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Kindness, compassion, empathy and patience can go a long way — even in Walmart.

Source: ‘We’ve forgotten how to love one another.’ Walmart cashier’s kin – KWES NewsWest 9 / Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, TX: newswest9.com |

I’ve seen this kind of thing myself. It’s both common, and touching.

His wife, Cindy, took matters into her own hands, and with the help of the nurses, she was able to sneak their Yorkie mix in for one last goodbye.

Source: Nurses helped sneak dog into hospital to say goodbye [Video]

I do wish hospitals were a little more permissive in this regard. Note, however, that the nurses and staff involved helped make it happen as well.

Alaska Airlines, […] you have restored my faith in humanity today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done.

Source: ‎Lauren Whiteside‎’s post to Alaska Airlines Facebook page (public post, Facebook account not required)

Coincidentally I flew Alaska Airlines the next day. I can attest to their great customer service reputation being well warranted. I’m sure that, for them, this was just another day — for Lauren Whiteside, it was anything but.

Alphabet‘s Project Loon might still be experimental in nature, but it just delivered real hope to 100,000 Puerto Rico residents in what the Project Loon team called the fastest deployment of its Internet-providing balloons ever.

Source: A bunch of balloons delivered basic Internet to 100,000 Puerto Rico residents | AndroidAuthority

100,000 is just a fraction of the Puerto Rican population (albeit it very grateful fraction, I’m sure), but what’s most exciting to me is how quickly these balloons were put into place, and what this kind of ability promises for the future.

Two years on the boy is doing well, his doctors said. His skin is healthy, he doesn’t need to take medication or use ointments, he is back at school, plays football and when he gets a cut it heals normally.

Source: Scientists grow replacement skin for boy suffering devastating genetic disorder | Science | The Guardian

This is exciting … for burn victims, naturally, but I expect the techniques being pioneered here will be brought to bear on a much wider range of issues as well.

The hunt is on for a skateboarder who left their “grass-cutting money” to pay for truck repairs.

Source: Skateboarder wins hearts with apology note – BBC News

There are lots of “good kids” out there… this is a great example of one.

Attorney Jarrett Adams recently helped overturn an innocent man’s conviction — in the same state that, years ago, had sentenced him to prison for a crime he did not commit.

Source: From Defendant to Defender: One Wrongfully Convicted Man Frees Another – NBC News

His story is inspiring. Turning his misfortune into skills that will help many others in similar situations.

Designers at GE Healthcare in Waukesha have turned MRIs and other scanning machines into spaceships, pirate islands and other adventures to make the procedures tolerable and even fun for children.

Source: By turning medical scans into adventures, GE eases children’s fears

Is it wrong that I kinda want a CT scan now? 🙂

Ilene Gembala, who is a 94-year-old resident of the Rising Mountains assisted living center, told her caregiver she loved the snow and wanted to make a snow angel.

Source: Watch 94-Year-old Get Out of Wheelchair to Make One Last Snow Angel

Made me smile, for many reasons. 🙂

Safe Haven Family Shelter says it’s seeing more first time homeless families as growth squeezes affordable housing

Source: 900 hikers support evolving homeless population in Nashville

These kind of community fundraising efforts are actually quite common, and a great example of how people can step up to help one another.