Cos if I read any more about the horrors of this year I'm gonna go round the twist.
Source: Getty Images
Recently, as I lurked away on Facebook, I read a post suggesting Channel 7 just tark it and broadcast the Sydney 2000 Olympics again. Like seriously fuck it, we need something good to watch that unites us - so what if our best days are 20 years behind us? We'll still race Cathy Freeman down at Scienceworks any day of the week, she's an Aussie ledg! Memories of the time make us happy. So with all the bloody doom and gloom, I've collected some of the most feel good big news stories of all time to make your heart smile.
Cathy Freeman's win (2000)
Source: Olympic
is there anything besides a sausage at Bunnings that makes Aussies feel more patriotic than watching Cathy Freeman run to victory in the women's 400m at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games? The world's eyes were on her as she led us to glory, and she finished it off by sashaying into the closing ceremony by (controversially, at the time anyway, which is so ridiculous) holding both the Australian and Indigenous national flags. Ygg!
Steven Bradberry's win (2002)
Source: Olympic
'Pulling a Bradbury', a known colloquialism amongst Australians to get in and win/get something you shouldn't have. In perhaps the most Australian feat ever, at the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Bradberry won gold after his opponents, all ahead of him, stacked it just before the finish line, leading him to glory. It is seriously one of the best videos of all time. Do yourself a favour and press play.
The Thai boy cave rescue (2018)
Source: BBC News
Guys. This story MOVED me. I couldn't stop reading about it....on the train, at home, at work (I mean, a considerable amount of time was spent watching it on the TV screen at work. Like, I was in the break room for a good 7.2 hours of the day. Wonder why they didn't extend my contract?) Point is, the world was gripped with the story of the 12 young Thai boys and their coach who were trapped in the cave, hoping and praying they would get out. Miraculously, all were found safe and alive, and were then rescued by an international team to the cheers of supporters around the world. We love you guys!
Wills and Harry each getting married (2011, 2018)
Source: BBC News
Whilst born into wealth and privilege, Wills and Harry also had it tough, living life in the spotlight and losing their mum at such a young age with the world watching. People always wanted them to find peace and happiness, and cheers were heard and made around the globe when they both found love, cementing it with their weddings in 2011 (Will and Kate) and 2018 (Harry and Megan). Stay happy, even if some of you have now left the throne!
Disabled boy found safe on mountain (2020)
Source: ABC News (Australia)
Man, this feels like 160 years ago considering the clusterfuck that is 2020, but we did get ONE good story, if you recall! After 14-year-old autistic boy William Callaghan went missing on Mount Disappointment in VIC in the midst of freezing temperatures, people thought the worst. But news outlets around the world cheered when he was found alive and well two nights later. Phew!
The first man on the moon (1969)
Source: NASA
Whilst you will find naysayer conspiracy theorists everywhere, this was an event that truly stopped the nation and the world. In 1969, the first astronauts to land on the moon left Earth, landing with the now-iconic phrase, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." It represented hope, united-ness, and the feeling that anything is, and was, truly possible.
Celebration at the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)
Source: ABC News
The fall of the Berlin Wall was, in fact, an accident. Ruling Socialist Unity Party of Germany Minister Günter Schabowski stumbled on a televised press conference and ended up stating that 'freedom of travel' was available 'immediately'. Thousands of East Berliners arrived at the wall, demanding to be let through. After it was clear the people outweighed the guards and it appeared sanctioned, the gates were opened at 11:30pm, effectively reuniting family and friends who had been separated for almost 30 years.
President Barack Obama inaugurated (2008)
Source: The Obama White House
How you feel about politics aside, the election for the first-ever black President in the White House, USA was an iconic moment in history, and was one of the most observed events ever by the global audience. African American TV presenter Sherri Shepherd recalled the time, saying she woke her son up and for the first time in her life, could truly say to him 'You don't have to have limitations' on what he wanted to be.
Gay marriage legalised in in Australia (2017)
Source: Washington Post
Australia took an embarrassingly long time to get its shit together on this one. Like, I remember celebrating and my Dutch friend, who had gay marriage legalised in 2001, looked at me like I was from a bygone era. And she was absolutely correct. The point is, the vote on gay marriage came through with overwhelming support from the Australian public, finally once and for all allowing gay and lesbian people to be seen as equal in all parts of the law. I'm not crying, you're crying!
The Chilean Mine Accident (2010)
Source: PBS News Hour
The world on watched in horror when 33 workers were trapped in the San Jose gold and copper mine in 2010. Trapped over 800m underground, nutrients and communication devices were fed through holes as their rescue got underway. Astonishingly, all 33 survived for an incredible 69 days as the world rejoiced in their freedom above ground.
96 year old man graduates university in Italy (2020)
Source: Reuters
This story is only a few days old at the time of writing, but melted my heart so much I just had to share. Italy's oldest student, 96-year-old Giuseppe Paterno, graduated with a degree in philosophy from the University of Palermo. The former WWII veteran, railway worker and grandfather was too poor to attend in his youth, and was able to finally 'realise his dream' in 2020. Aw!
Giant pandas are no longer endangered (2016)
Source: CNN
I'm weirdly into pandas. Like, not in a creepy way, but they are totes up there with flamingos as my favourite animal. In Grade 5, we had to do a presentation on our fav animal, but I misunderstood the assignment and thought we had to come DRESSED as said animal. Cue my face painted like a full-blown panda, while the rest of the class watched on, SANS paint, talking in the first person (first animal?) as I said shit like 'I love bamboo. Mmm, so chewy' and walked around all day with ears, two painted black eyes and a white face. Why was I not bullied more?
Aspirations to become a fully-fledged panda aside, things were looking dire when it was reported there were only 3000 of them left in the whole world. As the symbol of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), they reported in 2016 that there had been a 17% increase in the panda population, moving them from 'endangered' to 'vulnerable'. Must be all that chewy bamboo. Mmm.
___
Got a happy news story to share?
