This cyclist doesn’t need his legs to travel across America – he only needs his hands.
Andre Kajlich lost both of his legs from a subway accident in Prague 14 years ago. Doctors did not believe he would be able to properly sit down – let alone cycle – ever again.
But then after he lost his father in 2011, Kajlich challenged himself to start participating in marathons using a wheelchair bicycle that he bought off of Craigslist.
Now, the 37-year-old athlete has become the first cyclist to participate in the Race Across America using only his hands.
The padlocks that were once fastened onto the famous Pont Des Arts in Paris are now being sold to new homes as an effort to raise money for refugees in France.
The “love locks” raised over $273,000 during a charity auction on Saturday night, all of which will be donated to refugee organizations such as Solipam, the Salvation Army, and Emmaus Solidarite.
Some old segments of the bridge sold at the auction for as much as $18,800, according to AFP.
Lovers from around the world have traditionally fastened the locks onto the Pont Des Arts railing near the Louvre and thrown the keys into the Seine river. As the bridge accumulated more and more locks, however, part of the railing collapsed from the weight in 2014.
Parisian officials then began removing the locks in order to maintain the bridge’s structure in 2015. Acrylic glass panels were installed in front of the railing to prevent any more padlocks being attached.
Though the historic mounds of locks will no longer reside on the river, bidders were delighted to contribute to a good cause while also taking home “a piece of Paris”.
Click To Share This Inspiring News With Your Friends (Photo by Jim Nix / Nomadic Pursuits, CC)
Most Mother’s Day gifts usually stay somewhere in the realm of flowers or breakfast in bed – but this husband really went beyond the call of duty for his beloved wife.
This month, Danielle Digby and her family will be moving away from Port Moody, British Colombia to greener pastures. The mother of two was sad, however, to be leaving behind their hand-painted nursery room in the process.
“As some of you know, we’re moving this month and I’ve been pretty sad about leaving the nursery in particular because my dad helped me paint it just before he passed away,” wrote Danielle. “Not to mention the peaceful hours I spent painting the tree on the wall while waiting for the babies to arrive and the countless hours since with them in there.”
So when Mother’s Day rolled around this weekend, Danielle was surprised to open a gift from her husband Evan and see a pair of virtual reality glasses inside.
She was even more surprised to put on the goggles and see a 360º video of the nursery playing inside.
“He had rented a special camera and took the video so I could visit the room anytime I wanted to in the future. Probably the most thoughtful gift I’ve ever gotten.”
Well played, hubby… well played.
Click To Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends (Photo by Danielle Digby)
There may not have been a bride at this wedding, but there certainly was a lot of love.
Jenna Yorkovich came to the unfortunate conclusion seven weeks ago that she wasn’t going to be married on Friday night. So instead of using the celebration for wedding guests, Jenna donated the reception house to Ronald McDonald House.
Coincidentally, the reception fell on volunteer week for the Ronald McDonald house charity.
Instead of wedding guests, 175 charity volunteers were packed inside the Nicollet Island Pavilion in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Other people honored at the reception were families that the charity has helped in the past.
“It was just making the best of the situation I was in. Looking at the positives and knowing I could help a bunch of other people and show the support to them,” Jenna told WCCO.
(WATCH the video below)
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This isn’t just any school year for the Flennoy family – this is the year that five different women from three familial generations graduate from their respective schools.
LaWanda Flennoy was excited enough to be celebrating her own college graduation with an Associate’s degree in psychology from South Suburban College in Chicago, Illinois. But in addition to her own achievement, her two elder daughters, Paris and Amari, are also graduating from Chicago State University and the University of Illinois.
Her third daughter, Jade, graduated from high school and plans on studying criminal justice at Illinois State University. LaWanda’s granddaughter Brooklyn simply graduated from kindergarten.
The celebratory photo shoot, captured by Darryl Hammond, showcases the unique beauty of each woman – and the family’s accomplishment as a whole.
“Yep, this is really happening this year…three generations of graduates,” says LaWanda. “Congrats to my three daughters and my granddaughter. Education is important at every age.”
Over 150 Syrian refugees who have settled in Canada have just been given their first dental consultation since emigrating from overseas – and it was 100% free of charge.
Roughly 30 different Montreal dentists and hygienists in Ville Saint-Laurent offered up their services this weekend to all of the Syrians who have been unable to afford a dental check-up since their arrival to the country.
In addition to the weekend’s dental work, any refugees who require a follow-up visit will not be charged when they return.
The session was spearheaded by Syrian orthodontist Dr. Ayan Chamma in collaboration with the Red Cross and volunteers from John Abbott College. Dr. Ayan instigated the event as a means of helping his native people who have struggled in adjusting to Canadian citizenship since their emigration.
Judging by the sparkling smiles on the visitors’ faces, however, he accomplished that goal spectacularly.
(WATCH the video below)
Give Your Friends A Smile: Click To Share – Photo by CTV Montreal
It’s been three years since Paige Moomey adopted her beloved son: Waylon the sheepdog. But as Mother’s Day approached, she decided she was going to surprise her pup by reuniting him with his birth mom over 400 miles away.
Paige, who works as an editor for online media platform DOSE, currently lives with Waylon in Chicago, Illinois. Back in 2014, however, she drove all the way to Georgetown, Kentucky in order to adopt the young sheepdog.
Three years later, she made the same trip in a 2017 Chevy Cruse – except this time, she made the journey with Waylon in tow.
By the time they arrived in Georgetown, Waylon’s mother Addie was waiting at the top of the hill of her farmhouse wearing a pink bow in anticipation of her son’s arrival.
The two instantly reconnected, joyfully frolicking about the yard and catching up on some much-needed cuddling.
“I watched Waylon bask in his old stomping grounds, reacquainting himself with his life before he met me,” wrote Paige. “After plenty of mother-son bonding, Addie flopped down next to me, humbly asking for a belly rub. Mom-to-mom, we sat there silently and full of love.”
It may not be the most conventional Mother’s Day celebration, but it sure is pawsitively adorable.
(WATCH the video below)
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It has been six years since Virginia passed away – but after a mysterious discovery in a New Jersey home, her words have come alive to touch the heart of her husband once more.
Melissa Fahy and her father Alan Cook were doing some construction on their Westfield, New Jersey home earlier this week. As they were renovating, however, an old typed letter fell out of a crack in the ceiling.
The letter was a love note addressed to a man named Rolf Christoffersen from May 4th, 1945.
The letter’s author was Rolf’s wife Virginia. During the time that the letter was sent, Rolf was deployed in the Norwegian Navy, leading Virginia to write the heart wrenching love note, pining for her husband.
“I love you Rolf, as I love the warm sun, and that is what you are for my life, the sun about which everything else revolves for me,” reads the letter.
Melissa was so touched by the letter’s words, she knew she had to give it to the proper recipient. After doing a quick internet search, she found Rolf’s son living in Santa Barbara, California with his 96-year-old father.
The Christoffersen family was so overjoyed to receive such a treasure from their mother’s past, that they connected with Melissa in a video call and thanked her for the compassionate gesture.
“I was so surprised after all these years. I was very happy to find out that a letter like that existed. I am still very emotional,” Christoffersen told CNN.
This sweet old senior was eating dinner when she suddenly forgot how she could get home – luckily, these boys in blue were there to accompany her.
Alison Zimmer snapped a photo of the exchange as she entered the Boudins restaurant in Huntington Beach, California on Saturday night.
The woman reportedly told the restaurant staff that she was lost – so they called the police to help her get home.
Though they were only dispatched for a simple escort mission, the cops went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that the senior had a pleasant experience.
“These men sat with her while she finished her sandwich, got her a to-go container and boxed her leftovers, then drove her home,” wrote officials from the Huntington Beach Police Department page. “They were so kind, patient, and professional with this woman. They even let her finish her glass of wine!”
“She was definitely flirting and probably loved riding in the front seat of the cop car… that’s right, one of the officers sat in the back so she could have the front seat. She’s going to have a great story to share with her girlfriends!”
Since Alison’s photo of the event has become widely-shared on Facebook, praise has poured in for the officer’s kindness and patience.
“It’s an honor to watch you guys serve and protect our community,” wrote Alison, “especially the gems of the community, like this dapper lady.”
Click To Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends (Photo by Alison Zimmer)
Recovering from an eating disorder is no easy journey – that’s why this nonprofit wants to take some of the burden off of women’s shoulders.
The Garment Project is the only organization that helps empower women healing from eating disorders by rebuilding their wardrobe for free.
Many people who suffer from eating disorders have fluctuating weight and body measurements, making it frustrating for them to keep a consistent wardrobe without spending a lot of money on clothes that fit. Plus, seeing the inconsistent clothing sizes can be triggering for people who are still sensitive about their body image.
