Nicole and Jake Goddard, of Parker, Colorado, love the movie nights with their three kids. It’s the perfect time for the whole family to get together and have fun.
Their latest movie night, however, turned into a nightmare no one was prepared for.
As they were watching Mrs. Doubtfire and had popcorn, their youngest son, Nash, started coughing badly.
“He started making a gagging noise and [Jake} jumped up really fast to grab him,” Nicole told FOX news. “He was getting ready to do the Heimlich on him and then he took a breath.”
But then, Nash started breathing normally again and they thought it was just a popcorn kernel that he probably managed to swallow. Sadly they were wrong and the truth was much worse than that.
“He seemed completely fine and continued to watch the movie. The only thing we observed was a cough he developed after the episode,” she wrote on the Facebook post.
As it was just a cough, the parents assumed Nash had a cold.
“Monday came and [in the evening] I noticed Nash felt warm and he was super fussy. He had a fever so I gave him Motrin and put him to bed.”
However, as the night was going through, Nicole realized the boy’s breathing was getting harder and harder so she trusted her instinct and called her pediatrician who advised her to rush Nash to the hospital as fast as she could.
There, doctors asked for a chest X-ray and a bronchoscopy which showed how pieces of popcorn were stuck into the boy’s lungs. This led to a severe inflammation which caused pneumonia.
Nash had to undergo a surgery. But once it was over, the inflammation wouldn’t reduce so doctors had to do another procedure on Nash just to make sure that all the six pieces of popcorn from his lungs were removed.
“The second procedure was done and once again the poor guy had to be put under and rolled off to surgery,” Nicole wrote.
Nicole shares this story hoping parents would become aware of the dangers of letting kids under the age of 5 have popcorn.
“We’re so thankful our little man came out ok. All of this over popcorn, which is eaten on a regular basis in our home.”
Many people wished Nash a quick recovery and thanked Nicole for passing the warning down. Who knows, maybe her post and the ordeal her son had to go through would help save other lives.
A woman named Betty Cornutt Slaton was one of the people who stumbled upon Nicole’s post and shared her experience, which sadly, was a tragic one.
“My little brother passed away from a similar incident but didn’t have any symptoms until it was too late. It took an autopsy to find the cause,” she said.
Please share this post with your family and friends.
I just love challenges that go viral and make people laugh. The Git Up, the latest trend of sharing fun videos involving dancing and a lot of creativity has conquered the world, and we can’t get enough of the entertaining choreography people put personal touch to.
And no matter how much we love what we’ve seen so far, we have to get honest and agree that these two police officers nailed this Blanco Brown’s challenge and stood out. No matter how busy they are doing what they do best, like keeping us all safe and fighting crime, members at The Houston Police Department still find the time to have fun and make our days every now and then.
John Williams and Jeremy Lahar have been working together for a very long time, and the community says they are very helpful and always there to help citizens in need of any kind of assistance.
Besides being affectionate about their job, these two colleagues and friends share another passion, that for dancing.
The staff at the department gave them the idea of creating a fun choreography under the Git Up challenge and they didn’t even think twice before they started practicing the moves the whole country is speaking of.
The video was filmed in front of a sign saying “We <3 Houston.”
Wearing their uniforms and shades, these officers resembled tough guys. But their moves to the rhythm made us fell in love with the fun side of their personalities.
When the song goes “take a sip,” officers Williams and Lahar do exactly that, they take a sip from the bottles of water they have.
Needless to say, people loved what they saw and praised the officers for showing the world that members of the law enforcement are just people like us who want to have fun. I guess things like these help citizens get closer to the officers in general.
Once the video was uploaded on YouTube it gathered 500,000 views and a bunch of praise.
One thing is certain, if these guys ever decide to quit their job, they can always turn to dancing and do it professionally.
This Git Up Challenge video is definitely one of our most favorite. Take a look at it below and share it with your friends. Have fun watching!
Every now and then, we stumble upon people whose talents take our breath away. What’s most, many of these gifted individuals become famous by chance. And that is truly a sign that raw talent always finds its way to shine.
Ruben Livesarge is a young man whose vocal is so mesmerizing that it has to be heard to be believed.
However, until the day of the school’s show where he performed, no one really knew how talented Ruben was. Singing one of our all time favorite pieces of music, “Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel, he stole the hearts of the audience.
Many professional musicians have tried performing this duo’s hit before, but reaching the excellency of Simon & Garfunkel isn’t easy at all. Or better said, it’s quite impossible. Ruben, however, convinced us in the opposite as many believe his attempt to nail this song is more successful than that of other singers.
Ruben would only sing at home, and his audience until the day of the school concert was his family. Many of his schoolmates and teachers were surprised by the fact he singed so beautifully.
Knowing he was shy, Ruben’s teachers came up with a choreography involving dancers and a choir to help him overcome his stage fright. And although the final result is simply mesmerizing and everyone who took part in the performance added their special touch, people believe he should have been left on that stage all by himself.
On the day of the concert, Ruben walked on stage and let his voice loose, opening his performance with the well known lyrics “Hello darkness my old friend.” His voice was deep and low and it was enough for booming cheering to start.
As the performance progressed, Ruben got more and more confident and wasn’t afraid to show all he knew. His timidity was wiped away and people could feel that.
The dancers came on the stage and the backing singers started singing which turned the performance into a unique stage act.
Ruben’s friends were looking at him in disbelief. They wondered how it was possible that they had never heard him sing before. But, they were all very proud and cheered for him from the bottom of their hearts.
As the song came to an end, everyone was on their feet and clapped as loud as they could.
Ruben’s friends and teachers said how he was a star in the making, and they were right. A couple of years after he showed his talent to them, he became a well known showman whose vocal makes people go mad. Yes, that’s how great he is.
The acts of creating music and dancing are all magical by themselves, but some people are so talented at moving their bodies to the rhythm that they lift this experience to a whole new level.
Alexander Dennis Volk, dubbed Mister Piano, is one of them. When his talent blends with his creativity, we get even more convinced in the saying that “dancing is the hidden language of the soul.”
He and his dancing partner recreated one of the most famous scenes, that of Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia playing on a giant piano at a toy store in “Big.”
The place they chose to show their music and dancing skills at was the Top Shopping Mall in Bremen, Germany.
Mister Piano is a famous name in his home country and beyond. This is his short bio.
“Mister Piano, real name Dennis Volk, has changed from a class clown to a creative exceptional entertainer on the piano. At the beginning of his career, he mainly played accompanying music for events – always with his own piano – so his tendency towards creativity, extravagance and visionary thinking soon became apparent. The shows and ideas that he has developed from this have brought him to various TV programs and are popular with organizers all over Europe.”
People are always eager to watch him create his music and dance on famous hits in front of large crowds and patiently wait for him to announce the next location of his one-of-a-kind performances.
The fun begins the moment Volk starts ‘walking’ on the large piano keys. His partner, wearing piano keys leggings, watches him do his magic before she joins in.
This time, this incredible duo opted for a version of Heart and Soul without missing a single step.
Wearing matching suits and showing off their astounding energy, Volk and his partner ask from the crowd to join in the fun by clapping to the rhythm.
The best thing is that those not living in Germany can enjoy Volk’s talent too as he makes sure he uploads his videos on YouTube.
Needless to say, they are all seen millions of times.
People were overwhelmed and made sure they tell Volk and his partner how much they enjoyed their performance.
“That was an amazing piano performance one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen,” one person wrote.
“Awe, this was so cute and of course we love her piano leggings and his matching black and white outfit,” another added.
This dance choreography is so cool that one can’t help by dance along.
Take a look at the video below. This truly is something we don’t get to see very day. Enjoy!
Arina Koltsova from Kiev, Ukraine, was described by her fellow colleagues and friends as a person who wanted to change things for the better for her country. That is one of the reasons she joined the police.
During an arrest, a thug she chased and had tuberculosis spat in her face.
A couple of weeks after that incident took place, Arina’s lungs collapsed while she was on the job.
She was diagnosed with tuberculosis herself and had to undergo treatments right away.
Her situation was pretty severe and despite the medications she was given, Arina had to undergo several chemotherapy treatments.
At this point, she gained the attention of the whole country. Everyone prayed for her well-being as she was one of the officers who fought crime with all their power.
Besides being a member of the law enforcement, Arina was known in her home country because of a series of glamorous social media photos she shared online. And this time, she wasn’t afraid to post photos of her during her fight against the disease.
Sadly, Arina didn’t recover and passed away on July 25, eight months after she was diagnosed.
The police department she was part of posted on the social media saying they suffered an irreplaceable loss.
One of her friends said: “Arina wanted to change something for our country. Joining the police was a conscious choice, she wanted to change things for better.”
The thug who spat in her face said he didn’t know he had tuberculosis himself and won’t face charges for her death.
Police officers like Arina put their life on the line every single day all for the well-being of the ordinary people like you and I.
Four-year-old Caleigh Concannon is one very special girl who is a huge animal lover. Her dedication towards dogs helped save one person’s life. And if you wonder how, stay here and read the whole story.
Namely, Caleigh and her mommy are volunteers at Golden Opportunities, a service dog training and breeding facility. The dogs that come out of this place help many people overcome different issues and struggles. However, a fully trained animal ranges from $15,000 to $35,000 depending on the level of assistance people require. So, one way to cut operational costs is to rely on volunteers like Caleigh.
It was Caleigh’s first day at Golden Opportunities and she was over the moon for having the chance to be around dogs.
As she was helping the puppies, she felt the need to use the restroom. But a moment after she went there, Caleigh came back running to her mom and said, “There is a man sleeping on the bathroom floor.” Caleigh’s mom knew someone was in trouble and rushed to see what was going on.
The sweet girl believed the man, Michael Flynn, the farm’s director of operations, was snoozing, but he was in fact having an epileptic seizure.
Caleigh knew how to act in situations when someone is in need of help. Her daddy has a diabetes and she has helped him before. She was aware that if someone is sleeping on the floor that person is either sick or in need of immediate help.
Michael was beyond thankful for Caleigh’s quick thinking. He knew she was the cutest helper they have ever had at their facility, but he had no idea she would actually help save his life that day.
“I am so proud of her. I am just in awe at the responsibility and the seriousness and her perception in handling the situation.”
Everyone was proud of Caleigh. The Walpole Police Department were impressed by her action and awarded her a Community Hero Award.
“The situation could have been a lot worse than it was and so as a result, she really is a community hero,” police officials said.
Beside the award, Caleigh got two movie tickets. Well, being just 4, we assume she appreciated this other gift more than the award.
She isn’t even aware that her quick reaction and the calmness she showed saved a human’s life.
Take a look at the whole story and don’t forget to share it with your friends.
I am certain that many of you have a dream of meeting your idol one day. However, not many are given that chance.
But for a girl named Lauren Spencer-Smith that dream came true. Not only she met her most favorite famous person, but she got to share the stage with him and perform a duet. Isn’t that incredible?
Lauren is a music prodigy. Her voice has been making the days of her family and classmates for many years, and now the whole nation got to hear her amazing vocal.
Namely, this girl has always been fascinated with the music of Keith Urban. However, little did she know she will get the chance to meet him in person and sing along with him.
Lauren knew Keith has been holding competitions for young talented children whom he invites to be his guests during his concerts. So when she learned he was performing at Sunfest she went for it and entered the competition.
At the end, Lauren’s talent took her to the finals along with another girl. But as Keith couldn’t decide which girl was better than the other, he invited both of them to be part of his performance.
Keith introduced Lauren to the audience saying, “She’s got an amazing little voice, and she’s only 11. And I just wanted to sing with her so bad.”
Lauren took the stage and her confidence was so high that it looked like she has been performing in front of so many people her whole life. More than 20,000 people were eagerly waiting to hear what she had to offer, and their expectations were satisfied as Lauren’s vocal blew their mind away.
Keith asked from the crowd to join in, but they stood quiet as Lauren’s voice was way too good not to be enjoyed to the fullest.
What was most amazing was that the voice of Lauren and that of Keith complemented one another in a perfect harmony.
At the end of the mesmerizing performance, the audience went wild and couldn’t stop cheering. Keith could feel people loved what Lauren had to offer and promised they will see more of her in the future.
One of Lauren’s family members filmed the entire thing and uploaded the video on Lauren’s YouTube channel. Needless to say, it has been seen more than 4 million times and that doesn’t really come as a surprise.
People were eager to share their thoughts and the comments are as incredible as this young girl’s performance.
Since the video of Lauren and Keith went viral, she pursued a career in the music industry and has released two albums and three singles so far.
Below is the video that helped Lauren become famous herself. Enjoy!
All those stories of young children being bullied on a daily basis makes me wonder if we will ever be able to put a stop on this devastating ‘phenomenon’ that affects so many young lives.
Is it that the schools fail to detect it and do something about it, or the whole society is unable to cope with so many bullies?
The recent case of 9-year-old Quaden Bayles from Australia who wanted to kill himself because of the bullying he experienced by his peers, made other mothers share their own children’s stories and the struggles they go through every single day. And that’s a good thing, because speaking out loud is the only way to be heard.
But on the other hand, we see that although the whole world stood behind Quaden, not much really changed, as many other kids are still victims of bullying.
Kerri Arnold is a mom of 12-year-old Aalyha who suffers from Angelman Syndrome, a rare disorder that causes learning difficulties and speech problems. Sadly, Aalyah’s condition makes her a target of the bullies at her school.
Kerri shared a footage of her girl as she wanted everyone to see what a day at school looks like for Aalyha.
Aalyha is non-verbal and attends a school in her hometown of Hamilton that caters for children with special needs.
This past Monday, Kerri was called to school and was told how a boy scratched Aalyha on the face. She rushed to take her and decided to film how distressed her daughter was by the incident.
Aalyha could barely hold her tears back. Kerri starts the video saying, “Today, at approximately 1:30, I was phoned by her school, and she has been a victim of bullying.”
“This young boy has scratched her eye, bit the side of her face, scratched her arm, and she’s got scratches on her back.”
The biggest problem with bullying is that its effects on the person experiencing it may be permanent. Many people can never overcome the fear, and most lose their self-confidence even for a lifetime.
Please take a stand and help raise awareness about what bullying does to the victims.
TJ Smith, an 11-year-old boy from Texas, reminds us that bravery isn’t counted by our age, but by our will to step up for someone in need.
It was this last December when TJ was playing around Wichita Falls and spotted something out of the ordinary. One man grabbed a 7-year-old girl while she was riding her scooter outside her home.
The alleged kidnapper named Raeshawn Perez picked the girl up, but TJ realized that strange man was a stranger to the 7-year-old. That raised red flags as TJ knew the girl was in a serious trouble.
Quick-thinking TJ ran back home to his mom and told her of what he had witnessed. She then alerted one of their neighbors, James Ware, who headed towards the abandoned house where Perez took the girl.
At the time he arrived there, Ware saw Perez trying to push the girl through the window.
Luckily, Ware and another man who found himself at the scene were able to get to Perez. They knocked him on the ground and waited until police arrived.
At that point, Perez admitted he wanted to assault the little girl.
Once Perez was arrested, Mayor of Wichita Falls, Stephen Santellana, spoke to the public about the incident and expressed gratitude to all the people involved in saving the girl.
Thanks to TJ and his neighbor Ware everything turned out right. If it wasn’t for them who knows what would have happened to the poor child.
As a thank you for his bravery, TJ got a certificate of appreciation by the Mayor and the Police Chief, Manuel Borrego.
Borrego said how their community is a safe place because the people living there care for one another and asked them to continue doing so.
Share this story to salute these people’s bravery.
No loss is greater than that of losing a child. Unfortunately, a woman named Michelle DuBarry experienced the pain of saying that final goodbye to her 1-year-old baby. The little one and his dad were involved in an accident and Seamus ended up in the hospital after a careless driver hit them while they were crossing the road.
Seamus underwent two surgeries and spent the night at intensive care after which he passed away.
The grief his parents felt was immeasurable. They couldn’t come to terms with the loss of their loving son.
But once they understood what had really happened, they experienced another shock; the one that followed as a result of the American broken and nonfunctional medical system. And we don’t go into politics here, we just re-tell the story this devastated family was forced to go through.
DuBarry took to Twitter to share what followed after Seamus left this world.
The story of Seamus made his mom speak of the system in which a life-saving treatment is so expensive that it can literally crush people’s life.
Also, DuBarry explained how her husband, who suffered injuries as a result of the accident, was denied medical care. What’s most, people weren’t surprised because it wasn’t the first time for someone not to be given medical help.
No matter how we feel about the medical system, this time we have to agree that it failed us by failing this grieving family.
At first, the family believed the expenses for their son’s surgeries would cost around $5k, but they were so wrong.
The family received a pain and suffering settlement from the driver who killed their son, but the insurance company claimed that money to compensate for their own loss (what they paid the hospital).
Thanks to DuBarry, this practice is now illegal in Oregon, although it remains legal in most of the rest of the states.
Hospital bills are ridiculous. With our medical system, these institutions benefit huge amounts of money on the tragedies of ordinary citizens, and that’s awful and has to change.
Just take a look at this bill below. Can you believe a mother was charged $39 for holding her baby after C-section?
DuBarry makes a political statement about the healthcare American people are now offered and speaks about a new system that will provide healthcare for all.
No matter whose side we take when it comes to politics and the political parties, we all have to agree that what DuBarrys had to go through is totally unacceptable and wrong on so many levels.
Below is this grieving mom’s whole Twitter thread. Before you scroll down remember it gets very political in the comments.
Please share this story and help this woman’s voice be heard.
In 2010, I had good union health insurance. Obamacare was the law of the land. In November that yr my 1yo son was struck by a careless driver in a crosswalk. After two surgeries and a night in intensive care, he died.
Sunscreen and other products that protect our skin from sunburns while sunbathing is a must. What’s most, most of us use these products even when we are not at the beach, but taking walks outside when it’s too hot.
When younger kids and babies are exposed to sun rays, the prevention of sunburns should be even higher as their skin is more sensitive than that of an adult.
One mom named Rebecca Canon went to visit her sister together with her 14-month-old daughter. But it was an extremely hot day in Newfoundland, Canada, and Rebecca got concerned for little Kyla safety so she asked to borrow sunscreen from her sister.
Little did she know, Kyla would end up with second degree burns on her cute face.
The product called Banana Boat Kids Sunscreen Spray was intended for kids aged six months and above and everything listed on the label list seemed fine, so Rebecca put some on her hands and then rubbed it on Kyla’s face, making sure she keep it away from the girl’s eyes.
However, as the day progressed, Kyla’s face started turning red. Rebecca didn’t think she should be concerned so she put her daughter to sleep. In the morning, Kyla’s whole face was swollen and she even had blisters.
Rebecca rushed her to the emergency room where she was treated for burns.
No one in the family had any allergies or ever suffered sunburns before, so Rebecca was surprised by what happened to Kyla.
The reason behind Kyla’s situation was the sunscreen her mom applied on her face, so everyone assumed there might have been dangerous chemicals in it.
Luckily for this sweet girl, she will likely not deal with long-term issues and won’t be left with any scars.
Not wanting anything similar to happen to other children, Rebecca contacted the manufacturer of the sunscreen product, Banana Boat, who said they were taking such incidents very seriously and agreed to investigate the case further.
Health Canada performed their own investigation but they didn’t find anything suspicious in the product, so it was determined Kyla was likely allergic to some of the ingredients.
Further examinations confirmed the product was in fact safe to be used. Kyla was the first and only child who suffered injuries.
The truth is that we can never know whether we are allergic to a product or not, so the best thing to do when trying something for the first time, especially on children, is to do a test before using it.
So before full coverage, apply it on a small part of your body.
When it comes to the U.S. most personal care products are not regulated, so patch testing may end up saving a life.
Please share this story to raise awareness and avoid incidents like this one from happening.
Some couple’s wish to have a baby is so strong that they would do all in their power, no matter the obstacles that stand on their way, to have someone call them mommy and daddy.
Tammy Koz suffered from lupus, which is a chronic autoimmune disease, so doctors warned her that she was at a higher risk of experiencing a miscarriage. But neither she nor her husband Eric ever doubted that they will become parents one day. So when Tammy got pregnant, the couple was over the moon and couldn’t wait to finally meet their sweet bundle of joy.
Unfortunately, when she was in the 19th week of pregnancy doctors informed them how the baby wasn’t developing at the proper rate. Tammy was put on bed rest and had to visit the hospital every other day in order to make sure the tiny heart of the baby growing inside of her was still ticking.
The family was told the baby’s chances of survival were something under five percent and that she had to deliver the baby at 27 weeks, otherwise, it would likely die.
Oprah has documented the case of the Koz family over the years, and that is how the world learned of the brave baby girl Zoe who was born weighting only 10 ounces.
Today, she is all grown up, and incredibly happy, healthy, and beautiful.
You can check the whole story in the video below which is part of the series, “Where are they now” and features the life of miracle babies like Zoe.
This family never lost hope that things would turn for the best for their little angel. They now have another daughter and Zoe has a little sister.
If you believe this story is fascinating, share it with your friends.
Doing your best to give your child the childhood they deserve is something every parent strives for. But for some, no matter how they try, it’s beyond their power and control to allow their little ones to live care-free.
A video of a Syrian father trying to distract his young daughter from the devastating sounds of bombs and explosions is breaking hearts all around the world.
This reminds us of the terror people of Syria are forced to go through every single day. Young children are raised without ever experiencing what it feels like to be playing outside without fearing for their life.
Abdullah Mohammad and his family fled their home in the eastern countryside of Idlib after the government attempted to recapture the opposition-held province and found shelter at a friend’s house in Sarmada.
Since the beginning of the war on the territory of Syria, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, and nearly half of the country’s population has been displaced. Civilians die every single day and many describe this war as the biggest humanitarian catastrophe.
The psychological effects this war has on little children may never be overcome, so Mohammad came up with a game in order to protect 4-year-old Salwa from experiencing fear at such young age.
So, whenever a bombs explodes, the two laugh as loud as they can. He convinced her how those sounds are just part of their game.
“I decided to teach Salwa this game to prevent her psychological state from collapsing. So as to not be affected by diseases relating to fear. She is a child who does not understand war,” this caring and loving father explained.
what a sad world,
To distract 4-year old Selva, her father Abdullah has made up a game.
Each time a bomb drops in Idlib #Syria, they laugh, so she doesn’t get scared.
Many journalist, among which local Ali Mustafa, shared the heartbreaking video of Mohammad and Salwa on Twitter. Many couldn’t help by share it too, expressing their anger and sadness over what Syria and its people has come to.
Selar Otman says that no matter how happy this father looks while laughing along his daughter, his eyes reveal the pain and the helplessness he is trapped in. Maggie Diamond added how this father is trying to protect his innocent girl “to the best of his ability” and sent her prayers to the people of Idlib. She asked the “governments of the world” to step up for the Syrian people and pt an end to their suffering.
Beyond tragic. A Syrian father and a daughter traumatized by war. Helping her overcome her fear, he asks her to Laugh each time a fighter jet or rocket flies over the area. Look at the innocence but at the same think about what may happen next. #Syria#Idlibpic.twitter.com/zjzlnNAP9n
Many of the Syrian children have never known peace. They were born in the midst of the war that killed their families and destroyed their hometowns and houses.
“It’s the country’s children who have suffered the most and have the most to lose,” said UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore.
As always, the ONLY casualties of the #Syrianconflict are innocent mothers, fathers, children, babies & elderly. The trauma & mental wounds of this brutal war will ache millions of innocent people for the many years to come.#Syria#Idlib#withrefugeeshttps://t.co/Md21l9NzGW
The destruction they witness unfolding before their tiny eyes every single day, leaves children traumatized and it affects their brain development, learning abilities, their immune system and a lot more. “The body systems that are most rapidly developing when the experiences happen are the ones that are going to be most impacted. For little kids, all of their systems are coming online and developing, so there is a much greater risk of impact across all of their systems,” said Stacy Dury, neuroscientist and child psychologist.
Mark Lowcock, the UN head of humanitarian affairs and emergency relief says, “The crisis in northwest Syria has reached a horrifying new level.”
Most of the civilians who were forced to leave their homes are women and children “who are traumatized and forced to sleep outside in freezing temperatures because camps are full. Mothers burn plastic to keep children warm. Babies and small children are dying because of the cold,” he adds.
“The trajectory we’re on is of the world’s biggest humanitarian horror story of the 21st century.”@UNReliefChief tells @BeckyCNN the world is going to regret turning a ‘blind eye’ to the humanitarian crisis unfolding *right now* in #Idlib. pic.twitter.com/Qo3G5j9A6W
“Health facilities, schools, residential areas, mosques, and markets have been hit. Schools are suspended, many health facilities have closed. There is a serious risk of disease outbreaks. Basic infrastructure is falling apart. We are now receiving reports that settlements for displaced people are being hit, resulting in deaths, injuries and further displacement. The equipment and facilities being used by aid workers are being damaged. Humanitarian workers themselves are being displaced and killed,” he said in his statement.
“People are burning rubbish to keep themselves warm.” | A few days ago, a 5-month-old baby, Areej Majid al-Hmeidi, froze to death in Kalbeet camp near the Syrian-Turkish border.
We often speak of the negative impact bullying has on children, but this time, we get to witness its heartbreaking consequences first hand after one mom shared a video of her son who is being mocked every single day.
Yarraka Bayles is the mother of 9-year-old Quaden who was born with Achondroplasia, a form of Dwarfism. The boy is constantly bullied by his peers because of his looks and that results in him wanting to end his own life. Listening to him crying in hysterics and saying how he wants to kill himself left the whole world in tears.
Feeling helpless, Bayles hopes hers and her child’s voice would be heard and that people would finally learn to accept those that are different. She pleads the school system to pay closer attention to the issue of bullying that is present in the educational institutions more often than we can assume. Bayles also wants parents to educate their children more and teach them to know better than bullying others.
“I’ve just picked up my son from school, witnessed a bullying episode, rang the principal, and I want people [to] know, parents, educators teachers, this is the effects that bullying has, this is what bullying does,” Bayles says in the video.
Speaking to SBS, Bayles shared how she was left raged when she went to pick her son from school and saw some of his female classmates patting him on the head like a puppy while laughing about his height.
“She was patting him on the head like a little puppy. My daughter and I looked at each other and we made signals to him to ask if you are right, and he was like ‘no’ and he was looking at me horrified, like ‘don’t make a scene mum,'” she continued.
“You could tell he was very uncomfortable but he was so good at trying to shrug things off, he doesn’t want people to know how much it’s affecting him, he’s so strong and confident but it’s times like these when you just see him crumble. It was just heartbreaking to watch, it made me feel helpless.”
Sadly, this isn’t the first time for Quaden to want to end his life. According to his mom, he attempted suicide when he was six years old, after his granddad passed away. The pressure he feels and the bullying he faces on a daily basis trigger his suicidal tendencies.
“It’s the constant bullying, the name-calling, obviously pointing out his difference so now we have a … severely suicidal child who’s sick of the bullying that is [happening] every single day that he attends school or is in public.”
“I feel like I’m failing as a parent. I feel like the education system’s failing.”
Bayles doesn’t say that what happens to her son is solely the school’s fault, but she is certain that if bullying is taken more seriously and students are educated about different disabilities it would help decrease it.
“That would solve so many of the problems … it would protect the other kids with disabilities and help make them feel safe.”
Because of the severity of the situation, Bayles is considering home-schooling Quaden. At least until the whole society decides to do something regarding bullying and raise its voice for those with disabilities.
The video is so profound that it touched us to the core and made us cry. More than 8 million people who have seen it so far feel the same.
The family received thousands of comments expressing compassion and support.
One person wrote, “My heart breaks for you hun you are beautiful just the way you are.”
There were also those who judged Bayles for posting her son who was in complete distress on the social media, but she says that’s the only way she believes would help raise awareness. She said how she would keep posting videos whenever Quaden experiences bullying.
“I have copped a lot of backlash for it, I thought twice about deleting it… but I wanted people to see the effect bullying is having on my child. If I don’t stand up and speak out for him, who will,” she said.
Indigenous Australian Latrell Mitchell, a professional rugby league footballer, met with Quaden and offered his support.
Actress Teula Blakely saluted his act and shared a photo of the meeting on her Instagram saying:
“Well done to the Indigenous NRL All Stars Team for standing up to bullying and giving such a special honour to a very special young Indigenous son Quaden Bayles – Y’all know how I feel about bullying of any kind, people big or small, who are unkind can straight get in the rubbish where they belong. Life is for the loving.”
“Just want to wish you all the best brother. We know you’re going through a hard time right now but the boys are here, we’ve got your back. We’re here to support you, bud.
“We just want to make sure you’re doing alright and make sure that your mum’s on your side, we’re on your side.
“Just make sure you’re thinking the right things, bud, because we want you around – we want you to lead us out on the weekend.
“It’s going to mean more to us than it will to you, bud. Just make sure you’re looking after us and hopefully, we’ll get to see you in the next couple of days.”
Quaden now knows that despite being treated badly at school, there are millions of other people who love him and believe he’s handsome the way he is. We honestly hope his peers will start looking beyond his Dwarfism and realize how special Quaden really is.
Most parents of young children who have a full-time job turn to nannies and babysitters to look after their kids. When choosing such person under whose care they leave their most precious treasures, many moms and dads make sure its someone who they trust completely.
Babysitters basically take the role of a parent for a great part of the day and are expected to approach the child in a manner that will allow them to gain their trust and love. On top of that, they should not only make sure the little ones are well fed, but also teach them things and make their time enjoyable as much as they can.
One family from Lexington, KY, is sharing their harrowing experience and is asking from parents to be very careful when choosing a nanny.
Namely, their nonverbal son started acting strangely, so they decided to set up cameras and see what is going on behind closed door while they are not in the house. What they saw after going through the videos, left them raged.
The Fields also reported how their son Luke isn’t only autistic, but has epilepsy and a heart condition too, so they are convinced that treating him in such cruel manner as caught on tape is definitely worth prison time for the nanny named Lilian D. White.
Among the rest, it can be seen how White is dragging Luke across the floor and then sits on his chest.
The worst of all is that the poor boy was not able to tell his parents of the ordeal he had to go through while under the care of this woman.
Speaking of the case, the family’s attorney, Dale Golden, said: “It was very troubling. As you can imagine, the parents are in shock.”
“The real tragedy about this case is that Luke was unable to communicate with his parents,” he added.
Once they went through the footage, the Fields reported the abuse upon which White was arrested and charged with criminal abuse. During her hearing, she pleaded not guilty and the judge ordered her not to get close to Luke or his family ever again.
If you’ve been feeling down recently and need something to boost your mood, you are at the right place. If this little guy from the video below doesn’t make you evaporate into a steam of swooning, I don’t know what will.
As it turns out, 1-year-old Albie Dunville is a real star and his action of rubbing pasta with sauce on his bare belly brings smiles all over the country and beyond.
The cute video was first shared on the Facebook Page Positive About Down Syndrome by Albie’s mommy, Emma Ayers.
She has been part of this group and worked closely with other parents of children with Down Syndrome ever since her little boy was born.
This beyond-words-adorable video has stolen the hearts of many and has been shared more than 400,000 times. Little Albie’s joy while playing with his dinner helped in fulfilling the mission of the Facebook group whose goal is to raise awareness and acceptance about children with the genetic condition.
Just look at him. He’s all smiles, and that triggers one on our faces as well.
“When there is so much wrong in the world, everyone needs an Albie to put a smile on their face,” wrote one Facebook user. “Albie, we love you.”
“What a wee cutie Albie is, and a lovely smile, too,” said another, adding that “there’s a certain logic to him — the food ends up in the tummy so let’s bypass the eating bit.”
Emma says that even though Albie doesn’t have any teeth yet, he’s a huge food lover and doesn’t miss the opportunity to munch on his favorite treats.
“Spaghetti is of course a firm favorite, and mealtimes can be very messy where Albie is involved,” Emma told Today.
However, “the food and belly combo was a new one to us,” she added. “Albie has absolute bags of personality and his smile is the most contagious I’ve ever seen. You can literally watch people around him light up.”
Albie was born January 2019, and his parents didn’t know he had Down Syndrome until they welcomed him into the world. When they heard the diagnosis it came to them as a shock mainly because the way the hospital informed them of it “was’t at all positive.”
But now, experiencing how special it is to have such a loving son as Albie, Emma and husband Adam embrace all the amazing parts that came with the diagnosis.
“Albie, I have had a terrible week,” one person shared. “But seeing this post and your infectious smile has cheered me up to no end.” Honestly, we felt exactly the same!
Paying it forward is what an elderly couple from New Jersey set as their New Year’s resolution some years ago, and they are doing good for random people and strangers ever since. Initially, they felt like they should be offering kindness to military members, but in fact, they step in whenever they notice someone’s down on their luck.
Since Wawa and Dunkin’ Donuts are the two places Ruth Reed and her husband visit most often, it’s usually there where they pick people’s tabs and pay for them.
Of all the times Ruth showed kindness to other people, one special encounter that took place at the local Wawa is one she will never forget. This retired elementary school teacher was waiting in line when she noticed the man standing in front of her was short on cash. She then approached and insisted to pay for his items.
Little did she know she would come face-to-face with one of the biggest stars in country music, Keith Urban.
She could say he looked like the musician, but couldn’t believe her ears when he introduced himself and said he was in fact him. She wasn’t certain if he was telling the truth or not, but she then noticed his bodyguards and “fell apart.”
Speaking of the encounter, Ruth said how Keith was very nice to her and everyone around and agreed to pose for a picture.
This kind teacher had no idea she would become sort of a celebrity herself. Many media outlets picked her story and she only agreed to appear on TV because she believes her experience would inspire other people to follow her example of paying it forward.
As the whole country prayed for little Faye Swetlik to be brought home safe, authorities came forward with the tragic news of her death.
The six-year-old was reported missing on Monday after she disappeared from the family’s home front yard where she was playing after getting back from school.
Police activity was intensified in the Churchill Heights neighborhood and the yellow crime tape prevented anyone from coming in, even the residents.
Houses, vehicles, and a great area of the wood and landfill was thoroughly searched.
Faye’s lifeless body was found on Thursday around 11 a.m not far from where she was last seen. Authorities launched a homicide investigation but didn’t report how the girl died.
“It is with extremely heavy hearts that we’re announcing we have found the body, that the coroner has identified as Faye Marie Swetlik,” Cayce Director of Public Safety Byron Snellgrove told reporters. “We are now treating this case as a homicide.”
Officers found another body in the same area. It was of a deceased male who hasn’t been identified. They, however, believe the two cases aren’t related.
No arrests have been made so far, but the Lexington County Coroner’s Office reported how the community shouldn’t feel endangered as they are doing their best to solve the case and are asking from the public to come forward with any information that would help the investigation.
Crime scene tape covers the wooded area near the Churchill Heights neighborhood, this after the bodies of Faye Swetlik and an unidentified male were found. @wis10pic.twitter.com/9uzSFoIXJW
Sweet Faye was a vibrant little girl who loved art and had lots of friends. Her teachers, her classmates, and the whole community is left heartbroken and mourns her loss.
Police shared a touching post on their Facebook page assuring Faye’s family and the country this case is far from over. We honestly hope who ever committed this horrific crime would end up behind bars as soon as possible.
Most couple’s biggest dream is to become parents one day. For some, that comes naturally and with ease, but others spend years of trying before they welcome their bundle of joy into the world and into their lives. The latter often seek help from doctors, and they usually end up with miracle pregnancies.
Andrea and Mark Rivas were over the moon when they learned they were expecting a baby. Sadly, they experienced a miscarriage, and no matter how deep that affected them, they never stopped trying. After two years of unsuccessful attempts they underwent an IVF procedure and became parents of twins Conor and Avery.
Their fertility journey was filled with many sleepless nights, many mixed emotions, but at the end, it brought them children and friends for life. Sandi and Philip Palmisano were also trying to conceive for a longer period of time, but unlike Andrea and Mark, their treatments always failed.
Having experienced the struggle themselves, the Rivas knew what their new friends were going through so they decided to step in. Andrea offered to be their surrogate and Sandi and Philip were beyond thankful.
During a check-up, the families learned Andrea was carrying twins again, and the Palmisanos couldn’t hide their excitement. Andrea helped them fulfill their greatest wish of becoming a mom and a dad.
In February 2014, the Palmisano family got bigger. The new additions, babies EmmaLee and Grayson made their world a better place all thanks to Andrea and her husband.
The life of both the families was a busy one. They had their hands full with work around the little ones who became best friends just like their parents.
After the kids became toddlers, more great news came in. Andrea and Mark were expecting again and the ultrasound revealed something truly incredible. Are you guessing already? They were having twins again.
This story is so uplifting that it makes us become better people ourselves and do good for others the way the Rivas did for the Palmisanos.
Teachers probably have one of the hardest jobs, not to mention they are neither paid, nor respected enough, but still, seeing their students turn into respected citizens and members of the community knowing they had their share is sometimes enough.
We have heard of many stories where teachers go above and beyond for their students. They take it personally and not only make sure to pass down knowledge to everyone in their classroom, but also make sure they teach the students valuable life lessons.
One teacher in particular, named Trey Payne from the Logan Fontenelle Middle School, can say he did right job educating his students when it comes to practicing positive values and principles.
Namely, he bought himself some expensive basketball shoes recently and was glad he did, but someone stole them from his classroom. He could barely afford to get them in the first place, so replacing them with another pair was practically impossible.
His students knew how sad it all made Mr. Payne so they decided to surprise him.
They gave him a gift bag and a card and asked him to read it aloud. It can be seen from the video taken by one of the students that Mr. Payne is in complete disbelief. He reads the card silently and then reaches to open the bag.
As he pulls the paper out of the gift bag, he can see there is a box inside and says, “I hope this isn’t shoes guys…Oh my…are you serious?”
He then opens it and sees brand new shows. This made him cry tears of joy as he couldn’t believe what he students did for him.
His reaction is as touching as the students’ act of kindness.
This teacher got his favorite sneakers stolen, so his students bought him a new pair of KD 12s. 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/mOXf9pEsHI
Speaking to KETV ABC 7, Mr. Payne said: “It’s more than a pair of shoes. It’s about doing things to build everyone up around you. I try to show my kids this and I think the lesson has sunk in for many, in turn, reaffirming my purpose and my ideals.”
What do you think of what the students did for their favorite teacher?
With all those TV shows and popular magazines showing celebrities and their lavish lifestyle and looks, it doesn’t really come as a surprise that ordinary people dream of ever getting the same.
However, most of us look up to our favorite actors, singers, and other public figures completely unaware that they have a bunch of stylists and other people taking care of their looks every single day. On top of that, they have lots of money and can afford expensive clothes and make-up.
Sarah Schmidt is a lovely young lady who wasn’t satisfied with her appearance. Or better said, she just wanted to look like someone famous, in her case, the oldest daughter of President Trump, Ivanka.
In order to achieve Ivanka’s signature looks, Schmidt underwent total of 9 plastic surgeries. Sadly, most people agree that even after the weeks of healing she had to go through after the procedures, she doesn’t resemble her idol even a bit.
Vanity Fair searched a bit further and reported how all of the surgeries were done by plastic surgeon Dr. Franklin A. Rose for free. Yes, Schmidt didn’t pay a dime for her new looks.
If you wonder why would someone be so generous, it’s because Dr. Ross was convinced he can make anyone look like Ivanka, and Schmidt was up to the challenge as she wanted that really badly. So it turned into a win-win situation for both of them.
Although she looks different than before, many believe Schmidt didn’t got was she hoped for. She, on the other hand, looks happy and confident and is convinced she achieved her goal to the extent that she could be mistaken for Ivanka on the streets.
Inside Edition shared the video of Schmidt’s transformation and most of the comments are not positive.
“Spent all that money and went through the surgeries but then ended up nothing like Ivanka,” one person wrote.
“She does not look like anything like her 😬😬😬😬 ask for refund,” another added.
One grief-stricken mother is sharing her daughter’s tragic story and is warning parents of children who suffer from allergies of the hidden dangers behind products like toothpaste.
Monique Altamirano said how her 11-year-old daughter’s allergy to dairy made her overly protective. Whenever the girl was about to try new food she would spend a lot of time going through the ingredients, making sure they were completely dairy free. However, that wasn’t the case with the toothpaste little Denise was recommended by her dentist.
As it turned out, the new toothpaste, MI Paste One, contained a protein found in cow’s milk, and it was enough to sent sweet Denise into anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction.
The moment Denise started brushing her teeth, she felt her breathing became heavy.
Speaking to Allergic Living, Monique recalled the moment her daughter died.
“She said, ‘I think I’m having an allergic reaction to the toothpaste,’ and her lips were already blue,” says Monique. “I picked her up and put her on my bed. I ran to the living room, told my daughter – ‘Call 911!’ – and I grabbed the EpiPen.” She administered it, and gave Denise her asthma inhaler.
“She was saying, ‘Mommy, I can’t breathe.’ I was saying, ‘I love you, yes, you can ….”
Monique is begging parents and caregivers to take anaphylaxis seriously and wants them to go through the ingredients of every product their children use, no matter if it seems irrelevant.
“Read everything. Don’t get comfortable, just because you’ve been managing for several years. You can’t get comfortable or be embarrassed or afraid to ask and ensure that ingredients are OK. Be that advocate for your child,” she added.
We are extremely sorry for your loss. Rest in peace little angel.
Please share this story to pass down Monique’s warning!
If you are into great music and dancing, then you are at the right place. We present to you young prodigy Hillary Klung from Fayetteville, Tennessee, the winner of the National Buck Dancing Championship, 2013, and the National Old Time Buck Dancing Championship, 2019.
Combining buck dance, a type of folk tap dance, and the fiddle earned this lovely girl a huge number of followers.
People love her performances so much that some of her videos have been seen more than 3.5 million times and all for the right reasons. She truly is one of a kind and her talent is undeniable.
One of her most incredible dance routines involving playing the fiddle is that of “Cotton-Eyed Joe.” Mesmerizing both to watch and listen to, Hillary is definitely one of our favorite young musicians. She is a star in the making and her name is about to become even more popular in the years to come.
Her love for dancing was always present and she couldn’t help herself but take the ‘dance floor’ whenever she would hear some good music on the radio. But it wasn’t until she first heard a fiddle performance at a music festival that she knew that instrument was her call.
Although no one in her family is musical, Hillary is an exception. She learned from the best, including famous buck dancers and fiddle players from the South, and took parts in various competitions. In 2013, she became the Kentucky State Dance champion.
She loves both playing and dancing and as she didn’t want to neglect either of her talents, Hillary decided to combine them.
“I needed slower music for my students to be able to practice. But I couldn’t find any recordings of slow fiddle music. So I brought my fiddle and played it myself. The next week I played another tune. We started getting faster with each class until I was able to dance and play at the same time, out of necessity,” she said speaking to Strings Magazine.
Hillary wanted her passion for dance and music to be heard and seen and she decided to share it with the rest of the world when she got into busking in Nashville. She went there for a competition she was eager to attend but worried about the costs of the trip and decided to perform on the street to cover her stay there.
“Parking was, like, 20 bucks each day for two days. I didn’t know if I’d even be able to break even. But I knew that busking was a thing on Broadway, so I took my fiddle and played for 15 minutes. Nobody wanted to hear it; they just kept walking.”
Well, if you wonder why, it’s because street performing is common in Nashville, but Hillary had an ace up her sleeve, her talent for dancing.
“Then, I started dancing. I had my cowboy boots on. And everybody stopped. It was astounding. I got a $20 tip from somebody right away. That’s how I discovered that doing both together is very entertaining.”
The news of a girl who stole the hearts of the passersby spread around and many were eager to check her YouTube channel and enjoy more of what she had to offer.
Hillary is now planning on taking a tour and even adding some vocals in her performances. Well, we can’t wait to see how she would sound.
This is definitely something you wouldn’t want to miss.
The general rules are that if a child wants to visit the bathroom or the nurse’s office during lesson time, they should ask their teachers for permission. And although some students tend to abuse their right to excuse themselves in order to embark on ‘adventures’ around the school halls, most only ask for permission when they really feel the need to go.
One teacher named Mrs. White from the Aspire Hanley Middle School, a charter school in Memphis, Tennessee, decided to come up with her own rules when it comes to taking bathroom breaks. Needless to say, parents were outraged about what she had to say. The mom of one of Mrs. White’s eight-grade students shared the note her kid brought home and it spread all over the Internet like a wildfire.
Namely, Mrs. White wrote how her students are only allowed to two bathroom breaks a month during her lessons, and that’s it.
In case they leave the classroom more than that, then they get either a detention or zero points on the assignment they decide to walk out on.
What’s most, she even confirms she is petty.
She then goes on and writes how her students can speak to her about the rules, which we believe are pure nonsense, but nothing will change.
And in case a kid loses their pass, she says, “I’m sorry, try again next month.” If this isn’t the purest form of cruelty, I don’t know what is.
Once the original photo was deleted, other parents came forward and posted it again. Many people took their stand against this teacher and shared their opinions about her rules which are not in accordance with the school rules whatsoever.
“This shows someone with control issues who has no power or authority at home, so they bring what little power they have to the one place where they will have no resistance: the classroom,” said a person named Jaadee Sykes, who shared the note on her Twitter and referred to it as “abhorrent.”
However, when the superintendent of the school, Nickalous Manning, heard of this from Facebook, he asked for an investigation to be completed.
“There is no policy in place at our school that restricts students’ access to the bathroom or to the nurse’s office,” said Altovise Boyd, the regional director of the charter school. Further, he added the school has “convened [the] full team to review all relevant policies and procedures.”
“Yes, lets all make poor children hold their bladders bc them going to the restroom is a nuisance for you. My child has my permission to walk out of whoever’s class if they tell him he can’t go,” one mom tweeted showing her outrage.
There were also those who supported Mrs. White, with one of them saying, “My god, people. Teacher makes a mistake in handling a situation that is obviously very frustrating for her and you folks are prepared to destroy her.”
Honestly, I would be really angry in case my kid comes home with such absurd note. How would you react?
