31-year-old father of four dies rescuing two of his young children from rip current at Florida beach

By
Monica Pop
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With the official start of the summer a lot of people are eager to hit the beaches and have fun under the sun. However, experts issue warnings for beach-goers to be extra careful when going swimming in the ocean because of the unpredictable rip currents.

Sadly, an awful tragedy took place over the weekend when a father of four was pulled by a rip current while trying to save two of his children. The devastating incident took place in Huguenot Park in Jacksonville, Florida.

People who found themselves at the scene rushed inside the water and formed a human chain thus managed to save the kids, aged 4 and 9, but their dad, 31-year-old Larry Dupree, slipped under the water.

Rod Sullivan, a maritime expert, spoke to News4Jax about the tragedy and what led to it saying: “If you’re going in chest deep, you don’t have any chance against the rip current. You won’t win. If you’re out there with small children and they’ve been caught in the rip current, it’s hard. You could put yourself at great risk.”

What started as a rescue mission ended as a recovery operation. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department beach patrol discovered the lifeless body of Dupree on Monday morning.

Screenshot

This father made the ultimate sacrifice. He lost his life in an attempt to save those of his children.

Larry’s wife, Heather Dupree, took the time to thank the strangers who helped in saving her kids. “I want all of the people from the beach yesterday who helped me with my kids to know how truly thankful I am from the bottom of my heart for their love, kindness, [and] thoughtfulness,” she told First Coast News.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family.

Rest in peace Larry Dupree. You died a hero.

Mom shares viral tip on how to quickly find your kid if they get lost in public and it’s working for others

By
Monica Pop
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Losing your child in public is probably one of the worst feelings ever. The thing is that little children get distracted easily, so it’s no wonder if they wander around when you take your eyes off of them even for a second.

One mom, who knows the feeling of despair which comes with such situations, is sharing a useful tip on how to find your child easily. She knows that most parents just start looking around silently, and she believes that’s not the way to do it because a lot of time could be wasted. Instead, she shares on TikTok that as they search, parents should shout out loud the description of their child.

Source: Pexels – Madeline Bassinder

Jess Cakmakli believes this technique is very helpful, and a number of parents who have tried it agree.

She gives an example of how it should all look and sound like. “I’m looking for a boy, age 5, short brown hair, brown eyes, Caucasian, red Nike T-shirt, black shorts.”

This way, in case someone tries to kidnap the child, they may get scared and let go of their evil intentions. Plus, it’s way easier when more people are involved in the search.

Source: TikTok – jesmartini

Jess shares how she stumbled upon this tip some time ago in a Facebook group about parenting and it stuck with her ever since.

She believes that no parents should be ashamed of screaming details of how their child looks like, even if they find him or her right away. “That’s your best-case scenario: You look stupid and your kid is right there and you just go home. But if it’s the worst-case scenario, you just saved your kid’s life,” Jess says.

Source: TikTok – jesmartini

One mother from Australia wrote how she tried Jess’ technique when she thought her son was missing and people managed to find him after 10 minutes down another aisle at Kmart.

Source: TikTok – jesmartini

If you find this useful, check Jess’ video below and don’t forget to share it with your friends.

@jesmartini

Reposted bc its so impt and I want as many parents to see it as possible- cc this time #momsoftiktok #fyp #foryou #psa #dadsoftiktok #besafe

♬ original sound – Jess martini

Dog siblings who have been separated for 10 months recognize each other after they meet on the street

By
Monica Pop
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We always speak of the unbreakable bond between siblings, but are we aware that animals feel the same way for their brothers and sisters? Yes, animals have feelings. They feel joy and sadness probably the same way we do, and this story is just another proof of that.

Two dogs who were part of the same litter and were adopted by two different families stumbled upon each other during a walk with their owners, and the most incredible thing ever happened. Believe it or not, they recognized each other, and instead of playing, as most dogs do, Monty and Rosie hugged and kissed.

Source: Facebook – Susan Killip

Rosie’s mom, Susan Killip spoke to The Dodo and said: “There were six of them But Monty and Rosie were always together.”

Killip explained how a friend of hers adopted Monty and took care of Rosie for a couple of weeks before Killip adopted her. “It was so lovely, they both just jumped up and hugged each other. It was amazing they remembered each other after 10 months of not seeing each other,” Susan added.

Source: Facebook – Susan Killip

The cute story only went viral after a woman named Libby Pincher shared it online along with a screenshot of the conversation she had with her dad which said: “So, Dave was out walking his dog, and there was a couple walking towards him with a white version of his dog. Turns out they are brother and sister from the same litter. But instead of just playing like they do with other dogs, look at this.”

This is cute beyond words and so worth sharing it with your friends.

Bindi Irwin shares a photo of daughter Grace meeting a koala for the first time

By
Monica Pop
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Many said that late Steve Irwin’s children had big shoes to fill when they decided to follow into his footsteps, but they are showing the world that they are continuing their father’s legacy in the best way possible. The love they feel for the animals is enormous and their efforts to preserve different species is effortless.

DFree / Shutterstock.com

Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter star and one of the most famous conservationists and wildlife experts died aged 44 in what is described as a freak accident. He was pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Today, his wife Terri, his son Robert and daughter Bindi run the Australia Zoo. Last year, during the devastating wildfire which struck their homeland, the Irwin family helped save tens of thousands of animals. They save approximately 800 koalas each year. Animals which are one of the most famous species of Australia and which hold a very special place in the hearts of the Irwins. In fact, one of the most famous photos of Steve is the one holding a koala in his arms.

In March of this year, the family shared some extraordinary news. Bindi and her husband Chandler welcomed a baby daughter, Grace Warrior Irwin Powell, and the world welcomed a new “Wildlife Warrior.”

Grace’s parents, as well as her grandma and her uncle, are installing the love for animals in her by introducing her to various species, one at a time.

Last month, the family treated the fans with a photo of Terri and Grace around chickens, and now, an adorable photo of the little princess meeting a koala for the first time melted our hearts.

“We have had lots of smiles, the best giggles and we’ve met a koala!” Chandler wrote. “Our gorgeous little Wildlife Warrior princess,” Bindi commented.

They also shared a photo of Grace wearing an outfit with koala on, it which is on sale to support the family’s conservation efforts.

Thank you Irwin family for doing so much for the wildlife.

Teacher fails kids who don’t hand in their homework, gets fired for being too harsh

By
Monica Pop
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Teachers don’t have it easy these days. They always find themselves torn between a bunch of tasks such as conducting daily evaluation reports, preparing teaching plans for kids with different educational backgrounds, grading papers and homework, and above all the parents whose children are always right, and certain school policies that are ridiculous and can get you fired if you don’t stick to them. The ‘no zero’ policy is something many teachers are expected to follow. That basically means that the lowest possible grade the teacher should give is 50%, even if the student doesn’t hand in ANY assignment at all. Now if you think this is something that only private schools stick to, you are wrong. Many public schools expect from the teachers to give higher marks to the students just for attending school, without actually doing anything during lesson time. That means giving someone 50% for not participating in the discussions, not doing homework, and not being active in class. Now whereas there are teachers that follow this rule, there are also those like Diane Tirado who would never agree to follow along. Tirado is not a newbie, but an experienced teacher who recently got a job at Westgate K-8 School in Port St. Lucie. She didn’t really do anything different than any other teacher, she simply expected from her student to do their assignments and that was it, but her teaching methods came under fire. After she assigned a project that some students didn’t hand in, she gave them zeros. She even allowed them two weeks additional time to do the project, but they still didn’t turn their work in. However, the school follows the ‘no zero’ policy and Tirado was asked to give those students the 50% for the assignment to which she categorically said No. Due to her refusal to award the students for not handing in their work, after just a few weeks on the job, this teacher was fired. She let her students know the reason she was no longer going to be their teacher.
‘“Bye Kids, Mrs. Tirado loves you and wishes you the best in life! I have been fired for refusing to give you a 50% for not handing anything in.”
The termination letter didn’t specify why she was fired because she was still on a probation period. Tirado is not sorry for losing her job because she knows she did the right thing. “A grade in Mrs. Tirado’s class is earned,” she said.
“I’m so upset because we have a nation of kids that are expecting to get paid and live their life just for showing up and it’s not real,”
she added. Her story is going viral and she hopes all schools will change this policy.
“The reason I took on this fight was because it was ridiculous. Teaching should not be this hard. Teachers teach content, children do the assignments to the best of their ability and teachers grade that work based on a grading scale that has been around a very long time. Teachers also provide numerous attempts to get the work collected so they can give a child a grade. By nature, most teachers are loving souls who want to see students succeed. We do above and beyond actual teaching to give them the support they need. Are we perfect? NO. We make mistakes like all other human beings, but I know teachers work their butts off to help children to be the best people they can be!!!”
Most of the people who came across Tirado’s story are praising her for her decision to object to something she believes is not right and contradicts her grading system.
‘“Is that for real? I’d be out of a job also,”
wrote a teacher.
‘“A teacher should have the right to decide the grade a child receives. If they simply do not turn in the work, an F they should receive … If you start handing out 50% to everyone that does not turn in their work, what example does that teach? The child needs to be held accountable for the work they do not turn in,” ”
one Facebook user commented.
‘“I’m so sorry you have to deal with all of this! I fully support you. If nothing is turned in I absolutely think a zero is deserved. By giving them credit for not turning anything in I think teaches them the wrong lesson that can be applied to many aspects in life. Hang in there,”
another chimed in. However, Tirado is not the only teacher who got fired over the same reason. Another case is about a teacher who stood up and won. Lynden Dorval taught physics in Edmonton, Canada at Ross shepherd High School that also has the ‘no zero’ policy. The school let him go because he gave zeros to students not willing to hand in the work assigned. Less than a week after he was terminated, Dorval was offered a job at a private school.
‘“Our evaluation policy is generally left up to the teachers,” Peter Mitchell, head of Tempo School, who hired Dorval, told CBC. “I think students here wouldn’t be surprised to get a zero if they didn’t do their work.”
After the case went to court, Dorval received compensation for the termination. He received an increase in this pension and two years salary.
‘“I knew that what I did was right and whether it was legal or not it was the right thing to do and the support of family, friends and colleagues, and former students even, really has helped get me through this,”
he said. We hope that this story will make schools understand that this policy is not something teachers are happy to work by. As for Mrs. Tirado, we wish she finds another job and continues doing what she does best, and that’s teaching.

Pilot gives emotional speech on his final flight after 43 years of service

By
Monica Pop
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It’s not often that we meet people who have been doing the same job their entire life. It does take a lot of commitment and dedication to be doing something for over 40 years, doesn’t it?

A video of a pilot’s farewell speech to his passengers is so heart-melting that it has been seen over 18 million times on TikTok only. It has been recently shared by author and former American athlete Lewis Howes after it was shared on YouTube in January of last year.

Before he takes the Delta Airlines passenger on the final flight of his life, Captain Conrad turns to them and says: “Before I go, I just want to ask you a quick question. Can I see a show of hands, how many people here were born before 1976?”

As a number of hands go up, the pilot says jokingly: “Oh we got a lot of old people on this plane. I’m disappointed.” He then continues his speech explaining how his career started back in 1976 with his first training flight in the Air Force, at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. “[And] 43 years later, and eight different aeroplanes, and about 10,000-12,000 flights and 25,000 hours of flying,” he says, “I’m glad to have you here on my last flight.”

The passengers cheer him with a huge round of applause as he admits that he feels emotional because it is hard to hang up after so much time.

“Anyway, in case you’re wondering if we’re going to have a good flight, we are, because I have my wife here,” he adds, to chuckles from passengers, “so this is probably going to be the safest flight you’ve ever been on”.

What a touching moment. We wish Captain Conrad a happy retirement.

You can see the video below.

Divorced people on Reddit share the final straw in calling their marriage quits

By
Monica Pop
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It certainly takes a lot of courage and determination to decide a marriage is over. Despite the vows and the promise “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death,” things get though at times, and not many are willing or have the strength to continue being part of what looks like a relationship with no future. And yes, it is oftentimes better to put a stop rather than struggle and waste your life.

One Reddit user asked divorced redditors to share what the final straw was. The answers? Take a look at some of them below.

Cheating

Reddit user Beagle_Bailey wrote:

My husband was cheating. I found out, and instead of immediately dumping his ass, I said, Let’s try to work this out, but you have to dump the girlfriend. His response: “But what if you and me don’t work out?”…And THAT was the final straw.

She Took Everything

broiled shared:

Probably when I returned home and found all the furniture, food and my wife missing. Another hint was the empty bank account.

She Left a Note

somethrows added:

I came home from work. There was a note on the table. She had dropped our two kids off at her grandparents, told them she was going to the mall, and left the country.

“I Could Never Be Anything She Needed”

scabbymonkey explained:

After 20yrs of marriage I realized that I could never be anything she needed. I wasn’t spiritual enough, didn’t make enough money even with working two full time jobs ( > 120K a year), didn’t know Jesus like she did and that every bad emotion was caused by something I either did do or didn’t do. I grew up with a mom that did this and it was frightening to see that I recreated my childhood to the tee.

Mean to My Son

scifiwoman wrote:

Him being cruel to my son (not his son, my son from a previous marriage).That’s something you can’t accept.

Caught In The Act

Written by Raven2002:

I came home early from work because of a migraine. Found him in bed with my best friend. Oddly, I was more hurt by her behavior than his. Broomed them both that day.

No Bedside Manner

fifyi shared:

I had been in hospital the night before and they had planned to do surgery for suspected appendicitis. It turned out not to be so acute so the surgery was cancelled and I was discharged and instructed to rest. By that morning, I hadn’t eaten for almost two days. Husband comes to the hospital to pick me up. He sat in the car about a block away with the engine running waiting for me to walk to where he was. He called his work to say he was taking the day off to look after me. In reality, he spent the day in bed or playing PC games. There was no food in the house and he refused to go grocery shopping because that was my job. By now I’m super hungry and still in pain from the niggling appendix. I asked if he could sort dinner for us. He pretty much picked a fight with me over that. I said I didn’t need this in my life and he responded, “Well we can get a divorce if you want!” I said, “Yes please. I’ve actually been thinking about that for a while.”

Apparently Not for Better or Worse

matt_may added:

I’ve mentioned it before. She found out I was going blind after three years of marriage and that sorta broke what was left of a failing relationship. She was gone three months later.

…In Australia

binary10110 wrote:

We had our problems, but the final straw was probably when she slept with some other guy. In Australia. Using my money to buy the air tickets. She also tried to make me pay for the divorce.

“They’re Swingers”

WendyWasteful added:

I was at home with our newborn and he didn’t come home one weekend. He finally came home at about 3 am on Monday and promptly passed out without saying anything. I checked his phone ( I know, I know) and there were pictures of his best friends girlfriend on his phone. He claimed it was ok to spend time with her and get pictures from her because she and her boyfriend were swingers. He doesn’t know that it’s not how that works. In a moment of rage I forwarded the pictures to his best friend. I found out they were not swingers when the guy got angry about the pictures and smashed the windshield of his girlfriends car. I took the kids the next day and moved out.

Dangerous Situation

Budhound1968881 explained:

He came running at me to push me down the stairs, while he was holding our baby. Still to this day, claims it wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t made him so mad.

