24 feel-good, heartwarming things that happened in 2024

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A view of the New Year's Eve '2024' numerals (Credit: Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)

A lot happened in 2024, from hurricanes to wars to a heated presidential election.

But, the year wasn’t all bad.

From small acts of kindness to awe-inspiring events, 2024 delivered joy, laughs and happy tears.

To end things on a great note, below is a list of some of the good things that happened in 2024, so we can all leave the year behind with a glimmer of optimism.

Pilot reunites with bone marrow donor

On a flight from Houston to Newark, a United Airlines pilot reunited with the woman whose bone marrow donation saved his life eight years ago, as shown in video obtained by Storyful.

In the Dec. 4 video, the pilot announces to the passengers that he is a bone marrow transplant recipient.

Laura LoGiudice, a passenger, began recording as he explained that his donor was on the flight.

"The young lady that saved my life," the pilot says to the passengers, who clap and cheer for the woman.

Beloved custodian gets school named after her

Photo courtesy Swedeborg Elementary

When Claudene Wilson made her retirement plans known, practically everyone in the small Missouri school district knew something special had to be done. Cake and flowers wouldn’t cut it for "Ms. Claudene."

Claudene’s official title at Swedeborg Elementary in Richland was custodian, but to the kids and school community she served for 30 years, Ms. Claudene was so much more. In addition to her custodian duties, she served as the school’s bus driver, plumber, yard mower, chief ice cream party host, and virtually any other role that needed to be filled.

Mark Sasfy, assistant administrator for the Swedeborg School Board, said the idea of naming the school building after her was floated at several meetings. The district’s superintendent and school board members agreed, giving final approval for the building to be called the Claudene Wilson Learning Center.

Man proposes under dreamy purple aurora

Northern lights lovers get engaged under beautiful sky

A Canadian couple got engaged under a beautiful Northern Lights display on Oct. 10, 2024. Credit: Justin Anderson via Storyful

A Canadian couple got engaged under a beautiful Northern Lights display on Oct. 10, 2024.

Justin Anderson, the man behind the proposal, is an avid aurora Borealis chaser and photographer based out of Brandon, Manitoba, which is about 60 miles north of the Canadian and North Dakota border.

That night, the sky sparkled vibrant hues of pinks and purples thanks to a severe geomagnetic storm.

5th grade teacher eats lunch with his students every day

Teacher goes viral for eating lunch with students in cafeteria daily

Dan Shutes, a Michigan teacher, recently went viral on social media after he revealed he eats lunch daily in the school’s cafeteria with his students. (Credit: Dan Shutes)

Dan Shutes, a fifth grade teacher in Paw Paw, Michigan, went viral on social media after he revealed he eats lunch daily in the school’s cafeteria with his students.

It’s a tradition that Shutes, who has been teaching full-time for nine years, said he just started doing "on a whim" a couple of years ago.

"It just turned into something that I really enjoy," the 32-year-old told FOX TV Stations. "The kids enjoy it. I enjoy it. The kids will ask me ahead of time, ‘Hey, can you sit with me tomorrow?’"

Students surprise custodian with dream car

Francis Apraku, a custodian at James Madison High School, was overwhelmed with emotion when students surprised him with his dream car, a Jeep Wrangler, during a heartwarming event Monday.

"I will give thanks to Almighty God for making today for me. Today is a great day for me and I didn’t believe this would happen in my life," Apraku said, beaming with gratitude.

The birthday surprise was the culmination of months of fundraising led by a group of students who remembered Apraku mentioning that his dream car was a Jeep Wrangler. The students, including Logan Georgelas and Bennett Hibshman, worked together to make his dream a reality.

Gorilla kisses newborn baby in viral video

Gorilla kisses newborn baby through glass at Ohio zoo

In the video, the animal watches the newborn intently and eventually makes a kissing gesture toward the baby through the glass. (Credit: Hannah Pearson via Storyful)

A gorilla melted hearts at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio by making what looked like a kissing gesture toward a newborn baby.

Mother Hannah Pearson told video licensing company Storyful that she and her husband took their children to the zoo and visited the gorilla exhibit, which is one of their "favorite activities."

"We have previously seen people interact with gorillas, kids specifically, so we decided to sit next to the glass with our two-month-old to see the gorilla’s reaction," she said.

A video shows Pearson holding her baby boy, named Noah, near the glass to observe the gorilla. The animal watches the newborn intently and eventually makes a kissing gesture toward him through the glass, eliciting amazed cheers from the audience.

Woman says rescue dog saved her life

FILE - Luna enjoying some grass outdoors. (Samantha Griffin)

An Indiana woman is thankful to her rescue dog after she claims the pooch alerted her to "high levels" of carbon monoxide in her home, saving her life.

On June 24, Samantha Griffin was suffering from a migraine and decided to go lay down to take a nap.

"She [the dog] would not let me sleep," Griffin told FOX TV Stations. "She kept pouncing on me and it was hard enough it left bruises."

After going for a walk outside, Griffin said that her carbon monoxide alarm went off at about 8 p.m. local time.

The fire department and gas company arrived to the complex and both concluded that Griffin’s apartment had high levels of carbon monoxide.

"When I told him (the gas company worker) about what Luna did, he told me that she saved my life," Griffin said.

Children with total deafness regain hearing after groundbreaking therapy

Dr. Yilai Shu's team is pictured working in the lab of the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University. (Credit: Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University)

Five children who were born completely deaf have had some reversal of hearing loss after receiving a "groundbreaking" gene therapy.

The clinical trial, which was co-led by Mass Eye and Ear in Boston and the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, was the first in the world to apply gene therapy to children in both ears, according to the researchers.

In addition to regaining their hearing, the children participating in the trial — who ranged in age from 1 to 11 years old — were also able to identify the origins and locations of sounds, even in noisy environments, researchers said.

Philadelphia couple, ages 102 and 100, get married

Couple, 100 and 102, marries after meeting at nursing home

The pair had reportedly been dating about a year before deciding to tie the knot.

A couple who met at a senior living facility in Ohio are proving that it’s never too late to find love.

Newlyweds John and Phyllis Cook, 100 and 102 respectively, met while living at Kingston Residence of Sylvania, located just outside of Toledo.

The pair had been dating about eight months before deciding to tie the knot, according to Monica Koszycki, Kingston Residence of Sylvania's life enrichment director. They went to the courthouse on June 26 to obtain a marriage license and learned they could get married on the same day.

"It wasn't the plan, but we got here and they said, 'we could marry you here.' I said, 'good, let's get it over with,'" John Cook told WNWO-TV.

Babies named Johnny Cash and June Carter born at same hospital on same day

Nicole Davis and Sophie Clark both welcomed their babies, Johnny Cash Davis and June Carter Clark, on April 10 at Huntsville Hospital in Huntsville, Alabama. (Credit: Nicole Davis)

Two families in Alabama experienced the coincidence of a lifetime, when unbeknownst to each other, they welcomed babies named Johnny Cash and June Carter at the same hospital on the same day.

Moms Sophie Clark and Nicole Davis told FOX Television Stations they couldn’t resist meeting each other after learning that their babies were named after the late singer-songwriters.

"I was so excited when I heard!," Clark, 22, told FOX. "I told my husband and family that I had to go find this baby! It was too big of a coincidence not to."

David added: "When I heard, I thought it was a bizarre coincidence, for sure."

Watch great-grandfather read ‘Baby Shark’ without knowing song

Great-grandfather reads 'Baby Shark' book without knowing the song

A North Caroling great-grandfather's endearing read of 'Baby Shark' is bringing a smile - and laugh - to people's faces. Credit: Cristalena Potvin via Storyful

A video of a man reading his great-granddaughter a "Baby Shark" book in North Carolina without knowing the song won over hearts on social media.

Footage posted to TikTok by Cristalena Potvin, the child’s grandmother, shows Potvin’s father reading the book to his great-granddaughter while not knowing the infamous "Baby Shark" song.

"He’s never heard of "Baby Shark." He read it and didn’t know there is an actual tune to it," Potvin told Storyful. "Of course he was way off."

You can hear muffled and stifled laughter in the background as he continues on with the book.

Couple says ‘I Do’ in gas station

Couple gets married inside gas station bathroom

A Kentucky flushed tradition and chose an unusual place to tie the knot. (Credit: Ann Gilbert)

While many engaged couples stress out about where to host a wedding, one Kentucky couple kept it unusually simple when they chose to get married inside a gas station bathroom.

