Melbourne feel good stories: Dyson Heppell, Ash Barty, Willow the cat and more

Need a change from the grim news coming from Ukraine? Here’s a few heartwarming tales which have emerged from Melbourne’s suburbs this summer.

Harrison Pennicott’s health win, Ash Barty’s clinic with youngsters, and the rescue of a beached whale are among Melbourne’s feel-good stories this summer.

With the events in Ukraine dominating headlines in recent days, and Covid still sweeping through the community, some of you might be feeling a bit down about the state of the world right now.

But thankfully, there’s still been some brighter news and stories coming out of Melbourne’s suburbs which have struck a chord among all the chaos.

Here’s a collection of feel-good news stories from the Leader team which we’ve uncovered in the last few months — click on the links for videos and the full stories.

GOLFING MATES’ DOUBLE HOLE-IN-ONE

Kew's Michael Adams and Brunswick's Adam Faithful got consecutive hole in ones on the 4th hole at Kew Golf Club. It’s the first time two people in the same party have each got a hole in one at the course. Picture: David Geraghty

Casual golfers Michael Adams and Fitzroy North’s Adam Faithfull etched themselves into the Kew Golf Course record books after scoring back-to-back hole in ones on the 139m fourth hole on December 3.

The duo and Michael’s son Sam were close to abandoning their round for a few beers at the clubhouse, as the course was moving slow due to a corporate event.

But after the trio took their first shots on the fourth, they walked down a hill to find only Sam’s ball lying on the green.

They were shocked to find their two balls inside in the hole, a perfect birthday gift for Michael, and the first time the double had been done at the club in its 127-year history.

THE BASIN CAT COMES BACK … AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS MISSING

Willow the Cat was found in Clayton 22 months after she disappeared from her owners' place in The Basin. She’s pictured with Julianne Beck and her daughter Sienna. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Proving never losing hope can lead to a happy ending, a family in The Basin were reunited with their cat, nearly two years after it went on an epic prowl.

Julianne Beck and daughter Sienna erected billboards and did nightly searches in the dark in their efforts to find Willow, who disappeared at the start of 2020.

In early November, they got a call from an animal aid rescuer, telling them Willow had been found safe and well, and leading to an emotional reunion at Burwood East’s RSPCA shelter.

HARRISON TRIUMPHS IN SIX-YEAR HEALTH BATTLE

Warranwood’s Harrison Pennicott, 9, has been well and truly up against it since he was diagnosed with scleroderma when he was three years’ old.

But after losing four fingers and rounds of different treatments, doctors told the youngster he was in remission from the rate skin and auto-immune disease in late January.

The mad Bombers fan struck up a friendship with captain Dyson Heppell during his battle, and Leader was there as Heppell came out to Ringwood North to kick the footy and celebrate the good news.

ASH BARTY HITS IT UP WITH RINGWOOD YOUNGSTERS

Ash Barty with Zach, 13, Lachie, 10, Elyssa, 13 and Berlin, 12 from Ringwood’s Parkwood Tennis Club. Picture: Alex Coppel.

She’s been lapping up her Australian Open win and busy moving house in Brisbane.

But Ash Barty still had time to come to Melbourne this week, and give a group of young players an experience of a lifetime during a sponsorship announcement.

The World No. 1 held court with players from Ringwood’s Parkwood Tennis Club, giving them pointers, hitting some balls, and signing plenty of autographs.

THE FIN-TASTIC WILLIAMSTOWN WHALE RESCUE

Marine animal experts and police were able to rescue a beached dolphin at Greenwich Reserve in Williamstown on February 7, 2022. Picture: Victoria Police

A group of marine animal rescuers saved the day when they rescued a beached-as whale which got stuck in the mud near Williamstown on February 7.

Police deployed two inflatable rescue boats and four officers to assist the rescue operation, using a sling to tow the whale deeper into the waters near Greenwich Reserve.

The 80kg whale rested there for an hour, was checked out by a vet, and then released back into Port Phillip Bay.

ELI GETS RESCUED AFTER FIVE HOURS STUCK IN WERRIBEE GORGE

42-year-old Eli Klein has hailed his rescuers as "angels" after he was rescued from Werribee Gorge State Park on December 26, 2021.

St Kilda East’s Eli Klein, a self-described “couch potato”, tumbled down a steep embankment near the end of a four-hour hike in the Werribee Gorge State Park on Boxing Day.

The 42-year-old’s descent was stopped halfway down the hill as he became wedged in some scrub, breaking two bones in his foot.

But a huge response from emergency services, which Mr Klein described as “angels”, saw him plucked to safety five hours later by SES volunteers, and then into a waiting helicopter to take him to hospital for treatment.

PARAMEDICS SAVE MELTON COP AFTER HEART ATTACK

Paramedics Luke Baird and Catherine Cristofaro with Danny Wakelin, Kylie Wakelin and paramedics Sadie Powers and Tristan Adams.

Melton police officer Danny Wakelin tried to walk himself to the ambulance after he was diagnosed with a heart attack.

It led to him collapsing and going into cardiac arrest, and a frantic effort from paramedics to get him to hospital for emergency surgery.

Danny pulled through, and earlier this month, came face-to-face with the paramedics who saved his life, and gave them some homemade biscuits as a thankyou.

Got any other feel-good stories in your area? Get in touch with by sending a DM to our reporters via your local Leader Facebook page.