8 Heartwarming Stories of 2014

At various times throughout the year, we were caught wailing at our desks as we read about and watched some incredibly heartwarming stories. As we know you share our fondness for a good ole cry, below we round up some of our favourites from 2014, sure to pull on your emotional heartstrings. Tissues at the ready!

To celebrate the terminally ill Jayden’s 5th birthday, his father took it upon himself to dress up as his hero, Spiderman, arriving at his house to wish him a great day. The delight on young Jayden’s face is a treasure to behold.

This one got us bad; Emily thinks it’s very sad that sick kids would have to lose their hair when she has so much of it to go around. So she recruits the help of her hairdressing uncle to cut both her and her doll’s hair. Prepare to bawl your eyes out.

In February of this year, Gerdi McKenna’s best friends set about organising a photoshoot for her as she had recently been diagnosed with cancer. In act of complete and utter solidarity, what Gerdi wasn’t expecting was to arrive that day to find her nearest and dearest had had their heads shaved too. What an unbelievable expression of love and support.

The story of Ryland Whittington took hold of our hearts in May of this year. Ryland was born a girl, with female genitalia, however he began to realise at an incredibly young age that he was meant to be a boy. Eventually, his parents had to take note and do their best for the sake for their son’s happiness. Watch the story here.

This is a short one but oh so sweet and Irish too. A son arrives home to surprise his mother who has no clue that he’s here. Walking through the door he calls out for his mum to make him a ‘cup of shcald’. The rest will make you want to go hug your own mammy too.

In the world of celebrities, there were few who stole our hearts in quite the same way as Mr Ed Sheeran. Who could forget when he sang with perhaps his biggest Irish fan, Aimee, on the Late Late Toy Show?

Elton John also got our eyes weeping when he stopped to dedicate a song to the gorgeous little Lily-Mae, 6, is suffering from Stage IV Neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer of the nervous system. Two years ago family and friends got together to release a charity single covering John’s hit, Tiny Dancer, and it was a massive success.

Showing just how powerful and transformative music can be, this year we wept tears of joy as 33 couples got married during Mcklemore’s performance of Same Love. Even the song alone would bring a tear to your eye. If your hairs don’t stand on end during this, you ought to check your pulse. (Though it does go a little weird when Madonna rocks out)

@CarolineForan