Christmas Sweater Kid Charms World Cup Fans

A young Mexico fan named Santi didn’t have an official jersey for Mexico’s World Cup opener against South Africa in Mexico City, so he improvised with a green Christmas sweater featuring Santa Claus, white shorts, and red boots. His mother said he chose the outfit because he wanted to represent the colors of the Mexican flag.

Photos and video of Santi quickly went viral, prompting broadcaster Claro Sports to ask viewers for help identifying him. The story resonated with fans around the world, who shared their own memories of finding creative ways to support their teams when money was tight.

After Santi was located, Mexico forward Santiago Giménez sent him a personalized national team jersey and a video message. “We have the same name,” Santiago told him. “I just wanted to send you a big hug, many blessings, and I hope you like the gift.”

Learning Sign Language for Love

Matt wanted to propose to his girlfriend Emma, but he wasn’t going to ask for her parents’ blessing through a translator or a typed-out note. Emma grew up as a CODA, a child of Deaf adults, and Matt decided that if he was going to become part of her family, he’d do it in their language.

He learned British Sign Language, then sat down across from Emma’s parents and, hands shaking, signed his request. “I want to ask for your permission to ask Emma to marry me.” Her mom didn’t hesitate: “Yes! Fabulous! Come here, I’ve been waiting for this” Inside the ring, Matt had “I love you” engraved in sign language.

Emma’s caption said it all: “I’ve had friends too scared to speak to my parents, and now I have a FIANCÉ who learned sign language for them.” The video has been viewed more than 7 million times.

Vintage Children’s Book Becomes Bestseller

A children’s vocabulary book first published in 1985 has become an Amazon bestseller more than four decades after its authors gave up on ever making money from it.

The Weighty Word Book, co-authored by Elissa Guralnick, Paul Levitt, and the late Douglas Burger, teaches advanced vocabulary through puns and illustrations. One story teaches the word “ingratiate” through a rhinoceros who wears a dress made from gray curtains to impress her guests, using the phrase “in gray she ate” to help readers remember the word. The book developed a small following over the years but never achieved commercial success.

That changed when author Eli McCann posted a video searching for a beloved vocabulary book he remembered from eighth grade. Viewers quickly identified the title, sparking a surge in demand that sent the book to the top of Amazon’s charts. The University of New Mexico Press has since ordered multiple reprints, and Paul, who co-authored the book, said the publisher told him one week of sales matched the previous 17 years combined.

“The number of sales today made me believe in magic,” Paul said.

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Feel Good Flyover Podcast. Clicking the link will take you directly there:

➤ During a school field trip in Norway, a six-year-old spotted something in the dirt that turned out to be 1,300 years old. (Listen Now)

➤ When a stubborn seagull claimed a parking spot in a Norwegian town, the city had to decide what to do about it. (Hear Story)

➤ For more than a year, a father and son from England cycled 18,000 miles around the world to chase three world records. (Hear Details)

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➤ A camera-shy Washington farmer started making “dad advice” TikToks with his daughter after a traumatic brain injury left her unable to work. Six years and 4.6 million followers later, the earnings and global community have helped fund her treatments. (Full Story)

➤ A Louisiana shuttle driver pulled three tourists from a rip current on a remote beach after spotting them in distress. Jordan Matthew rescued a child first, then two women, carrying the last one to shore over his shoulder. None of the three could swim. (More)

➤ Billy, a 1-year-old British shorthair in Northern Ireland, has correctly predicted the winner of all 19 non-draw World Cup matches by placing his paw on a flag. His owners say the only hiccup was a fly that broke his concentration mid-pick. (See Video)

➤ After a decade of shared holidays and birthdays, Julissa Gomez and her husband surprised their 87-year-old neighbor Delmar Harter by paying off his hearing aid bill. The money came from a children’s book the unlikely best friends co-wrote about their friendship. (See Details) 

➤  Two 13-year-old Iowa boys found an elderly woman who had been lying injured in her yard for 16 hours without a phone or water. They called for help and were later honored by county officials, who said the boys likely saved her life. (Full Story)

➤  Britain’s longest dragonfly hitched a ride on a woman’s thumb during an early morning walk along the Ceiriog River in Wales. The golden-ringed insect, which can grow up to 4 inches long, was still sluggish from the cool morning air. (See Photos) 

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A small dog is charming viewers after surfing alongside its owner, calmly riding the waves and showing off an impressive bond with its human.

video via ppacificpearl – Instagram

I told my wife she should embrace her mistakes.

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“That’s the beauty of it, is it’s kind of this place where regular people on a farm in the middle of nowhere can connect with other people. It’s given me a purpose. But it’s also given me a chance to keep trying cures and keep trying treatments.”

— Emily Petterson on how TikTok connected her family with supporters around the world and helped fund her search for treatments following a traumatic brain injury.