Tuesday, April 21 at 5:30 pm at the Florence/Lauderdale Coliseum
THE SHOALS – A tattered picture of a young boy, scarred across his chest, who was searching for a nurse to thank her for her kindness became an overnight phenomenon. The story has been spotted in print and electronic media across Alabama, and on Yahoo! News, and Good Morning America’s website. Gary Bentley and Nurse Kathy, pictured in the captivating photo, will be appearing together on Tuesday, April 21 at 5:30 pm at the Florence/Lauderdale Coliseum to share their inspirational message of the impact that kindness and advocacy has in the life of a child.
Nurse Kathy was a young intern in the 1971 photograph with a foster child by the name of Gary Bentley after his open heart surgery in Birmingham, Alabama. Gary, a 10 year old heart patient, had lived a life of abuse and poverty. Yet he remained hopeful that one day his life would change. While young Gary was recovering after his surgery, Nurse Kathy made special efforts to show him care, 
love and a smile. Forty years after his life-saving heart surgery, Gary began to put the pieces of his tragic childhood together. He set out on a mission to find “Nurse Kathy” to thank her and tell her what her small acts of kindness meant to him. The result was an emotional reunion of two people that will forever change the way we look at kindness: the very same kindness that CASA Volunteers show abused and neglected children every day. And now, Gary and Nurse Kathy are 
partnering with Shoals CASA to demonstrate the positive power that one person can have on a child’s life.
At the age of 52 and now a successful businessman, Gary is piecing together his childhood story. Not only is his life a model of resilience and hard work, but the inspiration of his reunion with Nurse Kathy has taken the world by media storm. From Rogersville to Austria, millions of people have been moved by the impact that Nurse Kathy and her simple acts of kindness have had on Gary’s life. This message of hope and encouragement is one that you do not want to miss.
Tickets are $25 each for dinner and the presentation. General admission tickets for the presentation are also available. Ticket information is available online at www.eventbrite.com.
MEDIA RELEASE/CASA/ANDREA HOLT, DIRECTOR