Logen and Tiana Abney of Dry Ridge tied the knot on Valentine's Day inside a Hop Shops convenience store in Northern Kentucky.

And yes, their family and friends did attend the wedding, with some having to stand outside in the hallway and store while the ceremony was held inside the bathroom.

"I didn't want to go to the chapel or get married in the church," Tiana told FOX Television Stations.

After 700 days in shelter, dog adopted by senior citizen

Senior dog, who spent 2 years in shelter, adopted by senior citizen

The 10-year-old Carolina dog mix had been searching for a loving home since 2022, but recently found the perfect match. (Credit: Austin Pets Alive, Karen Hardwick, and Amanda Stronza)

After two years of waiting in the shelter, Velcro, a senior dog found his perfect match in a fellow senior citizen.

According to the animal rescue organization Austin Pets Alive, the 10-year-old Carolina dog mix had been searching for a loving home since 2022.

At 75 years old, Jeanette recently lost her two senior pups and was ready to open her home to another senior pet in need. She needed a low-energy dog to share her home with.

Soon after they met, Jeanette welcomed Velcro into her home under a foster care program that offered the intention to adopt.

Father emotional after finding out grandson named after him

Father ‘emotional’ when he finds out grandson named after him

The emotional footage shows the moment when the father is introduced to his grandson and learns the newborn baby’s name. (Credit: Carly Kriser)

A father broke down in tears of joy when he met his grandson for the first time and learned that the baby was named after him, a video shows.

The emotional footage, posted by his daughter Carly, shows the moment when her dad Leonard is introduced to his new grandson Lawson Leonard.

"The second we found out it was a boy, I knew I wanted to name my baby after my dad and surprise him," Carly told FOX Television Stations. "Lawson is the first grandchild, and my dad has expressed for many years how excited he was to be a grandpa. I kept the baby's name a secret and could barely wait to see his reaction."

The video, which went viral, shows Leonard holding the newborn in his arms as his daughter tells him the baby’s name.

101-year-old cries tears of joy when he meets great-great-granddaughter

101-year-old veteran cries tears of joy as he meets great-great-granddaughter

A 101-year-old military veteran broke down in tears of joy when he met his great-great-granddaughter for the first time, a video shows. (Credit: Hunter Fowler via Storyful)

A 101-year-old military veteran broke down in tears of joy when he met his great-great-granddaughter for the first time, a video shows.

The emotional footage, captured by his great-grandson Hunter Fowler, shows the moment when World War II veteran Dewey Muirhead is introduced to his great-great-granddaughter, Millie.

"When we told the family about the pregnancy, we were all really excited, but most excited for Dewey to meet her," Hunter told FOX Television Stations. "We hoped and prayed that he would be able to meet her. I truly believe that’s why he is still with us today."

Southwest crew tracks down boy’s lost stuffed tiger

What the boy realized that he had accidentally left Tigey, his favorite stuffed animal, at Southwest's Nashville airport, he was heartbroken, the airline said. (Credit: Southwest Airlines)

A boy reunited with his lost stuffed animal in January, thanks to staff members at a Southwest Airlines airport in Nashville, Tennessee.

"When Jake realized that he had accidentally left Tigey, his favorite stuffed animal, at the Nashville airport, he was heartbroken," the airline said in a Facebook post.

Southwest said his mother quickly submitted a lost & found request and reached out to the airline for assistance.

"The news reached our Nashville employees, who immediately sprung into action to find Tigey," the airline continued. "In less than thirty minutes, the search was successful, and there were tears of joy, warm embraces, and beaming smiles the following day as Jake and Tigey were reunited."

Guinness confirms 92-year-old man’s world record Grand Canyon hike

Alfredo's epic Grand Canyon trek

Videos from 92-year-old Alfredo Aliaga's friends and family show his epic, record-breaking adventure through one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

Alfredo Aliaga, a delightful 92-year-old who splits his time between Germany and Spain, broke the Guinness World Record in October and became the oldest person to ever hike the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim. The results became official in January, 2024.

