VIDEO: After a special Camp Simcha Summer experience, Alexander (aka Avi) was about to board a plane back to Tampa, FL when Chai Lifeline made his dream come true. Sam Zaks showed up with a brand new Nikon D90, a gift from Chai Lifeline and an anonymous donor who met him last week during a visit to camp.
Alexander had been a budding photographer until his accident two years ago, when he broke his spine and lost his arm after slipping 35 feet onto rocks and sand, when he hit a high-voltage wire.
His new camera will now allow him get back in the game on a new level.
He was clearly moved when presented with the gift outside the Continental Airlines terminal at Newark Airport, and could not stop smiling as the group crowded around him, singing and cheering.
Each summer, 400 seriously ill children are treated to unforgettable, medically supervised overnight camp experiences at Camp Simcha, for children battling cancer and other hematological illnesses, and Camp Simcha Special, for children with debilitating chronic conditions.
At Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special, children and teens trade hospital rooms and doctors’ offices for fun, friendship, and hope for the future. Campers enjoy traditional camp activities in fully handicapped-accessible facilities. Talent shows, concerts, and helicopter, hot-air, and motorcycle rides make every day super-special.
Campers return home reinvigorated, with deep friendships and happy memories to help them travel the rough road ahead.
Camp Simcha is a program of Chai Lifeline.
Video by Akiva Bomzer. Special thanks to Albert Balasiano, Yaakov Avigdor, Yaffa Wygoda, & Dovid Rapps. TLS.
This is amazing. The Camp Simcha program is a truly wonderful experience for the children and gives the family a much needed break but this last minute cheesed must have made his departure extra special.
wow this video really brought tears to my eyes, how beautirful for avi not only having a wonderful time a camp, but to be loved by someone who avi did not know and to recieve such a gift, i hope he forfills his dreams of taken the most beautiful pictures.
Beautiful! After all the tzaros we have had we should never lose focus on all the good that is done in klal yisroel on a daily basis.
We must belive and daven for a refua shleima lekol choiley yisroel.
Way to go Reb Shmuel!!
All the Zak’s r very giving ppl. we ‘re proud to b their friends. May Hashem continue to give them koach and hatzlocho to continue all their wonderful work within the klall and privately.
Amazing story and video!!
Sam Zaks is an amazing guy. I know him personally .He is a great graandson of the Chofetz Chaim and you can tell,
signed your uncle in utah
We should learn from the unconditional love that gets showered on the chai lifeline recipients how to treat all fellow jews!
Have a Refuah Shleimah real quick! We’re all praying for you and all your friends.
Klal Yisrael at its best. One nation. One family. Caring. Sharing. Loving.
Amazing!
wow beautiful
Not knocking what was done but why is it that very little is done to get a smile on a childs face who is not an invalid. We should concentrate on getting smiles are everyday regular children who need chizuk in todays dangerous society with all sorts of yetzer horos floating around. Instead of refering to one as a PARSHA call him by his first name with a smile and give him a camera too.
What a wonderful idea, how many cameras can we count on you for?
Thank his counselor who took a sad boy and gave him a summer of a lifetime which will last forever Yoni Bursten camp simcha special salutes you for the work u did for avi this summer.
after this story it should beReb Shmuel not Sam,
Really amazing what Shmuel Zaks and all of Chai do for the klal,may you be zocheh to tremendous bracha.
As a staff memeber in Camp Simcha for a number of years, I can tell you that what Chai Lifeline does for these children is unimaginable!! They literally give the kids a reason to persevere in the face of everything they go through. The campers start counting down from the day they leave camp! Keep up the great work Chai Lifeline, and keep making the children and families stay smiling!!
just for your info, the name yaakov avigdor writen on the bottom is the one who really worked and put it to gether
Sam,U R worth your weight in gold.
No doubt about it, we all agree that that sam is THE MAN.
-Ted King
We all agree that Helen J is the Lady! Your uncle in Lakewood and former business partner.