I live for the day when people won’t judge one another based on their physical appearance, skin color, culture, or religious beliefs. Sadly, as time passes by and years go on, it looks like the racism and the hate are even more present and make this world an ugly place.
Luckily, there are those people who break down barriers and give us hope that things can get brighter in the future.
Brady and Asharel are an interracial couple. They have been together ever since college and have a baby girl together. Their love grows stronger with each passing day and they both say they have found their soulmate in one another.
Sadly, the society isn’t always embracing the interracial relationships and things get hard at times, but this incredible couple knows how to deal with the stares and the glares.
Sharing their life story with Love What Matters, Asharel says: “As an interracial couple, we have learned to ignore some people while out in public. The glares and hateful stares have never bothered my husband and I, but we definitely notice it. We have been together for so long and have come so far in our relationship that we just laugh, and talk about how ridiculous people are in 2020 to still judge an interracial couple.”
Now that they have a daughter, they say they will teach her how to love everyone equally, no matter the color of their skin. “We will teach her to know the color of someone’s skin does not define who they are,” Asharel adds.
We say that Brady and Asharel are awesome together and we are happy they have found each other.
54-year-old Mario Ejis has spent half of his life taking care of the animals at the Rotterdam’s Diergaarde Blijdorp zoo in the Netherlands. Over the years, the magnificent inhabitants of the place have become his best friends. He always made sure their cages were perfectly clean and they have plenty of food and water.
Sadly, Mario got sick and was diagnosed with cancer, which meant he had to retire and leave the animals behind.
However, when his condition worsened and he was unable to walk or speak clearly, he asked for one final wish; to say one last goodbye to the animals that were very important part of his life.
The charity organization Ambulance Wish Foundation made sure they make his wish a reality. They transported him to the zoo in a specialized vehicle.
Mario was taken to see all the animals, but it wasn’t until he approached the giraffe section that something truly amazing happened.
The giraffes took turns to get their heads out of the window and give him gentle kisses. They could feel the pain their old friend was going through.
“These animals recognized him, and felt that (things aren’t) going well with him,” said Kees Veldboer, the founder of the Ambulance Wish Foundation.
“(It was) a very special moment. You saw him (Mario) beaming,” said Veldboer.
The dying man got to see his co-workers again as well, and being at that place put him at ease.
What Ambulance Wish Foundation did for Mario was amazing. In fact, the organization was founded in order to help terminally ill people see a place of their significance for one last time. It was first established in the Netherlands but now it has around 1500 volunteers in the UK too.
Once the story of Mario and the animals was spread on the social media, many took their time to express their gratitude to the foundation and the animals who showed incredible compassion.
One person wrote: “Animals are the most beautiful and ethereal beings. They see, feel and touch our souls in unimaginable ways. The depth of their senses is a gift to those who unconditionally love and respect these amazing creatures gifted to us by our magnificent Creator. Rest In Eternal Peace, Mario. You were their Hero.”
Herbert Parrish, an 82-year-old Vietnam veteran from South Carolina, and his wife Lois, 79, were victims of intrusion a few days ago. It all happened when someone approached the back door of their home and asked Lois whether she had seen his chihuahua. Lois said no, and tried closing the door, but then the intruder pushed her and pulled a knife on her, as reported by FOX 57.
Herbert witnessed the attack on his wife and rushed to help her. He grabbed his shotgun and started hitting the attacker with it.
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The intruder, who was later identified as 61-year-old Harold Runnels died of the injuries he sustained after taken into hospital. Runnels lived near by and Lois recalls seeing him around the neighborhood.
“I felt, we’re gone. He’s going to kill us and take what he can take,” Herbert said of the incident. “He was not going to go out that door and leave us alive. That’s the way I felt.”
“I started hitting him in the head with the barrel and I know I must have hit him at least ten times right in the face, just as hard as I could hit him,” he explained.
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The Parrishes were not being charged and are still recovering from the minor injuries they sustained.
Although we as a nation are thankful to the members of the military every single day and understand the sacrifice they make for keeping our country a safe place, two very special days remind the veterans and military members that we will never forget everything they have done for us, The Memorial Day and The Veterans Day.
