Boston Nurse Begins 26 Acts Of Kindness, Pt. 2; Urges Others To Join In

After the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., in December, in which a gunman killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Stephanie Zanotti of Charlestown, Mass., was inspired by the suggestion to complete 26 acts of kindness as a response.

In the wake of the bombings at the Boston Marathon on Monday, Zanotti decided it was time for Part Two of those 26 acts of kindness.

"I am participating in 26 acts of kindness for the victims at the 26th mile of the Boston Marathon," she wrote on her Facebook page. Using Facebook and Instagram, she is chronicling her acts and hoping to inspire others to do the same. 

"It's forcing me to think about how you can make someone's day a little lighter, a little brighter," she said Saturday.

She stresses the acts can be as simple as paying for the person's cup of coffee behind you in line at your favorite coffee shop or dropping off some candy at your local fire department – both things she did during her Newtown acts.

So far, Zanotti has completed two acts in this new cycle: she has promoted the sale of a T-shirt designed by a friend in which all proceeds will go to One Fund Boston. And she signed up her dog Lucy, a rescue dog with only three legs, in a dog therapy program. (The t-shirt and Lucy are pictured, right.)

Zanotti is a nurse at Brigham & Women's Hospital and has seen the power of therapy dogs for patients. Knowing that several of the bombing victims have had limbs amputated, Zanotti realized her dog in particular could provide special inspiration.

She said she's speaking out about her actions to raise awareness and, she hopes, to inspire others to follow suit. The realization that the bombings happened at the 26th mile and the parallel with Newtown's 26 school victims was powerful to Zanotti. 

"Unfortunately, the '26' theme again," she said. But at a time when so many people want to do something in response to the events of the past several days, Zanotti's found a way to be both creative and kind. 

Are you doing something special in response to the bombings? Let us know in the comments section.