We asked people to participate in Real American Stories and were astonished by the responses. From people we stopped on the sidewalk to household names eager to tell their uniquely American stories, we invite you to watch selections that moved us.
Pushing the limits of pickling by bringing lots of taste to the traditional mason jar.
Aaron Dworkin brings classical music to the inner city, and opens up a world of possibilities.
Anne Mahlum starts a running program that helps homeless men reclaim their lives.
A DC inner city school teaches rugby to a school for the deaf and the results are loud and clear.
A DC inner city school teaches rugby to a school for the deaf and the results are loud and clear.
Some call air guitar part perf. art, pro wrestling and rock’n’roll. Whatever it is, it sure is fun.
An Iraq War veteran, James talks about surviving a suicide attack and serving our country.
She talks about coming over from Italy as a child and the chances America has given her.
She’s following in grandfather’s footsteps, paying it forward, and living up to her good name.
Her parents left Albania so she could grow up with the freedom to live out her “American Dream.”
A 1st grade teacher talks about teaching the Pledge of Allegiance to her students.
The father of entertainer Beyonce, he talks of the importance of reaching for your dreams.
She raised nine children and talks about overcoming adversity and following your dreams.
As devoted parents, they provided a safe and loving environment for over 40 foster babies.
She shares her ancestors’ sacrifices and struggles for the freedoms we enjoy in America.
Inspired by wounded soldiers, he’s in med school training to become a doctor in the U.S. Army.
He shares his admiration for his grandfather and the importance of unity in America.
Julie Smith & Joyce Hogan have served our nation through their husbands’ military service.
They adpoted two children from Russia and share how the experience changed their lives.
Vietnam Vet who talks about how service changed his life and his feeling for this country.
He compares football to unity and talks about the importance of America coming together.
She’s a 3rd generation American who talks of fulfilling the dreams of our founding fathers.
A Vietnam Vet, Anthony talks about surviving a vicious attack, and the costs of freedom.
The couple talks about raising their kids and the freedoms we cherish in this country.
A teacher who credits her ancestors for giving us the freedoms we share in this country.
A Cuban American who talks about how her father risked his life to bring his family here.
Married for 52 years, they talk about growing up and raising a family in a small town.
He came from India to become an engineer and is currently applying for U.S. citizenship.
The award winning country music group talks about performing for the troops in Iraq.
This is a really terrific video. Does a great job of capturing what’s so great about the Phanatic, especially for the uninitiated. I’m surprised that the Phillies website doesn’t have this sort of thing on their site – you should make sure they know about it, so they can link to it. Really great work!
I embedded your video in a post about the Phanatic on my blog: http://www.threelittlefonzies.com/?p=509. I included a link to your site, of course.
Thank you so much for including this! I grew up in Philly and have been trying to tell my kids about what a great character the Phanatic is. We smiled the whole time watching it and it made me feel like I was home again.
I love the Phanatic! Always have, I live in portland OR now and am divorced with three kids. I miss everything about Philly esp my awesome team that from the crib till i left the home several years ago i went to a lot of games at the goold ole vet stadium with the avid rabid fan my mother. Her mother as well was a very very devoted fan. I remember steve carlton mike schmitt just to name a few. I miss the phanatic and sure hope some day maybe when my child support is a little bit less i can fly back to good ole PA for a game or two. God bless ya Phanatic
Great story on the Phanatic! He gives off great energy – how can he not be loved? Go Phillies!!!
who was first the philly phanatic or the san diego (now famous) chicken? what would a game be without a mascot?
In the early 90’s, the Philly’s were not great. As such, tickets were cheap and we went to games as often as we could (considering the work load of medical school). I hate to admit this, but there were several games I attended where the only thing worth watching was the antics of the Phanatic. He had a way of pissing off the opposing team that you can’t imagine. They played the Braves during one game I attended and he came up to the 3rd base coach with a tomahawk and did the Braves’ “chop” in a way that made it look really gay. He kept doing it until the 3rd base coach lost it and started chasing the Phanatic around the field! Later, the Phanatic came out in a Cushman cart, with a dummy dressing in a Braves’ uniform in the passenger seat. He made a sudden turn, which propelled the dummy off the Cushman. Acting as though he didn’t know what was happening, the Phanatic kept going forward and backward, running over the Braves “player”, until someone from the Braves ran over and grabbed it. The crowd was in stitches most of the evening. The Philly’s didn’t play well, but the Phanatic made it worth going to the game!