CNN 5 Good Things

Turns out “fútbol is life” wasn’t just a line for this “Ted Lasso” star. A commencement speaker gave graduates more than words of wisdom. We’ll tell you how mountain gorillas rebounded from the brink of extinction. A new children’s book honors the Chinese immigrant behind America’s Famous Bing cherry. Plus, meet the man traveling the world without ever stepping on a plane. 

 

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Host/Producer: Krista Bo Polanco 

Producer: Eryn Mathewson  

Senior Producer: Felicia Patinkin 
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Hear why thousands of moms across the country are lining up for a night out. It’s Teacher Appreciation Week: meet the 2026 National Teacher of the Year. A two-year-old boy who was born profoundly deaf can now hear, thanks to a new FDA-approved gene therapy. An iconic TV personality just turned 100. And, how a community in Idaho celebrated a young leukemia survivor's birthday. 

Sign up for the CNN 5 Good Things newsletter here. 

Host/Producer: Krista Bo Polanco 

Producer: Eryn Mathewson  

Senior Producer: Felicia Patinkin 

Editorial Support: Deborah Brunswick, Hazel Tang, Madeleine Stix, Jim Schiffman, Elliott Proctor 
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This stallion season manager is celebrating a second chance at life at the 152nd Kentucky Derby. How one man is keeping a promise to his late grandmother ⁠at full speed.⁠ A family-owned supermarket is taking a page from NPR’s book with its own version of “Tiny Desk concerts.” This ancient "miracle tree" could solve a very modern pollution problem. Plus, meet ⁠the oncologist⁠ bringing life-saving care to places that don’t have it.
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A dad is teaching young boys in his community hard and soft skills for adulthood. A potentially game-changing treatment could help fight one of the deadliest cancers. The answer to the world’s plastic problem could be floating around in the ocean. Meet the woman shattering the glass ceiling in European sports. And just days after an attempted school shooting, students found a way to thank a hero at prom. 

Sign up for the CNN 5 Good Things newsletter here. 

Host/Producer: Krista Bo Polanco 

Producer: Eryn Mathewson  

Senior Producer: Felicia Patinkin 

Editorial Support: Sebastian Shukla 
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On one of the biggest stages in music, history was made. A "Heated Rivalry" lookalike contest turned into a real-life rom com. These ecosystem engineers are already hard at work helping combat climate change. This technology allowed a blind man to train and race for a marathon differently. Plus, why basketball fans love the G.O.A.T. debate. 

Sign up for the CNN 5 Good Things newsletter here. 

Host/Producer: Krista Bo Polanco 

Producer: Eryn Mathewson 

Show Runner: Felicia Patinkin 

Senior Producer: Dan Bloom 

Editorial Support: Jasmine Amjad, Sophie Garnett, Jocelyn Contreras, Erick E. Beltran 
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