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Tortoise Gets Second Chance After Healing With Acupuncture

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McKinley Corbley
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Dr. Carolina Medina, SFWC volunteer (Red) Gopher tortoises Electro-acupuncture therapy

Dr. Carolina Medina gives tortoise electro-acupuncture therapy

Though this wildlife center cares for thousands of animals every year, this is the first time they have ever used acupuncture on a patient.

The special case was a 10-year-old gopher tortoise that was found on the side of the road with a deep crack in her shell and no motor control left in her back legs.

The South Florida Wildlife Center (SFWC) took the tortoise into their care and started a life-saving treatment of “electro-acupuncture”: a therapy that connects electrical leads to acupuncture needles with the goal of improving the stimulation of damaged nerves through mild electrical currents.

RELATED: Baby Tortoises Survive on Galapagos Island for First Time in 100 Years

Their efforts paid off within just a week in April, as she regained movement in her back legs. One month later, the tortoise was wandering around her outdoor enclosure and munching on tasty grass shoots.

A threatened species in Florida, gopher tortoises make their homes by burrowing into the dirt. To ensure this particular patient’s survival, the final step is waiting until she regains her digging abilities before releasing her back into the wild.

LOOK: Man Builds Tiny “Life Jacket” To Save Beloved Pet Goldfish

The tortoise was a perfect example of SFWC’s promotion of the One Health concept, which recognizes that each individual species is linked to the survival of every other.

“Gopher tortoises are a keystone species,” said the Humane Society of the United State’s senior director Debra Parsons-Drake. “The burrows they dig are essential to the survival of hundreds of other species who use them for safety and shelter.

“By saving this one animal, we are not only benefitting her, but positively affecting the environment in which we all co-exist.”

Dr. Carolina Medina, SFWC volunteer, gopher tortoises, electro-acupuncture therapy

Click To Share This Cool Rescue With Your Friends – Photos by Jesus Aranguren/AP Images for HSUS

Trash Man Creates Free Library Out of 20,000 Books Found in Garbage

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McKinley Corbley
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This garbage man hated to see all the books in the trash bins of wealthier neighborhoods—so he started salvaging them to create a new library for his own neighborhood.

It all began 20 years ago when Jose Alberto Gutierrez of Bogota, Colombia found a copy of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina in with the rubbish.

When he decided to rescue the book from the trash, it created a “snowball effect” that inspired him to continue saving discarded literature.

CHECK OUT: Shakira Built 7 Schools in the Poorest Areas of South America

Gutierrez has since collected over 20,000 books that now make up his own free library, aptly named “Strength of Words”. Every single room of his house is overflowing with literature, which he opens up to community children on the weekends.

South Bogota is a poorer area, which makes finding books that are freely available much more rare than in other neighborhoods. Thanks to Gutierrez’s efforts, however, local children now have a host of resources at their disposal. He also has started shipping books to other regions that experience a lack of literature.

Gutierrez doesn’t limited his book-lending to children, either – the trash man has sent books to FARC rebels who are preparing to assimilate into civilian life, according to the BBC.

(WATCH the video below)

Help Your Friends Read This Story: Click To Share – Image via Al Jazeera video

This Guy Didn’t Let Loss of Limbs Defeat His Lifelong Passion for Bowling

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Good News Network
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Patrick Davis had enjoyed bowling for 40 years until disaster struck—but he is knocking down pins once again by overcoming what others might call a disability.

The father of two daughters was taken to the emergency room in May 2015 after the Illinois man told his sister he wasn’t feeling well.

All Davis remembers is being admitted to a hospital room and waking up a month later to his wife telling him that doctors were going to amputate his arms and legs.

CHECK OUT: 17-Year-Old Blind Pole Vaulter Wins Bronze at State Championship

Television reporter Gary Metivier reported that Davis had been admitted with pneumococcal pneumonia – a disease caused by bacteria infecting the lungs. When the bowler turned septic, doctors gave him only a one percent chance of survival.

He defeated those depressing odds, and five months after being released from the hospital, Davis started walking on two prosthetic limbs. Then his brother encouraged him to return to the sport he loved so much—bowling.

As you can see in this inspiring video, Davis is even a better bowler than ever.

(WATCH the video below, and see more in the KWQC-TV series called My Ability)

Score Big With Your Friends: Click To Share – Image via KWQC video

Family Drives 16 Hours to Adopt Pup After Hearing Shelter Was Too Full

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McKinley Corbley
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This sweet pup may not be a princess, but she surely will be living happily ever after with these fairy godparents.

Earlier last week, the Front Street Animal Shelter of Sacramento, California announced on Facebook that they had no more room for dogs in their facilities. The shelter made a post online encouraging readers to rescue their residents by coming in and adopting a pet.

There was one animal in particular that the shelter went out of their way to showcase for adoption: a loving dog named Joyce that had been living there for two months, waiting for a forever home.

CHECK OUT: Donations From All Over the World Save Untouchable Cat

A family in British Columbia saw the post and decided that Joyce would be a perfect addition for theirs.

The family then drove over 16 hours in order to adopt the patient pup – and shelter workers recorded the magical moment when they eagerly gave Joyce some well-earned belly rubs.

Front Street published a heartwarming video of the encounter, ending it with a shot of Joyce riding into the sunset with her new Canadian family.

If you live in the Sacramento area, the animal shelter is waiving all adoption fees for the rest of the month in order to find permanent homes for their residents.

(WATCH the video below)

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Woman Praised For Making Sure Blind Man Gets Taxi From Ball Game

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Good News Network
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This good Samaritan is being hailed by the internet as a bright light in a weary world.

The woman was photographed by Ryan Hamilton, who was dining on the rooftop of Old Crow Smokehouse across from Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois.

Cubs fans were exiting the stadium after their 5-3 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday when a blind spectator named Yusef Dale “spent several minutes” unsuccessfully trying to hail a cab.

CHECK OUT: Have You Watched This Netflix Series About Kindness?

According to Hamilton, a young woman who was later identified as Casey Spelman walked up to the blind man and asked if he needed help. When Dale said yes, she then stood right by his side until a taxi pulled up into view.

“Wanted to give a shout-out to this girl,” wrote Hamilton. “Awesome to see such kindness in a world that the media portrays so much hate in. Share freely in hopes that her kindness spreads.”

Dale later praised Spelman, telling WGN, “She did not presume I was incompetent or unable … she didn’t get in my personal space and most importantly, she didn’t touch me, which is an issue for some people with disabilities.”

36-year-old Spelman has since downplayed her role by saying that her good deed should be the norm—not something considered unusual.

Score Big With Your Friends: Click To Share (Photos by Ryan Hamilton)

Football Player and Uber Driver Become Besties After Trip Across 5 States

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McKinley Corbley
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This football player scored more than a ride to his team’s voluntary workouts – he also scored a friend for life in his Uber driver.

Shareece Wright was stranded at Chicago O’Hare airport in Illinois on Sunday night when he had to be in Buffalo, New York at 7AM for practice.

So, the Buffalo Bills cornerback did what any self-respecting modern man would do, and he called for an Uber.

After two different Uber drivers flaked on the drive, Wright was getting desperate. Then, 26-year-old Hadi Abdollahian answered the request, assuming that it was just another normal night on the job.

CHECK OUT: Opposing Congressmen Become Besties When Forced on D.C. Road Trip

Wright called Abdollahian and asked if the driver didn’t mind taking him to Buffalo. Thinking that the sports star meant “Buffalo Wild Wings”, rather than “Buffalo, New York”, he accepted. Abdollahian picked up Wright from the airport and found that he had misheard the destination. But, because he wanted to be a man of his word, the driver then told Wright to sit back, relax, and enjoy the 8-hour drive.

While the two traveled, the sports star and the driver exchanged stories about their lives, backgrounds, and careers. Abdollahian described how he first came to the United States in 2013 as an Iranian refugee and how he plans on studying computer science at Loyola University, while Wright talked about his family and professional football.

“He didn’t complain once. He kept me from stressing out. The only thing he complained about was people driving 50 miles an hour,” Wright told CNN. “His focus was to get me there on time and he did.”

WATCH: Adorable Reaction of Little Girl’s Friends to Her New Pink Prosthetic

After only stopping once to refuel, the Nissan Altima drove through the night until they finally arrived at the sports team’s facility – just in time for practice.

The trip cost a whopping $632 – but Wright was sure to tip his new friend an extra $300 for his compassion and company. Upon hearing about the trip, Bluerock Energy, one of the Buffalo Bills’s corporate sponsors attempted to reimburse Wright for the trip.

Wright, who is currently under a $775,000 contract, decided that Abdollahian deserved it more – so he sent it back to his friend in Chicago, bringing the driver’s payment to over $1,800.

As far as the trip is concerned, however, the aspiring student says he’s mostly just happy that he has a new friend. The two have chatted on the phone since their trip together, and they both plan on staying connected in the future.

“Honestly, I’m more excited … because of Mr. Wright,” Abdollahian told the Washington Post. “I’m his friend just for taking him to New York. This is more than enough for me.”

Score Big With Your Friends: Click To Share 

Toddler Wows Internet by Washing Dishes While “Belly-Balancing”

By
McKinley Corbley
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This talented little toddler is proving that you can never be too young to start cleaning up after yourself.

Miles Callahan is a New Jersey youngster who is being hailed as a little superhero after a video of him washing dishes started going viral.

The toddler can be seen balancing by his belly on the edge of the family’s kitchen sink while he carefully washes his dishes.

When his father, Clint Callahan, asks Miles what it is he’s doing, he nonchalantly responds with “wash bowl”.

RELATED VIDEO: Veterinarian Soothes Anxious Dogs by Singing to Them

His mother amusedly affirms the statement, to which the young toddler cheerfully says “yeah!”

“It’s never too early to teach your kids to clean up after themselves,” says the New Jersey father. “I don’t care his feet can’t touch the ground, it’s Sunday clean up boy.”

Regardless of whether he continues to clean up after himself in the future, one thing is for sure – this kid definitely has a future in acrobatics.

UPDATE: We are sorry but this video has been removed from the internet some time after this story was published. – GNN team

Scrub A Dub Dub: Click To Share With Your Buds

Looking For a Purrrrfect Road Trip Destination? Visit American Museum of the House Cat

By
McKinley Corbley
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Are you a fan of cats? Are you a fan of art and novelties? Then boy, do we have the place for you.

The American Museum of the House Cat in Sylva, North Carolina is exactly what it sounds like: a quirky roadside attraction containing over 10,000 artifacts, art pieces, novelties, and products devoted to the domesticated house cat. The pieces range from a bronze statue dating back to 600 B.C., to a petrified cat that was frozen in a 16th century chimney.

Located just an hour outside of Asheville, the museum is the brain child of 82-year-old retired college professor Harold Sims – also known in the area as “The Cat Man”. Sims has spent the last 30 plus years accumulating his collection so he can share his love of cats with the world.

CHECK OUT: Man Becomes Hero to Cats in War-Torn Syria

Since it opened on April 1st, visitors have been able to embark on self-guided tours throughout the peculiar feline shrine for only $5 a pop. All proceeds go towards funding the museum and the Catman2 no-kill cat shelter.

The volunteer-run museum can be entered through the neighboring antique mall.

“We had such a wonderful experience at The American Museum of the House Cat!” says visitor Heather Curtis on the museum’s Facebook page. “We spent an easy 2 and a half hours here and didn’t realize how fast time had flown, until my husband, a diabetic, started feeling light headed and needed to take a quick rest before finishing up the rest of our visit.”

Click To Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends (Photo by the American Museum of the House Cat)

Hawaii Becomes First U.S. State To Adopt Goals in Paris Climate Accord

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McKinley Corbley
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Hawaii has just become the first American state to ensure their accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement.

The announcement came just days after President Trump announced that the United States would be pulling out of the treaty. Though the details and deadline of this proposal are limited, thousands of American mayors and state Governors have insisted that they would be following the Paris Accord at a state and city-wide level.

Hawaii became the leading example of these statements when Gov. David Ige (D), Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, and other state representatives signed bills SB 559 and HB 1578 into effect on Tuesday.

CHECK OUT: Michael Bloomberg Pledges $15Mil to Ensure U.S. Fulfills Paris Climate Accord

The bills outlines several strategies, plans, and advancements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the international treaty’s goals.

“The legislature finds that not only is climate change real, but it is the overriding challenge of the 21st century and one of the priority issues of the senate,” reads one of the bills. “Climate change poses immediate and long-term threats to the State’s economy, sustainability, security, and way of life. Hawai‘i has a tradition of environmental leadership, having prioritized policies regarding conservation, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and development and use of alternative renewable energy.”

Furthermore, dozens of Hawaiian mayors have agreed to take action along with the state in practicing safer agricultural methods in order to meet the Paris Accord’s goals.

(WATCH the video below)

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Teacher Shocked to Find Marriage Proposal While Reading Children’s Book

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McKinley Corbley
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Melanie Goldsmith must have read hundreds of children’s books while working as an elementary school teacher – but this one was by far the most special.

Eric Hernandez, Melanie’s boyfriend of five years, knew that he wanted to propose to the teacher in a special way. Since he knew that Melanie was passionate about teaching and reading, he started crafting a children’ book about their relationship featuring two little bunny rabbits.

After months of planning and elaborate orchestration, Melanie’s fellow teachers pretended to have Melanie read the book out loud in a staff meeting as a “training exercise” while Eric hid in the other room.

RELATED: 14 Yrs After Receiving Shoebox Gift, Filipino Girl Marries Boy Who Sent it

As Melanie realizes that the story is about her, she can’t contain her emotions. When she starts to cry, another teacher finishes reading the story, ending on a page that simply says “Will you marry me?”

Right on time, Eric walks out from the other room, gets down on one knee, and pops the question to an overwhelmed Melanie – and she says yes.

The book, appropriately named “Making Memories”, is just one of many that will be treasured by this sweet couple in their many years of marriage.

(WATCH the video below)

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Bee Buzzes Could Help Determine How to Save Their Decreasing Population

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Good News Network
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Study co-author Jennifer Geib photographed a honeybee

Amid increasingly concern about the disappearing honeybee populations, researchers are creating an easy, downloadable app that may be used by amateur and professional enthusiasts alike to help monitor bee species worldwide.

Scientists at the University of Missouri cobbled together an inexpensive acoustic listening system that collected data from small microphones in the field to monitor bees in flight. Using the data, they developed algorithms to identify and quantify the number of bee buzzes in any location.

“For more than 100 years, scientists have used sonic vibrations to monitor birds, bats, frogs and insects. We wanted to test the potential for remote monitoring programs that use acoustics to track bee flight activities,” said researcher Candace Galen.

CHECK OUT: Girl’s Lemonade Recipe to Saves Bees Turned Into Million Dollar Whole Foods Deal

Basically, farmers and backyard honeybee fans will be able to use the software to check up on the numbers of honeybees and pollination activity in their area and react accordingly, based on the readings.

“Eavesdropping on the acoustic signatures of bee flights tells the story of bee activity and pollination services,” said Galen. “Farmers may be able to use the exact methods to monitor pollination of their orchards and vegetable crops and head off pollination deficits. Finally, global ‘citizen scientists’ could get involved, monitoring bees in their backyards.”

Galen’s team is currently working on creating a downloadable smartphone app that will detect and record the buzzing of bees and calculate the status of the local population based on the buzz activity, giving every user a valuable tool in their quest to care for the pollinators.

Click To Share The Buzz With Your Friends (Photo by study co-author, Jennifer Geib, Appalachian State University)

Jewish Nurse Breastfeeds Palestinian Baby While Mother is Hospitalized

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McKinley Corbley
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This Jewish nurse wasn’t about to let religion get in the way of a baby boy’s livelihood.

The baby’s mother was injured in a head-on car collision in Jerusalem on Friday, while the father was killed instantly. The boy, Yaman Abu Ramila, was then taken to the hospital by paramedics for his lighter injuries.

The aunts of the 9-month-old baby went to the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital to claim Yaman – but when he cried for several hours, refusing to eat from a bottle, the women were distraught.

RELATED: Israeli Doctors Help Deaf Palestinian Kids Hear For First Time

Finally, a Jewish nurse named Ula Ostrowski-Zak volunteered to breast feed him herself.

Since Ula has an 18-month-old child of her own, she said that it was like “feeding her own son”, even though the aunts were taken aback by her kind gesture.

“His aunts were surprised that a Jew agreed to breastfeed him, but I told them that every mother would do it,” said Ula, according to YNet News. “His aunts embraced me and thanked me.”

When the question arose concerning who would feed the boy once he was discharged from the hospital, Ula posted on Facebook asking if anyone would agree to help. The post accumulated over 1,000 responses and offers of help. However, another of Yaman’s aunts in the vicinity ended up volunteering to breast feed him.

Until the boy’s mother is fully healed, he will be staying with his grandparents in Hebron.

