It wasn’t all bad

Shue Vang never thought he’d see the view from Angels Landing. Having lost the use of his legs to muscular dystrophy, the schoolteacher knew climbing the 5,800-foot-tall rock in Utah’s Zion National Park was not an option. But Vang, 29, recently made that hike with help from 32 volunteers from the health nonprofit F5 Challenge, who used harnesses, a special backpack, and their own strength to carry Vang to the summit. “The best feeling wasn’t just getting to the top,” he said, “but having all those people be willing to help me get there.”

When Steve Braithwaite was pulled over by a Michigan State Police trooper, he was sure he was going to get a ticket. Instead, the officer just wanted to take a closer look at his car—his yellow, banana-shaped convertible. Braithwaite, 59, has spent two years cruising America in the custom car as part of his “The World Needs More Whimsy Grand Tour.” As trooper Bill Strouse checked the vehicle’s lights, Braithwaite explained how he was funding his odyssey by offering pay-what-you-can rides. Strouse handed back Braithwaite’s license—with a $20 tip. It was “quite amazing,” says Braithwaite, who hopes to give the trooper a free ride sometime.

A bagel shop manager drove nearly 200 miles to help a customer in a whole lot of trouble. Diana Chong left her car running when she dashed into Bagels 101 in Middle Island, N.Y., to grab snacks for a road trip to Honesdale, Pa. When she reached her destination four hours later, she realized she’d left her key fob on the store counter. Unable to restart the car, she called locksmiths and dealerships, but they were all closed for the weekend. Eventually, she phoned Bagels 101 and manager Vinny Proscia said he’d drive the fob over himself. He made the 189-mile journey in six hours. “This act of kindness,” said Chong, “is just unheard of.” ■