As we keep praying for five-year-old Landen to recover from the horrific injuries he suffered after he was thrown from the third floor balcony, the man who committed the gruesome act revealed the motives behind his action.
The boy’s family was left in complete shock and disbelief, never assuming what was supposed to be a fun day at the mall could turn into the worst nightmare.
According to the New York Post, when questioned by the police, 24-year-old Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda said he planned on killing an adult that day, but Landen got on his way and became the victim of this lunatic.
The tragic incident took place on Friday, April 12. The fall left little Landen with severe injuries, and currently, no improvement in his condition has been reported by the hospital where he has been admitted. The boy suffered fractured bones in his limbs, as well as massive head trauma and bleeding from the head.
A 5-year-old is being treated for "significant injuries" after witnesses say the child was thrown from a third-floor balcony at the Mall of America. A 24-year-old man is in custody. https://t.co/b3mj5TddEapic.twitter.com/gK3uvZg07j
The suspect has been charged with attempted premeditated first-degree murder. He confessed that at the time he visited the Minnesota’s Mall of America, his intentions were to find someone to kill. He believed it was going to be an adult as they are the ones who usually stay near the mall balconies. Unfortunately, Landen found himself at the scene and became the victim.
The New York Post reported that as Aranda got closer to Landen and his mom, she asked whether they should move so that he could pass by, and it was then that he “picked up the victim and threw him.”
After this, he simply started running. What a cold-hearted man.
$700K raised for boy thrown from third floor at Mall of America
A GoFundMe campaign created to help little Landen Hoffman has raised more than $700,000.https://t.co/FPp6EU8OC3
It was later revealed how Aranda’s aggressive behavior was a result of the rejections he was getting by all those women he tried to seduce at the Bloomington mall throughout the years.
As for sweet little Lendon, he found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now the whole nation is standing by his side. The GoFundMe page that was set to raise the money needed for his medical treatments stand in excess of $730,000. If you want to donate funds, please visit the page.
All we hope for is for Lendon to recover and have a normal childhood. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
With the living expenses getting higher with every year that passes, many people are desperately looking for cheaper alternatives that wouldn’t affect the quality of their living a great deal.
A single father from Brighton, UK named Adam Collier set up a goal of turning an old bus into the perfect living space for him and his teenage daughter, and the result has to be seen to be believed. Honestly, I don’t recall seeing something cooler in a very long time.
This 42-year-old carpenter was certain in his abilities and knew the bus could become a convenient home when they are on the run exploring the beauties of the country.
He starts the whole renovation process with a certain budget he had on mind, and was determined not to spend more than £10,000 for the whole project. He was aware, however, that it would be a real challenge to create the mobile living space of his dreams, but he was eager to try and he really did his best.
He faced some structural issues along the way, but managed to overcome them all thanks to his DIY skills and his enthusiasm.
It all started with the purchase of the double-decker and getting rid of the seats. He kept some, however, and used them later on during the process. It was a long way Adam had in front of him, but the thought of designing his own house on wheels kept him going.
The first issue he encountered was the lack of insulation that he had to install himself.
Adam didn’t ask anyone for help as he wanted to finish his home all by himself. When speaking to Amazing Space he said:
“I’m a tradesman as well, so I knew how to do everything, and there was no point in asking anyone else to help. Also, it was my project. I couldn’t expect others to share my level of enthusiasm.”
After drilling some beams in order to reinforce the structure, Adam stuffed the bus with sheet insulation.
This carpenter made sure every single inch of his new home was used well. He opted for affordable, yet fancy materials that only added to the beauty of the final result.
Before placing some furniture inside, Adam very carefully considered the weight distribution, and decided to keep the bulk of weight on the lower deck. That’s where he placed the kitchen and the dining table. He chose a vibrant green color that gave the home life.
The benches he used are originally from the bus, he just used sponge foam and added some cushions.
What’s best about the dining area isn’t the fancy way it looks, but the fact the table could be folded when not in use.
