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Man Just Proposed to the Girlfriend He Protected During Las Vegas Shooting

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McKinley Corbley
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Marriage proposals are always special occasions, but the story behind this happy couple’s relationship is especially significant.

22-year-old Mykenzie Lane and 21-year-old Brandon Helmick are both survivors of the Las Vegas shooting in October 2017.

The country music lovers had been watching a performer at the Route 91 Harvest music festival when the shooter opened fire.

When 21-year-old Helmick heard the rounds go off, he immediately pushed his girlfriend to the ground and covered her body with his own. Then when there was a break between rounds, they ran towards some storage units for cover.

WATCH: Woman’s Near-Fatal Car Accident Led Her to Marrying the Love of Her Life

As they were running, however, Lane was shot in the ankle.

“From that point, he said we have to find a way to the hospital. I tried to walk but couldn’t, so he threw me on his back and carried me until we found an ambulance,” Lane told Fox News.

The ambulance was already filled with people who had suffered more serious injuries, so the couple flagged down an Uber driver who volunteered to drive them and a few other people to the hospital.

LOOK: An Amazing Story of Synchronicity as Heirloom Ring is Found by Strangers in Time for Marriage Proposal

Lane says that she and Helmick have been infinitely grateful for every day that they have spent together since the incident – and after three years of dating, Helmick proposed to her on Friday using a heart filled with rose pedals on Laguna Beach, California.

“I had some idea but I still cried my eyes out,” said Lane.

“Our relationship has always meant the world to me,” she added. “But when someone sacrifices their life for you, how could you ever get more reassurance than that?”

The California students are set to tie the knot on August 3rd.

Click To Share The Love Story With Your Friends

These Cool New Shoes Are Made From Recycled Chewing Gum

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Good News Network
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One of the most annoying things in the world is getting chewing gum stuck to your shoe – but what if your shoe was already made of chewing gum?

Amsterdam-based clothing company Explicit Wear is helping to eliminate the second most common form of litter in the city by turning used chewing gum into shoe soles.

Explicit Wear launched the “Gumshoe” by partnering with sustainability company Gumdrop and tourist organization IAmsterdam to break down the synthetic properties of gum and convert it into a whole new kind of rubber called Gum-tec.

It takes about 2.2 pounds of ABC gum for every four pairs of Gumshoes; and since there are roughly 3.3 million pounds of used gum on the streets of the Dutch city, the material is not hard to come by.

RELATED: Man Creates ‘Shoes That Grow’ So Poor Kids Don’t Outgrow Them

“With these shoes, we take a step closer towards gum-free streets and at the same time, create awareness among gum users without being preachy,” says Mustafa Tanriverdi from the Amsterdam marketing and investments department.

Gumshoes are currently available for pre-order and they will go on sale in June for $232 per pair.

(WATCH the video below)

Chew It Over With Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by GumShoe

Photo of Young Athletes Paying Respect to a Funeral is Restoring People’s Faith in Humanity

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Some people might hold a pessimistic view of what the future looks like, but these young athletes are restoring people’s faith in the next generation.

Sisters Lynn Bienvenu and Johannah Stroud were attending their cousin’s funeral in Denham Springs, Louisiana last week when a group of basketball players made them stop in their tracks.

The young men had stopped in the middle of their pickup basketball game so they could take knee out of respect for the funeral.

“It was really impressive. It meant a lot,” Stroud told KABC.

LOOK: Student Gives Her Ice Cream Money to Help Pay For Funeral of Teacher’s Father-in-Law

Stunned by the compassionate display of respect, Bienvenu snapped a quick photo of the athletes and posted it to social media.

“While attending a family funeral the procession passed a group of young boys shooting hoops,” wrote Bienvenu. “They took a knee not out of disrespect, but honor. [This] was not an adult insight to tell them to stop playing. This meant a great deal to our family. May God bless each one as I feel they will achieve greatness.”

Not only that, but Louisiana news outlets say that the youngsters later reached out to the family to express their condolences. Bienvenu then called the local schools so she could thank them for the “values they are instilling in tomorrow’s leaders.”

RELATED: The Homeless in San Diego Are Getting Jobs Thanks to a 16-Year-old Boy

Since her photo was published earlier this week, it has also been shared thousands of times by people eager to praise the athletes.

“People are hungry to see good things and encouraging things,” Stroud told KABC.

Pass The Positive News To Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by Lynn Bienvenu

Foo Fighters See ‘Kiss Guy’ With a Sign in Audience, and Pull Him On Stage—And He Nails it

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Good News Network
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A talented and confident guitarist is going viral after Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl allowed him to steal the show at one of their concerts last week.

The rock and roll fan had been attending the band’s sold-out show in Austin, Texas when he held up a sign that said: “Let Me Play Monkeywrench”.

Grohl spotted the sign and invited the fan on stage. Upon giving him the nickname “Kiss Guy”, because of his Kiss-inspired makeup, the frontman hugged the guy and offered up his own guitar.

“You ever done this before?” says Grohl cheekily. “It’s really fun.”

LOOK: Weezer Fan Club Surprises Boy Who Lost His Dad, Sends Special Item That Was Irreplaceable

With a small nod of his head, the fan pulls his own pick out of his pocket, takes the guitar, and launches into the iconic opening riff.

The fan, who was later identified as Yayo Sanchez, proceeds to blow everyone’s minds by headbanging, shredding guitar, harmonizing Grohl’s vocals, and dashing across the stage.

The song caps off with Grohl literally bowing before Sanchez while the crowd screams their approval.

And the Austin fans weren’t the only ones who loved the performance – since the video was uploaded by John Scurek to YouTube last week, it has quickly garnered over three million views.

(WATCH the cool video below) – Editor’s note: video contains cursing.

There Goes My Hero: Click To Share The Incredible Performance With Your Friends

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” – Marcus Aurelius

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Quote of the Day: “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” – Marcus Aurelius (born 121 AD)

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?

Why You Should Be Optimistic About the Future

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Good News Network
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The Lesson: While mainstream media may paint the future of humanity as all doom and gloom, this theoretical physicist has some intriguing ideas on why we should feel optimistically about the years ahead. In this podcast, Michio Kaku describes how his family background influenced his outlook on life; how to create and develop wonder in the human mind; his process of discovery and what keeps him curious; and what the future of humanity looks like.

Notable Excerpt: “Well, let’s take a look at the timeline; NASA has published it now. We’re going back to the moon next year. Think about that – after a 50-year gap, next year in December 2019, we’re going to send an unmanned Orion space capsule right around the moon. Four years after that in 2023, we’re back to the moon with astronauts. Now it takes 3 days to go to the moon and 3 days to come back. You could do it in one week. [So] I firmly believe that our grandkids will honeymoon on the moon. Three days! Instead of simply waxing eloquently about the moon at night, ‘honey, why not just visit the moon?’ It’s going to be that cheap and that close to us.”

The Guest: Michio Kaku is a theoretical physicist who is “following in the footsteps of Einstein”. With his String Field Theory, he aims to crack open the answers of the universe. His gift for making such an intimidating subject so accessible is his way of helping to popularize science for others to digest and explore on their own. In addition to being a professor of theoretical physics in the City College of New York and CUNY Graduate Center, Kaku is a bestselling author, radio shot host, and a highly-demanded guest speaker for media and television.

The Host: Tom Bilyeu is the American entrepreneur responsible for co-founding Quest Nutrition: a health food brand that has been called the second fastest growing company in North America. Additionally, he is the co-founder and host of Impact Theory: a podcast dedicated towards educating the masses about business and success.

Pocast: Impact Theory is available for free listening and download on iTunes and YouTube.

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below)

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Instead of Motherhood Claiming Crucial Physicians, Tech Connects Stay-at-Home Doctors to the Poor

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Good News Network
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GNN.org is the exclusive media partner for the 2018 ‘Global Good Fund’ Fellows—12 extraordinary young social entrepreneurs who are making the world a better place. Chosen annually, the 12 Fellows are each matched with an executive mentor, leadership coach, and $10,000. Hand-selected from 2,400 applicants in 100 countries, these visionaries are being celebrated—one each day on GNN—leading up to the 6th Annual Global Good Fund Gala, on April 26.

Dr. Iffat Aga’s story dates back to when her grandparents migrated to Pakistan.

Ordinary people living in a rural area, Iffat’s grandfather worked day and night to ensure that her father went to the best university in town. Iffats father then ended up marrying a wealthy woman, which – at the time – was viewed as an impossible relationship due to status differences.

Iffat was born into a middle-income expatriate Pakastani family living in Saudi Arabia. Because her mother’s wealthy, elite background directly contradicted her father’s conservative family who believed that a woman’s place was only in the kitchen, Iffat always felt that she had a lot to prove to herself and to the world. She wanted – and needed – more.

MORE: This Simple Self-Defense Program is Halting Sexual Assault Rates in Their Tracks

Iffat then attended one of the best medical universities in Pakistan, became a doctor, and started working at a leading global pharmaceutical company upon graduation. It was during this time that she became pregnant and lost her baby to premature death.

The next time she conceived, Iffat quit her job, which prompted her to recognize the importance of flexible work options for women.

Women outnumber men in local medical schools, but more than half of those women never end up practicing because they give up their professional aspirations in order to care for their families.

CHECK OUT: Defying Stereotypes, Female Mechanic Fixes Worries of Women Drivers in the Middle East

Iffat joined forces with other like-minded women, and together, they founded Sehat Kahani to connect home-based female physicians to communities in need.

Sehat Kahani is a revolutionary tele-health platform that connects at-home, out-of-work doctors who can provide quality health care to underprivileged patients in low and middle-income markets.

The organization currently constitutes a network of 14 facilities across Pakistan which have served more than 550,000 patients. When a patient visits the clinic, a nurse logs their basic medical history, and then doctors are called in to continue the consultation through a video conferencing system.

RELATED: Octavia Spencer Says Jessica Chastain Helped Her Make Five Times Her Asking Salary

Sehat Kehani upholds strong criteria for their hiring process. Each doctor must have a valid degree and practitioner’s license, and must not have been out of the workforce for more than three years.

With a vision to create an all-female health provider network, Sehat Kahani simultaneously promotes women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship, and the basic need for affordable, quality healthcare in rural and urban communities – all without the doctors ever having to leave their homes.

Among Iffat’s recognitions and engagements, she has been a guest speaker at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City and Nairobi, and at the APPS-UK Conference at the Royal Society of Medicine in London. She is an alumna of the MIT Entrepreneur Development Program and the i2i Accelerator Program in Pakistan.

Iffat is currently completing her Masters in Global E-Health at the University of Edinburgh for which she has been awarded the Commonwealth Scholarship.

Through its Fellowship program launched in 2012, The Global Good Fund invests in high potential leaders committed to social impact worldwide. It also created the 360 MIRROR – the first evidence-based leadership assessment for social entrepreneurs and CEOs.

Click To Share The Innovative Story With Your Friends

First Ever Successful Transplant of Male Genitals Restores Function, Confidence for Wounded Vet

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Good News Network
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Many veterans will inevitably return home from war with the emotional and physical scars of their service – and some of these injuries are less visible than others.

Thankfully, there may now be a procedure to fix them.

Surgeons at Johns Hopkins University have just conducted the world’s first ever successful transplant of a penis, scrotum, and partial abdominal wall. Using the organs from a deceased donor, the 14-hour procedure was carried out by nine plastic surgeons and two urologists.

The recipient, a US war veteran who chose to remain anonymous, sustained the devastating injury from stepping on a hidden bomb in Afghanistan.

CHECK OUT: Lung Cancer Patient Given a Year to Live is in Remission Thanks to Cuban Vaccine

“It’s a real mind-boggling injury to suffer, it is not an easy one to accept,” says the transplant patient.

While it’s possible to reconstruct a penis using tissue from other parts of the body, says the surgical team, a prosthesis implant would be necessary to achieve an erection, and that comes with a much higher rate of infection. Additionally, due to other injuries, servicemen often don’t have enough viable tissue from other parts of their bodies to work with.

The team hopes that after 6 to 12 months of healing, their patient’s urinary and sexual function will feel “near-normal”.

RELATED: Alzheimer’s Gene is Neutralized in Human Brain Cells for the First Time

They also hope to be able to perform the surgery on more patients in the future.

“When I first woke up, I felt finally more normal… [with] a level of confidence as well. Confidence… like finally I’m okay now,” said the patient.

The world’s first successful penis transplant took place in 2014 – but this is the first “total” transplant that has included the scrotum and abdominal wall.

Click To Share The Groundbreaking News With Your Friends – Representative photo by Tareq Salahuddin, CC license

Carjacker Flags Down Police and Surrenders After Realizing Child is in the Vehicle

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Good News Network
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What could have been just another case of carjacking turned into a surprising display of morality.

Earlier this week, a mother left her running car in the parking lot of a Salt Lake City motel so she could run into the lobby and check in to her room.

That’s when 23-year-old Francisco Esmerado seized his chance and stole the vehicle.

As the carjacker was pulling out onto the interstate, however, he realized that he had stolen more than just the woman’s car – her 12-year-old son was sitting in the back seat.

Instead of escaping, Esemerado flagged down a police cruiser, told the officer about his crime, and turned himself over so the child could be returned to his mother.

LOOK: When Woman Leaves Giant Sign For Thief Who Stole Her Bike, People Start Knocking on Her Door

“We believe he was just trying to steal the vehicle and didn’t know the kid was in there,” Sgt. Brandon Shearer told The Salt Lake City Tribune.

Officers told the Miami Herald that Esemerado had stolen the car because he was “trying to get away” – but he did not tell police exactly who or what he was trying to escape.

Thankfully, the unharmed boy was reunited with his mother shortly after the carjacker turned himself in.

Click To Share The Story With Your Friends – Representative photo by An Errant Knight, CC

Teens Mount Rescue Operation For Helpless Kangaroo Stuck in Neck-Deep Mud

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Good News Network
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Two teenagers are being praised for their resourceful rescue of a distressed kangaroo that had gotten stuck in neck-deep mud.

Nick Heath and Jack Donnelly were riding their motorbikes near the Nepean River on the outskirts of Sydney over the weekend when Jack spotted a tiny animal head poking out from the surface of a mud quarry.

The head belonged to a little kangaroo that had gotten stuck in the muck 100 feet (30 meters) away from solid land.

The critter could be heard growling and grunting in anguish as it struggled against the thick terrain.

LOOK: When Goats Get Themselves Stuck on Narrow Ledge of Bridge, Humans Come to Their Rescue

Unable to reach the roo on their own, the 19-year-olds rushed home and collected a length of rope.

After returning to the quarry, Nick tied the rope around his waist and crawled through the mud towards the kangaroo. Once he had the animal in his arms, Jack helped to pull them both back to solid land.

“The roo’s life was important to us so we went out on an arm and leg and got it,” Nick told TODAY. “We think he went searching for water there and it was really muddy so he got himself really stuck.

“It’s a pretty patriotic thing to do and we’re proud of what we did. If we saw something like that again, we’ll do it all over again,” he added.

The teens then called the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES), which is Australia’s largest rescue organization.

Due to dry weather in the region, wildlife specialists say that the roo had most likely been searching for water when it got stuck. Judging by the state of its kidneys, the rescuers also say that it must have been stuck for some time.

CHECK OUT: Student Saves Drowning Squirrel By Doing CPR She Learned From Watching ‘The Office’

Though the hapless animal was suffering from dehydration, the rescuers say that it will most likely pull through once it is given proper treatment.

Meanwhile, the boys were happy to see the roo receive a well-deserved bath – and they decided to name it Lucas.

“We just agreed on the name. We liked it; it’s cute,” says Nick.

Don’t Get Caught Up In Negativity: Click To Share The News With Your Friends – OR, Watch The Full Rescue Video At 9 News

Major League Baseball Team Hits Home Run for the Earth: Stops Serving Plastic Straws

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Minorfreak, CC license

The Chicago White Sox will officially become the first Major League Baseball team to stop serving single-use plastic straws at their representative stadium.

Last week, the team announced that they would no longer be automatically giving out straws with their stadium food at Guaranteed Rate Field – although biodegradable straws will be available upon request.

Th initiative, which kicked off on Earth Day, is expected to prevent more than 215,000 plastic straws from ending up in the landfill over the course of the season.

The project was also made in collaboration with the Shedd Aquarium’s “Shedd the Straw” campaign to get Chicago businesses and individuals to stop using plastic straws.

RELATED: World’s Second Largest Fast Food Chain Begins Phase-Out of Plastic Straws

Brooks Boyer, vice president of sales and marketing, said in a White Sox press release: “We are honored to be the first ballpark to take the step of reducing our single-use plastic straws for nearly a full season…”

“The entire Guaranteed Rate Field family – the White Sox, Delaware North and Levy (concession partners) – is proud to collaborate with Shedd to share this important message with our fans and hope it will inspire others to do what they can in their own lives.”

Pitch This Story To Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by Minorfreak, CC

“Every day is a new beginning. Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been, and look at what can be.” – Marsha Petrie Sue

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Quote of the Day: “Every day is a new beginning. Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been, and look at what can be.” – Marsha Petrie Sue

Photo: by Anoop Kumar, CC

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?

When Student Could Not Find His Calling, He Used Architecture to Build Some Stability for Refugees

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Good News Network
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GNN.org is the exclusive media partner for the 2018 ‘Global Good Fund’ Fellows—12 extraordinary young social entrepreneurs who are making the world a better place. Chosen annually, the 12 Fellows are each matched with an executive mentor, leadership coach, and $10,000. Hand-selected from 2,400 applicants in 100 countries, these visionaries are being celebrated—one each day on GNN—leading up to the 6th Annual Global Good Fund Gala, on April 26.

Millions of refugees across the globe are forced to out of their homes due to natural disasters; but thankfully, there are plenty of people who are ready to help – like Scott Key.

During Scott’s senior year at Auburn College, he recalls flipping through a book on Rural Studio, a humanitarian focused design/build program housed within the school’s architecture department. The synthesis of professional skills and impact resonated with Scott as he grappled that year with what his life would look like post-college. Scott then decided to enroll in a graduate architecture program at Rice University a few years later so he could search for a way to fuse his passion and his vocation.

It was around this time that he learned about the deplorable conditions experienced by millions of refugees around the globe. In 2014, 38 million refugees fled conflict and natural phenomena. Upon further research, Scott learned that between 15-20 million of them still live in tents, essentially camping in terrible conditions for 12 to 17 years on average. Between that, and the general lack of innovation as it relates to shelters, Scott quickly realized he’d found his calling.

LOOK: Gym Gives Free Lifetime Pass to Refugee Boy Staring Longingly Through the Window

To relive unnecessary suffering for refugees living in shelters, Scott and classmate, Sam Brisendine created Emergency Floor: a flooring system that can be interlocked and combined in different ways to fit any kind of shelter.

The Emergency Floor, specifically, re-purposes shipping pallets, one of the most common materials to be found in temporary camps for refugees. This process ensures that people won’t have to sleep on the ground and be exposed to cold soil and parasitic infections.

The Emergency Floor initiative, which received $2,500 from the Initiative for Houston grant program of the Rice Design Alliance, is the first project under Good Works studio, the social enterprise that Scott founded in Houston, Texas.

RELATED: Clooney’s Foundation to Open 7 Schools for 3,000 Syrian Refugee Children

Good Works studio seeks to harness the power of good design and the economies of scale of mass production to introduce life-saving, dignity-bearing goods that have significant and measurable impact.

“No one should have to sleep in the dirt. We believe in the power of design to innovate, we believe we should be actively working to make the world a better place,” Scott says.

Through its Fellowship program launched in 2012, The Global Good Fund invests in high potential leaders committed to social impact worldwide. It also created the 360 MIRROR – the first evidence-based leadership assessment for social entrepreneurs and CEOs.

Build Some Positivity: Click To Share The News With Your Friends

JetBlue Offsets Over 2 Billion Pounds of CO2 Emissions

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JetBlue Plane-CC Eric Salard

JetBlue airlines has just flown past a major milestone in sustainability.

By signing one of the biggest renewable jet fuel agreements in aviation history, JetBlue committed to purchasing 330 million gallons of renewable fuel in 2008.

10 year later, the company has prevented over 2 billion pounds of CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere.

JetBlue’s partnering organization, Carbonfund.org, is celebrating their successful campaign with the airline by giving them the “For Planet and People” Award of 2018.

LOOK: World’s First Mass-Produced, 3D-Printed Car is Electric and Costs Under $10K

“We commend JetBlue for reaching the 2 billion pound milestone,” said Eric Carlson, president of Carbonfund.org. “It is a significant accomplishment demonstrating their continued leadership in climate change mitigation.”

In addition to reducing their carbon footprint, JetBlue is being hailed for a dozen other sustainability initiatives around the world.

RELATED: After 399 Rejections, Woman is Saving the Earth With BBQ Chips Made From Bugs

According to a statement, JetBlue is currently helping to preserve nearly 500,000 acres of the Brazilian rainforest. In 2013, the company sponsored the planting of 25,000 saplings to replace the trees that burned down from the wildfires in Angeles National Forest. The planting, which was completed in August 2015, restored a vital watershed area that was in danger of post-fire erosion, and it helped maintain pre-fire levels of native biodiversity.

A few other highlights of the JetBlue Sustainability Program include creating a partnership with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to tackle the issue of illegal wildlife trade; implementing extensive inflight recycling programs in all domestic cities, which recycle an estimated 30 million bottles and cans annually; implementing a composting program at several airports; and transitioning wholly-owned ground services equipment to electric where it is safe for airport operations.

Fly This News To Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by Eric Salard, CC

Waffle House Hero Sees Outpouring of Support After Raising Money For Victims He Defended

By
McKinley Corbley
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A 29-year-old hero is being hailed for his bravery and kindness after he stopped a shooting in its tracks early on Sunday morning.

After enjoying a night out on the town, James Shaw Jr. was getting a bite to eat with a friend at a Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee when they heard a heart-stopping crash. According to The New York Times, it took them a moment to realize that the sound was being caused by a man who was firing an assault rifle into the restaurant.

When the shooter stopped to reload, Shaw seized his chance, charged at the man, wrestled the AR-15 out of his hands, and thew it behind the counter.

“I acted in a blink of a second,” Shaw told The Times. “When he reloaded his clip, that felt like 30 minutes. I looked at him, and he wasn’t looking at me. He just had the barrel down. It was like, ‘Do it now. Go now.’ I just took off.”

LOOK: Doctors on a Plane Save Woman’s Life by Constructing Makeshift Ventilator Out of Nearby Parts

The man fled the scene of the crime and Shaw, whose arm had been grazed by a bullet, stayed behind with the other wounded patrons.

In the aftermath of the event, Shaw has been hailed as a hero by celebrities, strangers, and politicians alike – but the humble electrician says that everything was happening too quickly to contemplate heroism. He emphasized in an interview that he would rather people just regard him as “a regular person” because he says: “I feel like everybody can do pretty much what I did.”

The GoFundMe page that he set up for the victims and their families on Monday has already raised over $98,000 in roughly 24 hours. As he healed from his injuries at the hospital, he was able to meet with some of the other survivors and their families and tell them about the outpouring of financial support.

WATCH: When Man Suddenly Collapses, People Line Up For 96-Minute CPR Marathon to Save Him

Meanwhile, a New Yorker named Yashar Ali was moved by all of the news stories about Shaw’s “level of humility”.

Upon hearing that Shaw was the father to a 4-year-old daughter, Ali created a GoFundMe page to raise money for her future education – and the campaign has already reached its $60,000 goal in 12 hours.

“I normally don’t get involved directly in these matters, but James’ grace has inspired me to start this page to give him the support I feel he deserves,” Ali wrote on the page. “Perhaps this money can be used for her college fund or some other education related expense.

“But I’d be just as happy if James used some of this money to take his family on a nice vacation,” he added.

Click To Share The Inspiring Story With Your Friends – Photos by James Shaw Jr.

More Than 70 Volunteers Fix Up Childhood Home So Homeless Veteran Can Move Back in

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Due to the amount of repairs and renovations that were needed on Michael Malone’s childhood home, the 60-year-old veteran has been living in a facility for the homeless.

But thanks to over 70 Indianapolis volunteers, he can finally move back into his rightful home.

Malone, who served in the Air Force from 1976 to 1980 and the Air Reserves from 1981 to 1996, has been trying to recover from the recent deaths of his mother and daughter. Though he was bequeathed his childhood home after his mom’s passing, he did not have the money to finance the extensive repairs, which led to his homelessness.

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, dozens of workers from Home Depot and Volunteers of America offered to conduct renovations on Malone’s house during their days off.

CHECK OUT: After Denver Hired Homeless People to Perform Day Labor For the City, More Than 100 Landed Regular Jobs

Within a matter of days, the team remodeled the bathroom, repainted the interior of the house, and installed new flooring. Not only that, but Malone was especially emotional over the American flag that they installed in front of the building.

“If I turn the corner and see a flag flying, I know I’ll be home then,” said Michael as he stared up at the red, white and blue. “My daughter was born on the 4th of July, so each time I see the flag, I think of her.”

MORE: Instead of Trashing Groceries During Cooler Malfunction, Store Donates 35,000 Pounds of Food

The renovations were a part of Home Depot’s commitment to spending a quarter of a billion dollars on ending veteran homelessness by 2020. Malone was just one of a dozen veterans who were helped by the company’s team of volunteer workers last week.

“I’m kind of overwhelmed. I’m happy, I’m sad in a sense that my mother won’t be here to experience this – this was her home,” Malone told WXIN. “[But] this just blows me away that there are people that are really truly that kind. It absolutely restores my view of humanity.”

Click To Share The Inspiring Story With Your Friends – Photos by Home Depot

Elderly Dog Stays With Lost 3-Year-old Through the Night Before Leading Rescuers Right to Her

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Good News Network
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You might not expect much grit out of a 17-year-old dog who is deaf and partially blind, but Max has just proven that his disabilities are not going to keep him from being a hero.

The courageous canine spent 15 hours in the harsh, rainy Australian bushland alongside a 3-year-old girl who had wandered away from home earlier this weekend.

The little girl named Aurora first went missing on Friday afternoon. The next day, over 100 police and emergency response members were searching the family’s rural property in hopes of finding the youngster.

Her grandmother, Leisa Bennett was joining the search efforts on Saturday when she heard the sound of Aurora’s crying coming from the top of the mountain.

RELATED: Student Saves Drowning Squirrel By Doing CPR She Learned From Watching ‘The Office’

As she moved closer to the sound, Max suddenly appeared out of the bush and led Leisa straight to where Aurora was stranded – and the reunion with her family was an emotional one.

“I think [Aurora] was a bit overwhelmed by the tears and the howling, but I explained to her how happy those tears were,” she said. “It could have gone any of 100 ways, but she’s here, she’s alive, she’s well and it’s a great outcome for our family.”

The 3-year-old was located just 1.2 miles away from her family’s house with minor cuts and scrapes.

CHECK OUT: Heroic Neighbor Dog Pulls Exhausted Drowning Man to Shore

“The area around the house is quite mountainous and is very inhospitable terrain to go walking in, so she’d traveled quite a distance with her dog that was quite loyal to her,” SES area controller Ian Phipps told ABC.net.au.

“With the weather last night it’s quite lucky she is well because it was cold, it was cold and raining,” he added.

While it is pretty safe to assume that Max the senior dog was rewarded with a bone for his heroic efforts, he was also named an honorary Queensland police dog for his bravery.

Click To Share The Pawesome Story With Your Friends – Photo by the Queensland Police

“Being thankful unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough… It brings peace for today.” – Melodie Beattie

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Quote of the Day: “Being thankful unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough… It brings peace for today.” – Melodie Beattie

Photo: Alviso, California sunset by Peter Thoeny, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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Why Sleep is More Important Than Diet and How it Reversed Bone Disease

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Good News Network
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The Lesson: Everyone knows that diet and exercise are essential for health and recovery – but what about the importance of sleep? In this podcast, one of the country’s most critically-acclaimed nutritionists talks about why sleep may be the missing piece on your health journey; how sleep influences body composition; and what strategies you can use to fall asleep more easily.

Notable Excerpt: “For me, I could barely walk properly. So I started on a stationary bike and then moved to a treadmill, and I started jogging a little bit, and then picked up the weights again. Then, just to quickly jump to the end of the story, I lost 28 pounds [over the course of] the next six weeks. And the pain that I had been experiencing for two and a half years was gone. But I now know that the third and most important part of this [healing], was the rest and recovery. It seemed like I was resting a lot by not doing anything, but I really wasn’t. It was a lot of suffering – and my greatest struggle was at night when I was going to bed because the pain was so bad, it would wake me up. And I was on various medications and I had basically drugged myself to not wake up – so it was more like a pseudo sleep. And it would take several hours before I really felt like I was awake. And the things that I was doing during the day, [when I was] changing my lifestyle, showed up for me on the pillow; because … if you’re not sleeping well, then you’re not healing well, and this is when your body releases the vast majority of human growth hormones, antibiotic hormones, various reparative enzymes. So when my sleep improved, I got better so fast.”

The Guest: When Shawn Stevenson was a youngster, he was diagnosed with a degenerative bone disease that crushed his dreams of becoming a professional athlete. Not only did he overcome the disease by adopting a healthier lifestyle, but he went on to become one of the most acclaimed nutritionists in the country. His podcast, “The Model Health Show”, is listed as the #1 Health podcast in America, and his book “Sleep Smarter” holds a wealth of information on the importance of sleep.

The Host: Tom Bilyeu is the American entrepreneur responsible for co-founding Quest Nutrition: a health food brand that has been called the second fastest growing company in North America. Additionally, he is the co-founder and host of Impact Theory: a podcast dedicated towards educating the masses about business and success.

Pocast: Impact Theory is available for free listening and download on iTunes and YouTube.

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below)

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Girls Discover New Interest in STEM Thanks to Bracelets That Have Built-in Games

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Good News Network
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GNN.org is the exclusive media partner for the 2018 ‘Global Good Fund’ Fellows—12 extraordinary young social entrepreneurs who are making the world a better place. Chosen annually, the 12 Fellows are each matched with an executive mentor, leadership coach, and $10,000. Hand-selected from 2,400 applicants in 100 countries, these visionaries are being celebrated—one each day on GNN—leading up to the 6th Annual Global Good Fund Gala, on April 26.

When Makeda Ricketts was in high school, she was president of her high school math club. Filled with fascination for engineering and technology, she would spend her spare time building complex structures out of staples.

Her pre-teen sister, on the other hand, is a different type of girl.

Makeda noticed her sister had started losing interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education, and she became determined to find educational toys or products to keep the youngster engaged. For Makeda, this was a way to create common interests between the two of them, and stay connected with her sister despite their age and social differences.

Makeda’s sister is not the only one, either – every day, millions of girls lose interest in STEM, which leads to economic ramifications for society. Only 1 in 4 women work in STEM, and those who do earn 33% more money than women who don’t.

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“I want young girls to see the opportunities and possibilities STEM offers in terms of career development, economic empowerment, and the creativity that comes from it,” Makeda explains.

In 2013, Makeda realized the lack of fun, incentivizing products on the market and created PinkThink: an educational technology company that sells cStyle bracelets that teach coding skills. PinkThink creates innovative wearables that make STEM powerful, relevant and engaging.

In one game, PinkThink users are make believe product engineers, developing and marketing virtual nail polish. In another, they are programmers that use a drag and drop coding language to program the lights on a bracelet.

MORE: Kenyan Schoolgirls Invent App to Stop Female Genital Mutilation

Makeda’s mission is to encourage girls aged 8-14 to pursue STEM today so that they can increase the number of women with STEM careers in the future. When taught at a young age, this experiential type of learning will carry on with students for a lifetime.

Though Makeda was not a PinkThink girl, she’s grateful for her curious nature and learning abilities that have helped her be successful in building the business.

Makeda has received numerous awards and recognition for her work, including the Yale School of Management Business Plan Competition, Maker of the Year by International Alley Awards, and named by Chicago Scholars as one of the 35 under 35 Leaders Making an Impact.

LOOK: Simple Contraption Saves Women From Having to Break Their Necks Just to Carry Water

She has also been featured in Huffington Post and was recognized by Chicago Woman Magazine as a 2016 “Woman to Watch”.

STEM jobs are abundant and growing. Makeda’s sister, once a young girl with little interest in education, now dreams of becoming an engineer, and is enrolled in camp to further explore her passion.

Through its Fellowship program launched in 2012, The Global Good Fund invests in high potential leaders committed to social impact worldwide. It also created the 360 MIRROR – the first evidence-based leadership assessment for social entrepreneurs and CEOs.

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