Inspired

Retiring School Principal Gets Loving Flash-Mob Sendoff

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:57:05 +0100

A retiring Massachusetts principal was tricked into going on the school's roof in order to receive a very memorable going-away present. Students, parents and staff stretched across the parking lot below surprising the 36-year veteran educator with a loving flash mob of thanks. Bearing signs and dressed in neon colors, the crowd of teens and adults from Hingham Middle School performed a choreographed dance to "Don't Stop Believing"....

Team of Strangers Rushes to Rescue Family From Sinking Car

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:30:35 +0100

Two men are being called heroes after they jumped into the Oakland Estuary to rescue four people from a submerged car on Sunday. The men were coming back from a Father's Day lunch when they spotted the car in the water and people inside pounding on the glass. One of the men grabbed a knife from a woman who had also stopped....

Anger at Gate 4 Soothed by Arabic Words and Cookies

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:52:14 +0100

Wandering around the Albuquerque Airport Terminal, after learning my flight had been detained four hours, I heard an announcement: “If anyone in the vicinity of Gate 4-A understands any Arabic, please come to the gate immediately.” Gate 4-A was my own gate. I went there. An older woman in full traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing loudly. “Help,” said the Flight Service Person. “Talk to her. What is her problem? W...

Young Immigrant in Wisconsin Changes Kids' Fates in Nepal

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:00:08 +0100

Born in Nepal, but moved to Wisconsin in 2000 to attend the University in Whitewater, Ojash Shrestha found his true calling when he returned home 8 years later to be married. While staying in his parents' house, he met a young girl around 12 years-old who worked as a maid there because her family could not support her or afford to send her to school. At that moment, Ojash realized how different her fate might be if she had the same opportunities as he had for education while growing up. When he ...

REPRISE: Shoeshiner Donates $200K in Tips to Kids’ Hospital

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 23:50:09 +0100

If you missed our story in February, you need to meet Albert Lexie, 71. He is a shoeshine man. It is the only job he has ever had. Despite his station in life, the man is a high-roller when it comes to philanthropy. For the past 36 years, Albert has taken every dime of his tip money from shining shoes and donated it to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh - more than $200,659 and counting....

$23K Wedding Ring Accidentally Sold at Yard Sale Returned

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 00:31:42 +0100

An Orange County woman's plea for help was answered when honorable strangers returned her $23,000 wedding ring. It all started when Racquel Cloutier, who was about to give birth, took off her wedding ring for safekeeping. Her husband was unaware of the ring's location and sold the box in a yard sale....

Chalk and Blackboard $25; Making Friends With Neighbors... Priceless!

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:19:27 +0100

When a new neighbor moved in and began writing messages on a chalkboard in his front window, life changed on Atlas Ave. Aimed randomly at people using the sidewalk, his funny and inspiring messages about happiness, or finding a wife, have made Ayden Byle, 36, the toast of his Toronto neighborhood....

Philadelphia Philharmonic Plays Music to Tame 3-Hour Flight Delay

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 18:36:11 +0100

Eight members of the Philadelphia Orchestra who were stuck on a tarmac in Beijing for three hours gave fellow passengers an experience of a lifetime when they took out their violins and cello and played an impromptu concert. Plenty of mobile phones captured the musical magic of the not-quite-in-flight entertainment....

Retired Stranger Becomes Legs for Paralyzed Teen Through Four Years of College

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 15:57:39 +0100

Fifty years separate the two friends, Collin and Ernest, but together these two have managed to accomplish the miraculous after Colin was involved in a horrific car accident as a teen, and was paralyzed from the chest down. Ernest, who'd recently retired as an engineer, heard about the accident through his church and felt what he described as "a calling" to help the teenager, whom he'd never met, though they attended the same church. He called Smith's family and offered his services to the youn...

$800,000 in Donations Flow to Cleveland Women Who Were Held Captive

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:03:34 +0100

Donations have poured in from around the world to help the three women found a month ago, held captive for a decade in a Cleveland house. The Cleveland Courage Fund, a tax-free trust, was set up to collect the donations and, so far, $825,000 has come from across the country and overseas. Cleveland area businesses and community groups are donating and holding fundraisers -- from youth soccer teams to the Corned Beef Company, from pro football players to local news outlets....

Interfaith Churches Convince Banks to Give $30 Million to Help Foreclosed Families

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:05:07 +0100

An interfaith group in Virginia has shown what a grassroots group can do when working together for positive change -- in this case, helping some of the 20,000 families who lost homes in the 2008 foreclosure crisis. VOICE (Virginians Organized For Interfaith Community Engagement) managed to get pledges of $30 million from Bank of America, General Electric and the Virginia Housing Development Authority to help such families in Manassas and Prince William County....

Honoring 'Grit' in Students is Passion for Retired Counselor

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 13:26:19 +0100

Tom Carr didn’t make the honor roll in high school. In fact, his early years are a blur of failures compounded by the ire of his teachers. It wasn’t his smarts or talents that propelled him to earn a master’s degree. It was his grit – that combination of determination and hard work that pushes people to keep striving even when the odds are against them. Today, Carr leads a Got Grit? campaign, which annually inducts 20 students into its Hall of Fame at an elegant gala, showering medals a...

Hero Ron's Medical Charity Legacy Will Live On

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 13:29:36 +0100

A man who changed the lives of many through the medical equipment he helped raise funds for has died at age 80. Over the past 16 years, Ron Kitching has helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for medical equipment that will aid cardiac patients at the Diana, Princess Of Wales Hospital in Grimsby. In 1990, Ron had a heart attack himself and a year later underwent a quadruple heart bypass....

Join Wall Street. Save the World.

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 12:13:33 +0100

While some of his peers have shunned Wall Street as the land of the morally bankrupt, Jason Trigg’s moral code steered him there. He is after money — as much as he can earn. And he’s not alone. To an emerging class of young professionals in America and Britain, making gobs of money is the surest way to save the world....

Mom's Graduation Speech at 31 Inspires Stranger to Give Her $10,000

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 18:54:24 +0100

Recent college grad Trish Williams seems to really have a way with words. After delivering the commencement speech at Southern New Hampshire University last week, a couple in the audience was moved enough to anonymously grant her a $10,000 gift—which the university then matched. It was life-changing news for the 31-year-old mother of two, who will now be able to pay off more than half of her financial-aid debt. What inspired her to go back -- and try college again -- after failing ended sever...

Community Adopts 45 Orphans From War-torn Country

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 03:34:59 +0100

Ten years ago, 12 boys from a Liberian choir visited the United States to raise money for their orphanage, and touched the hearts of a North Carolina town. Forty-five boys from that orphanage have since been adopted and are now living what they only dreamed a decade ago. The young boys had traveled to the U.S. from the West African country of Liberia to raise awareness of the needs of children whose parents had died during the country's years-long civil war....

Gardeners Team Up to Grow 60,000 Pounds of Produce for New Mexico Food Pantries

Fri, 31 May 2013 18:22:50 +0100

In 2008 Leslie Davis suggested to her mother, a Master Gardener in New Mexico, that in addition to cultivating flowers for worthy causes, she might try growing fresh produce for the community, especially since the recent recession had left so many people unemployed and so many food pantries overburdened. That discussion five years ago grew like a seed into a thriving bounty of volunteers who harvest thousands of pounds of produce, sometimes in a singe weekend, for people in need. Led by Penny D...

Woman Reunites With Abandoned Baby She Found in 1951

Fri, 31 May 2013 14:14:45 +0100

A 62-year-old woman's desire to find her birth mother led her back to California and into the arms of the resident who found the abandoned infant, in the front seat of her car. "There was a little blue bundle on the passenger side front seat of the car, powder blue blanket, wrapped papoose style," said Jan Hungerford. "Lifted the lid, and these two little eyes were staring at me." Now Jan is looking at those little eyes six decades later with gratitude for the new friendship between her and Kir...

The Barber in the Park: Man Called Joe Helps the Homeless and Inspires a Community

Thu, 30 May 2013 14:50:36 +0100

For the last 25 years, the man known as Joe the Barber has been offering homeless people in Hartford, Connecticut free haircuts in the park. They walk away sporting a new look, but also with new pride. For payment? He'll take a hug. In 1988 he began offering his services to those in need after he had just retired. Inspiring words from a church sermon gave him the idea that if he could change the appearance of those less fortunate, maybe they could experience the world a little kinder....

Woman Who Found Dog in Rubble Receives Outpouring of Donations to Replace Home

Thu, 30 May 2013 14:29:33 +0100

The video of an elderly woman finding her dog beneath the rubble of her home in Moore, Oklahoma after it had been leveled by a tornado so moved people that they began emailing the CBS news team with offers of support. Erin DeRuggiero, of Minneapolis, Minn., went a step further when she learned that Barbara Garcia's home had not been insured. She set up a fundraising page on GoFundMe with a simple plea, "Let's show her what love and community is all about." Since the page was launched nine days ...

Far Right Protesters Make Friends With Muslims After Being Invited for Tea

Tue, 28 May 2013 16:24:08 +0100

A mosque has been praised for serving tea and biscuits to English Defence League supporters after the far-right group arranged a demonstration there.

About six people turned up to protest at the mosque in Bull Lane, York, on Sunday and were invited inside to play football with Muslim worshippers.

Good Samaritans Swarm Into Moore, Make Tornado Recovery Less Painful

Tue, 28 May 2013 16:07:02 +0100

One week after the tornado that damaged 12,000 homes in Moore, strangers are moving bricks and sifting through rubble for heirlooms on behalf of people they don't even know. One carpenter drove 24 hours from New York City just to help out. He says the hugs are unforgettable. "You get the best quality hugs out here that you could possibly imagine," he said....

Wedding Services All Conjured Last-Minute for Bride With Sudden, Severe Cancer

Mon, 27 May 2013 13:54:49 +0100

Proof that human kindness and generosity has not gone out of style, a wedding planner worked for weeks with volunteers and vendors in April to create the "Wedding of a Lifetime" for cancer patient, Jennifer Batugo and her fiance Brian Gargano. They needed a last minute date change for their planned August wedding because the bride may not live that long. After learning of her terminal diagnosis in March, Gargano placed a call to L.A. wedding officiant Elysia Skye. Though he didn’t know it at t...

Stranger Gives Waitress a $1,000 Tip to Fund her Dream Trip To Italy

Sun, 26 May 2013 17:54:59 +0100

A blogger on Tumblr shared an inspiring story about her mom who is a waitress and her long-time dream to go to Italy and visit her family's roots. This is from her description: "My mom and I have been working the same waitress job for 5-6 years now. About 15 minutes ago this guy she waited on left and told her to take care. -- Just that. Prior to this she had talked to him about Italy. Her people are from Florence, this and that, and she said she's never been. She got 8 years of art education a...

The Power of Spontaneous Community Caring

Sat, 25 May 2013 16:07:40 +0100

The Eastern Market neighborhood near Capitol Hill was the scene of a remarkable community rescue during a sudden eviction of one of their most colorful residents. On a recent day when Michael's possessions began filling the sidewalk under the orders of federal marshals, a few of his neighbors wondered if there was something they could do to help. Michael was nowhere to be seen, but his ostentatious furniture was drawing a crowd: Lurking nearby were people in vans waiting to nab the belongings as...

Woman Celebrates 34th Birthday with 34 Random Acts of Kindness

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:39:43 +0100

Katie Jones set up a big white board in her kitchen, numbering 1 to 34, she listed ways to make people happy in celebration of her 34th birthday. She placed a bag of quarters in a Laundromat. She left five dollars on the floor in the dollar store. She gave a Subway sandwich gift card to a homeless man....

Japanese Man, 80, Becomes Oldest to Ever Top Everest

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:45:28 +0100

Not only did a Japanese man become the oldest climber to read the summit of Mount Everest today, but he did it after undergoing four different heart surgeries, the most recent one in January. 80 year-old Yuichiro Miura said "This is the world's best feeling, although I'm totally exhausted."...

Project Ships Blankets, Stuffed Toys and Bedtime Stories to Oklahoma Children

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:14:42 +0100

Project Night Night has begun delivering its comforting "Night Night bags" to children in Oklahoma, detouring from its regular work of providing them to kids in homeless shelters. Each Night Night Package holds a stuffed animal, a security blanket, and a bedtime story in a canvas bag. "We've already begun shipping hundreds of Night Night Packages to the children in Moore to bring them a measure of comfort," says Kendra Stitt Robins, Founder & Executive Director of Project Night Night. "We h...

Veterans to the Rescue in Oklahoma, Doing the Heavy Lifting in Tornado Ravaged Towns

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:47:57 +0100

They volunteered for Iraq and Afghanistan. Now they are volunteering to help people in Oklahoma dig out from utter devastation. These veterans have answered the call for duty because their drive toward service and helping their country did not end just because they hung up their uniform. They are Team Rubicon, the vision of a former Marine sniper whose vision took flight first in Haiti, following the massive 2010 earthquake. Those eight veterans lifted tons of debris as well as their own spirit...

Plea to Save Home of 91-Year-old Vet Raises $138,000 on the Internet

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:43:06 +0100

As 91-year-old John "Jack" Potter faced eviction from the house he built and lived in for 56 years, his granddaughter decided to act. She set up a donation campaign on the website, Go Fund Me, and her story about the WWII combat vet losing his home attracted more than 5000 people who gave $138,000. "Grandpa is amazed at all of the love and support," said his granddaughter Jaclyn. "He told me, 'I never knew people could love an old man so much.'"...

Sheriffs Lend a Hand to Stranded Swedish Family in California

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:28:53 +0100

A Swedish family of seven left stranded in Southern California because they couldn't afford a hotel room or food after a family emergency were cared for by Carson sheriff's deputies Friday. Authorities chipped in to help after the two parents and five children were spotted walking up Sepulveda Boulevard around 4:30 a.m....

$25,000 Dropped Off Anonymously at Animal Shelter in Canada

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:02:00 +0100

Tuesday was an ordinary day at the Humane Society of Durham when an ordinary-looking man arrived at the animal shelter. The man, who looked to be in his early twenties, said he’d like to make a donation and handed over a plain white envelope. The worker at the front desk didn't look in the envelope. "I asked him if he wanted a tax receipt and he said there was no need for that,” she said....

Sandy-damaged High School Wins Dream Prom From Online Shop

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:01:56 +0100

Glamorous gowns and high heels took the place of Hurricane Sandy's damage and destruction for teens at East Rockaway High School in New York who are getting the chance to have their dream prom after winning a contest held by internet company Rent The Runway. Students arrived at their renovated gym for a style party and found walls of formal attire and shoes from which they got to pick a free outfit. Hair and makeup stylists were on hand to help plan their big night....

Children's Paintings Sold to Support School Arts Programs

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:25:46 +0100

In the hard-hit city of Philadelphia, a former art curator Barbara Chandler Allen was disgusted by cutbacks to arts funding for students, especially because it so disadvantages the poorest schools where kids are most in need of positive outlets. Lucky for the kids, Barbara stumbled onto a big idea after enlarging some of their art and realizing it was in high demand for the walls in office buildings....

Family Finds Winning Lottery Ticket After Praying for Help Upon Daughter's Death

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:59:02 +0100

When the Cerezo family finally turned in old lottery tickets purchased by their daughter before her death, they got a surprise lifeline to save their house from foreclosure. A four million dollar lottery win will help them keep the home, which is such a reminder of happy memories with their daughter who'd died at age 14....

Indianapolis Waitress Gets $446 Tip on $6 Bill

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:58:00 +0100

Indianapolis waitress CeCe Bruce has received a couple of large tips in her life, but nothing like the one she got Wednesday morning. One of her regular customers saw another table of diners giving her a hard time and this was the day Miss Jo was going to show her appreciation. "When I looked again, I said 'Oh my gosh Miss Jo, I'm not taking that!' And she said, 'Yes, you're taking it' and I said no and she said 'You need to take it'," CeCe said....

Cop Gives Up Pursuit of Speeders to Assist Family of Ducks

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:10:28 +0100

Most police officers who are pursuing a speeding motorist would not abandon the chase to help a family of ducks cross the road, but a dashcam video shows Portland, Oregon Officer Mark James to be a special breed of nice. Making sure the tiny ducklings and their mum stayed safe, the officer got out of the car and ushered the waterfowl family to the side of the road and away from traffic. When the Portland Police Department found out about it, apparently they Tweeted with amusement....

Parking Meter 'Robin Hoods' Save Motorists From Tickets

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:17:16 +0100

James Cleaveland decided to devote himself to helping drivers in the city of Keene, New Hampshire, avoid the disgust of finding a parking ticket on their car. Cleaveland and a group of friends took to the streets with pocketfuls of change and began shadowing the city’s three parking enforcement officers, stuffing coins in expired meters before they could issue $5 tickets....

Standing Ovation: Wheelchair-bound University Student Walks Across Stage at Graduation

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:17:06 +0100

The University of Portland gave a standing ovation this month to one of their own, Sam Bridgman, a finance major who was forced into a wheelchair by a condition known as Friedreich's ataxia (FA), a rare, degenerative disorder that causes progressive loss of muscle strength. It was graduation day and Sam was determined to walk across the stage to get his diploma. When he did, the entire arena lifted him up with prolonged cheers....

Crime and Punishment: Juvenile Offenders Study Russian Literature

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:03:28 +0100

Something strange is happening at Beaumont Juvenile Correctional Center. Residents are so eager to get into a Russian literature class led by the University of Virginia that prison officials use it as a reward. The youths are clamoring to read thick books like "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy, a moral thinker and non-violent pacifist who was said to have had a profound impact on Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr....

Laws of Physics Can’t Trump the Bonds of Love

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:34:05 +0100

A high school physics teach became well known in Louisville, Ky., for his exploding antics in the classroom and letting kids ride hover boards they make in class. But Jeffrey Wright's most influential lecture comes annually without the use of props. The talk teaches about the life-lessons learned via Mr. Wright’s son, who has a developmental disorder. Through this story, he explains the reason why things work, and the purpose of life....

President Obama Celebrates Top Cops

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:01:57 +0100

President Obama welcomed to the White House Saturday the winners of the TOP COPS award for law enforcement who have shown extraordinary bravery and valor in the line of duty. The 2013 group named by the National Association of Police Organizations includes Lieutenant Brian Murphy, who was the first officer on the scene in response to the shooting at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin last year, and who attended the State of the Union speech in February as a guest of the First Lady....

More Billionaires Pledge to Give Away Half Their Wealth

Sun, 12 May 2013 15:48:30 +0100

Nine more wealthy families and individuals have pledged to give at least half of their fortunes to charity as part of a giving campaign by two of the world's richest men, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. Some of the big names joining The Giving Pledge, which was launched in 2010, include real estate magnate and Miami Dolphin team owner Stephen Ross, Sara Blakely, the founder of SPANX, and Britain's Lord Ashcroft....

Woman Answers Wrong Number Saves Life of Elderly Man 1000 Miles Away

Sat, 11 May 2013 07:24:52 +0100

Saving a life sometimes could take something as simple as a call back. Just ask Thomas Buck, an 84-year-old from Pennsylvania whose life was saved by a complete stranger more than 1,000 miles away – who called him back. The stranger is Ashley Yasick, a 27-year-old banker in Delray Beach who checked her messages Monday, only to find a voicemail from a distressed Buck asking for help....

Cheers Erupt as Spire Placed Atop One World Trade Center (WATCH)

Fri, 10 May 2013 17:23:30 +0100

A crane lifted the last of a 408-foot tall spire on top of One World Trade Center this morning, a capstone to an emotional 12-year effort to replace the twin towers destroyed by terrorists. The 18-piece silver spire will top out the tower at a symbolic 1,776 feet, a nod to the year America signed the Declaration of Independence. The New York office building is just north of the original towers, now the hallowed ground known as Ground Zero....

Russian People Caught on Dash Cams Doing Good Deeds (WATCH)

Wed, 08 May 2013 14:07:18 +0100

Russians - like people everywhere - are good, often helping strangers without any notice. Russian vehicles are required to have dashboard cameras due to the high rate of insurance fraud there. But the cameras have captured something else - the high rate of humanitarian goodness. Obviously people like watching this type of good news. This video, showing 18 separate displays of helpfulness, has received 2.4 million views on the original YouTube page alone....

Boy Who Lost his Feet But Not his Spirit Inspires Brother to Run for Boston Amputees

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:36:25 +0100

On July 22, 2008, Harris's little brother Michael was rushed to the emergency room with a serious bacterial infection. His condition quickly worsened –- septic shock, a coma, and oxygen deprivation to his four limbs -- resulting in quadriplegic amputation. The two both played sports. "I've even won some awards, but that's nothing in comparison to my brother. He wins the cake for being awesome." Despite losing his hands, and having prosthetic devices where his feet once were, he still compete...

Modern-day Robin Hood Applies Business Skills to Philanthropy

Tue, 07 May 2013 14:41:25 +0100

Ask Wall Street bankers the net worth of hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones, and they'll tell you, $3.6 billion. But ask a homeless child or a struggling family and they'll tell you that a spreadsheet is no way to measure a man. Mr. Jones wondered why, if billionaires, like him, are such geniuses, do nearly two million people in New York City live in poverty? In 1988, he started a charity called the Robin Hood Foundation. Twenty five years later, Robin Hood has given away more than one and a qu...

Honk If You Love Someone: A quest to make a city smile (Top Videos)

Tue, 07 May 2013 04:59:19 +0100

A man has made it his mission to make Washington, D.C. smile -- especially on Monday mornings.

This 5-minute video documenting the Make DC Smile project won the 2013 Pendragwn Youth Film Festival's Grand Prize Award.

Little Girl With Cancer Gets Surprise Of a Lifetime From "Prince Charming"

Sat, 04 May 2013 17:27:08 +0100

An 8-year-old girl with brain cancer found herself surrounded by a flashmob of love yesterday and it's all thanks to a man who lost his daughter to the disease. His name is "Tattoo Tom" Mitchell and he became Tara Sankner's Prince Charming for a day, directing almost a thousand people to come line the streets and chant the name of their Princess Tara....

