Uplifting Stuff

These octogenarians have done something that can only be marveled at, and they are receiving honor and recognition, rightfully so. Over the course of 45 years, they have fostered over 150 children, with an infant currently being care for. Their dedication and care is unmatched.

Being a nature lover is one thing, but dedicating your life to environmental activism is another. Of course it's easy to dedicate your life to such a cause when it hits your doorstep, and that's exactly the case for this man here. He is on a mission to save forests from coal mining, and through grassroots support he is finding success.

It is commonly understood that microplastics can be an issue, but when they end up in food and water sources, that is when it becomes more serious. Using ultrasonic sound waves, a new device may be able to filter out these microplastics from water, and it was invented by two teenagers. 

Most of us understand how so many places in Africa struggle with access to standard and basic medical care. This local resident of Ghana witnessed those struggles firsthand which inspired him to convert a van into a mobile medical clinic so that he could travel to remote communities scattered across the country in an effort to help.

Without enough money for a proper education, this young man took a book out from the library and used it to create a windmill for his local village. Not only did he do this using scraps from a junk yard, but he eventually went on to build other windmills and solar-powered water pumps on top of that. All of this leading to an environmental studies major at Dartmouth University.

When this bus driver noticed a odd smell coming from her vehicle, she acted quickly and decisively after realizing it had caught on fire. Not only was she able to rescue all of the student on board with no injuries reported, but she did this while being 8 months pregnant.

A 14-year-old has been named America's Top Young Scientist for creating a bar of soap that can help to fight melanoma. He combined simple compounds that can, "...reactivate dendritic cells to guard human skin, enabling them to fight cancer cells." Excited to see what he comes up with next.

In an unfortunate circumstance, this young girl lost a ring that contained some of her late father's ashes. This ring ended up in a trash pile that was baking in 100 degree heat, so members of the parks & recreation department  sifted through nearly 4 tons of trash until the ring was found. Faith in humanity is restored with stories like this.

After a family member was diagnosed with glaucoma, this teen took action and created a device that can accurately diagnose the condition. His efforts earned him a $10k scholarship, and the device will especially help in rural communities where eye care treatment isn't as prevalent.

Greece is taking a step that other parts of the world will hopefully follow suit in the years to come. Typically beaches are difficult for disabled persons to access, but this fixed track mechanism is changing that for over 280 different areas scattered across the islands. 

When you become homeless as a 10 year old little girl, it can be difficult to cope with such an adverse situation. Using dance as a means to get through the tough times, Seyi Oluyole turned that passion into an academy where free education, music, dance, and arts training are provided.

A nurse working in a hospice care center wanted to help a grieving family with the medical equipment that their deceased left behind. He realized that there are so many low income families who wouldn't be able to afford such equipment, so he created a nonprofit to do something about it.

Becoming a professor at a University is hard enough as is, but this is an entirely different achievement all on its own. This young man was unable to speak until he was 11, and he couldn't read or write until he was 18 due to an autistic condition. Now, he has just been appointed as Cambridge's youngest Black professor ever.

It is extremely gratifying when you have an opportunity to give back to the community that brought you up, especially if that community experiences consistent hardship. This football star is already a hero to thousands of children, but gestures like these, along with others in the past, will only elevate him to a higher status.

Maggie Grout was discovered by an orphanage worker in a basket when she was only an infant. After being adopted, Maggie was encouraged to explore her interests in science and technology. Now, she has her own startup which is multi-faceted and aims to help various communities in need.

Those with down syndrome are often not afforded the same opportunities as those without the disease, but that doesn't mean they can't thrive. This woman is living proof of that, as she is not only the CEO and COO of a successful cookie company, but this business also provides jobs for others who have disabilities.

A 15-year-old student felt ashamed because he was born with a right arm that never fully formed. Students at his high school picked up on this and decided to take action by creating a prosthetic hand from a 3D printer. This took weeks to develop, and created new friendships in the process.

With help from volunteers, this conservationist has spent decades of his life planting millions of trees in an effort to save endangered gorillas from poachers. He even provides new career opportunities for those same poachers so that he can reduce their impact on endangered species as a whole.

For those of us who live without disabilities, we can often forget how so many people are unable to enjoy some of the simplest pleasures of life. Naturally, a lot of outdoor terrain is too difficult to for certain individuals to handle, but this development will be a massive game changer and allow more people to enjoy places they might not have ever been able to explore.

A young boy was diagnosed with cancer before he turned one, and after 4 years of battling it was determined he only had weeks to live. This was before Halloween, and all he wanted was to see were some monsters. Well before he passed, close to 1,000 people showed up dressed in outfits and decorating cars to fulfill his wish.

When hurricane Ian rolled through Florida is caused devastation to hundreds of homes, and even cost some people their lives. This man's mother was trapped in her home with no means of escape, so he swam half a mile to provide help until first responders were able to arrive. 

Alena Wicker is on track to become the youngest African American medical student ever after graduating high school at just 12 years old. On top of that, "She also created 'The Brown STEM Girl' to engage, empower and educate girls of color in STEM." Safe to say, this girl is going places.

Using skills she acquired over the years, this nun from the Congo is providing more electricity to those in need, and doing so completely free of charge. "She works around the clock with a team of nuns and engineers, greasing machinery and checking the dials of a generator that is fed from a nearby reservoir."

A math teacher from New Jersey and his wife have created a 3.5 acre sports complex specifically designed for those with special needs.  After 5 years of planning and millions of dollars raised, they achieved this goal in honor of their late son Gavin who passed away from a traumatic brain injury.

After losing her leg to cancer, this 42-year-old woman is on a mission that would set a world record. She is on the verge of running 102 marathons in 102 days, doing so in an effort to, "...inspire a lot of people to get out of their comfort zone and push a little bit farther."

A Louisiana man was out enjoying nature when he heard a young boy call out for help. This boy had fallen into alligator infested waters, and instead of turning a blind eye this man took action and rescued the child from danger.

This baby was born on 2/22/22 at 2:22am in delivery room #2. That's incredible enough as is, but apparently the mother underwent cancer treatments that could have prevented her from ever becoming pregnant. 

What was once a desolate area is now an incredible forest thanks to this Turkish man's efforts. "Working together with his team and villagers, he brought in and planted 30,000,000 saplings." 

A Brazilian man lost his home during a flood and the only thing remaining was his raft. Others were in a similar position as him, so he used that raft to help 121 families for 37 straight hours.

Breaking a world record is an accomplishment of its own, but doing so with incurable cancer makes it even more special. Bravo!

Certain regions of Nigeria have been ravaged by, "...marauding gunmen locally known as 'bandits' who have reigned terror and masterminded a series of kidnappings in the region." Thankfully 97 of those hostages have been saved, with a handful of hostages being women, children, babies, and women who are pregnant.

A small indigenous community was hit hard by COVID-19 and was left wondering how they would manage on their own. Upon hearing the news, volunteers created a "ski doo train" and traveled 7 hours in freezing conditions to provide food, wood, and other essential items.

At the young age of four this man was abducted and sold into a child trafficking ring. After unsuccessful attempts to uncover his origins, he drew a map of his hometown from memory that led him straight to his biological mother. A reunion 33 years in the making, what a story.

There are a number of people who have sailed around the world with nothing but themselves and their knowledge of the sea. This man right here deserves recognition because he is the first person to sail solo around the world as a double amputee. 

It's one thing to help the community that you are a part of, but it's an entirely different thing when you are helping those who are hundreds of miles away. This man took action after the Kentucky tornadoes by flying thousands of toys to children who were affected by the devastation. Hats off to him.

Whether you're a fan of his music or not, Logic made a concerted effort to ensure this song had some sort of impact on society. The song was a hit in its own right, but now we are learning that Logic's intention for the song is actually becoming a reality, which is so much more important than being on the Billboard Top 100. 

Normally when you think about the Make-A-Wish foundation, you think about kids meeting celebrities or checking off activities on their bucket list. This young man decided to use his wish to help the homeless by providing them with meals once a month for the next year. What a stud.

An experienced caver stepped on a faulty rock and was trapped for 54 hours. It took nearly 200 rescue workers and volunteers to save this man, resulting in the longest rescue mission ever undertaken in Wales. Bravo to everyone who stepped up to help.

This foundation is doing something that will change the lives of several families across the country. In honor and support of first responders, veterans, and their families, Tunnel To Towers will be paying off the mortgage of 50 individual homes where families of fallen heroes reside.

This nonprofit was initially created by volunteers who befriended homeless people just to show that someone cares. After learning more about the basic needs and desires of these individuals, Haven Of Hope was established to provide a shower, load of laundry, and a free haircut to those in need.

During a standard welfare check, this police officer noticed a two year old girl had a dislocated elbow, a skull fracture, as well as a brain bleed. This girl had an uncertain future as they tried to find a proper home, so the officer decided to make it certain by adopting her in full.

A victim of the 9/11 attacks had aspirations of going to space one day, only for those dreams to be unexpectedly dashed. 20 years later, astronaut Chris Cassidy helped to partially fulfill that dream by bringing the victims ashes to space, providing the victim's family with a gesture they'll never forget.

It seems as if new records are broken every day for the most obscure things, but this one deserves some recognition. Anyone who has ever done a plank knows how difficult it can be after a while, but imagine doing one for over 9 hours straight!? What makes this story more incredible is that this man suffers from CRPS, and yet he still powered through to break the record. Unreal.

Climbing any sort of mountain is difficult as is, but try doing that as a double amputee. Crawling on his hands and knees for 13 hours straight, this man conquered the highest peak in Wales, and in the process he has given back by sending amputee children on holiday. What an accomplishment.

The co-owner of Helistar Aviation received a distress call that several people were trapped by flood waters with no way to escape. He and his wife decided to take action, hop in their helicopter, and do everything they could to help out. Their efforts saved the lives of 17 people, just incredible.

A woman was forced by her parents to give up her baby boy for adoption when she was 20 years old. For decades she wondered what ever happened to her son, so she finally made an effort to find him, and the reunion was everything she expected and more.

Students at a high school in Maryland wanted to help out one of their teachers whose husband is in a wheelchair. His disability made it difficult to push his child in a stroller, so the students took it upon themselves to create something that would allow him to do so with ease.

A restaurateur in South Carolina, who also doubles as a mechanic, saw that several individuals in his community were without proper transportation. So he created an initiative where used cars are sent his way, he fixes them up, and donates them to those who are in need. 

After winning the silver medal in weightlifting, Mirabi Chanu celebrated by  hosting 150 truck drivers for lunch and gift giving. Why would she do that? Because she relied on these drivers to get her to the training facility when she couldn't afford private transportation.

With the house burning and his two infant babies inside, Ray Lucas put his own life at risk by entering the home to save his daughters. All of them suffered severe burns, but online strangers have now come to their rescue by raising over $200k for the family.

This story is the definition of goosebumps. Can you imagine having your child kidnapped when they are only 2 years old, spending years and money trying to find them, thinking all hope is lost, only for them to be found more than 2 decades later!? I can only imagine what that embrace must have been like.

Back in 2006 Warren Buffet pledged to give away all of his shares in Berkshire Hathaway, which totals in over $100 billion. With his recent $4.1 billion giveaway, he is halfway to his goal with no plans on stopping in the future.

Nadia Nadim was a former Afghan refugee who lost her father at 11 years old thanks to the Taliban. Most people would have a difficult time recovering from that, but this woman turned it into motivation by becoming a soccer star, medical student, and a creator of sports clubs for thousands of refugee camps.

Named after his daughter who has a disability, Morgan's Wonderland was created by Gordan Hartman who wanted to provide his daughter with a wheelchair accessible waterpark. 11 years later, this park is still the first of its kind anywhere in the world and free for guests with special needs.

When this baby was born 131 days premature, doctors gave him a 0% chance of survival and prepared the parents for the worst. Against all odds, this baby is now celebrating his 1st birthday, and on top of that, he was awarded with a world record of 'the world's most premature baby' to survive.

On a flight from LA to Nashville there was a man attempting to breach the cockpit, and while his motives and intentions are unclear, he received a rude awakening from a flight attendant who hogtied and stopped this man dead in his tracks.

A 7-year-old boy was swimming with his sister when she lost control from a large current. Their father jumped in to help her, but then he got caught up in the same current. The young boy swam 1 mile to shore so that he could get help and save his sister and father. What a stud. 

This couple sadly lost two newborns back in the early 80s, which is trauma that most people wouldn't be able to bounce back from. Instead of letting it bring them down, this couple has volunteered their time to fostering not 1, not 2, not 5, not 10, but 100 infants over a two decade period.

These young boys noticed smoke was coming from the ceiling of a retirement community, so they jumped into action to assist seniors with evacuation. One of them even carried an elderly woman down the stairs.

This girl has spent the large majority of her life in foster care and was close to aging out of the group home. Worried that she would have to fend for herself, she was saved by her former caseworker who took it upon herself to take in the child permanently. 

Over 5,000 people waited in line during a rainstorm to see if they had a stem cell match for a boy who was battling a rare form of cancer. This is an older story, but an exceptional display of humanity.

Mark Dunajtschik was imprisoned in a concentration camp before he eventually escaped with his mother. Now, all of these years later, he is doing incredible work to save lives, and one of his projects is a new 50 million dollar children's hospital.

When a gunman entered Crawley College waving around a pistol, it created panic amongst those in close proximity. This teacher jumped into action, subdued the shooter, and allowed police to handle the rest. Just an incredible act of heroism.

A man spent decades planting over 7,000 trees in the shape of a guitar, all to honor his late wife. Not only is it a marvel from planes in the sky, but it's even famous enough to be noticed by NASA satellites. 

Dr. Q was once a migrant farmer who came to the US without knowing English and with no money in his pocket. Leaving Mexico to forge a new life, he has now become one of the top brain surgeons in the entire country.

A father-daughter duo created a YouTube page to "bring awareness and promote a culture of acceptance where all kids with autism and special needs can be empowered to do what they set their mind to and not feel that their disability is a road block to accomplishing their dreams and or wishes." 

The Valentino shoe factory was destroyed by a fire that created multi-millions of dollars in damage. Who decided to step in and help? One of their main competitors. How did they help? By offering up one of their own factories. Talk about class. 

This story is from a few years ago, but it still has relevance today. So many young men grow up without a fatherly figure to guide them through struggles, so this teacher decided to take action and provide guidance to those in need. 

I think we can all agree that restaurants were possibly impacted the most from the pandemic, so it is incredible to see that so much money has been raised to help out those who have been hit the hardest. Guy Fieri being at the heart of this is no surprise at all. 

Grammy award winning artist The Weeknd has donated $1million in food aid to Ethiopia amid the ongoing conflict taking place in the Tigray region of the country. Extremely generous act here.

Pam Willis noticed that 7 siblings had been sitting in foster care for over a year due to a crash that killed their parents. When she saw this she knew deep down that she was meant to be their mom and decided to adopt them all.

A famous piece of work by the artist known as Banksy has been auctioned off for 16 million pounds, and a significant portion will be donated to the NHS for everything they have done during the pandemic.

It's one thing to plant trees, but it's an entirely different story when one person is blind and the other is armless. Just an incredible display of friendship, as they rely on each other to make it happen. 

Kevin Briggs is an officer in San Francisco who had no training on how to prevent suicide. Now he is known as the "Guardian of the Golden Gate Bridge" because he has helped talk more than 200 people out of committing suicide. All it took was care and understanding. 

This New Jersey plumber and his family decided to make the long drive down to Texas so that they could help families with burst pipes and other damage from the winter storms. 

A former high school teacher from Minnesota is working to erase $40 million in medical debt through the RIP Medical Debt charity. Her efforts will go a long way in helping thousands of lives. 

Matthew Walzer wrote to Nike back in 2012 saying he was disappointed that the company wasn't thinking about individuals with disabilities like his. Nike heard, and they delivered. 

This woman has cleaned the same building in New York City for 20 years, so the residents of the building chipped in to reward her with a 2-year lease for the penthouse unit. 

Elon Musk donates $5 million to provide students with access to free education through a US based non-profit organization, the Khan Academy.

Doing an Ironman race is hard enough as it is, but try doing one with terminal cancer and see how it goes. Jay Hewitt completed it in under 14 hours to inspire his 7 year old daughter, unreal.

Jose Hernandez was a former farmworker who was rejected by NASA 11 times before finally being accepted as the 1st Mexican American astronaut. 

A new strain of COVID-19 closed the French border, leaving hundreds of truck drivers stranded. These Sikhs stepped up and delivered in a big way.

This 5-year old live streams his meditation and ends up raising over $28k for kids experiencing homelessness. 

When an animal shelter was burning to the ground this homeless man risked his life to rescue the animals. What an act of heroism. 

Cicilia Gatica decided to give one-on-one lessons for her students that suffer from poor internet in a small rural village. She rides up to 8 hours each day to do this. 

Since 1980 this 90-year old World War II vet has been hand crafting these toys from wood to give to local children.

This donation is over $4.1 billion to 350+ organizations across the US and Puerto Rico. Love to see it. 

This student was upset when she realized that some of her classmates didn't know how to read. She's on a mission to change that, and did I mention she's 8 years old!?

When a student's parents suffered medical emergencies, these inmates took it upon themselves to help out. Not sure if I have ever seen something like this before. 

A woman kindly paid off more than 80 layaway orders at a toy store in Australia, bringing some parents to tears. 

It seems like Tim Tebow is always doing something commemorable, this is just another one of those gestures. 

Chris Nikic is 21 years old and the first person with down syndrome to complete an ironman triathlon. Just remarkable. 

Two teens fell through some ice and these Sikhs unraveled their turbans to provide a rescue. 

A carpenter is using his skills to create insulated homeless shelters for frigid winter temperatures. 

A 9 year old in Liverpool wanted to help kids who are struggling with hunger, and the number of donations continues to go up.

Jaime Jaramillo, otherwise known as "Papa Jaime" has spent the last 40 years helping kids get off the streets and out of poverty. 

When this kid was bullied he didn't want anyone to feel the same kind of pain. So he decided to give back by starting a food pantry.

This young man was passionate about fighting for the homeless because he himself knew the feeling all too well. He's raised over $100k in the process. 

When an elderly couple crashed into a canal and were stuck in their vehicle, good samaritans came to the rescue and saved their lives. 

In an effort to raise awareness on gender equality this Finnish teen was allowed to be prime minister for the day. Such a cool idea.

This employee jumped into action after hearing some cries in the drive-thru line, just another reason why Chick-fil-A is the best.

Here is a guy who has cancer, on top of being widowed, and yet he still finds time to make sure terminally ill kids have a wonderful life of their own. Amazing.

This 4 year old had a bad dream which inspired her to start making Christmas care packages for needy children. 4 years old!?! Just incredible.

This guy saved a drowning man who was stuck inside of a sinking vehicle, and apparently this is the 3rd time he's saved a life. Standing ovation to him. 

This mountain climber carried a disabled biology student up to the summit of Mount Olympus to fulfill her lifelong dream. Definition of uplifting. 

After realizing how many students were in need of desks, this man decided to spend his time fixing the problem. Then others joined in and now they have over 400 desks made.

For those of you that think you are in a quality marriage, would you be willing to do this for your spouse?

These farmers could have easily ignored this guy and let his crops die our of selfishness, but they went ahead and did the exact opposite. 

All hope seemed to be lost until strangers helped donate $700,000 for a "final hope" treatment.

A blue collar man with no wife, no children, and only two pairs of jeans has done something special with his entire life savings.

An honor that only a select amount of people on the planet can claim. You go girl!

This burn victim had a dream of being noticed by Ryan Reynolds because of his resemblance to his character in the movie Deadpool. Ryan delivered. 

It's one thing to volunteer from another state to help out, but these folks came all the way from Mexico to assist. Amazing selflessness. 

We've seen so many examples already of hospital workers doing the most incredible things this year, and this story only enhances the amount of respect I have for them. 

An elderly woman's home needed much more than a simple light repair, so this electrician decided to do something about it. 

This woman has a pre-existing condition which means she risked her own life to save someone else, just incredible. 

These women secretly met at 4am to anonymously pay bills, buy clothes for people in need, and provide care packages that included a homemade pound cake. Need I say more.

Not only has this girl competed in gymnastics since she was 18 months old, but her aspirations for the future are even higher. Just incredible. 

Raising $84,000 so a 94 year old can finally feel comfortable on a daily basis. A true act of kindness right here. 

Fulfilling her dying son's last wish over the span of 12 years by planting over 2 millions trees...bravo. 

COVID has screwed over a lot of people, but being separated from your child while your future is uncertain must have been awful. This woman deserves more than a gold star. 

These two boys defied all odds and made it to graduation. The power of the human spirit is something else. 

This story is a great example that not all cops are bad people and the large majority are conditioned to help others.

Having to grow up without parents is tough enough, being abandoned by the ones who adopted you is even worse, but luckily this kid will never have to deal with that again.

This is the kind of sibling you want to have. If you are one of the lucky ones with a brother or sister, do you think they would do this for you? Would you do it for them?

He worked sanitation in an effort to help his father with expenses, and now he's attending one of the best universities in the country. Big props.

This invention might not seem like the biggest deal in the world, but you have to respect someone who recognizes a problem and takes action against it. 

5 years old, two prosthetic legs, walking 6 miles, raising one million dollars. Enough said.

Unlocking so much of the world to people that would normally not be able to enjoy.

A 90 year old raising half a million dollars for climbing stairs? Inspired from another senior who did something similar? High respect. 

Helping vulnerable children during a pandemic not because he has to, but because he truly cares for their wellbeing. 

It's always a shame to see how much food goes to waste each year. Hopefully other countries can follow suit in some way because this seems like a great idea.

I'd like to think that most children reach a point where they realize their parents aren't such bad people and appreciate everything they've done. Repaying your parents is one thing, but this hit deep.

This pandemic has had a large impact on kids, in several different ways, but one of those being limited access to playgrounds and such. This gesture is just too endearing not to share.

There are just some things in life that you always go to Dad with, but sadly there are thousands of people out there who don't have the luxury of a father. This man right here is to the rescue.

Keeping the oceans clean of trash seems like a common sense thing to do, but sadly there are people out there who simply don't agree, and that's pretty sad. This company has collected over 8 million pounds of trash and counting.

This kind of generosity shown by kids gives me great hope for the future. I can only imagine how difficult the lives of Native Americans must be, especially during a pandemic, so this story makes me happy to se..

I'm sure at some point in our lives we have all been accused for something we didn't do, but can you imagine being locked up for 37 YEARS!?! For this man to endure that and have the guts to get on stage is remarkable. 

When you see this kind of support from people on the other side of the globe, it provides serious inspiration that we can come together as a planet to stand against the most important issues. 

Regular people going the extra mile to help strangers in time of need is something I think we can all be inspired by.

This is a perfect example of doing the right thing when no one is watching. Karma came around and rewarded this guy for being an upstanding citizen to his community. 

You want to talk about defying odds!? Absolutely unreal.

Yet another example of a kid who provides inspiration that the future is actually brighter than we may think. 

Such a high respect for simply going through life with a name like this, let alone getting a Ph.D with it. 

This girl was shot at by the Taliban for trying to seek an education, needless to say she will be getting the last laugh.

Hopefully this will be an inspiration for other states to follow suit, so thrilled to see these protests have made a difference.

Educational opportunities should be proportionate throughout the country, so seeing this is a great step in the right direction. 

I've seen a few other stories that are similar to this one, so not the only example out there, but definitely worth sharing.

A 15 year old kid, teaching martial arts, to a group of seniors, during a pandemic, and writing them fancy love notes at the same time...kudos on kudos on kudos. 

Beating cancer is one thing, beating twice is even more incredible, but making it to the big leagues after all that is really something special.

I can only imagine the kinds of hardships that children with disabilities have to go through. This act of generosity is about as heart warming as they come.

I have seen over and over again how selfless children can be, and this is just another example that our future may turn out to be alright.

We've heard it over and over again that plastic is awful for the environment and something needs to be done about it. Well if this company has its way we could see a revolution take place.