Buzz
If you're feeling down this week, this collection might just boost your mood. We've compiled some of the most uplifting, inspiring, and funny stories that have made headlines recently, all in one place. It pairs perfectly with a dash of quirkiness from our offbeat stories list.
This week brings an exciting mix of feel-good stories. There's a dog who finds a new home, two teachers who inspire reading in unique ways, and four teens who lend a helping hand to a sick neighbor. We also share uplifting news from Chichen Itza and a hopeful breakthrough in HIV research. Two conjoined twins return home, and astronauts gear up for the first all-female spacewalk.
10. Hector Finds a Home
A two-year-old pooch, once known as 'Britain’s loneliest dog,' has finally found a loving home.
Hector, a lurcher, was rescued by the RSPCA in 2017 due to welfare concerns and was taken to the Little Valley Animal Shelter in Exeter. He spent over 500 days there, becoming the shelter's longest resident and earning the title of the loneliest dog in the country.
In February, the shelter decided to take more initiative in finding Hector a home. They launched a viral social media campaign, which quickly attracted hundreds of offers from people eager to adopt the lovable dog.
The next step was reviewing potential adopters and finding the perfect match. The shelter determined that Hector would thrive in a home without children, other pets, and with an owner who could dedicate plenty of time to him.
Fortunately, there was at least one suitable candidate. While the shelter did not disclose the adopter's identity, it confirmed that Hector has now found his 'forever home.'
9. Paying Attention to the Details
A 59-year-old teacher received a $10,000 retirement bonus and several charitable donations after taking the time to read the fine print in her insurance policy.
Donelan Andrews purchased a $400 Tin Leg travel policy from Squaremouth, an insurance company located in St. Petersburg, Florida. A self-proclaimed 'unapologetic nerd,' Andrews has a habit of doing something many of us claim to do but rarely follow through on—reading the terms and conditions of all agreements. So, she printed out her policy and began reviewing it.
While going through the policy, Andrews came across an intriguing detail on page seven. Tucked between legal jargon was a small section labeled 'Pays to Read.' It explained a contest aimed at emphasizing the importance of reading the documents we sign and outlined the process for claiming a grand prize of $10,000. Donelan promptly emailed the company, and the following day, a Squaremouth employee confirmed that she had won the prize.
The company originally planned to run the contest for a full year, not expecting anyone to win. They intended to donate the prize money to charity at the end. However, the contest only lasted for 23 hours.
Despite that, 73 other people purchased the same policy and could have claimed the prize before Andrews, but none of them took the time to read the terms and conditions. To honor her dedication, Squaremouth also donated $5,000 to each of the two schools where she teaches and another $10,000 to the children's literacy charity Reading Is Fundamental.
8. Culinary Disaster Leads to Cornbread Renaissance
Two years ago, Stefan DeArmon was a homeless veteran seeking work at the Charleston Wine + Food festival. At this year's event, he is now one of the featured speakers with his own successful cornbread company.
After retiring from the US Coast Guard, DeArmon moved back to his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, to care for his elderly parents. With limited funds, he ended up in a homeless shelter called One80 Place. He took advantage of the shelter's new collaboration with the Charleston Wine + Food festival and secured a job at a barbecue restaurant named Smoke.
Starting as a dishwasher, DeArmon worked his way up to food prep. His black chef coat and white undershirt earned him the nickname 'Reverend.' One day, while making a batch of cornbread, he accidentally swapped heavy cream for buttermilk. Fearing he'd be fired, he was instead encouraged by his boss, Roland Feldman, to bake it anyway.
The result was a surprisingly delicious mistake that led Feldman to start a new venture, the Reverend Cornbread Company, with DeArmon as his business partner.
At the 2019 Charleston Wine + Food festival, Reverend led a popular baking class. He continues to give back by teaching students at the One80 culinary program and regularly delivering meals to the shelter with his food truck.
7. Two Individuals Overcome HIV
A man from London has become the second person globally to be considered free of HIV after receiving a bone marrow stem cell transplant.
Over a decade ago, Timothy Brown became the first person to eliminate the virus. In both cases, the HIV 'cure' was an unintended outcome. Like Brown, the anonymous London man underwent a stem cell transplant to treat a type of immune cell cancer. Coincidentally, both their donors had a rare genetic mutation in the CCR5 gene, which made them resistant to HIV. Even after stopping antiretroviral therapy, Brown was able to suppress the virus.
The same phenomenon occurred with the London patient, who has remained HIV-free for 18 months without the need for medication. Unfortunately, this method is not viable for widespread use as a cure. Nevertheless, Anton Pozniak, president of the International AIDS Society, regards it as crucial evidence that HIV is curable.
Just days after the announcement, there were reports of a third person reportedly cured of HIV. The 'Dusseldorf patient' has shown no signs of the virus after discontinuing antiviral drugs for three months.
