Oprah Winfrey Donated $100,000 to Mikey’s Run for Boston Marathon Victims

Photo by Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

According to the New York Daily News, Oprah Winfrey called up the two brothers behind Mikey’s Run yesterday to let them know she would donate $100,000 to their charity in support of Boston Marathon victims.

Oprah supposedly called Michael, 13, and Harris Stolzenberg, 18, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, completely out of the blue. “At first, I was shocked, but once you talk to her, she’s just very nice,” said Harris.

“Very nice”? Oprah? Well, imagine that.

Of course commenters online jumped at the opportunity to point out that $100K for Oprah is chump change, but considering the fact that she has now provided 50 percent of the amount Mikey’s Run has currently raised, I think most would agree that her donation (and name) is much appreciated.

Mikey’s Run is named after 13-year-old Michael, who contracted a bacterial infection five years ago that led to a coma and, ultimately, the need to amputate all four limbs. Not only did he make it through, but these days he thrives, playing lacrosse on his middle school team. Inspiring, much?

After the Boston Marathon bombing, he and his brother Harris started Mikey’s Run to support victims who lost limbs during the attack. (Older brother Harris will attend MIT in the fall, and is currently training to run in the 2014 Boston Marathon.)

For Mikey’s Run, the two set a goal of $1 million—which they are nowhere near—but even with less than 10 percent of that raised, the two had done enough to capture the interest and attention of one of the most powerful women in the world. Not too shabby for two teenagers.