Welcome to “Sunday Sunshine,” a new weekly column I’ve started to highlight some of the good news out there. It can be all too easy to get dragged down by negativity, especially in the divisive atmosphere of our 24-7 news cycle, so it’s a good idea to remember that most people aren’t like the trolls you find on Twitter. In fact, most people are generally good people, and they’re doing some very good things. Sunday Sunshine will seek to highlight that, plus of course some cute animal videos and random silly things I find, because isn’t that why we have the internet?

If you have ideas for upcoming Sunday Sunshine articles, please reach out to me on Facebook or Twitter. Enjoy!

Jackson Proskow, the Washington Bureau Chief for the Canadian Global News, witnessed a moving scene on a recent flight from Dallas to Washington, D.C. The plane was carrying the remains of an American pilot, Col. Roy Knight Jr., whose plane had been shot down during the Vietnam War in 1967. Knight’s remains had recently been recovered and were being returned home to his family, with a very special pilot for that flight: Knight’s own son, who had watched his father depart for the war and had grown up to be a pilot himself.

Our incoming plane is carrying the remains of an American pilot shot down over Vietnam in 1967. His remains were only recently recovered and identified and brought back to the US.

— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 8, 2019

As we wait at the gate, we’re told that Captain Knight is coming home to Dallas. When he left from this very airport to fight in Vietnam his 5 year old son came to the airfield and waved goodbye. It was the last time he would see his father alive.

— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 8, 2019

Today the pilot of the plane bringing Capt. Knight back to Dallas is his son.

— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 8, 2019

The entire terminal has come to watch this arrival. pic.twitter.com/HW3yAHEXBf

— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 8, 2019

Incredible moment to watch. The entire airport fell silent. pic.twitter.com/TGp1X736R7

— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 8, 2019

Read Proskow’s full story here.

I've written a little more about this remarkable, beautiful day. https://t.co/JqIM2DSUPK

— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 8, 2019

The promised cute animal content: Check out this video of a baby duck being reunited with his siblings after successfully being rescued and rehabbed. According to the original post on Reddit, he noticed the little duck was having increasing trouble walking, eventually becoming immobile. He took the duck to a wildlife rehabber who diagnosed him with botulism poisoning and nursed him back to health.

After the duck recovered, the rescuer brought him back to his family, and “As you can see, all the feels ensued.”

Baby duck reunited with siblings after being rehabbed. from r/aww

Here’s a story I covered last week, in case you missed it. After Shoshana Ovitz was freed from the Auschwitz concentration camp at the end of World War II, she married and had four children. She just celebrated her 104th birthday in Israel, surrounded by about four hundred of her descendants. The photos from her family gathering at the Western Wall are a powerful testament to the power of faith and family to triumph over evil.

Holocaust Survivor Celebrates Her 104th Birthday Surrounded By 400 Descendants

And something completely silly: for my fellow Gen-Xers and everyone who loves LEGOs, you can now build your very own Central Perk out of LEGOs, including Monica, Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe, and even Gunther:

Could we BE any more excited to build Central Perk?! ☕️ #Friends25 https://t.co/ZfSelxzZlL@FriendsTV pic.twitter.com/q2KaY7oCuy

— LEGO® IDEAS (@LEGOIdeas) August 8, 2019

Finally, if you’re not already following Rodney Smith, Jr. (@iamrodneysmith) on Twitter, you need to do so. Smith has been traveling across America, providing free lawn mowing to veterans, senior citizens, single mothers, disabled people, and others who need help. He also has a charitable foundation where he encourages kids to help people in their own communities by mowing their lawns.

Smith’s Twitter feed is a celebration of neighbor helping neighbor, and how a little kindness can have a huge impact.

I just had the honor of mowing Mr. Authurs lawn for him on this beautiful Sunday . He is a veteran , thank you for your service ! Making a difference one lawn at a time pic.twitter.com/iqeDa1fXeR

— Rodney Smith Jr (@iamrodneysmith) August 11, 2019

I just had the pleasure of mowing Ms. Durham’s lawn for her on this beautiful Friday evening . She was inside resting so I didn’t disturb her . Making a difference one lawn at a time pic.twitter.com/Az9MP1p0OK

— Rodney Smith Jr (@iamrodneysmith) August 9, 2019

Read my RedState article archive here.

Follow Sarah Rumpf on Twitter: @rumpfshaker.