Category: Uncategorized

  • Eighth Grade Softball Player Pitches For Opposing Team After Player Gets Sick
  • The junior varsity softball team at Adairsville High School  — located just north of Atlanta, Georgia — ended its season on a high note last week. Coach Kelly Abernathy told 11Alive that the players are good kids and have played together since they were just three years old. “If we win, that’s great, If we lose, we’ll learn from it,” said Abernathy.  Several weeks back, the team they were playing against was about to lose when the pitcher got sick. "They were struggling and I knew if I didn't step up, the game would have to end and they would have to forfeit. So I just thought, I would love to step up," eighth-grade player Lily Roberts said. Roberts stepped up to the mound to pitch for the other team. “That’s just Lily's personality if you know her, she said, 'hey, I've got it covered,'" Abernathy said. Roberts was firing the ball at her own teammates, even striking several of them out. "She would smile at them and throw them a strike," Abernathy said about the game. "She was pitching like she was pitching in a championship game." Both team’s benches were cheering. "I think the other team was really supportive of me coming to pitch for them. I did hear them cheering for me when I was pitching, and it made me feel good," Roberts.  The game ended several innings later, and no one even kept track of the final score. “If we could be as positive as Lily is, there would be a lot less problems in the world,” said Abernathy. Image source: 11Alive
  • New York Public Library Eliminates All Late Fees in Push for Equality
  • Effective immediately, the New York Public library system will not charge fines for overdue materials, and all library card holders have had their accounts cleared of any fees or fines. Fines are "an antiquated, ineffective way to encourage patrons to return their books; for those who can afford the fines, they are barely an incentive," New York Public Library President Anthony W. Marx said in a news release. "For those who can't afford the fines — disproportionately low-income New Yorkers — they become a real barrier to access that we can no longer accept. This is a step towards a more equitable society, with more New Yorkers reading and using libraries, and we are proud to make it happen." This announcement comes after major U.S. cities like Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia and San Diego have all done away with late fees. The initiatives seem to be working — once the Chicago public libraries implemented the policy change, there was an increase in returned materials and library card renewals Image source: Trip Savvy
  • Minnesota Teen Expands Efforts to Build Wheelchairs for Disabled Animals From All Over the Globe
  • Shaine Kilyun is helping change the lives of animals in need of mobility assistance one wheelchair at a time. Currently, she is building a wheelchair for a paraplegic dog in Saudi Arabia. “I just love animals, and I wanted to make a difference somehow,” the 16-year-old from Minnesota told Fox 9. “I’ve saved a few lives, and I really hope to save more.” Kilyun attends Champlin Park High School and spends her free time building the wheelchairs. “I’ve made about 10, and I’m actually going to be making one for a duck,” she said.  In her latest project, Kilyun constructed a wheelchair for a dog from Saudi Arabia whose back legs are paralyzed. The two-year-old dog is named Scooter due to having to scoot around, and he has begun developing sores and lesions where his legs scrape the ground, increasing the risk of infection. Lisa Leverdiere, who works with the nonprofit Home For Life Animal Sanctuary, said it can be difficult to raise enough money for wheelchairs like these. "It’s very hard to raise money in these times. So for her to make not one cart but two carts for us probably saved us close to $1,000," said Leverdiere. Kilyun raises money to cover the costs of each wheelchair. “A lot of people have reached out and donated, which is just incredible,” she said. To donate to the effort, you can donate via Zelle to Wheeliesdogwheelchairs.com Image source: Fox 9
  • U.S. Navy Veteran Brought to Tears After Strangers Surprise Him With New Scooter and Over $100k in Donations
  • United States Navy veteran Kenny Jary was moved to tears after learning of the donations that came pouring in to help replace his broken mobility scooter. One of Jary’s neighbors, Amanda Kline shared Jary’s story on TikTok and created a GoFundMe page for the 79-year-old that is titled “Patriotic Kenny Needs a Ride.”  "In 24 hours, people on TikTok, strangers who've never met you but love you, donated $5,000 for a scooter for you," Kline told Jary in a video.  "No, you're kidding!" he reacted, holding back tears. "I don't know what to say, Amanda." The page has currently reached over $111,000 in donations. "I feel so good," Jary said on Fox & Friends. "I just don't have enough words for it. I can't believe all these wonderful people out there in the world. I just want to thank them so much. All my followers, everybody, from the bottom of my heart." The money will go toward two scooters for Jary, as well as help him move into a more sustainable home and help him cover upcoming medical bills. “It’s like winning the lottery, and then some,” he said. Image source: Stars and Stripes
  • W.H.O. Endorses World’s First Malaria Vaccine for Children
  • Malaria is one of the oldest known and deadliest of infectious diseases, killing about 500,000 people each year — about half of which are children in Africa. On Wednesday, Oct. 6, the World Health Organization endorsed a vaccine that is the first to show signs of helping to prevent the disease. It is estimated to save tens of thousands of children each year. To have a malaria vaccine that is safe, moderately effective and ready for distribution is “a historic event,” said Dr. Pedro Alonso, director of the W.H.O.’s global malaria program. The vaccine, called Mosquirix, is not just for malaria. It is the first-ever vaccine developed for any parasitic disease. Parasites are especially complex and the journey to develop a malaria vaccine has been underway for a century. “It’s a huge jump from the science perspective to have a first-generation vaccine against a human parasite,” Dr. Alonso said. Throughout the clinical trials, the vaccine had an efficacy of about 50 percent against severe malaria in the first year. A study predicts that if the vaccine were rolled out to countries with the highest incidence of malaria, it could prevent approximately 5.4 million cases and 23,000 deaths in children younger than 5 each year. Image source: The New York Times
  • Runner Who Lost Vision Due to Covid-19 Finishes Marathon with Guides by Her Side
  • Laura Sosalla was declared legally blind earlier this year after a battle with Covid-19. Instead of letting the situation get her down, she decided she wanted to run a marathon. “I can still do the same things. I can still be the same person,” said Sosalla. Sosalla sent a message to Rachael Bentley through United in Stride, an organization that matches visually impaired runners with running guides. The pair began running together, along with Bentley’s sister Natalie Elmore and Sosalla’s neighbor Laura Brennan. The four women often run from Sosalla’s parents’ home in Bloomington, Minnesota – other times, around Lake Harriet. After months of training, Sosalla ran the Twin Cities Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 2. The three women switched out who ran alongside Sosalla throughout the race, but they completed the final mile together — just how Sosalla wanted. On the back of Sosalla’s shirt that she wore during the race were the names of people she wanted to thank for helping her over the past year — one for each mile. “I know I’m extremely lucky,” said the 38-year-old from St. Paul. “The outpouring of support, the outpouring of love was overwhelming. Like even to this moment, I can’t fully grasp the level of generosity and kindness.” Sosalla said she was very happy with how her training turned out and what she has learned over these last few months. “Something I've noticed when I run is that my eyes improve and they start to feel better,” Sosalla said. “My guess is it's because there's more blood flow getting to them.” Although she doubts she will run another marathon anytime soon, Sosalla intends on signing up for shorter races and hopes to get more friends and family involved. Image source: MPR News
  • Netflix Creates $5.4 Million Chadwick Boseman Scholarship at Howard University
  • The Chadwick A. Boseman Memorial Scholarship will award full scholarships to students in the historically Black university’s College of Fine Arts, which was named after Boseman in May. The first scholarships have already been given to Sarah Long, a freshman who studies musical theater; Shawn Smith, a sophomore in the acting program; Janee’ Ferguson, a junior in theater arts administration; and Deirdre Dunkin, a senior studying dance. Beginning next year, a first-year student will be chosen annually to receive the scholarship, which covers 100 percent of tuition for four years — an amount totaling about $113,800. The scholarship is meant for students who “exemplify exceptional skills in the arts reminiscent of Mr. Boseman” and demonstrate financial need, according to officials. “Many exemplary artists are not afforded the opportunity to pursue higher learning, we hope to support as many students as possible by removing the financial barrier to education,” the actor’s wife, Simone Ledward-Boseman, said in a statement. “This endowment represents Chad’s devotion to the craft, his compassion for others, and his desire to support future storytellers.” A South Carolina native, Boseman graduated from Howard in 200 with a bachelor of fine arts in directing. He delivered the commencement address in 2018. “Purpose crosses disciplines. Purpose is an essential element of you. It is the reason you are on the planet at this particular time in history,” he told the graduating class. Boseman is widely known for his role in the movie “Black Panther,” as well as portraying Black icons Jackie Robinson in “42” and James Brown in “Get On Up” and Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall.” Boseman died of colon cancer in 2020. “I think Howard meant a lot to Chadwick,” said Howard’s president, Wayne A.I. Frederick. The actor had an “incredible journey” at the school and built lasting relationships on campus. “All of those things inspired him to want to give back to the university,” said Frederick. Image source: NBC News
  • Three Jewish and Arab Families Swapped Kidneys in a Cyclic Exchange and Saved Their Mothers
  • While it seems division and discord is omnipresent throughout much of the world, a series of kidney transplants reminds us that shared humanity prevails over historical differences.  With the assistance of organ transplant experts in the United States, Israel and the United Arab Emirates, three pairs of kidney donors and recipients saved each other through pay-it-forward surgeries known as a cyclic exchange. While organ exchanges are not uncommon within countries, it is much more difficult and rare between different nations. A UAE daughter was not a match for her mother, so she volunteered to donate her kidney to a stranger. An Israeli Arab woman was a match for the kidney, so her husband decided to donate his kidney, which saved an Israeli Jewish mother — whose daughter then gave her kidney to the sick mother in UAE. “I watched the surgeon release the clamps, and the Israeli Jewish kidney came back to life with the blood of the UAE patient,” Dr. Michael Rees, a surgeon and founder of the Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation, told USA Today. “I’ve been around, but really I’m still just a kid from Flint, Michigan. And I can tell you this was a real moment for me.” Dorry Segev, professor of transplant surgery at Johns Hopkins University, says that this medical success story is an opportunity to open new channels of communication. “Here people not on the same side of the aisle politically or historically were brought together by their love of their family members,” said Segev. “May it happen more.” Some involved in the cyclic exchange said kidneys donated outside the UAE often generate negative reactions among some Emiratis. However, the UAE donor daughter said the situation was about saving lives. “It did not matter to me at all from which gender, ethnicity, religion or nationality the parties in this exchange would be,” she said. Image source: USA Today
