I attended a Cirque du Soleil show (holiday-themed) last November, over Thanksgiving weekend, with friends (it was magical, would recommend). There was a group of special-needs adults who sat in the seats in immediately in front of us and were delighted by every facet of the show. Their joy was contagious. During one act, the performers threw soft, tennis-ball sized “snow balls” out into the audience. One went right into my lap. So I tossed it to one of their chaperones who was right in front of me. The person they gave it to in their group who received it was delighted. The end!

We’ve been discussing Alex kindness day at dinner and I’ve taken to asking the kids “Who did you help today?”, rather than “How was school?” Many small acts of kindness have been performed in Alex’s honor, including: playing a friend’s homemade video game even though it was boring, including an new playmate in lunchtime soccer, making a birthday card for a classmate, delivering soup to a neighbor, and aborting a two week Italian trek to support family in the midst of a health crisis. Next year we are going to plan ahead 🙂 Love to you and to Alex for inspiring us all!

One of Alex’s superpowers was bringing joy and fun (and lots of balloons and ice cream cakes) to the birthdays of her friends and family. Alex has inspired me to celebrate the birthdays of everyone I love with sweetness and words of gratitude.

What a beautiful tribute to Alex! I have always tried to do nice things for others, whether it’s a card or taking them to lunch or preparing a meal or just a random act. I will think of Alex from now on when I do something. I never had the pleasure of meeting Alex in person, but I absolutely know how special she was to the Watterson’s, my longtime friends.

I met with a new friend to write a protest song about the current political and economic situation in the US. The point of the song is to give people some catharsis in singing in unison and to make noise and get our leaders to wake up to how the mess they have created is hurting people on a daily basis.

Today, I prepared a meal for patients in my practice and drove 20 miles to deliver. Mike is recovering from heart valve replacement, and he has rather progressed Parkinson’s disease. I have always admired his resistance to giving into his disease. He has a personal trainer that helps to keep his muscles moving daily. His wife, Judy, always, and I mean always, brings the best home baked goods to her visits. I have heard that she regularly bakes for her neighbors. She is the sole care giver for her husband. Judy is amazing as she approaches 80. This was just a small gesture to show appreciation. Thinking that Alexandra would approve. R. Dunham

I want to honor Alex’s spirit with a small gesture of kindness. Though I never had the privilege of knowing her personally, I know how deeply she was loved by her parents. I planted and nurtured a potted plant and gave it to an old friend.  I know that plant will grow and thrive just as Alex’s memory will always be in the hearts of those who knew her. It is a great way to honor Alex’s life, and I am grateful to be a part of this special day.

I take the example of Alex’s life and the fellowship of this project as a frequent reminder that I can and want to choose to be kind. And I am making that part of my life.

Tim Martel and Wendy Greene contributed to Harvest House which is a local non-profit dedicated to serving our most vulnerable neighbors. We are a supportive and affordable housing and hunger relief provider with 380 beds and multiple programs throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties. We work to democratize affordable housing, addiction recovery, workforce development, and food security to improve economic status and stabilize lives for generations to come. You can find us at: harvesthousecenters.org

On April 2, something tragic happened on my commuter train and I made an effort to connect with and express sympathy to the crew who helped the passengers during the situation (especially as a few others expressed impatience with the delays). Separately, I’m embracing the genuine friendliness of my two-year-old daughter, who smiles, waves, and yells “HI” at everyone in the grocery store, and enjoying the reactions of strangers to her happy outreach.

Someone organized a sort of festschrift for an old colleague of mine who is turning eighty, someone whom I quarreled with and was often irritated by. In Alex’s memory, I decided to tune instead into a time when she’d been extremely kind to me, a sort of Mother Mary when I needed one, and wrote about that instead. I could feel our friendship returning as I did, and now it’s centered again in the heart rather than in the list of slights and shortcomings I had assembled.

Several women in our church decided to help a 73 year old homeless widow obtain food and secure housing. We also took up a fund drive for an immigrant man whose wife was just killed in a car accident leaving him with 3 young daughters. There’s so much we can do if we look around.

I spent April 2 helping my dad organize old family photos and video tapes for our digitization project. In the morning I attended my niece’s school assembly where she won an award for being inclusive. I am preparing a small gift and card for a friend who I haven’t seen in a long time. Celebrating Alex’s generous heart and kind spirit, and missing her dearly.

I reached out to my 88 year old aunt & my 85 year old mother to make plans to take them away for a weekend this summer as they are both feeling housebound as they can no longer drive.

I reached out to friends who had suffered recent losses.

Today and every day, I am trying to smile at people who are looking my way. Whether they are on the canal or in the grocery store or in the hallway at the university, it is my goal to be the “I” in Kind in memory of Alex.

Thank you for giving Alex this tribute. My kindness was to meet in our local jail with incarcerated women as their life coach. The kindness went both ways: they to me and, hopefully, I to them. Their smiles and tears shimmered our souls.

With wide eyes, I looked out for little kindness opportunities that I often otherwise would overlook, and found several. I offered to pick something up for a neighbor as I knew they needed something in the area that I was visiting. I saw someone on the elevator who was carrying something heavy and helped them deliver their things. I made conversation and a smile with someone in the subway who was looking unkempt and who others were avoiding. I took steps to help a friend who is struggling with their business. I wrote notes of encouragement and gratitude to folks who I work with. None of these acts of kindness were particularly large; they were, however, appreciated. And what I took away from this day, more than anything, is how MUCH kindness is available to give in every hour of every day if you are thinking about the kindness mindset. Today, I was inspired by Alex, and I hope to carry this inspiration forward in the days, weeks, and months to come.

We made a donation in Alex’s memory to the Gastric Cancer Foundation. Alex shared her love and light in so many ways, especially gift giving and celebrating. I will try everyday to give and celebrate – even just the littlest things.

Today I spent two hours helping Mesbah, an Afghan refugee 7th grader work on a huge packet of math problems. Math is not my strong suit, and as we struggled together, I was reminded of how so many students like Mesbah are challenged every day with words and phrases they don’t understand, just as I don’t understand the language of math very well. Fortunately for me, Mesbah was very forgiving when I made mistakes, and I felt blessed by his kindness.

Alex was a sweet sincere lady that I got to know from her stay at her folks home in Jaffrey that I am involved with. And kind was Alex to a tee! This was during the crazy COVID time. She loved her kittys and basically life in general ! We are making a donation in Alex’s memory to the Monadnock Humane Society I think she’d give me a 👍to this cause ! Let’s do this every year on April 2!

Today I sent a small e-gift to three people who were not expecting a gift. It’s not a holiday, it’s not a birthday, it’s not a day to mark a special achievement – it’s just a day when someone is thinking about you and letting you know that they appreciate you and are grateful to have you in their life. Thank you, Alex, for reminding me how important it is to let people know they are loved…on just a regular day!

Today I brought my neighbors who have two children under 2 years old a care package as one of them went back to work for the first time yesterday after maternity leave. We love you Alex!

Thinking of Alex today and sending love to whoever is reading this. Happy Birthday Alex. We miss you.

Today, we celebrate Alex’s spirit by spreading kindness in her memory. Our daughter shared her drawings with her cousins and gifted a heartfelt card, while we donated to the Commonwealth School—an institution that shaped my life and continues to open doors for students through scholarships. Thanks to an employer match, the impact is even greater. Small acts of generosity make a difference, and we are sending love to Alex’s family, friends, and all who remember her today.

I sent a sweet trans friend a lovely card and a magnet of a pride flag that says “You are Loved”. I also planted a whole packet of sunflower seeds!

I cooked dinner and some blueberry muffins for the mom next door who is solo caring for her three boys this week. I only met Alex once, but her smile, humor and kindness stuck with me always. I was inspired by her art and her passion. Sending all who love and miss her my hope that these stories can bring you some small sense of peace.

Visited our local nursing home. & sending gratitude cards.

I donated to the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences (VIMS) Impact Fund to help protect coastal and marine ecosystems. Here are a few examples of VIMS’ research and conservation efforts: 1. Modeling Storm Surge: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G-hrNXBrb0 2. Restoring Underwater Prairies: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9NyfPLINtk 3. Ghost Forests: www.youtube.com/watch?v=paz_pdhkq5A Alex was a bright light. Her gentle and kind presence truly touched me. I am so honored to be part of this memorial for her.

