Sometimes people surprise us. And in the big city of New York City where everyone and everything is moving fast it can sometimes be hard to appreciate the little things. So when one man boarded the NYC subway he wasn’t expecting his trip to make headlines all over the internet because of his actions. Little did he know it’d be because of a tiny passenger sitting next to him that people would remember his face.
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Unbeknownst to the man on the train a tiny passenger sitting next to him was looking over his shoulder at his phone. The man had his earphones in and was playing some sort of game on his phone when he suddenly felt little eyeballs looking in his direction. That’s when the man looked up and locked eyes with a little boy sitting in the seat next to him.
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The man continues to play his game and tend to his phone, not knowing that a stranger in front of him is recording the entire scene. After a few stops and still feeling the young boys eyes glued to his phone he suddenly gets an idea. He disconnects his earplugs and then hands his phone over to the little boy. The boy eagerly takes it and dives right into a game as the man casually looks up as though he didn’t do anything special. But he had no idea that an onlooker in front of him had recorded the entire scene and was going to post it on social media. Days after the ride, the video went viral and it’s clear to see why the footage is heartwarming to see. Now everyone is praising the man for his act of kindness towards the little boy. Watch the scene for yourself in the video below.
As four young girls left a Michigan gas station, they had no idea that danger was lurking just a few feet away. What happened next left the group of pre-teens in a fight for their lives, as a strange man snuck up behind them and uttered one chilling sentence that forced them to act fast.
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The girls first noticed the man trailing them as they left the Millington, Michigan convenience store, but once they crossed the street they suddenly became aware that they were being followed. Before they could even act, the strange man grabbed the youngest of the group and said: “You’re coming with me.” Little did he realize at the time, but he was no match for the quick-thinking young girls. Without hesitation, they immediately made their move.
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As the 22-year-old assailant, later identified as Bruce Hipkins, wrapped his arm around the 11-year-old’s face, he never could have anticipated what she and her friends would do next. Hipkins was suddenly overpowered by the pint-sized group of girls, severely underestimating their quick thinking and resourcefulness. But when local authorities found him minutes later, cops were stunned by what they discovered. See the incredible turn of events for yourself in the video below – what a brave group of girls!
People cruising down a very busy highway in Griffin, Georgia, were confused when traffic came to a standstill. It was raining, but there wasn’t an accident to be seen.
E’Ondria Weems was one of those motorists perplexed by the lull. Then she saw a man named Justin Jackson standing in the middle of the road, his truck parked haphazardly across both lanes.
Facebook/E’Ondria Weems
He had abandoned his big white pickup in the pouring rain and sprinted into the busy four-lane road. It took a moment for E’Ondria to realize what was going on.
An elderly man was attempting to cross the road. He relied on a walker and wasn’t moving terribly fast.
But the traffic was. Cars were zooming all around the man and no one stopped to let him pass on over to the other side of the road, Justin told 11Alive.
It seemed to be very dangerous! Justin couldn’t let anything happen to him.
“The old man was walking across the streets and people were flying by and I was like I got to stop.”Facebook/E’Ondria Weems
E’Ondria whipped out her phone and captured the good Samaritan in action. She wasn’t the only one who couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“It was so nice of him to do that. Makes you think there are still nice people in this world.”
Her video has been viewed millions of times. People were praising Justin for his kind act.
The dad of five told 11Alive he learned to help others from his own father. Two of his children were in the vehicle with him and were able to watch their father lead by example.
“It makes me feel good because it’s obviously making other people want to do good, too. And that’s the ultimate goal – make everyone do good.”
Justin has been modestly shrugging off all of the compliments he’s received so far. He simply hopes that others are inspired to do the right thing if they encounter a similar situation.
“I just did what I would want someone else to do.”Facebook/E’Ondria Weems
Watch Justin spring into action in the video below. What a great guy!
When Angie and her husband decided to adopt a little boy from China, they were ecstatic. The idea of adding another smiling face to their family was more than exciting. Mav had been living in an orphanage for most of his short life, but the moment they laid eyes on the sweet boy they knew that he was the perfect fit for their family.
But as Angie looked at the adoption photos of her new child, there was one detail that she just couldn’t ignore. She had to get to the bottom of this.
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In every photo of Mav was another little boy, and she soon learned that this child had been Mav’s “brother” in the orphanage. Although Mav didn’t have a family to call his own, Josh had been the only constant in his short life while he anxiously waited to be adopted.
