👋 Welcome back to Smileworthy!

This week: a 19-year-old line cook was the only one who stopped for an elderly couple trapped in a smoking car on the highway – and what happened when they finally found him made everyone cry. Also we’ve got snowplow heroics in a blizzard, a beat-up truck that turned into a brand-new surprise, and a bamboo stalk that’s become a symbol of resilience.

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Feel good stories from Happilynews.com guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

The car was smoking in the middle of the highway. Gas leaking with an elderly couple trapped inside. Drivers slowed down, looked, and just kept going. But 19-year-old line cook Juan Mendoza did the opposite - he helped.

It was a rainy October afternoon in southern Texas when Mendoza – driving his girlfriend to class – witnessed a collision send another vehicle spinning directly in front of him.

"My first thought is that they could have kids, and I have little brothers," he said later. "And that thought came into me, rushing, and I'm like, I'm going to get them out."

Inside the wrecked car sat Juan O'Matta – who turns 80 this month – and his wife Adriana. They'd been heading home from a doctor's appointment when another vehicle struck them and sent their car careening into traffic.

What O'Matta remembers most about those moments? "Nobody stopped," he said. "He was the only one who stopped."

Mendoza ran into the road, cleared debris, reached under the deployed airbag, and carefully helped pull both of them to safety. He had zero training. Just working on instinct and what he'd want someone to do if it were his own grandparents trapped inside.

Adriana put it simply: "He was there at the right moment that we needed him. That's why I say he was my angel."

The couple wanted desperately to thank the young man who'd saved their lives. There was just one problem – in all the chaos, they never got his name.

That's where CBS journalist David Begnaud came in. After the story went viral, Begnaud tracked Mendoza down and arranged a surprise reunion at the Texas Roadhouse where he works. The O'Mattas walked in. Tears flowed. Hugs lasted a long time.

But the surprises weren't over.

Also waiting at the restaurant: Justin Back, president of Acadian Ambulance Service, one of the largest privately owned ambulance companies in the country. What Mendoza didn't know was that Begnaud had learned something about him – the teen had always dreamed of becoming a paramedic, but couldn't afford the schooling.

Back stepped forward with an offer: a full scholarship to EMT school, plus a job waiting for him when he finishes.

"We're always looking for people – good people – who want to help others," Back said. "That takes a big heart. It also takes intelligence, courage, and toughness. That's a rare combination."

Mendoza accepted on the spot. He's already started the program – driving to San Antonio at 2 a.m. once a week to make his morning classes, then driving back to Weslaco for his night shift cooking steaks.

And there was one more thing. Weslaco Mayor Adrian Gonzalez showed up with an official proclamation, declaring December 17th "Juan Mendoza Day."

When asked where his instinct to help came from, Mendoza didn't hesitate.

"My parents," he said. "They teach me to be humble and to help anybody."

Watch the story here:

It’s not all doom and gloom out there. Here’s some positive news items from publications around the world.

📍Ohio, USA
Snowplow Driver Escorts Ambulance Through Blizzard to Save a Baby's Life
When a winter storm made roads nearly impassable, an ambulance needed to get baby Bryson to Children's Hospital. DOT snowplow driver Joe Estes led the way. "It was probably the most important trek of my ODOT career," he said. "It wasn't just pushing snow." (Read more 👉 Sunny Skyz)

📍Indiana, USA
His Beat-Up Truck Became a Local Meme. Then a Stranger Changed Everything.
Marcellus Riles' mangled 1999 Chevy Silverado was so battered that photos went viral as a joke. But a local business owner saw a man who needed help – and launched a GoFundMe that raised $22,000. Last week, Riles was surprised with a 2019 Silverado. (Read more 👉 Good News Network)

📍Madrid, Spain
Scientists Achieve Pancreatic Tumour Regression in Breakthrough Study
Pancreatic cancer has a survival rate below 10%. But Spanish researchers developed a triple-drug therapy that completely eliminated tumours in mice – without significant side effects. Clinical trials are years away, but experts say the results set a clear path forward. (Read more 👉 Euro News)

📍Texas, USA
The "Grandmother of Juneteenth" Is Now a Barbie
Opal Lee, 99, walked 1,400 miles at age 89 to help make Juneteenth a federal holiday. Now Mattel has honored her with an Inspiring Women Barbie – complete with her signature "Walk for Freedom" t-shirt and sneakers. Her granddaughter says Lee screamed with delight when she saw it. (Read more 👉 KXAN)

📍North Carolina, USA
Buddhist Monks Pass Halfway Mark of 2,300-Mile "Peace Walk" – Through a Snowstorm
Nineteen monks left Fort Worth in October, heading to D.C. to share a message of peace. Last week, they trudged through freezing temperatures and snow without missing a beat. Governor Josh Stein declared January 24 "Walk For Peace Day." (Read more 👉 Good Good Good)

📍Stockholm, Sweden
Swedish Company Pays Employees to Make Friends And Tackle Loneliness
Pharmacy chain Apotek Hjärtat is testing a "Friendship Hour" – 15 minutes a week of paid time to focus on friendships, plus $100 for social activities. "I feel happier," said one participant. "You can't live through the internet like most people do these days." Let’s hope it catches on. (Read more 👉 BBC)

📍Texas, USA
Firefighters Carried Homeless Residents Through Snow to Safety During Deadly Freeze
As temperatures plummeted, firefighter Louis Pantoja and his crew spent hours checking tents in homeless encampments – returning every few hours as conditions worsened. "They depend on us," Pantoja said. "They are our friends too." They’ve been praised for their service and humility. (Watch more 👉 FOX 4)

📍California, USA
Viral Bald Eagles Jackie and Shadow Welcome Their First Eggs of 2026
The beloved eagle couple – whose livestream has captivated millions – laid their first egg last Friday and a second on Monday. Last year, they successfully raised two chicks named Sunny and Gizmo. (Read more 👉 ABC)

📍Illinois, USA
Bison Return to Illinois Prairies After Nearly 200 Years
In December, members of the Native American community gathered to welcome home a relative missing for generations. Six bison stepped onto Burlington Prairie for the first time in two centuries – led by drumbeats and prayers. "That's their home, not mine," said tribal elder Robert Wapahi. (Read more 👉 CBS)

A unique, sometimes quirky, but always eye-catching photo feature each week.

A slender bamboo stalk in China's Zhejiang Province has become an unlikely celebrity – and a symbol of perseverance.

The plant took root just inches from a metal lamp post near the World Trade Plaza in Xinchang County. Rather than grow around the obstacle, it found a tiny opening at the base and climbed straight up through six meters of total darkness. When it finally emerged at the top, it sprouted a cluster of lush green leaves.

A local man named Mr. Jia filmed it while out with his kids. The video went viral almost instantly, racking up millions of views. Now people travel to Xinchang just to see the "Indomitable Bamboo" in person – many bringing their children to show them what persistence looks like.

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The bystander effect is when we’re less likely to help in an emergency because we assume someone else will step in. So next time you notice someone struggling and you feel yourself freeze, take one slow breath and name what you see (“Something feels off,” “They might need help”). That tiny label can break the spell. Then choose one safe action using the “4 D’s”: Direct (ask, “Are you okay?”), Distract (create a break in the moment), Delegate (assign one person: “You—call for help”), or Delay (check in afterward). Small help still counts.

– Desmond Tutu

The Eiffel Tower was originally designed for Barcelona. City officials rejected it as an eyesore. Paris said yes – and the rest is 330 meters of iconic history.

1595: William Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet” is thought to have been first performed

1884: The first volume of the Oxford English Dictionary is published

1892: The Coca-Cola Company is incorporated in Atlanta, Georgia

1926: Johnn Logie Baird gives the first public demonstration of his television machine

1949: The Hale Telescope is launched, greatly advancing astronomical observation

Find two words, which are anagrams of each other, that complete this sentence:

While captive in the  ?, James  ?  an entire book.

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter

*Studies show that watching heartwarming videos can boost your mood. So sit back and start your weekend positively - doctors orders!

🧠 Brain Teaser Answer

Tower and wrote.

While captive in the tower, James wrote an entire book.