In a world often dominated by challenging headlines, Yahoo News Canada aims to spotlight uplifting news stories both local and beyond. This week’s inspiring stories feature a Netflix show spotlighting Iqaluit as its setting and star, a unique poetry-dispensing pharmacy aimed at soothing the soul and a heroic dad who rescued his 11-month-old son from a flooding car — despite not knowing how to swim.
🏃🏻♂️➡️ ‘Hardest thing I’ve ever done’: Man runs 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents
Reg Willick has run 21 marathons since starting 12 years ago. (Image courtesy: CBC News)
For Reg Willick, it was the toughest challenge of his life.
On Nov. 21, 2024, the 62-year-old marathon runner from Spiritwood, Sask., accomplished an extraordinary feat — completing the Great World Race: seven marathons, on seven continents, in just seven days. Finishing 19th out of 60 competitors, Willick had one simple goal: cross every finish line uninjured, in good time, and ready for the next grueling race.
Willick’s passion for long-distance running began 12 years ago, after completing his first marathon in Regina. Now, he’s achieved what few runners in the world would even dare to attempt.
“I ended up running all six major marathons, which are held in Boston, Berlin, Tokyo, London, Chicago and New York,” he says in an interview with CBC News.
The journey kicked off in Antarctica, where Willick faced bone-chilling temperatures that turned his sweat into ice. Surprisingly, it became his favorite place to run.
“Being from Saskatchewan and growing up playing hockey really helped,” he says, crediting his prairie roots for preparing him to take on the frozen challenge.
Willick says that between the travelling and the races the runners barely got any time to recover, and the airplanes became their bedrooms for the week.
The runners were fed really well and kept hydrated, Willick says, but the lack of sleep was harder than he expected.
Willick says he’s feeling well after completing the huge challenge, and is already back to running five-kilometre races.
“This 7-7-7 marathon is something that you do once in a lifetime.” he says. “It’s not something I ever want to do again.”
📖 Watch: Unusual ‘pharmacy’ dispenses poetry to soothe the soul
🌊 Dad who can’t swim saves 11-month-old son from sinking car
A British dad is being celebrated as a hero after bravely rescuing his 11-month-old son from a flooding car during a fierce storm, his family says.
According to the BBC, 22-year-old Randles — who doesn’t know how to swim — ended up on the flooded road after being diverted from a different route. A sudden dip in the road left him no time to react as his car was engulfed by rising floodwaters.
Andre Randles entered the flood water after he was diverted off the main road. (Image courtesy: BBC News)
“As soon as I saw danger, saw the water coming into the car and we were no longer floating and starting to sink, something switched in me,” Randles said.
He added that the car quickly became “almost completely submerged in water,” telling the outlet, “I thought I needed to get out and get Luca out.”
Paige Newsome wrote on Facebook that her partner, Andre Randles, had pulled their son Luca to safety as Storm Bert brought heavy rain and strong winds to the U.K. over the weekend.
Calling the whole thing “really scary,” Newsome said: “To think I could have actually lost them both — I don’t know how I would’ve lived.”
She echoed that to the BBC: “It could’ve been a completely different outcome. We could not be sitting here with both of them, so I’m very grateful to Andre.”
“I’m very proud of him and of how fast-thinking he was,” Newsome said.
🫏 Watch: Christmas miracle after dying donkey is rescued and given shelter
‘People are going to be really, really proud’: Netflix show ‘North of North’, made in Iqaluit, premieres at home
Excitement filled the air in Iqaluit as Nunavummiut packed the Astro Theatre for two sold-out screenings of North of North, a new Netflix series filmed right in their backyard.
The series, which showcases Iqaluit as both its setting and star, made its highly anticipated premiere in the Nunavut capital, drawing a crowd eager to see their community on the big screen.
“Bringing a show like this to a global audience is something that we couldn’t even fathom or dream about in the very beginnings of creating this show,” co-creator Stacey Aglok MacDonald shared in an interview with CBC News.
From left to right: Stacey Aglok MacDonald, Marika Harper, Zorga Qaunaq, Anna Lambe and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril at the premiere of North of North in Iqaluit on Monday. (Image courtesy: CBC News)
The show, which was co-commissioned by CBC and Netflix in association with APTN, takes place in the fictional community of Ice Cove, shot in Iqaluit. After a spontaneous, and public, exit from her marriage, the show’s main character Siaja tries to find her way on her own.
Arnaquq-Baril said even though it’s fictional, the show’s story is relatable not only to other Inuit, but to people all over the world.
“I think a lot of Inuit will definitely see the show and feel like they can recognize a lot of the characters, like that could be their mother, that could be their sister, that could be their boss. While it’s fictional, it’s definitely based on our life experiences,” Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, the shows other co-creator shared.
With the show being made available to people all over the world through Netflix, Lambe said it’s an opportunity to bring Nunavut to a global audience.
Iqaluit actress Anna Lambe, known for her roles in The Grizzlies, Trickster and True Detective: Night Country, said she hopes the series shows the lives of Inuit to more people all over the world. (Image courtesy: CBC News)
“I think sometimes people only understand Inuit as like a historical people — [like] we don’t exist anymore, we’re something that happened in history and then we all got wiped out,” Lambe said.
“Our day-to-day lives might look a little bit different. It might look a little bit colder. But at the end of the day, we do all the same things. And we have goals and dreams and hopes. And, you know, all I want is for people to see Inuit as Inuit, you know, Inuit as people and that we have so many incredible, funny, exciting stories to tell and that we’re still here.”
“We’re still here and we’re going to stay here.”
Do you have an uplifting moment or story you would like to share with us? Email the Yahoo Canada team: canadatips@yahoonews.com.