Five Positive Stories From Gwinnett County in 2016

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — Not everything in 2016 was horrible. And while the news can, far too often, be about the bad things that happen in our community, sometimes it looks at the good things, too.

There were some genuine feel-good stories from 2016 among the most popular stories on Patch sites. Here's a look at five our our — and your — favorite positive stories of the year.

Toddler With Down Syndrome Makes Modeling Debut

Asher Nash's mom, Meagan, of Buford, wouldn't take "no" for an answer. So when the nearly-2 year old, with Down Syndrome, at first had trouble getting child modeling gigs, she took to the internet, campaigning to share his smile and charm with the world. It worked. In early December, Asher appeared in his first print campaign, for Oshkosh B'Gosh. Read more. >>>

Gwinnett's Jeff Francoeur Is Back With The Braves

Everybody loves a good comeback story. Combine it with the story of a hometown boy made good, and you've got a real winner. After a few years knocking around in the Major Leagues, outfielder Jeff Francoeur, a Parkview High School alum, made his way back to where it all began this year, returning to the Atlanta Braves and having a productive year. Read more. >>>

UGA Crash Survivor Is Out of Her Coma

At first, it's tough to find a positive side of the April crash that killed four University of Georgia students. But many locals have been inspired by the slow, but steady, progress made by survivor Agnes Kim, who, herself, entered a coma after suffering brain injuries in the crash. She emerged from her coma in June and, after working hard at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, was eventually released, to continue her therapy from her Snellville home, in October. Read more. >>>

Dog Rescued After Homeless Owner's Heartbreaking Note

Somebody really didn't want to let Cletus go. But he was left at a Lawrenceville playground with a note, saying the 11-year-old dog needed a new home because his owner had lost one. It's a bleak situation, but one that didn't last long. Gwinnett County Animal Control found him a new "forever home" within a day or so of his discovery with the tear-jerking note. Read more. >>>

Veterinarian Eats in Cage for Scared, Sick Dog

OK, this one actually happened just up the road in Elberton. But it spurred such a strong response from Gwinnett readers, we couldn't bear to leave it off of this list. When veterinarian Andy Mathis found Graycie back in February, she was in such bad shape he almost euthanized her immediately. Instead, he began the slow process of nursing her back to health. Folks were especially drawn to video of Mathis crawling inside a cage to eat his breakfast with Graycie in an effort to help her get used to human interaction. Read more. >>>