Megiddëh Goldston, Raphael Hameed and Heidi Hameed
In July 2014, Raphael Hameed was walking with his 5-year-old son, Ish, when they were hit by a speeding car. Raphael lost his leg. Ish, his only son, was killed.
While the driver is awaiting trial for vehicular homicide, her sister, Megiddëh Goldston (above left), is trying to do right by the Hameed family.
They connected after the accident. Now she visits Raphael and his wife, Heidi (above right), to help with their day-to day-life. They sat down for StoryCorps in Colorado Springs.
Originally aired January 2, 2015, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Herman Travis and Robert Cochran
Herman Travis (left) lives in Holly Courts, a low-income housing complex in San Francisco.
Every Tuesday, Herman fills a shopping cart with groceries from a local food bank and makes home deliveries to his elderly neighbors.
He came to StoryCorps with Robert Cochran (right), one of the people he delivers to each week.
Originally aired December 26, 2014, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Doug Neville and Ryan Johnson
Doug Neville (left) and Ryan Johnson (right) met in 1986, shortly before Doug was diagnosed as HIV-positive.
At StoryCorps, they talk about their three decades of friendship and how Doug’s diagnosis has shaped their perspectives on life.
Originally aired December 21, 2014 on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.
Darnell Moore and Kiyan Williams
Editor’s Note: This story comes from our OutLoud Initiative, collecting stories of the LGBTQ community. Kiyan Williams identifies as gender nonconforming and prefers the gender-neutral pronouns “they/them,” rather than “he/him” or “she/her.” StoryCorps will use plural pronouns to refer to Kiyan in this post.
Kiyan Williams (above right) grew up in a rough neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey during the 1990s. They excelled in school and eventually left to attend Stanford.
Throughout it all, Kiyan felt isolated and knew from an early age that they weren’t like other kids.
At StoryCorps, Kiyan told their friend Darnell Moore about a time when they were 4 years old, and their family began to notice just how different Kiyan was.
Today, Kiyan works with LGBTQ youth in New York City.
Originally aired December 17, 2014, on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.
Bottom photo: Courtesy of Kiyan Williams.
Jim Harwood and Ruth Coker Burks
When the AIDS epidemic hit Arkansas in the early 1980s, Ruth Coker Burks was just a young mother in her early twenties.
She didn’t have any medical training, but she took it upon herself to care for AIDS patients who were abandoned by their families and the medical professionals who feared the disease.
Some families, though, were different.
At StoryCorps, Ruth sat down with her friend Jim Harwood, one father who stayed by his son’s side.
They remember his son, Raymond, and what the early days of the AIDS crisis were like.
Listen to Ruth’s interview with Paul Wineland, the partner of another AIDS patient she cared for during this time.
Ruth Coker Burks and Paul Wineland
Ruth Coker Burks was in her early 20s and raising a small child when the AIDS epidemic hit Arkansas, her home state.
Although she had no formal medical training, Ruth took it upon herself to care for AIDS patients who were abandoned by their families and medical professionals who feared the disease.
Ruth estimates that she has cared for nearly 1000 people since the 1980s. One of those people was Paul Wineland’s partner.
At StoryCorps Ruth told Paul about how she got started after visiting a friend at a hospital where one of the state’s early AIDS patient was dying.
Originally aired December 5, 2014, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Maurice Rowland and Miguel Alvarez
In 2013, Maurice Rowland (left) was working as a cook at Valley Springs Manor, an assisted living home for elderly residents in California. He got his friend Miguel Alvarez (right) a job there as a janitor last fall.
But in October of that year, the company that managed the home suddenly shut it down, leaving many of the elderly residents with nowhere to go.
The staff stopped being paid so they all left—except for Maurice and Miguel.
At StoryCorps they remembered caring for abandoned residents until the fire department and sheriff took over three days later.
Originally aired November 21, 2014, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Kevin Powell and Shirley Parrello
Lance Corporal Brian Parrello (left) was the only member of his Marine platoon who didn’t make it home from Iraq.
They were patrolling near the Haditha Dam when Brian was killed by an IED. He was 19 years old.
Since then, Brian’s platoon has become close with his family. One of those Marines, Sergeant Kevin Powell (top left), sat down for a StoryCorps conversation with Brian’s mother, Shirley (top right).
Originally aired October 25, 2014, on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday.
Photos courtesy of Shirley Parrello.
Darius Clark Monroe and David Ned
In 1997, Darius Clark Monroe (left) was a high school honor student who had never been in serious trouble.
But soon after his 16th birthday, he robbed a bank in Stafford, Texas at gunpoint with two of his friends.
Seventeen years later, he sat down at StoryCorps with David Ned (right), a customer who was in the bank during the robbery.
Originally aired October 24, 2014, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Paul Braun and “Philip”
In 2009, Army Sergeant Paul Braun (right) was serving near Basra, Iraq with the 34th Military Police Company of the Minnesota National Guard. They were assigned an interpreter the American soldiers named “Philip” (left).
During the next nine months, Paul and Philip grew close—so close that upon returning to the U.S., Paul sponsored Philip’s visa. They now live together in Minnesota.
Philip’s wife and children were forced to stay behind in Iraq, and in October 2014, Philip returned to his home country to try to reach his family and bring them back to the U.S.
Before leaving, Philip and Paul sat down for a conversation at StoryCorps.
Originally aired October 18, 2014, on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday.