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Groundbreaking Gene Therapy Cures 21-year-old of His Sickle Cell Anemia: ‘I’m not in pain anymore’

By
Andy Corbley
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Sebastien Beauzile – By Northwell Health/Cohen Medical Center
Sebastien Beauzile – By Northwell Health/Cohen Medical Center

A New York hospital has declared a patient cured of sickle-cell anemia, a debilitating genetic disorder that mostly affects individuals of African heritage.

Considered to be cured, other genetic treatments have proven successful in reducing or ending the bouts of pain and occasional surgeries that plague the lives of those who suffer from the disease.

Cohen Children’s Medical Center said their patient Sebastien Beauzile, 21, is the first New Yorker to have received the breakthrough Lyfgenia treatment, according to the New York Post.

Developed by Bluebird Bio., Beauzile received the treatment in December of 2024. Since then, the young man has been seemingly cured of the disease which caused him skin ulcers, back pain, hip pain, joint pain, and severe chest pain.

“Growing up with sickle cell, it’s kind of been over all my life,” Sebastien said, according to Gene Online. “So now that I’m cured, I’d say it’s my new birthday, because now nothing’s going to stop me.”

Part of a genetic mutation that humans developed to protect themselves against the malaria parasite, sickle cell disease occurs when blood cells, through forming sickle shapes, have trouble reaching the heart.

Dr. Jeffrey Lipton, the center’s director for pediatric hematology, predicts Lyfgenia will replace bone marrow transplants as the primary method for addressing sickle cell anemia, and called the treatment “a fix.”

Lygenia takes a sample of the patient’s bone marrow and introduces healthy adult hemoglobin from a donor. Hemoglobin is a protein that helps transport oxygen through the body via red blood cells, and is at the heart of sickle cell disease. Tinkering the two, they are then infused back into the patient’s body, where the donor hemoglobin is gradually coded for rather than the affected hemoglobin of the patient.

BEATING DISEASES: 13-year-old Successfully Undergoes World-First Treatment to Cure Rarer-Than-Rare Wild Syndrome

“Sebastien’s recovery has been amazing, and we hope he is just the first of many patients we treat with Lyfgenia,” said Charles Schleien, MD, senior vice president of Cohen Children’s Medical Center.

In January, GNN reported that base editing, another form of gene therapy that, like Lygenia, doesn’t involve the more famous CRISPR technology, was able to seemingly cure 20-year-old Brandon Baptiste, who is now “going to the gym every day, doing cardio and weight lifting.”

OTHER CURES: Cure for Pre-Eclampsia is On Horizon as Researcher Discovers Lipid Nanoparticle to Deliver Directly to Placenta

Baptiste became eligible for an experimental trial of base editing called BEACON. By October 2023, after a year of tests to ensure he was physically capable in his diminished state to handle the procedure, it began with a sample of his blood stem cells.

These were then transferred to a separate facility where the base editing would take place. Using chemotherapy, his team then killed off all the diseased blood stem cells in his bone marrow, after which he was ready to receive his own stem cells back in November.

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Judge Rules Against Cacti Smuggling Ring, Orders Them to Pay for Desert Restoration Under ‘Moral Damages’

By
Andy Corbley
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Cholla Cactus in San Bernardino National Forest - By Daniel Torok for USFS
The often trafficked Copiapoa cactus in the background – credit: Jardín Botánico Nacional, Viña del Mar, Chile, CC 2.0.

In Italy, a judge has applied a novel legal concept in sentencing two convicted plant smugglers: payment for the damage done to an irreplaceable ecosystem.

Following a trial in the Italian city of Ancona, Andrea Pombietti and Mattia Crescentini were found guilty of trafficking in endangered species; in this case, two rare cactus genera Eriosyce and Copiapoa. 

Endemic to the Atacama Desert in Chile, these highly-sought after species survive in the driest climate on Earth, and the two men were found to be in possession of hundreds and for participating in a criminal enterprise that involved Greek and South American entities.

Being that Italy is a member of the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), the Ancona court found the two men guilty, but in response to the case put forward by the public prosecutor, sentenced them to pay “moral damages” to an NGO called the Association for Biodiversity and Conservation (ABC), whose resident cacti expert worked alongside authorities to identify the species in Pombietti and Crescentini’s possession.

All were native to the Atacama Desert, and the damages of around $21,500 were paid to ABC for its legal costs and to further its conservation work in the very desert the criminals were exploiting.

A member of ABC said the money would fund cactus research projects to inform conservation strategies.

The Guardian reports that the case is one of the first in the world to order traffickers to pay for conservation in the ecosystems they exploit.

NEW IDEAS TO STOP POACHING: Researchers Test Use of Nuclear Technology to Curb Rhino Poaching in South Africa

Cholla Cactus in San Bernardino National Forest – By Daniel Torok for USFS

“Any remedy that looks at a deeper solution that restores the environment is key … as opposed to only looking at one animal that has been killed or one tree that has been cut down,” said Blair Atwebembeire, an environmental lawyer in Uganda, whose work mainly involves the pangolin—the world’s most trafficked animal.

The Guardian spoke with another environmental lawyer, Rika Fajrini, who said that Indonesia primarily prosecutes under criminal, not civil law. As a result, the debt to society is paid to the state, not the animals or ecosystems damaged by the offenders.

OTHER ANTI-TRAFFICKING STORIES: Nigerian Authorities Seize 2 Tons of Pangolin Scales and Arrest Key Broker in Major Wildlife Trafficking Bust

“The Italian case highlights that harm to wildlife is also harm to the environment – one that requires restoration, not just punishment of offenders,” says Fajrini.

Trafficking in animals and plants is the third most lucrative black market in the world, behind drugs and weaponry. Estimated to be worth over $100 billion in terms of money paid, if a fraction of that value was transferred to conservation, the fragile ecosystems and vulnerable species made victim in these schemes could be significantly fortified.

SHARE This Encouraging Seachange In The Fight Against Trafficking… 

“Success is always a combination of passion, dedication, hard work, and being in the right place at the right time.” – Lauren Conrad

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Good News Network
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Joshua Earle for Unsplash+

Quote of the Day: “Success is always a combination of passion, dedication, hard work, and being in the right place at the right time.” – Lauren Conrad

Photo by: Joshua Earle for Unsplash+ (Glencoe, Ballachulish in UK)

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Joshua Earle for Unsplash+

Good News in History, March 24

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Good News Network
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The-Office-Christmas-party-promotional-image-NBC

20 years ago today, the American version of The Office, a TV series (originally created in the UK by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant) starring Steve Carell premiered on NBC. The mockumentary sitcom depicts the everyday lives of office employees in Scranton, Pennsylvania, working for a paper company. Lasting a total of nine seasons, it was adapted in the US by Greg Daniels, a veteran writer for Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. WATCH the Top 10 Most Searched For Clips of All Time–and Learn More… (2005)

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Southeast Asia’s Fish Supplies Remarkably Robust Despite Decades of Warnings About Overfishing

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Good News Network
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Small-scale fisheries in Southeast Asia –Photo by Prof. Matsuishi Takashi Fritz / Hokkaido University
Small-scale fisheries in Southeast Asia –Photo by Prof. Matsuishi Takashi Fritz / Hokkaido Universityocea

For decades, there have been dire warnings about overfishing and the loss of biodiversity in their fisheries, yet this region has largely maintained its ecological health while still meeting the food needs of Southeast Asia’s growing population.

In a new study, Professor Matsuishi Takashi Fritz of the Faculty of Fisheries Sciences at Hokkaido University examined the status of Southeast Asia’s capture fisheries to understand why this particular region is swimming against the tide of overfishing and declining production.

The research provides lessons that can be learned for other capture fisheries around the world.

Southeast Asian fisheries have seen a steady increase in production over the past 30 years, which amounts to the greatest rise among world regions. Though that growth has plateaued since 2018, the region still outperforms many others.

At the same time, the fisheries’ productivity — defined as production divided by the number of fisheries — is the second lowest in the world. That’s because many more people are actively engaged in fishing in Southeast Asia than in many other regions.

The percentage of people fishing there is 3.4 times higher than the global average, because the region has the greatest dependence on aquatic foods for protein—and small-scale and artisanal fishers only catching enough for the local community or their own families.

“Small-scale fishing has various advantages: as its productivity is low, it’s possible to provide many jobs without overfishing,” says Prof. Fritz, author of the study published in the journal Fisheries Science.

“The small scale of the fishing gear has a low impact on the ecosystem; and the small amount of fish caught at one time ensures that the quality and freshness of the catch is high, and it is sold at a relatively high unit price.”

GREAT NEWS: Recovery of the Bluefin Tuna Achieves Major Goals A Decade Ahead of Schedule

An unusual feature of Southeast Asian capture fisheries is that while the percentage of overfished stocks is similar to the global average, the region has a three-fold higher ratio of under-fished stocks compared to the global average — the key finding of this study.

The capture fisheries tend to be multi-species rather than overfishing a few key species, which preserves the already high level of marine biodiversity.

GREAT CATCH: Number of Fish on US Overfishing List Reaches All-Time Low–Led by Mackerel and Snapper

“To maintain biodiversity, it’s essential to encourage the practice of non-species-selective multi-species fisheries and management,” Prof. Fritz concludes. “Protecting, promoting, and controlling small-scale artisanal fisheries that do not destroy habitats is also essential.”

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She’s a Dopamine Dresser: ‘Get Happier and More Productive With Color, Yellow is a Big Mood Booster’

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Good News Network
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Kerry Jones is a colorful dopamine dresser -SWNS
Kerry Jones is a colorful dopamine dresser -SWNS

An artist says she’s a “dopamine dresser” and picks her bold-colored outfits to ward off feeling grumpy.

Dopamine dressing is a fashion trend which involves wearing clothing that makes you feel good and confident, based on the idea that outfits can affect your mood and happiness.

Kerry Jones has always loved color and says she dresses to express herself. She enjoys being experimental with her outfits and loves orange, yellow, red, pink, and lilac.

She reaches for her boldest colors if she wakes up “grumpy” and has a room with “thousands” of pieces of clothing in it.

“It’s very mood orientated,” said the 40-year-old from Manchester. “The actual process of getting dressed alters my mood.

“If I’m feeling low, I play dress up and go for a bold rich tone. The bolder the better. It helps transform me into a bolder and better version of myself.

“Bright bold colors always feel better on gloomy days, so be your own sunshine. Yellow is a favorite color of mine and a big mood booster.”

Kerry Jones with orange hair and colorful clothes fashion – SWNS

Kerry’s been a fashionista all her life, recalling that her mom always described her daughter as “adamant” about knowing what she wanted to wear.

“When I wake up in the morning I get dressed and I think it is the best part of the day. I love color drenching.”

Kerry, whose daughter is 16, was feeling like she lost her identity shortly after becoming a mum when she packed away her colorful clothes.

A few months later she got it all out again, realizing “I can be me”.

Now she has orange hair and doesn’t shy away from any color. (See the video below to check out more of her style…)

Kerry Jones (via SWNS)
Kerry Jones (SWNS)

Kerry finds lots of her clothes in thrift shops, and her late grandmother was her biggest “style icon”, the creator of one her favorite items—a turquoise jumper with pastel pompoms on it.

FAMILY MEMORIES—> FASHION: She Upcycled Her Late Grandpa’s Shirts Into Cute Tops to Keep Him Close to her Heart –See How

She wants to encourage others to dopamine dress—and says you can start small.

“Earrings or socks are a great way of adding color without it being too imposing. If you think it looks good, it looks good.”

She also believes color boosts her productivity.

“When I’m working from home I still get fully dressed. If I don’t, I don’t feel as productive and I’m a bit slobby.

“Getting dressed is a pleasure we should all feel uplifted by, it’s our sacred moment of joy in the morning. Have fun!” (See more of her outfits in the video…)

ENCOURAGE BOLD EXPRESSION By Sharing The Chic On Social Media…

Harley-Davidson Founder’s Home Saved from Demolition by Devoted Bikers and Their Favorite Company

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Good News Network
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Davidson Cottage in Scotland, the ancestral home of Harley-Davidson co-founder (via SWNS)
Davidson Cottage in Scotland, the ancestral home of Harley-Davidson co-founder (via SWNS)

The ancestral home of the co-founder of Harley-Davidson motorcycles has been saved from demolition after it went on the market and was about to be scooped up by developers who would tear it down.

The Davidson Cottage, located in the Angus village in Scotland, was home to William C. Davidson, who emigrated to America in 1857, where three of his children (Arthur, Walter and William) joined 20-year-old William Harley to create the iconic Harley-Davidson company.

The once-derelict property was painstakingly restored over many years by biker aficionados who transformed it into a re-creation of a mid-nineteenth century dwelling.

However, the property went on the market once again, which required another push to save the building.

The Davidson Legacy Preservation Group was formed and won a matching grant from the UK government Community Ownership Fund. But the group needed to raise more than £300,000 to obtain keys to the cottage.

After a three year campaign, and many individual donations, the Harley-Davidson Company stepped in at the last minute to provide the final funding to get the team over the line.

In a statement on their GoFundMe page, Nyree Aitken of the Davidson Legacy Preservation Group said, “This incredible milestone would not have been possible without the dedication and generosity of so many.

Davidson cottage with Harley donations plaque (via SWNS)

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to the fundraising efforts, especially the Harley-Davidson riding community and our supporters worldwide. Your enthusiasm and commitment has been truly inspiring.”

Davidson Cottage with bikers (via SWNS)

“We are also deeply grateful to the UK Government for their contribution through the Community Ownership Fund, which has played a crucial role in helping us in the road to preserving this important piece of Harley-Davidson history.”

HARLEY GOOD DEEDS: Harley-Davidson Mobilizes Bikers to Plant 50 Million Trees

“The final funding, generously provided by Harley-Davidson, reinforces our shared commitment to honoring the Davidson heritage, and we are excited to collaborate with them as we move forward.

“Our immediate focus is to complete the purchase process and begin laying the groundwork for some exciting plans in 2025.

“Together, we are keeping the Davidson legacy alive.”

LOOK: Great-Grandma Gets 90th Birthday Wish to Ride a Harley Again, Courtesy of a Biker Gang

Cottage interior via SWNS

In 1901, 20-year-old mechanical engineer William S. Harley drew up plans for a small engine designed for use in a regular pedal-bicycle frame.

Over the next two years, he and his childhood friend Arthur Davidson worked on their motor-bicycle using the Milwaukee machine shop at the home of a friend. It was finished in 1903 with the help of Arthur’s brother Walter Davidson. Most of the major parts were made elsewhere, including some probably fabricated at the West Milwaukee rail shops where oldest brother William A. Davidson was toolroom foreman.

In 1906, Harley and the Davidson brothers built their first factory on Juneau Avenue, at the current location of Harley-Davidson’s corporate headquarters, where the company produced its first 50 motorcycles that year.

By 1920 Harley-Davidson was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, with over 28,000 machines produced and dealers in 67 countries.

CREATE A RUMBLE By Sharing This Good News With Bikers On Social Media…

Being Kind–and Believing Others are Kind–Makes you Happier Than Wealth: Happiness Report Ranks 150 Countries

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Good News Network
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Believing that a wallet will be returned if dropped in public is one of the most important indicators of well being and happiness. In fact, it’s 7 times more impactful that doubling your income, according to the World Happiness Report 2025 just released this week.

Jeffrey Sachs conceived of the report that would measure wellness in 2012 and Gallup began interviewing people in 150 countries, and compiling those comparisons every year.

While analyzing the results for 2024, the researchers found that belief in the kindness of others is much more closely tied to peoples’ happiness than previously thought.

For instance, evidence across the world from the perceived—and actual—return of lost wallets shows that people are much too pessimistic about the kindness of their communities compared to the reality. The actual rates of wallet return are around twice as high as people expect.

Believing that others are willing to return your lost wallet is shown to be a strong predictor of population happiness—and the Nordic nations once again top the ranking of the world’s happiest countries. They also rank among the top places for expected and actual return of lost wallets.

“The wallet dropping experiments are so convincing because they confirm that people are much happier living where they think people care about each other, even if perceptions are everywhere too pessimistic,” said long-time lost-wallet researcher, John F. Helliwell, an economist at the University of British Columbia, and co-editor of the World Happiness Report 2025.

Finland tops the list of world’s happiest country for the eighth year in a row, with Finns reporting an average score of 7.736 (out of 10) when asked to evaluate their lives. In comparison, the U.S. ranked 24th, with Americans averaging (6.724 out of ten)—the lowest self-reported level since the poll began 13 years ago.

World Happiness Report 2025

The Finnish Ambassador to the US, Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, attended the launch event for the report in Washington, DC, and proposed that a big reason for their consistent ranking was the Finns’ trust that both “people and politicians mean well.” The homogenous population made that easier for Finland, she said.

“Americans smile and laugh more than we do,” she continued. “But for us, happiness means being content.” She also quipped that “weekly sauna sessions for most of us” also contributed.

Costa Rica and Mexico both enter the top 10 for the first time (#6 and #10 respectively), while continued upward trends for countries such as Lithuania (16th), Slovenia (19th) and the Czech Republic (20th) underline the convergence of happiness levels between Eastern, Central, and Western Europe.

Launch event in DC – GNN

The United States, at 24th, fell to its lowest-ever position in the 13 years of polling. The United Kingdom ranked just higher at 23rd, with Brits reporting their lowest average life evaluation since their reports from 2017. All country rankings are based on a three-year average of each population’s average assessment of their quality of life.

Experts from economics, psychology, and sociology then seek to explain the variations across countries and over time using factors such as GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, having someone to count on, a sense of freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption. These factors help to explain the differences across nations—but the rankings themselves are based solely on the answers people give when asked to rate their own lives. Here are the top 25:

1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Sweden
5. Netherlands
6. Costa Rica
7. Norway
8. Israel
9. Luxembourg
10. Mexico
11. Australia
12. New Zealand
13. Switzerland
14. Belgium
15. Ireland
16. Lithuania
17. Austria
18. Canada
19. Slovenia
20. Czech Republic
21. United Arab Emirates
22. Germany
23. United Kingdom
24. USA
25. Belize

Further results around the theme of “caring and sharing”:

  • Sharing meals with others is strongly linked with wellbeing across all global regions, but the number of people dining alone in the United States has increased 53% over the past two decades.
  • Household size is closely linked to happiness. Four to five people living together enjoy the highest levels of happiness in Mexico and Europe, but many people in Europe are living on their own.
  • In 2023, 19% of young adults across the world reported having no one they could count on for social support. This is a 39% increase compared to 2006.
  • In countries where benevolent acts are more frequent, despair is less frequent.
  • Declining happiness and social trust in the US and parts of Europe combine to explain the rise and direction of political polarization and anti-system votes.
  • The cost-effectiveness of charities varies dramatically. Some charities are hundreds of times better at increasing happiness per dollar than others.

“Human happiness is driven by our relationships with others,” said Lara Aknin, a professor of social psychology and one of the report’s editors. “Investing in positive social connections and engaging in benevolent actions are both matched by greater happiness.”

Gallup CEO Jon Clifton concluded, “Happiness isn’t just about wealth or growth — it’s about trust, connection and knowing people have your back. This year’s report proves we underestimate how kind the world really is.”

“This year’s report pushes us to look beyond traditional determinants like health and wealth. It turns out that sharing meals and trusting others are even stronger predictors of wellbeing than expected. In this era of social isolation and political polarization we need to find ways to bring people around the table again, said Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, director of the University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre, which published the report with Gallup. “Doing so is critical for our individual and collective wellbeing.”

AMERICAN OPTIMISM: 82% of U.S. Adults Are Hopeful About Their Own Future and Their Community’s Future

GNN caught up with journalist and author E.J. Dionne, who spoke at the Launch Event on the panel addressing political polarization. When asked what could be done about the problem, he said paying attention to the regions where people feel left behind would help—like rural or urban areas where young people have moved away after industrial jobs and small businesses closed. Loneliness could also be addressed, as well making government work better for the people. (On that last point, he recommended the book, Abundance, by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson.)

CHECK OUT: Optimist Pollster Finds Americans Are Far More Alike Than Different, With Shared Values Bridging Political Divides

One suggestion he proposed is for churches on both sides of the political aisle to come together for socializing and charity work. It could build-up the social trust in institutions and people—which is what helps Finland stay atop the Happiness mountain.

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“The only thing that will make you happy is being happy with who you are.” – Goldie Hawn

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Good News Network
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Bloomaroo Fest in DC – ©GWC

Quote of the Day: “The only thing that will make you happy is being happy with who you are.” – Goldie Hawn

Photo by: © GWC (Bloomeroo fest – Washington, DC)

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Bloomaroo Fest in DC – ©GWC

Good News in History, March 23

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Good News Network
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250 years ago today, American Founding Father Patrick Henry spoke to Virginia legislators, where he famously proposed that their colony should join the revolution against King George and fight for independence. “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!” READ other anecdotes from the moment… (1775)

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Five Ways to Move Beyond the Monster of Self-Doubt and Pursue Your Passion

By
Amy L Bernstein
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Photo by Daniel Martinez For Unsplash+
Photo by Daniel Martinez For Unsplash+

I don’t know the first thing about NFL football, but I have no trouble relating to Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson’s struggle to overcome bouts of crippling self-doubt.

A few years back, Johnson was dropping balls and questioning his abilities at every turn.

“There was a lot of things as a player I was experiencing, and you know it makes you question yourself as a player,” Johnson told WKBW news reporter Michael Schwartz a few days before the Bills trounced my hometown team, the Ravens.

Johnson then posed a question that’s plagued us all, at one point or another: “Do I deserve to be here?”

Fortunately, Johnson found a way toward, as he put it, “having positivity” by writing affirmations like I’m great or Be present on his wrist before every game.

This solution might not work for everyone, but it’s clearly helped Johnson to put doubt in its place so that it no longer dominates his every waking moment.

We should all be so lucky. Living with doubt breeds a lot of uncertainty, as we postpone decisions and plans, not sure how they’ll turn out. Furthermore, as mental health professionals have long known, self-doubt often leads to a vicious cycle involving anxiety, procrastination, low self-esteem, and depression.

The good news? We have the power to turn this around—to go from doubtful to purposeful.

“Uncertainty is a foundation of creativity,” Maggie Jackson, author of Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure, told me recently.

My own lifelong strides with doubt led me to conversations with doubters around the world—from artists to entrepreneurs. And I’ve come up with five strategies every self-doubter can adopt to shift their mindset toward feeling motivated and more self-confident.

1) Change the channel. Competing inner voices clamor in our heads for attention. Your “doubt monster” may be among the loudest and most persistent—but it’s not the only voice. Acknowledge the fear and insecurity. Then invite your self-affirming voices to speak up: Look at what I’ve already accomplished! Put the positive voices on repeat—and even try saying them out loud in the mirror each morning. You’ll be surprised at how changing the channel will alter your perspective.

2) Focus on your ‘why.’ When the jitters kick in, take a beat and remind yourself why you’re doing the work you do in the first place. Whether you’re a major league athlete or an entrepreneur embarking on a new start-up, you’re going all-in on something you love, something that lights you up and gets you out of bed in the morning. Your ‘why’ holds the key to driving your passion forward. Any doubts you feel are worth the price—and it’s not their job to slow your roll.

3) Put your doubts to good use. Doubt can be a force for good. Think of the surgeon who pauses before cutting into a patient. Doubt focuses your attention. Your doubts are not telling you “no,” they’re telling you where to sharpen and apply your skill, talent, and intellect so as to achieve your goal. This is a classic “yes-and” strategy: acknowledging doubt’s downside while harnessing its upside.

4) Gather the right allies. Anytime you take a big creative risk, friends and family will question your motives and possibly your sanity. You cannot comfortably make big moves surrounded by doubters who exacerbate your doubts. Instead, expand your networks to identify more allies—people and institutions that will back you and encourage you every step of the way. Dial down the adversaries and dial up the allies.

5) Renegotiate your relationship to risk and reward. Our culture prizes efficiency and a fast return on investment. But anytime you set an ambitious plan in motion, doubt quickly kicks in when conventional measures of success, whether profit or external validation, do not materialize. Try uncoupling risks from traditional rewards. Start-up companies and novelists often fail many times before succeeding. The time and effort invested in your passion project or career is intrinsically valuable; productivity and accolades are not the only—or even the best—measures of a worthy pursuit.

Doubt is a trickster, often masquerading as fear and lack of confidence. It wields enormous and sometimes undetected influence on how we make decisions. All the more reason to take stock of your self-doubts and ask whether they are serving you or holding you back.

ALSO CHECK OUT:
• 10 Tips for Overcoming Self-Doubt – Including Adopting a Power Pose
• Woman Cures Fear of Rejection With Self-Esteem by Asking Odd Requests of Strangers
• Need More Self Compassion? Researcher Suggests These 4 Simple Steps to Overcome Our ‘Negativity Bias’

Never forget that at every stage of life, we retain the capacity to change in ways that give our lives meaning and show us we have not yet finished becoming who we really are. There is room to grow and discover. Chances are, you’re still well on the way to finding that out for yourself. Don’t let self-doubt hold you back.

Amy L. Bernstein is the author, most recently, of Wrangling the Doubt Monster: Fighting Fears, Finding Inspiration, an inspirational book for self-doubting creatives. She is an award-winning novelist, a former journalist, and a certified nonfiction book coach helping authors find their best path to publishing. She also teaches workshops and brings an empowering message to conferences and podcasts around the world. 

One-Armed Player Has Made History in Women’s College Basketball – And She’s Become a Role Model for Others

By
Nathan Frederick
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Baileigh Sinaman-Daniel – Credit: Warren Wilson College
Baileigh Sinaman-Daniel – Credit: Warren Wilson College

With so many great plays in March Madness this week, check out the shot that carried multiple meanings as it sailed into the air, and into the history books this season.

It required persistence, resilience, and faith.

Baileigh Sinaman-Daniel, who was born with a right arm too small to adequately use, let her left-handed shot fly from around the three-point line—right into the basket.

The Lesley University junior guard, who has an obvious disadvantage compared with her opponents, was cut from her high school team.

Yet, there she was, playing guard for the Cambridge, Massachusetts college team against Fitchburg State this season when she rose up and took aim at history.

Her shot flew through the air and sailed straight through the net, making her the first female basketball player with only one arm to score in a Division III game. (See the video below…)

Her coach quickly called a time out.

“When the shot went in I thought, ‘Hey, we have to preserve this moment for as long as we possibly can,’” said coach Martin Rather in a recent CNN article. “That also allows the team to come out and embrace her, which they did, on the court, and gives us a second to reflect on the tremendous hard work and dedication it takes to get to that point.”

“The entire team was filled with joy,” Baileigh said. “Mainly just because they have seen me overcome so many things throughout this season, and for it to finally pay off in that moment, in that game, it was a very big deal for everybody across the board. They were all screaming. Everybody came to hug me.”

The joy arrived immediately and the lessons will echo for months, with more and more news outlets sharing her story. She added another chapter when she scored again on her birthday, in a game seven weeks later.

DRUMMER WITH ONE ARM? NO PROBLEM: College Lab Makes 3D Printed Arms to Help 12-Year-old Amputee Reach Her Drumming Goals

It was a moment that seemed unlikely back when Baileigh was in high school. After three years on her high school team, she was cut during her senior year—a decision that was devastating.

Baileigh Sinaman-Daniel – Lesley University Athletics

Basketball was a part of her identity. The court provided a sense of normalcy. A place where all her physical differences seemed to fade away. For a little while, that was all gone. But the attributes buried deep within Baileigh emerged when she needed them the most.

Persistence. Resilience. Faith.

“I thought to myself, I could do this in college. What’s stopping me from doing this in college?” Baileigh said in an AP interview. “So, I started emailing hundreds of coaches and it didn’t really matter what division it was. I was just trying to get a possible maybe—or even better, a yes.”

She landed at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, then entered the transfer portal after two years, looking for a fresh start. Coach Rather found her and knew that all her attributes would help the team at Lesley University.

Baileigh leads the team in individual practice sessions, doing her best to master her skills despite the obstacles—and the team is having its best season in 14 years. They made the playoffs and then upset VTSU Lydon, a No. 2 seed that had beaten them twice during the regular season.

“I think any team in this country would benefit from having a player with Baileigh’s heart on their team,” Rather told the Associated Press.

As her story spreads, Baileigh is quickly becoming the latest example of an athlete overcoming incredible adversity.

JUST. WOW.
• 13 Years After Losing Both Legs in Afghanistan, Veteran Summits Everest Establishing World Record
• First Public Official with Down Syndrome Helps Everyone See Disability Differently

Baileigh herself found inspiration in a men’s basketball player that had surmounted the same challenge. Hansel Emmanuel lost an arm in a childhood accident in the Dominican Republic, but beat the odds to earn a basketball scholarship at Austin Peay. He is averaging more than two points and two rebounds per game and has played more than 340 minutes this season as a junior for the Governors, a Division I team.

“If it was not for him, I probably would have thought that this was close to impossible to accomplish,” Baileigh told CNN.

Now, there are shining examples in both men’s and women’s college basketball of athletes soaring far beyond their physical limitations.

MUST SEE: One-legged Woman is a World Class Salsa Dancer and Inspiration to All

Inspiration is multiplying with every play—and lessons for other youth rising up with every shot.

Watch a video below from WBZ Boston…

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Mother’s Only Son was Killed in Robbery–But She Gained Another by Helping Rehabilitate One of the Convicted Boys

By
Nathan Frederick
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Family photos of Ira
Family photos of Ira

The easy choice was revenge.

Tina Crawford lost her only son Ira Hopkins in 2014 when gunshots struck him in a senseless robbery. He was 35. And it happened on his birthday.

For a while, Crawford was overwhelmed with rage and craving retribution. An eye for an eye, after all.

But by the time the two men responsible for her son’s murder were sentenced in a Delaware courtroom, Crawford had one eye on forgiveness.

She told the judge at the hearing, “I have forgiven the people that have done this to our family because my God tells me to, but what they did was wrong and it was hateful, and they must pay with whatever you decide.”

An 18-year-old who was involved in the robbery, but did not fire the fatal shots, Jy’Aire Smith-Pennick, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the crime.

Crawford shared what happened next in a recent interview with CNN. After the verdict, she discovered that she was acquainted with one of Smith-Pennick’s aunts. She met another one of his aunts too—and all three women stayed in touch.

Soon, Crawford found herself going far beyond the easy choice of revenge and fully embracing mercy. She invited Jy’Aire to write her a letter and eventually, that offer became a telephone call.

One day the phone rang and she learned a few details of Jy’Aire’s life—and that call was followed by numerous other conversations that illuminated the situation.

Forgiving the Unforgivable: Mom Worked With Daughter’s Killers to Bring Hope to a Desperate Community

Jy’Aire was homeless for large stretches of his youth, bouncing between different houses and different schools. Stability was hard to find and became even more elusive when his mother died when he was 14, his father at 17, and stepmother at 18.

He turned to the streets, started selling heroin and got talked into robbing a stranger, Ira Hopkins, late one July night right outside Crawford’s apartment.

Throughout his long years in prison, Mrs. Crawford became one of the people helping him get through it all, giving him encouragement by phone once a month.

She urged Jy’Aire to better himself and get an education while in prison. He turned that advice into a high school diploma—then an associate’s degree. Another course certified him as a peer specialist who counseled some of his fellow inmates and even talked a few out of suicide.

He wrote an apology letter to Ira that was published on the internet. Indeed, a renaissance was underway. A soul lost to the streets had made an abrupt turn, to discover a whole new path back to life.

MAGICAL MERCY:
• Muslim Father Forgives Man Involved With Son’s Murder, Hugs Him in Court
• Man Who Shot Up Mosque Goes Back For Forgiveness, Finds Hugs Waiting

Seven years after he was sentenced, Jy’Aire had a chance to get out. The Delaware Board of Pardons met in October 2024 to consider his case. Dozens of people showed up to support his parole. One of them who spoke on his behalf was Tina Crawford.

“That man hurt me,” Crawford said, according to the article from CNN. ”He took something from me…I lost a son…”

“But in the process, I gained one.”

The Board of Pardons voted unanimously to commute Jy’Aire’s sentence. In a few months, he would be a free man.

But the story doesn’t end there.

Jy’Aire is working with Tina on a non-profit called the IRA Foundation. The organization will teach at-risk kids some marketable skills like bricklaying, carpentry, music, and photography. They’ll carry on Ira’s memory. And perhaps they will protect a few from the pitfalls that claimed Jy’Aire.

REHABILITATION, NOT REVENGE:
• Restaurant Wants to Give Burglar a Second Chance – Offering Him a Job Application
• Young Man Rebuilding His Life Receives Guidance and Friendship From the Very Cop Who Arrested Him

Completing an unlikely circle, both of them will be working together to keep Ira’s name alive—thankful that they found each other.

The CNN article summarized it best: “Jy’Aire says he will protect Tina until the breath leaves his body. The son without a mother, watching over the mother without a son.”

SPREAD THE LOVE AND HOPE By Sharing The Inspiration On Social Media…

Your Weekly Horoscope from ‘Free Will Astrology’ by Rob Brezsny

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Good News Network
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Our partner Rob Brezsny, who has a new book out, Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle, provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology, is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How All of Creation Is Conspiring To Shower You with Blessings. (A free preview of the book is available here.)

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of March 22, 2025
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Cheetahs are the fastest land animals. From standing still, they can be running at 70 miles per hour three seconds later. But they can’t sustain that intensity. After a 20-second burst, they need to relax and recover. This approach serves them well, enabling them to prey on the small creatures they like to eat. I encourage you to be like a metaphorical cheetah in the coming weeks, Aries. Capitalize on the power of focused, energetic spurts. Aim for bursts of dedicated effort, followed by purposeful rest. You don’t need to pursue a relentless pace to succeed. Recognize when it’s right to push hard and when it’s time to recharge.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Inside a kaleidoscope, the colored shards of glass are in an ever-shifting chaotic jumble. But internal mirrors present pleasing symmetrical designs to the person gazing into the kaleidoscope. I see a similar phenomenon going on in your life. Some deep intelligence within you (your higher self?) is creating intriguing patterns out of an apparent mess of fragments. I foresee this continuing for several weeks. So don’t be quick to jump to conclusions about your complicated life. A hidden order is there, and you can see its beauty if you’re patient and poised.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Spiders spin their webs with meticulous care, crafting structures that are delicate, strong, and useful. Their silk is five times more robust than steel of the same diameter. It’s waterproof, can stretch 140 percent of its length without splitting, and maintains its sturdiness at temperatures as low as -40 degrees. With that in mind, Gemini, I bid you to work on fortifying and expanding your own web in the coming weeks—by which I mean your network of connections and support. It’s an excellent time to deepen and refine your relationships with the resources and influences that help hold your world together.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Chichén Itzá was a large pre-Columbian city from around 600 to 1200 CE. It was built by Mayan people in what’s now Mexico. At the city center was a pyramid, The Temple of Kukulcán. During the equinoxes, and only on the equinoxes, sunlight fell on its steps in such a way as to suggest a snake descending the stairs. The mathematical, architectural, and astronomical knowledge necessary to create this entertaining illusion was phenomenal. In that spirit, I am pleased to tell you that you are now capable of creating potent effects through careful planning. Your strategic thinking will be enhanced, especially in projects that require long-term vision. The coming weeks will be a favorable time for initiatives that coordinate multiple elements to generate fun and useful outcomes.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
Fireflies produce very efficient light. Nearly all the energy expended in their internal chemical reactions is turned directly into their intense glow. By contrast, light bulbs are highly inefficient. In accordance with astrological omens, Leo, I urge you to be like a firefly in the coming weeks, not a light bulb. You will have dynamic power to convert your inner beauty into outer beauty. Be audacious! Be uninhibited! Shower the world with full doses of your radiant gifts.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Brazil nut trees grow in the Amazon—but if only they are in the vicinity of orchid bees, their sole pollinators. And orchid bees thrive in no other place except where there are lots of blooming orchids. So the Brazil nut tree has very specific requirements for its growth and well-being. You Virgos aren’t quite so picky about the influences that keep you fertile and flourishing—though sometimes I do worry about it. The good news is that in the coming months, you will be casting a wider net in quest of inspiration and support. I suspect you will gather most, maybe all, of the inspiration and support you need.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
In 1858, businessperson James Miller Williams was digging a new water well on his land in Ontario, hoping to compensate for a local drought. He noticed oil was seeping out of the hole he had scooped. Soon, he became the first person in North America to develop a commercial oil well. I suspect that you, too, may soon stumble upon valuable fuels or resources, Libra—and they may be different from what you imagined you were looking for. Be alert and open-minded for unexpected discoveries.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
I’ve been through the US education system, and I can testify that our textbooks don’t give the French enough of the credit they deserve for helping our fledgling nation gain independence from Great Britain. The 18th century American Revolution would not have succeeded without extensive aid from France and their military leader Marquis de La Fayette. So I’m a little late, but I am hereby showering France with praise and gratitude for its intervention. Now I encourage you, too, to compensate for your past lack of full appreciation for people and influences that have been essential to you becoming yourself. It’s a different kind of atonement: not apologizing for sins, but offering symbolic and even literal rewards to underestimated helpers and supporters.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
As I survey the astrological aspects, I am tempted to encourage you to be extra expansive about love. I am curious to see the scintillating intimacy you might cultivate. So, in the hope you’re as intrigued by the experimental possibilities as I am, I invite you to memorize the following words by author Maya Angelou and express them to a person with whom you want to play deeper and wilder: “You are my living poem, my symphony of the untold, my golden horizon stretched beyond what the eye can see. You rise in me like courage, fierce and unyielding, yet soft as a lullaby sung to a weary soul. You are my promise kept, my hope reborn, the infinite melody in the heart of silence. I hold you in the marrow of my joy, where you are home.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Four facts about a mountain goat as it navigates along steep and rocky terrain: 1. It’s strong and vigorous; 2. it’s determined and unflappable; 3. it’s precise and disciplined; 4. it calls on enormous stamina and resilience. According to my astrological analysis, you Capricorns will have maximum access to all these capacities during the coming weeks. You can use them to either ascend to seemingly impossible heights or descend to fantastically interesting depths. Trust in your power to persevere. Love the interesting journey as much as the satisfaction of reaching the goal of the journey.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
The Swiss Army knife is a compact assemblage of tools. These may include a nail file, scissors, magnifying glass, screwdriver, pliers, blade, can opener, and many others. Is there a better symbol for adaptability and preparedness? I urge you to make it your metaphorical power object during the coming weeks, Aquarius. Explore new frontiers of flexibility, please. Be ready to shift perspective and approach quickly and smoothly. Be as agile and multifaceted as you dare.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Coast redwoods are the tallest trees on the planet. If a lumber harvester were to cut down one of these beauties, it could be used to build more than 20 houses. And yet each mature tree begins as a seed the size of a coat button. Its monumental growth is steady and slow, relying on robust roots and a symbiotic relationship with a fungus that enables it to absorb water from fog. I propose we make the redwood your power symbol for now, Pisces. Inspired by its process, I hope you implement the magic of persistent, incremental growth. Treasure the fact that a fertile possibility has the potential, with patience and nurturing, to ripen into a long-term asset. Trust that small efforts, fueled by collaboration, will lead to gratifying achievements.

WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com, CC license)

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“If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sun beams and you will always look lovely.” – Roald Dahl

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Good News Network
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LOGAN WEAVER @LGNWVR

Quote of the Day: “If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sun beams and you will always look lovely.” – Roald Dahl

Photo by: LOGAN WEAVER @LGNWVR

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

LOGAN WEAVER @LGNWVR

Good News in History, March 22

By
Good News Network
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credit - Paul Wasneski, Chicano Park

55 years ago today, native Mexican or “Chicino” residents in San Diego, California occupy a site under the Coronado Bridge, leading to the creation of Chicano Park. Home to the country’s largest collection of outdoor murals, as well as various sculptures, earthworks, and an architectural piece dedicated to the cultural heritage of the community. The park was designated an official historic site. READ what you can find there… (1970)

Continue

Fun and Strange Customs People Follow in Celebration of the Vernal Equinox This Week

By
Andy Corbley
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Bonn, Germany – Stefan Widua

As the vernal equinox heralds the first day of spring, all across the world, unique phenomena can be seen on this day alone.

Bonn, Germany – Stefan Widua

For thousands of years humans have known that around the day marked on the Gregorian calendar as March 20th (or 21st, but we’ll get into that later) the day and night were of equal measure, and the sun rose perfectly due east, and set perfectly due west.

This led to all manner of mythical belief systems, fascinating astronomical calculations, and grand construction projects. Especially for people living in the temperate zones, where seasonal climates are so impactful on daily life, the equinox has a kind of mystique, that can make people take up gardening, read an almanac, or keep an eye out for migratory birds.

The equinox is a fascinating event that has captured human minds for thousands of years, and so it’s no surprise there’s a lot to learn about it

Don’t Age Yourself

If you believe that the equinox is on the 21st of March, you may be showing your age. The last time the equinox was on the 21st of March, Barack Obama was gunning for the presidency.

This is because we use the Gregorian calendar, and the placement of the equinox changes every other century. For those growing up with the equinox on the 21st, you won’t see that again until the 22nd century.

These days the equinox arrives on the 20th of March, and there it will stay for all of our lives, and our children’s lives, and most of their children’s lives.

It highlights the brilliance of ancient astronomers, who were able to note the subtle differences in the placement of the sun in the sky not just year by year, but century by century; and in the case of the Mayan’s ‘long count’ cycle, millennia by millennia.

CHECK OUT: One of Archaeology’s Great Mysteries Nearly Solved as Scientists Piece Together 2,000-Year-old Astronomy Calculator

Demi-equi-nox

The word equinox comes from Latin words which together mean “equal night” and one would be forgiven for assuming this means that the day and night period of the equinox is perfectly 50-50.

However, Bob Berman, resident astronomer at the Old Farmers Almanac, notes this year that there is more sun than moon by a few minutes due to the earth’s atmosphere refracting the light, or bending it around the earth. Also, the fact that the sun gives off a wide circle of light rather than a single point means there’s always going to be variations.

The real date, as Berman points out, of equal light and dark is a few days before the equinox.

The Burning of the Socks

In Maryland, among the boating community, it is a tradition to wear socks only during the winter. Certainly for those who do their business with the sea, there is a tendency to adopt superstitions, but this also seems like a powerful ritual of optimism for warmer weather.

2019 Sock Burning Festival – Virginia State Parks, CC license

Every year on the vernal equinox Annapolis yacht clubs, the maritime museum, dockyard workers, and even rangers at the Virginia State Parks celebrate the Burning of the Socks festival, welcoming warm waters back to the expansive Chesapeake Bay.

The annual sock-burning events have became family-friendly parties, and generally go with eating oysters and other seafood. Officially they take a vow not to wear socks until the next winter.

Ancient Architectural Alignments

The movement of the sun, moon, and stars were closely observed and tracked by ancient peoples. Maybe it’s because it had a lot of relevance with their agricultural success, but great civilizations across the ages have enshrined the passage of the equinox in their architectural designs—often aligning their buildings’ foundations with certain moments during the solstice, equinox, or both.

LOOK: These 12 Stunning Photos Were Voted Best in the World For Depicting the Essence of Spring

Chichen Itza is one of the most famous monuments of Mesoamerica, and the great step Pyramid of Kukulcan in Mexico is constructed in such exquisite connection to the equinox that it draws thousands of tourists on this particular day every year.

Shadows cast on Kukulcán during Equinox at Chichen Itza

The shadows of this structure, built in the 8th–12th century AD, formed by the equinoctial sun evoke the image of the “Sun Serpent” slithering down the north side of the pyramid.

Other monuments like Stonehenge, Newgrange, built by the ancient Irish, Machu Picchu, and the Pyramid of Khafre, are also aligned with the equinox in unique ways.

In connection with the rhythms of the land, sea, and heavens, we can find a deeper connection to nature and the world around us, as well as our ancestors who discovered this unique day in the cycle of the earthen year.

MORE: Britain’s Best Gardening Couple Outdo Themselves With Spring Spectacular After Spending Lockdown Tending Their Oasis

CELEBRATE Spring By Burning Your Socks and Sharing This on Social Media…

T-Shirt That Monitors Vital Signs After Surgery Lets Patients Leave Hospital Sooner

By
Good News Network
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Getty Images / Unsplash+
Getty Images / Unsplash+

A sensory t-shirt that monitors a patient’s vital signs after cancer surgery could help them leave the hospital sooner to recover at home.

The garment is worn for around two weeks under clothes three times each day—and patients felt more reassured than a control group in a pilot study involving 70 people.

A team from Sapienza University in Rome, Italy, wanted to see if patients could be discharged earlier than the normal timeframe following urological surgery for cancer.

Professor Antonio Pastore and his colleagues worked with LET Webearable Solutions, a company specializing in tele-monitoring, to design a light t-shirt with sensors that track ECG, heart rate, body temperature, and more—then sends the data to an app and web-based software.

In a control group, patients were discharged as normal, three to five days after surgery, but the ‘wearable’ group were discharged 24 to 36 hours earlier, two to four days after surgery, with the t-shirt monitoring vital parameters, including blood pressure, pulse rate, saturation, and blood glucose.

The wearable group were fully briefed on how the device worked and were asked to wear it from 7–10am, 2–5pm, and 7–10pm.

“The t-shirt we gave to patients differs from smartwatches and other wearables,” explained Prof. Pastore. “It can reveal more data, including electrolytes, which we need to continue to monitor after bladder surgery as they can reveal mineral imbalances that lead to serious complications.”

In the control group, eight patients (26%) went back to the hospital before their scheduled follow-up, compared with only two patients (6%) in the wearable group.

HEALING TECH: Tiny Implantable Sensors Helped Broken Bones Heal in Weeks Rather Than Months

Additionally, the t-shirt detected the onset of cardiological conditions in five patients, allowing for early diagnosis and treatment.

The overall satisfaction rate among patients in the group was 90%—with an average monitoring period of nearly 14 days.

“Our patients found the t-shirt easy to use and over 90% reported it allowed them to feel safe and cared for while recuperating at home,” said Prof. Pastore.

“Being able to allow patients home sooner improves their quality of life as they feel more comfortable in their own environment, and it means we can free up hospital beds too.”

MORE HEALABLE TECH:
• New Wearable Cuff ‘Rewires’ Brains of Stroke Patients by Stimulating Nerves
• UK Boy Has Brain Implant Fitted to Control Epilepsy Seizures in World First
• ‘Wearable Muscles’ Restore Mobility in Those Who Have Trouble Moving Their Arms

The findings are due to be presented this weekend at the European Association of Urology Congress in Madrid, Spain. The Association’s Scientific Chair Professor Maarten Albersen welcomed the study.

“The trial is early stage, but the insights are very interesting,” said Prof. Albersen, a urologist at UZ Leuven Hospital in Belgium. “Particularly since patients strongly accepted the wearable and it was able to detect complications in real-time and reduce unnecessary re-hospitalizations.”

A study into the cost-effectiveness of the technology is currently underway.

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Four-Year-old is Ecstatic to Receive Reply to His Message in a Bottle–and Wonders if He has to Send Another Bottle Back

By
Good News Network
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Family photos via SWNS
Family photos via SWNS

A four-year-old boy is now pen pals with a woman 4,000 miles away after she replied to his message-in-a-bottle.

Ford Thomas cast his letter into the sea which included his dad Joe’s email address. He also included a couple of drawings, a rock he’d found on the beach, and a photo of himself.

The family from Essex, England, was vacationing in Barbados when they paddled out into the North Atlantic Ocean with Ford and his bottle on March 7.

Dad Joe said the chances of getting a response were just three percent, but to their surprise, they received an email.

“After he threw his message into the sea, I looked online and saw that there was around a 3% chance of it being found.

“I also looked at the currents and figured out that if it missed St Lucia, it could’ve ended up being taken towards Portugal and Morocco.”

The family put the message-in-a-bottle out of their minds until nine days later, when Joe received a sweet email that began:

“Hi there, Ford. You look handsome and I love your stone, as well as your colored picture. My name is Zaina and I am from the breathtaking island of St Lucia.”

“I couldn’t believe it,” Joe told the SWNS news agency. “When I told Ford, he was just so excited and put his hands over his mouth in disbelief. He then asked me if we needed to send another bottle back!”

SWNS

Zaina’s email answered all of the four-year-old’s questions. She told him her hobbies were reading, cooking, and coloring, and that she had 4 dogs and 8 cats. And she revealed her favorite Disney movie was “the princess and the frog”.

A ‘Magic Moment’: Researchers Discover 200-year-old Message in a Bottle

The family, now back home in the UK, has started corresponding back-and-forth via email about things they have in common. Since Joe’s father owns a home in Barbados, who knows when they might travel further to meet their new friend Zaina on her beautiful island.

MORE MAGIC MESSAGES:
• NASA Sends ‘Message in a Bottle’ Into Space Designed to Communicate With Extraterrestrials
• Strangers Track Down Writer Who Launched Message in a Bottle Nearly a Century Ago
• Daughter Gets Dad’s Long Lost Message in a Bottle 50 Years Later
• Hurricane Katrina ‘Message in a Bottle’ Comes Home to New Orleans, 8 years Later

“My wife and I talked about how it doesn’t matter what creed, class, or place you’re from, the joy of finding a message-in-a-bottle is universal.”

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Harvard Tuition is Now Free for Families Earning Under $200k–Includes Housing and Books for Those Below $100k

By
Good News Network
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A free ride for Harvard College including housing will now be available for students from families with annual incomes of $100,000 or less—and tuition-free for undergrad students from families with annual incomes of $200,000 or less, beginning in the Fall of 2025.

The significant expansion of financial aid announced this week will finally make Harvard affordable for low-and middle-income families.

The expansion will enable approximately 86% of U.S. families to qualify for Harvard College’s financial aid, extending the nearly 400-year-old University’s commitment to providing all undergraduates the resources they need to enroll and graduate.

“Harvard has long sought to open our doors to the most talented students, no matter their financial circumstances,” said Dean Hopi Hoekstra.

Starting in the 2025-26 academic year, Harvard College will be free for students whose family income is $100,000 and below. This covers all billed expenses including tuition, food, housing, health insurance, and travel costs.

Additionally, each of these students will receive a $2,000 start-up grant in their first year and a $2,000 launch grant during their junior year to help support the transition beyond Harvard.

“Putting Harvard within financial reach for more individuals widens the array of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that all of our students encounter, fostering their intellectual and personal growth,” said University President Alan M. Garber.

Students with family incomes of $200,000 or less will receive free tuition and additional financial aid to cover billed expenses, depending on their financial circumstances. And many students with family incomes above $200,000 will also receive aid, depending on their circumstances.

“We know the most talented students come from different socioeconomic backgrounds and experiences, from every state and around the globe,” said William R. Fitzsimmons, Harvard College’s dean of admissions and financial aid.

The expansion builds on more than two decades of investment in undergraduate financial aid at Harvard, beginning in 2004 with the launch of the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative, which completely covered tuition, food, and housing costs for students from families with annual incomes of $40,000 or less. This threshold has increased four times since then — from $60,000 in 2006 to $85,000 in 2023.

MORE GOOD TUITION NEWS:
• NY Medical School Surprises Students with Free Tuition in Perpetuity After $1Billion Gift
• Michael Bloomberg Donates $1 Billion to Give Free Tuition for Future Doctors at Johns Hopkins
• Walmart Announces Plan to Pay 100% of College Tuition Plus Books For Its Workers

In 2007, according to their website, Harvard eliminated loans—and instead provided all assistance in the form of grants. It also eliminated home equity in determining a family’s ability to pay for College.

Harvard has awarded more than $3.6 billion in undergraduate financial aid since launching the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative—and currently has an annual budget of $275 million for the academic year.

55% of undergraduates currently receive financial aid. Their families paid an average of $15,700 for the 2023-24 year—and the school’s financial aid staff works personally with each family to match their specific situation.

“By bringing people of outstanding promise together to learn with and from one another, we truly realize the tremendous potential of the University,” said Garber.

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