The week's good news: March 30, 2017
It wasn't all bad!
- 1. Thief returns book he stole 25 years ago, plus a $200 donation, to library
- 2. 70-year-old woman runs 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days
- 3. Firefighter uses CPR to save dog found in burning apartment
- 4. NYPD officers discover they are long-lost sisters
- 5. World War II veteran to celebrate his 94th birthday with a piano recital
1. Thief returns book he stole 25 years ago, plus a $200 donation, to library
A book that is 25 years overdue has finally been returned to the Great Falls Public Library in Montana — along with a $200 peace offering. A man who checked out Richard Matheson's 1975 book Bid Time Return in 1982 and kept it wrote a letter to the library, saying it had been "bugging" him that he kept it for so long. He revealed that he had read the "absolutely fascinating" book 25 times, and because it was in bad shape, had it restored. Bid Time Return is now a collectible, he added, and before Matheson died in 2013, he had him sign the book. The man admitted that the book had been "wrongfully taken," but wanted the staff to "kindly take into consideration it has been loved and cared for all these years, and know that I am sorry for taking it."
2. 70-year-old woman runs 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days
You could say Chau Smith is in good shape. The 70-year-old Missouri woman recently ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. Dubbed the "Triple 7 Quest," the challenge saw her pound 26.2 miles a day across Australia, Singapore, Egypt, the Netherlands, the U.S., Chile, and Antarctica. Smith, who works 10 hours a day at her dry cleaning business, says she found the experience invigorating. "I live a stressful life," she says. But after a run, "I always feel better." Smith is now planning to hike the Appalachian Trail.
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3. Firefighter uses CPR to save dog found in burning apartment
When firefighter Andrew Klein responded to an apartment blaze in Santa Monica, California, he found a dog that wasn't breathing. "I grabbed him and as soon as I grabbed him, I knew that he was unresponsive just by his dead weight," he told ABC Los Angeles. Klein began to give him CPR, and didn't give up until, 20 minutes later, the dog — a 10-year-old rescue named Nalu — was revived. Nalu made a quick recovery, and with his owner, Crystal Lamirande, visited Klein at his station a few days after the fire. "Our goal is to save people, and sometimes we're not able to do that despite our best efforts," Klein said. "But to have a success story just like this ... he's a life that matters. That was just a great morale booster for all of the guys here in our department."
4. NYPD officers discover they are long-lost sisters
When New York Police Department Officer Yadarquiris Molina began working in the 42nd Precinct, she wasn't the only person on the squad with that last name, as Officer Jasmine Molina had just transferred over from the 41st. Neither woman thought much of it until they began talking in the locker room, and discovered they had more than a last name in common — they had the same father. "When she told me his name — which is the exact same as mine — I stood speechless," Jasmine told NBC New York. "I didn't have anything to say." Jasmine found out that she also has another sister and two brothers, and when their father was dying, all were at his bedside. The sisters say they're not upset that it took so long to be reunited. "The relationship that we have now is what matters at this point," Yadarquiris said.
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5. World War II veteran to celebrate his 94th birthday with a piano recital
Jack Prince, a 93-year-old World War II veteran, says the secret to his longevity is his love of the piano and desire to constantly improve his playing. "I think it's very useful for somebody my age to have something that you have to work at, and I do work," he told Good Morning America. Every two weeks, Prince takes private lessons at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, and he practices five or six days a week, an hour every time. He's not just practicing for fun — he's also getting ready for a milestone. "I love to perform, and so with a birthday coming up, I'm preparing for my 94th birthday recital," Prince said.
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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