Washington Post: The retired inventor of N95 masks is back at work, mostly for free, to fight covid-19. “Peter Tsai retired two years ago, but the materials scientist says he’s never been busier. When the novel coronavirus began gripping the globe in March, Tsai was summoned from his short-lived retirement. He was in urgent demand because he is the inventor who, in 1995, patented the filtration material used in disposable N95 respirators. The coveted masks are in short supply and are desperately needed by health-care workers and others who require protection from the highly contagious coronavirus.”
good people
BBC: Anonymous letters providing solace in the pandemic
BBC: Anonymous letters providing solace in the pandemic. “When the letter arrived at Daniel Guzmán’s doorstep, it provided him with a glimmer of hope during one of the hardest moments of his life. ‘Keep going, when this is all over, you will walk out of the house with your head held high and your heart willing to give the best of you,’ it read. It was signed simply ‘Niña Peregrina’ (Spanish for ‘Wandering Girl’) Niña Peregrina’s was one one of hundreds of letters that have been exchanged by complete strangers in the Colombian city of Medellín during the country’s months-long quarantine.”
New York Times: With Flights Banned, Son Sails Solo Across Atlantic to Reach Father, 90
New York Times: With Flights Banned, Son Sails Solo Across Atlantic to Reach Father, 90. “Days after Argentina canceled all international passenger flights to shield the country from the new coronavirus, Juan Manuel Ballestero began his journey home the only way possible: He stepped aboard his small sailboat for what turned out to be an 85-day odyssey across the Atlantic. The 47-year-old sailor could have stayed put on the tiny Portuguese island of Porto Santo, to ride out the era of lockdowns and social distancing in a scenic place largely spared by the virus. But the idea of spending what he thought could be ‘the end of the world’ away from his family, especially his father who was soon to turn 90, was unbearable.”
Washington Post: She was furloughed from her job. So she became ‘Lasagna Lady’ and made 1,200 pans of free lasagna for those in need.
Washington Post: She was furloughed from her job. So she became ‘Lasagna Lady’ and made 1,200 pans of free lasagna for those in need.. “First a retired neighbor showed up at her house, then an out-of-work friend came for a pan. After that, so many people started showing up, including strangers, that [Michelle] Brenner lost track. Nearly three months and 1,200 pans later, Brenner is still at it, boiling noodles, cooking ground beef, mixing up tomato sauce and layering mozzarella, ricotta and Parmesan. About eight hours a day, seven days a week, she helps feed people in her community — from hospital workers and first responders to single parents struggling without paychecks.”
CNN: He was a Covid-19 patient. She cleaned his hospital room. Their unexpected bond saved his life.
CNN: He was a Covid-19 patient. She cleaned his hospital room. Their unexpected bond saved his life. “They are sometimes called ‘invisible’ workers, the custodians and housekeepers who clean and restock hospital rooms. But while we often don’t see them, they see us. Doctors, nurses and chaplains have rightly been hailed as heroes for their brave efforts during the coronavirus pandemic. [Chaplain Melinda] Plumley jokes that spiritual healers haven’t gotten this much press since the Reformation. But the work of hospital housekeepers has been just as vital, said Dr. Neil Prose, a pediatric dermatologist and professor at Duke University’s Global Health Institute.”
New York Post: Kid throws socially distant prom after babysitter’s was canceled
New York Post: Kid throws socially distant prom after babysitter’s was canceled. “A big-hearted kid named Curtis Rogers went the extra mile for his nanny, Rachel Chapman, and not just by being on his best behavior on her watch. Curtis learned that Rachel wouldn’t have a senior prom this season over COVID-19 concerns, so he threw one for her.”
Alton Telegraph: This 7-year-old goes online to ‘spread my hope’ to children with medical issues during pandemic
Alton Telegraph: This 7-year-old goes online to ‘spread my hope’ to children with medical issues during pandemic. “Sarah Rose has spent most of her 13 years fighting back from terrible things. First, it was a brain tumor when she was 5, with persistent complications she continues to battle. Then, a few months ago, Sarah Rose fell off a horse and fractured her right hip. She walked around for six weeks with that broken bone before doctors took X-rays. She still feels flashes of pain. It crashes in like thunder. She closes her eyes, tosses her head back, and her sweet smile twists into a pained grimace. Just in time, 7-year-old Molly Marks, sitting on her full-size bed with a canopy decorated with yellow and purple daisies, pops up on the screen and smiles.”