From all accounts, the pair was inseparable. They spent hours together every day eating, playing, helping each other with daily tasks and exploring the great outdoors (when they were given the chance)!
Desperate to locate the other little boy, Angie posted the photo to a Facebook group devoted to Chinese orphans, never expecting to find exactly what she was looking for. But fate had other plans for the boys.
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The very same day, Josh’s adoptive father had posted to the same page. Miraculously, the families instantly connected. Sadly, they soon realized that they lived 1300 miles apart, making a reunion nearly impossible.
It wasn’t until Josh’s father received a call from his company months later that everything changed. They were relocating to the very same state as Mav! When Angie broke the news to Mav, a giant smile spread across his face – he couldn’t wait.
The thought of having Josh so close was a dream come true!
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When it finally came time for Mav and Josh to be reunited, Angie couldn’t keep her tears in any longer. She watched as her son ran up to his old friend, hugged him tightly and began to chat like no time had passed at all.
Clearly, the two shared a brotherly bond that went far beyond blood!
What cameras captured next will leave you in tears. They went right back into the swing of things, and now they get to play together all the time.
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See the emotional way Mav and Josh’s story unfolds in the video below. What an incredible turn of events!
Cole and Jordan Dickerson had no doubt they were meant to be parents. Raising a family was something they daydreamed about – and adoption was always part of the plan. So when Jordan heard of a little boy who desperately needed a caring family, she begged Cole for the chance to bring him into their home.
To Jordan’s dismay, the universe had other plans for the Dickerson family. But when the day came that they were finally able to bring their son home, fate had one more surprise up its sleeve.
Facebook/Jordan Smith Dickerson
In an emotional post on the Love What Matters page, Cole shared their family’s inspirational story, how they came to adopt their son Jeremiah, and how they found out they were expecting another child.
Cole wrote:
“My wife Jordan works at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. One day she told me there is the cutest little boy there right now. She said he’s only there because he doesn’t have a family to take care of him. It was only a couple of weeks later when I got a text while I was at work that said, ‘Babe, will you seriously pray and think about something?!’ Immediately my heart pounds because I knew this must be something serious on her heart.We both had talked about how passionate we were about adopting and desired to do it one day. We talked, prayed, and decided to begin the foster parent classes that were required by the organization he was involved with. We talked with DCS and it seemed nearly impossible to begin the foster-to-adopt process for a specific child that you’re not yet related to. It would have to take a miracle… the rest of the story is nothing short of just that.During the process, another couple came and began fostering him which totally hit us hard emotionally because we had made a connection with him already. We were disappointed and upset but decided to continue the classes to be future foster parents and true parents to a child someday…”Facebook/Dani Brewer Photography“Two weeks later, while we were on our 1-year anniversary trip, someone from Jordan’s work called and told her Jeremiah had been brought back to the hospital for medical reasons and the couple was not going to be able to continue caring for him for their own reasons. We immediately busted out in tears and knew this was the work of God that we would one day be a family.When we got back from our trip, his social worker wanted to meet Jordan at Le Bonheur to make sure we were serious about fostering to adopt. After going through legal, medical and fostering classes, we were finally able to bring our boy home in June 2017.And on July 16, 2018, we officially were able to adopt our son!Back up to April 2018, Jeremiah was praying one night. He said, ‘Thank you God for God, for Jesus, for my Mommy and Daddy, and my baby sister in a couple of weeks, Amen.’ We looked at each other like, ‘What did he just say?! Not really how it works, bud.’
Just a couple of weeks later is when we surprisingly found out Jeremiah was going to be having a baby brother or sister! Fast forward to today, HE WAS RIGHT ABOUT THE BABY SISTER! We just found out yesterday!
The Miracle Worker continues to do work, and we’re so thankful to be a family.”
On the same day Jeremiah found out he was officially adopted, Jordan and Cole revealed he was going to be a big brother. Jeremiah was spot-on about God giving them a baby girl – and now their family gets to grow by one more happy heart!
Facebook/Dani Brewer Photography
Learn more about Jeremiah’s big surprise in the video below. We wish them nothing but the best in the years to come!
Navigating public areas isn’t always the easiest for those with physical challenges. Even though the Americans With Disabilities Act requires public places to be handicap accessible, hurdles can crop up.
Mom Monica Ward Scharrer has experienced the difficulties of traveling with her son’s heavy wheelchair. She and her son Chris love getting out and about, especially watching their favorite sports teams play, but it’s nervewracking when things don’t go as planned.
