There are nearly 428,000 children in foster care in the United States. More than 18,000 foster kids live in Arizona, a state with one of the highest numbers of foster kids in the country. Most foster families are taking care and loving these children in need as their own. However, there are some families who are taking advantage of the system, taking the money, the state provides for the child’s needs and using it for their own purpose or for their other biological children instead.
In the emotional video below, a family of three are having their lunch at the Sugar Bowl restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona — Angela, the mother with her foster daughter Emma and her biological son Xavier. After moments of their arrival, people there started noticing how badly the ‘mom’ treats Emma while she treats Xavier very nice. She didn’t give Emma the same delicious food she gave to her son. When Emma asks for a sundae, Angela responded with a truly hurtful explanation: “He’s my real son and you’re my foster kid,” she tells Emma. Angela, even went beyond the unimaginable and threatened Emma to turn her back to the foster care if she doesn’t agree with her unreasonable rules!
luckily, there was an all set up experiment by the famous show “What Would You Do? All of Angela, Emma and Xavier are actors, but other customers weren’t. You have to watch their reactions to the woman’s poor behavior with her foster child. It’s been all caught on hidden cameras. You’ll want to grab a tissue box before watching this one.
Watch the full tear-jerking experiment in the video below:
If this social experiment proves anything, it’s that when we see children being harmed, we have the power to step in and make a difference!
Please SHARE this powerful message with your family and friends on Facebook!
People are being cautioned to be on the lookout for Giant hogweed, a plant with toxic sap that can cause third degree burns and even blindness. The toxic plants are an invasive species to North America, Europe and Britain and are spreading more and more, which means people and pets are coming into more frequent contact with it.
Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is from the carrot family and is often mistaken for cow parsnip, woodland angelica and Queen Anne’s Lace (also known as wild carrot). It’s the hogweed’s sap that distinguishes it from other plants because of its high toxicity. Giant hogweed sap contains toxic chemicals that make skin hyper-sensitive to ultraviolet light.
Giant Hogweed. Photo credit: Flickr/free photos
Once the sap is exposed to sunlight, it reacts and can cause severe blistering, permanent scarring and blindness if it comes in contact with the eyes.
Sometimes, people do not feel the reaction until a few days later when the sap on their body is exposed to the sun. Even after the affected areas of skin have healed, the skin can remain sensitive to light for years. The chemicals in the sap are known as furocoumarins and are carcinogenic and teratogenic, meaning they can cause cancer and birth defects.
It’s no wonder people want to spread the word of the dangers of the plant! And humans are not the only ones at risk. Livestock and dogs and cats can also be badly harmed. A Great Dane in England recently sniffed a Giant Hogweed plant, which burned her nose severely.
If you or someone you know comes physical contact with giant hogweed they should immediately wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and cold water. If it gets into eyes, rinse them thoroughly with water and wear sunglasses. You will also need to keep the exposed area of skin out of the sun for at least 48 hours. It’s recommended you visit the doctor (or veterinarian, in the case of an animal) if you notice any signs of reaction.
10-year-old Lauren Fuller described how she came in contact with Giant Hogweed when out fishing with her father and ended up burning her hands. Caution: there are a few graphic photos contained in the video.
Key ways to identify the plant are:
The stems are hairy and splotchy purple and green in color
The leaves are dark green with three deep lobes
It can reach a size of height of 14 feet (4-5 metres). Stems have a diameter of 5-10 cm.
It has small, pretty, white flowers that are umbrella-shaped and can measure up to 80 cm across.
The stems can still be toxic when they are dry and have no leaves!
Identifying giant hogweed. Photo credit: Beacon Bollin
If you find a plant in your neighborhood or garden, you are advised to contact your local municipality to inform them of the invasive plant. In the video below, there are some tips for the appropriate way to get rid of the hogweed.
People are advised not to make contact with the plant, and to keep pets and children away from the plant. Please share this important educational information with your friends and family!