In Rural Iowa Town, a Lifeline of Friendship for Islam

Sat, 04 May 2013 14:26:48 +0100

Amid an expanse of undulating Iowa farmland and Catholic and Lutheran churches, the town of Elkader bears the name of a Muslim hero. Abd el-Kader was renowned in the 19th century for leading Algeria’s fight for independence and protecting non-Muslims from persecution. Even Abraham Lincoln extolled him. This weekend, for the fifth year in a row, Elkader will welcome a delegation of Arab dignitaries to celebrate this rare lifeline of tolerance, spanning continents and centuries, reports the New...

Muslim Bagel Business Owner Donates All Profits to Boston Charity

Fri, 03 May 2013 14:00:37 +0100

Ehab Sadeek, an Egyptian Muslim who owns a bagel store in Winchester, Mass., called the marathon bombers “cowards who don't represent my faith or religion.” The all-natural bakery owner, who has run the Bagel Land wholesale business for 17 years, says he will give 100-percent of his profits to the One Fund Boston. And, he will continue to do so until the last victim is out of the hospital....

Principal Fires Security Guards to Hire Art Teachers — and Transforms School

Thu, 02 May 2013 17:57:40 +0100

A school constructed in 2003 for children in Roxbury, Mass., was already mired in violence and failure when principal Andrew Bott showed up in 2010. He shocked a lot of people when he got rid of the security guards and reinvested that money into the arts. Soon everything at the K-8 school started to change. Now, three years later, the Boston area school is almost unrecognizable; essays of achievement grace the walls and students from kindergarten to eighth grade fill the revamped studios with ...

Hospitals In Boston And Texas Exchange Gifts After Recent Tragedies

Wed, 01 May 2013 14:41:44 +0100

A surprising trend is putting smiles on the faces of medical workers who are still coping with the aftermath of last week's twin tragedies in Boston and Texas. A nurse from North Carolina came up the idea of sending meals to the Boston hospital staffers who were continuing to treat victims of the Marathon bombings. Donations were collected from workers at Charlotte's Carolinas Medical Center to send pizzas, which set off a volley of kindness. Doctors and nurses at Mass General were so touched t...

One-of-a-Kind Racing Car Simulator Cheers Kids in Hospital

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:10:18 +0100

A generous gift is making life more enjoyable for children at UNC Children's Hospital. It's a video game built with the same materials as real race cars. The special ride won't be found in any arcade; Mark Smith designed it specifically with patients like Dylan in mind. Dylan Price, 15, of Greensboro, was the first in a pediatric cancer clinic at UNC to take the "Dream Racer" for a spin. He forgot all about his connection to the IV drip as he climbed inside the lime green racing simulator....

More Cafes Offer 'Suspended Coffees' for Helping Someone in Need

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 18:17:55 +0100

At select coffee shops around the world you can get your morning caffeine fix and at the same time do a kind deed for someone in the community. Buying a "Suspended Coffee" means purchasing an extra cup at the time you are paying, which can be claimed later by anyone who walks in from the street who may be unable to afford one. The barristas keep track of how many Suspended Coffees have been bought and serve them for free upon request. The movement has been growing in popularity since it began i...

Twitter Saved My Life and Helps Me to Help the Homeless

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:12:42 +0100

Mark Horvath is thanking a social media company for saving his life. "I genuinely believe that if it wasn’t for Twitter – I’d be back on the streets – or worse." The truth is: social media helps fight homelessness in many ways including helping people find housing. Now a homeless advocate, Horvath started using social media to fight poverty around the time when he ran out of money after 19 months of unemployment....

Third Grade Teacher’s Small Act Still Inspires Baseball Legend Jim Abbott

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 17:15:34 +0100

Jim Abbott was born with only one hand.

Despite the impairment, he won an Olympic gold medal, played professional baseball, pitched a no-hitter, wrote a bestselling memoir and has impacted the lives of thousands of people through his inspirational talks.

Homeless Men Donate 'Pennies for Payton' to Help Cancer Patient

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:51:05 +0100

For a third year in a row, homeless men at a Kansas City shelter are donating a nickel, a dime, countless pennies and several tattered one dollar bills to help pay medical bills for a 4-year-old cancer patient. The young girl, Payton Adams, recently was able to meet the selfless men who donated in her honor....

Woman Who Lost Both Legs in Boston Bombing Just Found a Reason To Smile

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:25:41 +0100

A mother who is recovering in the hospital after losing both legs below the knee while watching the Boston Marathon went from being devastated to feeling better. The woman and her daughter -- who is also recovering in the hospital -- were visited by U.S. Marines, men who understand what it's like to lose limbs. They underwent the same injury and now walk with prosthetic devices. "You will be more independent than you ever were," he assured her. "This is the start of a new beginning."...

Boston Runner and Blast Victim Form Lifelong Bond

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:33:03 +0100

The lives of two men, one a young marathon runner who had crossed the finish line two minutes before the bomb exploded, and an older man he rushed to help, have formed a bond neither man will soon forget. It was 23-year-old Rob Wheeler who took the shirt off his back and wrapped it around the leg of a spectator's injured leg. He wasn't even supposed to be running that day. At the last minute a friend gave him the spot....

In Their 20's Pro Soccer Players Housed in Retirement Village Find Joy

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:13:12 +0100

When two teammates on the Washington Spirit women's pro soccer team, learned where they would live this summer, they thought someone was playing a prank. The world-class athletes who won bronze medals at the 2012 Olympics were placed in a retirement community. But after seeing their new home for the first time last month and receiving a warm welcome from the residents, Robyn Gayle and Diana Matheson are embracing inter-generational living....

Chicago Tribune Sends Pizzas and Thanks to Boston Globe Newsroom

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:09:03 +0100

On Monday, the newspaper staff that had been working overtime in Boston to cover the tragic events of their city found a welcome gift from fellow journalists in a thousand miles away. The Chicago Tribune staff overwhelmed them with pizzas delivered at noontime along with a nice note: We can only imagine what an exhausting and heartbreaking week it’s been for you and your city. But do know your newsroom colleagues here in Chicago and across the country stand in awe of your tenacious coverage. ...

Dashboard Cam Shows Kind Man Jumping to Help in Traffic

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:33:15 +0100

Kind things happen all the time, but rarely does anyone take a video of it. In this "dash cam" video, buses and cars are whizzing past an old lady in the crosswalk who is struggling to get to the other side of the street using a walker. People are hitting the SHARE button on this video because they enjoy seeing someone else being nice....

Boston Cop is Internet Hero for Delivering Milk for Toddler During Lockdown (PHOTO)

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 14:03:30 +0100

A Reddit user posted this photo taken by his friend who lives in Watertown where families were ordered yesterday to stay indoors during a manhunt for the Marathon bomber suspect. The family asked if they could go get milk for their 16 month old son. A policeman, working long hours already, went to the store for them and delivered the milk to the house....

Happiness Clubs Spread Positive Vibes on Campus

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:26:59 +0100

From passing out lollipops to distributing free iced tea and hugs outside the library at finals, Happiness clubs on college campuses around the country are aiming to uplift their peers throughout the academic year. Quick, simple attempts to make people feel special dominate these clubs' agendas, such as a flash mobs or giving out compliments to pedestrians. A wall at Harvard University is lined with Post-it notes about what makes students happy, messages that remind undergraduates to smile duri...

Donations Pour in for Newlyweds Who Lost Limbs in Boston Attack

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:34:26 +0100

Donors have flooded crowdfunding campaigns set up for individual victims of Monday's bombings at the Boston Marathon, raising more than $1 million in a matter of days. "Help for Patrick and Jess" -- a campaign on crowd fundraising site GiveForward.com -- raised $200,000 within 24 hours to benefit Patrick and Jessica Downes, newlyweds who both required leg amputation. As of this morning the campaign has raised $518,971....

Boy is Freed From his Wheelchair by Magic of Photography

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:30:00 +0100

Twelve-year-old Luka suffers from muscular dystrophy - a cruel degenerative disease which confines him to a wheelchair and will make him weaker and weaker over time. But a friend and photographer Matej Peljhan has allowed him to create an imaginary world where he can shoot a basketball, climb stairs and even perform a handstand....

An Unexpected Hero in Boston Relief Efforts: the Reddit Website

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:04:27 +0100

The power of social media was revealed on Reddit when regulars there rallied to provide aid to victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Overnight, heroes were recognized and thousands donated everything from pizzas to places to take a hot shower or just recharge a cellphone. Reddit provided a forum to coordinate aid for victims including food, transportation and housing. Users of the popular website offered hundreds of thousands of frequent flyer miles for those who needed to leave Boston and to...

Millionaire Buys Daycare and College for Crime-Filled Neighborhood, Turns it Around

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:41:39 +0100

Harris Rosen owns seven hotels in Orlando, Florida, but hasn't always been wealthy. The 73-year-old grew up a son of poor immigrants in New York City. Twenty years ago, having amassed a fortune, Rosen decided to give back. He targeted the Orlando neighborhood of Tangelo Park -- a crime-infested place where people were afraid to walk down the street and the high school graduation rate was 25 percent. The first thing he did was provide day care for every parent. Next, he offered to pay the Florid...

Pizza for Boston: Compassionate Internet Campaign Sends Pies After Tragedy

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:22:50 +0100

The online Reddit community's Random Acts of Pizza is behind an effort to send hot pies as a way to reach out to those in Boston affected by Monday's bombings at the Boston Marathon. As CBC News explains, Redditors buy pizzas using their own dough. The group says the purpose is to "restore faith in humanity, one slice at a time."...

Six Amazing Ways People Helped After Boston Marathon Tragedy

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:59:24 +0100

Mr. Rogers famously answered the question of what to tell children when scary things happen on the news. It holds true for all of us if we want to learn about what happened in Boston yesterday: "Look for the helpers." We can always focus on the actions of the helpers, if we want to feel better. 1) College fraternities on Commonwealth Avenue offered food and beverages to runners and passersby walking from the scene of the explosions. (right) 2) Cell phone service was shut down in the city so lo...

Stories of Kindness After the Bombing

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 01:25:22 +0100

From the smoke in Boston today heartening stories arose of kindness emerging from tragedy: people on Twitter urging others to note the people who run towards the explosions, not a way from them; stories of heroism from runners. As we remember to be good to one another in the face of this event, here are some of those initial reports... (READ the story in the Atlantic Wire) Thanks to Joel Arellano for submitting the link on our Facebook Page!...

(UPDATED w/ Video) Harvard Students Take Time to Thank the Janitors

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:57:47 +0100

The Harvard Business School took some time last week to show their gratitude for all the work that goes into the MBA experience. The Give Thanks project involved faculty and students being kind to the staff who works so hard every day. The school's Harbus News reported some plans to deliver more than 900 personally written thank-you notes, as well as bringing coffee and bagels to the staff break room....

