Kindness comes in many ways. For some, it’s a “Bless you!” from a stranger after they sneeze. For others, it’s volunteering at the animal shelter. On average, one American commits five good deeds a month, according to a 2019 poll. These include holding the door for a stranger, helping with directions, and even paying for someone else’s meal.
We here at We like to make the world a kinder place by sharing the good deeds of others. Wholesome and altruistic people deserve to get their flowers, so we took a trip to the “Just Wholesome” subreddit and picked out the most heartwarming and uplifting stories for you to enjoy!
We also got in touch with one of the community’s moderators, Sally G., aka u/InitialConclusion507. She kindly agreed to tell us how the subreddit came to be, why wholesome content is so important in today’s world, and what it’s like being the sleuth of wholesomeness. Read our conversation with her below!
#1 When A Desperate 71-Year-Old Passenger Mentioned He Was In Urgent Need Of A Kidney Transplant, His Uber Driver Made An Extraordinary Decision: To Become His Donor
#2 When This 90 Yr Old Vet Started To Stand Up The President Leaned In And Told Him He Didn’t Have To Stand. This Patriot Stood, Saying, “No Sir, You’re The President”
#3 Joy Is Always Possible
One of the moderators for r/justwholesome is u/InitialConclusion507, whose real name is Sally George. The Redditor created the community after unsuccessful attempts at posting wholesome content on other dedicated subreddits. “Because of various conditions, like having high karma, sharing original content only, and other restrictions, I decided to create my own subreddit,” Sally tells We.
But r/justwholesome isn’t the only place on the internet where Sally shares wholesome content. She’s also the editor of a wholesome and heartwarming community calledNostalgic Grandma,which is also dedicated to sharing positive and inspirational stories. Nostalgic Grandma was Sally’s first pursuit, and the Reddit community came after: indeed, there’s always demand for more positivity in the world!
#4 99 Year Old Lillian Creates Dresses To Achieve Her Goal Of Making 1000 Dresses By 100th Birthday For Orphan Girls In Africa.
Her Mission Is To Show These Girls That The World Cares About Them. So She’d Make Each Dress Extra Special, Setting An Example Of Love And Kindness
#5 In Turkey, A Stray Dog Brought Her Unconscious Puppy To The Door Of A Veterinary Clinic. The Puppy Received Immediate Care As The Dog Waited Patiently
#6 A School Janitor, In 1985 Named Gabe Sonnier, Was Cleaning When A Principal Walked Over To Him And Said, “I’d Rather See You Grading Papers Than Picking Them Up.”
So at the age of 39, Gabe started studying and earned a degree in teaching. He was eventually hired as the principal of the same school he cleaned for 27 years
On the Nostalgic Grandma website, Sally introduces herself as a psychologist who aims “to share uplifting stories that inspire, encourage, and remind us of the good in the world.”
“My goal was simple: to share positive and wholesome stories, and also link them to my blog for readers who want to read more about the story,” Sally tells We, explaining more about why she decided to create a separate subreddit. “I didn’t expect it, but the group grew to 22k members very quickly because I would post wholesome stories daily.”
“I often feature stories ofreunions, lonely elderly peoplefinding support, couples rediscoveringlove, kindness of strangers atMcDonald’sor a parking lot, unexplained miracles, like having a child at 70 years old, or someonewinning an unexpected lottery,” Sally says, sharing the basics of her content.
“After all, who doesn’t enjoy a little wishful thinking, hoping that they will win a million-dollar lottery one day?”
#7 He Was Hoping To See Her 🥹
#8 Someone Left A Racist Graffiti In Walthamstow, London. And This Is How The Community Responded
#9 An Aussie Farmer Couldn’t Make It To His Aunt’s Funeral Because Of Covid Rules. So He Made A Heart Out Of Feed On His Farm And Let His Sheep Walk Into It. It Was His Way Of Saying Goodbye. “I Just Hope That When I Did It, She Was Having A Peep Through The Clouds And Was Able To See It,” He Said
“With so much negativity in the world currently, I think that a little bit of positivity online is essential,” Sally posits. “And, clearly, 22,000 other people feel the same!” And Reddit is no exception. Of course, it’s also a platform for many niche interests, like cats, fashion, food, and culture, so it’s not hard to carve out a niche for yourself in the realm of wholesomeness.
#10 A Canadian Cop Went Undercover In A Wheelchair, Leaving Cash Visible To Attract Thieves. Instead, He Received Money, Prayers, And Warnings, With Zero Arrests In Five Days
#11 A Man Reunited With His 19-Year-Old Cat, Seven Years After The Pet Went Missing
#12 This Guy Wears His Wedding Photo On His Apron When He Cooks Breakfast To Remind His Wife With Alzheimer’s That They Are Married
“If you’re talking about subreddits that fit the ‘wholesome’ niche, people are looking for hope, positivity, and reminders that the world is not that bad after all,” Sally explains. “Maybe they are tired of reading heavy news all day, maybe they are feeling lonely, want to restore their faith in humanity – these are often the reasons people engage with wholesome posts.”
#13 Shoutout To Mr Johnston For Making Pb&j For His Kiddos Who Didn’t Eat Breakfast Before Our Ap Test This Morning
#14 Their Love Story Lives On Forever 💗
#15 Little Girl Mistakes A Bride For The Princess In Her Favourite Book
Sally believes in the power of wholesome online communities. Their main strength, according to her, is how easily they deliver positive content. “It’s more convenient for the reader to scroll an interest-based subreddit than manually searching for it on Google. Plus, post comments add to discussion, providing a sense of community,” the creator says.
#16 When He Found Out It Was Her Dream, He Made It Come True
#17 Teen Waitress Helps Elderly Customer To Cut His Ham, Get’s Awarded $16,000 Scholarship By The Mayor
#18 Toddler Dresses As The Queen For Halloween, Gets A Surprise Letter From Windsor Castle
The envelope contained a letter from Lady Mary Morrison, a Lady-in-Waiting to Her Majesty the Queen.
“The Queen wishes me to write and thank you for your letter, and for the photograph you enclosed,” the letter read. “Her Majesty thought it kind of you to write to her, and The Queen was pleased to see the photograph of your daughter, Jalayne, in her splendid outfit.”
Sally also believes that Reddit communities can be a great source of inspiration. “You’ll often see a story shared on Reddit one day, then circulating on Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms the next,” she says regarding their virality aspect.
“Overall, it’s an ecosystem and subreddits that share positive and wholesome stories exist to add a much-needed layer of positivity to the existing humanity,” she adds.
#19 Mum Transforms From Jailed H****n A****t To Top Student In Her Graduating University Class
#20 ❤️🥹
#21 A Dog In Turkey Got In The Bus To Escape From Heavy Rain. The Driver Asked If The Passengers Have Any Problem With This, They Said “No.”
Despite how easy it might seem to gain an audience as a wholesome creator, Sally has a surprisingly rigorous fact-checking method. To begin with, she always tries to look for lesser-known stories. “I try to avoid sharing content that people may have already seen in the last 24 hours on other social media platforms, unless it’s an ongoing news story that’s highly relevant,” the Redditor explains.
#22 In 2017, Heather Was About To Be Proposed By David When She Got Diagnosed With Breast Cancer. But That Didn’t Stop Them. They Got Married On Her Hospital Bed 18 Hours Before She Passed Away
#23 Siblings Reunited🥹
#24 I Bet The Grandmas Make Great Food There
As an editor and the wholesome subreddit curator, Sally relies on a mix of sources. “[It’s] news websites to find and verify stories, Pinterest for recommendations within a similar niche, and hashtags like #wholesome or #faithinhumanity to discover new content.”
“From there, Icompile these stories into a blogfor readers who want to spend more time exploring multiple uplifting narratives, and then I share them on my subreddit.”
Sally has found that putting more effort into researching and verifying often yields better results. “I try to follow this principle rather than taking the easier route of reposting content that has just appeared on other Reddit communities or Instagram,” the creator says.
#25 Being This Happy 💯
#26 This Was In My Uber Driver’s Car. Lucky To Have A Child Like That
#27 After Becoming A Single Dad, He Learned How To Do His Daughter’s Hair. Now He Teaches Other Dads Without Charging Any Fee
Nostalgic Grandma and r/justwholesome aren’t the only places where you can find Sally’s uplifting content. She’s also the creator behindr/InspiringFacts. “The overall mission is simple, to share stories that restore your faith in humanity,” Sally says simply. “We also have an active community onThreadsthat helps us reach 2M readers monthly and have a following of 12K members.”
#28 A Struggling And Desperate 47-Year-Old Mother Was Caught By Police Stealing 5 Eggs To Feed Her Family.
But The Officer Didn’t Pass Any Judgment. Instead, He Went Inside The Store, Returned With A Dozen Eggs, And Told Her Not To Shoplift Again
#29 He Deserves All The Love In This World
#30 Humans Looking Outside For Each Other
What do you think about these stories, Pandas? Have they restored your faith in humanity? Which were your favorite ones? Share them with us in the comments! And if you’d like to see more wholesome content, check out somewholesome memesand theseheartwarming anniversary stories!
#31 Dad Builds Wheelchair Accessible Snow Fort For His Disabled Kids
#32 In 2018, A Homeless Man Named Adam Gillian Discovered A Worn Bambi Painting And Sold It To A D****r Alexander For $20, Who Later Sold It On Ebay For C$3,700 And Immediately Tracked Gillian Down To Share Half The Profit
#33 An Adopted Man In Michigan Looked For His Birth Mother For Four Years Before Finding Out That She Worked At The Same Store That He Worked In. Not Only Were They Co-Workers, But They’ve Passed By And Greeted Each Other For More Than Half A Year Without Realizing They Were Related
#34 Cute Together
#35 A 14-Year-Old Boy Spends His Summer Holidays Making Lunch Boxes So That Children In His Area Won’t Go Hungry
#36 Keeping It In The Genes 💯
#37 At This California Based Donut Shop, Customers Would Buy Out All The Donuts Before 2 P.m. Daily So That The 62-Year-Old Owner Can Be His 63-Year-Old Sick Wife At The Rehabilitation Facility
#38 Their Secret To Lasting Relationship ❣️
#39 61-Year-Old Married Man Wears Heels And Skirts To Challenge Gender Stereotypes At Work. His Wife Supports His Efforts And Even Helps Him Pick His Outfits
#40 After Losing Her Mum To Sudden Heart Disease At 51, One Daughter Found A Way To Honour Her Biggest Wish, To Travel The World. She Placed Her Ashes In A Bottle, Added A Handwritten Note, And Set Her Out To Sea From Skegness Beach
#41 Be My Eyes🥹🥹
#42 Bus Driver Asks His Passengers To Get Off The Bus After They Refuse To Make Space For A Passenger With A Wheelchair
#43 A Woman Drove 30 Miles To Buy The Last Generator At A Hardware Store For Her Father, Who Relied On An Electric Oxygen Pump. But When She Arrived, It Had Already Sold Out, And She Broke Down In Tears. A Stranger Who Saw Her Crying Immediately Insisted That She Take His Generator Instead
#44 Now I Get It 🥲
#45 Wwii Veteran Requests 100 Cards For His 100th Birthday, But Ends Up Receiving Thousands
#46 A Kind Friend Looking Out For His Overweight Friend
#47 This 55-Year-Old Burger King Employee Has Been Working For 27 Years Without Missing A Single Shift. When His Video About Receiving Just A ‘Goodie Bag’ As A Reward Went Viral, The Internet Donated Him $400,000
#48 America’s Longest Married Couple, Who Eloped In 1932, Celebrated Their 81st Anniversary In 2013
#49 Moment When Miners Split Open A Rock And Discovered A Perfectly Shaped Heart On Each Side Of It
#50 A 24-Year-Old Man Sits On The Side Of The Road In Johannesburg. But Instead Of Begging, He Collects Books, Reads Each One, And Offers Book Reviews To People Passing By. If You Like The Review, He’ll Sell You The Book
#51 He Stayed By Her Side Till The Very End 🥺
#52 Turkish Garbage Collectors Opened A Library After Citizens Discarded Their Books In Trash. It Has Around 25,000 Books Sorted In 17 Categories Now
#53 8-Year-Old Boy Wins $1000 In A Scavenger Hunt And Donates It To The 2-Year-Old Little Girl With Leukemia
#54 In 100-Degree Heat, A Man In A Wheelchair Waited Alone For His Bus. A Kind Officer Sat With Him, Kept Him Company For 40 Minutes, And Helped Him Safely Onto The Bus When It Arrived
#55 Blind Man Reunites With His 14-Year-Old Service Dog That Was Stolen In Chicago, After A Citywide Search
The dog’s owner, Angel Santiago, made it his purpose to walk seven miles handing out missing flyers, hoping someone would see the dog. Angel, who manages Type 2 diabetes and is legally blind, believes that his dog was stolen from his yard.
Bam Bam returned to his owner after going missing for more than two months. The dog was dropped off at a police station, after which officers confirmed his identity through a microchip. The reunion captured the hearts of residents in Chicago.
#56 This Is Charlene. Charlene Is A Walmart Employee Who Poses With Products For The Store’s Local Facebook Page. Charlene Is Amazing
#57 He Made Grandma’s Wedding Day Special
#58 A Woman Didn’t Know She Had An Identical Twin Until She Saw A Youtube Video Of Someone Who Looked Exactly Like Her. They Started Texting On Facebook And When They Finally Met, Both Of Them We Suprised. Neither Of Their Adoption Documents Had Mentioned Of Them Being Twins
#59 Single Mom Dressed Up Like A Dad So That Her Son Wouldn’t Miss His Father At School Event
#60 102 Year Old Edie Simms Had A Bizzare Item On Her Bucket List – Being Arrested By The Police. So One Morning, The Police Decided To Arrest And Handcuff Her, Allowing Her To Sit In The Back Of The Police Car Just Like She Had Dreamed
#61 A Coffin Club In New Zealand Allows Elderly To Build Their Own Caskets And Combat Loneliness
#62 103 Year Old Woman Celebrates Her Birthday As A Wonder-Woman ❤️
#63 A Facility, Based In Ohio, Gives Its Residents The Chance To Relive Their Younger Years In An Environment That Replicates The 1940s
#64 This Guy Got Stuck With His Leg Between A Train And The Platform. So Hundreds Of People Started To Tilt The Train Backwards And Saved The Guy
#65 A Stranger Accidentally Dropped Her $4000 Diamond Engagement Ring Into A Homeless Man’s Cup But He Didn’t Keep It. He Returned It. His Honesty Went Viral, Raising Over $175,000 In Donations And Even Reuniting Him With His Sister After 16 Years. 💍❤️
#66 Japanese Married Couple Wears Coordinated Outfits Everyday
#67 A Swarm Of 20,000 Bees Followed A 65-Year-Old Woman’s Car For Two Days. It Turns Out Their Queen Got Stuck In Her Car
#68 In 2015, A Woman Took Bmw’s April Fools’ Day Advertisement At Its Word, And Ended Up Winning A Brand-New Bmw With The Number Plate “Nof00l.”
A New Zealand newspaper had published the campaign under its April Fools’ Day Special section. The ad promised a free BMW to the first person who showed up at a dealership with their own car and the newspaper ad in hand.
