Inspiring and Heartwarming Stories
The world can be scary and it’s easy to fall into despair. With bad news being thrust into our faces every day, all we want are small glimmers of hope that will lift our spirits. It’s important to keep on going and to find the good in situations, and these stories of people’s amazing achievements do just that! Some of these achievements are large and superhuman and others seem regular and small. But what they all have in common is hard work, motivation, and the warm fuzzy feeling you get from seeing the end result.
And while we ourselves may not be involved in these achievements, we get to share the joy and happiness that these stories bring.
A Look Into The Past
Starting university is scary, but this 18-year-old girl had already been through far more daunting challenges, such as fighting (and beating) childhood cancer. When Maggie Dorey and her father arrived at her new university dorm, they were shocked to discover that from the window you could see straight into Maggie’s old room at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children where her life had been saved 17 years earlier!
Growing up and moving forward is a major achievement for anyone, but Maggie’s experience is just a little more so considering that she may never have reached this stage at all if it weren’t for the hospital. Maggie’s old view from her new life is a reminder of how far she has come and how everything worked out. Talk about a full circle moment!
Same Person, Very Different Days
Tragedy and disaster can be hard to bounce back from, some people spend the rest of their lives dealing with the results. Jacqui Webb miraculously survived the horrific Boston Marathon Bombing eight years ago and recovered under the care of a caring nurse named Nichole Caspar.
Eight years later Jacqui returned to the hospital again as a patient but this time for happier reasons, as she gave birth to a healthy baby girl where she was reunited with nurse Nichole who was now working in the hospital’s mother-infant unit! Some coincidences seem too crazy to be true and this is one of them. What a wholesome moment for someone who managed to survive the unthinkable and rebuild her life!
Taking it Step By Step
Walking is a gift that many people take for granted because it is something that we assume will never be taken from us. Some people aren’t so lucky and with the blink of an eye, their mobility vanishes. Learning to walk as a child isn’t easy and relearning at an older age is even harder! But with spirit and endurance, almost anything is possible.
Corey Borner was paralyzed in an accident TWELVE years ago and was told that he may never walk again. But he never gave up. At Corey’s college graduation ceremony he was able to walk across the stage to receive his diploma with the help of an exoskeleton suit. Who would have imagined that after twelve long years the day would finally come?
Camped Outside For a Cause:
When you think of 11-year-old boys, what comes to mind is probably stinky socks, endless video games, and tons of junk food. You’re on the precipice of teenagehood, what more could you want? Things look different for 11-year-old Max Woosey from England who has spent over 500 days living in a tent and has raised the equivalent of $880,000 for charity.
Max initially started his initiative in memory of his neighbor who died from cancer intending to raise 100 GBP, and now has no plans of going back inside! This takes major courage and dedication which even adults might not have, let alone someone so young with so many temptations to stay indoors.
Hear The Bells Of Joy:
Few sounds are as joyous as the ringing of the hospital bell by patients who have successfully finished chemotherapy. In this picture, we see a woman grinning from ear to ear as she rings the bell that signifies her newfound health. To endure a full year of grueling chemotherapy treatments while fighting a deadly disease is no joke and we cannot imagine the intensity and pain she experienced.
But despite this, this woman’s smile shows only excitement and joy. Historically, bells have been rung to indicate happiness and celebration, and we can think of nothing more happy or celebratory than beating cancer and (hopefully) getting your quality of life back. The sound of the bell will certainly be reverberating in her head for ages!
A Picture Perfect Wedding Moment
Weddings are notoriously emotional events where two souls become one and become a new family. Obviously, emotions run high as close family and friends flit between sheer joy for the new couple and sentimental sadness. “Slipping Through My Fingers” by ABBA, anyone? In this once-in-a-lifetime photo, the bride’s brother is caught getting emotional while filming a video of his sister and father dancing.
Honestly, this is brother-sister relationship goals. It must have been such a happy moment and it definitely looks like the brother is thinking back on all the memories made with his sister who is now starting a new life. Who wouldn’t react this way? We’re just glad that this special moment was caught on camera!
Raising The Bar, But Literally.
Way too many people think that life ends in your 20s. They think that once they reach a certain age, it’s too late to change paths and start new adventures. Millions of people are stuck doing things they don’t want to be doing simply because society has told them that it’s too late. Dreams can always come true, no matter what they are.
A heartwarming example is that of Tracy Shea who never gave up on his dream of opening a bar, and finally did it at 54! It’s a pretty huge accomplishment to begin a new life path and take such risks when you’re older, but everyone who does it should know that they’re inspiring other people. Here’s a toast to Tracy and his courage!
There’s Finally Something For Everyone
These aren’t your ordinary toys. They have some differences, like the children they are made for. We all know how important inclusivity is and how representation matters so much. Society has definitely progressed, but there are still areas where more work needs to be done. Clare Tawell got tired of her deaf daughter not having any representation and started making inclusive dolls for all types of children to play with!
Dolls with cleft palates, hearing aids, feeding tubes, insulin pumps, limb imbalances, Clare has thought of everything. Just imagine the excitement of young children seeing a doll that looks just like them! It can make anyone teary eyed. Hopefully, these dolls will eventually be found at toy stores everywhere.
The Best Fluffy Friend Around
We bet you weren’t expecting a non-human to make this list, but life is full of surprises. Meet Blacky, who saved a life. Blacky was chasing and barking at a man on a motorbike. The man (the second hero in this story) realized something was wrong and let the dog lead him to a pile of blankets on the ground. In the pile was a newborn baby who had been abandoned. The baby was rushed to the hospital where he was deemed healthy and safe!
Imagine if Blacky hadn’t found the pile and didn’t alert. The baby would certainly be extremely sick or even have died. Blacky saved a life that day. Dogs really are a man’s best friend!
A Slightly Unusual Birthday Gift
It is always a struggle when a baby is born prematurely. Now, imagine being 131 days premature! Baby Richard Hutchinson was so tiny that he could fit into the palm of a hand! Being born so early means that he didn’t finish developing properly and he was given a 0% chance of survival by top doctors.
Don’t worry, no sad stories here! Richard recently celebrated his first birthday and got a unique gift – a certificate from the Guinness World Records stating that Richard is the most premature baby ever! It’s hard to believe this little guy was once so tiny and fragile, just look at how far he’s come!
It’s Never Too Late To Paint
Better late than never, right? If a person saw these two portraits in an art gallery they wouldn’t bat an eye. They definitely wouldn’t guess that the artist is a 65-year-old grandmother who has only been painting for five years! Her loved ones are lucky that they have such a talent in their family who can create long-lasting pieces of art to cherish forever.
Marie Zee took the adage “life begins at sixty” pretty seriously and can confidently say she’s an artist! Continuing on our “you’re never too old” tangent, Marie is proof that it’s never too late to sit down and make a change. And who knows? Maybe you’ll even get a stunning self portrait while you’re at it.
Super Self Care Hero
Few things are as important as self care, which comes in many different forms. For this joyful fella, that involves shedding some pounds and switching to a healthier lifestyle. 75lbs is nothing to sneeze at. He’s looking very fit, he’s even in a superhero pose! Making lifestyle changes is not easy, even things as important as self care are hard to do sometimes.
The fact that this man decided to make a change and doubled down to make it is certainly an achievement. There must have been times where he felt like giving up and reverting to his old lifestyle, yet he didn’t. Superhero indeed! All that’s left is to settle on a superhero name- maybe something related to his yellow shirt.
A Lifelong Meeting Between New Family
A fair amount of people dream of becoming parents, but things don’t always work out conventionally. Adopting or fostering a child is one fantastic option to achieve this dream. There are so many children born who won’t have loving or stable homes. Not to mention the couples who have trouble conceiving.
Whether a child is yours biologically or by adoption, they will still be yours forever. It’s up to you to give them a good life and that’s exactly what this sweet couple chose to do when they adopted. The adoption process is long and rigorous but they persisted, and from the way they’re looking at her we already know this adorable baby girl will have the best life.
Baby, I was Born This Way
Sometimes people are born into the wrong body and have a deep rooted desire to change that. Whether it’s by surgery, changing pronouns, or just a simple new haircut, transgender people can fix this and find satisfaction. After ages of discomfort, finally feeling comfortable in your body is an amazing feeling as we can see from this woman.
Defying societal norms and prejudice, this brave person followed their truth. The euphoria she experienced as a result is seen by the absolute joy and satisfaction on her face as well as her twinkling eyes in the second picture. Her transformation looks great, and their hair and makeup are definitely on point. You go girl!
A Day Back At The Beach
The sound of waves crashing and the smell of salty air, who doesn’t love that? The sand is another story, but beach lovers manage to tolerate or even love it. We can only imagine how this woman felt seeing the sand and water for the first time in years! Even though she can’t physically feel the sand anymore, she was delighted to be back.
Becoming disabled later in life is hard to come to terms with. It’s very important to maintain a sense of normalcy and structure of your “old” life. Being able to return to one of her favorite places must have been such a joyous and momentous moment and luckily it was caught on camera.
Joy And Fun For All Involved
You definitely had a favorite toy growing up. Was it a doll? A playhouse? A board game? Some other fun-filled contraption? Whatever it was, you have a toy inventor to thank. It sounds like a fun job and it probably is, but there’s a lot of hard work involved. Some ideas just don’t catch on and people want the very best playthings possible.
After years of hard work, this dad was finally able to walk into a toy store and say, “I made that!”. His perseverance paid off and now there’s a new toy on the market for children to enjoy. They’re really lucky. Hopefully, we’ll see more toys come from this man in the future. We won’t mind testing them out for him!
He’s On Top Of The World
Climbing a mountain isn’t as easy as it looks. It’s a rough, rocky terrain to take on, not to mention the freezing cold climate. It’s definitely not something everyone can do. People train for months or even years to achieve the level of fitness needed. Training is hard and lots of people can’t keep up, but some people do persevere.
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa. It’s also one of the highest mountains in the world, which means that training is infinitely harder. This man embraced the challenge and hard work and reached the very top of the mountain. His face is obscured, but by the twinkle in his eyes and his thumbs up he seems to be pretty proud of himself!
Definitely Overdue But Definitely Appreciated
Ask anyone and they’ll tell you how great winning an award is. Being rewarded and acknowledged for your hard work is an awesome feeling. Ask anyone who’s experienced this, they’ll tell you how proud they were to receive one. They’ll probably also tell you how discouraging it is not to receive one when they deserve it. (We’re sure you can relate to that!)
This old man waited 72 years to finally receive an award for his heroism and the pride on his face is obvious. While we don’t know why he didn’t get it sooner (can we blame the postal service for this one?), we’re just happy he finally has it and can show it off. The award will definitely live on and be passed down as an ode to his bravery – his family is super lucky!
Home Is Where The Heart Is
There are two facts of life: Everyday is a gift and there’s no place like home. This father who battled a serious illness knows that better than anyone. While it seems that he certainly has a way to go to fully recover, leaving the hospital is a massive step in the right direction and we couldn’t be happier for him!
Research shows that people heal better in the comfort of their own home, so no doubt this man will make great strides. The pure joy on his face as he leaves the car and triumphantly holds his oxygen tank in the air is the definition of heartwarming. We’re definitely grateful that this moment was shared with the world.
Mamma Mia, Here She Goes Again
Let’s face it, Mamma Mia is a top tier musical we all love. And thanks to the hard work of many dedicated individuals, we’re lucky enough to be able to watch the story play out on stage. Acting on stage is an exhilarating experience but it’s also very strenuous and requires dedication and energy. There’s a ton of movement and not everyone can keep up.
This woman did more than keep up, she took the stage and stole the show not even a year after a heart transplant. The massive smile on her face and her sassy pose shows just how proud she is of herself and she has every right to be! And while it can’t have been easy, she persevered. Bravo!
Through Sickness And Through Health
This photo captures a husband embracing his wife as she wakes up following a double lung/ heart transplant. While the photo is candid and a bit blurry (or is it just because our eyes are tearing up?) the relief and joy are palpable. The surgery can last hours and the anxiety her husband must have felt is unimaginable. Thankfully she came out safely and hopefully healthier than ever.
This type of operation is completely draining both physically and emotionally, and this woman is so lucky to have such a caring husband to aid her through recovery. For us, this picture is a reminder of how every day is a blessing and good health is never to be taken for granted.
I’ll Love You Forever
It’s known as the “miracle of childbirth” because that’s exactly what is. While being pregnant is definitely not always pleasant, we can agree that the end result is worth it. Pregnant women need to take good care of themselves during this time because they’re growing a whole new human who needs protection. This can be even more complicated if you’ve got certain health conditions.
This woman sailed through her pregnancy and gave birth to a healthy baby girl despite her epilepsy which could have affected her birth. She was prepared to undertake the risk to have a child, that’s pretty brave. Looking at her smile, you can just tell that their daughter will be extremely loved!
Living Forever And A Day
Did you know that when someone from the UK reaches 100 years of age they get a signed birthday card from the queen? We think that’s super cute especially because so many older people are Royal Family fans. Receiving a birthday card from the Queen is to them what getting an autograph from our favorite celebrity is to us. If we got a birthday card from Harry Styles, we would definitely be smiling as hard as this woman!
This sweet woman survived some of history’s harshest events, and there were definitely times where survival felt hard. People dreamed of reaching 70, let alone 100! The fact that this woman braved it all and has been alive for a century (and still looks fantastic!) is definitely an achievement.
From The Other Side Of The Earth
Have you ever been noticed by your favorite celebrity? Wanessa Bakowska, a 12-year-old Polish girl, has! It seems that Queen Elizabeth is adored by both young and old people alike! Wanessa is an artist with down syndrome. She wrote an adorable letter to the Queen and sent along one of her paintings called “Earth”. She wasn’t expecting a reply, but that’s exactly what she got! The Queen said she was “touched to receive such a splendid painting”
There is a stigma around disabled people and doing normal things, and it needs to be broken. Wanessa is just one out of millions of young people with down syndrome who are just as capable as anyone else. Wanessa’s artwork proves that and we are so excited to see what the future holds for her.
Music Is The Language Of The Soul
How old do you think this woman is? She definitely doesn’t look 107, but she is! Colette Maze is her name, and she’s been playing piano for 102 years! (Yes, you read that right). Colette came from a musical family and dreamed of becoming a musician, but at that time it was not something young girls did. She became a teacher instead, but lived and breathed piano.
Colette is in the news again because she just released her sixth studio album! Just look at the twinkle in her eyes and the joy in her face, as she sits all sophisticated at her piano. Colette didn’t let society deter her and has lived her life with joy. Everyone is young at heart and Colette’s is a shining example.
Superhuman, Superstrentgh, Super Talented, Superwoman
She’s not your typical grandma. She doesn’t knit or play bingo. And even though she’s 100, that’s not her claim to fame! Meet superwoman Edith Murway-Traina who just entered the 2022 Guinness World Records as the oldest competitive female powerlifter ever. Yes, you read that right. Edith lifts up to 150 pounds, three days a week! That’s not something a lot of young people can do.
Exercise is super important for a healthy body and mind. We’re sure that there are times where Edith doesn’t feel like lifting, but she pushes through it. Who knows, maybe this unusual achievement will inspire a person leafing through the World Records Book to do the same.
Fuzzy Friends And Warm Hearts
One thing about modern technology is that it will never stop surprising us. One of the most fascinating inventions is the 3D printer. It’s slightly different from the printer you have at home, because it creates 3-dimensional objects through a layering method. While we all have ideas of what we would print with that, some people are using it for actual causes, like this guy right here.
He appears to be in a goat pen, staring at the cutest goat born with a hole in his skull. The helmet is meant to protect him. The goat looks so happy and feisty as he stares at the man who saved his life. Without that helmet, we probably wouldn’t have this wholesome story.
You’ve Got A Friend In Me
COVID has turned our world upside down in many ways, especially those who are directly affected by it. While lots of people recover and go on to be healthy, there are lots of people who are left with long-term side effects. Laura Sosalla was declared legally blind after her battle with COVID. Any normal person would be shattered by that, but Laura wasn’t. Instead, she decided to run a marathon!
Laura trained alongside three other women who would help guide her by running with her. Not only did she finish, but she says that running helped improve her eyesight! This shows us that with motivation, anything is possible. When something bad happens, we have a choice to not let it get us down.
The Kids Are Grown And The Business Is Growing
Ask any entrepreneur and they’ll tell you that starting a business is hard. Maintaining the business is even harder, and lots of new companies don’t survive. Imagine doing all that when you aren’t exactly young anymore – sounds stressful, right? Not for this former stay at home mom. In her late 40s she discovered a passion for interior design.
Now she’s 60, and she’s on fire! It looks like her work keeps her young, as she definitely doesn’t look 60 in this picture. Maybe there’s a lesson in there for us? Who knows. Her face is composed but she’s giving off an aura of confidence and pride. We’re so happy for her and would love some decorating tips…
Growing Old In Style, Literally.
Growing old is simply a part of life but let’s face it – it’s not always graceful or pleasant. As people progress in age, some find themselves declining in areas that they had previously taken for granted. Whether it’s memory or mobility, becoming helpless is hard. Even something as simple as putting on your clothes can turn into a chore and shatter a person’s dignity which is why a group of MIT students decided to help make a change.
The group of students, known as the Interactive Robotics Group, created a robot arm that can slide a vest onto a human arm! This is the first step in creating robotic mechanisms that can eventually fully dress humans, being super helpful to both elderly and other disabled people.