She Wouldn’t Listen

daddy_oz shared:

She made someone else more important than me in our relationship. Despite being told by me, her family, my family and a relationship counselor she thought she was doing the right thing and that I would just hang around while she had her fun.The night I told her it was over she had plenty of reasons why she was acting the way she was and why she deserved to keep him as a friend. This is nearly 2 years ago now. The other guy lasted a couple of months after we split. She is now trying to justify herself by jumping from bed to bed with whoever she can.

The Child’s Perspective

marybowman wrote:

When his abuse began affecting the way my son viewed abuse. After my ex punched me in the face, my son said, “well, it’s not like he ever beat the crap out of you.” So done.

Clearly Cheating

Blaaamo added:

When I found an abortion follow up appointment letter. We hadn’t had sex in over a year.

Religion

cdc194 shared:

She wasn’t religious when we met, 10 years later she told me I was going to hell for believing in dinosaurs.

Hero UPS driver jumps into icy pond to save a drowning dog

By
Monica Pop
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Severe and harsh weather conditions might be the reason for us to opt for staying in all day with a cup of coffee and a good book by our side, but that’s definitely something our dogs wouldn’t want us to do. No matter the season, they always feel the urge to get outside for a long walk or a round of run around.

However, it’s not that unusual for our four-legged buddies to get into trouble because of their crave to go out in the cold.

They might be really smart, but yet, many times they are not aware of the dangers around them, such as those of walking on thin ice. Sadly, the number of dogs that end up inside the frozen ponds and lakes is not that small. When this happens, they not only put their own life in danger, but that of those who do their best to save them too.

Source: WITF

The recent story of a dog experiencing this sort of accident is that of Sadie from Bozeman, Montana. As she got trapped inside the cold water, it was just a matter of time when she was going to drown or freeze to death before she was rescued. A man in a rowboat was struggling to get her out, but to no avail.

That’s when the brave UPS driver Ryan Arens heard the loud howling and screaming. He was on the job, but still decided to check where the crying was coming from and what was going on. He got back into his vehicle and drove around the place. The moment he noticed the boat, he didn’t hesitate to step in and help.

“I could see the dog trapped about 10-15 feet off of shore, with ice all around it,” Arens said, according to the Great Falls Tribune. “I stripped to my boxers and got the guy out of the boat.”

“Then I slid the boat out onto the ice, using it to distribute my weight. I shimmed out to where the ice was thin.”

It was obvious poor Sadie wouldn’t hold on much longer so as she started going under, Arens broke through the ice.

“I knew someone had to get to her,” he later explained. “She wasn’t going to make it.”

He decided to ignore the warnings and started swimming towards the dog. Luckily, he managed to grab her and get her out to the edge of the deep pond.

“We took the dog inside the older guy’s house and got in the shower together to warm up,” Arens said.

He could have waited for the animal control to react but he was certain that by the time they would arrive Sadie could be dead.

The world needs more people like him ❤ PETA is awarding this UPS driver a Compassionate Action Award for rescuing a dog…

Posted by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) on Wednesday, 23 January 2019

After the amazing and risky rescue, Arens got back to delivering the rest of the packages, as though he didn’t put his life on the line that day.

The best thing is that after some time Arens was about to deliver Sadie’s owner a package which meant he was going to reunite with her again. The encounter was really sweet.

“She was freaking out, and when he let her out she ran to me. She must have remembered me. It sure made me feel good.”

“This dog had a whole lot of life left in her, and I’m really glad I was able to act when I did. She’s a sweetheart.”

“Animals are my weakness,” Arens said. “It was the highlight of my 14-year UPS career.”

Meet Charlie Bear!! He’s the sunshine on my cloudy days at work #dogsofUPS

Posted by Ryan Arens on Friday, 11 January 2019

This story is just another proof that not all heroes wear capes. To be honest, not many people in Aren’s situation would react the same way. But this amazing man knows that no matter how big or small, every life matters and is worth saving. Thank you Ryan Arens.

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