TJ has cerebral palsy, so he didn't have much control growing up.

But his physical therapist allowed him to ride the elevator as a reward on rough days -- being able to manipulate the buttons, choose the floors, and decide where he was going gave him an ownership over his situation and environment that he craved.

Now known as TJ Elevator Man, he's ridden thousands of elevators throughout the country; he even has a his own website that chronicles his journeys checking out elevators.

Which brings us to the video: When Hampton Inn in Ashville, N.C., found out TJ was staying there, they scrambled to mark the occasion. Watch as they make him an honorary member of the team, give him a lil' jacket and nametag, and film a video in the hotel's elevator for his website.

Great stuff.

[thanks, cole!]

Daniel Cui, a freshman goalie, was being blamed for his high school soccer team's losing season.

Then his classmates decided to show him they had his back.

Meyers Leonard, a Portland Trail Blazers rookie, had a tough go of it after his dad died in a freak accident when he was 6. He and his big brother Bailey slept on the floor without electricity and struggled to survive.

But survive they did -- the two were inseparable, until Bailey joined the Marines to help support the family and was sent to Afghanistan for two tours. Meyers stayed behind and played college ball at Illinois.

Here's the happy ending: On Wednesday night, Meyers tweeted the video of the moment earlier this year when Bailey surprised him by flying home to come to one of his games for the first time in years:

A moment I will never forget. By far the best surprise I've ever had. Hard to watch it without tearing up. #Blessed

(For more, the brothers' incredible story has been covered extensively by the Oregonian and ESPN.)

Awww.

Sgt. 1st Class Dustin Freitas is home from Afghanistan for the first time in six months.

Watch as he surprises his six kids one by one.

Meet Taylor and Danielle, whose epic love story has inspired people to donate more than $250,000 to help pay for Taylor's rehabilitation after he was severely wounded in Afghanistan in May.

William Swilling spent last week pounding the pavement -- not in search of a job, but in search of a kidney for his wife, Jimmy Sue, whose only kidney is failing.

"I didn't know what to do," Swilling said. "I thought of this Tuesday night. Had (the sandwich board sign) made. I'm walking town to town and will walk back if I can make it."

Swilling said that by Sunday, he had six pages of names of perfect strangers willing to be tested for a match. But he'll keep walking the streets in his sandwich board until he finds one:

"I'm going to save my wife and that's what I want… I love her more now I believe than when I married her because we're not two, we're one."

[iwidk]