A woman from New Zealand and a NY cop each highlight candy’s role in our hearts

Two recent headlines have highlighted the impact candy can have on the world. 

A woman from New Zealand recently survived two days at sea by eating only hard candy. And, New York Police recently replaced a little boy’s candy after he dropped it on Halloween. 

Each, in its own, shows why candy is more than just a sugary treat. 

First the woman from New Zealand. The New York Post reports: “Kushila Stein, 47, survived for two days eating only hard candy when she got lost at sea in an inflatable dinghy off the coast of the Greek island of Crete.”

She had been traveling for three weeks, helping a British man named Mike transport his Rival 34 yacht from southern Turkey to Athens, when she decided row her own dinghy 50 miles ashore and then took a jaunt to the top of a nearby mountain, according to the report.

While out, she lost an oar and drifted further and further from the yacht. Mike went looking for Stein and contacted authorities when he didn’t find her by 8 a.m.

So she wrapped herself in three plastic bags and attempted to fill up on candies that she had kept in her day pack. 

About 37 to 40 hours passed before a coast guard vessel found Kushila, halfway between Crete and Folegandos. Kushila was rushed to a local hospital, where she was doing well.

Her first words when she was rescued? 

“I still have one lolly left, mum.”

It’s an incredible story! And her first words to hear loved ones show that eating the hard candy was likely about more than just finding calories while she was adrift. It’s a comforting ritual, peeling back the wrapper of a fresh piece of hard candy. And it no doubt helped to ease her mind. 

Now onto the boy in New York. The New York Police Department posted a tweet this week that details the story. 

“With the drop of a hat, our @NYPDTransit officers snapped into action when a trick-or-treater lost his well-earned Halloween candy after his bucket was knocked to the floor of a busy train station. Officers Delloiacono & Maisonet witnessed what happened & replenished his sweets.”

Again, that story is about so much more than just candy. It’s about a police officer who took the time to build a relationship with the community that didn’t have anything to do with an arrest. And it’s about a child realizing that police are there to help. 

Candy continues to touch the hearts and souls of people all over the world. And it’s impact is so much more important than just another piece of food. So take inspiration from these two heartwarming stories, and pass out candies like it could save a life — because someday, it actually might.