As everyone reflects on 2022 as it comes to a close, a lot of major events -- some not so positive -- may come to mind. But there were plenty of happy times in 2022, from unicorn permits to seemingly-impossible reunions to a community banding together and helping a man who was carjacked on live TV, there were plenty of silver linings.
Take a journey back, and share less of the doom and gloom with your friends.
Australian Sheepdog Stolen Inside Camper is Reunited With Traveling Nurse
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A nurse whose 6-year-old Australian sheepdog was stolen along with her camper was reunited with her beloved pet after both the dog and camper had been found.
The heartwarming reunion between Mason Gray, a traveling pediatric nurse, and her dog Bexley, took place outside the Los Angeles Police Department's station in Florence, after a detective called Gray to give her the good news.
"Hi baby! I missed you so much!" Gray said as her dog ran toward her.
Bexley wasted no time jumping straight into Gray's arms.
Mason Gray described the moment she discovered her camper had been stolen. Inside was everything she owns, including her canine companion.
"I didn't know it was real. It felt like a dream."
See the full story here.
It's Corn! It May Not Have Been a SoCal Story, But Corn Kid Touched Hearts Across the Nation
The viral corn kid who touched hearts on a viral social media series called "Recess Therapy" was officially named the Corn-bassador of South Dakota after professing his love of the "big lump with knobs."
And when he tried corn with butter? Everything changed.
The video that just has to put a smile on your face even inspired a viral song mashing up Tariq's words with a catchy beat.
Read more about the irresistible corn kid here.
8-Year-Old Girl Battling Cancer Becomes Honorary Rams Cheerleader
Delilah Loya had to make the list of people who make us smile.
She lives in Bakersfield but is now at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles battling stage four neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that forms in the nerve cells.
Delilah had a dream of becoming an LA Rams cheerleader, and thanks to a helpful influencer and the Rams, it came true.
Read more here.
Girl's Handwritten Request to License Unicorn Granted by LA County Animal Care
A girl named Madeline has a serious and honestly, extremely valid request.
She sent a note to Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control asking that if she can find a unicorn, does she have approval to keep it in her backyard.
The sweet hand-written note touched the hearts of animal care staff, who responded pre-approved unicorn license.
Read more here.
Watch: Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw Has Touching Moment With Young Fan Who Lost His Grandfather to Cancer
A 10-year-old got to cross an item off his late grandfather's bucket list when he met Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw.
Seriously, just try to watch this and not cry.
"I want to quickly tell you a story," Blake began. "My grandpa loved you. He watched the 1988 World Series. He wanted to meet you and Vin Scully one day. So this moment is important for me, because I'm meeting you for him. He was from Redondo Beach and a little while ago he died from brain cancer."
Blake began to cry and Kershaw got up from his seat behind the podium and gave the 10-year-old hug.
See the full story here.
USC's Cardinal Divas Dance Their Way Into the Spotlight With Viral TikTok
No majorette dance team at USC? No problem.
USC Junior Princess Isis Lang was in search of joining a team that performed majorette dancing, which is a tradition at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), but no team at USC existed.
So she pushed to create the Cardinal Divas of SC and make them USC official.
See the story here.
$94K Raised for Landscaper After His New Work Truck Was Carjack During a Pursuit on Live TV
This one was hard to believe if you didn't see it happen in real time.
A pursuit driver who stole multiple cars during a wild, demolition derby style pursuit -- if that wasn't all enough -- took it to the next level.
While on live TV, he ran into an innocent Angeleno's home, grabbed the man's work truck keys, and despite the landscaper trying to stop him, stole the truck.
It was destroyed during the pursuit, and shot at by police.
See the full story here.
Hundreds of Beagles Are Headed to SoCal Shelters After Rescue From Virginia Breeding Facility
Around 200 lovable hounds arrived at Southern California shelters in July, after a rescue operation at a Virginia laboratory breeding facility accused of animal abuse left thousands of beagles in need of better homes.
That rescue operation made national headlines. Several animal rescue organizations "embarked on a historic operation" to save around 4,000 dogs from a Cumberland, Virginia facility owned and operated by Envigo RMS LLC, according to a Humane Society of the United States release about the mission.
"This is a huge mission, and we cannot say thank you enough to our drivers, the whole team back home, and most of all - you, who help make this possible," Priceless Pet Rescue said in the post from Thursday, July 21. "These missions take so much planning, work, stress, and most of all teamwork to pull off. We are thankful for the Humane Society stepping in and handling the dispersing of all dogs and making sure they go to safe, loving, forever homes instead of the inevitable."
See more here.
