Granddaughter Pieces Together Family Past

For years, Ora DeKornfeld asked her grandfather to tell her about his past. He always said no. The 100-year-old Holocaust survivor had left Hungary, leaving behind a castle, a baronial title, and a life he never discussed. What he loved in retirement was jigsaw puzzles.

So Ora tried something different. She traveled to Hungary, photographed the castle where her grandfather grew up, and turned the image into a puzzle, hoping it would spark memories of his past. When she arrived, locals greeted her as “the baroness” and welcomed her with gifts and speeches.

The result is a 25-minute documentary that won the Audience Award at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and Best Short Doc at MountainFilm. It has screened at festivals internationally, including the UK Jewish Film Festival in London.

“When he turned 99, I was like, okay, it’s really now or never,” Ora said. The puzzle never unlocked her grandfather’s memories, but she found something just as meaningful: a deeper connection with the grandfather she loved.

Solo Cheerleader Steals the Show

Jorgia Walls had been preparing for the Gwinnett Football League’s annual Cheer Off since July. By the time competition day arrived, all seven of her teammates had dropped out. The 14-year-old from Lawrenceville, Georgia, was the only one left on her eighth-grade squad.

She competed anyway. For two minutes, Jorgia performed a routine alone in front of roughly 1,500 people, set to the Jackson 5’s I Want You Back, while other teams in her division had six or seven members each. When she reached the crowd-participation portion, the entire arena joined her chant and started clapping along.

“It felt cool to see everyone in the arena start clapping,” Jorgia said. “I’ve never seen anyone do that, especially for one person.”

Jorgia took first place in the small division, and a spectator’s video of her performance quickly went viral. The win was especially meaningful because it was her final cheer off, as the league’s programs end after eighth grade. Asked why she decided to compete alone, Jorgia said, “I worked so hard for it and I practiced every single day with my coach.”

Family Dog Alerts Mom to Heart Danger

Kim Reynolds knew something was off the morning her Doberman, Saraya, wouldn’t leave 6-month-old Alexander’s side. The dog wouldn’t stop crying whenever the baby was moved away from her.

When Alexander later became upset and looked unwell, Kim drove him to Royal Bournemouth Hospital in England. Doctors discovered his heart was beating at 280 beats per minute, far above the normal resting range for an infant. Three doses of intravenous medication finally brought his heart rate down. Two days later, he was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a condition that had gone undetected at birth.

“Saraya knew his heart rate was higher than it should’ve been. She sensed it,” Kim said.“I dread to think what would have happened if I just put him in the cot and walked away.”

Alexander, now 9 months old, takes medication three times a day. And Kim says she trusts Saraya completely. The dog’s unusual behavior has since prompted another hospital visit, where Alexander was diagnosed with bacterial tonsillitis.

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

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➤ Nine hours after a cruise ship pianist fell overboard, two fishermen spotted him treading water nearly 20 miles off California’s Catalina Island and pulled him to safety. He’s now recovering in stable condition. (More)

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➤ Hospital staff in San Diego planned a full outdoor wedding in under 36 hours for a patient determined to keep his date after emergency spinal surgery. More than 40 guests watched the couple exchange vows right outside the hospital. (See Details)

➤ David Beckham invited a 5-year-old Utah soccer player with Down syndrome to an Inter Miami game, where the boy scored goals with Beckham and walked Lionel Messi onto the field. (See Photos)

➤ After 545 lifetime donations, a Melbourne police officer has given blood at all 85 donation centers in Australia. His plasma contains a rare antibody that protects thousands of newborns from a dangerous blood disease each year. (More)

➤ One Colorado deputy went viral for carrying an infant through historic floodwaters, but he says the real story is the entire community working together to get families out safely. (See Photos)

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The Minnesota Vikings honored Master Sgt. Kelsey McLeod with an emotional reunion with her daughters after she spent 473 days stationed in South Korea.

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“He’s pretty much the star of the show, and we’re all OK with that. He’s living his best life, and we’re just here watching and loving it.”

— Melanie Droubay, mother of 5-year-old Hudson “Huddy” Droubay, on her son’s unforgettable experience with David Beckham and Lionel Messi at an Inter Miami game