Thinking of Alex, I took a close friend who I hadn’t spent quality time with in a while out to a cafe where we reconnected and enjoyed each other’s company 🙂 Sending love to everyone<3

Since September, I’ve been spending about eight hours per week as a volunteer “math assistant” in algebra classes at one of the local high schools. There’re many immigrant students and I often resort to Google Translate for Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian or Ukrainian. Math is just a medium to help them understand life’s possibilities. The work has helped me as much or more than I’ve helped the kids. My classes meet Tuesdays and Thursdays. Today, a Wednesday, I felt I needed to be alone. I donated to the ACLU, then went bird-watching. Years ago I gave Alex a pair of binoculars and occasionally we’d talk about birds, especially the owl she sighted in her back yard. I watched one little bird, maybe a sparrow, for an unusually long time until I decided it was Alex. — Pat Hays (Alex’s father) PS: I’m very grateful to read all of your messages and kind deeds. I especially thank Nancy and those of you who helped her launch this project.

In Alex’s honor, I donated to a local food pantry and sent notes of appreciation to the writers who send me daily & weekly newsletters.

Donated to the local Food Bank! (Love, Abbey—Niece of Kathy and Scott Watterson)

I baked banana bread and squirreled a piece away to save for my mom. I accidentally wacked someone with my purse and ran over to them to apologize. I invited my cousins over for dinner tonight. I gave a compliment to someone who deserved it even though I don’t really like them. I did this all while channeling Alex, who I don’t know, but have read about.

C est terrible de mourir à cet âge une magnifique jeune femme belle à l intérieur et à l extérieur Alex veille sur nous

I donated to a dance-a-thon for each of Felipe’s children, my four grandchildren. If he was alive, I’m sure he and Alex would be friends. They both brightened the world with their kindness!

I remember Alex‘s gentle wisdom and immense capacity to nourish others. Yesterday I visited neighbors in distress and today will help support a local diaper fund. Sending love to Alex’s family and friends.

We are trying to fill today with acts of kindness and beauty. Larry bought seeds to plant to bring hummingbirds and butterflies to our yard, I donated to “adopt” an orphaned elephant in Kenya at an elephant sanctuary, took the dogs for an extra long walk (and gave them extra treats :), and am reaching out to the people I love most to remind them of how much care about them. And I will be eating a slice of pizza in Alex’s honor!

Dear Ones, I am making a quilt for the Boston Rhetoric and Writing Network Conference at the end of May. The quilt will be given away by lottery at the end of the conference to honor the extraordinary and often invisible work of graduate and contingent faculty who teach the vast majority of college composition courses for new undergraduates. I will dedicate it to Alex who practiced kindness and care for others daily.

I donated to my local public radio station. Alex was an intelligent, curious, artistic person, and I donated to public radio in her honor to help the station cultivate similar qualities in its listening audience.

In honor of Alex, I will donating blood tomorrow. Sending love to her family, and everyone who loves her.

Today I’m giving away little crocheted chickies to all riders when I Uber with a tag that says from Alex!

Keeping Alex, and all those closest to Alex, in mind today as I visit a friend who is recovering from a serious illness.

A beautiful daughter, an unimaginable loss and a wonderful tribute. Today I will share some homemade soup with a neighbor. I will also check in with a couple of friends who are struggling.

I made a donation to Doctors Without Borders to honor Alex. Sending lots of love to you, Nancy, and the rest of the family. xx

Today my neighbor is returning to my building after having brain surgery. I will leave flowers and food outside their door.

I brought flowers to a friend whose husband died recently. I meant to just deliver the flowers to the door, but she asked me in. We visited for a long time. It wasn’t my plan, but she clearly appreciated the company. As I set aside my other errands for the afternoon, I slowed down and I thought of Alex.

Today, on 2 April, I will scatter wildflower seeds with my children just outside the playroom windows, and as we water them and watch them grow, we will call them Alex’s Flowers. – Deborah, London

A student in Cosmotolgy program needed hours of onservation. She was heating impaired & having difficulty to agree. We welcomed her, She observed for 2 hours & was very thankful & appreciative, Sue Carter – Kathy & Scott Watterson are dear friends

With Alex in my mind I will send a note to anyone who is struggling and let them know that we have better life out there!!!!!

Tomorrow, April 2, I will think about Alex as I make choices to be as kind as possible throughout the day. Also I will think about the people who loved her and will especially be missing her on her birthday.

I donated to two friends who are running the 2025 NYC marathon for charity, one benefitting Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Research and one benefitting Samaritans NYC. Alex inspired me in many ways, including her love of running, which is now a passion of mine. Each day there are many moments – large and small – that make me think of Alex and Brian and I will continue to cherish these moments and the memories they bring to mind.

On April 2, I will hold Alex’s sister for an extra long period of time.

