Awesome Inspiring

“From the perspective of human history, most of us are unlikely.” Pursuit of Wonder uses statistics to remind us that the vast majority of humans never made it past adolescence. The good things we enjoy, as well as the insanity we endure as adults, are novelties. We’re all new to this, so let’s be kinder to each other and to ourselves.

This documentary short film by Scott Krahn and Robb Fischer introduces us to three women who participate in a bowling league. While that may sound mundane, what makes their story compelling is that all of them live with visual impairments. It’s a charming tale of friendship and positivity in the face of obstacles.

Most DoorDash and GrubHub deliveries are made using gas-guzzling cars sitting in traffic. Zipline hopes to change that with drones that hover 400 feet up, then lower a small delivery unit to quietly and safely drop off small packages. Mark Rober explains the tech and how Zipline has been saving lives with their existing drones.

In May 1964, Dick Van Dyke attended a civil rights event alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He read a speech written by Rod Serling about humanity, brotherhood, and equality. At age 97, the beloved actor and entertainer read the speech again, reminding us how important it is to embrace our fellow humans.

We can only imagine that being born as conjoined twins has its challenges. The guys from Jubilee sat down with conjoined twins Carmen and Lupita for a candid and engaging “ask me anything” style interview covering topics like how they date, their career plans, and how different their personalities are. (Thanks, Rob!)

Director Kim Gehrig created this warm and fuzzy promo spot for Airbnb about a family of long-haired monsters enjoying a relaxing lakeside vacation. The commercial aims to encourage inclusivity for hosts in a delightfully effective way. We just wouldn’t want to have to clean monster hair out of our hot tub.

Guinness World Records introduces us to Zion Clark, a wrestler, athlete, and inspiration to all. Zion was born without legs due to a rare genetic syndrome, but that hasn’t stopped him from running faster than most people who have legs. Zion’s dream is to become a wrestling champ and medal-winning Olympian.

Brazilian musician Johnatha Bastos was born with partially-formed arms. But he doesn’t let that get in his way. As he proves in this awesome guitar cover of Sweet Child O’ Mine, talent and tenacity can help overcome any physical challenge. Oh, and he plays keyboards too.

Athlete Stacy Kohut broke his back in an accident in 1992. That hasn’t stopped him from continuing his pursuit of outdoor thrills. With the help of a custom 4-wheel bike, he rips through downhill courses like a boss. Enjoy an exciting ride through Whistler Bike Park in this film by Chris Ricci, then learn more about Stacy’s story.

Since 2018, Bernie Bergan has lived with a spinal injury that limits mobility in his legs. But that doesn’t stop the Norwegian from carrying out his job as a professional truck driver. In this video, Bernie shows how he gets into the cab of his 18-wheeler like a boss. He controls the truck’s gas and brakes with hand controls.

Nurse and musician Manani Ito tragically lost her arm in a car accident back in 2004. Despite the challenges, she has figured out a way to continue playing the violin, using a custom prosthetic that attaches to her shoulder, and lets her control the bow’s movement.

Musician Darrius Simmons is living proof that no matter what obstacles may stand in your way, it’s possible to overcome them. Despite having only four fingers, Darrius is a brilliant piano player. In this clip from the 2019 Not Impossible awards, he performs his original composition Dreams Are Forever.

Being in a plane crash is one of our worst nightmares. UNILAD sat down with Jamie Hull, a former British serviceman who survived after his plane caught fire 1000 feet in the air. Despite the inferno around him, Jamie kept his composure to save his own life. His account of the incident is both a terrifying and inspiring story of survival.

“Start building bridges instead of dead ends. Love our neighbors. Make amends.” Actor and author Matthew McConaughey offers up some sage advice for Americans, reminding us that if we work together instead of against each other, we can achieve greatness, even in the face of all the adversity that 2020 has thrown our way.

Nursing homes have been on a lonely lockdown for months. Robert Speker, activities coordinator for the UK’s Sydmar Lodge care home, decided to entertain residents by recreating famous LP covers with their photos. All funds from their GoFundMe campaign benefit Alzheimers Society, Age UK, and Dementia Friends.

Humble Bundle offers great deals on games, software, and ebooks, while doing good for the world around us. Now, they’ve kicked off a $1 million annual fund to help black game developers produce, market, and distribute their titles via Humble Games. Developers interested in the program can apply here.