Dale’s Boat Dream Gets a Lifeline

Since 1987, an 86-year-old man named Dale has been welding a 62-foot steel boat in his front yard in Mineral Wells, Texas. It has four staterooms, six fuel tanks, and an angled hull designed to handle waves. His dream: finish it and sail to Alaska.

The boat is about 75% complete, but Dale can no longer continue building it on his own, and a steep hill stands between the boat and the road. His dream seemed out of reach. Then three Englishmen working in Texas—Laurence, Benjie, and Will—heard about the boat from a colleague, drove 90 minutes to Mineral Wells, and knocked on Dale’s door. He gave them a tour and even climbed a ladder to show them the deck, something he hadn’t done in years.

“He’s as passionate now as he was 40 years ago,” said Laurence, who launched a GoFundMe to cover finishing work, equipment, and transport to a launch site. More than 1,600 donors have raised over $44,000 toward a $50,000 goal.

Dale’s neighbors have been watching for decades. “We all wonder how the hell he is ever going to get off that hill and get it somewhere,” one local said. Now, after nearly 40 years, getting the boat off that hill may finally be possible.

School Named After Its Janitor of 39 Years

Marilyn Hampton spent 39 years as a custodian in the Aubrey Independent School District in Texas. She didn’t just clean. She bought school supplies for students who needed them, helped kids study for tests, and set an example of kindness and perseverance. Even after retiring as a custodian, she still works at the district’s Early Bird Learning Center, where she sits in a rocking chair and helps with the little ones.

At Wednesday’s board meeting, Superintendent Shannon Saylor asked the 76-year-old to handle a familiar task: roll out a small red carpet in front of the podium. When Hampton looked down, she saw the words Marilyn Hampton Elementary School. The district’s newest campus, previously known as Elementary School Number Five, would carry her name when it opens next August.

Marilyn broke down in tears. Board members rushed to hug her. “I can’t speak,” she said. She later admitted she still couldn’t believe the honor and hadn’t stopped crying.

“Whoever thought a janitor would have a school named after them?” Marilyn said. “All I can say is God is good.”

Banana Hero Stops To Help after Orlando Crash

Stephanie Oropeza and her fiancé were driving home from a Halloween party when they watched an SUV veer off the road and slam into the patio of The Moderne, an Orlando bar. Stephanie, still in her banana costume, pulled over immediately, checked on the driver and called 911.

“I’m actually going to school to be a future nurse, so it was just an instinct,” she said. “I needed to at least call for help and make sure he was okay.”

No injuries were reported. The bar’s patio was empty when the SUV hit, taking out a cement planter, the railing, and roughly 20 seats. The Moderne posted on social media asking for help finding the mystery woman in the banana costume so they could thank her. The story quickly spread online, earning Stephanie the nickname “Banana Hero.”

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

➤ Economists were forced to rethink human nature after researchers planted 17,000 “lost” wallets across 40 countries. (Listen Now)

➤ An army of 500,000 volunteers is secretly hunting down online bullying victims to drown out the hate. (Hear Details)

➤ When a 72-year-old pickleball player collapsed mid-game at an Arizona park, the right strangers happened to be standing nearby. (Hear Story)

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➤ Carmelite nuns in rural Pennsylvania are building a $100 million stone monastery by hand, designed to last 1,000 years. Nothing machine-made is allowed in the construction, so even the nails are hand-forged, and the finished compound will have no electricity or running water. (See Details)

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➤ Fishermen off South Australia made the catch of a lifetime after spotting a kangaroo paddling nearly two miles from shore. The crew hauled the exhausted roo aboard, cradling it calmly on the ride back to the beach, where it rested before hopping away. (Watch Video)

➤ Shanghai’s new Grand Opera House opened its doors with a gravity-defying spiral staircase anyone can climb, ticket or not. Designed by a Norwegian firm, the 1.6 million-square-foot venue holds three auditoriums and 4,200 seats. (See Photos)

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Adorable dogs show off their creative Halloween costumes as fans vote for their favorites in a festive costume contest.

video via ruffandpuffyyc- Instagram

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“First and foremost, we are extremely grateful that no one was hurt and damage was minimal in this unfortunate accident. Now with that out of the way and in completely unrelated news…we are looking for this unnamed banana hero.”

— The Moderne Bar in a Facebook post seeking the woman who reported a car crash outside its Orlando restaurant