StoryCorps
StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives.
Boyd Applegate has been a poll worker for nearly every election over the past 20 years, taking Election Day off from his work as a truck driver. "I'm there as a representative of what's right in America, and I enjoy it," he tells his sister, Rhonda Dixon.
Full-Time Truck Driver, Dedicated Poll Worker
Boyd Applegate, a 56-year-old trucker who lives in San Diego, has been a poll worker for nearly every election over the past 20 years. Many people in his precinct greet him by name. He says he enjoys the work because he is a representative of what's right in America.
Marcela Gaviria met Dr. Dempsey Springfield when she was 12, and he performed an operation to save her leg from complications from cancer. Since then, he's performed countless operations on her.
After 30 Years Of Surgeries, Doctor And Patient Dance
Marcela Gaviria has had countless surgeries for complications from a childhood cancer that nearly took her leg in 1982. Through it all, she's had one surgeon, Dr. Dempsey Springfield, and on her wedding day, they danced together.
Robert Griffo, 57, was working on Wall Street when the market crashed on Black Monday.
'Black Monday' Plunge: From 'High Life' To Street Life
Robert Griffo was working at an investment firm on Wall Street when the stock market crashed on Oct. 19, 1987. As his wealth slipped away, so did his hold on his life — and his family. Griffo ended up homeless and found himself contemplating suicide.
Veteran: Risks In 1950s Bomb Test 'A Disgrace'()
October 12, 2012 It's hard to determine just how many veterans became ill because they were at nuclear test sites, but one soldier who witnessed more than 20 bomb explosions in the Nevada desert in 1957 says a lot of good men died because of it.
For Special Education Teacher, 'Every Day Is Precious'()
October 5, 2012 Ken Rensink was 19 when he was disabled in a car accident. After 15 years out of the workforce, he decided to devote himself to teaching special education. He's now been at it for more than a decade. "I'm trying to help create folks who will not get rolled by life," he says.
Finding Health After Letting Go Of Hate()
September 28, 2012 After he was told his brother had been murdered, Charlie Morris was filled with hatred. When he sought medical help for mysterious medical symptoms 10 years later, he realized it was his rage that plagued his body. When he started to forgive, he says his nightmares stopped, and his ailments went away.
College Student Recalls High School Homelessness()
September 21, 2012 High school was tough for Tierra Jackson. She shared a single room in a Chicago homeless shelter with six other family members, and her mom was in and out of prison. But today, the college junior says school is her ticket out.
From Topless Bar To Biology: A Love Story()
September 14, 2012 Susan McClinton says when she met her husband, Philip, 40 years ago, her life was headed in a bad direction. Together, they went back to school and helped each other change their lives.
Boy Grows Close To Grandmother Through Memories()
September 7, 2012 Graham Haggett was just 10 weeks old when his grandmother was killed in the World Trade Center attacks. But his mother has told him many stories about her — including how his face was one of the first things his grandmother saw when she got to the office that day.
A Veteran Cop Recalls A Tough Night On The Job()
August 31, 2012 Police officers often have to respond to tragic scenes. Mark Edens, a retired Michigan State Trooper, remembers one night in 1974 that was especially tough. He says breaking the news to a family that a family member has died is always hard, but something he was born to do.
An Inmate Firefighter Finds His Proudest Moment()
August 24, 2012 In Wyoming, as in several Western states, many wildfires are fought by prison inmates. Daniel Ross, serving time in a Wyoming prison for assault, has spent two seasons fighting fires. He says he's been overwhelmed by the gratitude of the townspeople his team has helped.
A Mother Tries To Atone For A Deadly Hate Crime()
August 17, 2012 At 40, Julie Sanders is a mother of three from Portland, Ore. But when she was 16, Sanders belonged to a white supremacist group — and one night in 1988, she found herself at the scene of a murder. Since then, she's kept the event a secret from most of her friends and family.
Two Sikh Men, Two Lifetimes Of Looking Different()
August 10, 2012 Surinder Singh and his son Rupinder spent much of their lives in Canada before moving to the U.S. in 1992. As practicing Sikhs, they wear turbans. Maintaining that tenet of their faith has made for some challenging experiences.
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