Global Positive News: 35+ Posts That Showcase Humanity’s Bright Side

By Stuart W

This article was originally published on gethappyday

The world can sometimes seem like a heartbreaking and scary place, and good news stories can sometimes be hard to find. That’s why we have compiled a list of beautiful and heartwarming news stories to offset that unfair ‘balance.’

This is a collection of 40 stories from a little corner of the internet called Global Positive News that posts heartwarming stories from all over. Hopefully, they will remind you that even though it doesn’t look like it sometimes, there is a lot of good in the world if you look for it. 

You’ll find inspirational people and magical moments in this listicle. So, if you’re feeling glum or overwhelmed with the world, take a breather, sit back, and allow yourself a good hit of positive energy.

A Homemade Wheelchair

Just look at this photo and tell us this isn’t the cutest wheelchair you have ever seen! This little boy needed a $20,000 wheelchair, but unfortunately, his parents could not afford it. So, the community rallied together and with the help of a local robotics club, they made one.

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It’s a wonderful example of how communities often come together to support each other and help when times are hard, and the odds seem stacked against you. It must have taken a lot of skill and perseverance to get this built, but that smile tells us it was a worthwhile endeavor.  

Shaq takes a family out

This wholesome image shows the legendary basketball player Shaquille O’Neal taking a family out for a bite. You can tell from the looks on the faces of this happy bunch that lunch with Shaq was as awesome as you can imagine.

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The big man is well known for his winning smile and generous personality, and this picture is proof of that. It was also reported that he tipped the waitress $1,000 after learning she was having trouble with her car. Such a generous human!

Surprise Birthday Party at Dunkin’

On his 95th birthday, Fred Brown was happily surprised to learn that his visit to Dunkin’ involved a lot more than a cup of coffee and a doughnut. He had walked to this store daily for about four decades, so the employees decided to celebrate his special day with this act of kindness. 

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They threw him a surprise party that included ninety-five birthday cards, a cake, and as many donuts as he could eat! This is a beautiful example of employees going beyond the expected level of customer service to make somebody feel special.

The Olympics standing with mums

Though this may sound like a very basic act of compassion, it is sadly often overlooked and ignored. During the Tokyo Games, the Olympics allowed these breastfeeding mothers to bring their kids with them. A child’s first months are usually very crucial and we’re glad these guys recognized that.

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In a world that is so often divided on the smallest issues, it is encouraging to see big organizations taking the right stand and implementing policies that are beneficial. It might seem like a small thing, but we know it meant the world to these moms.

Boy Finally Finds a Home

This young lad was a foster child who got rejected from twenty-three homes prior to finding his forever family. We are so glad that he has now found people who are willing to give him the care and love he deserves.

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Going through fostering and the entire childcare system can be an emotionally grueling process. This young boy must have experienced so much heartbreak in the five years that it took for him to get settled. We love a happy ending.

Dog dad

When people decide to adopt a furry friend, there is a tendency to pick the youngest and cutest ones. That means that the older and more senior animals are often left in shelters and remain there for the rest of their lives.

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This kind man took an alternate stance on this and actively went out of his way to adopt the older animals. These senior dogs deserve as much love as any other pooch. Lucky for them, they all found a home together so they won’t be lonely!

Best Teacher

This is one of those photos that really get us in our feels. For Superhero Day, this young lady decided to dress up as her teacher instead of the more generic choices. If we were the teacher, we would have been moved to tears!

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We just love the fact that a teacher-student relationship like this one exists. A good teacher who inspires their students is a very special thing, but unfortunately, they are not the norm. So when we find them, it is always best to recognize them and shine a light on them.

Planting over 23,000 trees in 24 hours

This is a staggering achievement that completely blew our minds. How is this even possible?! This Canadian man showed astounding dedication and passion for the environment and broke a world record in the process. The guy is single-handedly saving our planet!

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It must have been back-breaking work, but it was certainly a very worthwhile way to spend twenty-four hours. If you still can’t fathom how he did it, or if you’re in doubt, there’s a video that shows his process somewhere on the internet. We take our hats off to you, sir!

A Big Thank You

Sometimes we all need a little help getting back on our feet, and as shown in this picture, it’s important to say a big ‘thank you’ to those who have helped along the way. It’s a simple and heartfelt gesture that’s very poignant.

