Sometimes the news feels like it’s filled with nothing but crime, death, scandals and political drama, but this year, we had plenty of heartwarming stories to share about Long Beach, the city we love.
At the Long Beach Post, we make a point of highlighting people who are doing amazing things in and for their community. Here are just a few of the ones we covered in 2023:
A sweet ‘senior’ prom
When one of our reporters first pitched the idea of covering a senior prom, we were confused. High schools do these every year, right? It turned out to be a lot more unique than we thought.
The El Dorado Senior Center hosted a prom night for its seniors (the kind over 60) in May. The story — and especially the video — will bring a tear to your eye.
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Right place, right time
There was nothing short of a miracle at this year’s Long Beach Marathon. Dr. Ryan Chiu, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Long Beach Memorial was just leaving brunch next to the race route when runner Tuan Pham collapsed in front of him in cardiac arrest. Chiu not only kept Pham alive, rushed to Memorial and performed the life-saving surgery he needed.
“I can’t believe the one guy, the first guy, to see me fall, to show up and give me help, was a cardiac surgeon,” Pham later said. “What are the odds?”
Jailhouse chef
Long Beach dad Daniel Phaitaisong used his time behind bars to build a new life for himself and his family by becoming a social media star.
Phaitaisong spoke openly about the upbringing and mistakes that landed him in jail, but he also explained how he used the experience to set himself on a new trajectory. Now, he’s a star on TikTok where he makes videos — and money — showcasing the prison recipes he learned.
They’re a fun watch, but Phaitaisong’s story of overcoming is really what stuck with us.
Saving the baseball season
It’s always special when good comes from something bad, and in this case, Long Beach delivered.
When the West Long Beach Little League’s equipment was stolen for the second time this year, the community stepped up, quickly raising over $10,000 to replace it.
Community garden champion
We’re big fans of David Cundiff, a retired physician and oncologist we wrote about this year who has poured years of his life into volunteering with community gardening nonprofit Long Beach Organic. The 76-year-old took that initiative a step further in 2023 by petitioning his neighbors to donate their food scraps to help fertilize his own backyard community garden.
Much of what’s grown there feeds him and his roommates, the rest is donated to Cal State Long Beach’s student pantry and other food banks for the homeless.
Band on the rise
Here’s one to keep an eye on next year. Jordan High School’s band and choir were invited to perform at the Carnegie Hall. In early 2024, they’ll get to make the trip to the iconic New York City Venue.
When we talked to them in October, the excitement was palpable.
“I’ve always wanted to go to New York,” choir student Jillian Soldevilla told us. “That was like my dream as a kid to go and explore the big city.”
Editor Kat Schuster contributed to this report.