Most people assumed it was just another April Fools’ prank, until one woman actually took the company at its word. Tianna Marsh drove her 15-year-old station wagon to the showroom at 5:30 a.m. local time. To her delight, she was rewarded with a brand-new BMW worth nearly US $37,000, complete with the cheeky plate “NOF00L.”
“We wanted to turn the tables and reward the first person who was willing to take the chance,” said BMW spokesman Ed Finn.
The company later uploaded the moment to its YouTube channel, with the message: “Happy April Not Such a Fool.”
She could be a good reminder of taking a chance on yourself, especially when you have nothing to lose.
#69 Couple Married For 65 Years, Dies 11 Hours Apart In A Nursing Home
#70 75-Year-Old Man Felt Lonely After Losing His Wife To Cancer. So He Put A Message On His Window Looking For A Friend To Talk To
#71 An 18-Year-Old With Down Syndrome Lost 44 Lbs And Decided To Become A Model. She Didn’t Let Her Condition Stop Her. After Sharing Her Photos Online, She Went Viral And Got Several Modeling Contracts Within Two Months
#72 I Took My Dad To The Match Fulfilling A 20+ Year Promise
This past Sunday was the Gold cup Mexico vs USA, my dad and I have been dreaming about going to one of the games, specifically with these two countries. We live in the US but my parents were immigrants from Mexico. My dad told me when I was around 7-8 that he would take me to go see fútbol match one day. Unfortunately he passed away 4 years ago and I told my family I was going to watch the game on Sunday. (On the tv.)
I told my husband about the game and what I’ll be doing Sunday over the phone since he’s working out of town. I did tell my husband I was planning to do something for my dad’s birthday on Monday which was eat some pizza and watch his favorite movies.
Not even 20 minutes that we hung up the phone, he took it upon himself and searched where the game is going to be held at. We live around the Dallas area and the game was going to be held at the NGR stadium at Houston which is like a 3-4 hour drive. My husband told me to go to the match instead. He convinced me by saying, “I will be fulfilling the promise and you’ll be celebrating his birthday by doing something he loved doing with you.”
I’m tearing up writing this but honestly it was a great experience it felt like my dad was there. Plus Mexico winning it was so emotional and I just wished my dad was here to watch it with me.
#73 It’s Time For Me To Learn Building A House On Youtube 😄
#74 8th Grade Math Teacher Installs Desk Cycles For Students Help Them Concentrate And Avoid Fidgeting With Hands. A Student Went On To Burn 133 Calories By This Unique Method
#75 In 1998, A Man Was Declared Clinically Dead For 14 Minutes After A Heart Attack Before Miraculously Coming Back To Life. Within A Year, He Got Engaged, Started A Job, And Won A Toyota Corolla Worth Au $30,000. Later, He Scratched Another Card And Won Again, This Time Au $250,000
#76 In 1998, An Unemployed Woman Took A Job As An In-House Masseuse At Google, Then A Small Startup. Paid $450 A Week And Given Stock She Thought Was Worthless, She Retired Five Years Later After Those Shares Turned Into Millions
#77 Newly Widowed Woman Receives Flowers From A Stranger. It Leaves Her In Tears
#78 Mark Haub, A Nutrition Professor Wanted To Prove That Calorie Counting, Not Nutrition Value, Is The Key To Losing Weight. He Went On To Consume Foods Like Oreos, Dorito, And Sugary Cereals. He Ended Up Shedding 27 Pounds In Two Months, With 20% Cholesterol Drop
#79 A 25-Year-Old From Boston Called 911 Asking Someone To Wish Him A Happy Birthday. Two Police Officers Showed Up At His Doorstep With Candles And A Muffin At 12:40 A.m., Making His Day
#80 In 2008, Rajo Devi Became The World’s Oldest Mother At The Age Of 70. The Couple Spent 50 Years Fighting An Unsuccessful Battle With Infertility
