Community Corner

Katy Perry and Penguins: 5 Best Feel Good Patch Stories of 2013

Here's five of our favorite 'feel good' stories of 2013.

By Catherine Crawford

Before plunging into 2014, have a look back at five of our favorite ‘feel good’ stories from the past year. Here’s to another great one!

1) A Hospital Sings Inspiring Version of Katy Perry's 'Roar':
Warning: This post, featuring video footage of children, families and doctors at the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchkock in New Hampshire singing along to Katy Perry’s ‘Roar,’ will melt your heart.

"It brought me to tears because that is what we do,” Susan Whalen, a pediatric nurse with 22 years of experience, said of the video. "That is exactly what we do, day in and day out."

2) Girl's Puffin Video Goes Viral:
Something about this 9-year-old girl frolicking with a horned puffin, despite the glass wall that separated them at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, really struck a chord with Patch readers. Watch and you’ll understand why.

3) Flesh-Eating Bacteria Survivor Aimee Copeland's Goal: Helping Others:
In May 2012, Aimee Copeland of Snellville, GA., had just completed her core courses for a master’s degree in psychology when she fell into a creek and cut her leg in an accident involving a homemade zip-line. The wound was infected with typically fatal flesh-eating bacteria in the accident, and Aimee lost her left leg, her right foot and both hands. But she did not lose her spirit. The interview in this popular post from last May reveals Aimee’s remarkable resilience.

4) Teen Raises $1M for Her Startup—Before Her 18th Birthday:
I’ll admit, there’s a (large) part of me that’s dreading my kids’ teenage years. If my girls are anything like Brienne Ghafourifar, who succeeded in raising $1 for her startup company, Entefy, before she could legally vote, bring it on! Judging by the popularity of this Patch story from last Spring, I’m not the only parent curious about young Ghafouifar.

5) Framingham Mom Dances At Bus Stop Waving Bye, Bye, Bye:
For the past five year, Tracy Moutafis, a mom from Massachusetts, has done a little bus-stop dance as her kids pull away from the curb on the first day of school. Her joy is palpable (and familiar).

What is your favorite Patch feel good story from 2013? Tell us in the comments or in a blog post.


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