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5 Good Things: The World Cup Adventure Months in the Making
CNN 5 Things
Jun 13, 2026
Three longtime friends crossed two continents by bike to cheer on their favorite team at the World Cup. Would you go to a Mango Tango? Hundreds of people did in San Fransisco. This futuristic bionic arm is making daily life a little easier and a lot more fun for one New Yorker. Meet the 12-year-old with an uncanny ability to imitate birds. Plus, how a Boston reporter is making people fall in love with local journalism.
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Host/Producer: Krista Bo Polanco
Producer: Eryn Mathewson
Senior Producer: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Paola Ortiz and Hazel Tang
Episode Transcript
Krista Bo Polanco
00:00:00
Hey there! I'm Krista Bo Polanco, and this is CNN 5 Good Things.
Darshil Patel
00:00:05
I received over probably 800 love letters of mangoes and why they should come to the party.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:00:10
Ain't no party like a mango party, cause a mango potty don't stop. You have to be there for the Mango Tango in San Francisco. Later on, you'll meet not one, but two social media superstars. One's a journalist staying true to her Boston roots and the people are here for it.
Emily Sweeney
00:00:26
So many people were commenting about, like, what I sounded like and what I was wearing. It's surprising, because I'm like, I feel like I sound totally normal.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:00:35
And the other one loves birds so much, he can sound just like them.
Samuel Henderson
00:00:40
I listen to the call and then it comes out of my mouth.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:00:44
When we come back, most people wouldn't go this far for their favorite team, but their route to the World Cup was unconventional, to say the least.
Vicente Conculini
00:01:01
Recurrimos 17 países...
Vicente Conculini (translation)
00:01:03
We traveled through 17 countries, covering 17,000 kilometers or 10,500 miles in nine and a half months. We made it all the way to Kansas City.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:01:13
'Three longtime friends from Gualeguachu in eastern Argentina spent much of a year trekking through two continents by bike to support their favorite team in the World Cup. CNN's Paola Ortiz caught up with the trio. 49-Year-old Yamandu Martinez, 29-year old Vicente Conculini, and Miguel Silio, who's 56.
Miguel Silio (translation)
00:01:32
We're going to follow the Argentine national team and Messi all the way.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:01:37
'And if you think this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, think again. This is Miguel's third time biking to the World Cup.
Miguel Silio (translation)
00:01:46
I rode from Madrid to Moscow in 2018 and from Madrid to Doha Qatar for the tournament there.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:01:52
'They had to pack winter and summer gear to make the tough nine-month journey. But luckily, they had help along the way.
Miguel Silio
00:01:59
Encontrado inumerable cantidad persona que han abierto...
Miguel Silio
00:02:03
We encountered countless people who have opened their doors and their hearts. It's truly been magnificent, that experience, that connection with people across different countries.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:02:12
When they finally rolled into Kansas City just days before the World Cup, Yamandu said reaching the destination was a little bittersweet.
Yamandu Martinez
00:02:19
Particularmente, sensaciones encontrada felicidad porque...
Yamandu Martinez (translation)
00:02:24
Particularly mixed feelings, happiness because we managed to see it through. We were able to complete the journey, something we really hadn't known at the start, if we could actually pull off. And on the other hand, a bit of sadness because it was the end of the adventure we had dreamed of for so long.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:02:39
And talk about devotion to the home team. The trio made the trip even though they didn't have tickets to any of the matches. But they're in luck. City officials secured them tickets.
Miguel Silio
00:02:51
Tenemos la posibilidad de acceder a lo que...
Miguel Silio (translation)
00:02:53
We have the chance to attend the opening matches and we'll try to cheer on our national team from the stands.
Parth Patel
00:03:03
In India, mangoes are like called the fruit of the gods. And I have very fond memories of like a hot summer day and a cold mango with my grandparents on the rooftop. It's just like being hugged by a fruit and you know, your family.
Darshil Patel
00:03:20
When I eat like Alphonso or Kesar mangoes, there's just so much depth of taste. It's really sweet. I look forward to every bite.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:03:27
Parth Patel and Darshil Patel love Indian mangoes so much, the friends threw an annual party in San Francisco to celebrate them. It's called the Mango Tango.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:03:38
I just tweet about it. I'm like: Doing a mango party in SF! Reply if you want to come. And we always have hundreds of replies every year.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:03:46
Last month, they hosted the fourth annual Mango Tango event in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. They brought about 700 Alphonso and Kesar mangoes, beloved varieties grown in India, sliced them up and shared them with hundreds of people for free.
Darshil Patel
00:04:00
My favorite part is just going around, talking to folks that are trying the mango for the first time and sort of seeing their reaction and having their minds be blown. People have told us, like, why don't you charge money for this, but it's like there's a very intentional reason of trying to make this free and sharing the love.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:04:15
And here's the thing, Indian mangoes are relatively new to a lot of Americans. The fruit wasn't allowed in the U.S. Until 2006, when President George W. Bush visited the country and lifted a ban. The inspiration for the Mango Tango party was sparked in 2023, when Darshil got a box of mangoes and shared them with some friends at his apartment. Since then, the event has blossomed into something bigger.
Parth Patel
00:04:36
I think people have found partners, you know, people have gotten jobs from people that they've met at these events, they've found friends.
Darshil Patel
00:04:47
It's just like, let's forget about everything and just like touch grass in a way. And so, you know, we always do it at a park. It's like very simple, just one single vision idea of like mangoes.
Praveen Gowtham
00:05:00
I had this hand on and certainly people were like looking.
Darshil Patel
00:05:06
'Praveen Gowtham is a 43-year-old AI scientist who lives in the Bronx, New York. About a month ago, he got on the subway wearing something that's changed his life and attracted a lot of attention.
Praveen Gowtham
00:05:17
This guy got on the train and he's like, holy! He's like, that is awesome! What can you do with that? I was like, you know, I was starting to show him and he was like that's so cool!
Krista Bo Polanco
00:05:29
'Praveen wears a 3D-printed bionic arm designed for above-the-elbow amputees. It's made by the UK-based tech company, OpenBionics. A number of companies make robotic prosthetic limbs. OpenBionics says Praveen is the first person fitted with its HeroFlex above-elbo system. The company says it's the only one on the market that allows users to swap the hand for other activity-specific attachments.
Praveen Gowtham
00:05:53
I would say it looks pretty cool. It's very futuristic, it's black. The top of it, which is basically from the shoulder to the elbow is a 3D printed mesh. The forearm and the hand itself are more solid black.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:06:10
'To use the device, Praveen didn't need any surgery or implants. He just places his limb into a custom-fitted socket and wears a shoulder strap that helps provide stability and balance. Then, two Bluetooth sensors detect where his muscle's signals are the strongest, allowing him to do things like hold a dog's leash, turn a key in a lock, and other daily tasks. Praveen says it's taken time to learn how to operate the arm, but there's no question it's made his life easier.
Praveen Gowtham
00:06:36
Certain gardening tasks have become, you know, a little bit less challenging or in some cases less scary. Being able to make very fluffy kind in a French style omelets. So you can imagine that, you know, it's nice to have two hands to do that.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:06:52
Praveen has used various prosthetics and assistive devices for most of his life. He was about a week old when doctors had to amputate his right arm after medical complications. But he says the Hero arm stands apart.
Praveen Gowtham
00:07:04
It's breathable, it's useful, it is ergonomic, but also it has a lot of the functionality and that was a big, big thing to me. Lightweight and breathability, I'm telling you. Really big.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:07:15
Big picture, Praveen says technology like this could help more people with limb differences. That said, Praveen did note one drawback.
Praveen Gowtham
00:07:23
I can't get out of certain chores anymore, so, you know, um, oh well.
Samuel Henderson (Talent Show)
00:07:37
The first one is the creepy sound of the common loon. [Bird call]
Krista Bo Polanco
00:07:45
'That's 12-year-old Samuel Henderson from Choctaw, Oklahoma, who wowed his classmates at a talent show for his uncanny ability to imitate birds.
Samuel Henderson
00:07:53
[Bird call]
Krista Bo Polanco
00:07:57
The middle schooler is so good at bird calls, he even fools the bird apps.
Samuel Henderson (Talent Show)
00:08:02
'You might not know what a bald eagle sounds like, but you've been lied to. It's actually the red-tailed hawk sound, and this is what it sounds like. [Bird call]
Krista Bo Polanco
00:08:15
The video on his mom Lori's TikTok page is over 36 million views. But Samuel's birding journey started years before he went viral.
Samuel Henderson
00:08:24
'So, when I was four, when I was at the zoo, I started mimicking this great-tailed grackle. [Bird call] I've always wanted to fly, and that's just my favorite part about them. And they're beautiful sounds.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:08:40
Once he perfects a bird call, he adds it to a special journal. He's learned 125 bird calls since his avian obsession took flight. How do you actually learn a new bird call? What's your process?
Samuel Henderson
00:08:53
I listen to the call and then it comes out of my mouth.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:08:57
Is there a bird called that you have yet to master or won't write it down in your bird journal because it's not quite there yet?
Samuel Henderson
00:09:04
Uh, the Kookaburra.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:09:06
Ooh, I would love to hear it.
Samuel Henderson
00:09:08
[Bird call]
Samuel Henderson
00:09:16
Well, I've actually gotten a little better at it, so I think I'm going to add it later today. We have an exclusive here at Five Good Things.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:09:26
'Okay, so let's hear a few more, and I'm going to try to stump you, but I don't think I will. We'll start off with a black-capped chickadee.
Samuel Henderson
00:09:35
Yeah, that was actually one that I learned today.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:09:37
Let's hear it.
Samuel Henderson
00:09:41
[Bird call]
Krista Bo Polanco
00:09:43
Wow. I love it! What about a blue jay?
Samuel Henderson
00:09:53
[Bird call].
Krista Bo Polanco
00:09:53
Okay, since it's America's 250th this year, what about a bald eagle?
Samuel Henderson
00:10:02
[Bird call]
Krista Bo Polanco
00:10:02
Oh my gosh. The hardest bird call for him is the barn swallow because of the breath control he has to do.
Samuel Henderson
00:10:13
[Bird call]
Krista Bo Polanco
00:10:13
'And his favorite is the very first bird call he did, an iridescent black and purple bird called the great-tailed grackle.
Samuel Henderson
00:10:25
[Bird call]
Krista Bo Polanco
00:10:25
Samuel's mom loves how his hobby has brought them closer together.
Lori Henderson
00:10:29
He's so humble about it and he's just wanting to share. It's not about fame. He just wants to say, does anybody have any requests? What do they want to hear? What work can I do for people? So that's really sweet.
Samuel Henderson
00:10:39
Bye!
Emily Sweeney
00:10:45
It's just great to see just so much positive feedback. It's like kind of renewed my faith in, you know, working in this media industry.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:10:54
At a time of massive change in the media business, one reporter is breaking through just by being herself.
Emily Sweeney video report
00:11:03
A masked intruder broke into an 18 million dollar waterfront mansion in Pride's Crossing, one of the wealthiest neighborhoods on the North Shore.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:11:13
For this Boston Globe reporter, it was another day on the job, but what may have been a routine crime report for Emily Sweeney had anything but a routine response.
Emily Sweeney video report
00:11:21
The car has since been recovered, but the suspect remains at large.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:11:26
That video has racked over 3 million views on social media platforms, but it wasn't just the crime that had people talking. Comments on the Globe's social media were like, more from this reporter, please. I want all of my news delivered by her from now on. And the accent makes everything sound better. The report turned the Globe veteran from Boston's Dorchester neighborhood into one of journalism's most unexpected social media stars. With her iconic tracksuits as her uniform, the people love Emily on the East Coast and beyond. I recently caught up with her to talk about the newfound attention, journalism, and the role she's calling a dream job.
Emily Sweeney
00:12:01
'So I went to high school in the city and went to Boston Latin School. I played on the boys hockey team. There was no girls team at the time and I ended up going to Northeastern University to play ice hockey my original plan was pre-med But the labs kind of interfered with hockey practice. So I was like, oh, it's time to you know, change majors.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:12:22
Okay, so you didn't always want to be a journalist?
Emily Sweeney
00:12:24
You know, growing up, I had like a boombox. I would make like these little like podcasts, like right, interview my friends, and I would like little newspapers and comic books. So I was really always into like storytelling and interviewing people. So I think I was just destined to be a journalist.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:12:44
You've become something of a social media superstar in the last few months, thanks to your wicked Boston accent.
Emily Sweeney
00:12:52
That was good.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:12:53
Oh, you liked that? Okay, I was very nervous to do it in front of you. So what do you think as a...
Emily Sweeney
00:12:59
Has connected with so many people you know I it's still funny to me the first video that really went viral was me talking about this mansion getting robbed and so many people were commenting about like, what I sounded like and what I was wearing. It's surprising. Because I'm like I feel like I sound totally normal and really any excuse to get people interested in the news and interested in like the Globe and supporting the great journalism that we do here I'm like all for it.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:13:31
People weren't just enamored with your accent. They were saying things like, I trust her, and I want her to tell me all of the news. Like, what do you think that says about what people want?
Emily Sweeney
00:13:42
It's kind of a sign of times. I think a lot of people, especially younger people, are getting their news from different places. I come across as a regular person, and I've always been, I feel like approachable. And being a member of mainstream media, it's been really great to see just how much interest there's been. You know, people have been asking me all types of questions, sending me story ideas. Or even in the street, saying like, hey, you're from the news, hey you're from the Globe, and it's just great to see just so much positive feedback. It's like kind of renewed my faith in, you know, working in this media industry.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:14:25
And I mean between your iconic tracksuits and the accent that people are obsessed with, it feels like you've become a fan favorite because of embracing who you are. Is that fair to say?
Krista Bo Polanco
00:14:38
Yeah, you know, I think that's probably true. I've been hearing from so many people, like broadcast journalists, saying how they kind of pressured to like, you know lose their accent or you know even taking classes to get rid of it. And they're so supportive. They're like, yeah, keep the accent alive, like, you know.
Krista Bo Polanco
00:14:59
That's why you park the car, yeah.
Emily Sweeney
00:15:01
Yeah, park the car in Harvard Yard, which you would never do. Like it's a weird thing, but...
Krista Bo Polanco
00:15:09
All right, that's all for now. Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed the show and join us tomorrow for the next edition of CNN One Thing. You'll hear an astrophysicist explain what we learned and didn't learn from the latest release of declassified UFO files. Take care, until next time.