The Garment Project collaborates with health clinics across the country to connect with patients who are about to be released from treatment. The patients can then select new, name brand clothing that they like from the organization’s website. The Pittsburgh-based project then removes all tags, sizes, and measurements to remove possible stress before shipping them to the patient’s house. Anything they don’t like, they are free to send back.
The Garment Project’s co-founder Erin Drischler is already familiar with the struggles of eating disorders: she spent 14 years living with the illness until she finally started to heal.
“Every time I would go through treatment, I would lose all sense of self since my core beliefs about food and life were being stripped from me,” says Erin. “After months of hard work, I would return home to a closet full of clothes that at one point filled me with such (false) confidence, and I would find myself unconsciously striving to fit back into them.”
“My closet ranged in sizes, but a lot of them brought up negative memories. I could not afford to buy myself a brand new wardrobe [since] treatment is expensive. Trying on clothes was overwhelming and quickly revealed my new size. In addition to all the other pressures I faced upon arriving home, I didn’t have a chance. I knew I could not be alone in this aspect of my struggle, so I decided to launch Garment.”
Garment has started working with six different treatment facilities across the country since their debut in February, but they hope to expand as the project gains traction.
“We are not just giving clothing that fits, we are allowing our clients to build confidence in other aspects of their lives while tackling the worst part—body image.”
(WATCH the video below)
Click To Share the Inspiring Transformation With Your Friends (Photo by the Garment Project)
The families and friends of these three car crash victims have been in a state of grieving since the incident in April – however, a photo snapped by a bystander has offered them some peace.
Hannah Simmons, her baby daughter A’lannah, and Lauren Buteau were driving through Gainesville, Georgia on April 25th when they lost control of the car and crashed into another vehicle.
Anisa Gannon, who was on her way to work after the event, was waiting in traffic as paramedics and police officers flooded the scene. She took a photo of the accident for her employers as evidence that she was delayed. But when Anisa’s aunt, Tara Noble, later saw the photo, she saw something strange: a beam of light shining from the sky with two small glowing orbs in the middle.
Tara concluded that it was a pathway from heaven and she resolved to show the photo to the victims’ families.
“That picture was taken for a reason — to give me sanity,” Simmon’s mother Judy told TODAY. “Hannah was also my best friend, and she’s looking down from heaven now.”
Buteau’s aunt, Jody Carter, also told TODAY: “I opened the photo and my mouth hung wide open. It took my breath away. I was in pretty bad shape, but now I know where she is.”
You can help support Buteau and Simmon’s families by donating to the GoFundMe pages set up for their funeral expenses.
Click To Share This Inspiring Story With Your Friends (Photo by Anisa Gannon)
Over 650 low-income students now have their very own bicycle – and it’s all thanks to one passionate teacher who believes that every child deserves to play.
Katie Blomquist received national attention after she started a GoFundMe campaign several months ago to raise money for bikes – or more accurately, a bicycle, a helmet, and a lock for every single one of the students at her school.
Katie is a first grade teacher at Pepperidge Elementary in North Charleston, South Carolina. Since the area has very high rates of poverty, many of the kids have never had the chance to experience owning a bike.
“Over the years, after talking with students, I have come to the realization many have never ridden a bike nor do they have the means to own a bike, especially one that is new,” says Katie. “I soon began to envision how each student’s quality of life could improve if they had more freedom to ride around their neighborhoods.”
The campaign, which had a goal of $65,000, became so widely shared on social media, that after several months of effort, it managed to raise $80,000.
The bikes are all custom-made beauties from Radio Flyer, featuring “Let’s Go Places!” emblazoned on the frame.
“This isn’t a gift from me. This is a gift not only from your local community, but our whole country,” said Blomquist before she revealed the bikes, according to Post and Courier. “One day when you’re a grown-up and you’re looking back on this day, I want you to really think about that and think about the joy and happiness that these strangers gave to you, and I hope that you in turn one day find a way to give back some sort of happiness and joy to other people because of this day.”
Their reaction to the surprise in the video below is magical.
Katie has since begun creating a nonprofit called Going Places – an organization dedicated to the noble cause of providing low income kids with bicycles, swimming lessons, and summer camp opportunities.
We literally wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for our mothers – but we also want to give a special shout-out to all of the moms who have gone above and beyond for their kids. (You know who you are.)
