18 Delaware Online stories from 2018 that will make you feel better about the world

As 2018 comes to a close, it's time to reflect all that's happened in the past year. 

There was political turmoil. And tragedy. But there were also moments of kindness, human decency and heroism. 

Here's a list of stories Delaware Online reporters wrote in 2018 that made you laugh, cry and feel a little better about the world we live in. 

Saving Grace

In the span of two decades, three children in the Miller family have died of a rare genetic disease. Everything doctors tried couldn't save these Amish children. Is there a chance for cousin Grace? While this story focuses on genetic medicine and the intricacies of Amish culture, it's also about parents who will do anything for their children to be healthy. And some of the things the doctors are doing for these kids foreshadows the high-tech precision medicine of the future for us all.

O Christmas Weed, O Christmas Weed

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Claymont Christmas Weed. For more than two decades, local residents have been decorating a "weed" with holiday ornaments and displaying it on Philadelphia Pike. Per Christmas Weed tradition, the popular parade was held Dec.1.  Here's a reprint of the fable about the weed first published 25 years ago on Christmas.

Delaware's farmette

Before women took to the streets to demand equal pay and before Rosie the Riveter flexed her muscles in factories, farmettes were slaughtering pigs and milking cows. June Kleban, now 95, worked in the Women's Land Army on two dairy farms during World War II. She's currently retired, living in Arden and was just amazed by the outpouring of interest that followed her story. 

Newlyweds — again

After 62 years of marriage, Betty Jean Crispin and Charles Morrison got married again this September, so that they could prove they were. That's because a decade ago, the couple learned that the State of New Jersey, where they got married, has no record of their marriage license. This fall, they exchanged vows in a double ceremony with their son and his longtime girlfriend.

The long run

When he entered 7th grade, Tyler Blades weighed 267 pounds. Doctors told him he needed to lose weight, otherwise he could die. Since then, the high school sophomore has lost about 100 pounds, mostly through running. He's become one of the top 10 runners on the Sussex Central cross country team.

Hometown hero 

More than a decade after watching the Eagles play in the Super Bowl in 2005, Wilmington native Wendell Smallwood cheered his hometown team on to becoming Super Bowl Champions in 2018. Before the game, he told Delaware Online that the experience was a "dream come true."

Piping plovers find a home 

For the first time in Delaware beach history, these tiny shorebirds have found a new home along a stretch of sand. Since 1986, these adorable animals have been protected as a federally threatened species because beachfront development infringes on their natural beach. 

The graduate

Doctors thought Nicole Albano would die by the age of 8. She was born with a rare muscle disorder marked by progressive muscle weakness. It's so rare, in fact, that Nicole was the sixth person in the world diagnosed with the disease. In June 2018, Nicole defied doctors' expectations and graduated from Glasgow High School. She hopes to go to college one day. 

Wilmington's last typewriter repairman

Alexander Rybak is one of the last known typewriter repairmen in Wilmington. This fall, he planned to close up his shop after a 60 year long career. But after a story ran in The News Journal, demand for work picked back up — and the typewriter repairman's retirement plans were put on hold.  

A hero's journey 

Sixty five years after fighting in the Korean War, Peter Chacho returned to Korea to see the site that defined his time the military. Once called Outpost Harry, it was a Korean War battle site now sitting in the demilitarized zone. The last time the Smyrna resident saw it, the hill was bloody and burning. In 2018, it's lush and green. "I led a wonderful life," Chacho said. "But Outpost Harry always gnawed at me."

Their mother's daughters

Ardythe Hope was one of Wilmington firefighters who died of burns stemming from the 2016 Canby Park fire. A year and a half after their mother's death, daughters Alexis and Ardavia Lee have carved out successful athletic careers, inspired by their mom’s memory and fueled by her spirit and determination. Hope was once a state track and cross country champion. 

Going the extra mile 

Len Leshem decided to celebrate his 81st birthday by kayaking the 10-mile trip along the Broadkill River from Lewes to Milton to raise money for Special Olympics Delaware. The Lewes resident is a Special Olympics coach and a member of the organization’s Hall of Fame. He raised more than $10,000, which went toward local athletes participating in the 2018 Special Olympics USA games in Seattle, Washington.

The winning ticket

Bob and Rose Crowther became Delaware's first Hot Lotto jackpot winners eight years ago, taking home more than $10 million. Years later, the couple says their fortune hasn't changed them. After winning, the couple closed the tavern they owned and retired. They also set up a trust for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

A stranger's act of kindness

Amanda Fessler was having a tough week. In late November, her aunt died and daughter had frontal lobe resection surgery. After her daughter was discharged, the Laurel family's car broke down on the highway on the ride home. But that's when Donta Thompson, the chief engineer at a nearby hotel, offered his help. He rolled up his sleeves and fixed Fessler's car. She hailed him as a hero. 

Welcome to Funktown

Despite no longer being Newark mayor, Vance A. Funk III still rules over the college town. The 75-year-old  dispenses wisdom and complaints on Facebook and elsewhere, offering a continuous flow of opinions about how the town should be run. And every day at 6 a.m., he picks up the trash on Main Street. 

Man's best friend

Ken Walsh's dog Greta, a 5 year old German shepherd, was unusually loud one November morning. When he got out of bed to comfort her, the owner smelled propane. That can suffocate people. “It was very scary after I got a chance to sit down and think about it," Walsh said. "She's a hero." 

The end of an era

Sportswriter Kevin Tresolini reflected on his time covering University of Delaware football games from the Bob Kelley Memorial Press Box, which will be torn down. There was no air conditioning. No heat. No carpet. But the view was spectacular. 

Never giving up

Fred Reich returned to Delaware Technical Community College in 2016 after first starting in 1980. Determined to get his degree, the 64-year-old went to class all while fighting a cancer diagnosis. This spring, he earned an Associate of Science degree in General Science and participated in the Owens Campus commencement ceremony with his best friend and four chemo nurses in the audience. He died in late November. 

Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 324-2386 or mnewman@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @MereNewman.