Nearly 70% of Americans have said that the election is a major source of stress in their lives, and that worry has reached a crescendo now that we’re at election day. There’s no saying how long we’ll have to wait for final results, or whether worries about civil unrest will be founded, so many Americans are glued to their phones this week.
So, rather than refreshing the results yet again, we invite you to take a few minutes to read about these four good news stories. No matter how concerned you are about the election, they’re guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
He Saved Her Daughter; She Raised Thousands For His Wedding
Samantha Whiting was on vacation in California with her children when her 10-year-old daughter Haley got caught in a rip current. Whiting swam out to save Haley, but then they both got stuck. That’s when local resident Kevin Cozzi jumped in to save both mom and daughter.
In the chaos of the rescue, Whiting only caught Kevin’s first name, but she searched for him for months on social media so she could say thank-you. When she finally found him, she learned that he’s had to delay his wedding because of the pandemic. So, Whiting set up a GoFundMe page.
“If it wasn’t for him risking his life in such a selfless act I would have lost not only my own life but my baby girl. I want to raise money for Kevin and his fiancé to have their dream wedding and honeymoon,” she wrote.
The page went viral, garnering nearly $25,000 in donations — enough to help not only with wedding expenses, but with the down payment on a home. Still, Cozzi insists saving Haley was the only thanks he needed.
“That girl being saved was enough for me, honestly,” he said.
These Identical Twins Gave Birth On The Same Day
People love to talk about how twins are connected, but this story, says OB/GYN George Vick, can only be explained as a “God thing the whole way.”
Identical twins Autumn Shaw and Amber Tramontana gave birth to two baby girls within 90 minutes of each other on Oct. 29. That itself is a massive coincidence — then you learn that Oct. 29 is also the twin’s birthday!
“It’s something that’s really an unusual thing,” Vick, who delivered the babies, said.
The infants — Charleston and Blakely — are doing well, and so are the moms.
Arizona Hospital Establishes NICU ‘Wall of Hope’
Parents with babies in the neonatal intensive care unit need all the hope and inspiration they can get. Which is why Banner Children’s hospital in Mesa, Arizona launched a “Wall of Hope” project to show parents what they can look forward to.
The wall features former NICU patients who are not thriving, holding a picture of themselves when they were at their most tiny and vulnerable in the NICU.
“In every portrait, it’s clear the children are proud to have overcome major setbacks as infants through the help of their medical team and families,” the hospital said in a news release.
Chrissy Teigen’s Friends Donate Blood In Honor of Her Son
When Chrissy Teigen was still struggling to save her pregnancy with her son, Jack, she received seven pints of blood. This week, her friend organized a blood drive to donate just that amount. Together, seven friends all donated a pint of blood in memory of baby Jack.
Teigen posted about the effort on Instagram, writing.
“I’m overwhelmed by our circle of friends. The love I feel for each and every person in our circle actually makes me ache,” she wrote.
She also pointed out that now, more than ever, blood donations are needed.
“High schoolers are responsible for so much of the blood donated. Usually they’d get a coupon for an ice cream cone or a movie ticket, but without school in session, donations are down. I have a lot of friends who normally would donate from a special day at work, but alas, no work,” she wrote.
Learn more about how to donate blood here.