Soldier's Rescue of Orphan Leads to Reunion 40 years in the Making

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 22:38:56 +0100

Kimberly Mitchell's life story has always been missing a few important pages -- like how she ended up in an orphanage in 1970's Vietnam with war raging. "If you're an adopted child, you always want to know -- did your mother, did your father want you?" Kim says. She finally knows the story and got to thank the soldier who rescued her -- and named her -- in 1972....

Cabbies Worthy of Praise and Riders Who Take Time to File Compliments

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:21:11 +0100

From the back seat of a New York City taxicab, complaints about drivers flow effortlessly. But about twice a day, taxi passengers in New York take time to tell the city about some exemplary deeds. The drivers’ deeds include leaving the cab to confront the assailant of a pedestrian, returning a diamond ring, and caring for a college student after a mugging....

'He Saved Hundreds': Army Chaplain To Get Medal Of Honor

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:20:57 +0100

It took more than 60 years, but an Army chaplain who died as a prisoner during the Korean War will be awarded the Medal of Honor by President Obama on Thursday. Capt. Emil Kapaun, who was a Catholic priest serving with the 3rd Battalion, will be honored for "extraordinary heroism", for bravery and service to others -- both on the battlefield and in prison following his capture by enemy troops in November 1950....

A Mother's Fight Against '3-Strikes Law' Helps Hundreds

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:01:06 +0100

Since the November election, 240 California prisoners facing potential life sentences have been set free. That's because voters changed California's tough three strikes sentencing law, which sent thousands of people to prison for terms of 25 years to life for minor, nonviolent crimes. The ballot initiative's success is due in no small part to Sue Reams. Her son was one of those released, after 17 years in prison. But she isn't done fighting having gained her son's freedom. She believes that the...

Former Microsoft Executive Finds Joy Boosting Literacy Instead of Profits

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:20:39 +0100

Since leaving his job as Microsoft’s China business development director in 1999 and dedicating his life to improving global literacy, New York-based John Wood has put books in the hands of more than 7.8 million children in 10 countries in Asia and Africa. His charity, Room to Read, has built more than 14,600 libraries and 1,500 schools in 12 years....

'Breathtaking' Actress Dies at 87 After First Acting Job at 85: Tribute

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:01:22 +0100

Besedka Johnson, who became an actress at age 85 and won praise for her only movie "Starlet," has died. She was 87. "Besedka showed that no age is too old to do what you dream," said her co-star, Dree Hemingway, in a statement. "I loved her dearly." Johnson got the part after an executive producer for the movie asked her in a YMCA locker room if she'd be interested in auditioning, according to the Associated Press....

Who’s On Your Fridge?

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:15:27 +0100

I was lifting weights at my New York City community gym when he caught my attention. His name, I later found out, was Marvin Moster. He stood a few inches over five feet, mostly bald with some white hair on the sides of his head, sporting a mustache, and wearing a light blue shirt and dark blue shorts. In the obvious ways, he was unremarkable. And yet, I couldn’t help noticing him. He was older — I guessed in his seventies — and he was boxing with a trainer, punching in a rhythm they had ...

Business Owner Installs Elevator for Girl to Keep Family in Home Built by Ancestors

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 14:25:16 +0100

The owner of a construction company installed an elevator in the home of a family whose 9-year-old daughter Sara has cerebral palsy. As a result, Sara can have the independence to go outside and play with her friends without asking for help -- and her family can stay in the house her great-grandfather built in 1932....

How an Ex-con Went from Selling Drugs to Culinary School in Paris

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:44:51 +0100

By the time Cesar Gutierrez was 16, he had already gone to jail twice, experimented with gang life, sold drugs and ran away from home. Today, the 22-year-old works at a popular Manhattan restaurant as a sous chef and has cooked with renown chef Daniel Boulud. He entered a contest organized by Boulud and the non-profit Careers Through Culinary Arts -- and won. The prize was a prestigious scholarship to train at one of the best culinary schools in Paris....

After Losing His Face, Transplant Recipient Weds Fellow Burn Victim

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:54:49 +0100

Dallas Wiens lost nearly all of his facial features following a terrible accident with a power line in 2008. After becoming the first American to undergo a full facial transplant, he started leading a burn patient support group, which is where he met the love of his life. Over the weekend, Dallas married Jamie Nash, 29, in Forth Worth, Texas, at the same church where he had his accident....

A Love Letter to Land Lines on the 40th Anniversary of Cellphones

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:17:19 +0100

Sometimes, when I am home alone, the red phone rings downstairs. It’s a rotary phone from eBay. I bid $63.13 for it two years ago because we needed a land line for our alarm system, and so why not get an old rotary phone, because how cool are we, with our disposable income and throwback tastes?

Quest for Good Pick-Up Line Leads Man to Save Abducted Kids

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:02:07 +0100
Conor Grennan reunited Anish's parents with their missing son, whom they had mourned every day for four years. This was the miracle they had prayed for daily. Their son was alive and they would see him again. 350 such families would be surprised at how Conor got into the business of saving kids with Next Generation Nepal....

Honest Homeless Woman in Canada Rewarded with New Home

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:42:32 +0100
A homeless woman in Calgary, who was living in a shelter, didn't thing twice about turning in a purse she found containing $10,000 in cash. The couple were so moved by such honesty that they rewarded her with $500. But also a fund was set up at a local bank that has received so many small donations from across Canada that the woman was able to move into a new apartment. “It is really starting to feel like home. I am just so thankful to the people that donated money on my behalf."...

Recovering Drug Addict with Long Rap Sheet Jumps to Rescue Man in Subway

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:23:35 +0100
The recovering drug addict with a long rap sheet who had just sat down on the bench in a Philadelphia train station often wondered if he was a good person, and perhaps never considered that anyone thought he was a hero to anybody. But there was no self-doubt when Christopher Knafelc's instincts kicked in Thursday and he leaped onto the tracks to help a complete stranger he'd just seen flail and fall off the platform....

$1 million! Three Friends Honor Long-time Pact to Split Lottery Winnings

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:55:18 +0100
Three long-time chums who made a pact to split the pot if one of them ever won the lottery got their payday last week, Georgia Lottery officials announced on Thursday. “I was just as tickled for them as I was for myself,” Kenneth Wilson told NBC News. “We just had a verbal agreement and I felt like that had to be honored.” To make a good story even better, one of the friends had cracked open a fortune cookie on that day in early March when Wilson bought the ticket. His fortune? "You're ...

Second Time Around: How to Find and Embrace a New Career After 50

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 17:12:29 +0100
When you’re in the cockpit on final approach and suddenly have to abort your landing and try again, it’s called a “go-around.” It can be a little scary at first, but with a little planning and some patience, it is painless. The same is true for your career after age 50. You’re all set to glide into retirement when from out of nowhere, you’re forced to change course professionally. I know the feeling better than most people because it happened to me. Ever since childhood, I’ve been ...

Pope Washes Feet of Inmates for Easter

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 19:41:12 +0100
The day before Good Friday, Pope Francis continued what has been a ritual for him, but something no other papal leader before has done. He disregarded church tradition and washed the feet of two girls — a Serbian Muslim and an Italian Catholic — along with ten other young inmates at a nearby juvenile detention center. While his predecessors washed and kissed the feet of priests in famous basilicas, Francis chose to kneel down before young offenders at the Casal del Marmo Penitentiary Institu...

Drill Team Keeps 4000 Idle Kids off Deadly Streets

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 17:44:23 +0100
Tawanda Jones is using dance to empower the youth of Camden, New Jersey, one of the poorest cities in the country. Through Jones' precision drill team program, more than 4,000 children have learned discipline, respect, and community service -- and all of them have graduated high school....

Office Lotto Winners Share Wealth With Coworker Who Opted Out

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:18:28 +0100
After she declined to play and all her coworkers won a million dollars in the Powerball Jackpot, the administrative assistant of a real estate company, who was hired just three weeks ago, found out why the group calls itself a "family". None of them hesitated to share a portion of their $83,000 net winnings with 'the new girl'. Having not yet reached her first payday the coworker felt she had to opt-out of the pool. That's when the lottery coordinator of the office in Plantation, Florida s...

Tennessee Town Unites to Make Wishes Come True for Dying Teen

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:11:25 +0100
In her final days of fighting cancer, Katelyn Norman, 14, of Campbell County, Tenn., created a bucket list. She wanted to slow-dance at her prom and learn to drive, so her high school organized ‘Light the Night for Kate,’ preparing an elegant evening with all her favorite things and lining the road with candles for her to drive home....

Broke Woman Returns $30,000 Found in Donated Clothes

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:28:16 +0100
You’re broke, you struggle with bills, then out of nowhere you find $30,000 in cash which only you will ever know about because the money belongs to someone who is dead. What do you do? Carol Sutor of Bristol, Pa., was in that situation on Thursday and decided to return the money to the family of the woman who had spent years saving it. “I had to give it back,” she said. “I believe in karma, whatever I do will come back to me, good or bad.”...

Dramatic 911 Call Helps Roadside Stranger Save a Newborn's Life (LISTEN)

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:31:08 +0100
Imagine driving along and seeing someone standing in the road frantically waving their arms. Would you stop? It's a good thing Ryan Cornelissen did stop. He was the calm presence needed in a crisis to revive a newborn who was not breathing after a man's wife had given birth in the car. The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Operations Center responded to Ryan's 911 call on March 16, 2013....

Homeless Man Who Returned Ring is Thrilled by Surprise Reunion with Family (WATCH)

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:34:16 +0100
Billy Ray Harris, the Missouri homeless man who returned the engagement ring dropped in his donation cup by mistake, now has a part-time job, new friends, and tens of thousands of dollars that were donated by admirers. But, he says the best part is reconnecting with his beloved sisters in Texas. A family reunion was planned for later this year, but the TODAY Show planned a surprise during an interview on Sunday, bringing him into the arms of his family for the first time in 16 years. (WATCH the...

Giving Thousands of American Kids the Vision to Succeed

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 15:13:02 +0100
Educators say 80 percent of learning depends on a child’s ability to see a blackboard or read a book, but some children in the United States never get the glasses they need, including 40,000 children in Los Angeles alone. Statistics show up to 15 percent of all children in elementary school need glasses. The solution is clear for a group called Vision to Learn. Their bus-clinic provides free eye exams and glasses to students in low-income communities....

42 Small Acts of Kindness that Will Make You an Everyday Hero

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:36:35 +0100
How great is it that our small acts of kindness can make someone else’s entire day? Here are 42 good deeds and small acts of kindness that can help you feel amazing. Some of these are new ideas that I haven’t seen online before. Others are reminders -- like, try giving more compliments to the people you meet....

$40 and a Note of Support Overwhelms Soldier Husband

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:17:26 +0100
A U.S. soldier deployed in Afghanistan was thrilled to the point of tears by $40 and a note of support for his girlfriend back home. Army Spc. Albert DeSimone said what overwhelmed him was knowing that a stranger was "there for her" while he was overseas. DeSimone's girlfriend Samantha Ford was leaving a Dunkin' Donuts Sunday in Arlington, Mass., when she saw a white envelope tucked under the windshield wiper on her car, and posted it to a military Facebook page....