One doesn’t need to be a firm believer in order to know deep down that sometimes things happen because God wants them to be that way. And even if you don’t believe in angels in a form of divine creations that lead us through life and through difficult situations, you still have to agree that many times, they appear in a form of another human being who crosses our path when we need it the most and restores our faith in humanity and in doing good.
The song Angels Among Us, speaks of such encounters, and that is why it is considered one of the best Christmas songs of all time.
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Randy Owen, the lead singer of the country band Alabama this song was written for, once said how the group received “hundreds of letters from all over the world saying that the song was a blessing.” Honestly, we can’t agree more. It is a piece of music that brings a touch of magic and warms the soul.
This time, a rendition of it was recorded by a group of incredible musicians, among which Scotty McCreery, Carly Pearce, Hunter Hayes, and Brennley Brown. It is a product of the cooperation between Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, whose goal was to raise awareness as well as money for all the children who are being treated in the hospital.
The final result is breathtaking. Check the rendition of Angels Among Us below.
Most child actors who were somehow forced to be under the spotlight from very early age get tired of the life that comes along the status of being a celebrity, so many of them decide to pursue a totally different career later in life.
If the name Mary McDonough sounds familiar, then you were probably a fan of the first ever family show of that type, The Waltons. In fact, this show is considered to have paved the way to similar series, such as Little House on the Prairie.
“The Waltons kind of paved the way for others to come on the air. We were a large family living in the depression and Little House was a small family living on a prairie. There are some similarities. They both have morals and lessons that they teach in their storylines. Having three generations living under the same roof is a little bit different. Their storekeeper had a kooky wife and so did ours. We both have similar fan bases also,” McDonough said of the series which represent her huge breakthrough.
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She played the role of Erin Walton for ten years. Her characters was adored by many, so McDonough became a famous name. The then 10-year-old girl enchanted millions with her acting and people loved her so very much.
The actress recalled the time she auditioned for the role that changed her life. She says that the line was the longest she had ever seen as it looked like every girl from California was there, hoping to be part of this new project. McDonough was asked to read a scene from The Waltons The Homecoming: A Christmas Story, and it was more than enough for her to be picked for the role of Erin among the hundreds of other girls.
“My dad said It was like buying your first ticket to the Irish Sweepstakes and winning,” she said about getting the job.
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Speaking of the time of the filming of the series, McDonough remembers how being a young girl she was under a lot of pressure to always look flawless.
Speaking to Oprah, she said: “When I was 15 I had an ulcer, my hair started to fall out, I had these rashes on my head, and I remember my parents took me to the doctor. And the doctor said, ‘Well, is she under any pressure?’ And my parents said, ‘No, she’s the luckiest girl in the world — Are you kidding me?’”
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From the beginning of the series, McDonough turned from a young girl into a woman, and that transition wasn’t easy for her. She often starved herself in order for the clothes to fit her, although she wasn’t really getting fat, but maturing.
It was actor John Ritter who helped her overcome that period of her life when he advised her to start writing a journal and put down her thoughts and her struggles. According to McDonough, writing a journal saved her life. She learned how to love her body again.
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After The Waltons, McDonough had a hard time finding a job in Hollywood. One reason, according to her, was that she wasn’t “large enough.” This “forced” her to undergo a breast augmentation surgery. That, however, didn’t go as planned and McDonough was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and collagen disorder Sjogren’s Syndrome.
“My hair fell out and I would be tired all of the time,” she told Smashing Interviews. “Of course, everybody kept saying, ‘Well you’re crazy. You’re depressed. Go to therapy!’ So it was 10 years of being undiagnosed and finally I got to the point where I was in so much pain I couldn’t even lift my daughter.”
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Once The Waltons was over, McDonough worked as a waitress and a bartender for some time. She also landed some smaller roles in several television series, Will & Grace, The Love Boat and ER, among others.
Today, she is a public speaker and a workshop leader. She “helps people change, create life balance, and return to a sense of self” according to her web page. She also has a YouTube channel and is an author of many books.
“I’m not alone and I never was alone, and none of us are,” she told Oprah. “And now I can help people, and the reason I do almost everything I do is so that no one feels as alone and terrified as I did. And it’s pretty rewarding.”
The woman killed in the shooting at Capitol Hill was identified as 35-year-old veteran Ashli Babbitt.
According to her husband, she was a strong Trump supporter and among the hundreds of protesters seeking to overturn Trump’s election loss.
Her husband Aaron Babbitt spoke to KUSHI-TV and said his wife was “a high-level security official throughout her 14 years in the Air Force service,” and “a great patriot to all who knew her.”
After arriving in Washington D.C., now late Ashli Babbitt posted on Twitter. “Nothing will stop us…. they can try and try and try but the storm is here and it is descending upon DC in less than 24 hours….dark to light,” she wrote.
BREAKING: Family confirms woman shot & killed at Capitol is Ashli Babbit. She owned a business in San Diego w/ her huband who did not come to DC. “I really dont know why she decided to do this,” her mother-in-law tells me. Police have not confirmed circumstances of shooting pic.twitter.com/OOYpNWpMLg
What started as a protest, soon turned into a riot, and as protesters advanced and tried to break through the glass and wood doors into the Speaker’s lobby at the Capitol building, the security personnel drew their guns at Ashli and those around her. In a moment of chaos, a plainclothes Capitol police officer fired a single shot. Ashli was hit in her neck and later died.
An eyewitness described the scene. “We had stormed into the chambers inside, and there was a young lady who rushed through the windows. A number of police and Secret Service were saying get back, get down and get out of the way,” the New Jersey man said. “She didn’t heed the call. As we kind of raced up to grab people and pull them back, they shot her in the neck. She fell back on me. She started to say she was fine, it’s cool. Then she started moving weird and blood was coming out of her neck and mouth and nose. I don’t know if she’s alive or dead anymore,” he added.
Nothing will stop us….they can try and try and try but the storm is here and it is descending upon DC in less than 24 hours….dark to light!
We, as a nation, always make sure we pay our tributes and respect to those who sacrificed their lives for the country. But that feeling of patriotism and the desire to show our appreciation for the fallen soldiers grows bigger on Memorial Day.
Rolling Thunder/Ride for Freedom has been held in Washington, DC, to raise awareness of the Prisoners of War–Missing in Action of all wars and it’s happening ever since it first took place back in 1988.
United States Marine Corps Veteran Staff Sergeant Tim Chambers takes part in the Rolling Thunder in a very unique way; by standing at attention for hours. This brave man is filmed doing that even while his wrist was broken in 2013. The bikers zipped and passed around him and he felt honored to be standing there. Now everyone recognizes Sgt. Chamber as the Saluting Marine.
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He stands with boots, a rifle, flack jacket, and Kevlar displayed at his feet. Families of fallen soldiers appreciate his act and they even donate personal military items of their loved ones to Sgt. Chambers.
To be part of the Rolling Thunder is an incredible experience.
“Try standing at Salute for more than ten minutes…..this Marine does it for hours…incredible devotion and discipline. One hell of a man,” one person wrote. Honestly, we can’t agree more.
Among the bikers who salute him back was a female soldier who took her time to stop and pay her respects for what the Saluting Marine does. Take a look at the video below, it’s truly awesome.
Some people are simply born for certain professions. They have it in them from very early age and never stop pursuing their dreams, so maybe that is what makes them a bit more special than the rest of the people.
Ever since he was a 4-year-old boy who stood on stage for the very first time, Gavin MacLeod knew he would become an actor.
It was both the loud applause from the audience and the excitement he felt that made him never let go of the thought of making a name for himself in the theater and film industry.
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During high school, MacLeod starred in a number of plays which brought him a lot of awards and a scholarship from Ithaca College. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts and was later awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from Ithaca.
Speaking of his 1956 Broadway show A Hatful of Rain, MacLeod told The Flaming Nose: “My first night on Broadway was a momentous time in my life – a goal realized. I was very confident and humbled to be included on stage with some of the best actors in the business.”
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Once he moved to Los Angeles from New York, MacLeod starred in the series The Untouchables, Manhunt and Mr.Lucky. He was also part of McHale’s Navy and Mary Tyler Moore Show before he landed the role he’s probably best known for; that of Merrill Stubing in Love Boat.
When he was offered the role and given the script, his agent told him: “’Aaron Spelling [producer] wants you to do this thing called The Love Boat. I think it sucks but do you want to read it’.”
MacLeod said: “I read it and thought ‘this thing could work’’. It was very commercial kind of thing, I had my wife read it and she thought the same thing.”
Well, the rest is history. Love Boat quickly became one of the most popular shows out there. It ran for nine seasons and many of the episodes were filmed on the cruise ships ThePacific Princess and Island Princess, with guests starring as extras. Considering the popularity of the show, it didn’t come as a surprise that the ticket sales doubled.
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Being under the spotlight and probably one of the famous names in Hollywood at the time put a lot of pressure on MacLeod who turned to alcoholism. He also battled depression, but over time, he managed to get on his feet again.
“I was friends with Ted Knight when I was doing McHale’s Navy [from 1962 to 1964], and he said, ‘Why are you doing this show? You’re a glorified extra.’ I heard that over and over in my head and started drinking. I thought I wasn’t worth anything, that my wife and kids would be better off without me,” MacLeod told Closer Weekly.
In 1985, he remarried his wife Patti and the two published the book Back on Course together.
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In 2009, MacLeod became part of the project called Character Classics. Speaking of it with The Flaming Nose, the 89-year-old actor said: “Young children need to learn character. Obedience, respect, truthfulness, kindness and thankfulness are what they need to be taught.”
“This content will change lives. That is why I wanted to be a participant in the Character Classics Project. I hope sales go through the roof, because it will bless everyone and enhance the chance to bring morality back into the daily lives of our children.”
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Gavin MacLeod gave his fans a number of memorable roles throughout his career which spans basically his whole life.
When it comes to wedding, we all want to share the joy of the reunion with those we love the most, our closest friends and family. That was exactly what the bride from the video wanted as well. She knew all too well how her nieces and nephews could misbehave during her wedding, but according to her brother, who posted the video on YouTube, she still wanted them there as her flower girls and ring bearers.
As the guests were waiting for the little ones to complete their duties, the flower girl started screaming at the top of her lungs because she hated the idea of walking down the aisle with her brother.
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He, on the other hand, wasn’t happy with wearing a tux and couldn’t wait to get those rings to their final destination.
We are sure that neither the bride nor the groom got angry with the kids. On the contrary, they only made the wedding ceremony more memorable.
You can take a look at the video below. It has been seen more than 2.5 million times.
Joey Wittkugle is a man with Down Syndrome who continues defying the odds and proving doctors wrong.
When he was born, 62 years ago, his mother Bobbi was advised to leave him in an institution. She recalls the doctors saying to her: “You have to put him away. He’ll never talk and he’ll never walk. He’ll never know who you are. He will live to the age of 11 and that will be the end of it,” according to WBTW.
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Bobbi is 90 and she still takes care of her son. She says that back in the day, people had a completely different perception of people with Down Syndrome and those with certain disabilities. Today, these people are better accepted by the society thanks to individuals like Bobbi and her son who try to raise awareness about this condition. “Sixty-two years ago, nobody knew about them and they kept them in the house. I mean, you did not have them out walking or one thing or another,” she said.
For Joey’s 62nd birthday, his mom and his family organized a car parade.
“I want people to start understanding, when you see one of our children, don’t turn your back at them like they did years ago. They are human, they are special from God and please learn to love them as much as they love you,” Bobbi added.
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We are very glad that things started to change and now those with Down Syndrome are treated as completely normal people, because they are exactly that. They are able to function on their own and are valuable part of the society.
As for Joey, we wish him a very happy birthday and many more to come. Take a look at his story in the video below.
Elephants always line up for hugs whenever they see her..
David Sheldrick and his wife, Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick, a celebrated author and conservationist, have worked together to care for the wildlife in Africa for many years. They worked hard in order to raise awareness and stop the illegal poaching of elephants for the ivory trade.
However, in 1977, a year after the couple had moved to Nairobi National Park, David Sheldrick passed away suddenly due to a heart attack.
Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick decided to continue her late husband’s legacy by establishing the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, one of the only three organizations on the continent that rescues, rehabilitates, and releases orphaned elephants.
Some of these baby elephants were found ensnared in man-made traps, while some were found after they fell into abandoned wells. However, the majority of these baby elephants were orphaned after their mothers were killed by poachers for their ivory tusks.
These orphaned baby elephants have no chance of survival as they are very dependent on their mother for milk during the first two years. It then takes another two years before they are fully weaned.
Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick soon developed a special formula which consists of baby formula infused with vegetable fat and coconut oil. Due to the success of her formula, she became the first person in the world to successfully raise a baby elephant.
As most of the baby elephants were severely distressed when they arrive at the sanctuary, they are all each assigned a keeper who accompany the baby elephant inside the sleeping stall to provide them with comfort.
When the baby elephants have reached a certain age, they will be moved to a relocation center in Tsavo National Park. There, they continue to be cared by a keeper and will eventually be released to join the wild elephant communities in the park.
Here is Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick’s opinion of elephants: “They’re not corrupted. Their sense of family is as strong as ours. Their memories are amazing and their convoluted thinking and reasoning is equal to that of a human.
The caring and nurturing is far greater in elephants than it is in humans, and loyalty and friendship endures.”
You can watch a video of this amazing story below.
Dogs are pretty good at learning new tricks and obeying commands so watching them perform all the cool stuff they mastered can be a real treat to the eye. Cats on the other hand are not that obedient and would opt to spend their time sleeping instead of goofing around with their humans. And yes, cats don’t let anyone tell them what to do. But, not this particular feline who pretends to be a dog.
When this owner tells the dogs to roll over, the cat wants to be part of the game and to fit in the dogs’ crew so she does the same. Well, if the dogs can do it then why can’t she, right? After all, cats are way smarter than we assume. As for Didga, she isn’t only having fun obeying her owner’s commands, but she’s also proving wrong anyone who believes cats aren’t social creatures.
You can take a look at Didga in action in the video below. Oh, it looks as though the term “copy cat” has been invented to describe her 🙂
How far would you go in order to help someone you have never met before? Two young men named Tre Jones and Marcus Harvey from Marion, Indiana, were willing to risk their own lives for that of a complete stranger.
It was on Father’s Day that they stumbled upon a burning house while taking a walk around the neighborhood. They saw all those people gathered around the place which was at that point all in flames.
Screaming could be heard coming from the house and people said how there was a man trapped inside, to what Tre replied, “So why are you all just standing there?”
The man in question was the house owner, 56-year-old Guy Tarlton, who had fallen asleep while making dinner.
Amidst all of what has been happening lately, a couple of super humans emerge!
Neither Tre nor Marcus had to think twice before they entered the burning home. “I kicked the door open and boom, and then fire and smoke started coming out,” Tre told Fox59. “When I heard his voice screaming, I just felt like I knew I could get him out. I didn’t know how far he was in the house. I knew I was in a better position than he was.”
The flames were huge and smoke was everywhere, so the two brave boys couldn’t see a thing in front of their eyes. Luckily, they felt the man on the ground and managed to pull him out of the house. Ambulance arrived just as Tarlton was taken out and according to reports, he is still in a critical condition.
“I wish him the best recovery, and I’m praying for his friends and family,” said Harvey. Tre added, “I don’t say I’m a superhero, but I’m human. I help when I can help.”
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The whole community praised these young people for their courage. They did the unthinkable when they decided to risk their own lives for the sake of stranger’s.
Dubbed “The King of Comedy,” actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian Jerry Lewis had a very successful career which spanned almost eight decades and was under the spotlight practically his whole life.
Lewis was born Joseph Levitch on March 16, 1926, in Newark, New Jersey, to a Jewish family. Having parents who were part of the showbiz industry, it wasn’t surprising that Lewis opted for such a career himself. In fact, he showed interest in the theater at a very young age and knew singing and acting would become his calling.
When Lewis was just 19 years old, he met someone who would help determine his path towards glory, “The King of Cool,” Dean Martin.
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Speaking of their first encounter, Lewis told Today back in 2005: “I turn and I see this handsome guy in a camel’s hair coat. You can die from how handsome he was, sporting his new nose. And we became very friendly. He looked like he needed a friend and I certainly did. And that was really the start.”
Martin & Lewis soon became the most famous duo in the country. “They were very attractive-looking guys, and before that you had duos like Laurel and Hardy and Abbot and Costello and Olson and Johnson. Then Martin and Lewis came along and they were just so different than any of those guys,” said Singer Steve Lawrence speaking to People in 2017, the year Lewis died.
However, on their 10th year anniversary, the duo split and it took them 20 years to reunite again, as it was reported the terms under which they put an end to their collaboration were bitter.
The reunion was described by People as “forced and uncomfortable.”
For 55 years, Lewis was a national chairman and spokesman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The telethon fundraisers that he conducted during Labor Day Weekend every year helped raise $1.46 billion to fight the disease since Lewis started it in 1966.
The comedian was married twice. From his first marriage with singer Patti Palmer, which lasted for 36 years, Lewis had 6 children, one of which was adopted. After their divorce was finalized in 1983, Daily Mail reported that Palmer claimed her ex-husband “displayed an open disregard for our marriage,” and asked for $450,000 in support.
Shortly after, Lewis married his second wife, dancer SanDee Pitnick. They adopted daughter Danielle Sara Lewis in 2004 and stayed together until Lewis’ death.
Jerry Lewis has his hand & footprints set in cement in the forecourt of the TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood. Source: Shutterstock
The singer and actor suffered from various diseases, among which prostate cancer and diabetes. He also had an open-heart surgery and his death was caused by heart failure.
What left many in disbelief is that the star left everything he owned to his second wife and their daughter. His sons weren’t included in his will. According to Forbes, the will stated: “I have intentionally excluded Gary, Ronald, Anthony, Christopher, Scott, and Joseph and their descendants as beneficiaries of my estate, it being my intention that they receive no benefits.”
Danielle Lewis, Jerry Lewis, SanDee Pitnick arrives at the Premiere Of “Method To The Madness Of Jerry Lewis” at Paramount Studios Theater on December 7, 2011 in Los Angeles, CA Source: Shutterstock
After his death, his sons spoke of their relationship with their late father, with Anthony accusing him of years of physical and emotional abuse.
“When he would show up and park right in front of the big front door, my mom would get on the intercom and say, ‘Your father is home!’ We scattered. We could never predict his behavior on a given day,” Anthony told Inside Edition. “He was emotionally abusive every day.”
Alongside the allegations, Anthony said he was sorry he didn’t get to spend any one-on-one time with his father and didn’t tell him how much he loved him.
The good thing about being a celebrity isn’t just the attention by the wide public and the status, but also the influence and the ability to change the things for the better.
In fact, many famous people do support different causes and fund different projects that aim to improve the life of those who are less fortunate, and we are deeply thankful for their commitment.
One of these people is actor Ashton Kutcher. He’s not only loved by millions because of his great looks and incredible acting skills, but because of his heart of gold, too.
President @realDonaldTrump “vowed to fight for the forgotten men and women of this country—and there are few that are more voiceless and more forgotten and really in the shadows than those who have been victimized repeatedly and trafficked,” @IvankaTrump said. pic.twitter.com/mgXisFg9oL
Back in the day, when he was married to actress Demi Moore, the two founded Thorn: Digital Defenders of Children. This organization aims at identifying and rescuing child sex trafficking victims, and since 2012, it helped rescue around 6,000 humans.
Kutcher is very much dedicated to the organization and can proudly say that together with the law enforcement, it helped identify 5,984 child sex trafficking victims, and rescued 103 children from “situations where their sexual abuse was recorded and distributed.” At the same time, Kutcher’s organization helped track down 6,608 perpetrators.
Speaking to 48 Hours, the That ’70s Show star said: “What we do at our core is we build technology to help fight sexual exploitation of children. You can roll up your sleeves and go try to be like a hero and go save one person, or you can build a tool that allows one person to save a lot of people.”
In 2017, Kutcher was invited to speak in front of the Congress. In his speech, he urged the Congress to take more active role in the prevention of sex trafficking and help vulnerable children and women.
“I’m here today to defend the right to pursue happiness. It’s a simple notion: ‘the right to pursue happiness,’” the actor, model and enterprener said.
“It’s bestowed upon all of us by our constitution. Every citizen of this country has the right to pursue it. And I believe that it is incumbent on us as citizens of this nation, as Americans, to bestow that right upon others, upon each other, and upon the rest of the world. But the right to pursue happiness for so many is stripped away — it’s raped, it’s abused, it’s taken by force, fraud, or coercion. It is sold for the momentary happiness of another.”
However, as a huge number of people praise him for what he does, there are also those who say he should “stick to his job,” that of acting. Answering to these individuals, he brought up a case and said:
“I’ve seen video content of a child that’s the same age as mine being raped by an American man who was a sex tourist in Cambodia, and this child was so conditioned by her environment that she thought she was engaging in play.”
“I’ve been on the other end of a phone call from my team, asking for my help because we had received a call from the Department of Homeland Security, telling us that a 7-year-old girl was being sexually abused and that content was being spread around the dark web and she had been being abused and they’d watched her for three years, and they could not find the perpetrator, asking us for help.
“We were the last line of defense—an actor and his foundation was the potential last line of defense. That’s my day job, and I’m sticking to it.”
Thank you Ahston Kutcher for everything you do. You change one life at a time and we are all forever grateful to you and your organization.
Dwarfism can be a result of either genetics or a number of medical conditions. People with dwarfism have short stature and the average height of those who have this condition is 4 feet. Besides this, dwarfism can also be characterized with average-size torso and very short limbs, especially in the upper halves of arms and legs, limited elbow mobility, disproportionately large head, prominent forehead, flattened bridge of the nose, and more.
The thing is that people with dwarfism are no different than those who don’t share this condition. They function on their own and their restricted growth doesn’t affect their intelligence. In fact, they lead fulfilling lives.
However, their appearance can sometimes be a reason for stares on the streets, and that’s something that can easily affect their self-confidence.
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Rilee is a 5-year-old girl with dwarfism who is doing something incredibly beautiful to fight the stereotypes about her looks. How she does it? By dancing.
For the Dwarfism Awareness Month, October, Rilee’s parents posted a video of her moving to the rhythm of Taylor Swift’s popular hit single “Shake It Off.” Needless to say, she does it in a perfect manner and gathers the attention of many.
There are also mean comments coming from the mouths of mean people about this cute girl. We, however, believe she’s doing an awesome job trying to raise awareness.
You can take a look at her lovely performance in the video below. Please share it with your friends to help Rilee achieve her goal and have people informed about dwarfism.
When I didn’t have children myself, I had this feeling that moms and dads out there just exaggerate whenever I would have heard them speaking of their kids and how happy and proud they were of them.
The truth is that the moment I embraced my bundle of joy, I started realizing that children really are the reason to live and be the best version of yourself once you welcome them in your life.
Kids can be a reason to cry and to smile, and sometimes, they are able to trigger both these feelings at the same time. Knowing that it was you who created that sweet little creature makes your heart fill with a dose of joy and excitement whenever you look at them.
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Yes, kids can make you angry at times, especially when they misbehave and want to do things their own way because they believe they are old enough to make their own decisions, but that’s nothing compared to the smiles they treat you with every single day and the comfort you feel in their embrace.
My children are the greatest gift I have ever received and I can’t thank God enough for choosing me to be their mother.
I wish every person out there to feel the joy of being called a mom or a dad, because those are the words you can never put price on.
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Here are some brilliant thoughts of some even more brilliant minds who make our days a bit brighter and a bit better. This is why we love these tiny creatures so much. Just try not to laugh.
1. “Stay away from prunes.” Randy, 7 years old.
2. “When your mom is angry at your dad, don’t let her brush your hair.” Talia, 9 years old.
3. “Never trust a dog to guard your food.” Patrick, 10.
4. “Do not pull your dad’s finger when he asks you to.” Emily, 7 years old.
5. “Permanent markers can’t be used as lipstick.” Lauren, 9.
6. “Never tell your mom that her diet is not working.” Michael, 11 years old.
7. “Never mess with your sister when she’s holding a baseball bat.” Robert, 10.
8. “If you want a cat, start by asking for a horse.” Naomi, 9 years old.
9. “If your dad is angry and asks ‘Do I look so stupid?’, Don’t answer.” Michael, 11.
10. “If you got a bad grade in school, show it to mom when she’s talking on the phone.” Ellen, 11 years old.
Dancing is said to liberate the soul. Moving to the rhythm of our favorite music gives us a feeling that we own the world and increases the levels of our happiness to a certain extent.
Now, some people are natural talents, but those of us who are not experts are allowed to dance as well, of course. In fact, I have always loved watching professional dancers excelling complex routines. That is why I immediately fell for the video below which shows two cousins dancing “joropo.” This words stands for “party” and the dance style incorporates elements of the European and the African culture.
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Both the boy and the girl are three years old and are very skilled. They are from Venezuela, where the video is taken.
As they take the “dance floor,” all eyes are on them. The little girl’s spins and twirls only add to the beauty of their routine.
This dance took place years ago, but the video of it was posted on YouTube in 2017. It doesn’t really come as a surprise that it has been seen over 8.8 million times so far. This is definitely something you don’t want to miss.
Just another proof that Christmas is the time of miracles and of wishes come true is this sweet story that comes from Houston.
On Christmas Eve, a mom and dad-to-be were eagerly waiting for their child to arrive into the world. However, after the woman’s water broke and they called an ambulance to help her get to the hospital, things turned a bit worrying. Namely, the weather was pretty bad and the temperatures reached 4 degrees Celsius, so the couple wasn’t sure whether they would make it there on time or not.
On Christmas Eve 2020, at 2222 hours, the crew of HFD Engine 5 delivered a healthy baby girl at a couple’s home while waiting for an ambulance. (Picture posted with permission of family.) Thanks for photo, Andy Williamson. pic.twitter.com/CY1ORCG7eF
Luckily, the firefighters from the Houston department were the first to arrive in the home of the expecting couple. As the bundle of joy couldn’t wait to meet her parents, the firefighters decided it would be for the best if they deliver the baby in the house.
At exactly 10:22 p.m. on Christmas Eve, the mom and dad received the greatest gift of all. Their little girl was born healthy.
The photo of the heroic firefighters and the proud parents was soon shared on the department’s Twitter and people were fast to comment how it was one of the cutest photos ever, with one person writing: “Excellent! Super proud of HFD!” Another person added: “Awesome HPD! Congratulations, what a blessing. Would love to date one of those guys.”
On Christmas Eve 2020, at 2222 hours, the crew of HFD Engine 5 delivered a healthy baby girl at a couple’s home while waiting for an ambulance. (Picture posted with permission of family.) Thanks for photo, Andy Williamson. pic.twitter.com/CY1ORCG7eF
We are happy for the couple and we would love to congratulate them on the new addition to the family. If Santa was about to pick a present for them, he wouldn’t have picked a better one himself.
A heartbreaking story of a boy abandoned by his own mother for eight days in a cockroach infested apartment with no water or electricity comes from Moscow, Russia.
10-year-old Mikhail was starved and scared, but he still defended his mother. Namely, when she left the place, she told her boy she would take the dog for a walk, but it wasn’t until eight days later that she finally decided to get back home and check on Mikhail.
Mum left son, 10, locked in their home with just rice to eat for eight days https://t.co/dBvVi90ZF8
He didn’t have anything to eat. There was only dry rice in the house that he couldn’t possibly cook, so he was forced to call for help with the remaining strength. The neighbors heard the cries and managed to lower some food to him from the above balcony, but didn’t call the authorities because Mikhail begged them not to. They, however, waited for another day and then called the police. It was five days that the boy spent locked and alone. He was taken to the hospital for a check-up and his mother got home three days after her son was saved.
“I cannot imagine how the child managed to survive five days there,” said a neighbor, Dmitry, who witnessed the officers braking the door to the filthy apartment. “There are a lot of cockroaches, flies everywhere, an appalling smell.”
Boy, ten, is locked in his cockroach-infested Moscow home alone for eight days with no food or water https://t.co/H1hD7nzRy6
31-year-old Natalya Azarenkova refused to tell the authorities where she was for eight days and why she left her son locked and untended. She now faces prison time and being separated from Mikhail for good. However, she believes she’s not guilty of endangering her boy’s life and was reported to have said: “I need my son, I want to fix everything.”
The Phantom of the Opera is the longest running show in Broadway history, reaching 10,000 Broadway performances in February 2012.
The musical is a true masterpiece and is based on the 1910 French novel of the same name by Gaston Leroux. The music for it was written by incredible Andrew Lloyd Webber, a composer who has created the music for a number of worldwide famous musicals, including Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, and Evita.
Wikimedia Commons
New York Times spoke of him as “the most commercially successful composer in history,” while The Daily Telegraph ranked him the “fifth most powerful person in British culture.”
The plot of the famous Phantom of the Opera revolves around a stunningly beautiful soprano, Christine Daaé, and the mysterious man who lives in the subterranean labyrinth beneath the Paris Opéra House and is obsessed with Christine thus does all in his power to make her the central role of the company and make her the prima donna.
YouTube
The role of Christine in the musical was initially written and played by Webber’s wife Sarah Brightman.
In fact, she and Antonio Banderas performed the incredible piece of music together many years ago, but the video of their performance has recently been posted on the YouTube channel Show Must Go On, where it reached over 8.6 million views.
YouTube
Their singing and on-stage act is so perfect, we can watch it over and over again. Take a look at it below.
Some people are so talented that they take our breath away. Meet Jacob Tolliver, a virtuoso who seems was born to play the piano. Some people learned of Jacob from the viral video of him playing Whole Lotta Shakin’ at a hardware store on a partially functional instrument.
His incredible skills amazed millions of people who just couldn’t believe how someone could sound so awesome.
Jacob started playing the piano when he was in third grade and never stopped ever since.
In 2013, Jacob, who was just 19 at the time, was selected to play the role of Jerry Lee Lewis, “The Killer,” in the Las Vegas production of “Million Dollar Quartet.” He was also part of Season XIV of American Idol.
YouTube
In fact, many agree he sounds exactly like the famous pianist, Jerry Lewis, who is said to be the “rock & roll’s first great wild man and one of the most influential pianists of the twentieth century.”
Jacob, however, says he never intended to copy anyone, he only wants for the genre to stay alive. Speaking to SO BOOKING COOL! the young pianist said: “The man [Lewis] truly is a genius. He’s 83 and he’s at the point in his life where I think he’d love to see somebody wanting to keep [rock ‘n’ roll] alive and keep it going ‘cause it is really great music.”
Listening to this talented young man playing is pure pleasure. Check him out below.
Being a parent means being there for your kids all the time. However, the truth is that no matter how caring moms and dads out there are, it sometimes takes a second of not looking for things to turn for the worse.
Recently, the 911 dispatch center of the Sterling Heights Police Department got a call about a baby that choked on something and became unresponsive. Luckily, a patrolling car was near the baby’s house and Officer Cameron Maciejewski responded to the call.
Source: YouTube/CBS News
He rushed to the place and the moment he stopped the car, he saw a mother in distress carrying her baby in her arms and a bunch of family members begging him to help the little girl. Officer Maciejewski took the baby in his hands and as he was trying to calm everyone down, he performed a life-saving technique.
The quick-thinking officer flipped the chocking baby on her stomach and performed thrusts, thus managed to dislodge whatever was chocking the helpless 3-week-old girl.
Source: YouTube/CBS News
The moment the mother realized her baby daughter was breathing again, she fell on the ground and couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her face. It was a huge relief to hear that the little one had her pulse back.
The police department was proud of the officer’s quick act, so they took to Facebook to praise him for the life he saved. “If it wasn’t for Ofc. Maciejewski’s quick, calm, lifesaving actions, the outcome of this incident could have been tragically different. Not only did the officer save the baby, but the officer did an outstanding job consoling the family.”
Source: Facebook/Sterling Heights Police Department
The whole act was caught on camera and the huge number of people who have seen it agree that what Officer Maciejewski did was incredible.
The baby’s family didn’t give interview to the media due to a language barrier but they did say they were extremely grateful.
Source: Facebook/Sterling Heights Police Department
Officer Maciejewski, who is with the department for less than two years and is a very humble man, said: “If I start freaking or if I can’t handle myself or maintain my cool, then that just escalates everything for the family, and I mean as you saw in the video, there were lots of family there.”
We are all thankful to this officer for saving the life of the sweet baby. You can check his brave act in the video below.
What would you do if you inherit a 200-year-old cottage placed in the heart of Ireland’s breathtakingly beautiful countryside? Sell it and get yourself something in the city or embrace the rural life and renovate it? A man named Jack Shelly opted for the latter and now his renovating project of his late grandfather’s cottage is very popular on the social media.
Jack decided to give this old building a completely new look and he’s very close to finishing his and his dad’s DIY project.
Source: Facebook
Jack’s grandpa bought the cabin back in 1950 at the age of 29 and lived there until his death in 2010. Ever since, the cottage was sort of abandoned and no one took care of it. Until Jack decided to do a complete transformation in 2020.
Speaking of the cottage, Jack said: “So, my father, his parents, and his five brothers and sisters grew up in this two-bedroom house. With no insulation and singled-glazed windows.”
Source: Facebook
With a budged of $30,000 and plenty of ideas on mind, Jack decided he will no longer let his property deteriorate. “My father and I began clearing it out and getting rid of anything that wasn’t needed. When the clearing out was finished it was time to start with the actual renovation,” he said.
Source: Facebook
What’s best is that he posts videos of the renovation process on his TikTok account and people love it. They can’t wait to see the final results. Well, so as we.
Source: Facebook
“It was around this time that I started documenting the journey on TikTok and Instagram. This video went viral and I got 45,000 followers in 24 hours. I have been documenting the whole journey in detail since and have really enjoyed interacting with people through these platforms,” Jack said.
Who doesn’t love magic? Whenever I watch magicians do their tricks I can’t help but wonder how they do it, but as we all know, they never reveal their secrets, right? Well, unless they fail to hide how they do it, just like the floating silver man from the video below.
It shows the silver man getting ready for his act at the center of London, showing his equipment and all the effort it takes for him to look the way he does.
People gather around him to see him floating and doing his act. Now, although I got an idea of how his trick is done, I still want to see him doing it in person. It looks pretty awesome, don’t you think so?
Take a look at the video below, and if you still don’t seem to figure it out, there some additional links.
This is the story of the rich life of Mr. Esmond Allock who has 71 descendants, among which the youngest Esmond, his namesake who is actually his great-great-grandson. Mr. Allock who was born outside of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, is 108 years old.
Jenna, baby Esmond’s mother, says she was lucky to have a person like her great-grandfather in her life, for he is indeed a really special person who was worth for her son to be named after him.
Jenna Lehne
She remembers spending fun time with him when she was just a little girl. While she was learning to walk, she would make the lovely man hold her hands and help her put one leg in front of the other in order to take her very first steps. She recalls crawling up to him and saying “Walk, Walk” and that would be enough for her great-grandfather to take her in his arms.
When Jenna was pregnant with her second child she learned that he told his wife, Jenna’s great-grandmother, how he had so many descendants but no one would name their children after him. He seemed to be a bit devastated because of that, so Jenna knew exactly what to do. She told her husband she wanted to name their son after the great-grandfather and the husband liked both the idea and the name.
Jenna Lehne
When the baby was born, they couldn’t wait for the namesakes to meet for the first time. Jenna was excited because of the meeting because she knew it would be something special. The most unusual thing was the age gap of 107 years between these two people Jenna loved the most.
Jenna Lehne
When they arrived at the house, the elderly man felt instant affection towards the sweet baby, although he had difficulties remembering Jenna. After she tried to explain to him who she was, he recalled the days he spent with his ‘walk walk’ girl.
Jenna Lehne
His wish of a baby to be named after him was fulfilled and he was happy beyond words. He made sure they knew how much that meant to him, but he was not aware how much it actually meant to Jenna.
Jenna Lehne
The two Esmonds meeting for the first time is one of those moments in life that are cherished forever. Jenna can’t wait for the next meeting with the lovely man who made her childhood memorable and fun.
Becoming a parent has to be the greatest blessing from God. Getting to hold a tiny human you gave life to in your hands gives you a sense of warmth, joy, and excitement.
When 25-year-old David Hulley of Stockport, England became a father for the second time, he couldn’t be happier. He waited in anticipation to meet his newborn son whom he loved to the moon and back.
David is a caring father who enjoyed spending time and taking care of his little ones. That day wasn’t any different than the rest. The new father was lying on the couch with the baby and the two fall asleep. It wasn’t until David woke up that he realized the devastating truth.
PHOTO: Pixabay (The baby in the picture has nothing to do with the event)º–
Four-week-old Karson Winter-Hulley seemed to be perfectly safe and comfortable in his dad’s arms. As the young dad told The Sun:
“He seemed to calm down and snuggled in to me. I was comforting him whilst the bottle warmed up, I was just admiring him and amazed by him.”
“He went off to sleep and I fell asleep with him on the sofa. I wasn’t fully lying down, I was right up against the back and he was on my arm. I just dozed off.”
Two hours later David realized little Karson was unresponsive.
He started panicking and did everything in his power to wake his boy up, but it was too late.
“I ran upstairs and said to Beverly I think something’s wrong with him. Beverly tried kissing his mouth but she couldn’t feel anything. We called an ambulance and they tried to resuscitate him.”
The panic-stricken parents heard what they feared most. The baby was dead.
The reason behind this heartbreaking loss crushed Karson’s mom and dad.
Doctors said that the newborn suffered from Sudden Infant Death syndrome (SID) which is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old.
There was nothing wrong with the baby before he fell asleep. Doctors can’t explain the reason behind SID and are unaware of what may the cause of it be, but they do suggest some steps that may help in preventing it from happening, such as putting the baby to sleep on their back and on a firm bed without any toys around, no smoking in the room where the baby sleeps, breastfeeding as long as possible, using a pacifier to put them to sleep, and preventing the babies from overheating by dressing them in light and comfortable clothes during the night.
Pathologist Melanie Newbold said:
“He was quite a small baby for his age. He had no outside injuries or marks and was perfectly normal. He had signs of a common cold, but he was well until he died.”
Our thoughts and prayers go to the grieving family. Rest in peace little Karson.