I will be on Cape Cod tomorrow. For me it a place of peace and contemplation, a place to walk on the beach or in the woods. I will think of your Alex and all of the wonderful qualities she emanated, which you described so eloquently. I will check in with my siblings to connect and appreciate them. I will donate to the needs of the people in Myanmar after the terrible disaster of the earthquake. I will be grateful and share kindness whenever possible.

I did my granddaughters laundry for her and signed up to join a gun violence protest

I’m having a colonoscopy on April 2, and willl be taking a bouquet of flowers to give to the hospital staff who are helping with the procedure.

Hi Kathy. I’m donating blood on April 3 for Alex. Unable to locate any drives on April 2. I will continue to donate moving forward. Peace, love and prayers for you and Scott. Love you both 🙏🙏😘😘💕💕

On Wednesday, April 2, I plan to take my 91 year old friend (who cannot drive anymore) to help her buy a new microwave oven, and also to take her furniture shopping for two new chairs for her living room. Thinking of Alex and all that she accomplished in her life, and brightened the world with her love and kindness. Love, Marsha

I donated in her honor to a charity aligned to her values. May her memory be a butterfly effect of good deeds and energy.

My son has been making friendship bracelets and on April 2nd he will give them to the special people in his life in honor of Alex.

My son, partner and I will plant dahlia bulbs and sprinkle wildflower seeds in our garden since Alex loved flowers. We love you Alex!

Alex loved running and animals. I signed up to be a volunteer at the humane society so that I can take dogs in the shelter with high energy on runs to burn off some steam.

I want to honor Alex’s many beautiful attributes by thanking the ballet teachers with whom I work with bouquets and notes of appreciation. For each student I work with I am going to print out an inspirational quote by an artist, and have it laminated to be used as a bookmark, or a “carry-with” uplifting reminder.

I met Alex & her husband Brian thru my friend Kathy . We were in NY for one day and thanks to Alex and Brian, we had the best day ever !! They were extremely generous with their time. In her memory, I will pass my time with someone in need, whether it is a monetary donation, or run an errand for them, whatever they need ( on April2nd) . I pray Alex and Brian rest in peace in the arms of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Patty

On April 2nd I’ll bake cookies for friends and neighbors and spread the word of her kindness. Alex and Brian often brought me cookies from Sofra Bakery when they came in for chemo treatment, among many other delicious treats. I think of Alex a lot and so enjoyed taking care of her and getting to know both her and Brian. Alex was a beautiful person, she had a wonderful sense of humor and carried herself gracefully throughout the most difficult of life’s challenges. I was always in awe of the wonderful relationship they had and the incredible support that Brian showed her throughout her cancer journey. I will never forget Alex and am honored to have cared for her. Niki Dunn

Though I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Alex , I will pick random strangers out of crowd at the grocery store on April 2nd and give them a gentle hello and hug, and ask them to spread the love, while handing them a sunflower 🌻

On April 2nd I would like to spread a lot more joy and kindness to family that I will be with that are going through difficult times. 😔 Happy heavenly birthday, Alex! Spread your wings. 💞

In Alex’s honor I will be sending a few cards to people that are hurting just to let them know I am thinking of them. Thank you Alex for making us think of simple acts we can do for others to help them have a happier and better day.

On April 2, I will wish Alex a Happy Heavenly Birthday. RIP sweet young lady. 💕 I am taking my elderly neighbor out for lunch that day in memory of Alex. Kathy and Scott are dear friends of mine and I know that they are heartbroken by the loss of Alex & Brian.

Cleaned our ailing neighbor’s backyard of tree debris from the spring’s high winds.

In honor of Alex, I will be patient and kind to all who cross my path. I will also plant some wildflowers and will think of Alex as I watch them bloom.

Thank you Alex, you touch so many people with your kindness, the world was a better place because of you. 🙏

I am going to an appointment with a surgeon on April 2nd, and I will be sure to express my gratitude for his kindness, listenging and to others at the hospital and in his office who have been there for me. Deep gratitude

Alex loved the outdoors. With her in mind, yesterday I asked one of my best girlfriends to come ski with me. It was a beautiful crisp & sunny morning.

I will reach out to a friend who is struggling with anxiety and depression and I will think of Alex. And kindness.

In memory of Alex, who I never knew in person but who has come to me through the voices of those who love her, I will write a letter to a high school principal where I am personally aware that bullying is occurring. I am in touch with one of the students who is staying home from school from the fear of mistreatment. I will ask the principal to consider having a kindness day/week at his high school where there might be a public showing of gestures the students offer one another. I am going to propose that he emphasize kindness towards those the students know are often targets of scapegoating.

