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Real Life Stories

You’ve got to read it to believe it! These true stories seem almost too good to be true, but we promise that we couldn’t make these up. From love to loss and from survival to unbelieavable coincidences—we’ve got the wildest stories to keep you informed, entertained, and inspired.

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This Man Fulfilled a Child’s Christmas Wish After Finding Her Balloon to Santa

A balloon breaks at just the right moment to bring two faraway families together.


This Expert Skier Survived Two Avalanches After Hitting the Slopes

Caught in a massive avalanche and buried alive under a blanket of snow, Ken Scott knew death was just a...


This Barbecue Restaurant Owner Donates Cars to Those in Need

“He handed me the keys and didn’t ask for anything.”


This Elementary School Teacher Pledges to Donate One Million Books

“I wanted to do something that’s going to stretch my faith, my work ethic, my everything.”


Here’s How a Group of Strangers With the Same Name Started a Virtual Band—And Friendships to L...

Four men with the same name who all love making music? Baltimore Paul had an idea. Wouldn’t it be funny,...


This Man’s Homemade Ice Rink Brought Manton, Michigan Together During a Dark Winter

When the pandemic forced Manton, Michigan to shut down, resident Scott Chittle decided that the community needed a safe place...


When COVID-19 Struck, One Woman Turned Her Horse Ranch Into an Oasis the Community Needed

“I had a vision for the space being therapeutic for whoever the universe sent our way—horses or people.”


Taking in the Community During a Christmas Blizzard, the Quality Inn in Kodak, Tennessee Is the Nice...

When the residents of Eastern Tennessee went to bed on Christmas Eve of 2020 dreaming of a white Christmas, they...

A Child Lost Her Beloved Baseball Cards in a Wildfire, So a Stranger Stepped Up to the Plate to Help

A longtime baseball card collector seizes the opportunity to do good after a destructive wildfire.


13 Powerful Things Surviving a Terrorist Attack Taught Me About Life

Here's how I learned to see the good in a world that can seem, at times, to be horrifically evil.


I Survived 9/11—These Are the 13 Questions Young People Ask Me the Most

Twelve-years-old at the time of the attack, the author survived, and so did her family—but she soon realized 9/11 was...



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12 Real Ghost Stories That Will Send Shivers Down Your Spine

Calling on only the bravest and boldest of ghost hunters. These scary stories are not for the faint of heart.


13 Spooky Ouija Board Stories That Will Give You Chills

Get ready to get freaked out by these true tales.


A Deep Sea Diver Went Out on a Routine Job—Then His Air-Supply Cord Snapped 300 Feet Down

It was supposed to be an easy job for a team of men who repair underwater pipelines.


This Veterinarian Helps Pets of Homeless People Out of His Own Pocket

A California veterinarian makes house calls to pet owners who have no place to call home.

Mitch Albom on What It Means to Be a Real Father to a Special Orphan

What is a real father? An orphan in Haiti teaches ­­bestselling author Mitch Albom a wonderful new definition.


The Boot Texan Kitchen in Houston, Texas

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut Houston down, Angeline Latchley and her fiancé found themselves unemployed and bored, like so many...


Manton, Michigan

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the town to shut down, Scott Chittle decided that the community needed a safe place...


The Quality Inn in Kodak, Tennessee

When icy temperatures this past winter froze Kodak, Tennessee, shutting power down and freezing pipes, Sean Patel, owner of the...


Renton, Washington

For most people, a free Christmas cheesecake would be a welcome surprise. But for Diane Dobson of Renton, Washington, it...


Nina and Doug’s House in Austin Hills, Texas

Chelsea Timmons was going through a year of transition: She quit her teaching career to deal with mental health issues...

The Sun and Moon Ranch in Lexington, North Carolina

In 1971, at just two years old, Shannan Hearne mounted a horse for the first time. She felt a deep...


Brooks, Georgia

When COVID-19 hit Brooks, Georgia, the first thing Angel Girard noticed in her neighborhood Facebook group, “Life in the Brooks...


Littleton, New Hampshire

The people of Littleton, New Hampshire can always find something to be glad about: their rich history, their beautiful countryside,...


Lake City, South Carolina

The quiet beauty of Lake City is typical for a South Carolina town: tidy small homes lining peaceful, leafy streets....


Sugar Land, Texas

When David Sebek and his business partner Tracie Whitacre opened Escape Again Rooms 20 years ago, they were glad to...