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It’s a simple sign, but simplicity is often the best way to convey the strength of a particular emotion. Though we sometimes choose to overlook the homeless, some of them just need a helping hand to get back on their feet, and when they do, they never forget you.

Fashionable Taiwanese Couple

This is quite the heartwarming photograph. Aside from making us jealous that they have been together for so many decades, this elderly couple has proved that they can pull off any look, which is more than we can say for ourselves!

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They are not only viral fashion influencers but also an apt example of what it means to be young at heart. This is a very wholesome pic and a perfect example of how having fun in simple ways can have a positive effect on the world.

TikTok Raised Money to Help someone Retire

Social media can be a murky place sometimes, but here is an example of how it can be used for genuine acts of kindness. Users of the platform TikTok all banded together to raise $166,000 so this guy could retire.

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The gentleman in question is named Warren, and he was eighty-two years old and working as a cashier in Walmart. A customer set up a GoFundMe page, and the magic of people’s hearts did the rest. Can you feel the good vibes already?

A Mother’s Love

This is a lovely gesture from a university in Turkey. This blind student completed her degree after four long, hard years. But in a rather touching addition to the beautiful ceremony, her mother received an honorary degree from the school as well.

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She had patiently read her daughter’s lecture notes out loud to her during her studies, and this show of unwavering support was honored at the same ceremony as her daughter’s graduation. When they say no one can love you like a mother, they really mean it.

Homecoming Queen Gives Away Her Crown

This is an illustration of human kindness in its purest form. This homecoming queen gave her crown to a fellow student with Down syndrome. We bet you’ll agree that the look of joy on her face is something money can’t buy.

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It’s a beautiful photograph that demonstrates the kindness and compassion that is inherent to human nature. Things like this really make the spirit sing and serve as a timely reminder of all the good that is still in the world.

Surviving Against the Odds

These two friends were both born with such severe medical complications that their doctors predicted only a 2% chance of survival. However, they managed to beat those bleak odds, and in the second photo, we see them at their graduation.

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We can only imagine what they have been through, but all in all, God knew what he was doing when he brought them together. We can only wish them long and happy lives and hope that their special friendship remains as strong as ever.

Uber Driver Donates Kidney to Passenger

When you hear stories about people donating kidneys to patients, it is often a friend or family member doing it for a loved one. But this next case is an exception. On his way to the hospital for dialysis, this man was talking to his driver about his health.

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To the man’s surprise, the Uber driver offered him a kidney! We don’t know about you, but donating a body organ sounds like a love language on its own. This was certainly the beginning of a lifelong friendship and a story that will never get old.

A Lifetime of love

These two photographs were taken sixty years apart and are proof that sometimes the love between a couple only gets stronger with time. In a world where finding a soulmate or just a meaningful relationship sounds like a tall order, things like this make us more hopeful.

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These two people are definitely soulmates, and you can tell by the way that they smile at each other that their love is both pure and genuine. As lovers of love, we can’t help but swoon when we come across photos like these.

Mechanic Retrains as a Doctor

It is never too late to chase your dreams, and this inspirational gentleman is an excellent illustration of that old adage. After working as a mechanic for years, he decided to study medicine, which had been his dream for a while, and at fifty-one, he graduated.

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The world is full of inspirational people, and it is always refreshing to come across such stories. Late bloomers, as they call them, always have so much to teach us in terms of patience and determination. Take this as a lesson and apply it somewhere.

Father-Daughter Moments

Next up, we have a lovely picture of a little girl photographing her dad on the day that he graduated. This is proof to parents that no matter how little your kids are, they are also capable of feeling proud of your achievements.

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The look of pride on Dad’s face is also just as wholesome. We can’t imagine how elated he must have felt at this exact moment. If there was ever a photo that deserved to be displayed on a mantel on the family’s gallery wall, it would be this.

Tattoo Artist Spreading Cool Vibes

Don’t worry, they’re not real! The artist uses an airbrush. He is a New Zealand tattooist who goes around hospitals and treats sick children to cool ink designs. He says that he wants to use his talents to boost kids’ confidence.

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Judging from the smile on the child in this picture, it is definitely working. It’s such a kind and generous thing to do, and we applaud the artist for his thoughtfulness. Little things like this mean the world to people, and we are here for it.