On April 2nd I will be checking on my Veteran neighbor. To see if he needs help. My dear friends Kathy and Scott miss you Alex. You will always be in Our Hearts and we will show kindness in your Memory.❤️ Marty

On April 2nd someone I cherish and Alex loved will receive flowers because Alex loved flowers. Alex was one of the greatest gifts in our family and we will cherish every memory of her today, tomorrow and always.

I’ve donated to the Smithsonian National Zoo Pandas in Alex’s memory, to assist with the conservation and care of these beautiful creatures she loved. On her birthday I’ll thank the teachers at our school by bringing in lunch so they’ll enjoy a delicious meal they didn’t have to make or pack.

I will: 1- give a classical acupuncture treatment to someone who can’t afford it, And 2- make the 40 minute climb up a local Boulder foothills trail and at the top offer a “4 Immeasurables” (Loving- Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity) blessing dance directed to the county below and then out to all beings. M (sorry I had only briefly met beautiful brave Alex)

I plan to tell each of the important people in my life something that I love about them

I will pre-sow 500 sunflowers to spread around the city of Amsterdam this spring and to bring smiles to people’s faces. I think Alex would have liked this!

I will bake a cake in her honor and share it with my family.

With Alex in mind, I will send a note of encouragement to someone who I know is struggling.

On April 2nd, I will donate to NPR to keep public radio and free expression alive. And I will bring pizza and sushi, favorite foods of Alex, to my work colleagues and talk about Alex’s spirit of kindness.

I brought breakfast to my work colleagues and arranged for lunch to express my appreciation.

Because of this beautiful memorial to Alex, I am thinking about a simple kindness with each interaction with a stranger. Thank you for this prompt and reminder. May Alex’s memory be for a blessing

I encouraged a harried traveler to go before me in line at airport security. He was surprised and pleased. I thought of Alex.

I’ll always remember Alex with love, and on April 2, I’ll share stories of her abiding generosity, kindness and creativity with those around me. She exemplified everything worth cherishing in the world and she will never be forgotten.

I am going to tutor a young man who is having a lot of trouble in his honors Geometry class. I will not ask for payment. I love math and he is in need right now. He seems very bright but unmotivated so I hope I can help him to succeed in class and appreciate math.

On Wednesday, April 2nd I plan to teach and encourage 10+ elementary students in our church family about the love and kindness of God. Thank you Alex and family for loving your neighbors near and far.

Balloons were magical to Alex. On April 2nd, I plan to honor Alex by buying two dozen balloons and giving balloons to the children in my neighborhood.

On April 2nd, I will swim at my beloved Suburban Swim Club, home to a local team of gifted young swimmers. I will contribute to the team as they raise money to enable all of their members to swim at this sweet spot of great kindness. This is a place where babies and older people swim each day before the team comes to practice and I am a regular, one of the now older swimmers. This is a place where everyone trusts each other. There are no lockers, just benches and hooks where all of us hang and place our belongings as we enter the pool. These days, this place is one of the few venues where everyone is extremely kind. I will make a donation in Honor of Alex. May her memory be a blessing. Thank you to Dawn for including me in her circle as part of this project. Laura

This summer, I will bike 164 miles from Wellesley to Provincetown with my daughter Amelia as part of the Pan Mass Challenge (a 164-mile bike ride from Wellesley to Provincetown) to raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and on April 2nd, I will restrict 50% of the money I raise to the research and treatment of gastric cancer, so that someday soon that insidious disease will be eradicated.

I made a donation to the ACLU in Alex’s memory. They stand up to bullies.

To honor Alex on April 2nd, I will paint rocks with colorful designs and with the words–Kindness is Always Possible–and spread the rocks in a playground for children to find.

I apologized to someone I have been taking things out on and am working to be more compassionate and curious with her not judgemental and reactive.

Supported a wounded person by LISTENING and offering compassion.

I gave a helper an extra 50 for her family.

I wrote a forgive me card to a cousin I have not spoken to in years. Alex’s story and kindness inspired me.

Registered for a 10K walk to raise funds for cancer research.

I set up a sewing station for children in in honor of Alex’s love of sewing and I’m memory of the quilts, crafts, and clothes she made for herself and people she loved.

I wrote a thank you letter to a friend for always being there when I needed them.

A friendship bracelet for a new friend.

I’m inspired by Alex’s generosity and warm heart.

I baked a cake for a new neighbor.

Thank you Alex, you’ve inspired me!