Sometimes a relaxing vacation or trip away from home can take a disastrous turn no one ever could have seen coming. That was the case for 18-year-old Juliet Moore and Isaiah Cormier when they both set out on a weekend camping trip in the Ruby Gulch area of Colorado. The teens had just gotten back to their campsite after a hike when it began to drizzle. Not knowing what was coming, the teens set out to put away all of thier gear inside the tent to avoid it getting wet.
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Juliet had just gotten into the tent to take shelter when she suddenly saw a bright flash of light. She immediately called out to her boyfriend but there was no response. Alarmed, she poked her head out to find him lying facedown on the ground and immediately knew something was wrong. Isaiah had just been struck by lightning in the neck. Instinctively, Juliet jumped into action, turning him over onto his back. She began checking for a heartbeat and breathing, but couldn’t hear or feel either. Lucky for him Juliet had just learned CPR weeks before and immediately started chest compressions and CPR.
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After a few compressions Isaiah gasped but immediately stopped breathing again. Again, Juliet began more compressions hoping and praying that he would wake up. Her mind was racing as she kept thinking, “You cannot go yet. I have too many things I want to do with you. You’re not allowed to leave me this soon.” Isaiah awoke again and this time she was lucky she had cell service to contact 911. She yelled for help and a nearby camper came by with his son. Together they put Isaiah into the car and rushed him to the hospital. Not many people can say their girlfriend saved their life but in Isaiah’s case he is very lucky Juliet didn’t hesitate to take action. Watch more of their story in the video below.
As a parent, it’s easy to worry about your children day in and day out. One tries to keep them safe by advising them of possible threats, hoping that if a situation arises and you’re not around that your child will know how to stay safe.
When 7-year-old Emmy McCardell decided to go outside her house to sunbathe her mom didn’t think much of it. Emmy was relaxing on her sidewalk when suddenly a car slowly crept up to her house and a stranger inside said “Hello.”
In an instant Emmy knew something wasn’t right.
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Confused, Emmy looked up from where she was lying and caught sight of the stranger. She immediately got up and that’s when the stranger asked a question that would pique the interest of any child.
The stranger asked:
“Do you want a bicycle?”
By that point, Emmy was already running towards the door when the stranger asked the question and she shouted “No!” as she ran inside.
Once inside, her mother Michelle was horror struck the minute she saw Emmy run through the door. She knew something wasn’t right and that’s when Emmy began explaining what had just happened.
It was every mother’s worst nightmare…
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In Emmy’s words, a “Tricky Man” had greeted her, making her feel uneasy because he was a stranger. Emmy’s mom Michelle says she has always told her two kids never to trust or listen to a stranger that may approach them.
This was the moment Michelle’s lesson would either pop into Emmy’s head, or she would be lured into a dangerous stranger’s car!
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Thankfully, in her daughter’s case, Emmy knew just what to do and didn’t hesitate to run to safety. Her quick thinking likely saved her life – and Michelle couldn’t have been more proud of her little girl.
Surveillance footage outside the home captured the whole thing and mom gets chills watching the footage. She can’t even imagine the horror that could have been if her daughter would have approached the stranger. As far as the suspicious man, police are now working hard to track down the vehicle.
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Watch the chilling footage for yourself in the video below. It serves as a good reminder to all parents to educate their kids on staying safe.
The intellectually disabled community has more freedom, respect and compassion from the world around them today than ever before. Even though most of us are thrilled to see people with intellectual disabilities thrive in the world, not everyone feels the same way. There are some people who don’t understand how things work and how independent most people with these conditions can be! That’s what this episode of “What Would You Do” with John Quinones aimed to tackle. Would people side with a man verbally harassing another customer for his disability? Or would they rush to defend the disabled man?
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According to the National Down Syndrome Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every 700 babies in the United States are born with Down syndrome. Since it occurs so often, Down syndrome is actually the most common chromosomal condition – more than 6,000 babies are born with this in the United States every year. Due to the prevalence of Down syndrome, a massive amount of resources have been allocated to making sure this group gets the opportunities, support and sense of community they need! In the last decade, people with Down syndrome have been welcomed into the business world, can hold esteemed positions in local government and are helping shape society. Even with all of the positive things that the intellectually disabled community has done for the world, there are still small-minded people out there who have hate to spew…
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Sadly, that’s what happened inside this restaurant. A man with Down syndrome sat at a table and waited patiently for the waitress to take his order – just like we all do when we eat out! But when the waitress approached his table and began to explain some of the menu items, another man spoke up. He wasn’t helping the disabled young man select a meal. He was verbally harassing him instead! People in the restaurant couldn’t believe their eyes. How could someone treat another human being with such disrespect? See how other patrons handled the rude restaurant goer in the video below. Would you do the same thing?
When something just doesn’t seem right, there are those who feel compelled to act even if the situation doesn’t involve them. That’s exactly what happened one hot day in Oklahoma City.
Randy Jones was outside marking warning signs for some new construction when he came upon an intersection. There on the side of the road was a teenage boy, who was grasping onto the pole of a stop sign.
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Believing it seemed odd, Randy decided to approach the teen and ask him why he was holding the stop sign. Not only was it something you don’t normally see – the temperature was a scorching 95 degrees and he had no shade or water.
Randy told News 9:
“I was like ‘what in the world is this kid doing.'”
But it was the 17-year-old’s response, whose name is Logan, that really threw him for a loop.
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Logan explained to Randy that he had noticed that the stop sign had been knocked down. On top of that, he also almost witnessed a car accident because of it.
Not wanting anyone to get hurt, Logan picked up the stop sign during his lunch break from work. He then stood there holding it in position so that drivers could safely cross over the intersection.
Randy was blown away by the young man’s thoughtfulness and how quick he was to step into action during the potentially dangerous situation. He said:
“Not a lot of people would do what he did. To have the awareness to know to get out and help, it’s pretty cool.”
Facebook/Randy Jones
Randy immediately contacted the City of Oklahoma City, who then sent a truck out to fix the stop sign. In addition, he also shared a photo he had taken of Logan holding up the sign on Facebook, along with the rest of the story.
Unsurprisingly, Randy’s post went viral and has been shared more than 3,500 times. Many people have been expressing their appreciation and kind words for what a great job Logan did – because sometimes stepping up is what makes the world of difference.
Randy closed his post saying:
“Hopefully this gets back to this young man, you did a good job and I’m sure the citizens of the city of Oklahoma city appreciate it as well.”
Watch the KOCO 5 News video below to hear what Logan has to say about everything!
As many of us already know, seniors can have quite the sense of humor. Maybe it’s thanks to their vast life experiences, or simply a different perspective on life altogether. Whatever the reason may be, sometimes it is the older members of society that bring us the most joy. One such 88-year-old is proof of just that, and her hilarious phone call with Ellen DeGeneres will leave you weak with laughter.
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Although this clip is years old, Ellen still considers this segment one of her favorite memories of all time – and when you hear their unforgettable conversation you will quickly understand why! It all started when the famous host caught wind of one of her biggest fans. Unable to resist the chance to talk to her, Ellen decided to phone up the woman live on the air. What happened next left the audience in stitches, as 88-year-old Gladys Hardy’s sassy attitude and comebacks have Ellen doubling over with laughter.
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Not only is she absolutely hilarious, but her personality is larger than life. The audience erupts with laughter as she unexpectedly confesses to Ellen “Listen, I’ll be honest with you. I love Jesus but I drink a little.” By the time their conversation is over, Ellen has tears in her eyes from laughing so hard. See the famous clip for yourself in the video below – no wonder this is one of Ellen’s favorite memories of all times!
Parents love when their kids have friends over, but aren’t always as fond of the messes left behind. Hearing the laughter from the living room or the banter from the basement warms a mom’s heart.
However, sometimes it can be overwhelming when your house is the one where everyone loves to crash. Sweeping up the crumbs, washing a pile of towels, baking an endless stream of pizza, tripping over extra shoes, not to mention the empty fridge and cupboards once a hungry group of kids have their way.
