Danny Thomas
Danny Thomas (1912-1991) an American comedian, actor, singer, producer, and philanthropist. The "Danny Thomas prayer" refers to a desperate vow he made to Saint Jude, the patron saint of hopeless causes, when he was a struggling entertainer with a new baby and little money. Thomas prayed, "Show me my way in life, and I will build you a shrine," and soon found success in show business.
He kept his promise by founding the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in 1962, which provides free medical care to children with catastrophic illnesses.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, founded by entertainer and humanitarian was one man's promise that’s become an unprecedented beacon of hope and healing for the world. Since 1962, St. Jude specializes in care for some of the toughest pediatric cancer cases, all while investing in resources and technologies for cutting-edge scientific research. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital treats children with cancer, blood disorders, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, and other related life-threatening diseases. And families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — so they can focus on helping their child live. Unlike other hospitals, the majority of funding for St. Jude comes from generous donors and research grants reaching $2 billion a year. The single, star-shaped building that opened on Feb. 4, 1962, has given way to a 66-acre campus in Memphis, Tennessee, where research and treatments have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% when the hospital opened to more than 80% today.
Robert Redford
Robert Redford (1936–2025), an internationally acclaimed actor, director, producer and storyteller. Over his lifetime, he received some of the world’s highest honors, including the SAG Life Achievement Award (1996), an Honorary Academy Award (2002), and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016), presented by Barack Obama for his lifelong contributions to art and activism that “continue to shape our nation’s cultural heritage, inspiring millions to laugh, cry, think, and change.”
Robert Redford’s creative spirit reshaped cinema. In 1981, he established the Sundance Institute as an inspiration and haven for independent voices. The name “Sundance” came from his iconic role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). To honor that spirit, he purchased land in Utah and created Sundance Mountain Resort — both a retreat for creativity and a model for environmental preservation. Over four decades later, its programs and the Sundance Film Festival have launched countless careers, redefined American independent film, and inspired generations of artists worldwide.
As the Sundance Institute recognizes Redford’s “generosity, clarity of purpose, curiosity, rebellious spirit, and love for the creative process” remain a guiding force.
Robert Redford’s legacy endures — in the artists he inspired, the landscapes he protected, and the stories that continue to change the way we see the world.
It’s easier to accomplish the impossible than the ordinary
- Ken Kragen, We Are the World