For the floors and the walls, Adam used tongue-and-groove panels which gave the place sort of vintage appearance. However, many of the things that were there already remained untouched. Ok, maybe a bit improved, such as some handles, the old tickets dumping bin, some of the signs that once served the purpose of warning and reminding the passengers of how to behave while traveling, and the side mirrors.
The process was going slowly but smoothly. However, some unexpected expenses arose, such as broken generator, which led to going over the budget.
However, knowing Adam spent almost half the money he was willing to spend for the whole project on purchasing the bus which cost £4,500, he kept other things as low-cost as possible.
With the idea of sticking to his budget, he found a way to get a perfect looking kitchen that didn’t cost him an arm and a leg. Adam bought some inexpensive kitchenette he later perfected by creating a new facade and some nice handles.
The most expensive part of the kitchen was the wooden worktop, but he didn’t mind as it really adds to the perfection of that part of the place.
“The most expensive part of it [kitchen] was the worktop. The whole kitchen cost peanuts, really.”
The bus’ staircase leads to an interesting part of Adam’s home that he refers to as the resting nook.
That nook is Adam’s favorite place. It’s perfect for relaxing your mind and body. The details, including Britain’s flag themed cushions give the sense of being home, and the feeling is priceless.
The new home is spacious and Adam’s daughter can even invite her friends for a sleepover if she wishes so, there’s plenty of room for every visitor who wants to enjoy the stay in the double-decker.
The big windows allow plenty of natural light to enter the bus. But what Adam is most proud of is the sliding bedroom. It really takes a lot of creativity to come up with such a brilliant idea.
The upper deck fitted three bedroom, and that’s something people can’t afford having even in a real house. Adam achieved this by placing a bunk bed at the back.
This cool project took six months to finish, and the outcome is breathtaking. Both Adam and his daughter Devon are lovers of the sea and love surfing, so they could drive themselves to the beach whenever they want to have fun and play with the waves.
Although he didn’t stick to the budget and spent additional £5,000, Adam isn’t sorry because he got something truly unique. How many people could brag of having a home on wheels? Not many, I guess.
This double-decker is a picture perfect option for a second home for people like Adam and Devon, who have adventurous spirits.
Salons are the places where women feel happy and fabulous. They go there to get a new hair style or some other beauty treatment. Therefore, the expected outcome of visiting a salon is a happy smiling person.
However, this didn’t happen to Jeniffer Dreyer Brown. She had totally different experience with one salon.
Happy Nails in Laguna Niguel, California wasn’t ‘a happy place’ at all for this lady. She left the salon in tears. She was humiliated by the salon staff due to a disorder she was suffering from.
Jeniffer is suffering of lupus. This disease is autoimmune which causes the body to attack the healthy tissue. As a result of that, inflammation is very common. Nevertheless, this disease is not contagious. To make things worse, Jeniffer has got ‘discoid lupus’.
The ‘discoid lupus’ cases the person to be extremely sensitive to sunlight. The sun and the higher temperature make the skin look even worse.
Unfortunately, the day she went to the salon was a very hot one.
Jeniffer says:
“I was born and raised in Laguna Beach – there is no amount of sunblock or umbrellas [to prevent the flares]. The scars on my skin get red when I go outside.”
As it was a very warm day, Jeniffer was wearing a sundress. Therefore, the skin and the disorder were highly visible.
As a consequence to that, the salon denied to manicure the lady, even though they agreed to that in first place.
While they denied to manicure her, they agreed to give her a pedicure. As Jeniffer was sitting in the salon, she heard people talking. She guessed they talked about her.
As soon as they finished with the pedicure procedure, they agreed only to polish her finger nails. Their excuse for not giving her full manicure treatment was that there were no free workers.
However, what Jeniffer noticed shocked her. Staff was sitting around the salon. They were free. This confirmed her suspicion. They refused her due to her skin condition.
She says there were no scars on the hands and she adds:
“I showed her my hands and she still denied me.”
The workers did not improve their behaviour and made the things worse. They said that the hands are fine, but the rest of the body is affected. This brought tears in Jeniffer’s eyes.
