When was the last time you saw an uplifting, positive story make the national media spotlight?
As a nation it seems like we have grown to expect another terrorist attack or mass shooting within the next media cycle. Before we finish mourning one tragedy we are often hit with another.
Though these stories won’t help you decide who to vote for in November or catch you up on the latest partisan drama, these feel good news stories are bound to brighten up your day.
1. 101-Year-Old Swimmer Aims for More Medals
In Narashino (Japan) the world’s top swimmers are preparing for the Rio Olympics and Mieko Naoka is racking up on a slew of world records for her age. Closing in on her 102nd birthday, Mieko insists she will still be smashing records by the time the 2020 Tokyo Games roll around. Mieko says, “The Secret is to eat well and stay active. It’s no good sitting around at my age. I want to keep swimming until I’m 105 and beyond.”
2. Man Walks 16 Miles to Work, Gets Free Car
A New Hampshire man was rewarded for his dedication and hard work after a customer he served wrote about him in a Facebook post that was shared more than 20,000 times. The customer saw Bigler twice in one day, once when she got coffee in the morning at Dunkin Donuts, and again that night at a convenience store across town. After talking with Mr. Bigler the customer learned that he walks from home to Dunkin Donuts, and then later in the evening to the Big Apple convenience store. He walks approximately 16 miles each day and works 20-hour shifts on Sundays and Mondays. After the customer's Facebook post with Bigler’s story went viral, a local car dealership donated Bigler a 2005 Honda Accord. Sales manager, Ryan parks, said, “I thought we probably have a couple cars here that we could just donate to him so he doesn’t have to walk 20 miles a day.” In an interview the customer said, “You know, it doesn’t matter what job you’re at, as long as you try hard and do your best you can make it.”
3. Literature Professor Offers Weekly Street Library
Laura Moulton, a literature professor in Portland, Oregon, turned her bike into a mobile library and has been biking straight to the homeless after class every week, serving all genres of books to over 5,000 regulars. “Being recognized and spoken to on the street and offered a book for someone who has really been struggling can be a really powerful thing,” Moulton said. It is often difficult for the homeless to borrow books from the library because they often lack the required documents, like identification and a home address. Her Program is called Street Books and is powered by people donating books and by Mrs. Moulton peddling them to grateful readers.
4. 9-Year-Old Uses Birthday Money for More Than Herself
Instead of getting presents for her birthday, Samya McLaughlin, 9, wanted to send a message. After seeing the news of the deadly shootings in Dallas in the last week, Samya decided she would rather use her birthday money to buy lunch for the officers at the precinct in her neighborhood just outside of Detroit. Samya told a reporter, “I wanted to show that all lives matter.”
5. School Kids Help Homeless Children In Shelter Feel "SUPER"
A group of New York City elementary school students is making life a little easier for homeless children. Kids in the third, fourth, and fifth grade in Queens are designing capes for a shelter over 100 miles away in Michigan with the hope that whoever puts it on — child or adult — can feel like a superhero. Even if just for a moment.
