PAY IT FORWARD 37
One month after our son’s death, my wife and I went to the Lake Tahoe area with several other couples on a ski trip. At the end of a long day on the slopes, I skied past the turn to our rendezvous point and was separated from our group. While I waited for my friend to pick me up, I went into the lodge and started talking to the bartender. Another gentleman walked up and started talking with us. I remember vividly what he said: “Today was a perfect day, maybe one of the best ever! I want to PAY IT FORWARD…let me buy you a beer! I only ask that you pay it forward again and do something kind for someone next time you have the opportunity.”
That is where the idea for Pay It Forward 37 came from. What if the tragedy of Deane’s passing could initiate acts of kindness all across the United States…and the world for that matter? With your help and participation, we can honor Deane and have something extremely positive come out of this.
Once you receive a coin, it’s your turn to pay it forward. The idea is for you to ACT when you have an opportunity to be kind and help someone else in the world. Pay for a meal, help someone carry their groceries to the car, visit with someone who is grieving, mow your neighbor’s lawn, volunteer at the homeless shelter, or anything else you’d consider an “Act of Kindness.”
The specific act can’t be too big or too small as long as it’s an act of kindness. See other examples of paying it forward by clicking here.
It certainly takes resilience to do nice things for others, especially when you’re not feeling so great yourself. Listen to those around you and try to act on their needs, wants, and hopes. Remember when you pay it forward, be sure the recipient of your kind gesture receives your coin so they can continue to spread kindness across the world!
Our goal is to keep the kindness going in honor of Little Deane so that we can turn this thing into a giant, positive force for GOOD. Thank you.
– “Big” Deane Cheatham III
OUR WHY
IN HONOR OF DEANE CHEATHAM IV
Sometimes it takes a tragedy for us to see how kind people can be. On January 7th, 2023, Deane Cheatham IV was tragically killed in a car accident. He was 30 years old. Deane grew up in Hanover County, Virginia, where he enjoyed sports, the outdoors, and being with his many friends. He excelled in football and lacrosse and attended James Madison University on a football scholarship. Deane returned from injury and even a disciplinary suspension to become a Team Captain and an All-Conference selection. Resilience, toughness, and intensity were all qualities that his character exuded. After college, Deane coached at the college level for five years. When COVID-19 cancelled the season at his last destination, he moved home and entered the construction management field.
In the days that followed his death, our family was flooded with visits, calls, emails, texts, and cards in the mail. Over 1,000 people came to the visitation and even more attended his funeral service. The outpouring of support and kindness from the community and all walks of our lives was truly amazing.
The stories we heard about Deane were remarkable. We were always proud of our son and brother, but we learned about a side of him that we weren’t exactly aware of. One young man told us that Deane saved his life; the young man was ready to kill himself several times and Deane successfully talked him out of it. One couple said they met Deane only once but were immediately in awe of his caring nature. At a summertime gathering of adults where kids would be bored to tears, Deane played and entertained the children for hours. Another young man who was a manager on the football team said that most of the players ignored him, and he would have to sit by himself when the team traveled to away games – but that changed when Deane joined the team. Even as a starter and a captain, Deane made time to talk with and get to know the manager and sit with him on the team’s trips. The stories of Little Deane’s kindness went on and on...and we don’t want the kindness to end now.
– The Cheatham Family
