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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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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

Readers Share the Incredible True Stories of Their Hero Pets

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


Meet the Woman Who Turns Chip Bags Into Sleeping Bags for the Homeless

How one environmental justice advocate is helping the most vulnerable while also diverting trash from landfills


30 Stories About the Touching Kindness of Strangers That’ll Make You Tear Up

We asked readers for firsthand accounts of compassion. Here are 30 stories on kindness that touched your lives—and our hearts.


This Barbecue Restaurant Owner Donates Cars to Those in Need

“He handed me the keys and didn’t ask for anything.”

This Elementary School Teacher Pledges to Donate One Million Books

“I wanted to do something that’s going to stretch my faith, my work ethic, my everything.”


Here’s How a Group of Strangers With the Same Name Started a Virtual Band—And Friendships to L...

Four men with the same name who all love making music? Baltimore Paul had an idea. Wouldn’t it be funny,...

Kindness, Delivered: Restaurant Owner Drives Six Hours to Make Terminally Ill Woman’s Favorite...

A Baltimore restaurant goes above and beyond to make a delicious dish for a special customer.


A Child Lost Her Beloved Baseball Cards in a Wildfire, So a Stranger Stepped Up to the Plate to Help

A longtime baseball card collector seizes the opportunity to do good after a destructive wildfire.


This Veterinarian Helps Pets of Homeless People Out of His Own Pocket

A California veterinarian makes house calls to pet owners who have no place to call home.


Mitch Albom on What It Means to Be a Real Father to a Special Orphan

What is a real father? An orphan in Haiti teaches ­­bestselling author Mitch Albom a wonderful new definition.

My Father-in-Law Had the Whole Family Select His Final Resting Place Before He Passed

When it came to selecting his final resting place, my father-in-law knew to scout the land he loved, with...


How the Dog Nobody Wanted for 17 Months Became a School’s Unofficial Mascot

When Higgins was found, he had been dumped on the side of the road and appeared aggressive—but with some TLC...


Meet the Pitbull Who Became Her Family’s Caretaker

"At that moment, Emmy Lou came up to me and put my whole wrist in her mouth. She was hugging...


After This Man Rescued a Cow from a Dairy Farm, the Two Developed the Most Unbelievable Friendship

Meet Ryan and his 1,000-pound bestie: Jenna the cow. She's brought joy to his life—and also brought him together...


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This Rescue Dog Helps His Owner Nurse Baby Hummingbirds Back to Health

You don't have to be from the same species to be kindred spirits.


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How an 18-Year-Old Helped Save a Hiker Who Fell 75 Feet Off a Mountain Cliff

An 18-year-old went on a hike with his mom—and returned home a hero. Here's how his quick actions saved...


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When the World Shut Down, This 9-Year-Old Created an Unlikely Bond with 6 Chickens

In a time of isolation from the rest of the world, this little girl found friendship in her family’s new...



How an Activist with Disabilities Went from Being a Role Model to a Runway Model

A disabled activist won’t let Twitter trolls stop her 
from seeing herself as she really is—a star.