A Memorable Hug: 5 Most Uplifting Stories

A memorable image from the latest Ferguson rallies and a time-is-running-out rescue of two boys buried in snow are among the week's uplifting stories:

• Hug Between Officer, Kid at Ferguson Rally Is a Hit: One image from the many Ferguson rallies this week continues to gain traction. The photo from a rally in Portand shows Police Sgt. Bret Barnum, who is white, hugging 12-year-old Devonte Hart, who is black. Turns out, Devonte has quite the back story.
• Boys Rescued After Being Buried in Snow for Hours: A snow fort nearly became a snow tomb for two boys in Newburgh, NY, when a snow plow buried them. They were trapped there for at least four hours, but their rescue came when a sharp-eyed police officer spotted something in the snow.
• MacArthur Genius Spends Her $500K on Others: After receiving a $500,000 MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant in 2009, Seattle poet Heather McHugh didn't pamper herself; instead, she started a nonprofit so people who provide long-term care to their family members can get a much-needed break. Being a poet, McHugh also explains why waterfront living helps the soul.

• 30K Birthday Cards Arrive for Man With Down Syndrome: With Manuel Parisseaux's 30th birthday coming up, his mother sent out a quick note on Facebook requesting a few cards for her son, who has Down syndrome. The result? Let's just say their neighbor's garage came in handy.
• A Meatball Wins Stray Dog's Love—and Unreal Devotion: A stray dog named Arthur met up with a team of Swedish athletes in Ecuador competing in a 430-mile endurance race in the Amazon rainforest; he accepted a meatball from team member Mikael Lindnord—and then joined the team for the rest of the race. It was the kayak leg that earned Arthur his new home.

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