Goodable

In a moving full-circle moment, Carrie Underwood reunited with Make-A-Wish alum Noel Miller, whom she first met in 2008 when Miller, then 12 and battling a heart condition, got her wish to meet the country star.

Now 28 and a dedicated WishMaker herself, Miller joined Underwood onstage during the finale of her Las Vegas residency to perform the chart-topping hit All-American Girl.

“That was so awesome, to be able to reunite with my idol, so great!” Miller said.

Underwood presented a donation to Make-A-Wish America of more than $200,000, representing $1 from every ticket sold in the residency.

April is World Wish Month and 2025 is the 45th anniversary of Make-A-Wish, the organization told Storyful.

In a moving full-circle moment, Carrie Underwood reunited with Make-A-Wish alum Noel Miller, whom she first met in 2008 when Miller, then 12 and battling a heart condition, got her wish to meet the country star. Now 28 and a dedicated WishMaker herself, Miller joined Underwood onstage during the finale of her Las Vegas residency to perform the chart-topping hit All-American Girl. “That was so awesome, to be able to reunite with my idol, so great!” Miller said. Underwood presented a donation to Make-A-Wish America of more than $200,000, representing $1 from every ticket sold in the residency. April is World Wish Month and 2025 is the 45th anniversary of Make-A-Wish, the organization told Storyful.

Carrie Underwood Just Had an Epic Reunion With a Make-A-Wish Alum

People

Ryan Cochran-Siegle isn’t just heading to his third Olympics this February — he’s continuing one of the most storied legacies in American alpine skiing.

Born into the legendary “Skiing Cochrans” family of Vermont, Ryan is the son of Olympic gold medallist Barbara Cochran, who triumphed in women’s slalom at the 1972 Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan. His mother grew up training on trails carved by her father on the family’s Richmond farm — now the non-profit Cochran’s Ski Area. That same slope shaped generations of Cochrans and remains a local hub for junior ski training and affordable access to the sport.

Ryan’s connection to that legacy is deep. He was raised in Starksboro, just down the road from the family hill, where Barbara taught skiing for 40 years. Ryan began skiing at age two and says Vermont instilled in him values like humility, hard work, and respect.

Barbara wasn’t the only Olympian in the family. Her siblings — Marilyn, Bobby, and Lindy — all raced for Team USA. Their children, including four of Ryan’s cousins, have competed as well. But Ryan says his family’s success never felt like a burden.

“My family has always just said they’re proud of me,” he told NBC in 2022. “For me, it’s been motivating.”

Barbara and her ex-husband, Drew Cochran, raised two children together — Cate and Ryan — before divorcing in 1993. Ryan also has a sister, Melanie. Cate, now a mom of two, has watched Ryan become the next chapter in a legacy that started with backyard ski trails and Olympic dreams.

At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Ryan became the only American Alpine skier to win a medal, earning silver in the men’s super-G. It was a comeback few saw coming, following a near career-ending crash in 2021 that left him with a broken neck. He underwent spinal fusion surgery but returned stronger — a recovery he credits largely to his mother’s support.

“She taught me that a positive mindset can carry you through the toughest moments,” Ryan said in a 2025 Team USA profile. “That joy is where the magic begins — and that’s how I found my own Olympic path.”

Now, as Ryan heads to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, his parents remain his biggest supporters. Barbara, unable to attend his Beijing podium moment in person, watched with nerves and pride from afar.

“I was nervous. I was excited. I was trembling. I was crying. It was just like everything all packed in together,” she told PEOPLE in 2022. “I knew he could do it… but when it did, it was unbelievable.”

Meanwhile, Drew sent a quiet message of encouragement just before the race: “You're in my heart all the time and now is your time to fly down this hill.”

Now 31, Ryan Cochran-Siegle will step onto the Olympic stage once again — not to match his family’s past, but to continue carving his own line down the mountain.

This Olympic Skier is Celebrating a Legacy Of His Gold Medal-Winning Mom Barbara Cochran

CNBC

Matt Richards had used a smartphone since he was 11. Like most of Gen Z, the 23-year-old account manager grew up swiping through Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. But last year, he deleted every social media app from his phone — and hasn’t looked back.

“I think people back then used to take a break from the real world by going on their phone, but now people are taking a break from their phone to spend time in the real world,” Richards told CNBC Make It.

The shift wasn’t just personal. Richards started noticing that more and more of his friends were logging off too. They reported the same benefits: stronger real-world connections, better focus, and less anxiety from comparing their lives to filtered highlight reels.

What began as a personal decision is now a growing movement. Going offline — even if only partially — is suddenly catching on with Gen Z and millennials. There’s been a spike in TikTok posts about deleting social apps, switching to flip phones, and picking up hobbies like knitting, journaling, or collecting vinyl. Even that irony isn’t lost on the people posting about it.

A recent LinkedIn post asking for stories about social media detoxes drew nearly 100 replies from young people, many eager to talk about their burnout. Some said they’d swapped smartphones for brick phones. Others talked about reconnecting with friends over lunch dates and handwritten letters. All of them shared the sense that life felt more grounded once they stepped back from their screens.

Data backs it up. A 2025 Deloitte survey found that nearly a quarter of all British consumers had deleted a social media app in the past year. Among Gen Z, that number jumped to nearly a third. Global time spent on social platforms peaked in 2022 and has declined since, according to a joint analysis by the Financial Times and digital research firm GWI. By the end of 2024, adults over 16 were spending an average of two hours and 20 minutes per day on social media — down almost 10 percent.

Jason Dorsey, president of the Center for Generational Kinetics, says younger generations are increasingly turned off by the chaos and commercialization of their feeds. “We’re seeing that a group of Gen Z [and millennials] is choosing to leave social media entirely, and probably a larger group that’s choosing just to limit social media as they sort of regain more of what they’re trying to find: balance and security and safety in their life,” he told CNBC Make It.

For Richards, social media had become less about fun and more about pressure. “I feel like social media is now more like a pressure platform … you’re being sold everything, everywhere,” he said. He often felt like he hadn’t done enough with his life — that he wasn’t successful enough, stylish enough, or social enough.

Richards added that being offline now comes with a certain mystique. “We’re definitely seeing a trend where people that are offline, unreachable, have a sort of cool factor around them,” he said. “This person doesn’t need validation from how many likes or followers they have.”

Lucy Stace, a 36-year-old entrepreneur, felt something similar. Even though social media was important for her business, she found it draining. “We are just inundated all of the time with so much information … our brains aren’t capable of handling that much information,” she said. “We’re actually diminishing our brain’s capacity to be able to look inward and listen to ourselves.”

That sensory overload isn’t accidental. Dorsey points to the pressure tech giants face to monetize every inch of user attention. “Gen Z, who are already sensitive to being advertised to — they are the most advertised-to generation in the history of the world — now they’re getting advertised to even more and their feeds feel just commercial after commercial,” he said.

Even the cultural cachet of social media is wearing off. Julianna Salguero, a 31-year-old social media manager, said things started to shift when politicians and corporate brands flooded the platforms. “The more that we see brands and government officials and everybody being as online as you are, as a casual user, the more you’re going to want to pull back and switch it,” she said.

In a Substack post titled “How to have an analog fall,” Salguero offered a roadmap for living offline: write letters, buy physical newspapers, go on in-person lunch dates. “The going analog of it all isn’t necessarily throwing my phone into the ocean,” she said. “It’s more about ‘how do I reset my relationship with it?’”

For Stace and her boyfriend, that reset includes building a vinyl record collection. For Richards, it’s led to something more drastic — he’s now considering buying a brick phone, too.

Still, not everyone sees the trend as permanent. GWI analyst Chris Beer says it may just be a “post-pandemic correction” rather than a full-on rejection of digital life. “Social media is still very integrated into people’s lives in areas including shopping, news and education,” he noted.

