Castro Valley Firefighter & Wife Honored For Random Act of Kindness

One of the charming things about the Internet is how it can bring people together, in this case, to take an interest in a stranger.

The stranger in this case is Claire Wineland, a 16-year-old Los Angelena born with cystic fibrosis.

Undeterred by her affliction, Claire has created videos on how she lives life to the fullest, and has shared these through Claire's Place Foundation, Inc. 

Alameda County Fire Captain Chris Bland and his wife Mabel found Claire's Place in a roundabout fashion.

They were helping a friend with breast cancer drum up support through their own social networking circles when someone shared a link to Claire's video, Positively Positive.

Chris and Mabel were so moved that they made a donation to Claire's foundation, even though they had no personal connection with this teenager who lived at the other end of the state.

Last weekend, Claire and her mother drove to Castro Valley to present Chris and Mabel with a token of gratitude called the "Clarity Award" that they invented for this occasion. 

Chris and Mabel were honored. For them, giving back would have been reward enough.

"Claire meets the challenges in her life head on, and uses those challenges to bring hope and life to others," Chris said after receiving the award, adding she "is a positive force for change in the world of cystic fibrosis."