Samuel Weidenhofer | Australians Kindest Person

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sam Whedenhoffer is an influencer and it's all about kindness
with him. You've seen his posts where he's just helping
so many people that need it and it's always filled
with heartwarming experiences when you're watching it. We've got him
on the line now because he's a judge, because we're
looking for Australia's kindest person in the world. Good morning, Sam,
Good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
You've raised nearly five million dollars for people in need
around the world just from your social media. For those
that don't know who you are and what you've done,
can you explain it?

Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, well, actually it's probably more than that now I
reckon it's closer to fifteen million dollars. So yeah, for
those who don't know my name, Samuel wheden Hoffer, are
run a kindness and mental health page on social media.
You know that was inspired due to losing my Anie
to suicide. Grown up and being bullied all through school

(00:50):
and then you know, getting into my teenage years and
really struggling with momental health. Social media was my outlet.
So I started sharing my story on social media and
you know, never would I think it would amount to
this now, but what.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
You do online is that you find people in need
and you go up to them and say could I
borrow some money? And they'll always say yes, and then
you say, well, actually I don't need the money. I'm
actually here to tell you. We've had a go fundme
page for you. And it just started so small. It
just started with you, didn't it.

Speaker 4 (01:21):
Yeah, it was just me, you know, giving out hugs
in Roundel, Morlands, and then it just started to take
off and you know, I got sponsorships and other ways
came on board and then I was able to leverage that,
you know, to be able to actually, you know, change
people's life.

Speaker 2 (01:36):
And now you are the face of Australia's Kindest Person search.
So nominations are closing today and what do we have
to do. You're looking for Australia's Kindest Person and it's
run by the charity Humankind.

Speaker 4 (01:51):
Correct.

Speaker 3 (01:51):
You know you can nominate someone, whether that be you know,
your teacher, a friend who's really kind, someone that there
who is doing good and they get twenty five thousand
dollars for charity and twenty five thousand dollars for themselves.
So yeah, nominations do close today. You know, I'm feel
honored to be a part of it and to spread
that awareness and you know, to give back to someone

(02:12):
amazing and you know, recognize those who are doing good
as a whole.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
And it's gonna be hosted at dream World, the end
of year event on World Kindness Day the thirteenth of November.
So you'll be up here.

Speaker 3 (02:23):
For that, Yes, I will be up here for that. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
Do you travel well, Sam?

Speaker 3 (02:27):
Oh? Yeah? I love seeing the world. And you know,
something I've definitely focused on is, like recently, right I
was in America and I think for media puts out
so much negativity of that place is in the world,
and you know, for me, America it's a beautiful place.
You get treated with such kindness. The positive press it's
getting right now because of a World Cup, I find

(02:49):
that really beautiful. You know. I love seeing the world.
I love experiencing different cultures and you know, just helping
so many people out there.

Speaker 2 (02:57):
I love you, Sam so much. Is there one story
three of one person that you've helped that will always
stay in your heart or is it like picking a
favorite child you just can't to.

Speaker 3 (03:06):
Be honest, like something that's broken me recently because it's
close to home Kim was an incredible woman. We were
able to raise her a quarter of a million dollars
to go to Mexico and have treatment and she came
home cancer free, and heartbreaking ly, you know, the cancer
came back and she passed away in January. Our platform

(03:31):
and our community gave her two more years with her
kids that she wouldn't have like that means the world
to me, and you know it broke me, but you know,
it's a situation I used to help more people.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
Now we encourage everyone to go and enter someone they
know that is kind, because twenty five thousand dollars to
them and then to their charity is game changing.

Speaker 3 (03:51):
Thank you, Sam, absolutely, Thank you so much. Have a
lovely day. Everyone listening, all right,