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 spotlight an Ottawa mom who “walked through fire” to save her son, a devoted elderly man who transformed his neighbourhood into a Christmas wonderland for his wife with dementia, and a blind student sportscaster breaking barriers in sports broadcasting.
🔥 Ottawa mom ‘walked through fire’ to save son from burning house
An Ottawa mother became a true hero earlier this week, braving the flames of a devastating house fire to save her youngest son.
Stephanie McDougall remains at the Civic campus of The Ottawa Hospital after saving her youngest son from their burning home earlier this week. (Image courtesy: CBC News)
Stephanie McDougall, 43, didn’t hesitate to risk everything when their Twyford Street home was engulfed in flames on the night of Dec. 3. Her mother described her actions as nothing short of walking through fire to protect her child.
McDougall’s mother Beth Conway described her daughter as a “gentle soul” who is devoted to her three sons. When the fire broke out, McDougall “had to cross the path of the fire” to reach the bedroom of her 11-year-old, her mother said in an interview with CBC News.
Conway said McDougall is a single mother who “only cares about the raising of her children,” one of whom has a disability.
“She doesn’t ever go out in the evening because she has a child at home that needs constant supervision,” Conway said. “Her only focus is taking care of her pets and her children. That’s what her life is about, period.”
Firefighters also rescued a cat from the burning home.
Conway said she will soon move into a new housing unit that’s been provided to her so she can look after her grandchildren.
Meanwhile, McDougall’s neighbours have started collecting clothes and other donations. An online fundraiser has also been started to collect money for the family.
“She would not believe that people would rally around her the way that they are,” Conway said of her daughter.
🚊 Watch: Group of revellers spread holiday cheer on Toronto transit
🎄 Man makes Christmas wonderland on street for wife with dementia
About three months ago, John Reichart was relaxing in the living room when his wife Joan suddenly asked, “Where are all of the Christmas decorations?”
Joan Reichart, 72, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease four years ago. In 2022, the couple moved back to their hometown of Indianola, Iowa, so some of their relatives could help with her care.
“We got engaged on Christmas Eve in 1970, and she’s always loved Christmas,” said John Reichart, 74, in an interview with Washington Post, noting that he and his wife have been married for almost 54 years.
Man makes Christmas wonderland on street for wife with dementia. (Image courtesy: Washington Post)
“I hadn’t done much holiday decorating since we moved back because I’d been working so hard to look after her and keep her happy,” he said. “But when she wondered about the decorations, I thought she deserved to see some Christmas lights this year.”
Reichart thought about it for a few days, then came up with a plan: He would try to make a winter wonderland for his wife.
He knew from prior years that most people on his street didn’t decorate their homes, so he decided to ask the neighbors in all 18 homes on his block if he could put lighted trees in their front yards.
“When I got permission for that, I also decided to ask for permission to put up LED lighting on the soffits of their houses,” he said. “Then after that, I decided I’d buy large lawn ornaments like snowmen and tin soldiers for every house. I got a little carried away.”
Only a few of the neighbors had put up decorations in recent years because the subdivision is new and many residents don’t have children, often a motivator to hang lights and other fun decorations, said Frank Ewurs, who lives at the end of Reichart’s street.
Reichart’s neighbor across the street, Donna Bahun, said she also wanted to lend a hand.
“I started seeing John in his garage a lot, so I went over to see what he was doing, and he said he was putting together 9-foot, lighted trees for everyone in the neighborhood,” said Bahun, 70.
Bahun said she worried about Reichart injuring himself, so she carried the finished trees to nearby homes, including her own, and Reichart secured them to the ground.
“It probably took a month to get everything up,” she said, noting that each house was fully decorated by mid-November. “It was nice to get to know John, and I was touched to watch him care for Joan. He’s just a wonderful man.”
Man makes Christmas wonderland on street for wife with dementia. (Image courtesy: Washington Post)
Reichart said he spent thousands of dollars from his savings on the decorations, but he declined to give an exact amount. He said it was worth it to see his wife’s face light up.
🐳 Watch: New Zealanders save whales after mass stranding
🎤 ‘You’ve got to find a way’: Blind college student sportscaster calls every play
Color commentators bring the action to life, painting vivid pictures of sporting events—but imagine doing that without the ability to see.
In South Philadelphia, just moments before tipoff at the Wells Fargo Center, Rowan University student Allan Wylie was soaking it all in. The 76ers were about to take on the Orlando Magic, but for Wylie, the real thrill was watching a master at work: Tom McGinnis, the iconic radio voice of the Sixers.
“It’s just like any of us who grew up dreaming of being a sportscaster—you’ve got to find a way,” McGinnis said, standing alongside Wylie.
And Wylie has found his way. Despite being blind, he’s not just an observer; he’s a color commentator in his own right, calling games with passion and precision.
“As somebody who describes games, you’re trying to do it so someone who can’t see can feel in their own mind, envision what it is,” McGinnis said.
And that is exactly what Wylie already does: The 18-year-old is blind.
“Yeah, I’m born blind, raised blind, but have been told ever since Day 1 from my parents, just because you’re blind doesn’t mean you’re not like a normal person,” Wylie said.
His love for sports started young. His training ground began with his dad.
Blind sports broadcaster from Northeast Ohio, providing color commentary for high school and minor league sports. (Image courtesy: CBS News)
“I love everything about sports,” Wylie said. “He (his dad) would take me to different games and I’d start asking questions about plays and I’d ask him, you know, in football, what does the pocket look like? And he’d showed me, it looks like a ‘U.'”
“I figured this out when I was watching college football and I was listening to the broadcasters. I’m like, you know, I may not be able to do play-by-play, but I can do color commentary,” Wylie replied.
Painting a picture in his head.
“Really anything I can get my hands on, I watch,” Wylie said. The Great Lakes native hones in on the crowd, the players, refs — and of course who’s next to him in the booth doing play-by-play.
“So if you just listen a lot, and you write your notes down before the game, and you go over them before the game, you should be OK,” Wylie said.
This season, the college freshman is on the mic for some Delaware Blue Coats games.
“Everyone was accepting of me. They knew that I could do the job that basically anybody else can do, the only difference is I can’t see,” Wylie said.
His advice — “No matter what, if you have a passion for something and you love something, work hard enough, you’re gonna get it.”
Do you have an uplifting moment or story you would like to share with us? Email the Yahoo Canada team: canadatips@yahoonews.com.