Source: Pexels – Craig Adderley
On these days, a special ceremony takes place at the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” in Washington D.C. The tomb was first guarded back in 1927, and ever since that day a wreath is laid to rest next to it. It symbolizes the beauty and brevity of life.
“Floral tributes are made each day at Arlington National Cemetery — at funeral services, public ceremonies, and individual visits to a loved one’s gravesite.”
Source: Pexels – Brett Sayles
During the ceremony, which is also known as the “Wreath Laying Ceremony,” the President of the United States speaks on the behalf of the nation and expresses the gratitude we all feel for the soldiers who died for the country.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier early in the morning at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, August 7, 2018. (U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser / Arlington National Cemetery / released)
A few years ago, some young people who attended the ceremony started laughing all of a sudden. Such behavior should never be allowed as the ceremony is both formal and touching. The guard who is watching over the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” quickly put the frivolous youngsters on their place. He could be heard saying, “It is requested that everyone maintains a level of silence and respect!”
YouTube
The people were ashamed of what they did as everyone turned and stared at them. Luckily, they understood they made a mistake and went completely quiet until the ceremony of honoring the fallen soldiers ended.
Take a look at the video below to see the whole thing taking place.
Bullying can happen to anyone, but it looks like it is mostly present at schools and around young children who are unable to stand for themselves. According to some research, bullying affects one in five children. These numbers are devastating and speak of the failure of parents to educate their children about what is right and wrong.
Bullying consists of certain hurtful behaviors directed towards one person which are repeated over and over again. Those who fall victims of bullying can have their self-esteem affected until later in life and that is why we should do all in our power to put a stop to it.
For 14-year-old Jack Higgins, who was often teased and mocked by his friends, it all started when he showed he loved dancing, especially ballet, more than football. His classmates made fun of him whenever possible and called him names such as “gay” saying dancing was for girls.
Luckily, Jack never let those words and actions hurt him to the extend of letting go of his passion. On the contrary, he was determined to show the world that dancing is for boys as much as it is for girls, and he found just the way to do it – by joining Britain’s Got Talent.
Luckily, this young man’s efforts were really rewarded!
After an appearance which took the breath away to everyone who saw him conquering the stage, he was showered with compliments, but what the strictest judge had to say was the most meaningful compliment of all. “You know the one thing bullies don’t like? They don’t like it when you do well. I can see how hard you’ve worked for this moment and I congratulate you, Jack!” Simon Cowel said and had the audience cheer from the top of their lungs.
Watch Jack’s performance in the video below and don’t miss the emotional moments following his dance!
Michael Oher’s life story goes from rags to riches. Even today, he is an inspiration for many struggling children who don’t have a happy childhood or a permanent home. His success is a reminder that the determination to change things for the better can never be taken away from you, no matter your background or the unfavorable circumstances.
Growing up with a mother who was on and off drugs, he and his siblings didn’t have a lot while growing up.
“When my mother was off drugs and working, she would remember to buy groceries, and there would be a mad scramble to grab whatever you could before anyone else got to it,” he wrote in his 2011 book I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness, to the Blind Side, and Beyond.
Ned Dishman/Getty Images
Just as he finished first grade, he and the rest of the siblings ended up in the foster system. Sadly, that meant going from one family to other and changing nine different schools in the course of 11 years.
Because of everything that was going on in his life, social workers believed he was dealing with rage, so they sent him to the adolescent unit of St. Joseph Hospital at 10.
According to Michael, that was never the case. He wasn’t angry, he wasn’t mad, he was just very sad. “I was a heartbroken little kid who was hurt and confused about everything that was going on around me,” he wrote in his biography.
Eventually, when he turned 11, Michael got back to his mother. The family then moved to a housing project called Hurt Village. Michael witnessed kids his age struggling with substances and being part of gang bands so he promised to himself he wouldn’t allow to find himself in such a situation. “Even if it meant working three jobs, at McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Taco Bell, I wasn’t going to be part of my environment,” he said.
Instagram/Michaeloher
Michael’s life was about to change after he made friends with a boy named Steve whose father was “Big Tony” Henderson, a coach who helped both Michael and his son attend the Briarcrest Christian School outside of Cordova, Tennessee.
Once there, Michael showed immense interest in football. He was extremely good, but there was one problem; his grades weren’t good. Luckily, his coach submitted an application and Michael was allowed to play under the condition to complete a home study program.
Instagram/Leigh Anne Tuohy
At that period of his life, Michael, who was in the foster system again, met a woman named Leigh Anne Tuohy. She and her husband took Michael in and paid for a tutor to help him with his studies.
Leigh was the first person who told Michael “I love you.” He hadn’t heard those words in a long time and had a hard time accepting that he was indeed loved by this family.
“They didn’t treat me like I was fragile or with curiosity like I was a strange creature they had to figure out before we could get close,” he wrote in his memoir. “I was able to understand what I’d suspected, that a life like mine in childhood wasn’t normal, and it wasn’t okay.”
In 2009, Michael graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in criminal justice. That same year, he was drafted by the NFL team Baltimore Ravens and signed a five-year contract worth $13.8 million.
At the same time he rose to stardom, the film TheBlind Side was released. It was based on Michael’s life and starred Sandra Bullock, who received an Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.
The film was loved by many and became a huge hit, but Michael wasn’t very pleased with it because he believed it didn’t portray the real story of how he became a star after struggling for so many years.
“The movie’s great, very inspiring,” he said. “The football part is the only part I have a problem with. Sports was all I had when I was growing up – it made me look like I just didn’t know anything.”
He believed that the film negatively affected his career.
George Gojkovich/Getty Images
“I’m not trying to prove anything,” he told ESPN. “People look at me, and they take things away from me because of a movie. They don’t really see the skills and the kind of player I am. That’s why I get downgraded so much, because of something off the field.
“This stuff, calling me a bust, people saying if I can play or not … that has nothing to do with football. It’s something else off the field. That’s why I don’t like that movie.”
Actor Quinton Aaron, who portrayed Michael in the film, spoke about the project. “You gotta at some point notice the amount of people’s lives this movie has touched in a positive, encouraging, and inspiring manner,” he said regarding Michael’s way of seeing the film. “At the end of the day, bro, you are a millionaire, you’re famous, you are a Super Bowl Champ, you have an amazing family that loves you, friends, fans, and teammates.
“Who gives a damn about what people say or think who wanna criticize your game, bro, that shouldn’t matter. Somebody is always going to have something to say that you’re not going to like,” he added. “So what, you had a couple of bad seasons. I believe you’ve got a lot more fuel in the tank, so let’s start hashing out some good ones and forget what people think about you. I got your back, brotha God Bless!”
Michael Ohler retired from football in 2017. He had quite a career and inspired many. Today, not much is known about his private life. What we know, however, is that he is the creator of the application Good Deeds, which helps people in need. “It is all about connecting people who have needs with those who want to give,” he said. “Download the app and help a child in need beat the odds like I did. Be an answer to someone’s prayers.”
Michael has a net worth of $16 million and uses a great deal of that money to improve people’s lives.
Recently, I’ve stumbled upon a social experiment in which a girl was nicely dressed and left alone by the sidewalk. Most of the passersby who saw her took their time to stop and ask her where her parents were and whether she needed help. That same girl was now dressed in worn and dirty clothes and left standing at the same place. A lot of people passed by her, but non seemed to notice her. And those who did, only stared with resentment.
This is the sad reality of today. It makes me wonder when did this world become a home of selfish humans who only judge others based on their looks. Or, how come that the life of a rich person is worthier than that of the poor?
Thankfully, there comes someone along the way who shows us that not everyone lost the ability to empathize with the less fortunate, and that gives us hopes that not everything is lost.
Casey Fischer was planning to grab some coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts during her break from classes when she saw a homeless man on the side of the road picking up change. He then entered the place in hopes of buying something to eat.
When Fisher got closer she could see the change in the man’s hand barely made $1. She then offered to pay for his coffee and a bagel and invited him to join her table.
The man introduced himself as Chris and shared with Fischer how he was very often treated badly only because he was homeless.
He confessed how he abused drugs and that turned him into the man he hated. What he really wanted in life was to be the person his late mother would be proud of. But somehow failed in reaching so.
As it was time for Fischer to get back to class, she told Chris she was glad to meet him and that she had to go. But then, the man told her to wait a minute, took a crumpled up piece of paper, wrote something on it, and handed it to his new acquaintance.
Fischer opened the note and she felt overwhelmed. She could never imagine that what she did could mean so much to the homeless man. For him, this meeting was way more than just a chat over coffee and a bagel. It changed something in him.
“I wanted to kill myself today,” the note read. “…because of u I now do not. Thank u, beautiful person.”
We would like to thank this lovely girl too. You are the change that this world needs in order to go round.
Please share this story with your friends and family
Not all heroes wear capes. The real ones wear uniforms and a badge and make sure everyone around is safe and sound. This is the story of officer Grady and his fellow colleagues who saved a life during what was supposed to be a routine traffic violation on the Interstate 90 in Idaho.
Source: AARoads
The call Sergeant Justin Klitch made for that van to be pulled over was crucial in discovering the horrific scene they’ve stumbled upon that cold and bitter December morning.
As they approached the vehicle and asked for the licence and registration, the officers were puzzled when they noticed the woman siting in the front seat was all covered in bruises. It was clear she was suffering physical abuse.
Source: KHQAdam
On the back seat there was a toddler who was showing signs of abuse as well. His condition was worrying.
The officers from the Idaho Police Station were aware of the severity of the situation and stepped in.
Source: KHQ
Later, during an interview with a local news station while discussing the incident, officer Grady couldn’t hold his tears back. During his career he had witnessed all forms of negligence and abuse, but this one was done to a 2-year-old boy and it broke his heart.
Source: ISP
“While we there, he [the sergeant] discovered a young boy in the back of the minivan,” Officer Grady says in an interview right before he tears up. “It’s taken me all week to type this stupid thing out,” he added.
“He had discovered a small boy in the back who was severely injured. He had bruises on his head, multiple lacerations on his stomach, his arms were stuck in a fetal position and his left eye was not functioning properly.”
Source: KHQAdam
The officers rushed the boy to the local hospital and took the adults to the police station for questioning.
The injured toddler needed to be transferred to Sacred Heart Pediatric Hospital in Spokane. Officer Grady accompanied him.
There was another boy in the van. A one-year-old baby who was in a good health condition.
Source: KHQAdam
Everyone was pretty concerned for the boy’s condition that was getting worse. His heart rate went from 70 to 110 in a matter of minutes and he was in constant pain. He was quickly transferred to the ER and spent a significant amount of time in intensive care. The boy was referred to as ‘Baby J’ for privacy reasons.
Source: KHQAdam
“This is the worst case of this type of situation that I’ve run into. I’ve been to many fatal crashes, I used to work for a different department. Went to a lot of domestic violence situations. I’ve seen people injured, I’ve seen people hurt, but I’ve never seen this before. So I don’t know what the toll is going to be,” Officer Grady mentioned.
Doctors said that the injuries the toddler suffered were life-threatening. However, after receiving the appropriate medical treatment for his wounds and the brain trauma, he was finally ready to leave the ICU. Medics believe he will soon recover completely, and that’s really good news.
Source: KHQAdam
“Sgt. Klitch just left Sacred Heart Hospital and said Baby J is alert, engaging and playful. We are all so thankful for the hard work and care of the Sacred Heart Pediatric ICU team! Still work to do but good news nonetheless,” the Idaho State Police wrote on their Twitter account.
59-year-old Jorge Gonzales-Vergel, who was driving the van was arrested.
He is not a suspect in the case of abuse but is charged for other counts such as possession of meth, marijuana, and other substances. The officers also found a firearm during the search of the vehicle. Currently, he is at the Shoshone County jail.
Source: KHQAdam
The baby boy has been taken into the care of the state of Idaho and is currently residing in the Shoshone Medical Center.
The doctors are unanimous that if it wasn’t for the officers who stopped the vehicle, Baby J could die because of the excessive trauma he suffered. These amazing men saved his life.
Source: Parking Network
Sergeant Klitch is proud of his unit, and we are too! Check the whole story in the video below.
This is heartbreaking, but worth a minute of your time as Trooper Shane Grady describes responding to the worst case of child abuse he’s ever seen. Thankfully, because @ispdistrict1 stepped in, that child is expected to make a full recovery. Story tonight on @KHQLocalNewspic.twitter.com/z4zlgVH6YD