School Desk Carved With Love

This is one of those stories that seem to come straight out of Hollywood. Benny and Linda were childhood sweethearts, and Benny carved their names into his school desk back in 1965. A local museum exhibited the desk and posted a pic online, and Benny saw it.

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He then decided to comment, and it turned out that the childhood couple was still together! Not only that but they had been married for over fifty years! This is another love story that deserves to be shared far and wide!

Husband Learns Hair and Makeup to Help His Wife

Love truly runs the world. This elderly man enrolled in some classes to learn about hair and makeup so he could help his wife look her best in her old age. This was such a cool and thoughtful gesture that was certainly met with an equal sense of appreciation.

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Stories like these show that true love is less about the grand gestures and more about the smaller things. Admittedly, grand gestures can be heartwarming and fun, but they can’t beat simple and thoughtful acts like these. Here’s to the newest stylist in town!

The Same Dog!

Is this what we call destiny? Or fate? This lady adopted a senior dog because it resembled one she had had when she was a little girl. Surprisingly, it turned out that it was actually the same dog! What are the chances of that?

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Well, we suspect they are very low indeed, but sometimes, the universe has a way of making things work out for everyone involved. The dog and the owner must have been completely overwhelmed with emotion when they were finally reunited.

Couple Plant 2.7 million Trees over 20 Years

This is one of those demonstrations of dedication to a cause that sort of blows your mind. This Brazilian couple planted over 2.7 million trees over two decades in order to bring a dying forest back to life. The word ‘inspiring’ doesn’t even cover what this is.

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It is quite commendable to plant a single tree but to effectively repopulate a forest is just beyond anything we have ever seen. This was a real labor of love that will undoubtedly have an immense positive impact on the world.

Abandoned Dog Gets a Job

This poor pooch was left behind by someone at a service station. Fortunately for the dog, the owner is a good egg, so they decided to take him in. In addition to giving him a proper home, they also gave him a job!

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You can tell by the expressions on his face that this little fella is now living his best life. We’re not too sure how good he’ll be at pumping gas but with a smile like that, we don’t really care! Being greeted by such a happy dog on a stopover is enough.

Billy Joel’s Generous Nature

Billy Joel is one of the most iconic musicians of all time but this little piece of information demonstrates that he is also one of the kindest and most generous as well. He got fed up with the rich and famous taking over the front rows at his concerts and acting bored and unbothered.

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To counter this, he stopped selling tickets to the first couple of rows and instead chose to give them away to genuine fans who were unable to afford to come and see him play live. It may sound simple enough, but it means the world to his fans.

Janitor Becomes Principal

This is another remarkable story about hard work and perseverance. The man in the picture used to be the school janitor, but he managed to work his way up to eventually become the principal. He was encouraged to become an educator by the then-principal.

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So, he went back to school, worked hard and became a teacher. After completing his studies, he became the principal of the same school where he used to work as a janitor! The kids here have a motivational story to look up to every time they need it.

Police Officer Buys Teen A Gym Membership

A police officer was called to arrest a teenager who had broken into a gym, but instead, he paid for his gym membership. This is a lovely example of how an act of kindness can positively impact a person’s life.

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Officers of the law don’t exactly have the best reputation among the masses, but stories like these make us restore our faith in them. It would have been very easy for this officer to arrest this kid, but he took it upon himself to find another solution, and for that, we applaud him.

Nurse To The Rescue

If you’ve ever worked at a hospital for a while, you might have heard of cases like these. When this little girl was born prematurely, she had no visitors for almost half a year. Fortunately for her, a nurse who worked in the same hospital decided to adopt her. 

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It must have been so sad and scary for the little one to be alone without a mom. This is one of those real-life sad stories that make us believe in happy endings. The new mother and daughter look so incredibly happy that they found each other.

Graduate Honors Her Parents

Graduation ceremonies are as much of a big deal to parents as they are to students themselves. Realizing this, this college graduate decided to take a photo in the fields where her parents worked to show them that she appreciated what they had done.

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If it wasn’t for that, she wouldn’t have been able to graduate from college. So, if you have an upcoming graduation, take a leaf out of this lady’s book and ensure your parents feel your appreciation. If you’ve graduated already, verbalizing your gratitude also works.

Wrong Order Works Out

This customer forgot to change his address when he ordered food and kindly let the delivery driver have the meal on him. As it turns out, the driver had lost his brother, and he was buried not far from the address the customer had given.

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Thanks to that wrong order and free lunch, the driver was able to share a meal with his brother that day. Stories like this make us believe in the all-knowing power of the universe and how it always works with people’s kindness to bring joy to the world.

Thoughtful Customer

Never underestimate children, folks. This young boy was a regular at a particular wafflehouse, and as such, he quickly made friends with one of the staff, who eventually became his favorite waiter. He found out that the waiter was having some financial difficulties and decided to help.

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He set up a GoFundMe account and was able to raise a staggering $110,000 to help him out. This is the sort of act that is life-changing for everyone involved. The waiter was able to give his family a better life, and the young lad had done something incredible for a friend.

Bullied Girl Has a Higher IQ than Einstein

This is the real-life version of the character Young Sheldon. This young Mexican girl was bullied at school for being autistic, which caused her difficulties with social interactions. Because of her troubles, her mother took her to therapy, where her IQ was tested.

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It turned out that her IQ was 162, which is higher than Einstein’s! She graduated from high school at the age of eight and is now currently studying for not one but two degrees! Despite an Asperger’s syndrome diagnosis, she decided to keep studying and hopes to go to space one day.

Senses From a Coma

This comforting story of an experience from a coma will surely bring peace of mind to a great deal of people. It confirms that people who are in a coma are able to, to some extent, perceive what is going on around them.

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Science has yet been able to fully explain what goes on inside the mind of a person in a coma, but the description in this post should help to bring some comfort to those who need it. Our hearts go out to those with loved ones in a coma.

An Uncle’s Love

This photograph shows the pure bliss of an uncle’s love for his niece. It’s a beautiful set of photographs that shows that people with Down Syndrome are just as human as the rest of us if not more. The caption explains the situation.

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Due to his condition, not many people allow him to hold their babies, but as is shown in these photographs, he is a doting uncle and is extra careful when holding babies. Don’t trust us; just look at how at ease the kid is!

A Helping Hand with a Hotdog Stand

This young entrepreneur started a hotdog stand. Unfortunately, he was trading without a permit, which rendered his setup illegal. But rather than take the expected route of shutting him down, the authorities took a different course of action in this situation. 

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They decided to properly equip his stand and give him a permit so that he could trade in a more street-legal way. This is another example of people in authority using their power for good. Now this young businessman has a clear shot at a successful venture.

Rocking chair Heirloom

There is always something special about making something from scratch. You always feel a special attachment to it, no matter how good or poor quality it is. This must have been how this guy felt about this rocking chair he made for a school project.

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Choosing to keep it with him for years, he finally realized why he couldn’t let it go. It all came together when he put his son on it and saw the look of pure excitement on the boy’s face. Hopefully, the chair will survive a few more years and pass on to the next generation.

Disabled Woman Spreads the Love

This lady who has Down syndrome was rejected from every job interview that she went to. After several unsuccessful interviews, most people tend to give up and feel disheartened. However, the heroine of our story decided to go the other way.

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She had a passion for baking, so she decided to start a business. When the business took off, she figured other people with disabilities probably faced the same problems she did with employment, so she decided to offer them a means to make ends meet.

Proud of Her Dad

Parents are selfless to no end, and this is another photo that proves that fact. This dad didn’t want his daughter to feel embarrassed by the fact that he was a janitor. So, he told her not to disclose his occupation to anyone.

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But the daughter didn’t mind it since she loved him and was very proud of him. So, she disregarded the advice and instead snapped this pic, posted it on her social media, and wrote a sweet caption. We bet the man was moved to tears.

Medical Student Shows Initiative

Black, brown, and white people are so distinguished by the color of their skin. As such, things like skin conditions and even makeup are different for different people depending on where you fall. Unfortunately, this difference is not always covered or explained in schools.

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So, this thoughtful and talented medical student created a book to illustrate how different skin conditions appear on different types of skin. It’s a simple idea but one that is quite useful and conscientious and will make a tangible difference in the lives of so many people.

First Female Chief in Malawi Ends Child Marriage

This is an incredible story about how the first female chief in Malawi made child marriage illegal once she got into power. Over the years, she has stopped over eight hundred child marriages. A truly special human being who has done an incredible thing.

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She is the Chief of the Ngoni tribe and was elected as their leader because she was so good with people. Child marriage was reportedly a common practice before she decided to make it her mission to end it so children could get an education instead.