Author: Zoe Larson

Jayashree Krishnan started by painting two portraits of her cousins who worked seven days a week at a Michigan hospital throughout the pandemic. It was then that Krishnan made it her mission to honor the front-line workers through her art. The artist told CNN, "Art is wonderful because it gives you an outlet to deal with the anxiety that goes with this pandemic. For me, a year ago I was just painting landscapes and thinking that I needed to find meaning for my artwork. And then this sort of happened." Krishnan’s portraits capture the faces of people who have played an extraordinary role in guiding the country through this devastating pandemic. In most cases, Krishnan can only see her subject’s eyes because their faces are covered with masks and protective shields. She estimates that about half of the time painting a portrait is spent on the eyes alone. "Each person's set of eyes that I have painted so far, they tell their own story," Krishnan told CNN. "My goal was to just capture that emotion." Krishnan is over a year into the project, and feels that it is important now, more than ever, to continue showing support and appreciation for the front-line workers who continue to save lives and offer support to those who have been affected by the virus. The artist is now working on a book, which will include all of the portraits that she painted during the pandemic, along with stories she heard from her subjects during the process. The book can be pre-ordered on Krishnan’s website. All of Krishnan’s portraits have been gifted to the individuals that she painted. There is only one that has not made it into the hands of the subject - a portrait of Dr. Anthony Fauci. Krishnan is hoping to find a way to get his portrait to him, as he has continued to be the face of the pandemic response team since the beginning.

Imagine finding out as an adult that your best friend is your biological sibling. That is exactly what happened to Cassandra Madison, 32, and Julia Tinetti, 31, who met in 2013 while working at a restaurant in New Haven, CT. The pair instantly became close friends after discovering that they both had tattoos of the Dominican flag, and it turns out that was not all they had in common. Both women were born in the Dominican Republic and were adopted as babies. When they met working at the restaurant it was clear that they had a lot in common, from their personalities to their uncanny resemblance to each other. Customers and co-workers would often confuse the two, and they joked that they were sisters, dressing alike and wearing tops that read ‘big sister’ and ‘little sister’. The odds that two people would end up working at the same place thirty years after they were adopted are slim, but the similarities between the women were undeniable. CNN reported that at one point, Tinetti and Madison did look into the possibility of having the same biological mother, but their adoption papers said otherwise, and they moved on. In 2018, Madison’s adoptive mother gave her a DNA test for Christmas. After getting the results, she was able to connect with her biological father and it was revealed that there was actually a chance that she and Tinetti were biologically related. Madison, who had moved to Virginia in 2015, made the drive to Connecticut with a DNA test for Tinetti. Tinetti agreed to take the test, and in January, they received the results. "I was like, 'This is it,' and I waited for probably like 10 minutes before I even opened it, because I was trying to prepare myself for what was going to be there," Tinetti told CNN. The DNA test results confirmed what Tinetti and Madison had suspected for so long -- they were, in fact, biological sisters. The discovery not only strengthened the existing friendship but has also allowed them to reconnect with their biological family in the Dominican Republic. Tinetti joked as she told the Washington Post, “I will forever be her annoying little sister.”

Before the pandemic began, five sisters from New Jersey saw each other regularly. Over the last year, the siblings, who are now in their 80s and 90s, have had to put their weekly gatherings on hold. But in March four of the sisters celebrated seeing each other in person again as they reunited at Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill to get their COVID-19 vaccines together. Edith Camp (96), Bernice Cecil (92), Nora McDonald (86), Rose Ramsey (84) arrived for their appointment, each wearing buttons with pictures of their two other sisters - Pauline Taylor, who wasn’t able to join them, and Doris Papiano, who passed away in 2011. It was a heartwarming moment for the tight knit siblings, known as the Langly sisters growing up, as they were all there in spirit for the big moment. Bernice Cecil had the idea that she and her sisters go together to get their shots. While it took some work, Rose Ramsey’s daughter, Lori Goldsmid, was able to make arrangements for her mother and three aunts to get their vaccines together, reuniting them for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. It "was my aunt Bernice's idea to have them together, you know, for a little bit of support for each other because it's scary," Goldsmid said to CNN. Goldsmid told CNN that between them, her mother and aunts have more than 100 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. "I think the hardest part for some of them was not seeing their grandchildren at the same time as not being able to see their sisters," she said. "I think it's heartbreaking at that age not to be able to see any of your family. While the journey was tough, the sisters stuck together, and are now one step closer to seeing each other and their families again.

In February, an unusual weather pattern hit the Pacific northwest, leaving Seattle covered in a foot of snow. But that didn’t stop 90-year-old Fran Goldman from getting her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Seattle resident took on the challenge and walked 6 miles round trip in the snow to her long-awaited appointment. “I have been calling to get an appointment anywhere, every morning, every afternoon and often I’ve been online at night,” Goldman said.  According to the Seattle Times, Goldman’s daughter Ruth and a friend in Arizona, were both constantly making phone calls to help her schedule an appointment. Goldman was finally able to secure a time at the Seattle Children’s hospital and she was determined not to let some unexpected snow get in her way. The morning before her appointment, snow had already started covering the ground.  Knowing that traveling by car would not be possible, Goldman decided that she would walk the 6-mile round trip journey to the hospital the next day. “My mother isn’t going to let a little snow stop her from getting the vaccine,” Ruth told the Seattle Times. “She was willing to walk however many miles there and back to get it. She is a really remarkable person who has the attitude of ‘You don’t let a little adversity get in your way.’ She’s someone who looks for solutions, not problems.” And that is exactly what Fran Goldman did.  She layered up and headed out on her journey to the hospital. Her timing was impeccable. She arrived at the hospital only 5 minutes late, which meant she didn’t have to wait outside in the cold like she would have if she had gotten there too early. “It was not easy going, it was challenging,” Goldman said to the Seattle Times. But the challenge was worth it.  Goldman has tried to fill her time during the pandemic by taking classes on Zoom and ordering groceries online. Now she is one step closer to her primary goal of being able to see her family and grandchildren again.  “I can’t wait to be able to hold them,” she said. “I just want to feel more comfortable.”

In January 2018, a deadly mudslide hit Montecito, CA, destroying homes and taking the lives of many.  Josie Gower, a longtime resident, was one of the 23 victims, and Gower’s family assumed that her beloved pet cat, Patches, was also gone.  But, in December, nearly three years after the tragic event, Gower’s family received some heartwarming news. Patches had been found alive less than a quarter of a mile from her former home and was brought to the Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP) in Santa Barbara County as a stray.  After scanning the calico’s microchip, the shelter was able to contact Gower’s partner, Norm Borgatello, who had lived with her before the mudslide hit and was shocked to learn that Patches was still alive. “We had kinda lost hope,” Briana Haigh, Gower’s daughter, told NPR. “It's a nice thing to hear that, after that many years, you can get a little bit of joy out of something that was quite horrific,” she added. Patches and Borgatello instantly recognized each other when they were reunited at the shelter on New Year’s Eve. “Though we don't know exactly what she's been doing with her life for the past three years, we can see that both Patches and Norm are thrilled to be reunited,” the shelter posted on Facebook. Thanks to the cat’s registered microchip and will to survive, Gower’s family has found some peace in reconnecting with their late mother’s furry friend.  “I think it just warms the heart a bit…I know my mom would be really happy. And I think it is quite strange that it came about right before the three-year anniversary," said Haigh. The ASAP celebrated the reunion, posting on their Facebook page, “We are so grateful that, with the support of our amazing community, not only are we able to save lives, but we are often able to help these special reunions happen. As we see time and time again, a lost cat with a microchip has a much greater chance of being reunited with their family...no matter how, or for how long, they've been separated.”

Nia Dennis, a gymnast at UCLA, is using her platform to make a difference.  Inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests, the 21-year-old’s latest floor routine celebrating Black excellence has gone viral. Dennis tells The Lily that she wanted the routine to “be a celebration of everything [Black people] can do, everything we can overcome. Amid all the adversity and oppression we’ve been through, here we are.” Dennis’ perfectly executed routine (she scored a 9.95 out of 10) included songs by artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce, and Missy Elliot.  Since lyrics are not permitted in the floor routines, Dennis used her skills as a gymnast to send her message. "There's not a lot of Black gymnasts so representation is very important and I wanted to bring the Black culture to the sport of gymnastics, especially given the reach that UCLA gymnastics gets in our platform," Dennis told PEOPLE. "I definitely wanted to capitalize and use it and really get the message that Black Lives Matter across." Dennis’ message was loud and clear.  With over 10 million views of the video posted on UCLA’s Twitter page, her powerful and energetic routine quickly grabbed the attention of athletes and celebrities, including Michelle Obama, who re-tweeted the video with the caption, “Now that’s what I call fierce!” The athlete’s dedication and fearlessness to push boundaries within her sport sends an inspirational message to young people everywhere.  When asked about the routine on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Dennis says, “So this routine, I believe, is a reflection of everything that I am as a woman today. And I picked a lot of really influential artists, Black artists that had a huge impact in the Black community.”

The recent snowfall that has covered large areas of the northeast has spurred playful snowball fights and sledding excursions, but humans are not the only ones enjoying the wintry weather.  In a heartwarming video released by the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, giant pandas, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, were spotted playfully enjoying the fresh powder. The giant pandas are native to cold environments and remain active in their habitat at the Zoo during the winter months. After approximately three inches of snow covered the ground, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian went out to have some fun of their own. The adorable footage was captured on the Zoo’s live stream “panda cam.” One of the pandas is seen sliding down the slippery slopes on its back, while the other playfully rolled around in the snow with a ball. For giant panda cub, Xiao Qi Ji, the weather provided an introduction to something he had never seen before - snow. Keepers at the National Zoo said that the 5-month-old cub seemed slightly nervous at first, but he soon warmed up to the falling snowflakes.  The cub’s first encounter with snow was a great success as Xiao Qi Ji took a nibble of a cub-size snowman made by a zookeeper. While the National Zoo is temporarily closed due to COVID-19, those who are interested in seeing what the animals are up to can check out the Zoo’s four live stream webcams, which offer footage of the giant pandas, naked mole rats, lions, and elephants. The Zoo also offers an educational  activity packet for kids who want to learn more about the animals seen on the webcams. According to the Zoo’s website, giant pandas are native to central China and are considered a vulnerable species, with only 1,864 living in their native habitat. For over 40 years, the National Zoo has made great strides in saving giant pandas from extinction and has maintained one of the world’s leading panda conservation programs.

“She’ll always be a trailblazer,” Gerry Austin of the NFL told ESPN back in 2015. The trailblazer he was referring to is Sarah Thomas, the now 47-year-old who recently became the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl game. Sarah Thomas grew up surrounded by sports. As an athlete herself, and having brothers who played football, she was drawn to the camaraderie and competition. Thomas played basketball during her time at the University of Mobile, and when she graduated, she was determined to combine her love of sports and her career. Following graduation, Thomas attended an officiating meeting with her brother, who was a high school football referee. She was hooked. "These guys actually get together and discuss rules and what-if scenarios and plays that happen and challenge each other," she told ET. "I felt that I could give back in a sense to just organized sports. I love sports. But this football officiating thing took off." Thomas started small, officiating elementary and high school football games. She continued to excel, as her dedication and commitment to the sport led her to becoming the first woman to officiate a major college football game, and it did not stop there. In 2015, Thomas, a mother of three, became the first woman to hold a full-time permanent job at the NFL. She continued to strive to be the best in the field, and in January 2021, she was asked to officiate the Super Bowl, making her the first woman to be appointed to the position in NFL history. In a statement to ET, Thomas says, "It's just so meaningful. I never set out to be the first, at all, in any of this...But knowing the impact I'm having on, not just my daughter, but young girls everywhere, women everywhere. And I have to add in young men and men too. I have two precious young men that I'm raising to be a partner with their spouse and respect [that] she's a hardworking woman." Troy Vincent of the NFL said in a statement, “Her elite performance and commitment to excellence has earned her the right to officiate the Super Bowl.” While she may have been focusing on being the best in her field, rather than the first, she has certainly achieved both, breaking barriers with her seminal achievements, regardless of gender.

Animal lovers and fur-babies alike are celebrating more than the return of presidential pets to the White House after four years.  President Biden’s young German shepherd, Major, has made history as the first rescue pet to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, marking a monumental moment for shelter dogs. To celebrate this milestone, the Delaware Humane Association and Pumpkin Pet Insurance co-hosted a virtual “indoguration” event on January 17^th stating, “Major Biden is barking proof that every dog can live the American dream.”  The event, hosted on Zoom, had over 7400 attendees and raised $200k in donations, which the rescue organization plans to use to continue raising awareness about local animal shelters, and to support pet owners struggling to care for their fur-babies during the COVID pandemic. Major’s story goes back to 2018, when a liter of six sick German Shephard puppies arrived at the Delaware Humane Association (DHA).  “They had gotten into a toxic substance. We’re not sure what,” Patrick Carroll, executive director at DHA, told NPR. After being treated at the shelter, the puppies soon recovered, and the Delaware Humane Association began their search for foster homes. When Ashley Biden came across DHA’s Facebook post about the German shepherd pups in need of homes, she shared it with Joe Biden, who had been looking for a companion for their older German shepherd, Champ.  On Easter morning, Biden showed up at the shelter and was united with, the now “first dog,” who we know as Major. "This is shining a light on all of the resources animal shelters bring to a community," Carroll said. "If you need pet food because you're struggling, or you need low cost vaccinations to keep your pet healthy, all the things people need, they should see their shelter as a resource.”