All News - Page 709 of 1727 - Good News Network
Home Blog Page 709

Watch NFL Player Fulfill Lifelong Wish of Beloved Employee By Surprising Him With Super Bowl Tickets

Even though Alfonso Garcia is not on the field with the Los Angeles Rams, the football players still consider him a part of the team.

Garcia, who works at the L.A. Memorial Stadium, always keeps the facility “in tip top shape” for the football team. So as a means of showing some love to their beloved colleague, the Rams decided to surprise him with two tickets to the upcoming Super Bowl game against the New England Patriots.

In a video that was uploaded to the team’s Twitter page, Garcia can be seen walking into one of the stadium offices – and he is confused when he is greeted by Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks.

RELATEDAfter Homeless Man Helps Get His Car Out of the Snow, NFL Player Brings Him to Tears With Thank You Gift

“One of the guys that works here, he said the general manager, Les, wanted to speak to me,” Garcia later told CBS Los Angeles. “And, well it made me a little nervous because that’s not an office you really want to get called into.”

Upon sensing Garcia’s anxiety, Cooks laughs and says there is no reason to be nervous. Instead, he just wants to give Garcia a gift.

“On behalf of the team and organization, we would love to invite you and your son, Josh, round trip [to the] Super Bowl,” Cooks said. “You mean so much to us and everything that you do does not go unnoticed.”

WATCHIn Twist of Fate, NFL Star’s Organs Go to the Ailing Sports Hero Who Inspired Him

Garcia is overwhelmed. Fighting back tears, he says that he has always wanted to go to the Super Bowl since he was a little boy – and now, he will be able to bring his own son to the game as well.

“Oh my god, are you serious?” Garcia says emotionally. “This is a dream come true.”

“From the bottom of my heart thank you, I love you guys. To have this and be with you guys in something so special like this. Wow, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you. Everybody.”

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Los Angeles Rams

Score Big With Your Friends By Sharing The Sweet Story To Social Media

“The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your action will be.” – Dalai Lama

Quote of the Day: “The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your action will be.” – Dalai Lama

Photo: Free Hugs in Brussels in 2007, by André Cortes, CC license on Flickr

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Reviews for ‘The Good News Book’ Make the Case for Why You Should Read These Stories  

We sure appreciated seeing this today—a review for our new book…

Good News Network published their first book last month, a collection of the best stories from the last 20 years, in a small gift volume… On the book’s Amazon page, a woman named Julie wrote this:

“I read lots of wonderful books every year – hundreds. This is the best of the best that I’ve devoured in quite awhile. I’m a fan of The Good News Network, but for those who don’t know the media outlet, this book will lead you back to believing in humanity if you ever question it. Full of brief stories about people of all walks of life finding common ground, helping one another and giving of themselves in surprising ways, this book is full of heart. Perfect gift for anyone who struggles day-to-day with depression or needs a reason to smile. Who am I kidding? This is the rare book for EVERYBODY! My advice? Buy a stack of these little gems and hand them out like candy to friends and strangers alike. You’ll feel good that you did.”

IN OTHER AMAZON NEWS: Our new book, “…And Now, The Good News”, will be available as an ebook for your devices and apps soon, priced at around $4.95.
(Release in early February)

For Those Who Dislike Amazon: We are also selling the paperback ourselves (to US Residents only) through our publishing partner White Cloud Press, HERE.

Buy the Book Overseas: We’ve added Australia to the list of countries where overseas customers can get local delivery! Find the book on Amazon Marketplaces in these places:
United Kingdom — Canada  —  Germany — Spain — Italy.

(Photo, above, uploaded to Amazon in a review by Joseph @ Strategic Media Studios)

170 Foxes Are Rescued From Fur Farm and Given New Home at a Buddhist Monastery

Dozens of foxes have been saved from a Chinese fur farm and been given a new home at a Buddhist monastery.

Animal activist Karen Gifford has spent the last few weeks documenting the rescue initiative in a series of Facebook videos that were shared with her by a woman named BoHe.

BoHe is one of the volunteers who helped to rescue the 174 white foxes that had been bred and raised at a nearby fur farm. She operates a local dog sanctuary that is home to over 2,400 canines, many of which were reportedly rescued from the dog meat trade.

Due to a lack of income, the fur farm had been preparing to close their doors and dispose of their remaining foxes – but upon hearing that the animals were in need of a new home, the residents of the Buddhist Jilin Nursing Garden in Mudanjiang, China said that they were happy to welcome the critters onto their property.

RELATEDSimon Cowell Donates Over $32,000 to Close Down South Korean Dog Meat Farm

In the first of Gifford’s Facebook posts, the foxes can be seen arriving in cages by the truckload. One day later, Gifford posted an update in which the foxes can been seen enjoying their first steps outside of their cages and onto the sanctuary grounds.

Now, Gifford is rallying for donations to help buy food for the foxes. The critters will reportedly be staying at the monastery until volunteers are able to construct a permanent shelter.

“Thank you to all the wonderful supporters! I’m sure your hearts swell seeing these videos and the Buddhist monk standing among the foxes free in the garden,” writes Gifford. “The weather is freezing at Bohe’s base … so please, anything is appreciated.”

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Karen Gifford / BoHe

Be Sure And Share This Sweet Rescue Story With Your Friends On Social Media

Ben & Jerry’s Has Already Ditched Plastic Straws – And This Year They’re Going One Step Further

One of the world’s most beloved ice cream companies says that they will be phasing out all of their single-use plastic packaging over the course of the next year.

Following their elimination of plastic straws over the summer, Ben & Jerry’s announced earlier this week that they would also be kicking off the New Year by eliminating plastic spoons from their 577 stores worldwide.

Jenna Evans, Ben & Jerry’s Global Sustainability Manager, is leading the transition. She noted that the company’s shops currently hand out 2.5 million plastic straws and 30 million plastic spoons every year. If all the plastic spoons used by Ben & Jerry’s in the US were placed end to end, they’d stretch from Burlington, Vermont to Jacksonville, Florida.

“We’re not going to recycle our way out of this problem,” she said. “We, and the rest of the world, need to get out of single-use plastic.”

RELATEDAmerica’s Largest Grocery Store Chain is Saying Goodbye to Single-Use Plastic Bags

Ben & Jerry’s first embarked on its plan to phase out single-use plastics in August after they started making their plastic straws available by request only. Many of their shops had already transitioned away from to plastic packaging by this time – but in the months leading up to Free Cone Day on April 9th, the company’s branches will now be completing the transition by replacing their plastic spoons with wooden alternatives.

By the end of 2020, Ben & Jerry’s says that they will have also replaced their clear plastic cups, plastic-lined cups, and plastic lids with biodegradable alternatives.

The company has a history of striving for more sustainable packaging solutions. Since 2009, their ice cream pints – or “tubs” as they’re known in the UK and Europe – have been made with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified paperboard. Because they are coated with polyethylene to create a moisture barrier, however, they are difficult to recycle, which is why Ben & Jerry’s plans on exploring other packaging options.

MOREGirl Scout Wrote Letters to Companies, Urging Them to Ditch Plastic – And They Did

“Over the past year, we have begun an intensive effort to find a biodegradable and compostable coating that meets our product quality requirements,” said Evans.

“In the short term, eliminating plastic straws and spoons is not going to save the world,” she added. “But it’s a good start toward changing expectations. We’re committed to exploring additional options to further reduce the use of disposable items. This transition is the first step for us on a more comprehensive journey to eliminate single-use, petroleum-based plastic in our supply chain, and we look forward to reporting on our progress.

“Thankfully, Ben & Jerry’s has a baked-in solution to plastic waste: it’s called our Waffle Cone,” she concluded. “They’re yummy, convenient, and waste-free!”

Be Sure And Share This Sweet Piece Of News With Your Friends On Social Media 

Teen’s Astounding Basketball Shot Just Went Viral With a Swish of the Net Right at the Buzzer (Watch)

Andrew Regan is becoming internet famous after his school shared an astounding video of the teen athlete scoring a half-court shot right at the buzzer.

The special needs student, who plays for the Unified basketball team at Cherry Creek High School in Denver, Colorado, only had seconds left on the clock when he made the jaw-dropping shot last week.

Not only did he land the shot right at the third-quarter buzzer, he also managed to sink the ball with nothing but net.

RELATEDMajor League Baseball Pitcher Donates $9.4 Million Estate So It Can Bring Joy to Special Needs Kids

Upon successfully making the shot, the audience members, players, and coaches all went wild.

Since the high school uploaded a video of the play to social media, it has racked up hundreds of thousands of views and been featured on dozens of news outlets.

Andrew, who has been playing basketball since he was 5 years old, says that he is still processing the “surreal” experience from last week’s game, but he is thankful for the flood of love and support that he has received since the video was uploaded.

(WATCH the interview below or our international viewers can watch it on the CBS News website) – Photo by KCNC

Score Big With Your Friends By Sharing The Sweet Story To Social Media

US Coal Consumption Drops to Lowest Level Since 1979

Contrary to popular belief, the United States is using less coal than ever before – and in 2018, coal usage reached its lowest level in almost 40 years.

After reaching its peak in 2007, coal usage has been in sharp decline as safer and more efficient energy sources take on more substantial roles on the American electrical grid.

According to a recent report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, coal usage fell by 4% in 2018, which is the lowest it has been since Jimmy Carter’s presidency in 1979.

RELATEDScientists Are ‘Thrilled’ to Report That Hawaiian Coral Reefs Are Finally Stabilizing After Mass Bleaching

Natural gas, an energy source that releases 50% to 60% less carbon dioxide emissions than coal, surpassed coal as the leading source of U.S. electricity generation in 2016. The increased use of natural gas, along with renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, have led economists and analysts alike to predict a significant decrease in coal usage by 2050.

Tougher pollutant restrictions are partially responsible for coal’s decline, but the main reason for coal’s decline may have more to do with economics than with regulation.

The report states that “coal demand in the power sector is sensitive to changes in the price of natural gas,” meaning that whenever natural gas becomes less expensive, demand for its use increases, resulting in a decreased demand for coal.

MOREWorld’s Largest Shipping Company is Ditching Fossil Fuels and Challenging Their Competitors to Do the Same

As natural gas plants have become increasingly efficient in converting gas to electricity, the relative cost of natural gas has decreased.

With economic forces expected to continue curbing American coal use, environmentalists can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that its retirement will only help to usher in a new era of sustainable energy.

Clean Up Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social MediaPhoto by TJ Blackwell, CC

After Days Spent Lost in Freezing Rain, Rescued 3-Year-old Thanks a Bear for Allegedly Keeping Him Safe

A 3-year-old boy has been rescued from being lost in the woods amidst extreme weather conditions – and he credits his survival to an unlikely friend he apparently made along the way.

Casey Hathaway first went missing from his great-grandmother’s backyard in Ernul, North Carolina when he was playing outside with his two siblings last Tuesday. When his relative eventually called for the children to come inside, Casey was mysteriously absent.

The family searched the surrounding area for 45 minutes before they called 911.

RELATEDBrain-Dead Mom Wakes Up Minutes After Being Taken Off Life Support; Four Months Later, She’s Fighting Fit

For the next two days, dozens of volunteers, rescue workers, law enforcement officials, drones, and FBI agents searched over 1,000 acres of treacherous terrain in order to find the boy.

Freezing temperatures, wind and rain eventually forced emergency responders to call off the search and send volunteers home until weather conditions improved.

Then on Thursday night, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office received a tip from a local who heard a little boy crying for his mother.

MOREHiker Was About to Die in a Snowstorm When She Was Saved by a Total Stranger Following Her Intuition

The tip led rescuers 50 yards into the woods where Casey was tangled in some thorny bushes on the other side of a river. The boy was soaked, but in relatively good shape.

After getting the boy some water and reuniting him with his family, rescuers were surprised to hear Casey say that he survived the ordeal thanks to a friendly bear that kept him safe.

“Casey is healthy, smiling and talking. He said he hung out with a bear for two days,” Casey’s aunt Breanna Hathaway wrote in a Facebook post. “God sent him a friend to keep him safe. God is a good God. Miracles do happen.”

Even though no one is able to confirm whether this bear friend was real or imaginary, Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes told WCTI in the interview below that it was nothing short of astonishing that such a tiny youngster was able to endure two days of freezing temperatures and rain.

CHECK OUTIn ‘Freakish Miracle’, Man’s Change of Fishing Spot Results in Rescuing 18-Month-old From the Ocean

The boy was treated for his cuts and bruises at the Carolina East Medical Center, but was otherwise found to be healthy and in good spirits.

“It’s a really overwhelming feeling that he’s back and he’s alive,” family member Heather Garris told WTVD. “I know that’s really shocked the whole community. It’s an eye-opener, definitely for a miracle – believing in miracles because I’ve seen now they really do happen.”

(WATCH the WCTI interview with Hughes below) – Photo released by Craven County Sheriff’s Department

Be Sure And Inspiring Rescue Story With Your Friends On Social Media

“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.” – Rumi

Quote of the Day: “Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.” – Rumi

Photo: by Pamela P. Stroud, CC license via Flickr

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

 

The Spicier You Like Your Food, The Spicier You May Lead Your Life

If you prefer spicier food, there is a good chance you also lead a spicier life, according to this latest survey of 2,000 Americans.

The poll examined the correlation between taste buds and personalities and found that people who preferred hotter foods were more likely to report that they lead hotter lives.

The researchers at OnePoll asked the 2,000 participants a series of questions about personality. Then, the team divided the answers into groups based on the preferred level of spiciness in meals—none, mild, medium, or hot.

Interestingly, the results showed that people who preferred hot foods were more likely to lead hotter lives.

RELATED: Instead of ‘We Are What We Eat,’ the Science of Kindness Says ‘We Are What We See’ in Daily Life

According to the study, spicy palates tended to correlate with an increased sense of adventure, with participants who preferred hotter food more often expressing a love of roller coasters, listening to loud music, and driving fast down winding roads.

The spicy food lovers in this poll were more likely to have gone skydiving, scuba diving, and taken rafting trips.

They were also six times more likely to have gone bungee jumping than those who don’t like any spice at all—and 45% more likely to have traveled out of the country.

Results showed people who enjoy their food to be hot were the most likely to rate their happiness level at a perfect ten than any other spicy preference, and gave similar ratings about how happy they were in their current job.

WATCHMother-of-3 Breaks Record for Fastest Human on Bicycle – ‘Now I know how Evel Knievel felt’

The hot spice lovers were very goal-oriented and 29 percent more likely to have a dream that they were actively working towards. They also showed higher scores for being sociable and extroverted, with hot food fans being more likely to say they loved meeting new people and more likely to rate themselves as good public speakers.

And, finally, spicy food fans self-reported having hotter relations in the bedroom with almost double the amount of… ahem, adult fun, than those who didn’t like any spice in their food (5.3 times per month compared to 3.2 times per month.)

The poll was commissioned by the hot sauce brand El Yucateco, which commented that its customers often “live life to its fullest.”

SHARE With The Spice Lovers In Your Life…

Unvaccinated Women Are Still Benefiting from the HPV Vaccine, Study Shows

File photo by Pan American Health Organization, CC

A large portion of women have never received the HPV vaccine, yet a new study says they are experiencing fewer cases of infection, thanks to, what is called, “herd protection”.

The vaccine in this study was designed to protect patients against four strains of HPV that have been linked to cervical cancer. The 10-year study, which was conducted by researchers from the University of Cincinnati, examined the rates of HPV infection among 1,600 female patients who went to their clinics.

Of the total 84% of the group that were vaccinated, the researchers calculated they experienced an 81% reduction in HPV infection.

Patients who had not received the vaccination also experienced a reduced risk of infection, however. Based on the team’s data from 2006, one-third of the non-vaccinated patients tested positive for the HPV strains. Ten years later, the rate of infection dropped to 19.4%.

RELATEDAustralia May Become First Country to Eliminate Cervical Cancer – Rate Drops From 22% to 1%

This occurrence, or “herd protection” results when a vaccinated portion of the population helps to bring down rates of infection amongst the masses.

Dr. Amanda Dempsey, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado, wrote an editorial to go alongside the study, published in the journal Pediatrics, saying the vaccine works. “And that’s true even if you’re already sexually active and have had sexually transmitted infections.”

Recent studies have demonstrated the safety of the HPV vaccine, but more research is needed to track the impact of that vaccine, Kahn’s team said.

Meanwhile, recent news from Australia has inspired hope for a future without cervical cancer.

SHARE This With Your Herd (on Social Media) — Photo by Pan American Health Organization, CC

11-Year-old Girl Has Been Granting the Simple Wishes of Nursing Home Patients

This 11-year-old girl may not be a magical genie, but she is winning hearts for her magical mission of granting wishes to nursing home patients.

Ruby Kate Chitsey first became inspired to help elderly residents after she spent last summer helping her mother Amanda with her work.

Amanda runs a business in which she assists dozens of patients at five different nursing facilities across Harrison, Arkansas. When Ruby Kate was visiting one of these nursing homes over the weekend, she noticed one of the residents gazing forlornly out the window.

The youngster was confused, however, when the only thing outside of the window was someone walking a dog out to a car.

LOOKPhotos of 75-Year-Old Volunteer Napping With Cats Hauls in Funds to Run Sanctuary for a Year

“I asked Pearl, ‘What’s so important?’ She told me that it was her dog of 12 years, and she didn’t know the next time she would see it,” said Ruby Kate. “Pearl’s face was so sad. I thought that of all the things in this world Pearl could have, she would probably just ask for more visits with her dog.”

Pearl was unable to see her dog because she couldn’t afford to care for her on her own. Since half of US nursing homes are funded by the government, patients are only given about $40 to spend on “extra” comforts outside of room and board. This means that hundreds of residents only have $40 to spend on simple luxuries, such as haircuts, new pants – or dog food.

“I’m 11, and even I have enough money saved in my piggy bank to help Pearl get a few more visits with her dog,” says Ruby Kate.

MOREMan Comes Up With Ingenious Way to Keep Dementia Patients Hydrated After His Grandma’s Close Call

The determined youngster then resolved to try and grant the wishes of more people there, so she grabbed her notebook and started knocking on the door of each resident’s room. She then asked them: “If you could have three wishes, what would they be?”

Some residents simply wished for a new pair of fitted pants; others dreamily expressed their longing for fast food; one woman even said that she wished she could go to a water park to watch families having fun.

“It was a great experience for everyone,” said Ruby’s mom. “You expect people to tell you they want a million dollars or a new car, but they don’t. They want snacks or a pair of pants that fits.”

LOOKChina’s ‘Ice Boy’ Has New Home–and New Hope–After Viral Photo Sparked Flood of Donations

Ruby Kate then launched her Three Wishes project to raise money for the patients’ wishes. Her mother helped her to set up a GoFundMe and Amazon wishlist for the project – and since they created the pages in November, the crowdfunding campaign has raised over $26,000.

The donations have helped to buy clothing, corrective hearing devices, food, shoes, and the most commonly requested item amongst the residents: pet food.

“The response so far has been amazing,” says her mom. “There are a lot of fundraisers for everything, but not so much for the elderly. It’s been refreshing to see attention shine on this group.”

Be Sure And Share This Sweet Story Of Kindness With Your Friends On Social Media

Dad Builds Wheelchair-Accessible Snow Fort So All of His Children Can Play Together

My buddy Gregg built this handicap accessible snow fort for his daughter from r/pics

A doting dad built a handicap-accessible snow fort so all of his children could play together – and the photos of the winter castle are melting hearts across the internet.

Greggory Eichhorn and his wife are the proud parents of nine kids, all of whom are adopted and have special needs.

So when their home in Cincinnati, Ohio was blanketed in snow last week, Eichhorn built a massive igloo for his kids to play in. Not only that, he added a little nook at the base of the tower so that his two kids in wheelchairs could join in on the fun.

LOOKCop Surprised – and Delighted – When He Finds the Car He is About to Ticket is Made of Snow

A friend of Eichhorn posted photos of the snow fort to social media, and the sweet pictures have generated thousands of comments praising the dad for his simple labor of love.

Eichhorn has since responded to the outpouring of appreciation by saying that he and his wife are happy to shower their kids in adoration. They also hope that their parenting will inspire other families to adopt special needs children.

“Our family is getting kind of full, and it would be great if people stepped up, took on the same roles, and enjoyed the kind of joy that we do,” Eichhorn told WXIX. “We get a lot of joy out of life.”

(WATCH the news coverage below)

Be Sure And Share This Cool Story With Your Friends On Social Media

“Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?” – Confucius

Quote of the Day: “Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?” – Confucius

Photo: by Akuppa John Wigham, CC license via Flickr

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

86-Year-old Has Lost 120 Pounds Simply By Walking Around Her One-Bedroom Apartment

An 86-year-old woman has proved that you don’t need to buy an expensive gym membership—or even leave your house— in order to get healthy.

Jessica Slaughter has lost 120 pounds simply from walking around her one-bedroom apartment.

The senior from St. Louis, Missouri has struggled with obesity since she was an elementary school student, but when she was recently diagnosed as pre-diabetic in her 70s, she decided to make a change.

RELATEDWant to Stop Eating Junk Food? New Research Says You Should Get More Sleep

She cut meat, dairy, and alcohol out of her diet and started walking laps around her apartment. Her daily walks only take about 20 to 25 minutes every day, but each morning’s stroll tallies up to about 3,000 steps.

Her unique fitness regiment has resulted in Slaughter shrinking from a size 22 waistband to a size 4—and she hopes her transformation will inspire other people to take similar action.

“I just want seniors to know just because we’ve gotten a certain age, we don’t have to stop living,” Slaughter told KSDK. “I want to tell them that there’s a better way of life if they choose.”

(WATCH the news coverage below)

Be Sure And Share The Inspiring Weight Loss Story With Your Friends On Social Media

How a Yoga Teacher is Saving First Responders Across America From Depression – With Downward Dog

Police officers and firefighters across America are coping with the stress of life on the front lines by slipping into a downward dog.

The nonprofit group Yoga For First Responders is teaching these emergency workers a better way to handle the demands of their hazardous jobs.

36-year-old instructor Olivia Kvitne Mead founded YFFR in 2013 after she was inspired by her work with military veterans. If the 5,000-year-old practice could help them with PTSD, then she was certain that first responders could avoid burnout and perform more efficiently at the scene of emergencies.

“There are lots of yoga programs for veterans but they are all focused on after their tours of duty,” said Mead. “That doesn’t happen for first responders. They are in their jobs for 30 years until they retire. They go to work and see trauma, death, destruction, loss and the worst part of humanity, then they have to go home and be a mother or a father, a husband or a wife.”

Mead, who is from Denver, Colorado, believed that yoga could help lower their rate of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety and alcoholism. According to a study from the Ruderman Foundation, more first responders committed suicide in 2017 than those who were killed in the line of duty.

RELATEDFirst Ever Study Shows Chair Yoga is Effective Arthritic Treatment

“There is a missing skill set in first responder training and that is what is leading to these high statistics of burnout, divorce, alcoholism and suicides,” said Mead. “They need to be taught the ability to handle stress and trauma and process it. Otherwise you are just going to get squished by all the trauma you witness.”

And it’s a good thing that she pursued the idea, because she turned out to be right.

SWNS

She first contacted the Los Angeles Fire Department in 2013 and pitched her idea to teach yoga to firefighters. “The then-head psychologist of the department already practiced yoga and he knew the benefits – [but] his number one concern was: how are we going to get the alpha male population to do yoga which is marketed as a female, delicate exercise?

“I said that I already taught veterans and I thought I could speak to this group of people.”

MORE: ‘Quiet Time’ Program Brings Radical Improvement To Schools Worldwide

She began to volunteer twice a week at the fire department, showing up every Tuesday and Thursday with yoga mats – and soon, the Los Angeles Police Department joined firefighters in becoming interested in her program, too.

“The behavioral science section of LAPD was hosting a wellness day for their high command staff,” said Mead. “The detectives were not clocking out, working 24/7 and dropping dead of heart attacks left, right and centre. It was almost an epidemic.”

Mead admitted that not all first responders have been eager to get on the yoga mat.

SWNS

“I worked with one firefighter in Iowa. He was a bigger guy and he didn’t want anything to do with the yoga,” she recalled. “But I came back to the fire department to give weekly classes. When I explained to him that I was here to help him do his job and sleep well afterwards, he changed his mind about yoga. He came to every single class I did.

“I later learnt that he hadn’t been able to sleep a whole night for a year after being called out to a car accident. He told me one day: ‘After your yoga classes, I was able to sleep last night’.”

CHECK OUT: Veterans Are Finding Peace From PTSD Through ‘Float Therapy’

Today, Yoga For First Responders works with 35 police and fire departments across the United States, including in Denver; Wichita, Kansas; and Lawrence, Massachusetts.

The training is also now officially part of the Chicago Police Academy syllabus, meaning every new recruit takes yoga sessions before joining the force.

SWNS

Mead insisted that yoga not only helps first responders to handle the stress of their job, it allows them to do their jobs more efficiently; especially because teaching deep, controlled breathing allows firefighters to require less oxygen when battling blazes.

“Breath work helps CO2 tolerance in the body,” said Mead. “It means that while a firefighter’s air bottle normally lasts 15 minutes in action, we can make it last longer.

“Yoga strengthens the body and makes it more mobile which is very important for first responders, as their body is their tool—but the true essence of yoga is neurological training.

RELATEDVeteran With PTSD is Creating Free Tiny House Community for Others Like Him

“It trains the mind and the nervous system to withstand anything by teaching breathing techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy.”

The Henderson Fire Department in Kentucky now offers a YFFR class three times a week, and they are seeing “really great” attendance. Lieutenant Josh Dixon came to his first class last November and now practices yoga five times a week.

“We can’t control what goes on outside our body, especially in an emergency,” said the 41-year-old responder. “But you can control what goes on inside.”

(WATCH the video clip — Donate to the nonprofit, or find a location)

Be Sure And Share The Inspiring News With Your Friends On Social Media

Police Officer Finally Gets to Meet the Man Who Kept Her Dry for 30 Minutes in the Rain

When a police deputy was paying tribute to a fallen officer, she was unknowingly being honored by a Good Samaritan who was standing behind her – and earlier this week, she finally got to meet him face to face.

Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff Tiffany Dial was standing on a rainy street corner in Birmingham, Alabama so she could salute a passing funeral procession.

The procession was for the late police Sgt. Wytasha Carter who recently died in the line of duty. For 30 minutes, Dial stood at attention for the funeral.

At the time, Dial noticed that several pedestrians were taking pictures of her – and she later figured out why.

RELATEDInstead of Running, These Inmates Rush to Aid Their Supervisor Who Collapsed From Stroke Along a Roadside

A man who worked in a nearby building had seen Dial standing in the rain and taken it upon himself to hold an umbrella over her head in the rain.

Because of the angle of Dial’s hat, she was not able to see the man standing behind her until the photo later appear on social media. After the photo went viral on social media, WBMA News identified the man as Shawn Allen, and she was finally able to meet the man and thank him for his kindness.

“I was in my moment,” Dial told WBMA. “It meant a lot, in ways you can’t even put into words. It wasn’t just about keeping the rain off of me for that little bit, it meant a lot more than that.”

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photo by WBMA

Protect Your Friends From Negativity By Sharing This Sweet Story To Social Media

Paul Simon Donates Thousands So That Special Needs Kids Can Learn to Cook

Thanks to a generous donation from acclaimed singer-songwriter Paul Simon, dozens of special education students will be soon developing their culinary chops.

During Simon’s recent farewell tour, he made donations to local programs in every city he visited, including Portland, Oregon last month.

Remembered for his successful folk duo, Simon and Garfunkel, the 77-year-old musician made a $10,000 donation to Portland Public Schools, half of which was given to the Community Transition Program (CTP).

The program helps students with special needs develop skills for life after high school. Simon’s donation will ensure these kids will have a bridge over any troubled waters ahead, by having perfected their culinary skills working with professional chefs in a brand new kitchen.

RELATED: Diner Owner With Down Syndrome Serves Breakfast, Lunch and HUGS

“It’s going to open up huge opportunities for my students to learn customer service skills, learn different soft set skills before we place them in an internship with a community partner,” said Thelina O’Daniel the principal of CTP. “It’s really exciting.”

“We thought it would be great to put in a training kitchen here because many of our students want to get into the culinary field,” she added.

As for the fans of the “Mrs.Robinson” songwriter, his quitting touring doesn’t mean they will need to endure the ‘sounds of silence’ from Simon, because he just released an album called In the Blue Light.

You Can’t Call Us Al, But You Can Share The Good News To Social Media – Photo by Matthew Straubmuller, CC

“Believe with all of your heart that you will do what you were made to do.” – Orison Swett Marden

Quote of the Day: “Believe with all of your heart that you will do what you were made to do.” – Orison Swett Marden

Photo: Santa Barbara parade for Solstice – copyright GWC

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

The 3 Steps to Either Build a Good Habit or Break a Bad Habit

The Lesson: Whether you’re breaking old habits or forming new ones, changing your behavior can seem like a daunting task – but there is a pretty simple formula for understanding how we can form (and change) our habits. In this particular talk, Brian Johnson details the three simple steps that you can use to break a bad habit. If you want to delve further and learn how you can use the three steps to build a good habit, you can visit Johnson’s website.

Notable Excerpt: “The three laws of breaking a bad habit: number one, make it invisible; number two, make it hard, rather than easy; and number three, make it terrible rather than awesome. So for our purposes, let’s assume that the habit you want to set is you want to use your phone less … first question, how do we make it invisible? Well, how about we set an alarm for when we want to put our phones away? Science says at least thirty minutes to an hour before our ideal bed time. Then when the alarm goes off, we shut down our phone and bury it in our closet … Second, how do we make it hard?”

The Speaker: Brian Johnson is a philosopher and founder of Optimize.me, a website, app, and free video series that help people to optimize their lives so they can be their best selves. He studies self-improvement books, then breaks them down into bite-sized chunks and “Philosopher‘s Notes” for busy people who want “more wisdom in less time”. He also offers Optimal Living classes and online training for your Hero’s Journey.

Podcast: Brian’s podcast, OPTIMIZE with Brian Johnson, features the best big ideas from the best optimal living books. More wisdom in less time (between 4-19 minutes each) to help you live your greatest life. Subscribe: Stitcher — iTunes — Podbean.

(WATCH the inspiring talk below)

Good Advice? SHARE It – And, CHECK Out More on our Good Talks Page