6. New Discovery at Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza, one of North America's most renowned pre-Columbian archaeological sites, still holds many mysteries. Recently, researchers uncovered an untouched cave filled with hundreds of ancient Mayan artifacts.
The cave lies approximately 2.7 kilometers (1.7 miles) to the east of the iconic El Castillo pyramid. Although local farmers discovered it in 1966, they only reported it to archaeologist Victor Segovia Pinto. He had the cave sealed and wrote a report, which was later forgotten.
It wasn't until recently that locals reminded researchers of the cave and its hidden treasures. This time, scientists approached the site with a greater sense of urgency and thoroughness.
The cave contains seven chambers filled with small offerings left by the Maya to honor Tlaloc, the god of rain. These include ceramic incense burners, bones, and clay vessels. The archaeological team intends to study the artifacts on-site to honor local traditions.
Guillermo de Anda, the lead researcher, is actually grateful that Pinto chose to seal the cave decades ago without removing any items. He believes that this decision will allow researchers to gain deeper insights into the cultural interactions between the Maya and other civilizations.
5. Tucked-In Tuesdays
Dr. Belinda George, in her first year as principal of Homer Drive Elementary in Beaumont, Texas, realized during the Christmas break how much she would miss her students, whom she affectionately calls 'scholars.' Determined to stay connected, she sought a way to reach out to them even when school was not in session.
The parents greatly appreciate Dr. George's dedication to spending extra time with the children. Already, the school has seen marked improvements in literacy and reading comprehension scores, which many attribute to the success of 'Tucked-In Tuesdays.'
4. Good Neighbors
At 4:30 AM, four teenagers gathered to shovel the driveway of a neighbor, enabling her to attend her dialysis session.
Parsippany-Troy Hills in Morris County, New Jersey, has been plagued by snowstorms in recent days, creating a significant challenge for Natalie Blair, who depends on dialysis treatments due to her kidney failure.
Luckily for Natalie, the Lanigans are wonderful neighbors. Typically, Brian Lanigan would shovel her driveway, allowing her to leave her home. However, during a snowstorm that dumped over 20 centimeters (8 in) of snow, Brian was working his shift as an EMT.
That’s when Patrick, Brian’s younger brother, took action. He called his friends and organized a sleepover so they would be ready to shovel the driveway early in the morning. The group cleared the snow in less than 30 minutes. The world soon learned of their generosity when Peter Lanigan, their proud father, tweeted a picture of his son, calling him a 'small kid with a big heart.'
3. Sisters Safe and Sound
The tale of two young sisters lost in the California woods had a joyful conclusion. After nearly two days in the forest, eight-year-old Leia Carrico and her five-year-old sister, Caroline, were found safe by rescue teams.
Last Friday afternoon, the two sisters went for a walk near their rural home in Garberville, Humboldt County. Though they often spend time outdoors, they became lost in the woods without food or water. A search team from the Piercy Volunteer Fire Department located them on Sunday, about 2.3 kilometers (1.4 mi) from home. Despite being cold and hungry, the girls were unharmed and in good spirits.
In a subsequent interview, their mother, Misty Carrico, partially credited their survival to the wilderness training they had received through the 4-H program. The girls had found shelter beneath a fallen branch and drank water from huckleberry leaves. They remained in place, knowing it would improve their chances of being found.
2. A Historic Spacewalk
March 1 marked the beginning of Women's History Month, which will conclude with a landmark event: two NASA astronauts will perform the first-ever all-female spacewalk on the International Space Station.
Anne McClain and Christina Koch are set to conduct a spacewalk on March 29. They will be supported by Lead Flight Director Mary Lawrence and Lead EVA Flight Controller Jackie Kagey, who will provide ground assistance from NASA’s Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The spacewalk is expected to last approximately seven hours, although NASA has yet to reveal the specific tasks the astronauts will undertake.
The event arises from a fortuitous alignment of schedules rather than deliberate planning. It will be the second of three spacewalks in Expedition 59. McClain has been aboard the ISS since December 2018 and will have her first spacewalk on March 22, alongside astronaut Nick Hague. Koch will join the ISS on March 14, marking her debut journey into space.
1. A Happy Ending For Conjoined Twins
Two conjoined twins from Bhutan returned home this week after traveling to Australia for life-changing surgery to separate them.
Nima and Dawa Pelden were born in 2017 conjoined at the stomach, always facing each other and unable to move independently. In October 2018, with the support of the Children First Foundation, which raised $180,000 for their medical expenses, the girls and their mother, Bhumchu, were flown to Melbourne for the complex surgery.
A team of 25 doctors, nurses, and anesthetists carried out a six-hour operation and successfully separated Nima and Dawa. Following the surgery, they were monitored for several months before they were able to return home to Bhutan this week.
Staff at the Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital shared that while the girls were separated, they still sought each other's company. Despite efforts by nurses to keep them apart, the sisters would instinctively move toward each other and intertwine their legs.
