Jumping In, Looking Up: Courage, Currents, and Commuter Whales

You ever have that moment where your brain blanks and your body just moves? Today we’ve got two stories about exactly that kind of decision-making.

First: Eddie Hunnell, a 57-year-old software engineer from Holly Springs, was at his son’s wedding rehearsal when Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina. When he saw 66-year-old Leslie Worth swept into the flooded North Fork New River, his Plan A with a canoe didn’t work. So he jumped in himself. Now he’s receiving the Carnegie Medal—North America’s highest honor for civilian heroism.

Then: Sydney commuters are discovering that sharing their morning ferry rides with 40,000 migrating humpback whales is just part of life now. These school bus-sized creatures are turning one of the world’s busiest harbors into the gentlest traffic jam you’ve ever seen. It’s a conservation success story happening in real-time, complete with whales who seem genuinely curious about the humans they’re meeting.

Both stories reveal something about what happens when the unexpected shows up and people—or whales—decide to engage instead of look away.

Plus: a dad joke that might actually make you groan out loud.

From Wake Forest, North Carolina, this is Good Morning Wake County—where we find stories that remind you what’s possible when ordinary people decide to jump in.

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From Tank’s Big Escape to Eliza’s Lasting Light: Good News Stories of Hope, Heart, and Second Chances

Today on Good Morning Wake County, we take you from a missing tortoise named Tank in Greenfield, Illinois to the streets of Raleigh, where law enforcement officers ran for the Special Olympics. Then we head west to California for the inspiring story of Trevor Turner, a former inmate turned award-winning college graduate, before coming home to Raleigh to remember Eliza Craven and the $2.5 million gift that will help other families facing childhood illness. These are stories of good, stories of heart… and the kind of feel-good news that stays with you.

🎧 Featuring:

  • Tank the Tortoise 🐢 (Greenfield, IL)

  • Wake County Special Olympics

  • Trevor Turner (Bakersfield College, CA)

  • Amanda & Lee Craven + Transitions LifeCare (Raleigh, NC)

  • Team Speedy Sloth + Eliza Alice Craven Pediatric Fund (Duke University, Durham, NC)

🔗 SOURCES & LINKS

Tank the Tortoise – First Alert 4:

https://www.firstalert4.com/2025/05/28/illinois-town-comes-together-find-missing-tortoise/

Torch Run / Special Olympics:

https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/wake-county-news/wake-county-law-enforcement-runs-through-rain-to-benefit-nc-special-olympics/

Trevor Turner, Bakersfield College Grad:

https://www.bakersfield.com/bakersfield-life/bakersfield-matters-bc-grad-defies-odds-earns-collegiate-recognition-with-inspiring-story/article_b47665db-424d-4ac8-8555-f5d02d1dff75.html

Eliza’s Story / Transitions Kids

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/raleigh-nc/eliza-craven-10806995

https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/wake-county-news/the-whole-family-is-the-patient-childrens-hospice-program-in-raleigh-receives-2-5-million-gift/

https://www.supportdukehealth.org/site/TR/Angels/AngelsAmongUs?pg=team&fr_id=2621&team_id=30983

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