5 examples of humans being amazing

CNN

(CNN) — People have been pretty amazing lately.

Sometimes these stories get buried underneath the daily clutter of social media updates, news programs and workplace conversations.

But we noticed. And decided it’s just not fair to keep all this goodness to ourselves.

So here are 5 examples of humans being awesome. We hope it brightens your weekend.

The Florida police officer who bought groceries for a shoplifter and her children says she did it “just because I needed to.”

“She touched me,” Miami-Dade Police Officer Vicki Thomas told CNN. “I could relate,” Thomas said. “I was a single mom and, without the help of my family, that could have been me.”

Thomas’ act of generosity made national news and brought offers of help to the woman in need, Jessica Robles, and even a possible job opportunity. Robles told CNN affiliate WSVN she was desperate and had no money to pay for groceries for her daughter and two young sons. According to Miami-Dade Police, Robles walked out of a Publix supermarket in late September with a cart carrying $300 worth of groceries. She hadn’t paid for them.

Thomas looked at Robles’ criminal history and didn’t find any major charges, WSVN reported. Instead of being taken into custody, Robles was issued a notice to appear in court and charged with a misdemeanor. Thomas decided — in addition to telling Robles about food banks, churches and other places she could get food — she was going to help Robles and her family.

“I made the decision to buy her some groceries because arresting her wasn’t going to solve the problem with her children being hungry,” she said.

A waiter was thanked for his excellent service during a recent meal at Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Overland Park, Kansas. But that thank you came with an anti-gay message, and without a tip.

The man and his mother, who also works as a hostess told affiliate KCTV, they were very upset by what was written on the back of the check earlier this week after he waited on a couple.

The note read, “Thank you for your service, it was excellent. That being said, we cannot in good conscience tip you, for your homosexual lifestyle is an affront to GOD. (Homosexual slur) do not share in the wealth of GOD, and you will not share in ours,” the customer wrote. “We hope you will see the tip your (homosexual slur) choices made you lose out on, and plan accordingly. It is never too late for GOD’s love, but none shall be spared for (homosexual slur). May GOD have mercy on you.”

Since word has spread through social media, other customers are coming in to offer words of encouragement and tip the young server extra.

A beloved family doctor from Chaska, Minnesota, loved his patients and his ice cream.

When he died, to honor his memory, his family visited their pop’s favorite Dairy Queen and gave $200 to pay for everybody’s treat, a sweet reminder of the man they loved.

Then, the people who received that free ice cream, paid it forward, too. Customers spent $700 for everybody for the entire day.

In a great coincidence, the Dairy Queen clerk was Joey Prusak. He’s the young manager who saw a customer steal a blind man’s money, and refused to serve her unless she gave it back. When she wouldn’t, he dipped into his own pocket to help and Warren Buffet called him with praise.

Andi Davis had no idea her regular hike would wind up making national news.

Davis had hiked about a half mile uphill last Friday, October 18, along a deserted trail in Phoenix when she found the black and white pit bull, suffering from bullet wounds, said Arizona Humane Society spokeswoman Bretta Nelson in an e-mail.

She hesitated for a moment before approaching the dog, Nelson said. But when he lifted his head as she reached for her water bottle, Davis put her apprehension aside, gave him a drink and then lifted the 47-pound dog into her arms, Nelson said. Then, she began walking. And she kept going until the dog was in the hands of veterinarians.

We saved the best for last.

An Oklahoma mother of four is in the spotlight this week after she turned the tables on a man whom she believed stole her wallet. Jessica Eaves from Guthrie, Oklahoma, said she was grocery shopping earlier this month when she noticed that her wallet was missing. Instead of calling for help, she told affiliate KOCO, she handled the situation on her own.

“I approached him and said, ‘Sir, my wallet’s missing out of my purse and you were the only other person in the aisle,'” Eaves said.

She gave the man an ultimatum. Eaves told him he could either give her the wallet back and she would buy him some groceries or she would take his photo and call the police.

“He just kind of stared at me for a second and he reached into his hoodie pocket and handed it to me,” Eaves said. After she purchased $27 worth of groceries, Eaves said the man started crying and apologized for his desperate act.

“The last thing he said to me was, ‘I’m embarrassed, I have kids, I’m broke and I’m sorry,'” she told KOCO.

Do you have an example of someone being awesome you think is worth sharing? Please send it to dorrine.mendoza@turner.com.