One Georgia teen with cerebral palsy didn't allow a minor setback to get him down.
After 19-year-old Baze Mitchell's electric wheelchair was stolen from his front porch in Albany, Ga. he was forced to walk a mile every day in between classes on his college campus, according to WBTV.
His perseverance prompted his community to reach out with support, but Mitchell wasn't looking for sympathy.
Instead, the teen encouraged generous community members to help him address the root of the problem. His insurance covered the cost of replacing the chair, so he directed donations to help end crime within his community, WALB reports.
Mitchell had his donors support Stop the Violence, a nonprofit dedicated to deterring young people from criminal activity, and Strive2Thrive, an organization that empowers families to overcome poverty.
"I believe if you teach a man to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime. If you give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day," Mitchell told WALB.
Local businessman Randy Lee fully supports the student's approach, and donated $150 in Mitchell's name to Stop the Violence.
These inspiring efforts also attracted the attention of Mayor Dorothy Hubbard, who has been working to clean up the area since violence recently disrupted a fireworks display in downtown Albany, according to WALB. She commended Mitchell, and encouraged others to follow in his footsteps.
"When things happen to you, you don't just lay down…You keep on trying," Hubbard said. "And that's what we're doing here today. We're just going to keep on trying."