  • Man Flew Off Bike in Woods and Needed Lifesaving Surgery, ER Doctor Happens to be Cycling Nearby
  • On Sept. 12, Todd Van Guilder was riding his bike along the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trails in central Minnesota when he flew off and landed on the ground. He sat up and immediately had white spots in his vision, which turned into a solid wall of bright white light.  “My buddy who had been riding in front of me came back and asked, ‘Are you OK?’” said Van Guilder, a regular mountain biker from Eagan, Minnesota. “I was wearing a helmet, but when I took the fall on my bike, I landed really hard on my stomach and chest,” Van Guilder said. “I could hear where my buddy was, but I couldn’t see him. I told him, ‘I think I have a bit of a problem.'” His friend called 911, and paramedics arrived to find Van Guilder struggling to breathe. The six medics realized they would need a tank of oxygen from the ambulance in the parking lot almost a mile away. A police officer on the scene volunteered to jog down and retrieve the tank. As the officer jogged away, an emergency room doctor, Jesse Coenen, passed the officer running down the trail. The 38-year-old doctor from Hayward, Wisconsin learned what was going on and offered to help. The pair hurried down the trail to get the tank.  By the time they got back to the scene, Van Guilder was unconscious and the medics were preparing to intubate him to make it easier to breathe. Coenen processed what was happening and told the medics he was an ER doctor. “I quickly realized this was a serious situation,” said Coenen, who works at Hayward Area Memorial Hospital. “They told me that the guy had fallen off his bike and that a helicopter had been dispatched. They were helping him to breathe, but it was necessary to make sure that his breathing was adequate.” The intubation failed because they were unable to see the windpipe, so Coenen knew there was only one option left to save Van Guilder’s life: an emergency tracheotomy.  “His oxygen level had started to drop, and I was getting concerned,” the doctor said. “I figured he might have anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes before he died. That’s when I decided to enter the windpipe through the neck.” The tracheotomy was a success and Van Guilder’s oxygen levels began to rise, so the paramedics were then able to safely transport him to the ambulance. Van Guilder spent ten days in the hospital before being released to go home to his wife and teenage daughter. “Miraculously, I had no broken bones,” Van Guilder said. “They don’t know what caused the white spots in my vision or exactly why I couldn’t breathe. But they believe it could be related to the trauma of falling.” Once Van Guilder’s scars heal and he is off of his soft food diet, he hopes to take Coenen out to dinner. “I’m obviously extremely fortunate,” said Van Guilder. “What are the odds?” Image source: The Washington Post
  • Police Officer Adopts Little Girl He Comforted During Child Abuse Check
  • Lt. Brian Zach with the Kingman Police Department in Arizona had a life-changing encounter four year ago while on duty — he was completing a welfare check for a child abuse case when he first met the then-two-year-old little girl, Kaila. “She had a skull fracture, brain bleed and dislocated elbow,” Zach told CNN. “My heart felt for this little girl who was covered in bruises. She had a very strong spirit about her.” This was not the first time Zach encountered a child in desperate need of help. "I had a 13-month-old die. That was hard. It is something that is emotionally scarring that I relive every time I talk about it," Zach said. "Look, Kaila could be that little girl but God had a different plan." He comforted Kaila while waiting for social workers to arrive, and authorities remembered Zach’s kindness as they began searching for a foster family. "The question that changed our life forever was, 'Would you actually consider being a placement home?' And we immediately said, 'Yes.'" Zach said. Kaila was only meant to be with Zach, his wife and two kids for a short period of time, but that plan changed pretty quickly. "They said it would only be a couple weeks to a month until they could find a placement home for her. We played it week by week, month by month, court date by court date not knowing how long we would really have," Zach said. "If I stopped and thought about it, it would make me sick to my stomach not knowing what this girl's future would be if she left," he said, of thinking where Kaila would live long-term. "Having seen what happens when children are in the system ... it made me worry a lot more." The family began creating memories with Kaila, taking her to Disneyland and Hawaii. Now, four years later, Zach and his wife are Kaia’s adoptive parents, and she has two loving older siblings, too. Zach said the adoption process was not as “harsh or overburdened” as he thought, and he encourages others considering adoption to “just do it.” Image sources: Good Morning America, CNN