Facebook/Monica Ward Scharrer
Monica and Chris were thrilled to be able to watch a New York Rangers game, especially considering how much they love hockey. They rode the train in to town without a hitch, excited to watch the team take the ice.
They found their seats, settled in and had a great time. But it was the ride home that proved difficult for the pair – with Monica saying:
“Our worst nightmare occurred…”Flickr/johrling
When they left the game, they discovered the elevator that would take them from street level down to the Penn Station platform wasn’t working. Chris’ wheelchair weighs 350 pounds, so they desperately needed an elevator.
Monica fretted about how to get her son down to the subway and in time to catch the train home. That’s when she came across her guardian angel…
Officer Mears just so happened to be walking around the area – and was happy to lend a helping hand. It was dark out and the area was beginning to bustle with fans heading home.
Monica described the officer as a “beautiful human being.” He escorted Monica and Chris all around until they found a working elevator.
Then Officer Mears personally led the pair to the Long Island Rail Road, inquired what track they would be on and walked with them to their train platform. He even set up the ramp for Monica, giving her a delightful break.
Facebook/Love What Matters
Chris was able to board the train before the pressing throng of passengers descended upon the platform. Monica profusely thanked Officer Mears who then confessed something quite sweet to her.
“(He) told me he worked with the disabled for six years before he became a police officer and that is where his heart is. I can’t say enough about how wonderful this officer was to my son and I. He essentially moved a mountain for us! I love this man and what he represents of humanity.”
Shortly after Monica decided to post her story on the Love What Matters Facebook page, which has been shared more than 1,300 times.
What a blessing Officer Mears was to this mom and her son in their time of need! Sometimes it’s the little acts of kindness that mean the most – and there certainly are a lot of officers making a difference in this world.
Rasheed Powell, 43, forced way into rooms and watched partners have sex
He locked men up and raped women, making them loudly compliment him
He was handed a 148-year sentence but legal reps asked for 80 years instead
Trial went on for eight weeks and jury took three-and-a-half days to deliberate
Father-of-two was in court as four of eight victims delivered powerful messages
One victim said she hoped he never saw daylight again as she spoke in court
Powell maintains innocence despite evidence including DNA rape kit, gun he threatened victims with and the mask and jacket he wore that girlfriend provided
The robber got into crime as a teenager and has spent 14 years in prison already
Rasheed Powell, 43, was sentenced to 148 after forcing couples to have sex at gunpoint before raping the women
A father-of-two has been sentenced to 148 years in prison for forcing couples to have sex at gunpoint in New Jersey motels, before locking the men in bathrooms and raping the women.
Rasheed Powell, of Elizabeth, was convicted in March for 60 counts that include aggravated robbery and sexual assault.
The crimes took place in the towns of Elizabeth and Linden in New Jersey over the course of two months in 2012, and there were eight victims – four men and four women – in total.
On four occasions, Powell, 43, stalked his victims before forcing his way into their motel rooms, making the couples perform sex acts in front of him, then locking up the men in the bathroom and raping the women.
Springfield Municipal Court heard how Powell would make his victims ‘loudly compliment’ him so their locked-up partners would hear.
He was caught when responding to a traffic summons in court April 2012. When arrested his bail was set at $3million.
It took two hours for Powell to be read his fate in court when he was sentenced August 16.
A jury deliberated over three-and-a-half days at the end of the eight-week trial. The Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit tried for 200 years but he was given 148.
His sentencing was based on 24 counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, and eight counts of robbery which is a first degree crime.
In addition, Powell was charged with 12 counts of sexual assault, 12 weapons offenses, and four counts of burglary, which is a second degree crime.
One victim says she’s ‘afraid of people and what they’re doing’ after the traumatizing incident at the Swan Motel in Linden (picture above)
Powell’s attorney Erin Cook asked he only be punished per couple, not per individual, so that he would only get 80 years.
He has already spent a total of 14 years in prison and has been in trouble with the law since he was 14 years old.
Superior Court Judge, Robert Kirsch, was having none of it though, calling Powell a ‘serial rapist’ and mentioning the extensive evidence they had against him.
As well as his ex-girlfriend handing in the mask he used to disguise his identity as well as his jacket and gun, rape kits were used to match his DNA.
‘Your reign of terror ends here, now,’ the judge added.
It didn’t stop Powell from claiming he didn’t get a fair trial, however. mycentralnewjersey.com reports he said: ‘In due time proof will come out. I’m innocent.’
Four of his victims were present in court, two men and two women, who shared the stories of how the horror affected their lives.
Attendees at Springfield Municipal Court (pictured) heard how Powell would make his victims ‘loudly compliment’ him so their locked up partners would hear
A woman assaulted at a Route 1&9 motel said: ‘I hope you don’t have the option to see daylight again.’
Powell’s victim faced him to call him a ‘monster’ and told those in attendance ‘I’m afraid of people and what they are doing. I focus on work, family and I go straight home.’ She was attacked at the Swan Motel in Linden.
The Benedict Motel in Linden, now called the Bentley, was also the setting for one of his horrific crimes.
In Elizabeth, his victims were at the Spring Lane Motel and the Royal Motel.
Another woman, who was raped on Easter Sunday in 2012 and asked for him to get life in prison, told the packed court how she has since suffered from panic attacks and had nightmares.
Additionally she has self-mutilated and had suicidal thoughts after Powell threatened to kill her if she told anyone.
If everybody was nice to each other, the world would be a much better place. Holding a door for somebody, giving money to charity, even just smiling at somebody who looks down can be great ways to help somebody out.
If humans were nice to each other, the world would be a much better place. Give up your place for an elderly or a pregnant woman while in the bus, giving money to someone in need, even smiling to someone who looks down while walking by can make this person’s day better.
And this is exactly what FOX5 Surprise Squad does, the difference is that these good people can do a lot for someone in need or who deserves it after a long struggle. Spreading kindness and good gestures around the country to inspire the world to do the same is what FOX5 Surprise Squad aims for. So the team decided again to make someone’s life better and headed to a busy grocery store in Las Vegas.
They approached some of the shoppers in the check-out line, but the team never expected they’d meet two inspiring local veterans. First, reporter Dave Hall met with Stephanie, a disabled veteran who was bound to a wheelchair.
Stephanie has dogs who love so much. This woman barely have enough money to feed herself and her dogs. Actually, she was spending from her last $50 that day. So Dave and his team happily paid for her grocery shopping. Then they noticed the man who had accompanied her to the store that day.
Larry is Stephanie’s husband, he was also a fellow club member and truck driver who was most of the time hitting the road. Larry was also a struggling veteran who gave a lot of his time to drive Stephanie wherever she needed to go. “No vet should be going through what she’s going through,” he told Dave and his team.
Unfortunately, Some of Larry’s brothers died in the Vietnam War. That’s what inspired him to create a charity called Bones for Blankets which donates blankets to homeless veterans.
Larry always put people in more need first. That’s why he was very low on cash. The only items he bought that day at the supermarket were a piece of candy and some mouthwash. Once Dave and the Surprise Squad heard Larry’s story, they decided that this wouldn’t do. They immediately took Larry back down the aisles of the supermarket to make sure he gets what he needs.
Watch what the Surprise Squad has in store for Larry in the video below:
And this is exactly what FOX5 Surprise Squad does, the difference is that these good people can do a lot for someone in need or who deserves it after a long struggle. Spreading kindness and good gestures around the country to inspire the world to do the same is what FOX5 Surprise Squad aims for. So the team decided again to make someone’s life better and headed to a busy grocery store in Las Vegas.
They approached some of the shoppers in the check-out line, but the team never expected they’d meet two inspiring local veterans. First, reporter Dave Hall met with Stephanie, a disabled veteran who was bound to a wheelchair.
Stephanie has dogs who love so much. This woman barely have enough money to feed herself and her dogs. Actually, she was spending from her last $50 that day. So Dave and his team happily paid for her grocery shopping. Then they noticed the man who had accompanied her to the store that day.
Larry is Stephanie’s husband, he was also a fellow club member and truck driver who was most of the time hitting the road. Larry was also a struggling veteran who gave a lot of his time to drive Stephanie wherever she needed to go. “No vet should be going through what she’s going through,” he told Dave and his team.
Unfortunately, Some of Larry’s brothers died in the Vietnam War. That’s what inspired him to create a charity called Bones for Blankets which donates blankets to homeless veterans.
Larry always put people in more need first. That’s why he was very low on cash. The only items he bought that day at the supermarket were a piece of candy and some mouthwash. Once Dave and the Surprise Squad heard Larry’s story, they decided that this wouldn’t do. They immediately took Larry back down the aisles of the supermarket to make sure he gets what he needs.
Watch what the Surprise Squad has in store for Larry in the video below:
