Buzz
The media often highlights negative news, pushing positive stories to the side. This list, however, focuses on tales that inspire, entertain, and bring joy. If you prefer something a little quirky, there's also an offbeat list available.
This week features several stories of older individuals proving that age is just a number. A community comes together to support a deaf girl, and a hockey referee battles Alzheimer’s with some help from AC/DC.
10. The Senior Junior Ranger
A 100-year-old woman became a junior ranger at the Grand Canyon National Park to inspire younger generations to protect and appreciate nature.
Rose Torphy first visited the Grand Canyon in 1985. On her second trip, she learned about the junior ranger program and was eager to join. Raised to care for the land by her parents, she now hopes to pass that love for nature onto younger generations.
Though the junior ranger program is typically for children, it is open to anyone aged four and older. This allowed Rose, at 103, to participate, even though she's older than the national park she's vowed to safeguard. On February 26, the Grand Canyon will celebrate its 100th anniversary as a national park.
9. An Unexpected Hero
A Florida inmate used his criminal skills to help rescue a baby locked inside a car.
It began when the father of a one-year-old girl placed her in the backseat of his Chevy Tahoe, securing her in the safety seat. After tossing the keys onto the front seat, he stepped out of the vehicle, only to realize he had locked himself out.
Nearby, a group of low-level offenders were working on median repairs under Pasco County deputies' supervision. Hearing the situation unfold, one of them quickly used a coat hanger to unlock the car door. The entire process took about five minutes, and the baby was unharmed.
Her mother, Shadow Lantry, captured the entire rescue on video and shared it on social media. Grateful for the help, she expressed her respect for the men who came to her aid.
Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco acknowledged that it’s unusual for a criminal to break into a car for the right reasons. However, he also expressed his gratitude toward the inmates, stating that they are individuals who have made mistakes but genuinely wish to 'do the right thing in life.'
8. Seniors Break World Record in Rowing
Two British grandfathers in their early sixties set a new record as the oldest pair to row across the Atlantic Ocean while also raising funds for veterans’ charities.
Neil Young and Peter Ketley, with a combined age of 123, successfully rowed 4,828 kilometers (3,000 miles) from the Canary Islands to Antigua in just 63 days. Despite having no prior rowing experience, they trained for a year before embarking on their journey in December 2018.
Ketley and Young participated in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, an event launched in 1997 by Sir Chay Blyth, originally called the Atlantic Rowing Race. Known as the 'world’s toughest row,' the duo managed to raise over £30,000 for charities like Dreams Come True, Support Our Paras, and the Royal British Legion Industries.
7. The Power of Community
Residents of a neighborhood in Newton, Massachusetts, have started learning sign language to better communicate with their two-year-old deaf neighbor.
Samantha Savitz is much like any other young child: full of energy, eager to socialize, and loves chatting with people. However, Sam is deaf. While she knows sign language, it’s not a skill most people around her possess. As a result, her attempts at making connections are often met with silence, leaving her feeling frustrated and upset when communication doesn’t happen.
The neighbors took notice of this and decided to take action. They gathered together, hired a teacher, and began learning American Sign Language. The instructor, Rhys McGovern, was moved by the sense of community and care displayed.
Rhys noted that in many cases, even the parents of a deaf child don’t bother learning sign language, let alone the neighbors. Sam’s mother, Glenda Savitz, has already observed a positive change in her daughter and is still searching for a way to thank the community for their 'shocking and beautiful' act of kindness.
6. A Good Deed Inspires Another
A Canadian amateur hockey referee has been skating for hours to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease. This year’s event received an unexpected donation from his favorite musician, Angus Young of AC/DC.
Since 2012, Steve McNeil has been skating for charity in memory of his mother, who passed away from Alzheimer’s. Born in 1926, Steve skates for 19 hours and 26 minutes in every Canadian city with an NHL team. Over the years, he’s raised more than C$40,000, which he donates to local chapters of the Alzheimer Society.
At times, skating in the cold becomes exhausting. When that happens, Steve relies on two things to keep pushing forward: he thinks of his mother’s home-cooked meals and cranks up AC/DC on his headphones. A longtime fan of the band, Steve has found their music especially meaningful since Malcolm Young’s passing from dementia.
Word of Steve McNeil’s dedication reached AC/DC lead guitarist Angus Young, Malcolm’s brother. To show his support, Angus donated C$19,260 to the Alzheimer Society of Ontario. The funds will go toward supporting music programs for those living with dementia across Canada.
5. Nostalgia and Reflection
An antique dealer came across a letter from World War I while sorting through a pile of old papers she had bought for a dollar. It was a heartfelt ‘thank you’ from Canadian soldier Earl Sorel to the sister of another soldier who had given his life to save Sorel during the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Amanda Kehler, who runs a cafe and antique store in Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada, was reviewing some recently acquired documents when she discovered the letter from Sorel, a soldier in the 78th Battalion. The letter was postmarked May 1917.
The letter described the valiant actions of Sergeant Gorden, who led a platoon at the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917. After advancing 1,100 meters (3,600 feet), Sorel heard a loud “bang” and felt a searing pain in his back and left arm—he had been shot. Gorden carried him to a shell hole to protect him.
Sorel was eventually taken to a medical station and survived his injuries. The following day, he learned that Gorden had been killed in action. Despite his loss, Sorel wanted the sergeant’s sister to know that her brother “died a hero, along with many others that day.”
4. Appreciative Like Gary
This week, a group of veterans and celebrities united to produce a heartwarming video to express their gratitude to actor Gary Sinise for his ongoing charity work supporting military families and first responders.
Named #GratefulLikeGary, the video was created as a surprise for Sinise after the release of his book Grateful American: A Journey From Self To Service. Among the actors who appeared in the tribute were Jay Leno, Rob Lowe, Robert De Niro, and Steve Buscemi, alongside numerous firefighters and soldiers.
Sinise’s passion for veterans' charity work began after he played Lt. Dan in the iconic film Forrest Gump, which is set to mark its 25th anniversary later this year. He went on to establish the Gary Sinise Foundation, which raises around $30 million annually for veterans.
In addition to building smart homes for disabled soldiers, Sinise has organized over 400 benefit concerts. He is also part of a cover band, the Lt. Dan Band, which performs at USO shows.
The touching video tribute concludes with his Forrest Gump costar Tom Hanks offering a simple but meaningful message: “Thanks, Lt. Dan.”
3. A Flyby to Honor Fallen Soldiers
The dedication of one man led to an impressive turnout of 10,000 people who gathered at Endcliffe Park in Sheffield to witness a flyby that paid tribute to 10 American airmen who lost their lives there in 1944.
It all began in January when BBC presenter Dan Walker was walking his dog and met Tony Foulds, an octogenarian who was caring for a memorial dedicated to the crew of the US bomber Mi Amigo. On February 22, 1944, the bomber was returning from a mission when it crashed in Endcliffe Park, killing all 10 men aboard.
Foulds was a young boy of eight at the time and was playing with his friends in the field. He feels a deep sense of guilt about the crash, believing that the pilot attempted to land in the field but made a last-minute turn to avoid hitting the children. Since that day, Foulds has faithfully maintained the memorial.
Walker shared Tony’s story and initiated a campaign for a flyby to mark the 75th anniversary of the crash. The campaign gained traction on social media, resulting in success. On Friday, Foulds was surrounded by approximately 10,000 people who gathered to watch American and British aircraft take off from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk and perform a flyby over the park.
2. The Crochet Whiz Kid
An 11-year-old boy from La Crosse, Wisconsin, has taken the online world by storm with his extraordinary crochet skills.
While crochet might not be the most common hobby for young boys, Jonah Larson's viral popularity has established him as a figurehead in the crochet community. He began learning at the age of five through YouTube tutorials, quickly realizing his natural talent. Now, Jonah even offers his own online crochet lessons.
Jonah, the young crochet prodigy, launched his own business called Jonah’s Hands, where he began selling his handcrafted pieces. His story went viral after being featured in a local newspaper, and soon, he had to put a pause on accepting orders due to a backlog of over 2,500 requests. Jonah is also dedicated to giving back to the community, frequently donating both money and supplies to the Ethiopian orphanage that raised him.
At the moment, Jonah is content with his role in spreading the art of crochet to younger generations. Yet, he dreams of using his talents in a different way in the future, as his ultimate goal is to become a surgeon.
1. Back From Extinction
This week has been a remarkable one for species once thought to be extinct. The largest bee in the world has been spotted alive in Indonesia, and a giant Galapagos tortoise has been sighted after more than 100 years.
Megachile pluto, also known as Wallace's giant bee, was first collected and described by Alfred Russel Wallace in 1858. The female of this species can grow up to 3.8 centimeters (1.5 inches) long, with a wingspan stretching over 6 centimeters (2.5 inches).
This bee was believed to be extinct in modern times until a few specimens were discovered on the Indonesian Bacan Islands in 1981. However, after that sighting, the species was not seen again and was feared to be extinct once more.
In January of this year, a team of wildlife specialists ventured to the North Moluccas islands and once again spotted Wallace's giant bee. They managed to find only one female, but this discovery brought renewed hope that the species may still be thriving in remote, undisturbed areas.
On Fernandina Island in the Galapagos, a scientific expedition came across a tortoise species that had not been seen since 1906. The Ecuadorian government reported that researchers found an adult female Fernandina giant tortoise, believed to be over 100 years old.
In addition to this find, researchers also discovered tracks and scents indicating that she might not be the only one of her species still alive. Conservationists are now hopeful that they will locate other tortoises, including males, to begin a breeding program.