Flickr/andersbknudsen
Heather Duckworth of Love, Faith & Chaos is a mom who understands those feelings all too well. She shared on Facebook that many parents have only 18 summers with their kids and as the end of her 18th summer with her teens draws to a close, she began feeling differently about those piles of shoes she found strewn about her front porch.
“These shoes are a sure sign that it is summer and school is out. These shoes mean there is probably no food left in my house. These shoes mean noise and chaos and laughter and music. It means there are probably kids lounging on my sofa, floating in my pool, playing air hockey or watching a movie somewhere. These shoes mean that we are the designated hang-out house today.”
Facebook/Love, Faith & Chaos
But one day, she paused before perusing past the pile of shoes and felt a wave of sadness wash over her. The kids to whom those shoes belong had been hanging out at her house for four years now.
They are kids who have played sports with hers, who have been in the same classes dating all the way back to elementary school, kids she has watched grow up with her own. But those shoes will be going different directions come fall, a melancholy thought she didn’t welcome.
“Big changes are happening around here – for me and all these kids in my house. My heart knows it and feels it and that’s why the sight of these shoes has me feeling a little sentimental. I know that after this summer, things will never be the same again. This is a bittersweet part of parenthood . . . this transition from having them home to watching them leave. My head knows this is a good thing, but my heart . . . it just hurts.”
Seeing those shoes means her kids are home. It means Heather knows where they are at, who they are with and that everyone is safe under her roof.
Yet those shoes won’t be there much longer. Soon, those shoes will be kicked off in dorm rooms across the country as the kids to whom they belong take their first big steps into adulthood.
“And I know that all of these shoes might not find their way back home next summer as life takes them on new adventures. These thoughts hang over my head like a dark cloud . . . trying to steal the joy from the present moments. I shake my head, trying to force those wistful feelings away. I don’t want the sadness of what is to come to take away the happiness of today. But I am finding that I have to remind myself of that often during this 18th summer because every moment seems bittersweet.”
Facebook/Love, Faith & Chaos
For now, Heather said she will “embrace these shoes and I will be so thankful for them.” She will immerse herself in every last minute before her beloveds spread their wings and leave the nest.
“I will buy all the snacks. I will welcome these kids into my home and let them crash on my couches. I will soak up the sounds of their laughter and I will make them clean up all of their messes. I will pray that everyone drives home safely and I will love having a full house. But most of all, I will do my best to choose happiness and joy for this moment right now and not let that dark cloud of sadness swallow me up. Because this moment right now . . . it is really good.”
Before Heather helps her college-bound kids pack and embark upon an exciting adventure, she will “treasure this summer of the shoes.” Because all too soon, the shoes will be gone and her porch, sadly, will be empty.
Since writing her touching post – it’s gone viral and been shared more than 100,000 times.
In the emotional video below, a family of three are having their lunch at the Sugar Bowl restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona — Angela, the mother with her foster daughter Emma and her biological son Xavier. After moments of their arrival, people there started noticing how badly the ‘mom’ treats Emma while she treats Xavier very nice. She didn’t give Emma the same delicious food she gave to her son. When Emma asks for a sundae, Angela responded with a truly hurtful explanation: “He’s my real son and you’re my foster kid,” she tells Emma. Angela, even went beyond the unimaginable and threatened Emma to turn her back to the foster care if she doesn’t agree with her unreasonable rules!
luckily, there was an all set up experiment by the famous show “What Would You Do? All of Angela, Emma and Xavier are actors, but other customers weren’t. You have to watch their reactions to the woman’s poor behavior with her foster child. It’s been all caught on hidden cameras. You’ll want to grab a tissue box before watching this one.
Watch the full tear-jerking experiment in the video below:
If this social experiment proves anything, it’s that when we see children being harmed, we have the power to step in and make a difference!
Please SHARE this powerful message with your family and friends on Facebook!
