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“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln

Quote of the Day: “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln

Learn About the Photo: Watch Child Piano Prodigy Prove That Autism Is Not a Roadblock (Image by Jacob Velazquez, YouTube)

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.

Neighbor Reads Girl’s Heart-Wrenching Letter to Santa About Broken Roof and Rallies Help

When Betzabe Gomez was writing a letter to Santa Claus at her neighbor’s house a couple of weeks ago, she wasn’t asking for toys or treats – she was begging Saint Nick to fix her family’s house.

Betzabe wrote: “Dear Santa, I need help in my house because when it’s raining, the rain comes in. When I look at it I am sad. This is why I want help and what if it floods in there?”

The youngster’s neighbor, Araceli Ramos, read Betzabe’s letter and was instantly heartbroken.

Betzabe and her family’s home was damaged by Hurricane Harvey. After her father endured five strokes and dialysis, her mother had to quit her job in order to take care of him. With five kids in the family, they have very little money to fix something like a leaky roof.

“It broke my heart,” Ramos said. “I thought, ‘Dear God, help me to help them.’”

She began reaching out to friends, nonprofits, and businesses; and it seemed that everyone wanted to help. Even government officials got involved.

Upon hearing about the little girl’s situation, state representative Armando Walle, who was the oldest of five children raised by a single mother, got a ladder and fixed Betzabe’s roof as best he could. He also donated two space heaters to the family.

“That little [girl] tells you a little about humanity, and how we should live,” Armando said. “She wanted her roof fixed and her dad to get better.”

CLICK the link below to see footage of the Christmas party that the community hosted for Betzabe – and don’t forget to SHARE this sweet story with your friends…

How to Say No

Title: How To Say No

The Lesson: Have you ever had trouble handling rejection? Or have you ever had a hard time turning down other people? Well, this talk covers everything you need to know about the magic word: “no”.

Notable Excerpt: “When I wrote Tribe of Mentors, I reached out to many different experts, leaders, athletes, and entrepreneurs who are the best in the world at what they do. More than 130 people said yes — but many others said no … as it turns out, some of those rejection letters were so expertly crafted, I turned right around and asked the people who rejected me if I could include their letters in the book itself.”

The Host: Over the course of his career, Ferriss has become a one-time national Chinese kickboxing champion, a lecturer at Princeton University, a professional breakdancer on MTV, a horseback archer, and a multimillionaire author, motivational speaker, and investor. If that isn’t impressive enough, his critically-acclaimed podcast, the Tim Ferriss Show, was also voted #1 in its category on iTunes.

Podcast: The Tim Ferriss Show is available for free on Overcast, Stitcher, and iTunes.

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below – It starts at 5:45 in…) – Photo by smpl.co.uk, CC

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Tech Billionaires Make Largest Donation Ever to Preserve 24,000 Acres of California Coastline

Thanks to a $165 million donation from two tech billionaires, over 24,000 acres of pristine California coastline will be permanently protected in the years to come.

The multi-million dollar contribution from Jack and Laura Dangermond, which was given to The Nature Conservancy (TNC), is the single largest philanthropic donation in the organization’s history.

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The conservation group released a statement last week saying that the donation enabled them to buy out the Cojo/Jalama Ranch at Point Conception in Santa Barbara County.

The 8 miles of breathtaking California coastline is the home of 39 different threatened and endangered wildlife species. Described as a sanctuary of “biological richness” and “a confluence of ecological, historical, and cultural values across Native American, Spanish and American histories,” the land can even be seen from space, according to the TNC.

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Mile Sweeney, Executive Director of the TNC California Chapter, said: “There’s no place like it. It’s where Northern California and Southern California meet. Standing there in the oaks, looking west across the ocean, you understand why this has been a spiritual place for millennia. This place is special for many reasons. We aim to build on that with a robust applied research agenda that delivers insights for conservationists around the world.”

This is not the first time that the Dangermonds have made conservational contributions – in 1969, they founded the Environmental Systems Research Institute, a privately held geographic information systems software company that the started with $1,100 in savings. According to Forbes, the couple now has a net worth of $4.1 billion.

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Jack Dangermond said: “We want to inspire more people to give major contributions toward conservation, that’s the only reason we’ve chosen to share our involvement. We want to set an example. Conservation isn’t just being nice to animals or plants, it’s investing in the continued life support systems of humans and all other species on the planet. We need more people to step up to protect our last great places.”

Click To Share The Good News With Your Friends (Photo by The Nature Conservancy)

Officer Punches Through Frozen Pond to Rescue 8-Year-old Boy

Sergeant Aaron Thompson is being hailed as a hero after he punched through a frozen pond on Monday evening in order to save a young boy who had fallen through the ice 30 minutes beforehand.

The 8-year-old from New Harmony, Utah had been chasing his dog when a neighbor saw him fall into the water.

Thompson arrived on the scene and immediately started punching and jumping on the ice so he could break the surface. After suffering a few scratches on his forearms, he successfully punched through the ice and dove into the pond.

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With water up to his neck, the sheriff’s deputy moved his arms through the water until he found the youngster drifting nearby.

The boy is currently being treated at a local hospital, and Thompson says that – because of the water’s temperature, the boy’s age, and the amount of time he was in the water – he feels optimistic about the 8-year-old’s survival.

UPDATE: Authorities say that the boy, who has only been identified as Jason, awoke on Wednesday morning and has been coherently answering questions from medical staff.

(WATCH the deputy’s interview below)

Save Your Friends From Negativity: Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photos by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office)

Friends For 60 Years Find Out They’re Biological Brothers

These two best friends have been buddies since the sixth grade – but in a strange turn of events, they recently discovered that they’re not only best friends… they’re also brothers.

Over the course of the last six decades, Walter Macfarlane and Alan Robinson of Oahu, Hawaii have played cribbage together, played football together, and grown up together. They also had similar family histories; Macfarlane never knew his father, and Robinson was adopted.

As a means of trying to track down his biological father, however, Macfarlane started investigating his ancestry on the internet. After undergoing a DNA test, Macfarlane discovered that he had startlingly similarly genetics with a user named Robi737.

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The pseudonym ended up belonging to Robinson, who had taken the same DNA test years earlier so he could find out more about his birth family. Further research revealed that Robinson and Macfarlane were indeed biological brothers.

Upon experiencing the shock of the discovery, the brothers are now making plans to travel the world before they go into retirement together.

“This is the best Christmas present I could ever imagine having,” Robinson told KHON.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The Sweet Surprise With Your Friends – Photo by KHON

“We all start with gifts. Merit comes from what we make of them” – Jean Toomer

“We all start with gifts. Merit comes from what we make of them” – Jean Toomer

Check out more inspiring thoughts every day on our homepage, where we will be adding a new quote each day juxtaposed over a beautiful photo. We are collecting and archiving them on our Quote of the Day page. So why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

‘A Christmas Miracle’: 5 Frozen Puppies Rescued and Revived in Time For Christmas

While some people might be happy about getting holiday gifts, the internet is rejoicing over the ‘miracle’ recovery of 5 puppies in Canada.

Tessa Lee, a worker at the Edmonton animal rescue, was preparing for Christmas on Saturday night when she received a call from a woman in Glenevis, Alberta saying that she had spotted some underweight puppies on someone’s nearby property.

When Lee drove the 55-mile distance (90 kilometers) to where the woman saw the dogs, she found five malnourished and freezing pups.

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After being taken back to the warmth of her home, four of the five puppies recovered fairly quickly – one dog, however, was having a worryingly slow recovery.

But thanks to a lot of bottle feeding, an on-call veterinarian, dozens of small meals, and a little Christmas magic, the dog started showing signs of healing.

“We didn’t know if they would pull through,” Lee told CBC News. “It’s a Christmas miracle.”

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In the adorable video posted by the Whitecourt Homeless Animal Rescue Foundation, the dog can be seen joyfully – and persistently – stumbling around Lee’s kitchen. Though she still has some recovering to do, her progress is definitely cause for celebration.

“This puppy didn’t have the strength to lift her body up yesterday,” says the video description. “[Now,] she is drinking water and eating on her own.”

The dog, which Lee has named Ruby, will be available for adoption after two months of recovery and treatment at the Edmonton animal rescue shelter.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The Pawesome Story With Your Friends (Photo by Tessa Lee)

Watch Senior’s Reaction to Finally Getting Last Ride With the ‘One That Got Away’

It had been almost 60 years since Patrick McKay had driven in his dream car car

McKay, who first immigrated from Ireland to America in the 1950s, worked full-time as a bus driver. The Irishman knew Upon deciding that he wanted to drive a more suave set of wheels, he stashed away all of his money until he could buy the ultimate automobile: a 1956 Nash Ambassador.

It was the car that would be there for every joyous milestone in McKay’s life. The Nash would impress his wife-to-be on their first date; it would then take them on their honeymoon; and it would be the star in dozens of family vacations.

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When a friend was in need of a car, however, McKay was nudged into selling the Nash for $75. The friend ended up crashing the car, and for all of the years to come, McKay would refer to the Nash as “the one that got away”.

Upon turning 84 years old, McKay started succumbing to the effects of dementia. As his health declined, his family began to wonder whether it was possible to fulfill his last wish and reunite him with his lost automotive love.

Thanks to a little help from automotive company Classic Cars, McKay was surprised with one last ride in a blue 1956 Nash Ambassador just before he passed away.

(WATCH the heartwarming video below)

Drive This Sweet Story Over To Your Friends: Click To Share

‘Be Brave Ranch’ Cuts PTSD of Abused Children in Half

Thanks to an influx of community support, the Little Warriors ‘Be Brave Ranch’ in Canada can continue helping children rebuild their lives, and heal with dignity and respect, after experiencing trauma.

Committed to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of child sexual abuse, the nonprofit operates a one-year healing program for children ages 8-12 at an innovative ranch near Edmonton, Alberta.

The “highly significant” outcome for the 140 graduates of Be Brave since 2014 shows that, by the end of the year, the program had reduced Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms by 47%.

RELATED: 6,000 Sex Trafficking Victims Rescued by Ashton Kutcher’s Organization

The Little Warriors facility provides an array of different therapy options—an Art Therapy Room, Music Room, Play Room, Movie Room, Yoga Room, and Magic Room with new toys. When children arrive, they are each given a quilt made especially for them, along with a handwritten letter containing messages of hope from the quilt-makers.

Anyone can go online and complete an application to enter this program, and then the team goes through a screening process to make sure the child is the right match.

“We hear from parents and teachers that the kids are different people when they arrive back home,” reports Little Warriors CEO Laurie Szymanski. “They now have the tools and strategies to deal with their trauma – and can rebuild their lives.”

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As a prevention measure, the group also provides a “Prevent It” online training program for parents.

To make all this happen, Little Warriors counts on the generosity of personal donations and corporate sponsors like Black Rifle Coffee Company Canada (BRCC).

Darren Weeks, the philanthropist and founder of BRCC Canada, was inspired to support Little Warriors after meeting their Founder Glori Meldrum. He personally donated $15,000 this year, and his team is donating profit from their coffee sales and sponsoring the Little Warriors’ annual charity event.

They’ve created a custom “Little Warriors Blend”, and have gifted over 300 free pounds of the roasted beans for the program to give to donors and staff.

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“If we can help prevent the abuse of just one child, it is a win,” said Richie Pon, the company’s vice president.

With the year-end annual giving season here, consider donating directly to Little Warriors, and/or purchasing from Black Rifle Coffee Canada online because any sale will result in a portion of profits being donated to the healing of these children.

Watch Boat Captain Pull Rusty Hook From Mouth of 7-Foot-Long Shark

While Hollywood’s aquatic horror flick Jaws make have given some people a fear of sharks, it certainly did not intimidate Elliot Grant Sudal.

Sudal, who is a boat captain in Florida, also tags sharks for the NOAA Apex predator tagging program. Thanks to the 29-year-old’s work, the organization can monitor and track shark migration routes, reproduction, and growth patterns.

RELATED VIDEO: Mesmerizing Video of 10,000 Snow Geese Taking Flight Will Soothe Your Soul

Sudal was working off of Sanibel Island last month when he found a 7-foot-long tiger shark with a rusty fishing hook hanging from its mouth.

The boat captain whipped out a pair of pliers and safely removed the hook from its mouth before tagging the shark and releasing it back into the ocean.

(WATCH the video below)

You Should Dolphinately Click To Share With Your Friends

Watch Heroic Homeless Man Come to Defense of Female Cop, ‘Something had to be done’

Police in Columbia, South Carolina praised a homeless hero last week who came to the aid of a female police officer being overpowered by an assailant during an arrest.

In a gas station parking lot, she was knocked to the ground several times by the much larger man who had attacked the store clerk while wielding a knife.

Cray Turmon realized that something had to be done, or someone might lose their life. He sprang into action tackling the suspect so Officer Hardesty could subdue him with handcuffs.

RELATEDHomeless Man Gets Huge Reward for Standing Guard Over Stranger’s Money in the Rain

“She’d done everything she could,” Turmon told Fox News. “It was going to get ugly, ya know?”

Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook honored Turmon, who lives in a homeless shelter, with a certificate for his “extraordinary actions to preserve life and aid public safety.” They also brought Christmas gifts to the Transistions shelter, where he is staying.

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“Bravo Mr. Cray Turmon for your random act of kindness your gift to us when CPD officer Ashley Hardesty needed it the most,” wrote the department on their Facebook page.

(WATCH the video below)

SHARE the Good News.. Or,  – Photo by Columbia Police Department

“By changing the inner attitudes of their minds, human beings can change the outer aspects of their lives.” – William James

“By changing the inner attitudes of their minds, human beings can change the outer aspects of their lives.” – William James

Check out more inspiring thoughts every day on our homepage, where we will be adding a new quote each day juxtaposed over a beautiful photo. We are collecting and archiving them on our Quote of the Day page. So why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

How to Feel Healthy and Less Lonely by Spending Time Alone

Most of us love to be connected and surrounded by friends, but sometimes being pulled in a hundred different directions makes you forget about the interests you would pursue if you were by yourself. If you feel this way, you are not alone – but you may need to be.

There are far more interactions and distractions in our daily lives than ever before, causing our brains to be on sensory overload. If meaningful, the interactions can make us feel connected. Being in a distracted state, however, can make us feel disconnected, which can lead to loneliness.
Learning how

to rejuvenate by enjoying your own company is a great first step to reducing loneliness. Spending quality alone time can fuel your creativity, help you focus, de-clutter your mind, decrease anxiety, improve your social interactions and actually make you feel less lonely.

Here are a 10 tips to help you love, and long for, your alone time.

1) Know the Difference between Loneliness, Being Alone and Quality Alone Time

The ability to feel lonely is innate in all of us. As described in a study published in the Perspectives on Psychological Science and reported by Big Think exploring the origins of loneliness, we have physiological and psychological reactions pushing us to seek human interaction in order to survive. Because of this instinctive need to connect, we tend to measure our social success by how many friends we have online and offline and like to socialize with an entourage.

RELATEDLearn How to Spend Time Alone So You Can Unlock Your Creativity

The volume of interactions we face today, however, means that even if we are not socializing and are physically alone, we are not necessarily getting the quality alone time our body and mind need in order to best function. Not turning “off” means we are still “on.”

2) Take Space to “Space Out”

Being “on” can be exhilarating but also exhausting. We need eight hours of sleep every night so our bodies can revitalize but when do our minds get refreshed? For every action, there is a reaction. While we are at work, in a conversation with friends, running errands, our mind and body are constantly reacting. If we allowed ourselves not to react, we would space out a lot more than is probably socially acceptable. Sometimes, it is good to be in full solitude to have the space to just space out.

3) Make it a Want Even if it is a Need

If you are an introvert or suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), quality alone time is not only something you seek but it is also essential to your health and happiness. Social interactions for introverts deplete energy whereas for extroverts, they boost energy. People with ADD tend to get overwhelmed by too many distractions and need more time alone than others do to give their busy brains a rest.

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With ADD prevalence rising and the emergence of “introverted extroverts” who require a certain amount of solitude to offset social activities, the majority of us could benefit from making quality alone time a necessity.

4) Stop Judging Yourself

Society tells us that there are situations that are acceptable to be alone, such as in a library, and there are those where a lack of companion by your side means a lack of companionship in your life, such as a concert or weekend getaway.

Research shows that an important reason for people’s inhibitions from partaking in public, enjoyable activities alone is their concern that others will judge them if they do. Yet, we overestimate how many people will notice or care and anticipate significantly more negative reactions from others than we will actually receive.

So stop judging yourself and go see that movie that you’ve been dying to see that your partner has no interest in and all of your friends have already seen.

5) Focus on your Own Experience

You may be setting the bar too high to find friends or a partner that share every single same interest as you. Can’t find anyone to take a cooking lesson, join a volleyball league or take a dance class with you? Do it alone and you may enjoy it even more than doing it with someone who doesn’t share your same enthusiasm. Doing an activity you enjoy alone allows you to focus on your own experience instead of ensuring someone else is also having a good time.

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6) Trust that Others May also be Alone

Chances are if you had the courage to go alone, someone else may have too. This is a great way to meet like-minded people that share a similar interest. We are more likely to meet new people when we are alone as we are more approachable and it seems more natural to strike up a conversation with a stranger. So in getting to know yourself you may, in the process, make a new friend that shares a similar interest.

7) Create Mini Vacations in Mundane Activities

In the same way that an employer encourages you to take your vacation days so that you come back to work refreshed, your family and friends need you to create mini vacations for yourself in your every day life. Turn your long commute home into a joy ride by using this built-in time alone. Allow yourself to reflect on your day without talking, emailing or texting anyone about it. “Taking time in solitude to reflect [on activities] is just as important as the activities themselves,” says Joseph Murray, an associate professor of education at Bucknell University who has studied development for more than 20 years. Your loved ones may miss you but they will be thankful for the state you are in once you reconnect.

8) Talk to Yourself

Don’t try this with others around, but we can get so lost in our thoughts that sometimes, it helps to say them out loud. Do this while driving and pretend like you’re on the phone. The good thoughts sound better and the bad ones sound worse. Just talk it out with yourself. Creativity flourishes in solitude so who knows, during this “self-therapy” you may actually come up with a few pretty great ideas.

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9) Don’t Expect Too Much and Stick With It

Have you ever noticed how you need a few days into a vacation to unwind? We may need a few tries to actually enjoy alone time and to get its benefits. Expectations are a heavy thing. What I “should” be doing, what I “should” be thinking. It might take some time to remember what it is that you enjoy doing when no one is watching, when no one is expecting anything of you. Do that thing. It can be as little as catching up on your favorite show, getting your hair done or going for a bike ride.

10) Become More Sociable

Sometimes making social plans feels like an obligation if we’re running around from one thing to the next. Instead of wanting to be left alone, we start to long for social interaction if we’ve set quality time aside for ourselves. Social outings become something we choose, not something we have to do.

Nurturing your independence can also give you more self-worth, make you feel more capable and less needy in a relationship. Once you have found satisfaction on your own and allowed time to explore your interests and your partner has done the same, it is fun to re-unite. You’ll have more to talk about and will have allowed space to miss each other.

Once you have re-connected with yourself, you can connect with others in a more meaningful way.

Share to Help a Friend… Or, (Photo by Hernán Piñera, CC)

“Christmas, my dear, will always be, just so long as we have we.” –Dr. Seuss

“Christmas, my dear, will always be, just so long as we have we.” – Dr. Seuss

Check out more inspiring thoughts every day on our homepage, where we will be adding a new quote each day juxtaposed over a beautiful photo. We are collecting and archiving them on our Quote of the Day page. So why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

86-year-old With Dementia Snuggles Up to Mall Santa – and Makes Everybody Cry

Hartsocks Photography

An Albuquerque Santa is still wiping his eyes after a photo shoot with an elderly lady whose dementia brought her back to the childhood emotions of Christmas.

Karen Rangel, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014, arrived at the mall with her children and grandchildren to sit for a holiday portrait. The resulting photos are a beautiful reminder that memories never die—even in someone with dementia.

The staff at Hartsocks’ Photography, along with the family, decided to share the images on Facebook, exclaiming, “Karen absolutely loves Santa!”

They reported that she’s been a super-fan her whole life and would even “flirt with him” as an adult when she still lived on her own.

“Karen has a special Santa doll she sleeps with. She doesn’t talk too much these days, but enjoys speaking to her Santa doll in Japanese.”

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So, her loving family arranged for her to meet with Santa at the New Mexico studio on December 7.

“He gave her a special gift, a handmade Busy Blanket created just for her!” wrote Hartsocks’ Photography on their Facebook page.

While sitting on the green plush sofa, she told him that she loves him and remembers visiting him before.

“Every time Santa got close to her, she would nuzzle in and close her eyes as if there was no place she would rather be. It was so sweet and emotional for Santa and our whole staff.”

Santa held it together through the shoot, but when he saw her walk out the door, he cried.

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Linda Rangel said later that after she showed her mother the picture of her with Santa, all Karen kept saying was “I miss you, Santa….Listen, I miss you, Santa.”

A true story of the magic of Christmas and the spirit of Santa that lives in all who once believed.

Don‘t forget to Share the Spirit of the Season, Or,  –Photos used with permission

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Angel Donor Offers to Match 100K to Give Research into Rare Disease a Big Boost

One anonymous guardian angel is ensuring that these two best friends with the same rare disease have a shot at surviving their sickness and being treated for their symptoms – no matter the cost.

Hereditary spastic paraplegia, also known as SPG47, is an ultra-rare neurodegenerative disease that causes microcephaly, seizures, and malformation of the brain.

When 4-year-olds Robbie Edwards and Molly Duffy met in person last year, they were the only two people in the United States – and the tenth and eleventh in the world – to be diagnosed with the incurable sickness.

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As the tots happily played together, their parents, Chris and Kasey Edwards, and Kevin and Angela Duffy discussed how they could possibly save their daughters from the fate of the devastating disease.

The four adults founded their own nonprofit, Cure SPG47, and established a renowned scientific team composed of some of the best minds in the fields of neurology, translational neuroscience, cell biology, gene therapy, and clinical drug development.

While Robbie and Molly strengthened their friendship over the course of the last year, their parents initiated and funded two promising research options: drug screening at Boston Children’s Hospital and gene therapy at the University of Sheffield, UK.

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Then, something amazing happened – an anonymous “angel donor” offered to match all of the nonprofit’s donations up to $100,000 until the end of January.

While millions are still needed to fund the research in full, a massive sum could be the financial push needed to advance proof-of-concept research and attain grant funding.

The parents’ nonprofit has started a GoFundMe to help raise the necessary funds for SPG47 research, and the page has already raised over $8,000. With the “angel donor’s” promise to double the earnings, that brings the tally up to $16,000.

This is great news for Robbie and Molly, as well as several other youngsters who were recently diagnosed with SPG47, because successful research could prevent SPG47 from taking away the physical and verbal milestones they work so hard to be able to achieve.

(WATCH the video below)

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Bus Driver Knits Personalized Hats, Scarves For Each Unique Student on Her Route

 

This bus driver does a lot more than escort students to and from school – she also knits them custom-made hats and scarves with love in every stitch.

While Sara Lopez has been an adoring school bus driver for 16 years, she has also been crocheting for two decades.

This year, one of the parents suggested that she combine her two loves and knit hats for the kids on her route for Hermansen Elementary School in Romeoville, Illinois.

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Each hat is modeled on something the child likes, like Spongebob Squarepants, Minions, or Spiderman.

When asked why she goes the extra mile for the her tiny passengers, she says it is simply because she loves them—and loves her job.

“Our bus drivers do much more than drive and deliver,” says the school district page. “If you ride Ms. Lopez’ bus with the kids … it is like riding with a family.”

(WATCH the video below)

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Star Wars-Inspired Bionic Hand Allows Amputee to Play the Piano For First Time in 5 Years

The force is strong with this one – or at least, it is strong in his bionic arm.

Jason Barnes has not been able to efficiently play a piano since he lost his right arm five years ago.

Thanks to a new kind of Star Wars-inspired technology, however, he was recently able to pluck out a few tunes at Georgia Institute of Technology.

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The bionic arm, which was modeled after Luke Skywalker’s hand in Star Wars V: Empire Strikes Back, used ultrasound technology to analyze contracting muscles in a person’s remaining limb and guess which finger they are trying to move – even if they don’t have fingers.

Almost all of the prosthetic arms on the market currently use sensors that simply switch between basic modes of use, such as flexing and contracting. The ultrasound technology, on the other hand, gives amputees a new kind of dexterity that has never before been made available.

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Gil Weinberg, the Georgia Tech College of Design professor who lead the project, said: “If this type of arm can work on music, something as subtle and expressive as playing the piano, this technology can also be used for many other types of fine motor activities such as bathing, grooming and feeding.

“I also envision able-bodied persons being able to remotely control robotic arms and hands by simply moving their fingers,” he added.

“It’s completely mind-blowing,” said Barnes. “This new arm allows me to do whatever grip I want, on the fly, without changing modes or pressing a button. I never thought we’d be able to do this.”

(WATCH the video below)

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In Honor of Man Who Rescued Her 68 Years Ago, Woman Has Donated 16 Gallons of Blood

A stranger’s act of kindness miraculously saved a child several decades ago – and now, that child has gone on to repay that kind act many times over.

For 70-year-old Janis Martinez, the greatest gift she ever received came from a total stranger – and it happened just after the worst trauma of her life.

When she was just 2 years old, Martinez got ahold of a match and accidentally set herself on fire. Her mother and a neighbor quickly put out the flames and took her to the hospital, already in dire condition.

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According to the video below, Martinez says she had suffered third-degree burns across 65% of her body. Most of the rest of her body was second-degree burns. Doctors told Martinez’s mother that the little girl would need a miracle to survive.

That miracle came in the form of a truck driver from New Jersey. He heard an announcement over the radio that a girl had been hurt and needed blood donations immediately. He stopped his route and drove to the hospital where he didn’t just give blood – he also donated his skin.

“[Skin donation] is a dreadful process. Very, very painful,” Martinez recalls.

The trucker’s donations allowed the young child to stabilize, but it was still weeks before she was able to go home. When she did, the prognosis wasn’t good. Doctors said that she would have brain damage, she would never live a normal life, and she would never bear children.

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While it did require many surgeries in order to recover from the burns she suffered at a young age, Martinez is now 70 years old. She has children and grandchildren. She also ran a successful executive search firm for decades, and was able to retire so she could spend more time volunteering.

Throughout her life, she never stopped thinking about what that stranger did for her, and she has never stopped trying to pay back the deed. She became a volunteer, and eventually a board member, for the American Red Cross. She also became passionate about giving blood; to date, she has donated 129 pints  – or more than 16 gallons.

Why?

“Because I want to save a 2-year-old baby,” Martinez says.

(WATCH the video interview below)

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