“They made up so many excuses and lies. I have never been so publicly humiliated in my life!” she wrote.
Immediately she recorded herself and posted the video on her Facebook page.
She explains her situation and she tells people not to go there.
“The one time I choose to go out in a sundress because its 110 degrees people judge me because I have lupus and my skin is broken out,” she says tearfully in her video. “I never felt more like a leper and more judged in orange county. I just want you to know you need to be nice to people. You don’t know whats going on with someone on the inside or outside for that matter.”
The video reached a lot of people. They were angry and left negative reviews about the salon.
The official explanation of the salon and their attorney was that they were following the code of the California Board of Cosmetology. They said:
“No person … shall perform service upon a surface of the skin or scalp where such skin is inflamed, or broken … or where a skin infection or eruption is present.”
They refused the discrimination charges.
“We at Happy Nails feel bad for the customer that presented with Lupus disease. We do not discriminate at Happy Nails. The customer interpreted our inability to work on her nails as discrimination,” the attorney’s statement read. “The workers are very hard working immigrants that would want nothing more than to provide the service. However, they must follow the mandates of the law.”
Jeniffer concludes that even though she was a regular client there, she is not planning to go back again.
Take a look at the video and witness her experience.
School days are supposed to be the best days of one’s life because that’s when people get to meet new friends, some of which last even for a lifetime, gather knowledge on many subjects, and start understanding life.
For one girl named Delanie Marcotte, however, school is the place she hates. Instead of feeling secure, this lady fears stepping her foot in the school’s building every single day. The reason why is something many youngsters are affected by, and that’s the disrespectful treatment they get by their peers. Bullying isn’t absent at Pollard Elementary School in Plaistow New Hampshire where lovely Delanie studies.
What she had to endure was so severe that she was even getting death threats by her mean classmates. To hear of something like this is devastating, and speaks a lot of the inability of many parents to teach their children respect and kindness.
“They kick me and they say mean things, call me names – it is not nice,” Delanie told NECN.com.
The family tried everything in order to put an end to the girl’s suffering but they came across parents who stood behind their misbehaving kids and wouldn’t cooperate in order for the problem to be solved.
They recall how the mother of one of the kids even confronted Delanie and said how she was trying to put her son into trouble when she accused him of bullying.
As they couldn’t cope with what was going on any longer, and the school refused to take an action, they turned to the school board.
“It is very hard to watch your child get bullied, hear about it day in and day out, and you do get very aggravated,” Delanie’s father, Todd Marcotte, said. “It’s an issue, and it’s an issue that has to be addressed.”
The bullying she experienced didn’t turn this girl into an insecure victim, but on the contrary, it gave her strength to speak up of the issue of bullying and stand for herself. The plea she made at the Timberlane Regional School Board was so personal that it touched the hearts of many.
This is what she had to say:
“I am here to talk about a problem that means a lot to me — bullying,” Delanie told the school board with her voice trembling. “Bullying is a problem in our school. I am a victim of it. My parents have contacted the school about it, but it continues. It happened to me and my classmates. I have been asked by the mother of my bully during a school field trip why I tried to get her son in trouble.”
“I have been threatened to get shot in the head by an AK-47 and buried in my back yard and many other things. I ask you what are you going to do to protect me and my classmates against bullying. I am here to stand up for every kid that gets bullied.”
The video of the speech full of emotions spread on the Internet like a wildfire, and parents of other bullied kids are praising Delanie for her courage.
“Quite frankly, she is doing something that I would have never had the guts to do, being bullied myself in high school,” Delanie’s mother, Amy Marcotte, said in a statement to WMUR in Manchester, New Hampshire.“We stand by her 100 percent and will do whatever it takes to protect our child.”
The school district encouraged other students experiencing the same issue not to stay silent about it. The sad reality is that the number of students affected by peer bullying is very high and it looks like no one is willing to address it in a more serious manner. There are even cases of suicides reported as a result of bullying.
“We will continue to encourage all students to speak up when they see, hear or experience something that makes them uncomfortable,” said Earl F. Metzler, School District Superintendent. “The same holds true for parents and community members. There are many vehicles at Timberlane to share your concerns including, but not limited to, the public comment portion of our School Board agenda.”
Delanie is happy the school district is asking others to share their stories, but that’s not what she expected from them. What she really wants to know is what they are going to do once all those victims speak up. She wants to hear concrete proposals for real actions on protecting the bullied students.
Birthday parties were a big deal when we were kids. We couldn’t wait for the day to come. However, throwing a birthday party was not an easy job to do. Finding the best restaurant with the most delicious food was a mandatory pre-condition for a beautiful birthday party.
Birthday parties are usually more exciting for the kids. They love receiving presents and having a great time with friends and family. Adults on the other hand, see the birthday parties in a different way. With almost no presents and few guests, birthdays are celebrated modestly. Sometimes even the case is missing.
Luckily, believe it or not, there are restaurant who serve free food for your birthday. Great, right? This surprising gift by the restaurants are probably one of the sweetest things you will see as an adult. Someone gives the attention you deserve. Here is a list of 25 restaurant that will make your day memorable!
The moment you sign up for the Denny’s Rewards, the restaurant will give you a free coupon. The coupon will bring you a free build-your-own Grand Slam breakfast. You can use the coupon only on your actual birthday. You will need an ID card.
Do you want a free doughnut? Krispy Kreme’s treating its members with a free doughnut on their birthday. You’ll even get a free doughnut just for signing up!
A free Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity will be given to you if you have the coupon. You can redeem the coupon starting 7 days before your birthday and ending 7 days after your birthday.
If you join the Applebee’s birthday club, you will get a coupon for a free entree with the purchase of another entree. Not totally free, but you will eat with a friend.
With a value of $8.50, you can pick the birthday treat you like the most. Olive Garden offers you a variety of sweets that will satisfy all people’s needs.
Arby’s offer is a good chance to treat yourself for the birthday. You get a coupon for a small shake. You can use it in a period of 7 days. These shakes are so delicious.
Just visit Sprinkles 20 or more times during the year, and a free cupcake for your birthday is there. Want some more? Visit the place more than 40 times and you will get dozen free cupcakes on your birthday. Very interesting!
A very interesting thing happened during the Bison girls game on the Siebel Soccer Park in Great Falls, Montana. This event got the attention of the Internet users due to its unusual nature.
The sports field is like every other in the country. There is nothing special about it. However, a unique tradition kept on the field makes this sports arena very peculiar.
About this tradition we could learn more thanks to the video that was uploaded on the Internet. This unique practice was recorded by one of the spectators.
On Thursday afternoon the Bison girls were playing against Brute. However, in the middle of the game the players suddenly froze.
All of the girls stopped playing, upon hearing a very familiar sound. The referee, obviously familiar with their traditional practice, stopped the game for a short period of time.
These girls knew what they were doing and they really amazed us.
The thing that made the girls stop playing was the national anthem. Upon hearing the national anthem, the girls froze and paid respect to the national song.
The anthem was not played on the field itself, but in the Malmstrom Air Force Base. The base is just across the Siebel Soccer Park and it can be heard very clearly.
As usual, 4:30 is the time when the national flag is lowered and the national anthem is played in the background. This is a well-known practice not just for the military staff, but for the residence as well.
Therefore, the girls knew what to do. They stopped running, placed their hands on their hearts and honoured the national flag.
This was very interesting for the spectators and therefore we do have the recording to witness this fascinating tradition.
This tradition was not practiced until the teams started playing at the Siebel Soccer Park.
This tradition started with Willie Pyette. He took over the coaching position in the team. As a new coach he decided that the girls will be playing in the Siebel Soccer Park.
The girls continued their practice and their official matches in the sports field. However, something interesting has been immediately noticed.
The daily tradition of playing the anthem in the military base could be heard in the park as well. Therefore, the coach decided to make it a tradition of the team as well.