But for people like Richards, the difference is real and lasting. Logging off helped him reclaim time, energy, and confidence — without the need for an algorithm to tell him what to want.

“I just feel better,” he said. “Like I’ve got my time back.”

Going Offline Is the New Cool: Why Gen Z is Logging Off, Buying Vinyl and Reclaiming Their Time

GoodGoodGood

Here’s a roundup of the most hopeful, inspiring and meaningful stories from across the globe. From climate wins to acts of solidarity and creativity, here’s the good that’s worth celebrating:

🌱 Planet Wins

U.S. Forests Absorbing Record Carbon Levels
A new study shows U.S. forests are absorbing 66 million metric tons more CO₂ annually than they did in 2005. Older, maturing forests are key — and the findings will help shape smarter conservation policy.

Solar Panels Last Longer Than Expected
Panels tested in Switzerland have been running since the 1980s and still produce over 80% of their original output. With only 0.25% performance loss per year, solar proves even more sustainable than previously thought.

Germany Launches World’s First Floating Vertical Solar Plant
The new plant, designed to catch sunlight from both sides throughout the day, floats on water and powers an entire gravel facility.

The Hague Orders Dutch Government to Protect Island from Climate Change
The court ruled the Netherlands must protect the Caribbean island of Bonaire from rising seas — a landmark win for climate justice.

🏳️‍🌈 Visibility & Progress

UC Berkeley Students Make 300,000 Edits to Preserve LGBTQ+ History
Students have quietly been editing and creating Wikipedia entries focused on queer and trans people of color, garnering 96 million views and preserving critical history in the process.

🐾 Animals & Nature

Beagles Rescued from Euthanasia Find New Home on a Wyoming Farm
A group of lucky pups now live beside pigs, goats, and sheep — a total transformation from the fate they narrowly escaped.

Two Endangered Seal Pups Rescued Off the California Coast
The Guadalupe fur seals are now recovering thanks to fast-acting conservationists.

California Aquarium Doubles Capacity for Sea Turtle Rehab
With a new 4,000-gallon tank, the Aquarium of the Pacific can now care for more injured sea turtles — and educate the public in real time.

🧵 Creative Action

Kristen Stewart Buys LA Theater for the Community
The actor plans to turn the historic movie theater into a space open to all, not just cinephiles.

Sound Shirts Let Deaf Concertgoers Feel the Music
A high-tech shirt equipped with 16 haptic sensors transforms sound into touch — making live music more inclusive than ever.

💪 Everyday Heroes

Maryland Man Walks Shelter Dogs Daily — Even on Holidays
Since 2018, Darren Genson has walked four to six dogs every morning before work, especially focusing on those considered “unadoptable.”

📈 Good News in Numbers

Homicides in England & Wales Reach Lowest Rate Since Records Began
Knife-related killings dropped by 23%, and London saw its lowest homicide count in over a decade.

Middle-Class Mexicans Now Outnumber Those in Poverty
The Mexican middle class grew by more than 12 percentage points between 2018 and 2024.

More Than 170 Countries Agree to Phase Out Climate-Harming Gases
Hydrofluorocarbons — potent greenhouse gases used in cooling — are on their way out.

🧊 Hockey & Heat

Italian Olympic Hockey Player is Also a Climate Scientist
Jacquie Pierri is using her platform to raise awareness of the environmental costs of indoor ice sports — and advocate for change through EcoAthletes. She says, " [There's] No Hockey on a Planet That Can’t Sustain It."

Here's Some Good News You Might Have Missed This Week

YR - Newmarket News

When Diana and David Whitfield first dreamed of working with children, they imagined teaching. Instead, they’re about to open a toy store.

The couple, both self-described “kids at heart,” are launching Tommy’s Toys and Treasures in Newmarket later this month — a new business built on the bones of a beloved one. The shop, located at 226 Main Street South, opens February 20 and will serve as a spiritual successor to Little Rae Goods, which closed in December.

“We always thought of doing something in that line of work one day,” Diana said. “When this opportunity arose, it just felt like the universe being, 'Are you sure you want it? Well, here it is. Are you gonna do it?' We couldn’t pass it up.”

For years, the Whitfields had been regulars at Little Rae Goods, visiting with their young son — and sometimes just for themselves. Diana described it as “magical” and “peaceful,” the kind of place they’d quietly dreamed of running. So when news broke around Christmas that the shop was closing, they saw their chance.

The former owner, Sherry Paynani, had decided to step away as her family prepared for a move to Costa Rica. “I could no longer spend enough time at the store to ensure continued success and a high level of customer service,” she said. “Rather than compromise the experience or the quality of service, I felt it was the right moment to step back.”

Paynani has since been working closely with the Whitfields to help them transition into the space. “I was genuinely thrilled, as Newmarket truly benefits from having a thoughtfully curated, high-quality toy store,” she said.

For Diana, it meant leaving her job as an engineer to go all-in on the new business. That leap has come with a steep learning curve — and a lot of unboxing.

“This is like Christmas, opening up all these toys,” she said. “It’s really exciting. I can’t wait to see people come in and then chat with families and build relationships.”

The vision for Tommy’s Toys and Treasures goes beyond just selling toys. The Whitfields plan to offer a selection of open-ended, thoughtfully chosen items — things that spark creativity and keep kids engaged. But they also want the store to become a community hub, with future plans for playdates, storytimes, crafts, and even STEM camps in partnership with Life Gears Academy.

“It’s just starting as a toy store,” Diana said, “but really working to be a community hub.”

Early support from the community has already poured in through social media, and the couple plans to open during the Ice Lounge weekend on Main Street.

The store, Diana says, will have something for everyone — not just kids. “The experience is what people come for,” she said. “I look forward to getting to know people and seeing familiar faces come through the door.”

New Toy Store Brings Whimsy and Community Spirit to Main Street Newmarket

YR - Aurora News

For most people, maple syrup is something you pick up at the store, pour on pancakes, and forget about. But for Josh Ponton, it’s become something much bigger — a passion, a business, and a mission to show Canadians there’s more to maple than meets the eye.

Launched just months ago by Ponton and co-founder Hannah Pegg, Maple Monthly is a subscription box that delivers carefully curated maple products from Canadian producers to your door. Customers can choose from monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly deliveries, each featuring syrups and treats sourced from different maple farms across the country.

“I was on a maple syrup tasting experience in Quebec,” said Ponton, who now lives in Ottawa. “Honestly, it was a mind-blowing experience because my whole life syrup was just something you found at the grocery store and poured on your pancakes.”

That tasting changed everything. “There was no complexity or diversity to it,” he said of grocery store syrup. “But after this tasting, and hearing how they spoke about these syrups, it reminded me a lot of wine tasting. There are so many layers and complexities depending on the forest it came from, the region, how they harvest, and other factors.”

From that lightbulb moment, Maple Monthly was born. And while Ponton has a background in tech, he’s now fully immersed in the sweet world of syrup.

The idea is simple but smart: shine a spotlight on Canada’s 6,000-plus maple producers — many of whom are too small to get national attention — and help Canadians discover the richness of their own backyard. Recently, Maple Monthly partnered with Maple Orchard Farm in Bracebridge, and Ponton says he’ll be visiting the region this spring to scout more products.

“Behind every bottle of maple syrup is a producer who knows their forest by heart,” reads the company’s website. “We partner directly with Canadian maple farmers who have spent generations perfecting their craft, tapping trees with care and turning sap into something truly special.”

The boxes, priced between $50 and $60, include syrup and other maple treats, including rare and regionally unique offerings. Subscribers get access to producers and products they wouldn’t find on store shelves.

