Alia Snyder
Acts of kindness are in the air in the Memphis area.
These random acts are the result of twenty-seven-year-old David Santucci being murdered on August 12, 2013 in the South Maine area of downtown Memphis. The suspects were caught within fifteen minutes of the crime. Santucci was seen walking to his car when he was shot, killing him instantly.
#OperationTucci was subsequently started by two very close friends of his-- Justin Hurley and Germantown High special education paraprofessional Drew Fryman. Santucci and Fryman had been friends since high school, and lived together for a period of time in college. #OperationTucci was started as a way to honor and remember Santucci in hope that his death was not in vain.
“The idea was just to kinda be kind and selfless; that’s how he lived his life. He became a nurse just to help people. He was always more concerned about other people than himself,” Fryman said.
Originally, the two friends figured they would be as generous as Santucci, leaving an abnormally large tip at a restaurant. Along with the lump sum of money, they left a small note about the victim: “David Santucci was a male nurse who devoted his life to helping others. He was genuine, smart, funny, and a dear friend of ours. These acts of kindness are done in his memory.”
Eventually, these random acts of kindness spread beyond the two friends evolving into #OperationTucci. These acts, such as giving away tickets to a football game, paying for someone’s gas, or donating more than usual to hospitals, have been said to spread as far as Spain. People have done generous deeds and left notes about David Santucci with hope of spreading this cause across the entire world.
Up until a few weeks ago, Fryman and friends were accepting money to start the Tucci Foundation. The money raised will go towards a University of Memphis nursing scholarship. Although they are still in the process of being approved 501(c)(3) to become a nonprofit organization, a little over $4,000 was raised to give as the first scholarship or donation to the University’s nursing school.
Anyone is eligible to support the cause of #OperationTucci simply by reaching out and helping someone in need or doing a selfless deed: give clothes to a homeless shelter, help out at an animal hospital, or something as small as helping a friend. Take a picture of your latest act of kindness and post to the #OpertationTucci facebook page.