UpLift Media

Teenagers Respond to Amber Alert, Help Police Catch Kidnappers Two Utah teens just happened to be in the right place at the right time as their cell phones alerted them of a kidnapping. Thankfully they had the courage to do the right thing and take action. Sometimes You Can't Keep Good Friends Apart This sad pupper just wanted access to his friend next door but someone put a big ole fence in the way. Thankfully their owners collaborated to solve the problem. Two Year Old Reunited with Amazing Dog Who Rescued Him This toddler decided to wonder off from home. Before he could rethink the decision he was already 7 miles away in the middle of the desert. Dangers ranged from wild animals to dehydration but this awesome dog made sure to protect this little one. The Most Sincere Gratitude on Full Display These guys were out pounding the pavement, selling baked goods when they got the sale of a lifetime. Their genuine gratefulness is equal parts heartwarming to inspiring. Love Can Look Like...

Young Artist Contacts NFL Panthers, Kenny Robinson     He knew he had the talent but he just needed someone with a bigger platform to notice. Watch this wholesome rise to success story. Boy-scout Saves Dad & Brother  Despite social and communications challenges due to autism, this young man was able to navigate wilderness terrain, find a Park Ranger and navigate back to the scene of a terrible accident. Firefighter Cadet Saves Toddler From Three Story Fall In a right place at the right time kind of situation this firefighter in training happened upon a toddler who was unsupervised on an outdoor patio. Will She Be The Hero Or Villain?  This putt determines if the office staff gets to go home early or stay late. High School Quarterback Displays Heartwarming Gesture He just won homecoming king but knew there was a more deserving candidate. Watch this tear-jerking retelling of the story. Cop Shares Hilarious Honesty During Traffic Stop This officer quickly identifies...

Partners Reunited After Shooting Three days earlier this officer and his dog were part of a shoutout leaving one person fatally wounded. You can imagine the emotions as these two see one another for the first time since that incident. Trooper Saves Teen in Runaway Vehicle This young man found himself in a vehicle that would not slow down despite pressing the brakes. Even worse it continued to accelerate topping him out to over 110 MPH. Thankfully a State Trooper figured out what to do about it. A Lesson On How To Compromise This girl figures out a way to entertain her boyfriend at the beach who would otherwise not even want to go. Is He Genius or Terrible? Getting escorted out of a MLB game, this guy sees an opportunity to evade the security guard and gets away with it. Watch and leave a comment about what you think.  Heartwarming Reunion of Kobe and High School Teammate From the archives this video shows a former teammate of Kobe trying to blend into the press conference crowd to ...

Mom Comes Home From Work Only to Help Son Practice Football Moves She doesn't even change clothes first because she wants to take time to practice football skills with her son in the front yard. The hard work is paying off as her son is now a starter on the team. He Broke Into the Home of Former Boxing Champion His life choices are already bad enough breaking into homes but add to that his choice to go inside of this boxer's home and threaten him and his wife with a knife. His face met with a great deal of punishment. He Has Quite the Busy Schedule This hilarious kid is interviewed by mom about what he has planned for the day. You will chuckle as you listen to him spout of his list with adult like sincerity.  Truly Amazing Dog Alerts Owner to Medical Problem Not only is this dog trained to know when her owners heart rate is up, it alerts her, makes her sit on the ground, then goes about retrieving medicine and other necessary items. JustKnate Helps Another Struggling Homeless M...

Though not completely based on Mr. Hartman and his efforts to, as he states, "put a spotlight on kindness," Uplift Media certainly takes some inspiration and aligns perfectly in the undertaking. In fact, when searching for good news stories, his videos come up more often than any other source. They are so abundant and good that we've had to intentionally not post some in effort to keep from duplicating his efforts and relying on him solely.  We are clearly not the only fans of him and his amazing news segment called, " On the Road with Steve Hartman " as he was recognized recently by the Canterbury School on March 6, 2024 hailing him as the "King of Kindness" . The students at the school pile into the chapel area every Wednesday to watch his newest offering and simply love him like a celebrity rock star. Who better to admire and adore than a guy like that? Hartman speaking to student at Canterbury School Canterbury School Principal, Mike Landgraf sa...

  We hope these stories Uplifted you from our Wednesday coverage. Make sure to scroll down for recaps and videos to all posts so you can stay caught up and even vote for your favorite or most impactful coverage. Kyla's Dad A story about becoming Kyla’s dad this police officer responded to a call where he found her in need of rescue from abuse. The Best Kind of Hugs Sometimes we just need a long hug from someone who cares. This little guy finally got to meet his favorite cartoon character and the kind-hearted person dawning the Winnie-the-Pooh outfit seemed to truly understand the significance.  Teen Saves Toddler In true baby Jessica fashion a little one fell into a very narrow sewer pipe in an overseas village. As panic ensued and solutions were proposed a 14-year-old boy who was thin enough to fit into the pipe volunteered to be lowered headfirst to retrieve the trapped child. In an interview he admitted to being scared at first but then the fear subsided and he was able to ...

Operator : "911 what is your emergency?" Little boy : "I need a hug!" While that is not exactly how this went down, it was almost that cute and for the most part its not very far off. In early November a young boy, who is only allowed to have a deactivated cell phone, decided to play around with the various features that don't require activation. Well, perhaps an oversight by the parents, one such feature on all deactivated phones is the ability to still call emergency services. Whether on accident or on purpose that is exactly what this little boy did. However, unlike the hypothetical script above, he hung up on the operator which still requires the dispatch of an officer to investigate. Cashing in on that hug request Within minutes Sheriff Deputy Pracht from Hillsborough County, Florida was on the scene knocking on the door of the family home. Seeing mom emerge from around the corner he asked, "is this your home?" to which the confused woman answere...

Every TikTok video starts out the same. A challenge is issued by Jimmy's audience that he reads aloud and accepts. These challenges are typically a way to test the kindness or tolerance levels of strangers. One example might be going down a neighborhood street knocking on doors asking to use their shower. While many otherwise kind people might still turn him down, given that he is a stranger, he always seems to find that loving person who bends over backwards for him regardless of the audacity of his request. As a reward, Darts usually gives a minimum of $500 all of which is donated to him by his audience. Call it a kindness prank of sorts but one click on his videos will send you down an endless binge-fest of his content as it restores faith in humanity with every new post.  Jimmy Darts, AKA Jimmy Kellogg Often times Jimmy gets to know the people in his videos on a deeper level. They are so touched by his gesture that an outflow of trust becomes the norm and soon they are telling ...

 Stranger danger is certainly a real thing. For the most part we keep to ourselves out in public and we definitely encourage our kids to play it safe. Don't talk to adults you don't know, don't accept candy, don't help someone find their lost dog, and for heaven's sake don't get into a vehicle regardless of the "bait" or perceived "reward". However that is a sad reality especially since most people are not out to kidnap or otherwise cause you harm. Plus we, as humans, cannot help but interact in public spaces often which can make complete avoidance of one another challenging. Add to the mix, a public form of transportation like the New York Subway system where passengers are forced, at least from one stop to another, to ride together in tight quarters. Want a turn? That is the scene for this specific heartwarming story as two passengers, one an adult and the other a young boy, ended up sitting next to one another during their daily commute. T...

 My dad taught me at an early age that we can "minister" to people from any position in life. This struck me impactfully since my brain really only processed the job of ministering to others as belonging to pastors. They guys in robes who had dedicated their lives to educating and counseling those of us that were members of their congregation just seemed the natural order of things. But my dad didn't just say these words, he lived them. I watched as he took care of neighbors, soccer athletes, youth group kids, college and singles groups, co-workers, and even perfect strangers. If he saw someone with a need, even if it was just a smile, he was there to deliver it to them. Walking & Talking with Opal The sanitation worker in this news article must have been raised in a similar environment. Here he is caught on a Ring Camera by the elderly lady's daughter, who tearfully watches this kind man, minister to her mom Opal. During a previous visit to the house to collect t...

Being a kid comes with enough challenges to ones self esteem even in normal circumstances. You have critical peers, schoolyard teasing, and all out bully's to deal with if you show any sign of weakness or abnormality. So imagine having something as obvious as a burn injury where your face looks unusual and your hair cannot grow fully like everyone else. The injury and associated event that caused it was already traumatic enough but adding insult to injury seems to be a reality for many burn victims when forced into the public eye. A happy customer... Even the most kind and sincere onlooker might have trouble with staring and making those afflicted feel  awkward. So imagine getting a boost from a total stranger that gives you just a little bit of help in feeling normal again? Wouldn't that be a breath of fresh air? Enter our Brazilian Barber who took it upon himself to order artificial hair pieces for kids with burn injuries and then took the time to custom shape them to their h...

 This was probably not the first time a kid snuck something into a loved ones luggage nor will it be the last. There is something about children wanting to remind you not to forget about them that drives the inclination. So many a parent or grandparent have probably opened their suitcase only to find a hand-written card, a memento, or even a favorite toy stowing a ride and offering a surprise to the traveler once at their destination. That is how it all started for grandpa, David Zielke as he opened his bags and found granddaughter Lisette had put her Peppa Pig toys in with his clothing.  Grandpa filming Peppa's family for Lisette Most would find the gesture cute, enjoy a smile, and maybe even mention how special it was the next time they spoke to the young one. But David had an even more elaborate idea. Soon he was photographing and filming the Peppa Pig family at the pool enjoying a swim, on the lounge chairs getting some sun, on the sandy beach enjoying the weather, and eve...

 It's difficult enough parenting children with just two adults involved. Add divorce, remarriage, and other step-parents and it can be all the more complicated and simply dysfunctional. But is that how it has to be? This family has figured out a way to put the kids first and share the parenting responsibility in such a way as to coordinate with one another and inspire thousands.  "Will you go to the dance with me?" Former Marine and birth dad, who is an amputee and wheelchair dependent decided it would be A-OK to help his daughter ask her step-dad to go to the Daddy-Daughter dance. We can't be sure all the reasons why. It could be dad doesn't want to try to take on the challenge of dancing in a wheel chair. It could be dancing just isn't his thing. Whatever the case may be, it was more important for him to make sure his daughter had a date and was ensured of a good time. Now imagine being on the receiving end of this kind of invite. One might be nervous, feel ...

 "That's what I am saying boy! I could help you but you wouldn't know that you could do it on your own! You know what I am saying? Sometimes in life you fall, but guess what? You just pull yourself back up." This quote is inspiring regardless of whom it might be directed to and regardless of the circumstances as its truth resonates and its practical application is universal. However, in this specific story its being said by a dad to a son with spina bifida. The son was in his room trying to get from his wheelchair into his bed but soon found himself trapped between the two, struggling to figure out his next step. A smile of victory As many kids often do in situations that they feel are beyond their control or ability, he calls out to dad who is in another room of the house. As dad walks in to assess the situation he immediately goes into instruction mode. "Let me see you recover." he suggests to the little guy, "Get up. Push off your wheel." And...

Watt tearing up during tribute  If you know nothing about the NFL and its superstars, one would only have to Google JJ Watt and the first option is a Wikipedia bio that states, "Considered to be one of the greatest defensive linemen of all time, Watt received the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award three times in his first five seasons." It goes on from there to list countless other accolades including a franchise record when playing for the Houston Texans for number of sacks and forced fumbles. If that kind of research isn't convincing enough consider his surprise retirement video. In the last team meeting, Cardinals Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph takes time out to share a tribute video and to make sure the team understand this is Watt's last game. As the touching memorial piece gets going you see the likes of his two NFL brothers TJ and Derek Watt, Aaron Rogers, Peyton Manning, Dak Prescott, Tom Brady and many others taking time out to honor the veteran o...

 Most of the news stories covered on Uplift contain lots of detail. Peoples names, events, locations, and a full backstory. This one however, did not render much when researching and taking a deeper dive but perhaps that is ok because this narrative really could be anyone's story and even without specific details will encourage and uplift your spirits. What is known is the boy in the video is named Kowyn. He is wheelchair bound and clad in his Christmas morning PJ's holding a gift of vital importance that he wants to present to his step-dad. As the exchange occurs the onlooking family blurts out to the receiving dad, "You have to read it out loud!" The bearded man in a White Sox hat takes a handwritten note, lets his eyes focus on the words and soon he utters the contents out-loud as requested: "I want to thank you for always being here for me. Thank you for teaching me how to be a man like that. Thank you for always treating me like your son. You have always bee...

Customer service skills seem to be difficult to find in today's retail marketplace, especially the kind your might classify as "exceptional" or "above and beyond." But the art of satisfying customers is not completely lost especially if you are the patron of Harmons in Salt Lake City Utah, where you might find Brandon Wojciechowski running a register. In his 19 year career with the grocery chain, he has developed quite a reputation with the shoppers who speak highly of him anytime they get the chance.  Store Director Ryan Morris observed in one particular instance lines starting to back up beyond a reasonable measure, so he opened a new lane and invited those in the back of the line to move over. Much to his surprise, customers told him "No, we want to wait. We want to go through Brandon's line." Other customers who were interviewed about his service raved about his demeanor with kids, his kind smile, and his affinity for telling jokes. But the ...