Tornado survivors in Woodward, Okla., are proving that even in the midst of devastation, treasures can be found and hope can be restored. Over the weekend, disastrous, tornadoes tore through the Midwest, killing six. One family barely got away before their house was completely destroyed. Mom had been watching TV with her wedding ring on the table.
A painting - nearly five centuries old and worth millions - that was taken by the Nazis in World War II has been returned to the heirs of its original Jewish owner by U.S. officials. Also, the former neighbor of a Dutch Holocaust survivor traveled to the United States to hand-deliver two sets of china, dishes that her family left behind before they were led to Auschwitz.
A teenager who lost his home in Japan's devastating tsunami now knows that one prized possession survived: a football that drifted all the way to Alaska. A man, who has a Japanese wife, found the ball with the youngster's name inscribed on it while beachcombing on an Alaskan island.
Three Maryland winners sharing the record $656 million lottery payoff are remaining anonymous but garnering praise for their intentions to continue teaching school children. They both said, 'I can't give up my kids,' according to lottery officials.
Russia's richest woman, Elena Baturina, is investing $100 million in a new "creative think-tank" devoted to improving the world. Dubbed Be Open, its noble aim is to stimulate innovation and creativity among young designers and improve sustainability while building bridges between Russia and the rest of the world.
The hunger and pain weren't the worst of Victoria Grover's ordeal as she shivered alone for four days with a broken leg and no food in Utah's rugged wilderness. The toughest challenge the 59-year-old faced was the severe cold which left her suffering with hypothermia as nighttime temperatures dropped to the low 30s in the high desert.
Everyone has a skill. Now retirees and other talented individuals in London are invited to share their passions by joining The Amazings, a new social enterprise that helps people with skills to teach others by way of group classes and activities. The website explains, We handle the advertising and payments – all the Amazing has to do is decide when they want to run their experience, turn up, be amazing, and then collect the cash.
Every day for 8 years, US soldiers were funneled through the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport on their way home for their 2-week leaves. Each soldier was greeted with applause and hearty handshakes from strangers who came to the airport just to show their thanks. Last week, more than a thousand of these greeters delivered a thunderous welcome to the 230 troops aboard the final military charter to use DFW airport, ending the unique Texas "Welcome Home A Hero" program.
Last fall, Texana Hollis, 101, was evicted from her Detroit home after almost 60 years. A Good Samaritan from church took her in, while others tried to find funding to get her foreclosed home back. Unfortunately the building was in bad condition and condemned as not fit to live in, especially for the wheelchair bound great-grandmother. But, now her house is being given back to her – in better shape than ever – thanks to Detroit resident Mitch Albom, the best selling author of Tuesdays with Morrie and his charity for the homeless, S.A.Y. Detroit.
A powerful tornado ripped through West Liberty, Kentucky, last week, making the quaint community look like a war zone. Fortunately, the First Response Team of America was there to help with its specialized fleet of heavy-duty disaster recovery equipment. The team was named CNN Heroes.
During the filming in the Arizona desert a Cobra helicopter was being used to film a speeding Corvette. When the pilots lost control the chopper took a nose-dive into the ground, but the pair walked away unharmed.
Hundreds of volunteers pitched in to help the American communities hit hard by tornadoes that ravaged the Midwest and the South. Some took time off from their regular jobs to work for their neighbors. It doesn't matter if you know them or not... It's a small town; it's what you do.