As a result of that, the anthem and paying respect to it are part of the Bison and the Rustlers’ routine. Whenever they hear the anthem, they stop and continue playing after the anthem is done.
The teams’ tradition says that you are allowed to play after the anthem is over.
The coach and the players do not see this as a political statement, but a simple patriotic act. Pyette says:
”I have our team stop, stand at attention and honor the anthem. Then we go back to practice. We all stand and show respect.”
He adds that the tradition is unique and it will be kept as long as soccer is played at the Siebel Soccer Park.
These teams show some real love and respect for our country. Their tradition is an evidence that some things have utmost value in our lives, like the national symbols for example.
Neglecting, offending or even protesting against the national symbols is not just a protest or offending act towards the country, but towards its people as well.
These girls taught us a valuable lesson. Well done girls!
The members of the military are our everyday heroes who sacrifice a lot for the safety of our country and the well-being of the nation. But, that’s not everything they do. The U.S. Navy gives great contribution to America’s culture too. Their choir known as the Sea Chanters steals the hearts of Americans from all around the country and performs at important national events, including the presidential inauguration in 2009.
When the choir was first founded, their repertoire was limited to patriotic tunes and sea chanteys, but they are now performing variety of music, including Broadway and contemporary hits. Whenever we hear them singing, our hearts fill with joy and pride.
This time, they chose some fast-tempoed songs and by the crowd’s reaction, they nailed it. Everyone who got to listen to the renditions of the classic tunes had their feet moving to the rhythm. People are commenting how what these men and women are doing is really huge and describe their shows as brilliant and polished.
Their voices blend in a perfect harmony and they bring magic in each of their shows. The video below is taken in 2014, during the Sea Chanters’ performance at the Concerts on the Avenue series at the U.S. Navy Memorial. One person said, “These guys are just awesome, I really loved it when he went to the audience and grabbed the master chief to dance with and properly addressed her by her rank afterwards, that was respect to the fullest and that little dance made her day, you could tell that she loved every minute of it. Love it.” Honestly, we loved it too. We really can’t get enough of these guys.
We usually take for granted all those professional and skilled people who serve the nation. There are many different types of professional profiles that improve the quality of the people and the nation. Nurses, doctors, police officers, fire-fighters are just few among the many who do everything just to keep the nation safe and healthy. Usually we are not aware of the efforts and the energy they give to accomplish their tasks. There are also extreme cases where some professionals, despite their well-done job, are totally forgotten and neglected by the authorities. Nowadays, we can find many such cases, particularly military veterans.
Military veterans definitely deserve more respect and care by the authorities and the society itself. These people risked their own lives so we can walk, shop and travel around the country freely. The safety of the nation was their utmost priority, something which was not for personal benefit only. Often we are not aware of how they felt, what dangers they have faced up with and how lonely sometimes they have been. Luckily, there are people who are well aware of all of these things and do everything just to express their gratitude towards these veterans.
Observing these expressions of gratitude is very often emotional and evokes positive feelings. One such situation that touched all of us was the interaction between an old veteran and some runners, participants in a local running race. Upon seeing the veterans, some of the participants nod their heads, smiled or greeting the man verbally. However, there were such runners who stopped, shook hands and thanked him for his service, dedication and everything he did for the country. Imagine the veteran’s happiness.
The initial idea of the veteran was just to see the runners and support them. He wanted to cheer them and express words of kindness. However, the events went to different direction. The participants themselves were those who expressed support and gratitude. This made the veteran very happy. He understood that everything he had been doing was acknowledged by the young generations. They appreciated his efforts, sacrifices and dedications for the nation’s well being.
Even small acts or gestures mean a fortune to someone. We don’t have to give money or other material support if we are not able to provide it. But we can always warm the veterans hearts with our support and attention.
This San Jose charity race and its participants showed that they know how to value people. The compassion and the gratitude expressed to the veteran was a lovely thing to see. We do hope the veteran is now aware that we are deeply thankful for everything he had done in his life.
