Elliot Costello’s life was drastically altered in a way he never would have imagined in 2013 after traveling to an orphanage in Cambodia.
He was unaware, though, that a meeting would occur that would alter thousands of other people’s lives as well.
It all began in 2013 when Australian social entrepreneur Elliot Costello got to know a young child named Thea.
The 10-year-old girl, Thea, had been saved from a horrible situation, but regrettably, she had wound up in an orphanage. She had been sexually and physically abused for two years, and the torture had a lasting effect. Regretfully, if Elliot hadn’t existed, we might never have learned about this courageous young girl.
However, let’s start at the beginning.
Thea’s life was happy once she was born. The Cambodian girl was loved and cared for by her mother, father, and other family members just like any other child. Unfortunately, fate had other ideas for her. Her father unexpectedly passed away one day, and his loss was tragic in many ways. Not only had it been a painful and emotional experience, but Thea’s father had been the only provider for the family. The family was left in dire straits after his death.
When things became so awful for Thea, her mother had to make the painful choice to place her daughter in an orphanage since she was no longer able to care for her. Sadly, the little girl would end up spending a miserable life there.
The director of the orphanage allegedly sexually and physically abused Thea every day for two years, according to Polished Man.
Thea was eventually moved to another Hagar International-run orphanage in Phnom Penh. Australian social entrepreneur Elliot Costello became close to the boy during a visit there by playing games of naughts and crosses. The 10-year-old child, in spite of everything she had experienced, exuded happiness and optimism.
Thea used to constantly have nail polish on her tiny nails, so one day she wanted to paint Elliot’s. They had a great time together as they sat and chatted.
“I promised her that I would always remember her and her suffering,” Elliot remarked as she painted one of his nails
Elliot was inspired to try and modify men’s behavior after meeting with Thea in order to reduce the number of children who experience sexual abuse. In order to demonstrate support, he also came up with the idea to launch a trend where males paint their nails.
Another symbolic interpretation of painting one nail is that it stands for the one in five children who may experience sexual abuse. It is immediately clear from looking at the numbers that we must put in a lot of effort to solve this problem.
Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults involve minors who are 17 years of age or younger, according to the YMCA. Unbelievably, one in six boys and one in four girls will experience sexual abuse before they become 18 years old.
Elliot believes that since men account for over 90% of this kind of abuse against children, they should be the ones to drive change. In light of this, a large number of international superstars have joined the nail painting craze.
Polished Man is still working to provide a better, safer environment for children today. Their principal goal is to stop child sexual abuse. “Being a Polished Man means challenging violent behavior and language, both locally and globally,” the organization states.
Chris Hemsworth is one well-known person who has taken a strong stance; he posed for the organization with a painted nail.
It takes more than just remembering to purchase flowers, shouting rounds, or lifting a lot to be a @PolishedMan. Saying no to violence against children is the main goal, according to Hemsworth.
Famous surfers Kelly Slater and Zac Efron also participated in the social media challenge, and maybe more people will openly speak out against child abuse.
Although the campaign began quietly a few years prior, by 2014 it had drawn the interest of numerous prominent media outlets.
The organization has persevered in its hard work and has now existed for a decade. Polished Man claims that $8.7 million has been raised to fund trauma prevention and recovery initiatives for women and children who have experienced or are at danger of experiencing violence in Australia and other countries.
Wealthy Developer Destroys Elderly Man’s Home, Stumbles Upon His Own Childhood Photograph Amidst the Debris
A wealthy man, convinced that money could buy anything, destroyed a poor old man’s house to make way for a shopping mall. Later, while examining the debris, he discovered a childhood photo among the rubble.
Can greed make someone so blind that they harm others to fulfill their own desires? In July 2021, real estate developer Elliot Morris from Florida unintentionally shattered the dreams of an elderly man named Joe Brooke in his pursuit of wealth.
Elliot was searching for the perfect spot to build a fancy mall when he noticed Joe’s property. He was taken with the location and decided it would be the ideal place for his new project. Elliot chose to demolish Joe’s house to clear the land. When Joe protested, Elliot dismissed him as just an obstacle that could easily be removed.
Joe pleaded with Elliot, explaining that the house held precious memories of his late wife and that he had nowhere else to go. However, Elliot ignored Joe’s desperate requests. He informed Joe that he had already received approval from the mayor and planned to start the demolition in two weeks, leaving Joe with no choice but to leave.
Despite his fears, Joe refused to accept any money in exchange for his cherished home. As the deadline approached, he hoped for a miracle, but the day of demolition arrived too quickly.
When Elliot returned with his workers and heavy machinery, Joe once again begged him not to tear down his house. Elliot coldly reminded Joe that he had already given him a deadline and handed him a check, showing no concern for Joe’s situation.
Elliot ordered one of his workers to take Joe to a nursing home and insisted that Joe take the money, but Joe refused. With tears in his eyes, Joe told Elliot that he had let greed consume him, reminding him that money could not buy everything. Elliot dismissed Joe’s words and watched with satisfaction as his workers demolished the house. He felt a sense of triumph as he saw the building fall to the ground.
Later that day, Elliot returned to the site to celebrate his achievement. As he walked over the ruins, he stumbled upon the shattered glass of a photo frame. Picking it up, he recognized the image of his mother holding a baby.
Confused, Elliot realized this was a photo of him as a child, and he wondered how it had ended up in Joe’s home. Driven by curiosity, he immediately went to the nursing home to confront Joe. When Joe saw Elliot, he was upset, expecting more trouble. But Elliot showed him the photo he had found. He wanted to know how Joe had the picture of his mother.
Joe explained that he had found Elliot’s mother, Samantha, on the street 30 years ago, struggling in the rain with a baby in her arms. Joe had just come from his wife’s funeral and felt compelled to help her.
Joe shared that he had taken Samantha in, as she had been thrown out by her boyfriend. For five years, Samantha lived with Joe, who treated her like family. Eventually, Joe helped her get back on her feet, enabling her to start her own business and build a life for herself.
Elliot felt his heart break as Joe spoke, realizing that he had been unaware of the love and support Joe had given his mother. Overwhelmed with guilt, Elliot decided to make amends. The next day, he put up a sign on Joe’s old property and began constructing a new home for him.
Within a few months, a beautiful house replaced the one Elliot had destroyed. Elliot gifted this new home to Joe, sincerely apologizing for his past ignorance. Joe, however, refused any additional help, saying he would only accept the house and wanted nothing else but Elliot’s love. Joe moved into his new home, leading a simple life. He inspired Elliot, teaching him that compassion and love matter more than wealth.
In the end, Elliot decided to use his resources to help others by building retirement homes for those in need. He learned to respect people’s homes and dreams, vowing never to harm anyone for personal gain again. The story reminds us of two important lessons: never destroy someone else’s happiness to fulfill your own dreams and strive to create something beneficial for others when you have the chance.
Leave a Reply