Back in 1993, the birth of a baby boy named Tomm Tennent from South East Australia stunned not only his parents and doctors, but pretty much the entire world. The story of his mysterious condition which left him with enough skin to cover the body of a 5-year-old made everyone wonder what life would bring for this boy.
Tomm’s parents were aware their bundle of joy would be different, but no ultrasound could prepare them for the severity of the condition. When they were told something was wrong with their baby, they even considered terminating the pregnancy, but luckily, that didn’t happen.
Speaking to 60 Minutes Australia, Tomm’s dad, Geoff Tennent, said back in 2003, “When he came out I was quite shocked (…) I didn’t think a human, or a little baby, could ever look like that.”
His mom also spoke of the moment she first saw her baby boy. “My heart came up to my throat, but at the same time it was lovely to pick him up and cuddle him,” she said.
Over the years, Tomm spent a lot of time at hospital, not because he was sick, but because doctors wanted to examine his condition and learn how to help him. Since the literature never documented a case like his before, they had a hard time learning what caused him to have so much excess skin.
Upon further research, they were finally able to give Tomm and his parents some answers.
Namely, experts saw similarities between the way Tomm looked and the Chinese dog breed Shar Pei. They discovered that Tomm’s level of Hyaluronic acid, found in skin, was 100 times higher than normal, which is the case with Shar Pei puppies.
Knowing that those levels drop as puppies grow older, doctors hoped the same would eventually happen to Tomm. And they were right.
However, until reaching that point in life, Tomm experienced certain difficulties. Besides that, he has always been a lovable boy who loved the way he looked.
When asked if he had any concerns about how his friends saw him, Tomm told 60 Minutes, “Not really (…) because they are my friends and they don’t really care how I look like. Sometimes they (people) say I look cool, sometimes they say I look really cool, and sometimes they don’t say anything.”
Since 2003, when Tomm and his parents gave the interview to 60 Minutes, 21 have passed. Today, Tomm looks completely normal, no excess skin at all.
Although his story didn’t receive much media attention while he was growing up, except for, of course, when he was born, many people wondered how Tomm looks like nowadays.
“Life’s simple. You make choices, and you don’t look back,” Tomm posted on his Facebook profile, and we assume this quote sums up his mindset and his whole life.
An idyllic family who had built their peace of heaven near the river in the North Carolina mountains have been swept by a huge wave during Hurricane Helene.
The family of four, Alison Wisely, her fiancé Knox Petrucci, and her two children, Felix, 9, and Lucas, 7, tried to leave their home as the hurricane approached, but their vehicle began to float as they tried to navigate the floodwaters. As driving the car was hard, they abandoned their efforts to evacuate and decided to return to their home, but on their way home, a wave swept them all into the Toe River.
Since the tragedy struck, their bodies were all recovered.
As per close family members, Alison and Knox made preparations when warnings of Hurricane Helene had been announced. They purchased pallets and sandbags and anticipated minor flooding of their home’s basement, believing the mountains would serve as a protection, mainly because the area has never experienced extreme weather events.
Sadly, they were wrong as the Toe River surged by 22 feet, with water levels coming within inches of reaching the ceiling of Alison and Knox’s one-story house.
According to the GoFundMe set by Knox’s sister Briana Petrucci Yarbrough, her brother and Alison were to get married on November 9, 2024.
She wrote about how precious the family was and how idyllic the life they created had been.
Knox was a beekeeper, musician, songwriter, artist, and an aspiring blacksmith. “Along with being an advocate for the Earth and bees, Knox was always there for friends who were like family and inspired others in the way he moved through life with authenticity and boundless love and acceptance,” the Briana wrote of her brother.
“Brilliant and wise Alison, was a most loving mother to the boys she shared and co-parented with Lance Wisely, their devoted dad,” she continued.
Felix and Lucas were adorable young boys who loved playing Minecraft and enjoyed drawing and painting.
The boys’ dad, Lance Wisely, took to Facebook to share the devastating news of his children’s, Alison’s and Knox’s tragic deaths.
“The boys were loved fiercely and generously by all of their grown ups, and by you, even many of you who never met them have watched them grow up and shared in our joys as a family. Their lives were dense with adventure, art, silliness, and snuggles. It has been my great honor and pleasure and exhausting privilege to be their father for their time in this world with us,” he wrote.
He praised Alison for being a great mother, and added that Knox had always impressed him for loving the boys as though they were his own.
Recent reports indicate that over 230 people have been discovered dead following Hurricane Helene, as authorities in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee continue recovering bodies nearly two weeks after the storm struck. The death toll of Hurricane Milton, which struck Florida on October 9, has been reported to be at least 16.
We are deeply sorry for the tragic loss experienced by everyone affected by the devastating hurricanes.
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The wisdom the elderly people gain throughout the years is unmatched. Their life experience has taught them many things, and that should be a number one reason we should never mess with them.
The following joke falls into the category of “old, but gold,” because it has been around for a very long time and yet it manages to make us laugh every time we stumble upon it.
It involves a 92-year-old dad who visits the mall together with his son when the two come across a teenager with a wild, wild hairstyle…
”I took my dad to the mall the other day to buy some new shoes (he is 92). We decided to grab a bite at the food court. I noticed he was watching a teenager sitting next to him. The teenager had spiked hair in all different colors: green, red, orange, and blue. My dad kept staring at him. The teenager would look and find him staring every time.”
When the teenager had had enough, he sarcastically asked, “What’s the matter, old man, never done anything wild in your life?”
Knowing my dad, I quickly swallowed my food so that I would not choke on his response, knowing he would have a good one. In classic style, he did not bat an eye in his response.
Got drunk once and had sex with a peacock , I was just wondering if you were my son!
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During a live broadcast covering Hurricane Milton, CNN’sAnderson Cooper was struck by debris on the face, leaving his fans concerned.
Hurricane Milton, measuring as a category three storm, the second of its kind that hit Florida in a matter of weeks, made landfall on October 9, spawning dozens of tornadoes and 28ft waves, along with extremely strong winds.
Millions of homes and businesses have been left without electricity and the death toll has been reported to be at least sixteen.
Before the hurricane struck, officials urged the citizens to seek evacuation, which many did. Yet, there were those who opted to stay in their homes, expecting the worse, but praying for the best.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 11: Anderson Cooper attends the 16th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History on December 11, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for CNN)
Live from Bradenton, Florida, a few miles away from Siesta Key, Anderson Cooper reported on the hurricane while battling wind speeds of more than 150mph when a piece of debris hit him in the face. “Woah! That wasn’t good. We’ll probably go inside shortly,” he said before he continued with the live broadcast.
Fans and viewers were quick to comment on the incident, hoping Cooper wasn’t seriously injured.
Many wondered why he was even reporting from outside given the weather conditions and the expected severity of Hurricane Milton.
“What does putting Anderson Cooper on a pier in the middle of the ocean at the height of a hurricane in its center achieve in informing viewers. It’s like 120mph winds. Get my sweet porcelain glass anchor inside,” one X user wrote.
“Someone rescue Anderson Cooper from CNN. #HurricaneMilton,” said another.
“The moment Anderson Cooper gets hit by flying debris in Bradenton, FL. WTF,” a third penned.
“Why is Anderson Cooper out in Milton trying to be Jim Cantore, and why did he get smacked in the face by debris?” another wrote.
Hurricane Milton struck weeks after Hurricane Helene, leaving devastation behind.
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Charles waited long to become a king, and his son William would ascend the throne in case of Charles’ passing or in case he abdicates, which is very unlikely.
King Charles holds the record of longest-serving monarch-in-waiting in British history, surpassing Edward VII’s record of 59 years. At the same time, he’s the eldest person to be crowned king in Britain.
When he witnessed his mother becoming the head of the monarchy, King Charles was a three-year-old boy. Back then, he was totally unaware that one day he would be the one overtaking the monarchy.
That day arrived with the passing of his mother, late Queen Elizabeth, who ruled the country over 70 years. Her reign spanned 14 US presidencies, from Truman to Joe Biden, and met all but one.
However, during Charles’ reign, the monarchy has faced plenty of issues, including the feud between Harry and Meghan and the rest of the family, him being diagnosed with cancer, and Kate Middleton undergoing a planned abdominal surgery and being diagnosed with cancer herself.
Samir Hussein – Pool/WireImage
Despite his health struggles, Charles is doing his best to fulfill royal engagements and rule the country, so possible abdication isn’t imminent.
Over the last few decades, several European countries have seen their monarchs abdicate in favor of the younger generation of royals, most recently Denmark, when Queen Margrethe II of Denmark became the first Danish monarch to abdicate in more than 900 years. The country celebrated their new head of the monarchy, King Frederik X, in the capital of Copenhagen on Sunday and the Prince and Princess of Wales have closely followed the events unfolding.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announced her abdication on TV during her yearly speech on New Year’s Eve. The nation was shocked because no one expected it. She explained that she believed it was time for her son to take her place. Queen Margrethe II, 83, took the throne after her father, King Frederik IX, died in 1972.
“I will leave the throne to my son Crown Prince Frederik,” she said in the televised New Year’s address.
Another reason for this decision was the Queen’s ailing health and her advanced age. In 2023, she had undergone a back surgery and needed time to rest and rehabilitate.
Daniel Leal – WPA Pool/Getty Images
According to royal author Phil Dampier, Charles’ abdication may become a reality in a couple of years, as per the Daily Mail.
“It must make you wonder if in five or ten years’ time, King Charles might think about doing the same if his health suffers or he just thinks it is a good time to pass on to William and Kate while they are still young. Our late Queen would never abdicate because of what happened in 1936 when her uncle abdicated and her father came to the throne. But times change,” he said.
“William and Kate get on very well with Frederik and Mary and will be among the first to congratulate them. They will be fascinated to see how they get on as King and Queen and it will make them think about their future as well.”
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The Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins believes King Charles should follow Queen Margrethe steps and do the same.
“Growing old should never be a bar to work, but age does not negotiate. Britain’s King Charles, after a long apprenticeship, has proved an active and popular figure in his term of office. He has shown no sign of ageing, other than perhaps his limp Christmas message. He is certainly entitled to a substantial reign after waiting so long,” Jenkins wrote.
“But not to death. Charles has a successor, William, well-trained and evidently suited for the job. The abdication of Beatrix of the Netherlands to Willem-Alexander in 2013 was an ideal precedent. It prompted an outpouring of gratitude for her reign, a welcome for her son, and a stronger monarchy as a result. The flamboyant conductor André Rieu had the Dutch joyously dancing in the streets in their thousands. There was none of the lugubriousness inevitably attached to Britain’s succession through death.”
Jenkins continued, “Abdication also indicates a nation able to keep its institutions fit for purpose. In slimming down the royal family, Charles has wisely indicated a desire to end such damaging princely sagas as those of Andrew and Harry. But he must surely go further in updating the office he should one day hand over to his son.”
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So far, King Charles has tried to both slim down and modernize the monarchy, but in recent years, the public accused the monarchy of being out of touch with current social issues.
Even before he took the new role, Charles announced he would be making changes within the Royal Family. In the past, sources claimed that then Prince Charles spoke of slimming down the monarchy.
“Charles has never made any secret of the fact that he wants a slimmed-down Monarchy when he becomes King. He realizes that the public don’t want to pay for a huge Monarchy and, as he said, the balcony at Buckingham Palace would probably collapse,” he was reported to have said.
LONDON- UK- 5th May 2023. HM King Charles III accompanied by other members of the royal family hosts a reception at Buckingham Palace for the Heads of State and other visiting dignitaries who are due to attend tomorrows Coronation.
Photo by Ian Jones.