Click To Share This Inspiring Story With Your Friends (Photo Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital)

Pup Deemed “Too Friendly” for Police Work Finds Appropriate New Job

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McKinley Corbley
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This German shepherd wasn’t cut out for the life of a police dog – but he’s found a much more fitting line of work, thanks to the Queensland government.

Gavel was sacked after undergoing a police dog training course, during which he was more keen on socializing with perpetrators than being “professional”.

But there’s no need to worry about Gavel’s future because he’s now employed as Queensland’s first ever official Vice-Regal dog for the Government House.

Since he started working for Governor Paul de Jersey in February, the pup has become the most popular political figure in town.

When he’s not attending important meetings as an official representative of the office, he’s snuggling with the staff, greeting visitors, and spreading cheer wherever he goes— a much more fitting role for him, instead of ferociously fighting on the frontline.

LOOK: Rescued Pit Bull is Showered with Love From the Police Who Saved Her

“Gavel on occasions sits in on briefings with the Governor,” a spokesman for the Office of the Governor told the Brisbane Times. “Gavel has also demonstrated his capacity to uphold the ceremonial importance of his role at State of Origin time.”

“He has outgrown four ceremonial coats, undergone a career change, and brought untold joy to the lives of the governor, Mrs. de Jersey, Government House staff, and the thousands of Queenslanders who have since visited the estate.”

Click To Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends (Photos by Government House Queensland)

Why This Sweet 99-Year-old Still Chooses to Work in Baseball

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McKinley Corbley
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Phil Coyne may soon be turning 100 years old, but that doesn’t stop him from working as an usher at the local baseball stadium every year in the sweltering heat.

Phil has been working as an usher at the Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for 81 years. Though he says that he uses a cane to score front row seats on the bus, he has no problem traversing the stairs of the stadium by himself as he works.

RELATED: Documentary Asks Our Favorite Celebrities in Their 90s How They Stay so Lively

Considered a local Pittsburgh Pirates celebrity, all the regular baseball fans are on good terms with Phil. The senior takes special care of the spectators by dolling out high-fives, chatting up the crowd, and cleaning off people’s chairs before seating them.

So why does Phil choose to keep working when he could be enjoying retirement?

He says that it’s his love of the game – and the people – that keep him going.

“I get more hugs and kisses now than I ever got in my life,” Phil told Steve Hartman with a smile in a CBS Evening News interview.

(WATCH the video below)

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Chechens Finally Granted Refuge Status After Persecution for Being Gay

By
McKinley Corbley
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The Foreign Ministry of Germany has just granted refuge to its first gay Chechen man fleeing persecution on a humanitarian visa. While he arrived in Germany earlier this week, several more applicants are currently being reviewed by diplomats at the German embassy in Moscow.

According to the German newspaper Tagesspiegel, the distribution of residence permits based on humanitarian purposes is especially rare – but given the circumstances, the Foreign Ministry is “happy to be able to help in especially difficult cases.”

CHECK OUT: First Asian Country Rules in Favor of Same-sex Marriage

France announced the arrival of their first gay Chechen refugee near the end of May.

Since March, human rights activists have twice raised the alarm over Chechen police allegedly hunting and rounding up over 100 gay Chechens for violent purposes. Though Chechen officials have denied these allegations, evidence and testimonies continue to arise against the nation’s law enforcement claims.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron have been urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to take action and protect the gay Chechen community.

Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photo by Mkomarova11, CC)

Homeless Hero Most Excited About New Glasses After Rescuing Trucker in Crash

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McKinley Corbley
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Homeless man James Pocock is being hailed as a hero after he saved a trucker who suffered a heart attack while driving, causing him to crash into the side of the road.

James, who was camping out at his usual spot by interstate Exit 12 in Williston, Vermont, witnessed the moment when Paul Bristol succumbed to a heart attack and lost control of his vehicle. James leapt into action, pulling Paul out of the vehicle and reviving him with CPR.

Thanks to James’s quick thinking, Paul is alive and well today.

While James was honored by the local fire department for his heroic actions, Paul’s family friend Lynnea Bergevin Nicols went one step further and created a GoFundMe to raise money for James’s livelihood.

CHECK OUT: Homeless Man Donates $10K to Shelter “to Make Sure His Friends Are Safe”

When James was featured in the Burlington Free Press for his good deed, Lynnea recognized him as a homeless man whom she had bought new jeans for while Christmas shopping with her children. James had been standing on the side of the road with a tattered pair of jeans sign listing his measurements – and Lynnea had been more than happy to fulfill his request.

