Leonardo Faierman, Author at Love Expands %

Leonardo Faierman was born in Buenos Aires, raised in Queens, on the playground was where he planned most of his schemes. Since then he's plowed a jagged path as a writer, editor, podcaster, comic creator, and mostly benevolent malcontent in New York City. His favorite comic book is Love & Rockets, favorite film is Mad Max: Fury Road, favorite video game is Guardian Heroes, favorite book is The Thief's Journal by Jean Genet.

Therapy Dog Max is the First Recipient of the PDSA Order of Merit

at February 24, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

Thirteen-year-old Max is the first ever pet to receive the PDSA Order of Merit since its inception in 2014. Watch his inspiring story

The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals is a UK veterinary charity that has been around for over a century, but this type of award is a recent special distinction. The PDSA Order of Merit, “…recognizes animals that display outstanding devotion to their owner or wider society, above and beyond normal companionship.” It’s considered comparable to the OBE, but for animals, and has only been granted to those in military and police service…until now, with springer spaniel therapy dog Max its newest proud recipient.

Military Dog Returned to her Trainer 4,000 Miles Away for Retirement

at by Leonardo Faierman

Sgt. Angela Cardone reunited with Bogi in Waikiki.

Bogi’s all set for a well-earned early retirement. The 5-year-old Belgian Malinois is a military dog, whose few years of service ended up being interrupted by a broken bone in her neck. Luckily, her original handler and trainer Marine Sgt.

Rosy’s Cooking Fed the Local Queer Community for 15 Years, Now They’re Giving Back

at February 23, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

Roselia “Rosy” Milagro Rosales Gil’s cooking kept LA’s buzzing queer nightlife going but, like many others, the pandemic hit her business hard. Her menu featured the requisite tacos and bacon-wrapped hot dogs that are endemic to LA late-night street cuisine in addition to Central American / Mexican food, but all of that has been put on hold as the coronavirus pandemic continues onward.

Hiker Credits Dog with Keeping Him Alive, Rescued in Italian Alps After 7 Nights

at February 22, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

Hiker's dog keeps him alive after he broke his ankle and was stranded in the freezing Italian Alps for seven nights

An injured hiker is presently recovering after a harrowing seven nights trapped in the mountains north of Udine, a city in north-eastern Italy near the Alps.

Eight Quarantined Gorillas at San Diego Zoo Have Now Fully Recovered from COVID-19

at February 21, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

The San Diego Zoo’s gorillas is cause for celebration, as eight western gorillas who had sadly contracted COVID-19 earlier this year have fully recovered.

The recent recovery of the San Diego Zoo’s gorillas is cause for celebration, as these eight western lowland gorillas had sadly contracted COVID-19 earlier this year. While reports of primates contracting the virus are not frequently found in today’s headlines, the situation itself is nothing new;

Former Ski Gondolas Converted to Swanky Outdoor Dining

at February 20, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

A Colorado woman is revamping used gondolas to help restaurants stay afloat with outdoor dining.

Ski trips may be effectively canceled, but a little piece of those vacations may live on via fine dining during the coronavirus pandemic. Dominique Bastien, owner of The Gondola Shop, spends her time purchasing old gondolas to repurpose for other uses, like luxurious saunas.

More Than 2,500 Sea Turtles Saved by Sea Turtle, Inc. and Their Texan Community

at February 19, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

The record low temperatures during a history-making winter storm in Texas led sea turtles into peril, but local volunteers worked hard to ensure that they were taken somewhere safe.

Off the southern coast of Texas lies South Padre Island, a resort town of less than 3,000 people and about as many sea turtles. The record low temperatures during a history-making winter storm in Texas led some of those sea turtles into peril, but local volunteers worked hard to ensure that they were taken somewhere safe: Sea Turtle, Inc., a rehab center for turtles located on the island.

300 Volunteer Chaperones Step Up to Protect Oakland’s Asian American Seniors

at February 17, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

Hundreds of people are volunteering to escort elderly Asian Americans to help keep them safe

From small seeds grow firm trees, and the impact of Jacob Azevedo initiative to protect Asian Americans in his Bay Area community has grown quickly. The Oakland resident was disgusted after the senseless murder of elderly Thai immigrant Vicha Ratanapakdee earlier this month in San Francisco and decided to respond to the tragedy in a meaningful and selfless way.

Serbian Sculptor Repurposes Weapons of War as Musical Instruments

at by Leonardo Faierman

A Serbian sculptor, Nikola Macura, makes music not war by turning old weapons from junkyards into musical instruments. He plans to build the whole orchestra

A sculptor in the Serbian city of Novi Sad is making new, beautiful possibilities out of the dangerous relics of the past. Meet Nikola Macura, an artist who saw the military weapons clogging up the junkyards of the nation and considered a new potential therein, recycling them into new musical instruments.

This Student-Run Grocery Store Accepts Payment in ‘Good Deeds’

at February 16, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

Launched in November, this unique grocery store inside Linda Tutt High School in Sanger, Texas, is serving more than 130 families right now, and the clientele keeps growing.

There’s a very special grocery store in Texas that’s only open on Tuesday evenings and everything offered on these shelves is free. It’s located at Linda Tutt High School in Sanger, a city of approximately 7,000 in Denton County of Northern Texas.

Heroic Garbageman Saves the Life of Child Hidden in Garbage Can

at February 15, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

A Florida sanitation worker pulled a 7-year-old boy from the back of a garbage truck after the child hid in a trash can and was dumped into the vehicle.

Careful awareness saves lives, but it’s often not quite this close. The pairs of eyes in this story belong to Waldo Fidele, a sanitation worker in Lutz, a CDP in Florida’s Tampa area. Fidele was observing the surveillance camera on his automated trash collection truck when he noticed something wrong, very quickly: a young boy falling into the truck.

The Winner of 2020’s Global Teacher Prize is A Shining Light in India

at by Leonardo Faierman

Ranjitsinh Disale is a teacher in Paritewadi, a small village located in western India, and has received an incredibly global distinction for his history of service to education and decency.

A Lost $22,000 Flute Is Triumphantly Returned

at by Leonardo Faierman

When Donald Rabin’s grandmother passed in 2018, he spent his inheritance on a valuable instrument. Then, years later, he almost lost it. A flautist and student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Rabin made a grievous error when rushing off of a train to catch a flight back home on January 29, accidentally leaving his precious $22,000 flute behind in the train car.

Minneapolis Birdwatcher Saves Missing One-Year-Old Boy

at February 13, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

A one-year-old boy is now safe after having been called out in an Amber Alert last Saturday, and it’s primarily thanks to a phone call made by an observant neighbor. Avid birdwatcher Barbara Gusse of Brooklyn Center, MN made the news when she spotted a white Cherokee that aligned with a recent Amber Alert, then confirmed the license plate.

Homeless Man Returns Grandmother’s Wallet, Receives an Unexpected Reward

at by Leonardo Faierman

Evelyn Topper was upset when she lost her wallet back in December, expecting it to be gone forever. She had been buying some coffee at local coffee shop Kamson Coffee with her granddaughter Mikayla Gounard in their city of San Rafael, which is part of the San Francisco Bay Area in California.

Oldest Person to Row Across Atlantic Ocean Solo Did It for Alzheimer’s Research

at February 11, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

Frank Rothwell during his record-breaking row

Frank Rothwell might be 70 years old, but this energetic septuagenarian spent 8 entire weeks rowing across the Atlantic in an incredible unassisted voyage. The spritely senior from Oldham in Greater Manchester was raising money for Alzheimer’s Research UK, a near-30-year-old research charity dedicated to scientific studies to treat, cure, or prevent all forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s.

You Can Find Seed Libraries in All 50 States, Thanks to This Girl Scout

at February 10, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

Alicia Serratos, who is just 14, came up with the idea to send out enough starter kits to have at least two seed libraries in all 50 states

We need seed libraries. The concept itself – a location where various vegetable, herb, and flower seeds are provisioned for any and all to take, replacing them once their plants have grown – has seen widespread proliferation through the country, some of which is thanks to the work of Alicia Serratos.

These Student Cousins Work to Help Kentucky Seniors Get Vaccinated

at by Leonardo Faierman

Amelie Beck (left) Jacqueline Teaque (right) created a tech support-like helpline for Kentucky senior to get assistance in signing up for their Covid-19 vaccines.

It’s remarkable how some people cannot be stopped from stepping up to the plate, with such being the case with young Kentuckians Jacqueline Teague and Amelie Beck. These two cousins are responsible for the VaxConnectKY, a homegrown initiative that seeks to ease the difficulty of scheduling and signing up Covid-19 vaccinations for seniors in the Kentucky area.

53 Years Later, Navy Vet Reunites with His Wallet Lost in Antarctica

at February 9, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

Navy veteran Paul Grisham and his wife, Carole Salazar, of San Carlos, examine the wallet that he lost in Antarctica in 1968. Last weekend, the wallet was returned to him by a team of Internet sleuths after 53 years.(Nelvin C. Cepeda/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Paul Grisham found himself in Antarctica 53 years ago, where he would spend 13 chilly months working as a weather forecaster. At some point during this time, the Navy meteorologist lost his wallet, returning to California and considering it completely lost to the icy expanse…until now.

Nonprofit ‘Perfectly Imperfect Pups’ Matches Families with Special-Needs Dogs

at February 8, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

Just like people, some dogs need more attention and care than others, and non-profit organization Perfectly Imperfect Pups (PIPs) keeps the spotlight on these special-needs pups. The North Carolina-based dog rescue was recently given some extra attention thanks to ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan, where PIPs founder Nicole Kincaid described their mission to find homes for frequently overlooked animals looking for loving homes to thrive in.

Fundraising Son Runs 10km Per Day to Benefit Hospital Staff Caring For His Mom

at February 7, 2021 by Leonardo Faierman

Mr Marshall-Aherne said his mother had always been fit and healthy

Andrew Marshall-Aherne may be a teacher by day, but he’s burning the midnight oil running 10km every night after school to raise money for local Southmead Hospital.