Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary passed away from leukemia yesterday at the age of 72 and I teared up several times last night and this morning just thinking about her.

When I was 14 years old, my Girl Scout leader, who also happened to be the editor of our dinky local newspaper, asked if I wanted to become an intern. One of the very first stories she asked me to write was covering a talk at our town’s university by the folk singer and activist Mary Travers. I knew vaguely about Travers’ folk trio—everyone sang “Puff The Magic Dragon” in kindergarten, right?—but I was well past the age of listening to Peter, Paul and Mary. They just sang kids’ music, right? I thought she was like Raffi.

But when Mary Travers spoke and performed that night at Fairfield University—wow! Travers wasn’t a kids’ music singer; she was one of the icons of America of the 1960s. Her music and her activism literally helped change the way we are in America today. Travers was an ally in the Civil Rights Movement, was arrested for protesting apartheid in South Africa, and sang songs about social justice, like “Blowin’ In The Wind,” whose lyrics, I’m sorry to see, are timeless. Here was a woman who was intellectual, creative, passionate, and compassionate who bravely stood up for what she thought was right regardless of its personal consequences to her—and yet still seemed like a happy person!

It truly was a life-changing experience for me, one of the first times I had a template for what kind of person I truly admired. Mary Travers was the first adult woman I looked to and thought, “I want to be you when I grow up.”

The following story turned even my black heart into a marshmallow rainbow where unicorns can prance. When we read about the eight-year-old British boy who proposed to his best girl at a laser tag party, we got so many warm fuzzies we nearly melted our plastic covered PC.  After battling leukemia for four years, Reece Flemming was given weeks to live by his doctors.  And the little guy had one big wish—to marry his grade school sweetheart.  Oh damn, here come the tears. (Also, we adults can barely muster a man to take us out for casual drinks, and this kid is willing to commit?!) So, the brave and romantic Reece proposed to his girlfriend, Ellie Purgslove. She said yes (becoming the only child bride we would ever support). The parents set up a make-believe wedding with rings, a certificate and a Vicar officiating. Then the two went to dinner in the Mayor’s limo to celebrate for their first and last time as husband and wife. Sadly, albeit his wishes fulfilled, Reece passed away the very next day. Sorry, I can’t type anymore, I need a tissue. [Telegraph U.K.]

Yesterday we anointed Rihanna one of the Patron Saints of The Frisky. Turns out, we weren’t just being cute! The singer put out a plea for a bone marrow donor for 41-year old leukemia Lisa Gershowitz-Flynn and as a result 5,000 people contacted DKMS and a donor was found. Way to go Ri-Ri! [Digital Spy U.K.]