Also, Charles has already taken a step towards transforming the royals into a more modern institution by opening up Balmoral to the public.
Still, being at the age he’s in, King Charles is not in touch with the younger generation like William and Kate are.
Even now, Prince William is heavily involved in issues such as global warming.
While King Charles continues to be fully committed to his role of the head of the monarchy, there could be growing speculations in the future about whether or not he should step down and leave the throne to William.
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The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was quite a spectacle. Millions of people got to witness the young Prince tying the knot to the woman he described as the love of his life.
From this extravagant ceremony watched by 29.19 million viewers, to the birth of their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor in 2019, the stepping down from their royal duties, the Sussex Royals’ every move has been closely followed by the media. That same media that “forced” them to leave the U.K. and move to the States.
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According to the Duchess, before the split with the Firm, she and Harry allegedly asked for a permission to move to another country in the Commonwealth, perhaps South Africa or Canada. However, the answer was a resounding “no.”
“Anything to just … because just by existing, we were upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy. So we go, ‘Okay, fine, let’s get out of here. Happy to,’” Meghan recalled during a recent interview with The Cut.
Saying that other Royal Family members had gotten the green light for the same arrangement, she added, “That, for whatever reason, is not something that we were allowed to do, even though several other members of the family do that exact thing.”
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When Meghan first met William, he was very fond of her, although she believed at the time that the relationship between the two would be “trying” from the off, according to Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, authors of the Pro-Sussex biography Finding Freedom.
“She was self-aware enough to understand that the brothers were wary of women who were more interested in their titles than their wellbeing,” Scobie and Durand wrote in the book. “And she couldn’t have come from a more different world than that of William, his wife, and most of their friends.”
However, the first-ever encounter between William and Meghan was quite pleasant for both of them.
William was reported to have said to his brother’s girlfriend: “I was looking forward to meeting the girl who has put that silly grin on my brother’s face.”
At the same time, William was concerned that the things between Harry and Meghan were moving too fast. “William soon began to wonder about some of Meghan’s traits and motivations,” a source told the Daily Mail, as revealed by the Express.
“He was worried that at times she seemed to be more concerned about her personal progression or profile over the wider goals and aims of the Royal Family.
“Eventually, he decided to keep those feeling for himself because all he ever wanted was for “[Meghan] to be happy and appreciated the huge adjustment of entering the Royal Family.”
Juancho Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images
Fast forward to Meghan becoming part of the family officially, she found it hard to get used to that new life and Harry didn’t believe his brother and sister-in-law helped Meghan settle in.
Speaking to Fox in 2022, royal expert and author Katie Nicholl, who had just released The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown, said, “It was certainly Harry’s feeling that William and Kate hadn’t rolled out the red carpet as much as they might have done.
“You know, there wasn’t this sort of instant welcoming of Meghan into the royal fold,” she added.
“I say in the book that William was the first to meet Meghan. And actually, he was really thrilled that Harry had met someone who he’d really fallen for. He was overjoyed when Meghan came into his life, and he fell in love with this woman,” she added.
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Harry proposed to Meghan with a custom three-stone ring that featured diamonds from his late mother’s jewelry collection, but the following year, when their wedding was to take place, William was allegedly concerned that Meghan would wear a piece of jewelry that belonged to Princess Diana.
“I have been told that, still concerned about the match, he’d sought assurances from the Queen that Harry’s bride would not be wearing any of Princess Diana’s jewellery, even though his own wife was allowed to wear it,” author Robert Jobson wrote in Catherine, The Princess of Wales: The Biography, per the Mirror.
“Despite sharp digs and thin skins on both sides, the wedding at Windsor in May 2018 was a spectacular success,” Jobson continued. “In public, the Royal Family were all smiles, though privately they were at daggers drawn.”
The relationship between the Sussexes and the rest of the royals remains rocky.
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When you fall in love with someone, you usually believe it’s forever. The reality is that things don’t always turn out as expected and people get separated all the time.
