When the world feels overloaded with conflict and division, the phrase 10 things restored reminds us that compassion still thrives. History is riddled with battles and hardships, yet every era also offers shining examples of generosity and camaraderie that lift our spirits. Below are ten unforgettable episodes that prove humanity’s capacity for goodness, spanning ancient times to recent crises.
10 Things Restored: Stories That Warm the Heart
10 Owens and Long
Jesse Owens dazzled the world at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, capturing four gold medals and becoming an icon of athletic excellence. Yet, tucked behind the headlines lies a quieter tale of friendship between Owens and German long jumper Luz Long, who competed under the Nazi regime.
When Owens struggled to meet the qualifying mark for the long‑jump final, Long stepped in—not as a rival, but as a mentor. Ignoring the hostile atmosphere fostered by Hitler’s propaganda, Long offered practical advice that helped Owens secure his place in the event, ultimately contributing to his historic victories.
The bond they forged endured beyond the Games, lasting until Long’s death in 1943. Their correspondence, including a poignant final letter from Long to Owens, stands as a testament to courage and mutual respect in the face of oppression.
9 An Accidental Family
Wanda Dench, a resident of Mesa, Arizona, intended to invite her grandson to Thanksgiving dinner via a simple text. The reply she received, however, was from a stranger named Jamal Hinton, who cheekily asked, “You not my grandma. Can I still get a plate tho?”
Wanda’s generous spirit shone through; she replied, “Of course. That’s what grandmas do…feed everyone.” The unexpected invitation turned into a genuine gathering, and Hinton showed up that Thanksgiving. Six years later, the two have become an inseparable, makeshift family, with plans for a movie chronicling their unlikely connection.
8 A Dog‑Based Ceasefire
During the Revolutionary War, a peculiar incident prompted General George Washington to call a temporary truce. A dog, inadvertently taken by Washington’s troops, bore a collar identifying it as the pet of British General William Howe.
Rather than exploiting the animal as leverage, Washington chose honor. He ordered his men to return the dog to its rightful owner, attaching a courteous note that read: “General Washington’s compliments to General Howe, does himself the pleasure to return to him a Dog, which accidentally fell into his hands, and by the inscription on the Collar appears to belong to General Howe.”
This act of goodwill, set against the backdrop of fierce combat, highlighted the humanity that can emerge even amid war.
7 Strays Welcome
Beyond the human realm, compassion often finds its way to our four‑legged friends. In Sicily, an IKEA store opened its doors during a bitter winter, offering shelter to stray dogs wandering the streets.
The store not only provided a warm space but also let the dogs nest on a spread of cozy IKEA rugs. Staff members fed, groomed, and photographed the canines, later posting the images on adoption platforms to help them find permanent homes. This simple act turned a retail space into a sanctuary of hope for many strays.
6 Not Slaves After All
Popular lore suggests that enslaved peoples built Egypt’s pyramids, yet archaeological evidence indicates the workforce was largely composed of skilled laborers who received wages for their craftsmanship.
When payments began to falter, these workers staged what is considered the world’s first recorded strike, refusing to continue construction until their wages were regularized. The ruling officials, initially baffled, eventually acceded to the workers’ demands, ensuring timely compensation and marking a historic victory for labor rights.
5 Castle Itter
The Battle of Castle Itter stands out as one of World War II’s most bizarre engagements. Occurring just days after Hitler’s suicide, the battle featured an unlikely alliance of U.S. soldiers, German Wehrmacht troops, French prisoners of war, and members of the Austrian resistance.
Together they defended the castle against a squad of Nazi SS forces. This cooperative defense demonstrated that, even in the war’s dying moments, ordinary soldiers could unite against tyranny, underscoring the persistence of moral courage.
4 Without a Second Thought
In the chaotic aftermath of the September 11 attacks, New York’s bridges and tunnels choked with traffic as residents fled Lower Manhattan. A rapid Coast Guard broadcast urged anyone with a vessel to report to Governors Island for evacuation duty.
Within minutes, roughly 150 private boats of all sizes answered the call. Over the next hours, these civilian captains ferried an estimated half‑million people to safety, creating the largest maritime evacuation in history—known today as the 9/11 Boat Lift.
3 Operation Yellow Ribbon
Following the same attacks, U.S. airspace was shut down, grounding thousands of aircraft. The massive disruption threatened chaos, but Canada stepped forward, offering its airports as safe harbors for the stranded planes.
Seventeen Canadian airports voluntarily accepted about 240 aircraft, caring for passengers with kindness and hospitality. Local residents escorted travelers, showcased their towns, and ensured the unexpected guests felt welcomed, turning a crisis into an act of international goodwill.
2 Make Christmas, Not War
Amid the carnage of World I, a spontaneous truce unfolded on Christmas 1914. Soldiers from opposing sides—German, British, and others—laid down their weapons in the dead of night, driven by a shared yearning for peace.
Across the bleak Western Front, troops emerged from their trenches, sang carols, exchanged gifts, and even shared meals in the no‑man’s‑land that had been a battlefield for months.
There was no official order to cease fire; the cease‑fire sprang from the collective desire of ordinary men to experience a moment of humanity amid the horrors of war.
1 Compassion Is Ancient
Kindness is not a modern invention. In 2005, archaeologists announced a discovery at Dmanisi, Georgia, that pushes compassionate behavior back nearly two million years. The site yielded a skull and jawbone of an elderly male who had lost all but one tooth.
Analysis showed his tooth sockets had been resorbed, indicating he had been toothless for at least two years before his death—a condition that would have made chewing impossible without assistance.
Given the difficulty of surviving without teeth, the presence of stone tools and animal bones with cut marks suggests that others in his group must have provided soft food, perhaps even pre‑chewing it, to sustain him.
This level of altruistic care, despite offering little advantage to the caregivers, points to a deep-rooted capacity for empathy among our ancestors, reminding us that compassion has been woven into humanity’s fabric since its earliest days.