Boy howdy does the current state of journalism just suck. The perpetual negativity that envelopes any and all modern news sources is enough to remake Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire." It seems as if every single day poor little Timmy has been abducted by a murderous cult, while an innocent Vietnam veteran gets viciously ripped apart by Zika-carrying grizzly bears. Combine that with the constant escalation of nuclear war and Adam Sandler still being allowed to make movies, and some might consider planet Earth a lost cause.

It is to those naysayers that the following article is dedicated.

While it may seem impossible to stop living in fear of terrorism or Caitlyn Jenner, sometimes it's important to be reminded that the world is such a large place filled with creative, funny, and delightful people capable of creating funny, delightful news stories. It can be quite easy to be sucked in by the dour appearance of the world, but if one dedicated a bit of time to look for the metaphorical chocolate chip pancake in the metaphorical sea of burnt waffles, well, just one heart-warming example can sometimes be enough to carry on. The following list is comprised of some uplifting, charming, and epic stories from the past week, month, or even year(s) that will help you get through the week.

1. Previously-Suicidal Man Runs Marathon With The Stranger That Saved Him

In 2008, Jonny Benjamin found himself at his lowest point. After being diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder at the age of 20, Jonny realized the answers to his problems lie at the bottom of London's Waterloo Bridge. With his mind made up, Jonny stepped out onto the bridge ledge where he thought his salvation would be.

Foruntately for Jonny, however, fate had other plans as his true salvation appeared in the form of a bystander named Neil Laybourn. Accepting the incredible responsibility the universe had just thrust upon him, Neil calmly approached Jonny to talk him down. After 25 minutes of Jonny lamenting the peaceful life he thought impossible, Neil successfully convinced him the gift of life Jonny had been given and extended an invitation to join him on a coffee run.

Jonny turned away from the ledge and walked back to Neil where a teary group of medical officers stood at a distance, allowing these two strangers to tearfully enjoy their moment. It was a warm confrontation that is powerful enough to make this list on its own, but just like Jonny and Neil's friendship, this story is just beginning.

Fast forward five years later when Jonny's social media campaign to find the man who saved his life finally resulted in Neil flying to London to reunite with Jonny once more. With the reunion of these two strangers, a friendship began to blossom, ultimately spawning into careers as successful spokesmen for suicide prevention and mental health awareness.

Their roles as spokesmen have only strengthened their friendship over the years and the desire to spread awareness and help to anyone in need of it reminds them of how their friendship began on that bridge all of those years ago. Their roles as mental health advocates ultimately landed them in the offices of Heads Together, an organization created by the three Royals--Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge--to educate communities on how to properly deal with mental illness. A duty the two still uphold very seriously.

Last week, Neil and Jonny ran in the London Marathon as a means to raise money for Heads Together. Before the race, however, Jonny was a bit nervous to compete.

"Admittedly, I haven't done the training I needed for it. It's been a tough year so far with my relapse and going back into hospital, family illness, and most recently my Uncle and then Grandma passing away a few days ago. But I WILL complete the 26 miles! Even if I have to crawl some of the way!!"

5 hours and 28 minutes later, both Jonny and Neil crossed the finish line with their arms around each other for support. With £30,000 donated to Heads Together and a bond that continues to grow with each passing day, the incredible story of Jonny and Neil proves that all it takes is the kindness of one stranger to change a life forever. And in Jonny's case, save it.

2. 12-Year-Old Virginia Girl Stops Carjacker From Abducting 7 Year Old Little Sister

Fear the fury of 12 year old Maddie Weiler. On a family trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg last Saturday, mother Brandie Weiler, and daughters Maddie and Mollie Weiler, witnessed a car accident. Being an upstanding family of moral do-gooders, Brandie pulled to the side of the road and left the car to check on the accident, commanding Maddie and Mollie to stay in the vehicle for safety.

With Brandie preoccupied with dialing 911 and tending to the victims, the perpetrator responsible for the wreck 21 year old Paul Salsman frantically decided to make his getaway. Spying the Weiler family van parked safely to the side, Salsman exited his car and quickly rushed to the van where a terrified Mollie Weiler and a blood-thirsty Maddie Weiler wait. Knowing Brandie was too far away to help, and Mollie was too vulnerable to act on her own, Maddie unleashed a hellish rage Satan himself would be intimidated by.

As Salsman took to the driver's seat, Maddie unleashed step one of her two step plan: putting the car in drive to trigger a safety feature that would prevent the car from starting. It was in this moment did Salsman realize he had met his match. It took Salsman until Maddie's step two of beating the everloving snot out of him, however, before regret started kicking in. During this beatdown, Mollie was able to exit the vehicle to get to safety--and to probably get a better view at her big sister pulverizing a complete stranger.

After a vicious mauling of epic proportions, Salsman bolted from the car hoping to outrun the nightmare he had just lived through. With nowhere to go, Salsman ended up being cornered by police shortly after. With the family together safe and sound and Salsman handcuffed in the back of a car, Brandie, Mollie, and Maddie Weiler all lovingly embraced each other with hugs, kisses, and most likely pointed fingers at the guy in the back of a cop car who had minutes earlier just be beaten by a 12 year old girl.

When questioned later about her attack, Maddie was quoted saying

"I just went for it. Nothing passed my mind except, ‘He is a psycho and he needs to get out of the car’.”

With quick thinking and nerves of steel, Maddie Weiler saved herself and her sister from inevitable danger. While walking away with a fractured growth plate in her wrist, Maddie still stands the victor of a fight worthy of Pay-Per-View coverage. Paul Salsman has since been charged with felony carjacking, felony hit-and-run, and driving under the influence of drugs. Expect a follow up story of Maddie visiting him in prison daily to mimic neck-slicing motions with her finger.

3. Dad Takes Daughter And Daughter's Best Friend to Father/Daughter Dance

When Russ Saputo's daughter Angelina Saputo befriended another girl named Ellcy White a few years ago, the two Saputos had no idea the impact the Whites would have on them. After years of friendship between daughters and parents, these two families became inseparable. With every special event or party, each family would get closer to the other through music, food, games, and general merriment.

Unfortunately, part of that bond severed last year when Ellcy's father passed away.

Due to the broken nature of this once perfect family, Russ realized he had to step up and be the father figure Ellcy no longer possessed. Especially when it came time for the school's annual Father/Daughter dance--an event Ellcy was very much looking forward to attend with her own father. After asking his daughter Angelina if it was okay that Ellcy shared their special night, Angelina excitedly agreed, realizing that her best friend wouldn't have to be alone on such an important night.

In an interview with ABC News, Ellcy's mother Kellan White made the following comment about Russ Saputo,

"It was really very touching and I totally think he's the greatest father. He treats Ellcy like she's his own. She can tell him anything -- that's the type of relationship they have together and Angelina and Ellcy are sisters. They just have different mothers and fathers."

The loss of a parent is never easy, and it takes a specific type of person to step up and fill that void. Russ Saputo is that specific type of person and the bond he has with Angelina and Ellcy is a reminder to people everywhere the importance of family. Blood-relation or otherwise, the people that affect and inspire us matter most, and even when disaster can strike at any moment, the family that stays behind to help pick up the pieces is the family that can get through anything. The Saputos and the Whites have that remarkable gift that so many families and friends aspire to have, that of unwavering love. Even though Angelina and Ellcy are currently attending separate schools, these two families still meet regularly enough to keep their support strong.

Russ even has plans of taking "his two daughters" out on an ice cream date in the '69 Camaro they both love so much.

4. An Indiana High School Creates Epic Lip Dub For Fundraiser

Marking the only non-current event to make the list, the dedication to preserving communal love at Avon High School in Indiana deserves to be kept relevant until the end of time. Back in 2014, the students and faculty of Avon High set out on an epic quest to raise money for the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children. While some fundraisers stem from walk-a-thons or door-to-door candle salesmen, Avon High decided to go above and beyond to do something a bit different. They decided to go viral.

It was a decision by both faculty and students to expose the school's intentions of fundraising through a video that most would hopefully enjoy. The problem came from trying to decide what would grab enough viewer's attention to hopefully make a difference. After tossing some ideas around, it was then decided a lip dub would be the ultimate ticket to getting the hospital the money it deserves. With the school on board, the planning process began.

A process that involved 6 weeks of practice, 68 songs, thousands of students and faculty, and one cameraman being pushed through the hallways on a swivel chair to capture the whole thing in one uninterrupted shot.

It's a video that must be seen to be believed. As the camera goes in and out of classrooms, cafeterias, locker rooms, and gyms, the dub continuously outdoes itself in the "wow" factor. Deploying all students despite the traditional high school ecosystem, cheerleaders are shown dancing with the chess club while the lacrosse team is seen chumming it up with the drama kids. Add in streamers, glitter explosions, balloons, and synchronized dance choreography, Avon High's lip dub quickly escalates into pandemonium of the most wonderful variety. This dub perfectly evokes the power that comes when different communities can come together for the greater good and the warm feeling it leaves in its viewers heart should never be denied.

Avon High's dub ended up becoming viral with over a million views and nation-wide coverage on nightly news sources. Their goal of media exposure to fund the children's hospital succeeded with an astounding $23,900 haul and national coverage.

Check out the video below.

In 2016, Avon High released an even more impressive sequel. This time with over 10 weeks of rehearsals and a higher budget to purchase drones and smoke machines, Avon took the crazy dream of the first video and amplified it tenfold. With Waldo making several easy-to-miss appearances, a gorgeous drone sequence, a literal rave, and one of the most genuinely touching and heartfelt endings to anything ever made ever, Avon High School has created some of the most charming and lovable content in all of YouTube. Much like the first dub, this one went on to ranking in a ton of money for the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children at a little over $15,000. Check out the sequel below.

It's these lip dubs that represent just so much of what makes the world a beautiful place. With a noble goal put in place, different people can come together with the power of creativity, humor, and optimism to make the world a better place. Even without the fundraisers, Avon High succeeded at making some of the most epic lip dubs in the history of the medium, but knowing the context behind these videos makes it all the more satisfying. These kids went above and beyond to create something that touched and inspired many, many lives. I sure hope they were rewarded with a free A on a test or something.

5. Teen Who Lost Arms Becomes Unlikely Basketball Hero

In the most relevant reminder to never judge a book by its cover, the story of teenager Jamarion Styles is the stuff of legends. After a rare bacterial infection that cost him his hands and a portion of his arms, Jamarion Styles has faced nothing but judgment and rejection for as long as he can remember.

Despite his shockingly charming personality for a 13-year-old and infectiously happy demeanor, the kids in his neighborhood and at his school continuously deny him the chance to play basketball--a passion Jamarion has shared his entire life. Knowing he could impress if ever given the shot, the optimistic Jamarion kept his head held high even when others tried to force it back down. However, there is only so much strength a person can have before finally giving in, especially at only thirteen years old.

It was in this sense of defeat did Jamarion approach the basketball coach of Eagle's Landing Middle School, Darian Williams.

"He told me 'Mr. Williams, I've never been on a team before. Even if I don't play, I just want to be on the team.' How can I say no to that?"

Out of pity, Coach Williams gave him a spot on the team much to the chagrin of Jamarion's new teammates. Knowing full well his "disadvantage" might cripple the team, Jamarion accepted his permanent place on the bench, optimistically appreciating his first ever position on a team. Despite the teasing and judgmental glares, Jamarion was determined to not let his limitations define him.

Right from the get-go, other teammates would often catch Jamarion practicing long before practice officially began while Coach Williams would often have to force Jamarion to stop practicing and go home after practice had ended. Regardless of his positive attitude and diligent work, however, Jamarion remained bench as the season went on. That is until Coach Williams put Jamarion in a game last month with only a few minutes remaining.

With six minutes left on the clock, Jamarion rushed to the court ready to prove to everyone what he was capable of. While the initial reaction to everyone in the room was understandably skeptical, Jamarion refused to let it bother him. His moment was coming and no judgmental cynicism would rob him of it.

As the ball made its way down court, Jamarion realized it was his turn to gain possession. As he held the ball, the confidence he once carried dissipated as an overwhelming sense of fear settled in. With all eyes on Jamarion, he reached down deep to pull out all of the courage he needed to shoot the three-point basket staring him in the face. With a deep breath, Jamarion shot the ball... right into the net. As a floored audience immediately jumped to their feet, Jamarion felt an immense pride unlike he'd ever felt before.

It was a satisfaction that would only be beaten in a few moments.

The score was tied as the game neared its final minute. With mere seconds on the clock, Jamarion and his team exhausted every ounce of energy their little bodies had to get in at least one more basket before the final buzzer. As the ball ventured back and forth on the court, the final outcome was as unpredictable as it was suspenseful. Fingernails were bitten and breaths were held.

Especially when the armless Jamarion grabbed the ball with 2 seconds to go.

The fear Jamarion once possessed minutes ago was heightened tremendously this time. Making this shot earns the team a victory while missing the shot secures his permanent bullying as the "armless freak that cost the school the game."

1 second to go.

Jamarion takes another deep breath and lets go of the ball to the sound of a buzzer ringing through an otherwise silent gym. The hundreds of attendees intensely stare as the ball floats through the air towards the basket. With knuckles clenched, sweat pouring profusely, and hearts beating rapidly, all eyes witness the ball land through the hoop, giving the Eagles their victory while transforming the former armless outcast into the hero of Eagles' Landing Middle School.

Teammates immediately run to pick up Jamarion while fans euphorically rush the court. The sounds of cheering and applause are deafening. The rival team even makes a point to congratulate him. After being ignored his entire life, an entire gymnasium of people are cheering his name and celebrating him as a legend.

Since his basketball victory, Jamarion has found himself friends at the local community center basketball team where he often plays. Jamarion can also be found on his school's volleyball team, and even intends to join the football team next season. Despite his newfound success in sports, Jamarion has also made many friends with his infectious charisma and is on track to end his time in middle school as one of the most popular students in the class.

The story of Jamarion Styles is that of relentless perseverance; a story all of us can learn from. With every obstacle put in front of him, Jamarion's incredible work ethic and winning determination never allowed him to give up. Nearly every person picked on him, teased him, rejected him, and ignored him as if he were common trash... and yet Jamarion persevered, ultimately proving all of his naysayers wrong.

To chase a dream is one thing, to work yourself to the bone to achieve it is another. As a 13-year-old, Jamarion Styles had the courage and strength to defy all of the odds to bring pride to his school, his team, and himself. When asked in an interview if Jamarion would like to be given his arms back if he could, he smiled and delivered a simple response,

"I don't need them."