amazing series of events. In
December 2010 George agreed to walk for
Sickle Cell Disease from
Ottawa to Toronto in the dead cold month of
February 2011, and in January 2011 witnessed on TV the tragic shooting of
Christina Green. George had a vision, that her organs were donated & expressed this to his friend
Alex Roman, the next day. A week later Lorenzo sent George a news clip that
Christina's organs were donated. George rushed to
Vancouver, and shared this astounding vision with Lorenzo.
February 1,
2011, immediately after George's visit with Lorenzo, he began walking from Ottawa to Toronto, a
500 km walk. Many people were asking why a white guy was walking for what was known as a
Black disease. George answered, that he didn't see colour
. In the painful walk, George was hoping to see a premonition.
On March 5 2011, after finishing the walk, George receives a call from
Phoenix AZ to bring the Torch of Life to lead a march to
Governor Brewer's office.
The Governor had taken
100 people off the waiting list for organs in
Arizona & 2 had died, so this was called the Arizona 98. George thought this was also a calling to meet the
Green family who lived in
Tucson AZ. George had to cancel the plan to travel to
Tucson and flew back to Toronto after a very successful march in
Phoenix.
April 13 2011, After painfully walking for Sickle
Cell, and risking himself into a dangerous situation with Arizona authorities for the Arizona 98,Throughout the year, countless efforts were made to resume the campaign in Washington DC, but to no avail. It was disappointment after disappointment. Couuld this journey be coming to an end. This brought tears to George Marcello as he looked at the Torch & started reflecting back to the first
Step.
April 17 2011, George was checking his emails and noticed in one email, that a
young male
Afghanistan student from McGill Univrsity was asking
George for advice to walk from Ottawa to Toronto. He wanted to walk
to show his gatitude to
Canada. In another email a young female
Pakistan student from
McMaster University was asking George for
help in saving her dad who needed a liver transplant. This felt like a good omen for George to ask Shaheem
Joya (the McGill student) if he would walk for the young girl's dad and for Step By Step.
Shaheem agreed & during his walk he contacted George every day. Shaheem woke something up in George. After completing the walk George shared with Shaheem the story about
Ismail Khatib and how deeply it affected him. George was compelled to invite the father,
Ismael Khatib to
Canada to honour
Ahmed with the Torch of Life.
May 31 2011, George & Shaheem make contact with Ismail Khatib
Aug 1 2011 - George contacts world famous Donor Dad Reg Green and arranges to bring him to Toronto in Sept 2011 to honour his son
Nicholas Green with the Torch of Life. This is after a failed attempt to do this with
Vatican City
Sept 5 2011, Reg Green carries Torch Of Life in
Nicholas memory through
Little Italy in the heart of Toronto
Oct 2 2011 Ismail Khatib confirms that his
VISA is accepted, and will be arriving to Toronto with his son
Khaled on
Oct 28 11
Oct 6 11, George arranges for Reg Green & Ismail to talk to each other through
SKYPE
Oct 29 11 Ismail Khatib & Reg Green meet at
Toronto Airport
Oct 31 2011 The Donor
Dads carry the Torch Of Life through Toronto and 5 other major cities in the next 10 days
Jan 26 2012, Khaled Khatib meets
Helene Campbell at Toronto
Sick Kids Hospital, and promises he will carry the Torch Of Life for her through 72 cities & towns in
Ontario
This campaign was call
Register Now Ontario
Mar 5-Jun 19 2012 Khaled begins carrying Torch of Life in
Kenora for
Helene & in memory of Mrs
Betty Albreht. On his final day in Toronto, June 19 2012,
Israeli girl
Yael Gladstone and Helene meet Khaled & together they carry the Torch to the finish line.
Feb 3 2013, Khaled carries Torch from Ottawa to Toronto for his friend
Anthony Socci who needs a kidney transplant. Anthony is
Jewish
Apr
1-30 13 Torch is carried for
Kayla Baker in Toronto
Oct 4 13 - Reg Green & Khaled Khatib carry Torch Of Life through Vancouver BC
Dec 12 13 - George tries to help Anthony Socci &
Mary Giavedoni receive her liver, this indeed might be the end of his journey
more will be revealed
- published: 28 Feb 2014
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