Cat owes firefighter for two lives saved, and more

Cat owes firefighter for two lives saved

Coweta County, Ga., firefighter Jim Cadenhead has saved Welly the cat—again. In June, Cadenhead descended 40 feet into a well to rescue the cat, an apparent stray. The animal was brought to a shelter and was scheduled to be euthanized last week because nobody had claimed him. When Cadenhead heard about Welly’s fate, he consulted with his daughters, ages 10 and 11, and the decision to adopt the cat was unanimous. “This was quickly going from a positive to a negative,” he said. “For it to die would be a waste of what we did.”

The Soloist violinist plays at the White House

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Nearly 40 years ago, Nathaniel Ayers was kicked out of Juilliard after being diagnosed with schizophrenia, and he ended up sleeping on the streets with his two-string violin. Ayers was eventually discovered by Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, and their story was turned into the 2009 film The Soloist. Last week, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, Ayers was invited to perform for President Obama and 300 guests on the back lawn of the White House. “It’s the most incredible thing I ever could have imagined,” said Ayers, who still struggles with his illness. He said he wished Obama “a good day and a blessed presidency.”

Cheerleader tackles thief, foils getaway

A would-be thief’s getaway at an Oklahoma City mall was foiled when a 16-year-old cheerleader tackled him to the ground. Authorities say the man was running away with stolen merchandise when Moore High School junior Kealey Oliver sprang into action. “When he got close to me, I just got in his way and like grabbed him,” Oliver recounted. “He kept trying to run, so I just slammed him on the ground.” Oliver, who is 5-foot-2, somehow held the 6-foot suspect down until the mall cops showed up. Cheerleading “makes you strong,” she explained.