Crazy Good Turns

Millions of people have seen the incredible 3D printer capable of building a 700-square foot house in 24 hours. Not as many know the equally incredible story of Brett Hagler and New Story, the people behind that machine -- and how they plan on using it to build communities worldwide.

A real estate investment takes a strange and delightful twist when Kenny Hill hears a calling: "What if, what you did for these homes, you could do for people's lives? Totally renovate."

Travis Roy was a hockey standout with a promising career ahead of him. But then everything changed in an instant. A tragic accident left the talented young hockey player paralyzed from the neck down. But Roy refused to let his story end there. In fact, his injury was just the beginning of something incredible.

There is nothing uplifting about cancer, but there is something incredible in the way some people respond to it. In this episode, you'll meet Jeanine Patten-Coble, a 39-year-old wife and mother who goes to bed normally one night but discovers cancer when she wakes up the next morning. Like all cancer patients, Jeanine faces a tough road ahead. But she makes an incredible discovery -- that helps her not only survive but build something incredible: Little Pink Houses of Hope.

Not every podcast episode will make you look at the world differently. This one might. Why? Because in this show you'll learn about a concept that's changing the way people view the autism spectrum. The idea is called "neurodiversity." While neurodiversity may sound complex, the idea behind it is as simple as it is true: people are wired differently. People on the spectrum are neurodiverse, while those who are not on the spectrum are known as neurotypical. In this episode, you'll learn more about how it works, and meet a company that's using the idea to create jobs.

Why do sports matter to children who may be fighting for their life? Because people often forget that kids battling serious disease are still kids. They have interests, dreams, and passions -- including sports. That's the idea behind Special Spectators -- a non-profit that creates VIP, all-access gameday experiences for seriously ill children and their families. In this episode, you'll discover what one of those unforgettable days is like.

Welcome to Season 3 of Crazy Good Turns! We're excited to have you back -- and especially pumped about this episode. Two main reasons why: We announce the winner of our $50,000 grant from Season 2. Don't worry, we won't keep you in suspense for long. In fact, click "play" and you'll hear which of last season's guests won the award right away. Right after the announcement, you'll meet a young person who's done some pretty incredible stuff for others, incredibly early in her life. It's part of our discussion about "#CrazyGoodKids, today's young people and how they're giving back. Know a Kid Who's Doing Something Great for Somebody Else? If so, we'd love to hear about them. We're celebrating #CrazyGoodKids, and think that every good turn deserves a shout-out. There's no deed too great or too small. It could be as simple as setting up a lemonade stand and donating the proceeds to charity. Here's how you can celebrate kids who are giving back: Email us their story at hello@crazygoodturns.org Use #CrazyGoodKids on Facebook or Twitter We'll be featuring some of the stories we receive in upcoming episodes and in our newsletters. Don't let your kid's good work go unnoticed!

In this show, you'll hear five stories of incredible gifts or acts of kindness. Kindness and generosity come in many forms. This episode proves it. Tune in and you will hear about: A child who's rescued from a life-threatening ordeal through the generosity of a total stranger A retiree who set out to volunteer a few hours at his local hospital and discovered an entirely new purpose in life -- one that's reached a billion of people How a woman looking to help the refugees she'd seen on TV wound up forming a deep friendship with a refugee family in her own city A "miracle cat" goes missing for more than a month, but makes it home with the help of an unexpected friend How one man finds "endless opportunities to be generous"

Fame. Fortune. And the adoration of millions. Those are the things Danny Wuerffel left behind when he walked away from sports and into a life of serving others. Today you'll find the former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback at Desire Street Ministries, where he's helping inner city communities across the southern U.S. break the cycle of poverty, drugs and violence In this episode, you'll hear about Wuerffel growing up as the son of a military chaplain, and how that shaped his worldview—and led him to end up in lots of surprising locations. He'll take you behind the scenes of his Heisman Trophy award-winning night, and tell you what really happened after he received his award. And you'll hear how volunteer work at his first NFL stop—New Orleans—led him to both the job he's doing today, and the love of his life. Tune in and you'll also hear about the night Hurricane Katrina destroyed Wuerffel's family home and the life-changing insight he discovered amongst the wreckage. You'll also learn about Danny's brush with a potentially deadly disease. But don't worry, it's not all about scary storms and overcoming awful sickness. The energetic Wuerffel delivers plenty of smiles when he takes you back to his days at University of Florida, complete with some one-of-a-kind anecdotes about his one-of-a-kind coach, Steve Spurrier.

How far would you go to help one of your coworkers? For Bernie Marcus, the co-founder and former CEO of Home Depot, the answer is: farther than most would ever imagine. In the 1980s, Marcus had a personal accountant whose 4-year-old son had autism. What started as a simple desire to help her developed into a 30-year campaign to improve the resources available to kids with autism and their families. Today the Marcus Autism Center is one of the world's leading institutions for autism research and treatment.. In this episode, you'll hear about the incredible personal philosophy that drove Marcus to build the Marcus Autism Center and go so far as to commit more than $100 million of his own money to the cause. All told, Bernie and his wife Billi, through the Marcus Foundation, have donated more than $1 billion to address some of the nation's most pressing health issues, including stem cell research, spinal cord issues and brain injuries. But while he's a man who's donated richly, Marcus didn't come from a background of wealth. In this show he also shares how he grew up poor in Newark, New Jersey and worked until his 50s before he reached his big breakthrough. He also offers insight into his personal ethical code—the one that made sure that, when he did find success, he was going to share it with others, especially the people who'd helped him succeed.