On Oct. 14, 2023, Alfredo, his daughter, son-in-law and two witnesses hiked 24 miles from the North Rim to the South Rim. It was a two-day journey with more than 21 hours of hiking.

"It was wonderful," Alfredo told FOX TV Stations in October after the hike. "[They’re] all saying, ‘OK, Alfredo! You made it!’ It was really unique.

Florida boy's missed kindergarten graduation celebrated onboard flight

Frontier holds kindergarten celebration onboard flight

When 6-year-old Xavier Joel missed his graduation due to a family wedding in Puerto Rico, Frontier flight attendants surprised him with a ceremony onboard his flight. (Credit: Janeiry Rivas)

A Florida 6-year-old boy missed his kindergarten graduation, but received a special surprise ceremony onboard a Frontier Airlines flight.

Xavier Joel from Orlando had to miss his school's ceremony after his mother inadvertently double-booked and agreed to be the maid-of-honor at her cousin's wedding in Puerto Rico.

While at the airport, Rivas got the idea for her son to take pictures with the pilots of their flight to Puerto Rico. Word started to spread among the flight crew, and a flight attendant, named Pamela, got the idea to hold Xavier's graduation ceremony during the flight.

Thirty minutes before the plane landed, Xavier put on his cap and gown and walked up the aisle to the front of the plane, where passengers applauded and cheered. His name was announced over the intercom while the "Pomp and Circumstance" song played in the background. The flight attendants even turned over Xavier's tassel and presented him with gifts.

Family welcomes son, after losing 3 children in school bus stop crash

An Indiana mother recently welcomed her newborn son via surrogacy five years after her three children were killed in a school bus stop car crash.

Brittany Ingle, 34, of Akron and her husband, Shane, brought home Psalm Patrick Ingle last September.

"It was a big decision, and we decided we just wanted to grow our love again," Ingle told FOX Television Stations.

Message in a bottle makes it from Florida to Texas

A glass Captain Morgan bottle and the message inside found on South Padre Island, Texas. (Laurie Levermann Coker )

A glass bottle traveled about 1,000 miles in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Texas, making it to resident Dr. Laurie Levermann Coker's beach.

"I've never found one before, and I've been here for almost five and a half, six years. I've been walking up and down this beach, 2 miles a day and an hour or more, and I pick up lots of things," Coker told FOX Weather.

Inside the barnacle-covered Captain Morgan bottle was a brief note on lined paper that read, "By Angela (23) and Emily (24) from Keewaydin Island. Sent out 6/15/2024."

Watch: Donor reunites with toddler she helped save through life-saving liver transplant

Living donor reunites with boy she helped save

When one-year-old Sonny required a life-saving liver transplant, Sandy Flash, a woman from West New York, volunteered as a living donor at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. (Credit: Cleveland Clinic via Storyful)

A donor was reunited with a toddler she helped save.

Sandy Flash, a woman from west New York, stepped forward when one-year-old Sonny needed a life-saving liver transplant at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Sonny was diagnosed at birth with biliary atresia, which impaired kidney function, prompting the need for a transplant.

Flash decided to donate part of her liver, which ended up being a match for Sonny in May 2023.

"Next to having my own children, this is the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done," she said.

How a Chipotle delivery turned into an Arizona couple's wedding being paid off

An Arizona couple's dream wedding became reality, thanks to the kindness of strangers.

It all started when a food delivery driver put a special note on a food order, stating that he was thankful for her order and was driving to save up for his wedding.

When Erica Hernandez had food delivered, she had no idea she'd come across a message like the one she found. She said she just had to post it on social media.

The message went viral, and In less than a week, the driver and his fiancé received enough donations for their dream wedding in September.

Valedictorian graduates top of his class while homeless

New Orleans valedictorian Elijah Hogan gives speech. (Credit: Kewe Ukpolo)

A high school senior recently graduated at the top of his class, despite living in a homeless shelter for youth for more than a year.

Elijah Hogan graduated as one of two valedictorians at Walter L. Cohen Charter High School in New Orleans.

"I am a youth experiencing homelessness in the city of New Orleans," Hogan wrote on a GoFundMe account he created earlier this month asking for college donations. "Despite these unfortunate circumstances, I've chosen to push forward and by the grace of God achieved becoming my school's Valedictorian for the year of 2024. "