Filipino Street Kid Wins $130,000 Peace Prize; Tiny Town Rallies After School Prank; Plus, Top 10 Good News of the Week

1. US Museum Day Gives Free Admission at Selected Sites Nationwide
   Get your culture fix this Saturday– for free. The Smithsonian magazine wants to encourage people to visit new museums around the US and are offering free passes for two admission tickets to any location on the list, good for one visit on Sep. 29.
2. Town Turns Tables on Bullying School Prank
   A tiny farming town in Michigan is rallying around a 16-year-old girl who became humiliated when her high school voted to elevate her to the homecoming court as a joke and then laughed at her in the hallways for having so few friends. In an inspiring turnaround, Whitney Kropp’s embarrassment gained her thousands of friends. (Video)
3. 11 More Billionaires Take Buffett’s Giving Pledge
   Eleven more wealthy American families have joined the Giving Pledge created by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, to commit at least half their wealth to charity. 92 families have vowed to give away half their assets, the pledge organization announced this week.
4. Winnipeg Bus Driver Gives Homeless Man the Shoes Off His Feet

   A Winnipeg Transit bus driver is being hailed a Good Samaritan after stunned passengers watched him give the shoes off his feet to a man who was walking barefoot on the sidewalk.

5. Addicted to Drugs, Yet the Greatest American Surgeon Ever
   The most renown American surgeon was born 160 years ago on September 22. Dr. William Halsted introduced the idea of washing hands and sterile instruments, the concept of anesthesia during surgery. The amazing part is that the majority of Halsted’s stunning accomplishments were achieved while addicted to cocaine and morphine. A new film documents the work of this medical genius.
6. Filipino Street Kid Wins $130,000 Peace Prize

   An abused Filipino child who lived off a garbage dump has won a prestigious award for the work of his children’s charity, which benefits his fellow street kids. Cris "Kesz" Valdez, aged 13, was handed this year’s International Children’s Peace Prize at a glittering ceremony in The Hague on Wednesday, where he received a $130,000 prize presented by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

7. Cop Logs Zero Complaints in 20 Years
   Every Los Angeles traffic cop can expect to get at least a few complaints every year — especially from people who are just angry about getting caught speeding. Which is why the police chief was stunned when he discovered that during the last 20 years — the last 25,000 traffic stops — Sheriff Deputy Elton Simmons has not had one complaint filed against him. CBS tagged along on his rounds to figure out how he does it. (Video)
8. Man in Need of Transplant Called A ‘Miracle’ After Heart Heals Itself

   A young man in dire need of a heart transplant shocked doctors and loved ones alike when his failing heart mended itself, the Omaha World-Herald reports. When Michael Crowe’s doctors ordered a heart transplant, his friends and church members prayed for a miracle. One doctor later said, that is exactly what happened. (Huff Post)

9. Couple Gives Rain Coats to India’s Street Kids Before Monsoon

   During each monsoon season in Mumbai, 36,000 children who live on the streets brave the harsh rains and many fall prey to diseases. But the lucky among them have rainwear thanks to a dentist and her two helpers who regularly fill their car full of colorful new rain gear to deliver to those in need.

10. Hero Grandfather Rescues Dog from Alligator’s Jaws
    Stephen Gustafson says he didn’t think twice about running to rescue his dog when she was dangling from the jaws of an alligator last Friday afternoon in Lake County. Fla. He took a flying leap to land right on the alligator’s back in the water. (Fox)

Video of the Week: Minnesota Family Gives Guitars to Soldiers in War, 4500 Over 6 Years

Marte Byrne’s mom sent him a guitar for his birthday when he was deployed to Iraq. Little did he know that this one gift would soon turn into a charitable organization that would deliver 4,500 free instruments to soldiers serving overseas over the next 6 years. (Operation Happy Note)

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