Generosity by Indiegogo
See full story HERE.
Hi there! My name is Chris Bohinski and I created the world’s 1st smile mission: NYC Smile 4 Me. While working on my chemistry & musical theater dual major at Wheeling Jesuit University, my father was diagnosed with brain cancer. Before he passed away, I tried my best to brighten up his days with smiles. Within two weeks of graduating, my mother fell victim to septic shock which ultimately put my plans on hold to move to New York City since I voluntarily became her primary caregiver back at our Pennsylvania home for the next ten months. Once again I tried my best to share daily smiles, from playing many games of Pinochle with her to enjoying a Major League Baseball game with her after I sang the national anthem for the Pittsburgh Pirates & the other 33,000 fans in attendance.
Once my mom was further on the road to recovery, I made the move to the Big Apple in April 2014. In my less than three years here in NYC, I have appeared in the New York Post newspaper, have been featured on NBC’s The Today Show, and have had speaking roles on National Geographic & Discovery Science television series.
One year ago I created the smile mission, NYC Smile 4 Me, where “Boh the Smile Guy” has been asking the same 4-word question What makes you smile? to all participants. My goal with creating this smile mission is to spread positivity, happiness, & joy by sharing the one trait that everyone has in common: SMILING! NYC Smile 4 Me began as a written blog, and now has grown into a fun & engaging web series. My YouTube channel has over 1,000,000 views and has featured guests like Morgan Freeman, Bette Midler, and Beyoncé. The Today Show’s Natalie Morales said, “I appreciate you and there needs to be more people like you,” when speaking of my smile mission.
Most recently there has been a recurrence of my mother’s uterine cancer in her lungs. It is with a smile on my face and on my heart that I say so long to the place I have called home for the last 3 years: New York City. Very soon I will be moving back home to Pennsylvania to be with my Mom as she continues with her chemotherapy. Coming to this decision was difficult, but I can whole-heartedly say that my smile mission has helped my choice to be so easy.
For the last year I have been asking a 4-word question to everyone I meet: What makes you smile? I have been finding out what brings you happiness, what brings you joy. My #SmileStory is my family and I cannot be more thankful to be in a situation that allows me to temporarily move back home to be with my best friend on her road to recovery.
Right now more than ever, I think, our world needs more smiles. Your brothers, your sisters, your co-workers, your friends, your families, your neighbors, your boss...just about everyone; maybe even you, the person watching this video.
With that being said, my plan and goal is to continue NYC Smile 4 Me by making monthly visits to New York to conduct my interviews and ask that 4-word question, that is seemingly so simple but yet so hard to answer: What makes you smile? With that being said, it is humbling and very terrifying that I tell you I began a funding page to help with those efforts. I can promise you, all money raised will go directly towards the various elements of pre-and-post production with NYC Smile 4 Me.
So right now I say so long New York. See you later. Thank you New York. Thank you for always believing in me, for always spreading happiness with me, for always bringing me so much joy, for always loving me. Thank you. And most importantly thank you, and I mean thank you, for always smiling with me.
UPDATE: Beginning a funding page to continue NYC Smile 4 Me while I temporarily move back home with my mom as she continues her chemotherapy has been humbling & terrifying. If you are able to contribute to this effort, I will be sending you a bracelet (or if you'd like 2 or 3 or 5 of them) as a thank you. Any and all donations are greatly appreciated, and because of that there is not minimum amount you need to donate in order to receive one.
#Happiness #Positivity #Joy #NYCSmile4Me #ChrisBohinski #BohtheSmileGuy #SmileStory