Now, after her crowdfunding page has already raised almost $15,000, the two are closer than ever.

The mom had never expected the campaign to receive such widespread support – especially since she had only set the goal for $2,000 after James made the news.

MORE: This Woman is Singlehandedly Buying Houses For Her City’s Homeless

“I had no idea this was going to happen, no idea what to expect. I was thinking I would set the limit at $5K but then said oh never mind I’ll just set it at $2K. Then it just took off, the next day was insane!” Lynnea told Good News Network. “He is so flabbergasted. He has moments of just ‘whoa’.”

But what James is the most excited to use his money for, isn’t exactly steady meals or new pants: it’s a new prescription for his glasses, which he hasn’t been able to renew for the last three years.

“James turned to me and said ‘you know there’s something I really want if I could have anything’, and then he pulls out his eye prescription from 2014 and asked for new glasses. We were like, yes, of course we can do that!”

RELATED: Homeless Man Who Became Hero in Manchester Bombing Rewarded With Housing

After a much-needed doctor’s appointment, James is currently in a hotel until he is moved into housing on Monday. Lynnea is currently working on finding James a job and organizing the campaign’s funding. James’s final request, however, is that 10% of the campaign funds go to charity.

“He’s a really sweet guy and always so appreciative. Just a really sweet guy,” Lynnea told Good News Network. “His message to people is not to make a snap decision about what someone looks like or their circumstance because the homeless community is full of great people.”

(WATCH the video below)

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Uber is Giving UK Wheelchair Users Free Lifts to Polling Places This Week

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Good News Network
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Ride-sharing app and transportation company Uber is offering free rides to polling stations for UK wheelchair users on Thursday.

Anyone in need of a lift for the elections between 7AM and 10PM in London, Birmingham, or Manchester can use the UberACCESS feature to request wheelchair-accessible transport for free.

Though Uber is footing the bill for the rides, they have partnered with the disability charity Whizz-Kidz in order to get the word out.

RELATED: Cyclists Volunteer to Give Nature Rides to Wheelchair Bound

“Exercising your right to vote is such a fundamental milestone in transitioning from childhood to adulthood. For many young wheelchair users across the UK, this year will mark the first time ever they’ve been eligible to vote in a General Election,” said Whizz-Kidz chief executive Ruth Owen. “So it’s important that the barriers that can stand between them and making their voices heard are removed … We hope Uber’s generous move will inspire many young wheelchair users to get out and vote on Thursday.”

“Accessing convenient, safe and affordable transport can sometimes be a challenge for wheelchair users. That’s why we’re proud to offer a fully wheelchair accessible option in London, Birmingham and Manchester with many more cities to come,” said Uber’s UK general manager, Jo Bertram. “Everybody should be able to have their say on election day, so we’re delighted to work with Whizz-Kidz to offer young wheelchair users an easy way to get to the polls.”

Interested voters can either receive two $13 vouchers via the Uber app or download the vouchers directly from Whizz-Kids.

Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photo by UberACCESS)

Documentary Asks Our Favorite Celebrities in Their 90s How They Stay so Lively

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Good News Network
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95-year-old comedy legend Carl Reiner wonders why some of his friends died years ago, while others are still thriving. “Was it luck, genes, modern medicine or are we doing something right?”

“Every morning before having breakfast, I pick up my newspaper and get the obituary section,” joked Reiner, in his new HBO documentary. “If I’m not listed, I’ll have my breakfast.”

The charming documentary, “If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast” celebrates the art of enjoying life after age 90, aided by a good dose of humor.

CHECK OUT: Have You Watched This Netflix Series About Kindness?

Reiner tracks down such celebrated nonagenarians and centenarians as Mel Brooks, 90, Dick Van Dyke, 91, Norman Lear, 94, and Betty White, 95, who are proof that the later years can truly be the happiest and most rewarding. The film’s opening title song, “The Best Is Yet to Come,” is performed by Tony Bennett, 90, and an original song “Just Getting Started,” was commissioned for the show.

“At 30, I exercised to look good. In my 50s, I exercised to stay fit. And in my 90s, it’s just gonna be out of defiance,” says Van Dyke.

