News doesn’t always have to be bad

EDITORIAL

A number of tragic events have occurred across Caledon in the past few weeks.

A house exploded in Caledon Village leaving one-man dead causing a wreck in the neighbourhood, a Bolton teen suffers from a rare and complex disorder prompting his family to seek treatment in the United States, a Brampton man died on Highway 10 leaving behind a pregnant fiancée, a Brampton Flying Club facility caught on fire and four houses burned down in a new subdivision in Mayfield West.

Indeed, even disaster hides from nobody, creeping its ways to towns like Caledon. All these bad news incidents only seem to enhance the narrative that media outlets only cover bad news, making it borderline sensational in newspaper articles, radio snippets and television broadcasts. 

Some may say the news covers murders, crimes, rapes, bomb blasts, cribbing politicians, and price increases. Take a glance any media outlets and you see a common theme.

Surely, in the midst of all this negativity, there has to be some good. Some faith in humanity has to be restored to balance out all these disasters. There has to be a ray of sunshine on a rainy day, as the pun goes.   

When the house exploded on Maple Grove Rd., those evacuated from their homes on that Sunday morning were taken to Knox United Church where they were able to stay and were provided with coffee, tea and food. The nearby McDonalds and Tim Hortons also opened their doors and provided comfort to displaced residents while Brampton Transit offered complementary rides.

Caledon Council went a step further offering some financial relief for the houses damaged by the explosion, granting a permit and tax leniency for displaced residents.

When Kimberly Fosbury, Jarred's mother, wanted to help her son any way she can, she launched a GoFundMe raising $16,740 at this point out of a goal of $25,000. Commentators expressed their well wishes. Some individuals even donated $1,000 out of their own pockets to help him get the help he needs.

After Jason Goodlip, 29, lost his life while driving to work on Highway 10, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to help cover the cost of his funeral and help his fiancée care for the baby. It raised $6,106 by 94 people in six days with a goal of $10,000. Some people even donated $1,000.

We also cannot forget to thank all emergency responders, from Ontario Provincial Police officers, Caledon Firefighters, and Peel Paramedics, among other groups. If it wasn't for their quick thinking and reacting, more damage may have been inflicted.

The news doesn't always have to be bad. There could be good news stories that come out of horrific events. That's not to say all good news stories are “fluff” or cliché but rather it shows how caring we are to those in need suffering from unexpected events. 

I understand bad news stories can people feel negative, fearful, anxious and even stressed. It doesn't have to be that way. News stories can be good and reinforce how we should act towards each other.

If you're interested in reading good news stories, I recommend you check out the Huffington Post's Good News section. It's more than pictures of cats and dogs or parents throwing cheese on their babies.