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Teens Approach Elderly Man When They Think No One Is Watching - Little Did They Know What Would Happen Next
Uplifting News

Teens Approach Elderly Man When They Think No One Is Watching - Little Did They Know What Would Happen Next

In a world often overshadowed by negativity, a heartwarming incident involving a group of Idaho teenagers is breaking through the darkness, thanks to the power of social media. Their simple act of kindness is a beacon of light that we all need to hear about.What Five Teens Did When They Saw an Elderly GentlemanPhoto by Afta Putta GunawanIsaac Hernandez, Diego Ramirez, Victor Ornelas, Devan Ornelas, and Josh Sorg, a group of young boys from Caldwell, Idaho, were on their way to play basketball when they witnessed an elderly man stumble while using his walker. Without hesitation, they sprang into action.Isaac, who was behind the wheel, recounted their swift response: "We parked and we all ran out. We picked him up and we asked if he was okay. He said he was fine." Despite the man, Jose, not being severely hurt, these teenagers chose to stay by his side, walking with him until he reached his home. Their kindness didn't stop there – they tended to his scraped knee, offering first aid and comfort.Jose, deeply touched by their compassion, shared, "It made me feel good. They picked me up. I was walking just right and then sadly I went down, and they come up and say, ‘Hey, want us to take you home?’ And I said, ‘Okay, let’s go.’"What these boys didn't realize was that a neighbor, Erika Tovar, had been quietly observing their selfless act. She captured the moment in photos and shared it on Facebook, highlighting their genuine gesture. Her post quickly gained traction, amassing over a thousand likes and numerous shares, echoing the sentiments of a community yearning for positivity.How Five “Hometown Heroes” Proved the Importance of KindnessA resident of Caldwell noted that this incident is particularly significant for their town, as it often faces negative portrayals. Through this viral story, Caldwell's true spirit is being showcased to the world – a town where good deeds ripple through its streets.To express gratitude, local establishments extended their appreciation to the boys. Sweet Spot Bakery owner Kathy Plaisance invited them over for cupcakes and cookies. "They are hometown heroes for Caldwell," she said, emphasizing how much their kindness meant. Other businesses joined in, offering gift cards, lunches, and even free haircuts.Amidst the growing attention, the teenagers remain humble. Isaac reflected, "Crazy how it blew up. We didn’t do it for the attention, we just did it out of the kindness of our hearts. It’s just the right thing to do."Their actions have echoed far beyond the streets of Caldwell, resonating with people across the country. In a time when good news is often overshadowed, these young men have become shining examples of compassion, empathy, and community spirit. In a world that sometimes feels cold, their warm hearts are a reminder that kindness can light up even the darkest corners.More from Goalcast:Elderly Man Lost His Wife Over 50 Years Ago – Breaks Down When He Gets to See Her “Come to Life”Elderly Man Responsible for His Entire Family Gives Up His Home – So Strangers Raise Almost $40,000 for HimConcerned Family Call Police on Elderly Man Who Wants to Drive Across America – The Cop Who Arrives Has Different Plans

Restaurant Receives One-Star Review Due to Homeless Man in Front - Instead of Making Him Leave, Owner Defends Him
Uplifting News

Restaurant Receives One-Star Review Due to Homeless Man in Front - Instead of Making Him Leave, Owner Defends Him

Small businesses can live and die by online reviews. So when Nomad Donuts in San Diego was on the receiving end of a one-star Google review due to the houseless man living out front of the shop, its owner could have forced its neighbor out. Instead, the owner responded with compassion, and his response probably earned him a lot more business.Why a Customer Was Upset About a Homeless ManIn the subreddit r/MurderedByWords, user beerbellybegone shared a powerful and thought-provoking exchange from the review section of a San Diego business called Nomad Donuts. In the one-star review, the customer wrote: "A homeless guy has *lived* (morning noon and night) against the front entrance for about a year. Really makes me feel great about spending $5 on a jelly donut."Man Who Lives Outside Shop an AssetOwner Brad Keiller had a couple of options here. He could ignore the negative comment, listen to it and kick the homeless man out, or respond. He chose the latter, and had a lot to say about the homeless man that lives outside his shop."Thanks for coming into the shop," Keiller wrote, as reported by Upworthy. "We've appreciated your support over the years, even at the original one on 30th St! I'm sorry that Ray ruined your experience on your last visit. Know that he would like you to continue buying $4 donuts from Nomad every day and doesn't want you to feel guilty about it."Keiller continued to explain that Ray isn't just an unwelcome guest, but an asset to the store."Our 'new' location on University has a lot more homeless people than the original on 30th St and it had really been an issue until Ray started hanging out outside the shop," Keiller wrote. "He keeps the problematic ones away. Yes we've had many of those on meth, heroin, and such that I've had to almost forcibly remove from the shop but Ray keeps them away."The Owner Said He Likes HimKeiller also revealed that not only does he tolerate Ray, he likes him."Ray is a former computer programmer with some physical and psychological challenges but he is very intelligent and respectful. I speak with him almost every day. I like him. He is part of our community. The outside of the building provides him shelter from the sun, rain, and the building slabs give warmth at night."Keiller concludes by saying that he has no plans to remove Ray, and if he loses business because of him then so be it."I understand how you feel, it's not easy to look at. I know I probably lose some business, probably yours too, because of my choice not to chase him away but I won't. He's not looking for handouts and he tried not to other anyone.""If you stop and talk with him maybe you'll come to like him too."Brad KeillerIn the comments, Keiller was praised for his response."The business owner is clearly socially conscious. That’s great and I’d support that. But it seems to me that the hero of the piece is actually Ray. He needs more love than the business," one user wrote."Every inch of respect for this post is deserved. Ray's a human, with a story, same as everyone," said another.Show Compassion for All Our NeighborsWhile some customers might feel uncomfortable seeing homeless people outside a shop, you know what, the houseless person is probably uncomfortable, too. They are humans with feelings, a past and a future, who have likely been through more than we could possibly imagine.Most of us could never stomach what a houseless person has to go through on a daily basis. The least we can do is show them respect and compassion within a system that ultimately leaves people with physical and psychological problems like Ray at the fringes. Keiller certainly deserves praise, but more than that, his response is a reminder that more needs to be done as a society to help our houseless neighbors.More from Goalcast:Woman Buys Homeless Man Coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts — He Then Hands Her a Shocking NoteMom and Her 2 Kids Are Trapped in an Apartment Fire – One Local Homeless Man Tells Them All to Drop Out of the Window

Man Lures 5-Year-Old With Ice-Cream and Kidnaps Her - But 2 Teens on Bikes Take Matters Into Their Own Hands
Uplifting News

Man Lures 5-Year-Old With Ice-Cream and Kidnaps Her - But 2 Teens on Bikes Take Matters Into Their Own Hands

A strong community can do far more than a single person can. Sometimes, you need someone to watch your back. In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, two teenage boys went above and beyond to protect their community.How Two Teens Used Their Quick-Thinking to Save a Little GirlPhoto by Erik Mclean5-year-old Jocelyn Rojas was playing in her front yard one early afternoon, as she always does. When her guardians went inside, things took a turn for the worst. She was lured into the car of a stranger. Jocelyn couldn’t be found. Her family called the police and issued a search. Jocelyn’s neighbours searched alongside the police for two hours. Just as an Amber Alert was about to be filed, 15-year-old Temar Boggs and his friend Chris came back to save the day. They returned Jocelyn safely to her family -- on their bikes!When the search started, the two teens jumped on their bikes and began to scour the neighbourhood. After a while, they spotted something out of place. “I saw this suspicious car and I looked into the passenger seat, it was a little girl.” They slowly followed the car to try and confirm the identity of the child. When they could see it was Jocelyn, the boys went into a full sprint chasing the car.The driver wasn’t easy to catch, especially on a bike. “Every time we’d go down the street, he’d turn back around, and then … we’ll follow him,” Temar said. They chased the kidnapper for 15 minutes. The driver seemed to realize he was being followed and decided to give the girl up. “He stopped at the end of the hill and let her out,” Temar said, “She stood there for a little and then she ran to me and said that she needed her mommy.” The boys comforted Jocelyn and ensured she was safe. Minutes later, they returned the girl back to her family.How Community Played a Role in Bringing a Little Girl Home When they returned, the whole community took turns giving the two teens flowers and praise. “At first she didn’t want to leave my arms,” Temar said, “She was scared until I told her, ‘They’re going to take you to your mom.’” Temar and Chris showed an unbelievable amount of courage that afternoon by putting themselves in harm’s way to protect their community. Luckily, no one was hurt and Jocelyn was back with her caregivers. “He’s our hero. There is just no words to say,” Jocelyn’s grandmother Tracey Clay said. Jocelyn’s mother also showed her gratitude to the boys that saved her daughter. “It’s amazing that teenagers took it upon themselves and put their lives in danger to make sure my child was okay,” She said.The Lancaster community came together to save Jocelyn. All of her relatives and neighbours played a role in bringing the child home safely and didn’t rest until it was done. Without a strong community, a triumph like this could never happen.

Mom and Her 2 Kids Are Trapped in an Apartment Fire - One Local Homeless Man Tells Them All to Drop Out of the Window
Uplifting News

Mom and Her 2 Kids Are Trapped in an Apartment Fire - One Local Homeless Man Tells Them All to Drop Out of the Window

Sometimes heroes are the people we least expect. In Phoenix, Arizona, a local homeless man helped save an entire family from an out of control fire. How One Homeless Man Helped a Family Trapped in a FirePhoto by MART PRODUCTIONJust after 4 in the morning on May 18, Claudia Jimenez and her two children were fast asleep while a blazing fire was consuming their apartment building. “I went to the front door and opened it and the flames were already covering my front door. The whole stairs were on fire already,” Jimenez told a local news outlet. "Neighbors started to bang on doors, trying to wake everyone up and get everyone out."Jimenez and her two children were trapped in their second-floor unit, unable to use the main stairwell or even leave through their front door without walking directly into the blaze. Seemingly out of options, Jimenez ran to the back bedroom, opened the window, and began screaming out for help. “I started yelling, yelling, ‘Please someone help me! There’s a fire! I can’t get out! I need someone to help me,'" she recounted. Thats when Joe Hollins bravely became a hero. "I’m gonna help you," Hollins responded. Hollins had been homeless in the area for some time, and was sleeping nearby the apartment building when he saw it go up in flames. Once he heard Claudia's voice, he rushed closer to her unit, and thought quickly on his feet. He told Jimenez to drop her kids and two dogs out the window, and assured her that he would catch them. Originally, he even tried to scale the building, revealing, “I actually tried to climb up the side of window and grab ‘em as far as I could.""Then I said, ‘I got you, don’t worry.’” How a Homeless Man Proved Not All Heroes Wear CapesJimenez, her 1-year-old daughter Valerie, and 8-year-old daughter Natalie were all able to safely exit the burning building without serious injuries, thanks to Hollins. He even caught the families two dogs as well. “I really have no words. I will forever be thankful to him. To me, he was an angel. He was there when I needed, I looked around, he was only one around. Because of him we are alive and my daughters are safe,” Jimenez said.When asked if he felt like a hero by a news crew on the scene, Hollins had a humble response. “Anybody would do it,” he said, adding he did what he had to do and was in the right place at the right time. He also said he was happy to help. This type of nobility is rare, and marks a true hero. Now, others are stepping up in a different way. Though they survived the fire, the Jimenez family lost their home and possessions, and a fundraising campaign has been set up to help them get back on their feet. Remarkably, the campaign has exceeded its $10,000 goal, with support pouring in from all over. The story has struck a chord with all who come across it, and shines a powerful light on the heroic act of Hollins -- though he doesn't ask for any shine.

Homeless Man Sees a Stroller Rolling Into Oncoming Traffic His Quick Thinking Prevents a Tragedy
Everyday Heroes

Homeless Man Sees a Stroller Rolling Into Oncoming Traffic His Quick Thinking Prevents a Tragedy

Not everyone is able to jump into action when they see a bad situation unfold. Fortunately, Ron Nessman isn’t one of those people. His quick thinking may have saved a baby’s life recently when a stroller started rolling straight into traffic.A Potential AccidentIt all started outside of a car wash station in California, where a woman was unloading her car. Suddenly, her stroller started rolling backward toward the road, where cars were zipping by. The woman’s great-nephew was inside that stroller, and as she went to catch him, the woman fell repeatedly.In security footage that was shared with ABC News, you can see the woman trying to get up as the pram inches closer and closer to traffic. Suddenly, right before the stroller reaches the side of the road, a man appears on the screen and stops it.“She sees the child going into the street and that's all she sees,” Nessman later recalled to CBS News. “She can't do nothing. I seen her and I felt so bad for the lady,” he continued. “I got nephews and nieces and I couldn't imagine something like that.”An Unlikely Hero(ABC)“It was sudden, and I didn't want to do anything,” he recalled to the outlet.The man was there that day, however, for a job interview at Applebee’s. He’d finished the interview and taken his sister to the car wash when he saw the runaway stroller. “The wind was blowing so hard, by the time I got to it, it was at the top of that driveway," Nessman told ABC News.In another interview with KTLA, he explained how the woman was in shock following the incident. “Her knees were bleeding, she was traumatized from falling and from the baby going into traffic,” Nessman said. “I can only imagine what was going on in her head. It was heart-wrenching.”Nessman believes he may have been there that day for a reason, though, and he’s taking the incident as a sign. “If you want something different, you're going to do something different, and today, I want something different out of life,” he explained to ABC News.Everyday Heroes(ABC)Nessman’s story is a simple reminder to all of us that it only takes one small act to be somebody else’s hero. Sure, this was a life-saving act and one that the baby’s family will forever be grateful for. But there are all kinds of other small acts that can make a big difference as well.Checking in on loved ones often goes a long way, especially when they’re feeling down or you haven’t heard from them in a while. Randomly doing something kind for someone in your life just because you want to is also a heroic thing to do. After all, no one ever really knows what someone else is going through.And if you are out in public and see someone struggling, just lend a hand. Opening that door, offering to take a photo of a mom struggling to snap a selfie, or giving up your seat to someone else on public transit are all small acts that pack a punch.At the end of the day, you never know just how much someone else may need your kindness… or how much you may need theirs in return tomorrow.

Pastor Has a Casual Conversation With His Pharmacist - Then She Makes Him an Offer He Cant Refuse
Uplifting News

Pastor Has a Casual Conversation With His Pharmacist - Then She Makes Him an Offer He Cant Refuse

We’ve all been guilty of using hyperbole in our relationships before. We promise our loved one we would take a bullet for them or give them a kidney without question.However, when push comes to shove, many of us would never risk our own lives to help someone else. Especially someone we are not related to.Only the very kindest, most generous souls would ever give a stranger a kidney. Luckily for one pastor from North Carolina, there are some generous souls out there willing to help. How a Pastor Formed an Unlikely Bond With His PharmacistPhoto by Alexandros ChatzidimosDonnie Pickeral is a pastor at Aycock Fellowship Ministries in North Carolina. Now middle aged, Donnie has been battling kidney disease since he was only 19 years old. Back then, he was told that he wouldn’t live to see his hair grow gray -- his kidneys would fail long before then. Donnie, though, has never been one to take bad news lying down. He decided to take his health into his own hands and do whatever he could to extend his life. He made enormous lifestyle and diet changes, all while keeping up with his rigorous medication regimen.Needless to say, Donnie became fast friends with the pharmacists who served him given how much he had to go pick up medication. One day, he went into Kathleen Kirkland’s CVS and was blown away by the customer care he received there. He immediately switched pharmacies. Donnie started going to Kathleen’s pharmacy in 2017, but in 2019 his kidney function had dropped to under 10% and things were not looking good for the pastor. For the first time in a long time, Donnie began to fear that the end was near.In casual conversation, Donnie mentioned to Kathleen that he was on a transplant list, but that things were not looking very good. Kathleen immediately offered to give him her kidney. "She said, 'I want to give you my kidney.' Tears came to my eyes cause I wasn't expecting her to say that. We talked a bit more and found out we’re the same blood type. We did a fist bump and she started doing her tests and she was a perfect match for me. I felt in my heart when I walked out of that store that the Lord was saying to me she was the one. No one else was even testing. She was the one,” Donnie said."I feel like God puts people in your path for a reason and I feel like Donnie came to my pharmacy for me to help him," Kathleen added.How One Pharmacist Proved the Importance of SelflessnessKathleen never had any doubt that she was doing the right thing by donating her precious kidney. Not only for herself and for Donnie, but for the world. "I knew he had so much more left to give the world. I was happy to be able to help him do that," she said.The operation was successful and both Kathleen and Donnie were thrilled about the results -- and about the unbreakable bond they had created.Donnie now considers Kathleen his family. He will never forget what she did for him. Even before the amazing organ donation, she always made him feel welcome and well taken care of at her pharmacy.As far as Kathleen is concerned, nothing she did is extraordinary. "I just feel like I did a good thing and helped someone when they were in need. I was in the right place at the right time and God put us there together," Kathleen said.There are guardian angels everywhere, we just have to be in the right place and the right time for them to reveal themselves!

Fisherman Notices Jeep Sticking Out of the Water What He Does Next Saves a Womans Life
Everyday Heroes

Fisherman Notices Jeep Sticking Out of the Water What He Does Next Saves a Womans Life

When a vehicle goes under water, it’s the immense pressure of the water outside the vehicle that makes the doors impossible to open.In this dire situation, there are certain things that will increase the likelihood of the passengers’ survival.When a fisherman on the coast of Lake O’the Pines in Texas saw a Jeep sticking out of the water, though, he didn’t think that someone was in it. The car was stationary, as if it had been there for a long time, and only a small part of the roof broke the surface of the water. A car in the middle of the lake? It took him a moment to realize what it was. The Jeep was well over 40 feet from the boat ramp.Fisherman Calls for Help When it registered that the black shape that he was looking at was actually a car, the fisherman called the Marion County Sheriff’s office at once. Officers arrived in about 20 minutes. After assessing the situation from the shore, they called a wrecker truck. It was too dangerous for them to wade out into the lake; so when the wrecker arrived and began to make its way to the stranded vehicle, the police officers asked the fisherman to take them out in his boat so they could have a closer look. No one expected to see a person in the vehicle, but there she was: a woman trapped inside the submerged Jeep. Luckily for her, the vehicle wasn’t fully submerged and she was still able to breathe.The fisherman and the wrecker driver wasted no time in rescuing her. They asked her how long she had been trapped inside the sinking vehicle. Her guess was several hours.How to Survive Being Trapped UnderwaterThe idea of being stuck inside a sinking vehicle is the stuff that nightmares are made of. Although this situation is highly unlikely to happen, there are a few things to keep in mind that could greatly increase your odds of survival.The first is to remain calm.If this seems easier said than done, then consider the practical benefits of remaining calm. Slower breathing means you won’t use up the oxygen in the cabin as quickly. It also means you’ll be able to take action.What action should you take? Your first thought should be to unlock all the doors and throw them open. If there’s any time at all before the car starts to sink, you will be able to escape much more easily from open doors. In the very least, unlock those doors. If your car is sinking fast, you might not have time to open the doors. But, again, you shouldn’t panic—there are still options. Once the car has settled and is fully submerged, that same intense pressure that held your doors shut tight will equalize with the pressure in the vehicle.Spend that time unbuckling, opening windows if possible, and getting ready to go. Once the cabin has filled with water, you will be able to push the doors open and get out.Quick Thinking Saves Lives(Marion County Police Dept.)While the Texan woman was rescued in time, the incident was not without its scars. It had been a chilly spring morning, and first responders had to treat her for hypothermia. Police officers at the scene also realized that this woman had been reported missing.Had the fisherman not seen the outline of the Jeep’s roof, they might never have found her in time.Because the woman’s Jeep had not sunk all the way to the bottom, she had enough air to keep her alive. But that position in the water also made it impossible to open the doors.The fisherman's quick thinking saved her life.

Novice Pilot Doesnt Notice the Wheel Falling off the Plane During Takeoff Heroic Pilot on the Ground Takes Notice and Saves Her Life
Everyday Heroes

Novice Pilot Doesnt Notice the Wheel Falling off the Plane During Takeoff Heroic Pilot on the Ground Takes Notice and Saves Her Life

Taylor Hash wanted to be a career pilot. She had just started accumulating hours of flight time when disaster struck. As she guided the Diamond Star plane off the runway at Oakland County International airport, on her third-ever solo flight, the front tire of her plane fell off. Hash was blissfully unaware at that point that she had just lost crucial landing gear. “I didn’t feel anything on the takeoff roll,” she said. Veteran pilot Chris Yates, though, saw something on the takeoff roll and immediately took action. He knew that Hash would have to make a difficult emergency landing. He radioed the control tower and said, “That Diamond Star that just took off lost its nose wheel tire on the runway.”But the control tower operators didn’t know what to do. They’d never seen such a thing happen before. Yates asked them to put him through to Hash so he could help her.Scary Emergency LandingWhen Hash learned what had happened, she was terrified. With only 57 total flight hours under her belt, she didn’t know what her options were and could only imagine how this was going to end.“I didn’t know what to do in that moment,” said Taylor. “I’m just kinda freaking out and figuring out how I’m going to land this plane safely.Yates knew what to do. He knew that the most important thing would be to keep Hash calm so that she could follow this instructions effectively.In their recorded radio conversation, we hear Yates start by reassuring Hash that everything is going to turn out just fine: “Taylor, this is Chris. My daughter’s name is Taylor, and I taught her to fly! We’re gonna be just fine, kiddo.” “You’re Okay”He told her to take her time, that she could circle the field until she was ready to land. “When you touch down, I just want that stick all the way back. You’re gonna hold that stick back like you don’t want that nose to touch,” he coached her.As the plane coasted down and Hash braced herself for the jarring impact, Yates talked her down, repeating, “You’re okay, you’re okay, you’re okay.”The plane touched down, and a second later, the nose of the plane hit the ground hard. Hash, though, was safe and sound. When the plane finally stopped moving, both the veteran and the novice pilots cried tears of relief.“Thatta girl,” radioed Yates, “proud of you.”Hash and Yates have kept in touch since the incident, talking every day and planning to fly together soon. When Hash told Yates that she was planning on becoming a career pilot, he replied, “This is a good start.” Now Hash knows what it is like to operate under pressure, and she has earned a couple new skills.“Had he not seen the wheel fall off,” said Hash, “it’s hard to think about what could have happened.” She herself had not known anything was amiss after takeoff. It was only Yates’ keen eye and quick thinking that had alerted the young pilot to the problem; and it was his experience and his calm that helped bring about a happy ending.

Ukrainian Bakery Under Siege Stays Open to Feed the Wounded and Elderly — Their Bravery Inspires the Whole World to Act
Everyday Heroes

Ukrainian Bakery Under Siege Stays Open to Feed the Wounded and Elderly — Their Bravery Inspires the Whole World to Act

Bread is a bridge, says Jon Pryzbyl, owner of Proof Bakery in Mesa, Arizona. The bridge he’s talking about spans back to 2018 when he first met Anna Makievska at the Washington State Grain Gathering.She was a young baker from Ukraine with big dreams. They struck up a conversation and connected over Jon’s Polish roots. After the conference ended, they kept in touch. Jon wished Anna success and followed her baking adventures from across an ocean.Those adventures took Anna from a basement bakery to a huge warehouse with towering ceilings and breathtaking windows. Her dream, a sourdough bakery called Bakehouse, was coming true. She celebrated the opening of the jaw-dropping new building with her husband and two small children.It soon became one of the most popular bakeries in Kyiv, and Anna employed a team of 80 bakers. Upwards of 1500 people a day came to Bakehouse to buy their bread. For four months, Anna and her team were in sourdough heaven. But the Dream Didn’t Last(Commercial Baking)And then disaster struck: Russian tanks arrived in the city. It took the sounds of an explosion, though, to wake Anna out of her dream. She reluctantly closed down her warehouse bakery whose long windows and large, open rooms made it a target for enemy troops.The team moved back into the basement bakery—but Anna knew she had to get her family out of there.She and her husband packed and drove to the Moldovan border. Anna told her team of bakers to leave, if they could. But at the border, Anna’s husband was refused entry. Ukrainian men had to stay in the country and fight. A heart-wrenching goodbye saw Anna’s husband return to Kyiv and Anna and their daughters continue their journey on foot.Anna was devastated. She walked on, holding her infant daughter in one hand and encouraging her eight-year-old daughter, who struggled with a suitcase.Anna and her daughters ended up in Portugal. Once they were safe, the first thing Anna did was to reach out to her husband and colleagues back in Ukraine. She was startled to hear that her team of bakers was still running the bakery—but, in the end, not surprised.“When you produce food,” she said, “you don't have a choice. You cannot just close. Where would people get food?”Though she urged her crew to stay safe, they refused to abandon Bakehouse. They kept the basement bakery up and running, serving bread to soldiers. They took bread to local hospitals and teamed up with a network of restaurants to provide free meals for the elderly.When the Kyiv suburb of Bucha was under siege, occupied by Russian forces who forced the town into a 33-day starvation period, Anna’s team worked overtime to make 100 more loaves for the survivors.More Help Arrives It was about that time that Anna received a message from Jon. He thought Anna should start a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for her bakery and its efforts to feed the local population. Bakehouse had lost its main sources of revenue, and yet it was continuing to feed Ukrainians day in and day out. Its brave bakers went to work every day, fighting the starvation that was threatening to overtake the country.Anna was currently exhausting all her options, but she still hesitated when it came to the concept of a GoFundMe campaign. The idea was unheard of in Ukraine. She wondered why people would want to help her business. But Jon was persistent. Finally, Anna gave her consent and Jon published the campaign.To date, the campaign has raised over $200,000 to “keep BAKEHOUSE bakers employed despite the bakery losing its sources of revenue. Their work will feed many who walk through their doors. Food production is amongst the most essential activities for any community. Someone needs to make the bread regardless of the circumstances.”Nearly 2,000 donors responded to the call to help feed Kyiv. Donations range from $5 to over $10,000, the latter mostly coming from sympathetic bakeries. Because of the outpouring of support, Anna’s bakery has been able to donate over 100,000 loaves of bread to people in need.Bread Is for Everyone(iNews)Other bakers, inspired by the story of Bakehouse, decided to join Anna’s efforts. Some donated money directly to the GoFundMe campaign. Others, including Anna herself, contributed to a cookbook called Knead Peace that is a collection of bread recipes from the world’s best bakers.A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the cookbook goes to the Ukrainian Humanitarian Appeal of the Disasters Emergency Committee.And that’s why Jon says that bread is a bridge. “It's an incredible show of solidarity. We’re often absorbing news through mass headlines, how many people died, or what atrocity happened yesterday. But I think we all relate to the idea of needing food, especially in difficult times.”Through phone calls and messages, and with the support of bakers from around the world and especially her dedicated team in Kiev, Anna continues to feed her people. “Bread is for everyone,” she insists.

They Were Trapped in the Snow With No Phone Reception as the Sun Went Down — Then One of the Hikers Remembers a Trick Used by Smugglers in Prison
Everyday Heroes

They Were Trapped in the Snow With No Phone Reception as the Sun Went Down — Then One of the Hikers Remembers a Trick Used by Smugglers in Prison

37-year-old Casey Ryan felt very comfortable in the mountains of the Willamette National Forest in Eugene, Oregon. He knew its roads and hiking trails well from his time as a volunteer in a roadside clean-up crew.These days, he was often there photographing wildlife, and he almost always had his drone with him. It was one of his favorite cameras.Weather conditions weren’t great on the morning that Ryan decided to go on a short hike with his friend, but snow was common and Ryan felt he knew the area well enough.Still, as they drove along, the roads became icy. Ryan thought he might turn back, but after a truck passed them coming from the opposite direction, he felt safe enough to keep going. The roads must still be passable in that direction, he reasoned.Stuck in the Snow(Oregon Live)But it wasn’t long before the two men came across a woman who was stranded along the mountain road after her van had plowed into a snowdrift. Ryan and his friend stopped to help her. Ryan tried to line up his truck’s hitch to pull the woman’s van out—and ended up stuck in the same place. The three tried for hours to dig the cars out, but the sun was setting fast.“The temperature was dropping,” Ryan recalled the hopeless scene. “The snow was now turning to ice blocks around the tires, and I knew we weren’t going to dig out.”Thirty miles from the closest town, their phones had no signal in the dense forest. Their car radio and walkie-talkies couldn’t transmit any signal far enough. The three travellers prepared to spend the night in their cars. The hikers had survival gear and food to share, so they weren’t terribly worried.Drones and Smugglers(WP)It was Ryan’s friend who, jokingly perhaps, brought up a news report he had seen about smugglers using drones to drop cell phones into prison yards. For Ryan, it suddenly clicked. There was the solution.“I was like, ‘That’s ingenious,” Ryan remembered. He excitedly grabbed his drone out of his truck and tried to figure out a way to attach his phone to it. If the drone could bring the cell phone above the tree line, he could send a message to his wife and get help! But it wasn’t easy. Ryan’s lightweight drone was not designed to carry anything as heavy as a phone, and there were several failed attempts. Ryan wrapped his phone in paper towel and duct tape and tried tying it to the underside of the drone with some cord.“As the propellers went, I gave it a little boost,” he explained. The drone struggled under the weight of the phone, but eventually, it started to rise. Ryan used another phone to pilot it. When the drone broke the tree line, the travellers cheered. When the drone came back down, Ryan pounced on it. Did his plan work? To his surprise and relief, the SOS message to his wife was sent. He had succeeded in relaying their location. Now, it would be a matter of waiting.Help on the Way Back at their home, Ryan’s wife was on it. She had called AAA, but they said they didn’t service the mountain roads. So she tried local law enforcement. Lane County Sheriff’s Office took the call and prepared for a rescue. Ryan’s wife texted this information back to her husband, and when Ryan sent the phone up a second time, his phone received the text. Help was on the way.Ryan tried to send the phone up a third time, but finally, the little drone’s motor gave out and it crashed back through the tree line and into a pile of snow. The three motorists prepared to spend the night in their cars.The next morning, help arrived.Jason Bowman, a search-and-rescue coordinator with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office was impressed. “I’ve been doing search and rescue since 2007, and this was by far the most unique way I’ve ever seen somebody call for help.” Bowman said it was the most memorable rescue of a season with a higher than usual number of calls.For his part, Ryan isn’t looking to try it again anytime soon. He said he’ll stay off the mountain roads until spring. “Going forward,” he admitted, “I hope I won’t have to do another drone flight rescue.” Though it wasn’t smart that Ryan was traveling on an unmaintained winter road in the mountains, to give credit where credit is due, his call-for-help strategy was pretty smart indeed.