Feel Good Friday: Global BC’s highlights of the week

Each week at Global BC, we highlight our stories to bring a bright spot to your Friday and into the weekend.

Here are five stories we want to share:

Video captures extraordinary moment elephant seal gives birth on B.C. island

A video posted online by a wilderness guide and photographer captures the extraordinary moment a Northern elephant seal gives birth.

He said that long lenses are used to minimize any disturbance to the flora and fauna on the reserve.

The video shows an elephant seal on the ground, moving around and then giving birth. The baby starts moving almost immediately and it appears that mama seal has to make sure a nearby onlooker does not get too close to her new offspring.

Rising B.C. wrestling star credits super-fan granny for his inspiration

A B.C. man has realized his dreams of becoming a professional wrestler, after being called up to the All Elite Wrestling league.

“Sebastian Wolfe,” whose real name is Corey Cyr, credits his wrestling super-fan grandmother with inspiring him to overcome intergenerational trauma — and achieve his goal.

“She was the perfect fan, hated all the bad guys and just loved every good guy,” he said.

“Before every match I ask her to watch out for me and to keep me safe … I don’t know if I ever would have got into wrestling without her.”

Cyr’s parents and grandparents were residential school survivors, and he honours his heritage by carrying a flag representing the Pasqua First Nation to most of his matches.

Air Canada customer finally receives luggage after AirTag tracks international journey

An Air Canada customer who tracked his lost bag using an AirTag has finally received his luggage after he battled with the airline for weeks to retrieve his bag.

Paul Kliffer was separated from his luggage for 45 days, after returning to Victoria from Mexico City.

He tracked the bag using an Apple AirTag, and watched it travel from Mexico City to Madrid, Spain.

The company initially said the bag was lost and he would be compensated, but after Global’s Consumer Matters reported the story, Air Canada was able to retrieve the luggage.

“It’s not part of the service strategy of an airline to really make sure the bag takes the least amount of detours to a destination,” he said.

“AirTags to me are a way for you to hold the airline accountable.”

Okanagan players win gold at women’s U18 world hockey championship

The women’s U-18 hockey championship wrapped up on Sunday, with Team Canada taking gold over Sweden.

The world champions were met with cheers, hugs and flowers from their loved ones as they arrived back in the Okanagan from Sweden.

“It was amazing, I think the experience is once in a lifetime and I couldn’t imagine anything better,” said Gracie Graham who plays defence for Team Canada.

Vancouver’s Chinatown gears up for first Lunar New Year parade in years

After a two-year pandemic pause, the 48th annual Spring Festival Parade will return to Vancouver’s Chinatown on Sun. Jan. 22, and organizers expect the “signature event” will attract more than 100,000 visitors to streets that have been largely empty since early 2020.

Members of the Vancouver Academy of Dance, which has been a mainstay of the event since its inception in 1974, are perfecting their performances ahead of the first in-person Lunar New Year parade since 2020.

“We’ve had two years off and now we’re back returning in full force,” artistic director Anabel Ho told Global News.

Ho’s troupe of young dancers is among the 2,500 participants — including close to 20 lion dance teams — who will snake their way along the 1.3-kilometre route through the community from the Millennium Gate on Pender Street to the intersection of Keefer and Abbott streets.