Classmates make up with bullying victim, and more

Classmates make up with bullying victim

When Lynda Frederick posted a poem on her old high school’s Facebook page about her experiences as a bullying victim, she was just hoping to tell people how her life had improved 25 years on. But the 42-year-old’s post was greeted by a flood of apologetic calls and messages from her former classmates, begging for the opportunity to make amends. Now, her class has raised $800 to fly the New York resident out to California for a school reunion. Frederick says she has forgiven her onetime tormenters. “We can’t fix yesterday, but we can try to fix today,” she said.

A diabetic toddler's best friend

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A diabetic toddler has a new best friend who might just save her life. Olivia Hamilton, a 3-year-old from Gloucester, England, needs constant monitoring in case her blood sugar levels fall too low, so her parents have trained their new puppy to help do the job. After intensive scent training, cocker spaniel Bonnie can tell when Olivia’s blood sugar is low by smelling changes in her body odor. The 15-week-old pup has already detected Olivia’s low blood sugar eight times, alerting the toddler’s parents by barking and running around. “She is priceless to the family,” said mom Jodie Steed.

Businessman buys Kmart inventory for charity

A Kentucky businessman has bought up the entire inventory of a closing Kmart store and donated it to charity. Rankin Paynter, 77, initially scooped up the goods as a business proposition. But on reflection, he decided that the poor around the town of Winchester needed the $200,000 worth of goods more than he did the money. A local community service says Paynter’s donation will help to clothe every struggling family in the area through next winter. “We’ve all been put on this earth to help each other through,” Paynter said. “If I can help people through, I’m happy.”