When one husband decided to untie the knot with his wife, he though it would be less painful if he just writes her a letter, explaining why he wanted to leave her. However, he never assumed his decision would backfire on him, as his witty wife’s reply taught him a lesson. This is nothing less than brilliant and hilarious!
I’m writing you this letter to tell you that I’m leaving you for good. I’ve been a good man to you in our 7 years of marriage & I have nothing to show for it.
These last 2 weeks have been tough for me. Your boss notified me that you quit your job today & that was just too much to bear any longer.
Last week, you came home & didn’t even notice I had a new haircut, had cooked your favorite meal & even wore a brand new pair of silk boxers.
You ate in 2 minutes, & went straight to sleep after watching all of your soaps. You don’t tell me you love me anymore; you don’t want sex or anything that connects us as husband & wife.
Either you’re cheating on me or you don’t love me anymore; whatever the case, It’s over and I am leaving.
Your EX-Husband
P.S. don’t try to find me. Your SISTER & I are moving away to West Virginia together! Have a great life!
Dear Ex-Husband,
Believe me, nothing has made my day more than receiving your letter. It’s definitely true that you & I have been married for the past 7 years, although a good man is a far cry from what you’ve been.
I watch my TV shows so much because they drown out your constant whining & griping, although that doesn’t seem to work.
I definitely noticed your haircut last week, but the 1st thing that came to mind was ‘You look just like a girl!’ And since my mother raised me not to say anything if you can’t say something nice, I decided not to comment.
And when you cooked my favorite meal, you must have gotten me confused with MY SISTER, because I stopped eating pork 7 long years ago.
About those new silk boxers: I turned away from you because the $49.99 price tag was still on them, & I prayed it was a coincidence that my sister had just borrowed $50 from me that morning.
After all of this, I still loved you & felt we could make this work. So when I hit the lotto for 10 million dollars, I quit my job & bought us 2 tickets to Jamaica. But when I got home you were gone.
Everything happens for a reason, I guess. I hope you have the fulfilling life you always wanted. My lawyer said that the letter you wrote ensures you won’t get a dime from me. So take care.
Former president Jimmy Carter has been into hospice for some time now, but he still gathered the strength to attend the funeral and the memorial service of his loving wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter, who passed away at the age of 96 on November 19, 2023.
During the final hours of her rich life, Jimmy was by his wife’s side. His son said that he asked to spend some time alone with her so that the two could talk to one another with their beds placed one next to another.
The funeral service was held at Maranatha Baptist Church, where Jimmy Carter and the former first lady worshipped. Earlier tributes were held in nearby Americus and in Atlanta.
Jimmy arrived in a wheelchair, wearing a black suit and a blanket bearing his and Rosalynn’s faces in her honor.
Unfortunately, Jimmy’s health is deteriorating as well. His grandson, Jason Carter, offered an update on his grandfather’s condition and said that the 39th President of the United States might not have too long left.
Rosalynn Carter was the driving force behind her husband of over seven decades.
They were by each other’s side through thick and thin.
“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” Jimmy Carter said in the statement following Rosalynn’s passing. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 28: Former first lady Rosalynn Carter’s grandchildren look on as her casket is carried out of Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church following her tribute service on November 28, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. The service was attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and former first ladies Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama. Rosalynn Carter, who passed away on November 19 at the age of 96, was married to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter for 77 years. In her lifetime she was an activist and writer known to be an advocate for the elderly, affordable housing, mental health, and the protection of monarch butterflies. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Sadly, with Rosalynn now gone, the main consensus is that Jimmy’s condition could take a steep turn for the worse.
“He’s coming to the end, and he’s very, very physically diminished,” Jimmy’s grandson told the New York Post prior to Rosalynn’s memorial service..
“He has been this moral rock for so many people, but she really was that rock for him.”
During the memorial service for Rosalynn, Amy Carter, the couple’s daughter, read a letter that Jimmy sent to his wife while he was away serving in the Navy.