These tough mommas can do it all – whether it’s dressing up as a T Rex every day; accepting a family of seven siblings to save them from a foster home; or returning from deployment overseas to surprise their daughter – these moms are inspiring us each and every day.
Momo is being pawsitively showered with praise after she came to the rescue of some her friends being chased by a bear last Sunday.
Kenzie Campbell was taking the shepherd-husky-lab mix for a walk through Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada with his girlfriend and another friend when they rounded a corner of the Cascade Ampitheatre Trail and found themselves face to face with a bear 15 feet away.
The group of companions tried to back away without provoking the bear, but with no luck – the massive mammal gave chase, pursuing them down the trail.
Momo leapt into action, barking and growling at the bear to distract it as her humans ran away.
As it turns out, her courageous efforts succeeded, and Kenzie and his friends called 911 to tell park rangers about the danger. They eventually made it back to the trail’s parking lot and took cover in a Parks Canada emergency staff truck. Kenzie then started filming the bear from the safety of the truck, praising Momo as he did.
“This little dog right here saved our life! That’s a good dog,” says Kenzie. “Parks Canada came to save the day. I’m still shaking as you can see by my recording.”
Momo has been under Kenzie’s care while her owner, Samantha Emmons, gets situated at a new home in Cardiff. Though it must have been worrying to hear about the close encounter, she was also reportedly supremely confident in her pupper’s life-saving skills.
“She’s a pretty protective girl so it doesn’t surprise me,” Emmons told CNN. “She [is] also the fastest dog at the dog park.”
(WATCH the video below)
Click To Share The Pawesome Story With Your Friends(Photo by Samantha Emmons)
This Canadian has dedicated his life to cleaning up hateful and racist graffiti anywhere it pops up in his city—and now “Erasing Hate” has become a movement.
Corey Fleischer first experience the joy of combatting the awful drawings two years ago when he drove past a van that had “KKK” and swastikas spray-painted on the side.
After talking with the owner of the vehicle, Corey got to work cleaning up the vandalism. When he was finished, he says he felt a sense of euphoria.
Ever since that fateful day, Corey has power-washed thousands of hateful messages across his beloved Montreal. He soon plans on expanding his efforts to Toronto as well.
His Instagram page, Erasing Hate, has hundreds of followers encouraging him on his mission. If they find any hateful graffiti in Corey’s area, they will send him a picture, an address, and then within 24 hours, it’s all gone.
“It went from just me alone, scouring the city, trying to find these hate crimes to now I have tens of thousands of people who are following the Erasing Hate movement,” Fleischer told CTV News. “And now they’re my eyes.”
Leon Logothetis had it all—prestigious job, money, a home, a beautiful girlfriend, and a friendly dog – but he traded it all in to live his dreams. His inner rebel, the part of him that yearns to follow his dreams, once again wanted to feel the magic of the human experience, but this time by connecting with people through the language of kindness.
It prompted him to travel the world relying solely on the kindness and generosity of strangers. And now, he is giving back.
“I have always had a passion for interacting with people,” says Logothetis. “I love the camaraderie of making new friends and helping those that are deserving, and I treasure the adventure of travel.”
Leon travels around the world on his yellow motorbike called the Kindness One. He relies entirely on the kindness of strangers as he gives back to unsuspecting good Samaritans along the way. During the trip, Leon discovers that being ‘seen’ is the most powerful gift people can give others.
During his six-month global adventure, Leon traveled to 20 countries with no food and no pre-planned accommodations. He then discovers that people are so open to helping those in need; all one must do is open their heart. For example, in Pittsburgh, he met a homeless man named Tony who had nothing but a bag of clothes. He took Leon in, fed him, gave him a place to stay and protected him through the night. The experience touched Leon’s heart – if a man with nothing could give so much from his heart, how could he ever repay him?
“We hear about all the negative things happening out there,” says Leon, “but there is so much kindness out there as well that we don’t ever hear about.”
The Kindness Diaries Netflix series proves that the magic of kindness is what makes the world go around and that kindness never goes out of style. It demonstrates that true wealth is in our hearts, not in our wallets.
(WATCH the video below)
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Doctors often get all the credit for their labors in the medical field – but one compassionate hairstylist wanted to pay homage to the hardworking nurse who fell asleep in her chair.
Kentucky hairdresser Ashley Boiling was styling the hair of one of her salon’s regular customers, a 43-year-old nurse named Jodi Back. In the middle of Jodi’s appointment, the exhaustion from working a 13-hour night shift at Whitesburg ARH Hospital caught up to her, and she dozed off in her seat with her feet propped up in front of her.
Touched by the image of such a hard worker, the 34-year-old snapped a picture of her client’s sneakers and later made a Facebook post commemorating Jodi’s diligence.
Ashley wrote: “As she dozed off, I gently rested her head on my stomach and continued to foil her hair… then I noticed her shoes. I wondered how many miles those shoes have walked.”
“I wondered what they’d walked through. Blood? Tears? In and out of the countless rooms of the patients she’s cared for? I wondered how many hours they’ve carried her, and all those like her, while they literally save the lives of those we love and hold the hands of the ones who can no longer fight that fight.”
“I’ve always respected and valued these amazing superheroes and am proud to be the sister, daughter, niece, friend and hairstylist of so many. Know you are appreciated, know you are irreplaceable, know you are loved!”
The post was shared thousands of times, garnering support and appreciation from other people who understood the sacrifices that caring nurses make – but no one appreciated the gesture more than Jodi.
“I was very tired,” Jodi told TODAY. “It had been a rough night. It was just so gratifying to see Ashley’s message. My daughter told me I had to look at Facebook, and it was a total shock. That was so nice of her to do.”
Click To Share The Inspiring News With Your Friends (Photo by Ashley Boiling)
This 24-year-old farmer might be the new Macgyver after he rescued two kittens from rising flood waters with just a broom handle and baby wipes container.
Duncan Bridges and his stepdaughter had just entered their Sheffield, New Brunswick farmhouse on Thursday morning when they heard a faint mewing coming from inside the walls.
Bridges leapt into action, prying off two of the boards and shining his flashlight into the wall’s interior. Sure enough, there were two small kittens stuck on the ground between the walls – and the space had already filled with 4 to 5 inches of water.
The farmer quickly created a makeshift bucket out of half of a water gallon attached to a string, but it proved unsuccessful. He then struck a broom handle into a plastic baby wipes box and scooped the kittens out of the water.
He later escorted the newborns to the Oromocto SPCA for treatment and care.
“I’m thinking that [the mother] had the kittens in there, went out to find food, and the water came up so quick she couldn’t get back in,” Bridges told CBC. “They needed somebody that knew what they were doing with them. It was a stress off my shoulders.”
(WATCH the video below)
Click To Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends – Photo by CBC
It is not the dastardly acts that define this community – it is the kindness that reportedly follows.
The Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial was vandalized earlier this week with hateful graffiti. While Boise police investigate the incident, however, one city resident is stepping up to help.
Dena Gray may be a Christian woman, but she was still mortified by the anti-Semitic language used on the memorial. So when the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights gave a $20,000 estimate for the repairs, Dena was happy to pick up the bill.
“When I finally saw a figure that they said it was going to take, I jumped on it. I had the money to do it and I thought what better place to spend it?” Gray told KTVB. “You can’t sit back and let things like this happen or you’re just going to end up in a mess, and I just felt that somebody’s got to do something.”
(WATCH the video below)
Click To Share The Inspiring News With Your Friends – Photo by KTVB
This Saudi Arabian woman is being hailed as a hero for saving the life of a bus driver who suffered a stroke while on the job.
Saudi Arabia is the only country where women are not allowed to drive – but that didn’t stop 20-year-old Ashwaq al-Shamri from getting behind the wheel to save her bus driver’s life.
Ashwaq and her female friends were being transported home from university when the driver said that he felt dizzy. When he suddenly pulled over, the girls leapt into action, helping him off of the bus and running to a nearby store to get him cold water.
Because the nearest hospital was miles away, Ashwaq drove the man to his house where his family was able to transport him the rest of the way.
The student says that her father taught her how to drive when she was a youngster so she could help out on their farm. Her father, upon hearing the news of her rescue, was extraordinarily proud of his daughter, according to The New Arab.
Many Saudi Arabian activists have rallied for the driving ban to be lifted, since the dated restriction survives only in the kingdom. Though there is no sign of the country allowing women to drive, they have been taking other small steps towards gender equality.
Earlier this week, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud announced that women will finally be allowed to work, study, and seek health care without needing a man’s consent. Additionally, the country held its first public election in which woman could vote and run for office. The election, which was held in December 2015, voted in 20 different women to public office.
Click To Share This Inspiring Story With Your Friends(Photo by Robert Reed Daly, CC)
