CNN 5 Good Things

In this special episode of CNN 5 Good Things, hear about the people who are making the world a better place. We’re highlighting the Top 5 CNN Heroes of 2024 and the good work they do. Click here to learn more about their stories and to vote for the 2024 CNN Hero of the Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An off duty lifeguard rescued a 17-year-old lost at sea. Some people experiencing homelessness in California now have a place they can call their own. How a crossword editor is using his love for puzzles to aid his stroke recovery. Dog Tag Bakery helps veterans rediscover their identity with a fellowship program. Plus, the good work a street veterinarian has been able to do since being named the 2023 CNN Hero of the Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's the happiest moment of your life? A filmmaker wants to know. How a breast cancer survivor is supporting women battling the disease. The longest running contest of its kind dares amateur filmmakers to create very short horror films. A New Jersey based arts foundation honors the past and future of the Cherokee Nation. Plus, a Canadian native makes history on the ice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ll tell you about a dad who trekked almost 20 miles during Hurricane Helene to walk his daughter down the aisle. A Kentucky doctor shows us how trees might help prevent chronic disease. Mozart fans have new music, thanks to a recent discovery. A 75-year-old poet gets a big surprise — and shares why he writes about kindness and joy. Plus, we learn why dolphins “smile” when they play together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're following Pesto, a baby penguin that's turning heads and charming hearts in Australia. One man is running coast to coast to honor a veteran's last wish. Leaf peeping season is here, and Virginia state parks are making it easier for colorblind visitors to enjoy it. A Miss Universe contestant breaks through an age-old barrier. Plus, this performer is taking the mascot experience to a whole new level. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some new research might convince you to try dabbling in arts and crafts. Scientists have learned that the swirls in Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night” painting don't appear to be random. A pet cat wandered almost 1,000 miles back home. Why conservationists brought huge elephant sculptures to New York City. Plus, school is back in session, we’re revisiting why some parents of elementary school kids in upstate New York like getting calls from the principal’s office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Students at a Kentucky high school that wouldn’t have been interested in band before now play in the state’s first mariachi band. Nora Langdon is considered one of the best senior powerlifters in the world and wants to inspire others to keep exercising. An Arizona woman is named a CNN Hero for supporting Native American foster youth and families. A team of student engineers in Zurich have developed a robotic fish that can help scientists study ocean ecosystems in a new way. Plus, how astronauts can vote in space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A woman went on a 700-mile bike ride to raise awareness about substance abuse after her brother died from fentanyl poisoning. Scientists have figured out a way to turn banana waste into denim and clean energy for rural communities in Pakistan. A stay-at-home mom in Michigan dresses up like a clown to pick up trash and her neighbors love her message. The San Diego Zoo is celebrating the birth of an endangered tiger cub. Plus, a Chicago man takes a more scenic route to work downtown.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ll highlight some extraordinary accomplishments from Team USA athletes at the Paralympics. A six-year-old boy couldn’t wait to tell everyone at a hospital in Ohio that he was getting a new heart. Hear what some football teams are doing that could help protect players from concussions. Patients with the most common and deadly form of brain cancer can soon seek more affordable treatment. Plus, how a school in Wisconsin made their students feel like movie stars on their first day back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two male flamingos coupled up and achieved a rare feat: successfully hatching an egg together. An MLB catcher made some kids’ days by showing up to play wiffle ball. The FDA just cleared a new device that could stop severe bleeding in seconds and potentially save countless lives. The world’s oldest man celebrated his birthday this week. Plus, eight marching bands from HBCUs showcased their skills at the 10th annual National Battle of the Bands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

TIME’s 2024 Kid of the Year invented a potential treatment for skin cancer. A mother delivered her baby on the side of a highway in Colorado with help from 911. Scientists developed a new light-absorbing material that can turn everyday objects into solar panels. Thousands of people showed up to an open casting call in New Jersey for Happy Gilmore 2. Plus, the city that has so many street cats, adoring locals have set up a museum dedicated to them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our latest CNN Hero is an orchestra conductor, who’s helping more than 300 refugees and immigrants find purpose and hope through music. Dogs are spreading seeds at an urban nature reserve in the UK. Scientists are floating a new theory about how Egypt’s oldest pyramid may have been built. A 12-year-old boy in Massachusetts got his ice cream stand shut down, so the community stepped up to help him raise money for his brother’s special needs hockey team. And, a new village in Tanzania for vulnerable young people will be built using a 3D printer and soil. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A community in South Carolina rallied together to make sure every single animal at a local shelter had a foster home as Tropical Storm Debby approached. You could see new wild fruits in the grocery store soon since researchers cracked an ancient mystery about thorny plants like roses. A family in Massachusetts going through a tough time was surprised by an act of kindness and a heartfelt note. As the Paris Olympics comes to a close, some exceptional athletes share what it feels like to live out their dreams. Plus, a giant statue of a New York City critter will tower over a park on the west side. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

TikTok thinks these two employees at a New York car dealership deserve Emmys for their viral parodies of the sitcom “The Office.” Recent studies highlight how dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can be prevented, diagnosed and treated. New York City wants to form a new ‘rat pack.’ A history buff took a chance and bought a piece of tent that supposedly belonged to George Washington—and he was shocked it was the real deal. Plus, two US women’s sports teams have a rapper and a former NFL player as some of their biggest fans at the Olympics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Summer Olympics happening now in Paris marks a new milestone for gender equality in sports. A Parisian amateur chef whips up free meals and viral videos to help feed people living on the streets. Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton used AI to reclaim her voice after a degenerative disease took away her ability to speak. A high school cross country team gives shelter dogs some exercise while they train. Plus, a taco stand in Mexico City earned one of the most prestigious culinary honors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices