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Inspirational Stories

Reader’s Digest has the stories to lift your spirits and fill you with hope in your darkest moments. We’ve promised to be a source of joy, and these stories deliver. From everyday heros to reunited long-lost siblings, we’ve got the stories to inspire you.

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A Pair of Beagles Were Left to Wander in the Snow—Until a Kind Stranger Took Them In

The story of an expectant couple and a wise man (but not the ones you’re thinking of)

I Stopped Hiding My Disability, and It Opened Up New Worlds

Everyone is hiding something—but embracing that secret part of yourself can change everything



Uniting in the Face of Deadly Blizzards and Tragedy, Buffalo, New York, Is the Nicest Place in America

Despite natural disasters, shooting tragedies and Damar Hamlin's near-death experience, Buffalo's community is stronger than ever


Damar Hamlin: Thank You, Buffalo

In this touching letter, Damar Hamlin reflects on the support he's received from the Buffalo community, 2023's Nicest Place in...

Heroic Uber Driver Offers Ailing Passenger His Kidney

An Uber trip took a detour when the driver offered his ailing passenger one of his kidneys


How Unity Park Heals a Decades-Old Racial Injustice and Unites a Community

This park rights a historic wrong and brings people together with nature

This Flower Farm Delivers Free Flowers to Spread Cheer—and Fight Pollution

This nonprofit is spreading smiles and saving the earth, one bouquet at a time


A Devastating Flood Brings Out the Best in a Small Town

When the floodwaters rose in Red Lodge, Montana, so did a river of helping hands


Tasty Ribs and Helping Hands: Mark BBQ Serves 170,000 Meals to Those in Need

In addition to brisket burgers, this restaurant offers free meals and second chances


Meet the Man Who Saved a Stranger Being Electrocuted by Live Train Tracks

Deadly jolts of electricity kept anyone from grabbing him—so a Good Samaritan stepped up to help

Readers Share the Best Advice They Ever Got—and These Wise Words Are Gold

Readers share the life-changing lessons they were taught by others



The Importance of Men’s Friendships—and How Poker Could Make Them Stronger

People who make time to hang out with friends have all the luck


He Played a Superhero—but a Daring Rescue Made Him a Real-Life Hero

It's a bird ... it's a plane ... it's Captain Harrisburg, saving the day thanks to his quick thinking and...


Readers Share Their Most Hilarious—and Inspiring—Sports Stories

Our readers share their sports stories, from the highlights that won trophies to the bloopers that won hearts

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How National Parks Reconnected This Duo with Nature—and Each Other

A grandmother and grandson find a way to mend their broken relationship, one national park at a time


Readers Share Stories of Strength and Success After Setbacks

Seeing a challenge as an opportunity can change your life


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His Super Bowl Parties Feed the Homeless, So Everybody Wins

One party launched a charity now helping thousands of people experiencing homelessness


Meet the Kind Strangers Who Became Real Christmas Elves to Kids in Need

When local kids needed more than toys, strangers started checking off Santa’s list


Meet the Couple Who Became Real-Life Versions of Santa After Receiving Mysterious Letters

A Christmas mystery turns an unassuming couple into Santa Claus


This 16-Year-Old Saved a Group of Teenage Girls After Their Car Plunged into a River

Sixteen-year-old Corion Evans made a daring rescue to save three teenage girls after their car sunk into the water


John Cena Breaks the Record for the Most Make-a-Wish Requests Granted

The wrestler and actor says he'll never stop fulfilling the wishes of critically-ill children who ask for a chance to...


Readers Share the Incredible True Stories of Their Hero Pets

We're pawsitive you'll love these stories of courageous animals


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This Pet Squirrel Nobly Protected His Home During a Robbery—and Even Helped Catch the Culprit

Joey the squirrel came out claws a blazing, protecting his beloved home from an intruder

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Man’s Best Friend, Indeed: This Pit Bull Fought Off a Shark to Save His Owner

There's no way the shark would take a chunk out of his owner—not on Darby's watch


Meet the Duo Who Spend Their Free Time Cleaning Up the Graves of Fallen Soldiers

A college student and a retiree pair up for a good deed—and develop a friendship along the way


How One Man’s Dream—and a Community’s Determination—Brought the Kingsport Carousel to Life

They may not have been carpenters or mechanics by trade, but residents of Kingsport, Tennessee, had just the thing to...


Solve a Math Problem, Get Free Food: How the Lucky Candy Bodega Uses Math—and Kindness—to Help the C...

The Bronx bodega's challenge aims to help those in need—and keep those math skills sharp too


This Man Jumped Off a Bridge to Save a Child After a Car Accident

A car crashes on a bridge and a child is catapulted into the water below. Who will save her?


These Teens Serve on the Front Lines of Their Local Fire Department

In an unexpected turn of events, these teenagers went from math class to answering ambulance calls.