Oprah Donates $100,000 To Mikey's Run, Boston Marathon Charity Started By Amputee Teen

Oprah Donates Big To Teen Amputee's Boston Charity

Michael Stolzenberg, a 13 year-old quadruple amputee helping Boston bombing victims, is the definition of an Übermensch -- and his efforts are getting recognition from friends in high places.

Oprah has donated $100,000 to Mikey's Run, the nonprofit the Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., boy launched in the aftermath of the attacks, Fox Sports reports. He aims to raise $1,000,000 for the victims by the time his 18 year-old brother, Harris, runs in the marathon next year.

"When he learned that so many victims of the Boston Marathon bombing would become new amputees, Michael decided to banish that darkness with light," she said.

Oprah also said she admired Michael's courageousness after losing all four of his limbs due to a bacterial infection that almost took Michael's life.

"In losing who he once was, Michael discovered who he wanted to be," she commended. "He refused to sit in that wheelchair all day and feel sorry for himself.”

"First, they will be sad," Michael said. "They are losing something they will never get back, and it's scary. I was scared."

"But they'll be OK. They just don't know that yet."

Inspired by both Michael's personal strength and his charitable initiative, Oprah declared to the Harvard audience that, “the world needs people like Michael Stolzenberg."

Harris, who will soon be attending MIT as a freshman, was shocked to hear that Oprah reached out to help.

“Michael and I were just speechless, and we couldn’t thank her enough,” Harris told FOXSports.com. “We started this with the goal of raising $1 million, but we knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. Our mom actually laughed at us and said, ‘If you can get $1,000, you should be happy.’ It’s still kind of surreal.”

Because it does not have official 501-(c)3 non-profit status, Mikey's Run has partnered with the Scott Rigsby Foundation -- a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals with amputated limbs -- to raise funds for the Boston victims. Mikey's Run will funnel the money that it collects into Scott Rigsby's Aid For Boston program.

On June 27, the brothers will host a marathon in Ft. Lauderdale to spread awareness about their cause and raise funds for the Aid For Boston campaign.

Before You Go

1987

Oprah's style evolution

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot