The right place at the right time, and more

The right place at the right time

An amazing instance of right place, right time saved the life of a toddler in Burbank, Calif., this week. Konrad and Jennifer Lightner were carrying a box-spring mattress as part of a move when they looked up and saw a 3-year-old dangling from a cord out of a third-floor window. Konrad quickly positioned the mattress under the boy, then partly broke the child’s fall before he landed safely on the mattress. “It was very surreal afterwards,” Jennifer said. “We were just moving the rest of the day, and every once in a while we’d look at each other and just be like, ‘That happened. That was real.’”

24 veterans receive Medal of Honor

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President Obama presided over the largest Medal of Honor ceremony since World War II this week when he recognized 24 recipients of the country’s highest honor for valor in combat. The actions of the World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans were uncovered in a Pentagon review of cases overlooked because of possible racial or ethnic discrimination. Sgt. 1st Class Melvin Morris, an African-American Green Beret, received his award 44 years after he took three bullets retrieving the body of a fallen comrade, and rescuing two wounded soldiers and a sensitive map. “As a rule,” he said, “we leave no soldier behind.”

Stray dog becomes an unofficial team mascot

A stray dog that wandered into the Milwaukee Brewers spring training facility in Phoenix has been called up to the big leagues. Hank the Dog became an unofficial team mascot when players and staff started looking after him in mid-February. Named for Hank Aaron, who started his career in Milwaukee with the Braves, the bichon frise mix this week made his Miller Park debut, with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett dubbing him a “pup-culture icon.” Some 250 fans showed up for the mutt’s ballpark photo op. “We’re here for mostly Hank,” said Sydney Kaiser, “but we also like the Brewers.”