The prom marks an important milestone in the lives of high-school students. It represents the end of a chapter and the start of a new one. It is also the night when teenagers get the chance to shine through their carefully chosen outfit and make-up thus have the night of their life surrounded by peers with whom they spent years filled with memories worth cherishing.
Jon, a young man with autism, was about to attend his prom. He, however, didn’t have a date and his parents weren’t sure whether he wanted to go or not. But then, someone special stepped in and made Jon’s night.
Namely, a girl named Maddie, who met Jon through a school club that promotes friendships between special needs kids and regular kids, went to Jon’s dad one day and told him she needed to talk to him. Jon’s dad is a teacher at the school his son and Maddie attend.
As she approached Jon’s father, she said, “He’s a junior, so it’s his prom too. I just think he should have the chance to go.” The dad said they were happy and honored to have their son go with her.
Sharing this beautiful story, Jon’s dad explained, “During the next couple weeks, [Maddie] asked what his favorite color was (orange) so she could get a dress in that color. She also made reservations for their group (they doubled with another couple) at a restaurant that served his favorite food – chicken fingers and French fries.”
He then asked from his friends and social media followers to share this story because of three very important reasons, “to show support for special kids like Jon, to show support for groups that promote these friendships, and to remind us all, in a time when we hear about all the terrible things going on, that there are wonderful kids like Maddie working to make other’s lives better.”
We are so glad there are still young people like Maddie out there who look beyond physical appearance.
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Anorexia represents a serious psychological disorder where people are of low weight due to limiting how much they eat and drink. Although it usually starts at adolescence, it can affect people pf all ages. The complications can be fatal, but treatment and recovery are possible.
Researchers have found evidence of people displaying symptoms of anorexia for hundreds or thousands of years.
When a young woman named Vera Schulz was diagnosed with this condition, she was just 18 years old. For several months, she weighted only 70lb and she still saw herself as fat.
At one point, she started experiencing very severe symptoms such as constant dizziness, fainting, and breathing difficulties. It was then that something clicked in her mind. She knew she needed to change her life over. It wasn’t going to be easy because it required strong mental strength, but it was either that or a state that could easily lead her to death.
The first step towards a new life was eating more fruits and vegetables. No matter how she felt, Vera knew that was the only way out of the situation she had found herself in.
Over time, she introduced physical exercise and more types of food into her diet.
It took some time before she started looking and being healthy, but it was all worth it.
Vera’s social life improved drastically and she found love.
This young woman found inspiration in the thought that she wanted to be alive, and that helped her go through the toughest of times.
She did succeed, but not everyone manages to overcome this disorder without professional help.
Battling anorexia and speaking openly about it isn’t embarrassing nor a taboo. Seeking help and accepting the reality is the first step towards healing.
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Clare Mauremootoo and her husband John met through a mutual friend in 1993 and fell madly in love. They had been married for 11 years when Clare was diagnosed with motor neuronopathy, an uncommon condition that affects the brain and nerves and causes weakness that gets worse over time. Sadly, there is no known cure for this condition, the treatments available can only help reduce the impact it has on the person’s everyday life.
For Clare, this diagnosis was a devastating one as her health deteriorated more and more with each passing day.
As she knew her time on earth was limited, she couldn’t stop thinking what her husband and their two sons would do without her in their lives.
That’s when she made it her mission to find someone for John who would embrace him and the children after Clare’s passing.
“She promised she would assist me in finding love,” John said of Clare. “She even started corresponding with hospice representatives in an effort to schedule a date for us.
“I, however, wasn’t ready. Although I wasn’t sure if I would ever be, Clare wanted me to be,” he explained.
Clare was determined to find John a new partner, because that was the only things that could put her at ease.
She frequently told him, “I don’t care how you meet someone.” She even tried setting John up with some of the nurse at the hospice where she spent the last two months of her life.
As her condition worsened, Clare and John decided that 11th February would be the day her children saw her for the last time. Clare spent that Valentine’s day by her husband’s side and passed away just a couple of days later.
“Clare died in my arms. I told her how much I loved her and told her not to worry about the boys, I would take good care of the boys,” John said.
“I made an effort to carry on as usual, getting the boys ready for school and preparing dinner for them, but I couldn’t help but feel like Clare was watching us.
“Although I never forgot her request for me to meet someone new, I didn’t want the boys to believe I was taking over for their mother.
“But I was alone after the boys had gone to bed. I craved Clare’s presence and missed her. I, therefore, opened an account on a dating website in May.”
Eventually, John connected to a woman named Julie Macfarlane, a nurse who had just went through a divorce and had two kids, John, 10, and Isobel, 6.
“When the moment was right, I told Jack and Ben I was dating Julie,” John said. “They were horrified at first, but over the next six months, they warmed up to her and her children.”
The families moved in together in 2008 and four years later, John and Julie married. Isobel was their bridesmaid and the three boys were best men.
John added, “I talked about Clare’s diagnosis, our time together, and her wish for me to find someone special.”
“Clare wanted us to be happy, and I think she would be now that things have gone as they have, so I told everyone I envisioned her smiling down on us.”
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Carly Simon made a name for herself during the 70’s and 80’s, the period when many new musicians became part of the big scene and rose to stardom. Her hits and her two very successful albums which she released in a short period of time brought young Simon a Grammy Award for Best New Artist of the Year, and a nomination in the “Best Pop Female Vocalist” category.
Not only Carly, but her two older sisters made an impact on the world of music, too.
Carly and her sister Lucy even formed a band when they were teenagers, The Simon Sisters, and released three albums together.
They performed at a local bar called The Moors, with a repertoire consisting of folk music, as well as some of their own songs.
The sisters’ father, Richard Simon, was the co-founder of the Simon & Schuster publishing company. Their mom, Andrea was known as a civil right activist.
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Unfortunately, Carly lost both her sisters recently. They died a day apart and left the singer utterly heartbroken.
“I am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of Joanna and Lucy Simon. Their loss will be long and haunting,” Carly said in a statement.
“We were three sisters who not only took turns blazing trails and marking courses for one another, we were each other’s secret shares. The co-keepers of each other’s memories. I have no words to explain the feeling of suddenly being the only remaining direct offspring of Richard and Andrea Simon. They touched everyone they knew and those of us they’ve left behind will be lucky and honored to carry their memories forward. With great and eternal love and respect,” the singer added.
Carly Simon and sisters Lucy Simon and Joanna Simon attend The National Academy of Popular Music’s 25th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on June 1, 1994 at Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers in New York City (Getty Images)
Joanna Simon, acclaimed mezzo-soprano and Emmy-winning TV correspondent, passed away Wednesday of thyroid cancer at the age of 85, as per a statement released by Carly Simon’s manager Larry Ciancia. She was married to novelist and journalist Gerald Walker from 1976 until his death in 2004.
Lucy Simon, who composed Broadway musical The Secret Garden, passed Thursday at 82 after batting breast cancer, Ciancia confirmed.
She was married to David Levine with whom she went on to produce two Grammy-winning children’s albums, “In Harmony,” and “In Harmony 2.”
Lucy and David remained married for 55 years, until her death. They had two children together: Julie and James.
Joanna, Carly, and Lucy Simon pose for a photograph before their concert May 12, 1982 in New York City. The Simon sisters returned to their school for a benefit. (Photo by Yvonne Hemsey/Getty Images)
Carly Simon’s brother, Peter, died in 2018.
Are thoughts and prayers are with Carly Simon.
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Leslie Jordan, the beloved actor and comedian best known for his portrayal of conniving Beverly Leslie on the show Will and Grace, died at 67.
Leslie was driving in Hollywood Monday morning when he crashed into the side of a building at Cahuenga Blvd. and Romaine St. as reported by The Times. He was pronounced dead at the scene although it is still uncertain whether he was killed in the crash or he suffered medical emergency beforehand.
A law enforcement representative suggested Leslie lost control over his vehicle before crashing into the building.
“The world is definitely a much darker place today without the love and light of Leslie Jordan,” the actor’s spokesperson said, as per NBC News. “Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of its most difficult times.”
For his role of Beverly Leslie, the nemesis of Karen Walker, in Will and Grace, Leslie was awarded an Emmy for guest actor in a comedy series.
Leslie was also popular for his work on the shows Hearts Afire, The Cool Kids, Call Me Kat, which is currently in its third season, and American Horror Story among the rest.
During the pandemic, Leslie reached a new kind of fame, especially with the younger population, with his witty posts and silly videos. He gained millions of followers on social media and was dubbed a media phenomenon.
“I didn’t realize (I blew up) until last night when everybody started calling me telling me you’ve gone viral,” Leslie told TODAY in March 2020. “I don’t really even know what that means!”
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Mariska Hargitay may be best known for the role of Olivia Benson in the series Law and Order: SVU, the bold detective who stops criminals and brings them to justice, but in real life, she a loving mom and wife.
Hargitay has been married to co-star Peter Herman whom she met on the show where he first appeared as a guest star in season three. The two have been married for 18 years and have three children, but it wasn’t until years later that Hargitay spoke of the first impression she had on her husband when she first laid eyes on him.
During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Hargitay recalled, “He was very handsome, and it was distracting.
“Then he would come back the other day, and all the producers would look at me and give me eyes. I’d never been like that to anyone ever. It was funny because I was single, I was 35, and my friends were like, ‘Mariska, you need to get out more, nobody’s going to show up on your show and ask you to marry them.’”
Even after that many years, the couple still find the time to dance the night away. Just recently, they shared a video of them dancing at a themed wedding party.
Hargitay’s parents are just as famous, if not more. She the daughter of renowned actors Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield.
Mansfield died in a car crash when her vehicle collided with a tractor trailer. Her then-boyfriend Sam Brody and the car’s driver died at the scene while the actress’ three children who were also in the car were uninjured. At the time of her passing, Mansfield was 34 years old.
Being left without a mother from the age of 3, Hargitay wanted a big family and wanted to be a mother herself.
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She welcomed her first child, son August, when she was 42.
As she wasn’t certain if she could go through another pregnancy, Hargitay and her husband turned to adoption. However, the process itself was a painful one. “I was really letting the chips fall as they might, because I do think so much is up to God and I always said, ‘I don’t know how this is going to end up. I don’t know if I’m going to get pregnant and have twins, I don’t know…,’” she told Good Housekeeping in 2012.
Eventually, they adopted baby Amaya Josephine after attending her birth.
“I basically pulled Amaya out,” Hargitay told Good Housekeeping a year after her birth. “Peter and I held her, and then the birth mother and I hugged for a long time. That was profound. That was one of the most meaningful moments I’ve ever had in my life.”
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In 2011, they adopted another child, baby boy Andrew who was born two months premature.
“Being a wife and mother is my life, and that gives me the most joy,” the actress told Closer Weekly. “I understand [my mother] in a new way that gives me peace. Now I understand the love she had in her, and it makes me feel closer to her.”
Today, Amaya is 11 years old and her mom describes her as a young girl with a strong personality.
”My daughter is the boss of me,” Hargitay told People and added, ”She is so strong, her independence inspires me.”
Amaya is also very protective of her younger brother and makes sure he stays out of trouble.
“We adopted Amaya, and Andrew, I always describe [him] as this angel that fell out of the sky,” Hargitay shared, as per PopSugar.
Without a doubt, Jim Carrey is one of the most prominent comedians Hollywood has ever seen. His wit helped him rise to stardom and the roles he played became iconic.
Carrey, however, worked hard to get to where he is today. His childhood wasn’t an easy one since his parents needed to work hard in order to provide for the family. When his dad lost his job, the Canadian-native actor was forced to quit school in order to start working and help his family.
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At one point of their lives, they all worked at a local wheel-rim factory as janitors and security, doing eight-hour shifts. Things were tough, however, and they all decided to quit. Sadly, that meant not being able to pay rent, so Carrey’s parents moved into their car, while he and his brother slept in a tent for a couple of months. They didn’t settle at a single place but moved around Ontario.
Recalling that period of his life, the Ace Ventura star said, “For a while, we pitched a tent on my sister’s lawn in the country. And then for a while, we went to campsites around Ontario. And we’d use the facilities there and we actually had a lot of fun. We had more fun there than we did when we were doing this job that we didn’t like.”
When he turned 17, Carrey, who was aware of his inner talent to make people laugh, started performing comedy at different clubs in downtown Toronto. There, he made a name for himself and moved to L.A. to pursue a career as a comedian.
As he became a regular at the Comedy Story, his career started to take off so he invited his parents to move in with him. However, at one point, he had a hard time landing gigs and felt the pressure to provide for his mom and dad, which made him feel uneasy. He was forced to ask them to return to Canada and that is an experience he’s not happy to think of.
“I resented them because there had always been a lot of pressure on me to be the star, to save their lives, to buy them the big house with the pillars – like Elvis, you know? And it came to a head.
“I had no money. I had no jobs. And I couldn’t even come home to my own house because my parents were in the living room smoking. They were lovely people, but they got caught up in thinking they were going to be taken care of.”
While working as a comedian for $25 a night, Carrey met Melissa Womer, a former actress and a waitress at Comedy Store. It didn’t take long before the two tied the knot and welcomed daughter Jane Erin Carrey, Carrey’s only child, in their lives.
The couple moved separate ways when Carrey’s career took off. According to Melissa, he turned into a completely different man. She could be heard saying that fame changed him.
”I was happy to take on the traditional wife and mother roles. He knows I’m a good woman, a good wife, a good mother. But, you know what? He’s not good husband material. Marriage takes empathy, commitment and sacrifice. The dude has changed,” Melissa told The Spokesman-Review in 1995.
He didn’t happen to be a good husband, but he certainly has been the best father Jane Erin Carrey could ever ask for.
American actor Jim Carrey at home with his wife Melissa and daughter Jane. (Getty Images)
Jane, who is 35, is a mom of 12-year-old son Jackson Riley Santana, whom she has with former husband Alex Santana.
Speaking to People before she gave birth to her son, Jane said, “I’m excited about it because I never really got along with girls growing up. I was a little afraid that if it was a girl, that she would not like me, you know? So I’m very happy about the boy.”
Unlike most children of celebrities, Jane didn’t follow into her dad’s footsteps. Instead, she embraced music and is part of a band.
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Most people first learned of Jane when she auditioned for the 11th season of the popular show American Idol from which she was eliminated in the first week of the live auditions.
“I freaked out when I was there so I was really really shaky,” she said of her performance on the show. “I know I can do way better than that so I’m really disappointed.” She was able to seek comfort from none other than her dad. “I talked to my dad and he was kind of comforting,” she continued. “He said ‘I’ve been said no to a bunch of times’ and it worked out for him, so hopefully I have a shot.”
Jane appeared on Catfish: The TV Show, starring as herself, and in 2014, she wrote several soundtracks for the Dumb and Dumber To movie.
A new ear for the British royalty is just around the corner. King Charles’ coronation is to take place on May 6, 2023 which is also the day when his wife Camilla becomes Queen Consort.
When Britain first learned of the affair between then-prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, she became one of the most detested people in the country, at least among the royal fans who were madly infatuated with Princess Diana, one of the most loved figures of Britain.
Over the years, however, Camilla showed she cared for Charles and the royal family and she managed to gain certain popularity. Not only people accepted her, but they also started to like her.
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
When the two tied the knot some 17 years ago, it was reported that Camilla opted to be called Queen Consort once Charles accedes to the throne. At the time, the Palace reported that she would be given the title of a Princess, but late Queen Elizabeth wished Camilla to be known as Queen Consort and she spoke openly about that wish during the celebration of her platinum jubilee.
Charles, on the other hand, never had doubts that his wife would get the title of a Queen one day.
“I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla,” Charles said in the statement he issued following his mother’s death. “In recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage seventeen years ago, she becomes my Queen Consort.”
Shutterstock/Maja Tomic
One person that stood by Camilla’s side through thick and thin is her younger sister, Annabel Elliot.
It is believed that when Princess Diana confronted Camilla about her affair with Charles, they were attending Annabel Elliot’s 40th birthday party.
“She said to me, ‘You’ve got everything you ever wanted. You’ve got all the men in the world fall in love with you and you’ve got two beautiful children, what more do you want?’ So I said, ‘I want my husband,’” Diana explained back in the day. “And I said, ‘I’m sorry I’m in the way … and it must be hell for both of you. But I do know what’s going on. Don’t treat me like an idiot.’”
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
Annabel and Camilla are more than sisters; they are greatest of friends. Annabel has run her show Annabel Elliot Interior Designand Antiques in Dorset for more than 30 years, becoming the fifth most influential female interior designer in the UK in 2014.
It was on Annabel’s 50th birthday party that Charles and Camilla first posed together in public and stole she show. Later, amid the divorce of Charles and Diana, it was Annabel who drove the car that whisked Camilla away from public view and the notorious paparazzi press.
Over time, Annabel became close part of the royal family, especially with Charles, with whom she had been reported to have clashed from time to time, especially when she felt like he was trying to do most of what she was paid for himself.
“He always likes to be completely involved and know what’s being suggested,” Annabel said in the 2012 ITV documentary The Royal Restoration.
“He’s looking at every piece of material — ‘What’s this for?, Is that for a chair? Where’s that sourced from? Has it got nylon in it?’ He doesn’t like duvets.”
She then added, “You know, it’s all that kind of thing, it’s very very important to him. We’ll argue. I’ll say ‘I really think actually…’ So we’ll definitely have a good, healthy debate. He doesn’t just agree or disagree. He will look at everything. His eye for detail is quite extraordinary. I don’t think I’ve ever worked with anybody who is so interested in the detail.”
Antony Jones/UK Press via Getty Images
Annabel was employed to carry out work on the then-Prince of Wales’s new home in Wales, Llwywormwood, which he bought in 2006 for more than £1 million.
The Telegraph reported at the time that Charles’ sister-in-law was paid over $380,000 for her work between 2005 and 2008, which some politicians thought was a matter of cronyism, but that’s not how Charles viewed it.
“There was no tender. The Prince knows her and likes her work. Annabel Elliot is an established interior designer,” a Clarence House spokesperson said at the time.
This wasn’t the only time Annabel worked for the royals. She also designed 12 Duchy of Cornwall cottages and ran a 2012 project to convert a “run-down barn building” into an elegant guesthouse on the grounds of Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, becoming Charles’ chief interior designer.
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Even today, Camilla and Annabel are extremely close. Recently, the two were spotted together at the Booker Prize for Fiction ceremony at the Roundhouse in London and people couldn’t help but notice how much they look alike.
Annabel has been married to her husband Simon Elliot since 1972 and they share three children together, including Ben Elliot, a businessman and fund-raiser for the Conservative Party who served as Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party from July 2019 to September 2022.
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