Helping Hands Reach Out to Animals, Humans

People trying to cheer up a seemingly lonely bear, along with a pair of individuals who literally carried someone in need, highlight the list of the week's most uplifting stories:

• Thousands Sign Petition to Help 'Lonely Bear': Arturo might feel better if he knew how many people want to help him. The polar bear, who seems miserable in an Argentina zoo, will be relocated to a zoo in Canada if social-media activists get their way. A Change.org campaign has more than 800,000 votes as of this writing, though the bear's current keepers are resisting.
• Boy, 8, Carries Brother Through Mini-Triathlon: Because of a rare brain condition, 6-year-old Lucas Aldrich has a shortened life span and doesn't have the ability to walk, talk, or eat by himself—but the Idaho boy has got a pretty amazing older brother. Noah, 8, just completed a mini-triathlon, but he did so with Lucas.
• In Traffic Jam, Cop Carries Injured Man to Hospital: A Mumbai police officer is getting the hero's treatment for bringing a seriously injured man to the hospital the only way he could in the midst of a traffic jam: He carried him on his shoulders.

• 'Slender Man' Victim Gets Purple Heart in Mail: The young girl stabbed repeatedly in the so-called "Slender Man" attack received a unique get-well gift from an anonymous donor—an actual Purple Heart medal bestowed on injured military vets.
• Toddler Rescued as Stroller Rolls Onto Subway Tracks: A 2-year-old girl escaped with some minor bumps and bruises after her stroller rolled onto the subway tracks in Queens. A maintenance worker jumped down and pulled her to safety (and helped her mother out, too).

Click to read more uplifting stories.