The Happy Pod: The 88-year-old veteran given nearly $2m by strangers episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 10, 2026 · 26 MIN

The Happy Pod: The 88-year-old veteran given nearly $2m by strangers

from Global News Podcast · host BBC World Service

The Australian 'kindness influencer' who raised nearly two million dollars to help an elderly US veteran. Samuel Weidenhofer flew thousands of miles to find Ed Bambas after being told he needed help. Ed, who's 88, was still working in a shop because he couldn't afford to retire, having lost his pension and healthcare. Also: one of the few people ever to walk around the world says he was inspired to keep going by the rescue dog he adopted along the way. Tom Turcich spent seven years making the journey with Savannah, who he describes as the best possible companion. The family of a US Air Force serviceman have been reunited with his dog tag, seventy years after it was lost. We hear how a young woman in the UK is trying to dispel the stigma surrounding a medical device known as a stoma bag, by turning them into fashion accessories. Plus some very big baby news as a US zoo prepares to welcome a very rare elephant calf. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world. Presenter: Alex Ritson. Music composed by Iona Hampson

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 10, 2026

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The Happy Pod: The 88-year-old veteran given nearly $2m by strangers

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