When we think of the daunting challenges facing our world today, it can feel insurmountable. Yet when we glean stories of innovative accomplishments, what often doesn't make it to the storyline are the ordinary, daily efforts of showing up and doing one's small part, even when it seems insignificant. Author Annie Dillard writes, "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." Oftentimes, simply acting on one's heartstrings to extend a helping hand can unlock incredible potential across time. This week, we look at everyday heroes -- from nurses to students, strangers to restaurant owners -- who simply showed up to a heartfelt inspiration to make one small change that could brighten the day of another.
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Diana Polekhina | Unsplash
Brazilian nurses Semei Araujo Cunha and Vanessa Formention have come up with an innovative solution they call little hands of love to help COVID patients. By filling latex gloves with warm water and interlacing them with the patient's hand, nurses help warm up the patient's hand and mimic the sensation of human touch. This solution helps improve blood flow and reduces the false low oxygen level readings that patients with cold hands often have. The little hands of love also help comfort the patient, by creating the sensation that someone is holding hands with them. Other hospitals around the city of San Carlos are also using the technique as Brazil faces growing numbers COVID-19 cases.
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Andrii Lievientsov | Unsplash
Warning: This story will make you smile. Teacher Katie Biggar captured on video the moment when preteens in a middle school near Minneapolis threw a pass to 6th grader Kale Hannahs and he ran with the ball. It was noteworthy because Hannahs has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. I was the quarterback, I was the one running. They gave me the ball and then they were trying to block the other team so I wouldn't get hit, said Hannahs. The video was shared online and has gone viral; it was watched over a million times in about five days.
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Leticia Flores-Gonzalez
In December, Luna and Gianella Gonzalez, four-year-old twins from Liberal, Kansas, released star-shaped balloons with their holiday gift wish list attached for Santa. The balloons didn't reach the North Pole, but one did make its way to Alvin Bamberg of Grand Cane, Louisiana. Bamberg retrieved the note, which revealed that Luna has asked Santa for a variety of items, including a puppy. I just had to do something for them, said Bamberg. He got on Facebook and eventually learned who released the balloon for Santa. With help from family and friends, he shipped all the gifts -- with the exception of the puppy -- to the family. But Bamberg wasn't done; he and his wife bought a puppy for the twins and drove from Louisiana to Kansas to give the canine to the girls in person. The world has been so bad this past year. So, if you can make just one person smile, trust me, not only will it help them, it will make you feel so much better, Bamberg said.
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Third Serving | Unsplash
In an amazing story, Georgia restaurant owner Carl Wallace went on social media to reach out to the person who broke into his restaurant and tried to rob the store. In his Facebook post, Wallace said, To the would be robber who is clearly struggling with life decisions or having money issuesplease swing by for a job application. There are better opportunities out there than the path you've chosen. He promised the police wouldn't be involved and he wouldn't ask any questions. During the interview with NBC29, Wallace said he would even be willing to mentor the man. He wants to fix what he calls a broken system and hopes the burglar will take him up on his offer.
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Chris Crockwell via CBC
Shawn Bath, a professional diver in Newfoundland, had spent more than 21 years at his job of harvesting sea urchins off the ocean floor before changing his career. When diving, he'd noticed the vast amounts of garbage piling up on the ocean floors, which motivated him to dedicate his career to cleaning up trash in Newfoundland's harbors. Working with Cody Westman, owner of a production company, Bath documented his journey, hoping to spread awareness about the severity of littering. The documentary, Hell or Clean Water, comes out April 29 at the Hot Docs festival.
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