We are surrounded by negative news overwhelming us from TVs, radios, the internet, and newspapers. Feel-good-news, however rare, is proven to boost our mood, make us feel more content, happy, motivated, and hopeful. Here are some heartwarming stories with happy endings that will fill your heart with hope and your eyes with tears.
We, at Bright Side, want to share these 13 stories with you, and hope that this unlucky number will bring you joy for a change and restore your faith in humanity.
1. A Danish firefighter rescues a cat from a burning building.
When a fire broke out in an apartment in the city of Aabenraa, Denmark, the locals were able to mostly extinguish it themselves. But when firefighters showed up, several cats were still trapped in the apartment full of thick, poisonous smoke. This picture shows one of the firefighters, Per Heesch, rescuing a cat from the building. The cat’s expression says it all.
2. A Kenyan man drives water to drought-stricken animals.
Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua drives several hours four days a week to provide water to thirsty Kenyan wild animals on his own dime. The man says that animals suffer from draught so severely that they would surely have died already if it had not been for his water truck. He started a fundraiser online to arrange delivering even more water and start a tree planting project to restore lost vegetation.
3. A man was saved from suicide and becomes friends with his savior.
On March 11, 2005 Kevin Berthia was going to end his life on the Golden Gate Bridge. He jumped over the railings but stopped when he heard the voice of Highway Patrol officer Kevin Briggs. Officer Briggs, who later got the nickname Guardian of the Golden Gate, talked to him for 90 minutes and convinced him to give his life another chance.
They met again eight years later, and Kevin Berthia presented his savior with an award from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
4. Stolen money returned 5 years later
A former drug addict who has recovered from his addiction decided to return money to a stranger whose pocket he picked 5 years ago. He attached an apology letter and promised to live an honest life.
5. Free pools for dogs to survive the heat
In a small town in Virginia, a woman did not remain indifferent to dogs during a summer heat wave: she offered free doggie pools for anyone to take.
6. A teenager held a classroom door shut during a school shooting to protect other students.
15-year-old Anthony Borges used his body as a shield to keep a classroom door shut and protect 20 other students during a Florida school shooting as the gunman was firing through the door. Luckily, he is alive and stable now. His family organized fundraising to ensure he has a speedy recovery.
7. Locals covered stray dogs with blankets during an Istanbul snowstorm.
In January 2017 heavy snowstorms and freezing temperatures hit Istanbul. Multiple volunteers helped dogs to weather the storm by laying down cardboard, covering them with warm blankets, and giving them food. Some local stores even opened their doors to the stray animals to help them survive.
8. A man makes “cool” prosthetic limbs for kids.
When Drew Murray (43), who was born without his lower, left arm, realized that all prosthetic limbs look really boring, he decided to design one himself and print it out with a 3D printer. Nowadays, there are limbs with Iron Man, Harry Potter, Lego, and Spider-Man designs. Most costs are covered by donations to his organization, Team UnLimbited, and are affordable to many families to brighten up their kid’s day.
9. A Filipino boy opened a shelter for stray animals.
A little 8-year old boy was spending all of his time and pocket money feeding stray dogs and cats in the neighborhood. His dad helped him arrange The Happy Animals Club and made his story public. People from over the world started donating money so that little Kevin could open an animal shelter.
10. A man gave 2 free football match tickets to a boy.
When a man ended up with a 2 free tickets to the Spain vs The Netherlands football match, he didn’t sell them. Instead, he gave them to one of the boys walking around the stadium hoping to see the game from a distance. Look at how amazed the boy is and how happy the man himself looks!
11. A 4-month-old baby survived a tsunami.
It was a real miracle when a 4-month-old girl was found alive among the rubble after an awful tsunami and an earthquake in Japan. Soldiers from the Japanese Defense Force found her 3 days after she was swept from her parents’ arms. The girl was reunited with her father who luckily survived the natural disaster as well.
12. A volunteer gives some water to a koala during a forest fire.
During terrible bushfires in Australia in February 2009, fireman David Tree found a thirsty, burned, and injured koala and gave it some water which it happily drank from a bottle. The koala survived the fire and was looked after at an animal refuge. This picture circulated around the Internet and became a real symbol of hope.
13. A group of protesters gave a birthday present to an officer.
When a riot officer begged Brazilian protesters not to make a scene during his birthday, he did not expect any birthday presents. Yet, not only did he get his desired moment of peace, but he even got a cake from one of the protesters. This act of kindness made him cry.
Which picture and story was the most heartwarming to you? Do you have your own similar stories to share? Don’t hesitate to comment and share them with us and with other readers!
Preview photo credit Kevin Berthia/ facebook, Pivotal Points/ facebook
