Times comment:-A number of wonderful stories have emerged from Toon Bodyslam’s unbelievable charity run towards the end of last year. What that man achieved should never be underestimated and it has got to be the greatest money-raising event by an individual in history.
It’s not the amount raised but the pain that Toon put his body through which is so remarkable. The following is another heart-warming story to emerge from that incredible marathon run.
The Surat Thani schoolboy who made headlines during Artiwara “Toon Bodyslam” Kongmalai’s dramatic cross-country charity run will soon be able to try on the rock star-hero’s shoes.
Poramet Pumporn, 12, a sixth-grader at Yuwa Sueksa School, was in the crowd at the roadside when Toon ran past.
Recording the moment on his phone camera and broadcasting via Facebook Live, he begged the people around him to stay back so everyone could see, but he was quickly engulfed in the excited mob.
“Phi Toon soon laew!” he exclaimed – “I’ve lost Phi Toon!”
Poramet might have missed seeing Toon, but people across the country saw his endearing facial expression and heard his exclamation in the video clip, which was widely shared.
Among those who saw it were organisers of the Kao Khon La Kao charity run, who quickly arranged for the boy to meet the nation’s newest hero while he was still in Surat Thani resting for the next day’s outing.
Another charmed viewer was Chukiart Sornthongsathien, an executive of a firm that imports luxury cars, and when Kao Khon La Kao held an auction for the red Nike running shoes Toon was wearing that day in Surat Thani, Chukiart bought them with a bid of Bt1,234,567.
Chukiart went after the shoes with the express hope of winning them for Poramet.
He’s arranged for the schoolboy and his teacher to be at the King Power Hotel in Bangkok on Sunday (February 25) to receive the shoes, which have been named “Phi Toon soon laew”.
(Source:-The Nation, Thailand)