United States of America eSeries: A surprise delivery for one lucky mom

May 8, 2021

Mother's Day is tricky. If you're a mother or have a mother figure in your life, you know it's nearly impossible to distill the full importance of motherhood down to one day. Flowers and gifts are great. Brunch is fun. But the most meaningful celebrations of motherhood can't be planned. They're found in between those everyday moments, during an impromptu phone call that lasts for hours, an exhausted evening with a new baby, or that first big hug after months spent apart. You can only hear "Happy Mother's Day" one day a year, but "Mom, I love you" hits home every time.

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Surprise delivery
When Lavinia "Lavi" Mounga boarded a recent flight to Hawaii for a family vacation, she had no idea she'd be coming off the plane with a brand new son. Mounga didn't know she was pregnant, but about halfway through the flight, in her own words, her baby boy just "came out of nowhere." Luckily, there was a doctor and not one, but three neonatal intensive care unit nurses aboard who got really creative with their emergency medical care. Dr. Dale Glenn, along with nurses Lani Bamfield, Amanda Beeding and Mimi Ho, used shoelaces to tie the umbilical cord and made baby warmers out of microwaved bottles. At one point, in absence of more traditional tools, they used an Apple Watch to monitor the baby's heart rate. Once the plane landed, Mounga and her new son Raymond were transported to a local hospital, and everyone walked away safe and happy — and with quite a story to tell.

Made by hand
Fashion designer Linda Rowe Thomas' creations have graced countless runways and red carpets, but her contributions to the fashion industry go far beyond her gorgeous custom gowns. When she was 2 years old, Thomas was badly burned in a freak house fire that claimed the life of her older sister. Doctors had to amputate most of her fingers, and recovery for the young girl took several difficult years. That's when Thomas' mother got the idea to introduce her daughter to sewing. Thomas took to it immediately, stitching together scrap fabric and doll clothes to keep her healing hands moving. She became a fashion designer and got her first big break from someone affiliated with the hit show "Project Runway." In 2010, the same year of her first runway show, Thomas established her non-profit, Designing Hope, as a way to help other burn survivors pay their medical bills. "I walk into the room with my head held high and I'm proud of who I am," Thomas says. "And I'm hoping that the light my mother gave me gives someone else light."

A well-earned retirement
The three lovely ladies in this photo aren't just any elephants. They're a few of the 12 retired circus elephants that recently found a new home at a wildlife refuge outside of Jacksonville, Florida. The elephants range between 8 and 38 years old and had previously belonged to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey before the show ended its elephant performances in 2016 amid animal rights concerns. When the dozen animals arrived at White Oak Conservation, the staff was worried they may not take to their new wild surroundings after a lifetime spent around people. But they were quickly charmed by the Florida woods, navigating tricky pine trees and digging up saw palmettos to scratch themselves with the branches. Besides the elephants, White Oak Conservation has worked with state and federal agencies to save Florida panthers, Florida grasshopper sparrows, Mississippi sandhill cranes and whooping cranes. The organization hopes to add even more elephants to its fold soon, along with new veterinary equipment and acreage, so all of their animals can live their best lives.

Raise a glass to...

Sapir Berman, an Israeli soccer referee who made sports history when she officiated at a soccer match in Israel's Premier League for the first time since coming out as transgender. "This is the first step in a long and wonderful journey. Sapir, we are proud to do it with you," the Israel Football Association tweeted as she took the field. At 26, Berman is already a top referee in Israel's leading soccer league, and says she's gotten support from players, reporters and fans. Outside the stadium in the northern city of Haifa, one fan carried a banner that hailed Berman as a "super woman, incredible, brave." Berman is not the only transgender referee in the soccer world. A British soccer referee, Lucy Clark, came out as transgender in 2018.

Heroes among us

Being a teenager is tough, especially if you're facing other hardships in your life. Sometimes, the best way to work through it is to, well, write. CNN Hero Keren Taylor started WriteGirl, a creative writing and mentoring program for teenagers, to empower girls through creativity and expression. Since its inception in 2001, WriteGirl has grown to include all genders, and offers academic mentoring as well as opportunities for young people to explore special interests like journalism and public speaking. Earlier this year, WriteGirl graduate Amanda Gorman delivered her poem, "The Hill We Climb," at the inauguration of President Joe Biden. A group of WriteGirl volunteers, staff, and mentors gathered for a virtual watch party to support Gorman when she took center stage. "We are always encouraging our girls to share their own story," Taylor said. "What was really exciting to know was that she represents not only every girl that's ever been in WriteGirl, but she also represents every young woman in this country."

Wanna get away?

After more than a year of being moored by the pandemic, it's time to start dreaming about travel again. But don't be ashamed if your thoughts and plans drift toward some repeat destination rather than a new, far-flung adventure. Sociologist Karen Stein says, because everything is all out of whack right now, we may want to relive the comfort of familiar places that we enjoyed before the pandemic. For me, that's Key West. I've taken in this exact view from Mallory Square more times than I can count -- as a little girl snuggled between my parents, as a lost twentysomething looking for meaning, as a newlywed in a crumpled gown, sharing a midnight slice of coconut pie with my new husband as we laughed and swung our feet over the water. The profound peace it brings never changes.

Hear, hear!

There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.

- Jill Churchill, American mystery writer

Who knew?

When you wish upon a star … do you ever wonder why? There is evidence of cultures looking to the stars for answers dating back millennia, according to Nicholas Campion, a professor in cosmology and culture at the University of Wales. The ancient Egyptians believed that your soul ascended to the stars when you died, and that when your soul reached the stars, you gained absolute wisdom. The Greeks, Babylonians, and generations of astronomers across the world also found a deep connection to cosmic bodies. Then, along came Christianity, cementing stars as an important piece of religious symbolism. Add in all kinds of wishful star-related songs and stories through the ages (thanks, Disney), and it's no wonder that, thousands of years after our ancestors first looked up to the sky and wondered, we're still doing the very same thing.

Tell us something good

When nine-year-old Noa was given a school assignment on Amelia Earhart, she decided there was someone else she'd rather spend time getting to know. Bessie Coleman was the first African-American woman (and the first Native American woman) to ever hold a pilot license, and while Earhart is great, Noa saw something special in Coleman: herself. Determined to learn more about this fascinating historical figure, Noa and her mother contacted the National Aviation Hall of Fame, where Coleman is honored. Amy Spowart, NAHF President and CEO, helped provide Noa with information to ace her project. Spowart said when she saw Noa dressed like her hero, proudly sharing her love of science and aviation, it was like seeing the future. "This is it," Spowart said. "This is the whole reason the National Aviation Hall of Fame exists. How lucky are we to get to inspire the next generation of aviation greats?"

Thank you to Greg P. for recommending this story!

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Shameless animal video

There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now.

The Cincinnati Zoo recently welcomed a new baby wallaby, and they absolutely nailed the name: Zip! The zoo's Facebook page has some cute video, and below you'll find his sibling, Pocket (another incredible wallaby name), peeking out of their mom Ava's pouch last year. Thank you, Clare S., for this great news! (Click here to view)