Phil Laboon is using his heartache for good.
After putting down $20,000 for his wedding, his engagement was sadly called off. But that didn’t stop him from doing something awesome. The 32-year-old marketing CEO decided to throw a charity gala with his pre-paid wedding funds.
He called LemonAID for Sugicorps and the party was back on, with a bit of a twist.
“I thought this was a joke — nobody does this. Then I felt like a bride,” Surgicorps founder John Demos said to news station WPXI.
The non-profit has worked in more than 18 countries and performed over 4,000 free surgeries for families in developing areas of the world.
“Bad things happen, but nothing I experience will ever be equal to the obstacles these kids face each day of their lives,” Laboon told the news.
The August 31 event had over 200 people in attendance. The event ultimately sold out, and tens of thousands of dollars were raised through donations, according to WXPI.
Laboon also announced in a statement that he would like to make this LemonAID gala an annual event.
Way to go, Phil!
