Every day, everywhere, seemingly ordinary people do extraordinary things for others, just out of the kindness of their hearts. These are the ones who prove how much value there is in showing up for others and doing what is right and good.
So, each week, we celebrate the everyday heroes among us who make us believe in the power of kindness.
We can all be heroes: in our virtues, in our homes, in our lives. – James Ellis
Let’s look at this week’s uplifting stories:
- A son surprises his mom by paying her mortgage
- A non-profit is dedicated to improving the lives of street dogs
- A woman is working to reunite lost photos with owners
- Children with disabilities receive water safety education
Positively Uplifting Stories | December 9 2024
A son expresses his deep gratitude to his mom in a special way.
To honor his mom Tracy Gathers-Williams, who he considers his biggest supporter, André Williams paid off her mortgage!
André carefully carried out the plan to get the mortgage statement from his mother and secretly pay off Tracy’s mortgage. Despite challenges in his own life, he persevered and gave his mom the best surprise ever.
The video reflects the emotional moment and the profound sense of relief on Tracy’s face when André revealed the big news.
“Mom has always been an extremely hard worker. Two jobs, three jobs. It was just a lot of relief for her to just be free, I guess, in a sense of not having that burden anymore. That’s what she expressed to me on the phone and just being very thankful and expressing her gratitude,” said André.
Non-profit celebrates a loving dog’s life.
Niall Harbison devotes his time to saving dogs in need.
His nonprofit Happy Doggo has helped improve the lives of thousands of street dogs in Thailand. It supports life-saving sterilization, feeding, and medical treatment for street dogs.
Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, little pup Capri passed away. Niall made sure she spent her last moments surrounded by love.
To celebrate Capri’s life, Niall and his friend delivered treats to nearly 100 dogs. The act of kindness served as a reminder that even in the midst of sorrow and pain, there are still moments of joy.
“I find the only way you can stay doing what we do is to find the positives. To look at all the people who tried to help. The messages of support,” said Niall.
A woman creates a virtual lost-and-found to reunite lost photos with their owners.
Hurricane Helene has left a trail of devastation across the Southeast U.S.
While helping her friend find her belongings in the debris of her house, Taylor Schenker found several family photos that got lost in the storm.
She realized that she wanted to reunite these snapshots of irreplaceable memories and important milestones with the families who own them.
So, she created an Instagram page to help people find these pictures. Taylor has about 200 family photos in her possession that she wishes to return to their rightful owners.
“Being able to have that moment where you hand something so special to somebody and then also just give them a hug – because they’ve lost likely their entire home in this situation – it’s such a privilege to have an insight into this moment in their lives through these photographs and be able to,” said Taylor.
This program provides adapted swimming lessons to children with disabilities.
A program in Western Sydney, Australia is helping children with disabilities practice swimming.
Children with a disability are at a higher risk of drowning, and that’s why it’s important to provide them with the right support and learning environment.
This program includes small group lessons with an instructor trained to teach people with disabilities.
Children who tend to feel overwhelmed in noisy crowded aquatic centers are able to take part in safe and enjoyable aquatic activities under close supervision.
“All children are attracted to water. We need to ensure that our most vulnerable children who may not be able to communicate at the same level as children without a disability, know those basic skills,” said Louise Smalley, Royal Life Saving NSW Health Promotions Manager.
Have a Great Week Everyone!
And there you have it! Another week of positive news to put in your pocket.
As always, if you have a story of your own to share, or want to point us toward someone amazing we should feature, please reach out in the comments below, or DM us on our Instagram page.
Have a great week ahead everyone!
Photo by Yulianto Poitier