While we would all like to think we do our bit for charity from time-to-time, some people definitely do more than others. Whether it's running a marathon, setting up a direct debit or simply donating money when you can - there's a multitude of ways in which we can help give back to the world. However, while all of these involve giving up our cash, a group of workers decided to give up something much more precious: their time.
A man's colleagues have donated over 3,000 hours of overtime in order for him to care for his young son, who was suffering with leukaemia just after the boy's mum tragically died.
Julius was just three-years-old when he was diagnosed with the disease and, due to the extensive amount of treatment he required, he father used all his annual leave to care for him by his bedside. He was due to return to the family's home in the town of Fronhausen, Germany when his mother suddenly died of heart disease.
Julius' dad, Andreas, 36, works as an assembly worker with a design company and was worried about how he would be able to care for his son after he used up all his annual leave. Mr Graf was also concerned that he would lose his job and was struggling to cope with his son's illness alongside the death of his wife. Aware of how much he was struggling, HR manager Pia Meier stepped in to help the father out.
Ms Meier sent out an appeal to other employees in the company, asking them to donate their overtime in order to help Graf spend time with his son. Astonishingly, all 650 workers immediately agreed - even those who had never met Graf.
Within two weeks, the workers had raised a total of 3,264 hours of overtime, which the company let Mr Graf take as paid leave, something which brought him to tears.
"Without this tremendous help, I would’ve been out of a job by now," he admitted.
Ms Meier said that she was also overwhelmed by the response to the appeal, saying that "there isn't a single person who hasn't donated."
Thanks to the generosity of his co-workers, Mr Graf was able to take over a year off in order to care for his son a recover from the loss of his wife.
After having chemotherapy, Julius, who turned five at the end of February, is now feeling well enough to come home and is hoping to return to nursery soon. Mr Graf, meanwhile, says that he is eternally grateful to his colleagues and the company for their generosity and understanding during an incredibly difficult time.
It's an incredible story that serves to remind us that, despite what you may see online, human beings can be kind at times. Good luck to Andreas and Julius; hopefully there are some good times around the corner for them - god knows that they deserve it.