You’ll see comic book writer and publisher Stan Lee, the former president of Marvel, who’s still writing, producing and making cameo appearances in hit films at 94 and fashion icon Iris Apfel, at 95. Actor Kirk Douglas, 100, chats with Reiner about the stroke that left him unable to speak and the subsequent one-man show he undertook, with his wife’s encouragement, to prove he could still function.

MORE: Senior Knits 10K Socks For Homeless Using Super Machine

Also interviewed are Harriette Thompson, 93, the oldest woman to run and finish a marathon, Ida Keeling, 101, a track and field athlete, who works out for an hour every day, 98-year-old yoga teacher, Tao Porchon-Lynch, who marched with Gandhi and recently took up tango, and Jim “Pee Wee” Martin, 95, who fought in D-Day and still parachutes.

Younger celebrities, too, are featured in the documentary, including comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who’s already reserved the stage at Caesars Palace for his 100th birthday show; and Van Dyke’s much-younger wife, Arlene, who’s got all she can handle keeping up with her exuberant husband on the dance floor.

(WATCH the trailer below, or full film on HBO Go or HBO Now)

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31-Year-old is Now World’s Best Climber After Scaling El Capitan Without Rope

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McKinley Corbley
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A post shared by National Geographic (@natgeo) on

 

Alex Honnold has just become the first person to ever complete a death-defying free-solo climb up the 3,000 foot face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California.

The California-born climber has spent two years preparing for the feat, which he finally completed in a little less than four hours on Saturday.

“So stoked to realize a dream today,” wrote 31-year-old Alex on Facebook following the accomplishment.

El Capitan is a sheer granite rock face that is even taller than the highest building in the world: the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. Though climbers have maneuvered the cliff with ropes and safety gear, no one has ever made the journey with just their hands. The cliff is so sheer, in fact, that many of the rock points that Alex used during his climb were no bigger than his thumb, according to the Associated Press.

CHECK OUT: 17-Year-Old Blind Pole Vaulter Wins Bronze at State Championship

Honnold scaled El Capitan with safety rope several times before Saturday, marking every handhold and crag with chalk so he could find them during his final climb. For weeks, he would train for the climb by spending hours hanging by his fingertips and doing one and two-armed pull-ups in his van, says National Geographic.

Though Honnold has been practicing for the climb over the course of the last two years, he has dreamt of the feat for eight years. He even dropped out of the University of Berkeley in order to pursue free-solo climbing. Ever year, he would approach the daunting gray face of El Capitan and be too overwhelmed by its figure to seriously consider it. Then, in November, he began the free-solo climb only to turn back an hour in because the conditions didn’t feel appropriate.

MORE: Uphill Battle With Cancer Leads Man to Climb Tallest Peaks–with One Lung

But now, as news of his accomplishment spreads on social media, the congratulatory comments have begun to pour in. Rock climbers from around the world have called Honnold’s climb the greatest and most impressive climbing feat in the world to date. Oscar award-winning actor Jared Leto even created a special congratulatory video during a 30 Seconds to Mars concert in Nashville.

“I’ve been overwhelmed by the well wishes I’ve received post El Cap,” wrote Honnold in response. “I’m moved by all the messages from friends and the greater climbing community. It’s been incredible. But this text from [Jared Leto] might take the cake…”

National Geographic photographer Jimmy Chin was there to witness the “moon landing of rock climbing” firsthand – and his team’s footage will help to create an exclusive documentary of Honnold’s journey in the coming year.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The Inspiring News With Your Friends (Photo by Jimmy Chin)

Special Ed Teacher Surprises Teen with Cap and Gown to Tell Him He’s Graduating

By
McKinley Corbley
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This special ed teacher has been with her student Jamais Howard for every step of his education – and now she’s going to be there when he graduates.

Jamais had been in and out of Griffin High School, leaving a spotty educational record. However, thanks to the motivation and supervision of Kimberly Wimbish, he was able to keep up with his courses through online classes.

CHECK OUT: Boy With Autism Sells Drawings to Buy Toys For Sick Brother

Because of his dicey track record, the Georgia teen wasn’t sure he would be graduating this year – that is, until Wimbish surprised him at his house with a cap and gown.

And his reaction is priceless.

After being presented with the accolades, Jamais’s face breaks into a huge smile, and he exclaims: “Aw man, thank you! I appreciate it, ma’am, I love you so much!”

(WATCH the videos below)

Click To Share This Sweet Surprise With Your Friends

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