Good news still thrives amid coronavirus pandemic: Meet the 'safest person' on earth, Skype portraits from home and more
The coronavirus quarantine has made way for a number of unsung heroes, from those who are sharing words of wisdom to others sharing a gift through art. Just this week, a man sailing solo is offering his unique perspective on self-isolation, while others are creating beautiful moments through technology and building a virtual sense of community — all of which have allowed people to find a silver lining during this challenging time.
“The safest person on the planet”
Meet Bert terHart, a 62-year-old Canadian man who has been deemed “the safest person on the planet” as he has been sailing solo around the globe since late October. With a mission to become the first North American to complete a nonstop circumnavigation, terHart has been social distancing since before news of the coronavirus first emerged. But in the midst of the pandemic, he shares a positive outlook. “Self-isolation means opportunity,” he tells Yahoo Life via email from his sailboat. “You have the opportunity to learn more about yourself, and more about your place in the world. You have the time to read those books that you’ve always wanted to read, indulge the hobby that you never seem to have time for or spend the time with loved ones that work or some other responsibilities would pull you away from.”
Photographer captures quarantine portraits via Skype
Although quarantine has become an obstacle between many people and their jobs, one photographer based out of the U.K. is using unique circumstances as an opportunity to explore other routes for her creative work. As a result, Fran Monks is already gaining a reputation for the portraits that she’s started to capture via video calls on Skype. “I realized something extraordinary was happening and people were already self-isolating at home and social distancing generally,” she tells Yahoo Life, “and so I thought I should use my skills as a portrait photographer to try and document what was happening.”
People share views from windows around the world
The view from a window at home might start to feel stale people who have been inside of the same four walls. So, Barbara Duriau, an Amsterdam-based graphic designer and photographer, came up with a way to peer out from the windows of others by starting a Facebook group called View from my window where people share a photograph of just that. “I realized that people were feeling bored, frustrated with the confinement, tired of the stream of relentless bad news,” Duriau tells Yahoo Life, “and they were looking for a window of relief, a glimmer of optimism, a breath of fresh air and the possibility to travel the world without leaving their couch, while they had time in their hands.”
88-year-old man reunited with wife through nursing home window
An elderly couple in Massachusetts is being kept apart as a result of a nursing home’s decision to close its doors to visitors. But that didn’t stop 88-year-old Nick Avtges from seeing his wife, Marion, who he had been visiting daily prior to the coronavirus. “He ... was anxious, he was like a kid at Christmastime, he was just ready to get up there. He just wanted to see her,” the couple’s son, Chris, tells Yahoo Life of his father before being lifted up in a bucket truck to Marion’s window. “If you ask my dad what the secret is to 61 years of marriage, he’ll tell you the same thing every time,” Chris says, “‘It’s a four-letter word, L-O-V-E.’”
Airline captain thanks medical workers on flight
A United Airlines pilot went the extra mile to share his appreciation for health care workers aboard his flight on Saturday, as they were traveling from Virginia to New York to join frontline workers in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. “I understand that we have quite a few folks who are going to get on this airplane to travel down to the tri-state area to volunteer to help as medical professionals,” Captain Jim Crail announced on the flight, before asking those workers to stand. “I really, really appreciate and thank you for what you are willing to volunteer to do.”
For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDC’s and WHO’s resource guides.
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