Good News: Musicals, War Heroes, and Kids with Dogs

Here are a few more good news stories making the rounds . . .

1.  An 11-year-old in California named Nathan Braxton is in the news after his mom posted footage of him singing along to “Naughty” from “Matilda the Musical”.  And I mean he REALLY went for it.  Now Delta has stepped up, and they’re flying him to New York, so he can see his first musical on Broadway.

(Here’s the video.  Don’t miss his dad stopping the song at :37 and restarting it at :58.  There’s also one of Nathan reacting to the fanfare, and one where he gets emotional after Leslie Odom Jr. from “Hamilton” gives him props.)

2.  Speaking of kids:  A study found helping animals comes naturally to them.  If a dog wants something out of reach, even toddlers will help.  They tested it with 100 kids under four.  If they saw a dog trying to get a toy or treat, they grabbed it for them 50% of the time.  Kids with dogs at home were even more likely to help.

3.  A 97-year-old veteran near San Diego is finally being awarded the Navy Cross.  It’s the second-highest award for valor you can get, after the Medal of Honor.  He was a pilot in Korea, and was in a crazy dogfight in 1952.

He took on seven enemy planes on his own, and shot down four of them.  When he landed, there were 263 bullet holes in his plane, but he wasn’t hurt.  Most of the details were classified, so that’s why he never got a medal until now.

He went on to serve another 23 years, and did over 100 flight missions in Vietnam.  The medal ceremony is this Friday.

4.  A dad in the U.K. wanted to donate a kidney to his 19-year-old daughter last April, but wasn’t a match.  Luckily, she got one from a different donor, and she’s doing great now.

But once he realized what a big deal it was, he decided to donate a kidney anyway to a complete stranger.

The surgery was last month, and he doesn’t know who got it.  He just knows they’re doing well.  He says it feels like he gave them a really great Christmas gift.