LADbible: Dad Builds Huge Stage On Driveway So Daughter Doesn’t Miss Out On Graduation
LADbible: Dad Builds Huge Stage On Driveway So Daughter Doesn’t Miss Out On Graduation. “Many US student have been given the upsetting news that their graduation ceremonies have been cancelled, but one kind-hearted dad made sure that his daughter wouldn’t miss out by setting up this incredible stage in his driveway so she still got to enjoy her special day.”
‘The favour is returned’: 173 years on, Irish donors thank Native Americans (RTE)
RTE: ‘The favour is returned’: 173 years on, Irish donors thank Native Americans. “The organisers of a fundraising campaign for Native Americans hit by the coronavirus have thanked Irish donors for their support. People from Ireland have been sending money through a ‘GoFundMe’ page set up to help Navajo and Hopi families, with many of the Irish donors saying it was a way of saying thank you for the support shown to Ireland during the Great Famine.”
‘I Could Be One of Them’: Belgians Help Migrants Amid Coronavirus (New York Times)
New York Times: ‘I Could Be One of Them’: Belgians Help Migrants Amid Coronavirus. “Gare du Nord, once the busiest train station in Brussels, the Belgian capital, has been nearly empty of regular travelers after the lockdown, since most trains have been canceled. But twice a day, a long line of migrants waits along a platform for food and hygienic supplies. Nabil Moujahid, a 33-year-old schoolteacher, started a grass-roots initiative called Citizens in Solidarity to distribute food to migrants who gather in the Parc Maximilien near the station.”
WKBW: New website helps you send thank you videos to workers across the country
WKBW: New website helps you send thank you videos to workers across the country. “Four friends Noah Friedman, Sahil Bhaiwala, and Williamsville natives Ben and Ariella Sharf created this website to help spread more hope and uplifting messages. In just three weeks and 500 videos later, the company has become the digital version of a thank you card.”
Coronavirus chronicles: Here’s some good news amid the dire reports (CNET)
CNET: Coronavirus chronicles: Here’s some good news amid the dire reports. “Right now the coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19 are all anyone can talk about. You’re not alone if you feel overwhelmed or find yourself focusing on worst-case scenarios. So let’s take a second, breathe deep and look at some of the positive things going on in these strange times.” A nice read if you need something hopeful.
My Panhandle: Panama City native creates ‘Map of Kindness’ to track positivity during pandemic
My Panhandle: Panama City native creates ‘Map of Kindness’ to track positivity during pandemic. “A few students at Florida State University are trying to bring positivity to those being negatively impacted by COVID-19. Panama City native, Gabriela Cintron and her two friends have created a new website called ‘Kindness amid the Coronavirus’. Their goal is to track stories of kindness and humanity from around the globe.”
WLNY: Social Media Roundup: Neighbors Leave Notes Offering To Lend A Hand With Groceries And Supplies
WLNY: Social Media Roundup: Neighbors Leave Notes Offering To Lend A Hand With Groceries And Supplies. “From flyers to online posts, literal signs of hope are being shared everywhere. They’re notes from neighbors to complete strangers, volunteering to help. Messages have been popping up on doors, lampposts and all over social media with offers to lend a hand to whoever needs it.”
#CoronavirusSolidarity diary: Florist gives flowers ‘free of charge’ to Glasnevin Cemetery (Irish Examiner)
Irish Examiner: #CoronavirusSolidarity diary: Florist gives flowers ‘free of charge’ to Glasnevin Cemetery. “In the days and weeks ahead we will be highlighting for posterity those stories which capture the unique community spirit of Ireland’s repsonse to the ongoing crisis. Please let us know about community initiatives which have been set up to offer support to those most impacted by the crisis or examples of people who are going above and beyond the call of duty. Tag us at @irishexaminer and use #CoronavirusSolidarity.” Up to four parts, and a lovely read if you’re feeling down.
