Uncommon Bravery: 5 Great Things This Week

An act of bravery and an act of kindness make the list:

• Story of How US Soldier Saved 200 Jews Is Finally Told: Roddie Edmonds is the first US soldier to receive Israel's Righteous Among the Nations honor, 70 years after he risked his life to save 200 Jews. He was in a German POW camp when the Nazis ordered all Jewish-American POWs to step forward. Edmonds ordered all 1,000 US soldiers to do so, and refused to relent even with a gun at his head. His story nearly was lost to history.
• Birthday Cake Photo Goes Viral for Great Reason: When a Michigan woman picked up a birthday cake, the wording looked sloppy. It turns out that an autistic employee had decorated it, against the rules—but it all had a sweet ending.
• Huge Check in Kettle Stuns Salvation Army: An anonymous couple in Minneapolis raised the bar in a big way for all those dropping spare change into Salvation Army kettles. They quietly dropped in a check for $500,000, hearkening back to their leaner younger days by way of explanation.

• Son Gets WWII Farewell Letter 70 Years Later: The thoughts Peter Will had on his mind before he died en route to a German concentration camp were of his wife and six sons—and surviving family members now know this for sure thanks to a letter delivered more than 70 years after the fact. Will had a unique way of measuring his absence.
• Coast Guard Spots an Illegal Boat, Begins Unusual Rescue: Coast Guard members were patrolling near Texas' South Padre Island when they spotted four Mexican fishing boats in illegal waters. The boats got away, but 50 lucky sharks left behind in their nets got a huge break.

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