Not every farmer has been quick to jump in. Ponton admits some were hesitant to associate their brand with a new venture. But as the word spreads, that’s changing.

“We’re lucky we found some really amazing ones who have worked with us, allowed us to come in and learn their story, and learn about their products,” he said. “And with time, we’re getting more attention and feedback from other producers.”

For Ponton — who spent much of his early life in Barbados before moving back to Canada for university in Calgary — the company is also about building connections: between people, between regions, and between traditions.

“Our goal is to cover every area of the map,” he said. “This is a really good platform for these producers as they get to share their products with subscribers across Canada instead of just within their region.”

With Maple Monthly, the syrup isn’t just sweet — it tells a story. And if Ponton has his way, more Canadians will be tasting the difference.

Canadian Startup Curates Unique Maple Syrup Experiences In A Box

USA Today

Ilia Malinin, known around the skating world as the “Quad God,” is set to make his Olympic debut in Milan, and expectations couldn’t be higher.

The 21-year-old American is the only skater in history to land a quadruple Axel in international competition — figure skating’s most difficult and elusive jump, involving four and a half rotations in the air before landing backward. If he does it again at the 2026 Winter Olympics, it will mark the first time the move has ever been landed in Olympic competition.

Malinin, a two-time world champion, is the headline name on a powerhouse U.S. men's figure skating team that includes veterans Andrew Torgashev and Maxim Naumov. Torgashev, 24, is a two-time U.S. national silver medalist, and Naumov, also 24, is this year’s national bronze medalist.

Together, they form one of the strongest U.S. teams in recent Olympic memory — and Malinin could make history.

The Physics of a Quad Axel

The quad Axel is in a class of its own. Unlike other jumps that take off backwards, the Axel begins from a forward edge, making it the only jump with an extra half rotation. That means Malinin has to complete 4.5 revolutions mid-air in under one second — just 0.79 seconds, to be exact, according to Ice Skating International.

Landing it requires absolute precision. Skaters must pull their limbs tightly to generate rotational speed, overcoming centrifugal forces of up to 180 pounds — more than their own body weight — just to stay aligned in the air. A slight lapse in tightness, and the jump fails.

Malinin mastered the move in 2022 at the U.S. International Classic in Lake Placid, becoming the first person to land it cleanly in any competition.

Two Olympic Routines

To compete with the world’s best, Malinin will need to deliver not just the quad Axel but a full arsenal of quads, including lutz, flip, salchow, and toe loop — many performed in rapid combination.

The men's short program is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 7, with the free skate set for Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Milano Ice Skating Arena — a state-of-the-art venue just outside the city center that also hosts short track and ice hockey events. The ice surface is kept between 22–26 degrees Fahrenheit to allow for optimal glide and edge control, with no rink markings to distract skaters.

The Rise of a Star

Born to figure skating parents — both of whom represented Uzbekistan — Malinin has rapidly emerged as one of the sport’s most exciting and technically daring performers. While other skaters rely on artistry, Malinin brings both performance and unmatched technical firepower.

And he’s not just focused on landing jumps.

“Ilia is changing what we thought was possible in men’s figure skating,” said NBC commentator Johnny Weir. “He’s not only pushing the envelope, he’s rewriting the whole thing.”

Ilia Malinin Set to Make Olympic Debut, and Quad Axel History, at Milan-Cortina 2026

BBC News

What started as one man's effort to process his own grief has grown into a community lifeline for dozens in North Lincolnshire.

Gareth Morrison, 44, founded the Good to Talk walking group in Barton-Upon-Humber in August last year after losing close friends to suicide and facing his own mental health struggles. Less than a year in, the group is drawing nearly 60 people to its Sunday walks — and transforming lives along the way.

“One gentleman said it’s changed his life,” Morrison said. “We’ve had people who were feeling very low tell me it’s given them purpose.”

The group’s aim is simple but powerful: to offer people a safe, welcoming space to walk, talk, and connect — whether they’re battling mental health issues, loneliness, or just looking to make friends.

“Everyone is welcome whatever their situation,” Morrison said. “The main aim of the walks is helping as many people as possible.”

The walks, which are free and open to all ages and backgrounds, often end with a visit to a local pub or café, giving participants a chance to keep chatting and socialising. Some come to open up, others just to enjoy the company.

“A lot of friendships have been made here,” Morrison said. “We have had a lot of single people who are quite nervous at first, but now you can’t shut them up.”

Morrison, who works as a welder, said the response to the group has been overwhelmingly positive. Participation has more than doubled since it began, and the community that’s formed is tight-knit and supportive.

“It’s just about making people feel like they’re not alone,” he said.

With no pressure to talk and no cost to join, Good to Talk is doing what its name promises — giving people space to connect, feel heard, and take that first step toward healing.

"It's Changed My Life": How This Walking Group is Bringing Connection and Purpose

Robert Irwin isn’t just wrangling wildlife these days — he’s also hunting down stuffed animals across the globe for his 4-year-old niece, Grace Warrior.

The Dancing with the Stars champ and wildlife conservationist, 22, told PEOPLE he never returns from a trip without a plush souvenir for Grace, the daughter of his sister Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell.

"I always have to. Usually, it's a plush toy," Irwin said at the 2026 NFL Honors in San Francisco, where he’s attending his first-ever Super Bowl. “I'll go somewhere. I'll be like, 'I'm going to Africa. What animal do you want?' And she'll be like, 'A hippopotamus.'”

His niece’s requests tend to follow a theme. “Or if I'm going to America, she's like, 'You have to bring back a mountain lion.' So I have to find a little plush animal everywhere I go, and she's got her little collection. Mate, uncle duties, I take it very seriously," he said.

This time around? “Ooh, she's in a whale phase right now,” Irwin shared with a grin. “We may have to go the whale route.”

Robert and Grace share a close bond. When he was competing on Dancing with the Stars, Bindi brought Grace and her husband Chandler to Los Angeles to cheer Robert on. Grace even got to join one of his rehearsals — and by the looks of it, she stole the spotlight.

Back in November, Bindi posted a photo of Grace dressed in a sparkly green outfit, arms overhead in a pose as she stood next to her uncle and his dance partner Witney Carson. Bindi, who won Season 21 of the show with Derek Hough, captioned the post, “Her favourite part? ‘Dance Class’ with Witney and Uncle Robert. 🥹 My. Heart. #TeamIrWINit.”

A few weeks earlier, Bindi shared more photos of Grace excited for a live taping of the show, including a mother-daughter twirl session in matching pink floral dresses.

“Dancing all the way to @dancingwiththestars. 💕” Bindi wrote in the caption.

It’s clear Grace isn’t the only one enjoying the ride. Whether it’s plush whales, sparkly dance dresses, or cheering from the sidelines, Robert’s role as uncle is one he’s embracing — with heart and humor.

Robert Irwin Reveals Heartwarming Tradition He Keeps for Niece Grace, 4, During Travels

ABC - Australia

Jackson Mackay didn’t set out to break a world record when he joined a gym. But 18 months after starting weight training, the nine-year-old from Australia’s Sunshine Coast has done just that — and he’s already planning for the next one.

In January, Jackson hoisted 80 kilograms in a deadlift, surpassing the previous record of 72 kilograms for boys aged 7 to 9. The lift was verified by Kids World Records, which awarded him the title for Heaviest Deadlift in his age group.

"I can't believe I just beat a world record. That's insane, I never thought it would come to this," Jackson said after the lift.

It all began with a spur-of-the-moment decision.

"I just woke up and… because I was at the gym, I'm like, 'Well, gyms are for weights, so I'm gonna break a world record,'" he recalled.

He trained three hours a week using a hex bar to build core strength, eventually progressing to a standard straight bar for the record-setting lift. The result was emotional — not just for him, but for his family and coach.

"[My parents were] jumping up and down in excitement and, like, impressed and… my mum even cried," Jackson said.

His mother, Cara Mackay, said she was stunned. "He'd set this goal a year before, and he wrote out on a piece of paper what he wanted to achieve in the next 10 years, and seeing him actually achieve that was just amazing."

Jackson’s strength and conditioning coach, Joshua Hodges, has worked with him since October 2024. He said the moment was special for everyone involved.

"Jackson just started to well up with joy and then Cara, seeing her son achieve that, started to [cry]. I was like, 'How cool is this?' I get to be a part of this moment Jackson's wanted to do for quite a while now," Hodges said.

Jackson had originally come to the gym after dropping out of rugby league, looking to regain confidence. "We sort of found that he was quite strong for his age, he was quite determined," Hodges said. "He's got back into team sports since being with us, so his confidence has grown."

Now that he’s nailed one record, Jackson isn’t stopping. "I might do the 10-year-old record for deadlift," he said.

Dr Daniel Van Den Hoek, a sports and exercise scientist at the University of the Sunshine Coast, said that supervised weight training is not just safe for kids, but beneficial.

"We hear myths like resistance training stunts growth, and it damages growth plates, but those things, they're just not true," he said. "Resistance training is quite healthy as long as we make sure that it's supervised and progressed correctly."

Beyond physical strength, he said lifting can improve mental health, reduce injuries, and even boost school performance.

Dr Van Den Hoek added that Jackson’s participation in other sports like rugby league, wakeboarding, and motocross likely played a role in his gym success — and vice versa.

"We see it at the elite levels of Australian sport… [athletes] that have grown up playing multiple sports, getting new skills, new knowledge about how their body moves," he said.

For Jackson, the gym started as a place to rebuild his confidence. Now, it’s the launchpad for a record-breaking run — with more lifts to come.

Nine-Year-Old Jackson Mackay Deadlifts Into The Record Books

A highway rescue mission in central Virginia turned wild — literally — when a kangaroo was spotted blocking traffic along Route 29 after escaping from a local wildlife refuge.

Nelson County deputies and a Virginia Conservation Police officer were called out the morning of Saturday, Jan. 31, after drivers reported a kangaroo hopping loose near Thomas Nelson Highway and Oak Ridge Road. What started as a curious call quickly escalated into a race against time — and traffic — in below-freezing temperatures.

"Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I would be wrangling a kangaroo," said Conservation Police Officer Andrew Sundra.

Deputies quickly realized the animal wasn’t just lost — it was also injured. The female kangaroo, officials said, was leaving a visible blood trail. Lieutenant Steve Bodek said the situation snapped the team out of disbelief and into action. “Then we immediately switched to, ‘How are we going to catch this thing?’” he told ABC 13.

Deputy Robert Richardson described the kangaroo as quick and unpredictable. “I don’t even know if a lasso would have worked on it,” he said. “You get out of the car, and she's already across the field.”

Officers eventually managed to guide the kangaroo onto private property, where — to everyone’s surprise — it stopped and stayed in place. "It could have easily jumped over a four-foot fence, but it did not," said Bodek. “It just kind of looked at me.”

The rescue didn’t end there. The kangaroo, it turns out, was a mother. According to officers, they believe dogs may have entered the animals’ enclosure at a nearby refuge, scaring the kangaroo into flight. In the chaos, she dropped her baby — likely to draw the dogs away.

Thankfully, the joey was found safe. The owner of the animals arrived at the scene, tranquilized the mother, and returned both kangaroos to their home at a wildlife refuge in Arrington.

Sheriff Mark Embrey said the cold weather following a winter storm made the incident more urgent. “The temperatures were frigid. You know what the elements are from the winter storm,” he said.

Sundra, still in disbelief, summed it up: “Only in Nelson County.”

Deputies say both mother and baby are doing well — and back where they belong.

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