SINGAPORE - Stories that speak about starting afresh, overcoming challenges and the unbreakable human spirit always strike a chord. 2017, too, has seen its share of such stories that have touched readers.
Here's a look at the inspirational and heartwarming tales that trended on The Straits Times' social media and video platforms this year:
1. A gift of life, in death
It was some 30 seconds long, but the recording of their daughter's beating heart was enough to bring her parents, Malaysian Mark Kok Wah and his wife Ariess Tan, to tears.
Their daughter Carmen Mark, an 18-year-old nursing student, had died in Singapore from an arterial rupture in her brain two years ago.
After her death, Carmen's parents gave their consent for their daughter's heart, liver, kidney and pancreas to be donated to four patients - something she had wanted. And so, Carmen's heart lived on in a stranger they had yet to come to know - Singaporean Serene Lee who had heart failure.
In August this year, Ms Lee, 37, got in touch with Mr Mark after reading his Facebook post about wanting to hear his daughter's heartbeat again. They arranged to meet for the first time in Penang where Carmen's parents live.
Emotions ran high at the meeting. Ms Tan and Ms Lee rushed to hug each other, sobbing all the while during the minute-long embrace. It was a poignant moment that deeply moved many readers as much as the people involved.
While most donors remain anonymous, the video documenting Ms Lee's journey to meet the parents of her donor highlighted the benefits of organ donation.
2. Granny, 70, delivers food on foot
She may be 70 years old, but Madam Teo Yoke Lan proves age is just a number.
As a "walker" for UberEats, the food delivery arm of ride-hailing service Uber, Madam Teo clocks between six and 11 hours of work every day, or about six to 12 trips a day delivering to office workers in the Central Business District.
The grandmother of two earns $1,000 to $1,500 every month, and her four children are supportive of her job.
Before this, the former beautician applied to be a cashier and dishwasher, but none of the companies got back to her. While the minimum age to be a walker is 18 years old, there is no upper age limit to deliver food for UberEats.
In the 3½-minute video, Madam Teo charmed viewers with her youthful looks, witty personality and funky sense of style.
Many readers also commented that they respected her positive attitude, and were impressed by how she had familiarised herself with the technology involved and her zeal for keeping active by working.
3. From painting condos to living in one
If anyone can turn rags into riches, it is Mr Mani Malaichamy, who began his story in Singapore as a penniless migrant worker who arrived 20 years ago from India.
With his hard work and perseverance, and encouragement from an employer who believed in him, Mr Mani, 47, progressed from painting condominiums to becoming boss of his own company.
When he first started as a painter, Mr Mani earned only $18 a day, and owed a $4,000 debt to his brother-in-law for the agency fees he paid to work in Singapore.
But in less than a year, he managed to pay back the money he owed, after working at least 11 hours a day and seven days a week. He even managed to save enough money to take English classes and send back money to his parents in India occasionally.
Today, Mr Mani is the boss of his own painting company, lives in a $1.2-million condo in Pasir Ris with his family, and is a permanent resident.
His success story inspired many readers, who applauded him for his positive attitude in life.
One reader commented on Facebook that Mr Mani proved that it is not where you were born that matters, but one's "individual work ethic and determination to succeed".
4. Moving on after tragedy
After losing her husband and daughter in the AirAsia plane crash in 2014, Ms Wee Mei-Yi could not see beyond a day.
Closure was even more difficult, when the body of Mr Choi Chi Man, 48,was not found until more than a month later, while that of their two-year-old daughter Zoe was never recovered after AirAsia Flight QZ8501 crashed into the Java sea on Dec 28.
Ms Wee was shattered by the heartbreaking news, but with her then five-year-old son still by her side, she was determined to remain strong for his sake.
It was only this year, three years after the tragedy, that she decided to speak up for the first time about her loss, in the hope that sharing her story will help others who are also coping with grief.
In the five-minute-long video, Ms Wee appeared dignified and articulate, but her love and longing showed through when she spoke about her late husband and daughter.
Her immense resilience in picking up the pieces after their deaths inspired many readers, who expressed not just sympathy, but also their admiration for her strength.
5. Tearful reunion without barriers
You could barely make out their faces in the photographs, but that didn't make the sight of inmates embracing their family members any less heartwarming.
Some 24 inmates at Tanah Merah Prison were allowed to meet their loved ones without being separated by a glass panel as part of Children's Day celebrations this year. One 40-year-old inmate, serving a seven-year sentence for drug offences, was able to touch his three-year-old son for the first time.
The aim was to enable the inmates to reconnect and reconcile with their families, giving them the support they need to prevent them from re-offending.
The photos struck a chord with many on Facebook, who encouraged the inmates to use the opportunity to find the resolve to turn over a new leaf.
6. Overcoming life's odds
Para-athlete Jason Chee had already lost both his legs, left arm and three fingers on his right hand from a naval mishap in 2012.
But earlier this year, he was confronted with yet another obstacle when he was diagnosed with choroidal melanoma - a cancer of the eye.
Three weeks after he underwent surgery to remove a tumour measuring 1.5cm in circumference in his right eye, he found himself routinely missing the ball during training sessions due to the loss of his depth of perception.
Yet, despite the overwhelming odds against him, the Navy serviceman proved his formidable spirit when he won his first individual table tennis gold medal at the Asean Para Games in Kuala Lumpur in September.
"Warrior", "true champion" and "hero" were just some of the words used by readers to describe the 34-year-old's incredible resilience and mental fortitude.
7. How does he look like that?
He may be 51 years old, but fashion photographer Chuando Tan looks nothing like it.
Photos of the Singaporean's chiseled abs and youthful good looks went viral on social media in July, with some international publications comparing him to the fictional character Dorian Gray.
His secret? He eats a healthy diet comprising eggs, chicken and fish in soup, avoids coffee and tea and drinks lots of water.
Exercise may have played a part too, but he told executive editor Sumiko Tan over a breakfast interview that his lean body is mostly thanks to watching what he eats.
While many readers, particularly women, were enamoured by his boyish looks and fitness, some were inspired by his strict lifestyle - his life revolves around his work, gym and friends - and food choices.
One Facebook user even commented: "How many packs is that - like 10 if it's physically possible."
8. An act of honesty wins praises
Mr Zhang Yitian and his wife from China's northern Hebei province were visiting their daughter, who studies at Hua Yi Secondary School, when they received a surplus from a money changer who had mistakenly keyed in the wrong figure.
When the news of them returning 65,700 yuan (S$13,400) to the money changer at People's Park Complex broke, many readers praised them for their honesty.
"I know many countries don't have a good image of mainland Chinese," said Mr Zhang.
"It's my own country, I understand. There are many of my countrymen who can lack civility, but I still believe there are many more people - not just Chinese - who are kind."
9. No one dies alone
While some people live a life of solitude, when faced with the prospect of death, no one should have to die alone.
A group of volunteers from Assisi Hospice's No One Dies Alone programme were determined to do just that for cancer patient Tay Cheng Tian, who died on Nov 4.
The programme has 40 volunteers at Assisi who have since kept vigil for 41 patients since it was first started by a nurse in 2014.
In the last leg of Mr Tay's life, the volunteers stayed by his side and helped him tick off his bucket list, including having a durian party.
Before he died, ST documented how he lived the remainder of his life to the fullest, under the watchful eye of the "angels" who made sure he would not take his last breath alone.
Correction note: In a previous version of this story, we said that Jason Chee is a paralympian. He is a para-athlete. We are sorry for the error.