“My darling, every time I’ve ever been away from you, I have been thrilled when I returned to discover just how wonderful you are,” he wrote. “When I see you, I fall in love all over again.”
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The love story of Jimmy and Rosalynn resembled a fairy tale.
During his presidency from 1977 to 1981, Jimmy Carter told aides, “Rosalynn is my best friend… the perfect extension of me, probably the most influential person in my life.”
Roselynn wasn’t just a First Lady, but she was her husband’s closest advisor who stood by his side supporting every decision he made as a head of the country.
Scott Cunningham/Getty Images
After leaving the White House, the Carters returned to live in their family house in Plains, Georgia. The house, which according to Zillow is valued at $209,996, was built in 1961, when the Carters welcomed their fourth child in their lives and needed a bigger place. The couple always led a quite and a very simple life.
Earlier this year, the Carter family revealed that Rosalynn was diagnosed with dementia. Shortly after, she entered hospice and spent the last days of her life surrounded by family and her loving husband. She barely walked, with a help of a walker, and her health declined significantly.
Jimmy’s grandson, Jason, delivered an update on his grandfather while speaking at the 28th Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum on Tuesday. “(My grandfather) is doing OK. He has been in hospice, as you know, for almost a year and a half now, and he really is, I think, coming to the end that, that — as I’ve said before, there’s a part of this faith journey that is so important to him. And there’s a part of that faith journey that you only can live at the very end, and I think he has been there in that space.”
WASHINGTON – OCTOBER 04: Former US President Jimmy Carter listens during the kick-off of an all-week construction project to mark the World Habitat Day and the annual Habitat for Humanity Carter Work Project October 4, 2010 in the Ivy City neighborhood of Washington, DC. Carter was recently released from an Ohio hospital after being treated for a viral infection. Under the project a total of 86 homes will be built, rehabilitated or repaired in Washington, DC; Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland; Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota; and Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“My grandmother’s passing was a difficult moment for all of us, including my grandfather,” Jason told the audience at the forum.
“The outpouring of love and support that we as a family received from the people in this room and from the rest of the world was so remarkable and meaningful for us and really turned this process into a celebration.”
At the mental health forum, Jason reminisced about a conversation he had shared with his grandfather a few weeks prior, as they sat together watching an Atlanta Braves game.
“‘People ask me how you’re doing and I say, I don’t know’ and he said, ‘Well, I don’t know myself,’” Jason remembered.
October 1 marked President Carter’s 100th birthday. Ahead of that special milestone, his grandson again spoke of his grandfather’s health condition noting he is physically diminished but still mentally and emotionally present.
“He’s doing okay,” Jason said of the former president, as per People, at “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song,” sponsored by Delta Air Lines, an event that took place on Sept. 17 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta two weeks before Carter’s actual birthday.
“I mean he’s been in hospice for over 19 months now and he has really physically diminished and can’t do much on his own, but he is emotionally engaged and still having experiences and laughing, loving,” he added.
The former president’s birthday celebration included performances and celebrity guest appearances from Renée Zellweger, Dale Murphy, Killer Mike, and many more.
Jimmy Carter becomes the first U.S. President in history to turn 100 years old. pic.twitter.com/Jve8Cf8qEj
The family initially believed that Jimmy’s passing was imminent, but he has since defied the odds. “God had other plans,” Jason shared, emphasizing that they cannot predict his condition from day to day.
“He’s plugged in,” Chip, the 74-year-old son of the former president shared with Associated Press, explaining his father intends to live long enough to cast his vote on Election Day. “I asked him two months ago if he was trying to live to be 100, and he said, No, I’m trying to live to vote for Kamala Harris.”
Jason added: “Not everybody gets 100 years on this earth, and when somebody does, and when they use that time to do so much good for so many people, it’s worth celebrating.”
He continued, “These last few months, 19 months, now that he’s been in hospice, it’s been a chance for our family to reflect…and then for the rest of the country and the world to really reflect on him. That’s been a really gratifying time.”
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