Every parents’ dream is their children to be happy and healthy. Sadly, there are things in life that we don’t have control over, and that includes diseases.
Tommy Calder is a sweet young boy with Down Syndrome who was diagnosed with leukemia on February 18, 2018. The moment his parents Robert and Tina learned the devastating news, they felt like their world collapsed, but at the same time, they knew they had to stay strong for their boy and be by his side every step of the way.
It took a lot of sacrifice and almost three years for Tommy to kick the cancer’s ass, but he and his parents ended up winners.
The moment Tommy started receiving his treatments, dad Robert quit his job so that they could travel for two hours from Warren, Minnesota to the Roger Maris Cancer Center in Fargo countless of times.
During the whole time, Tommy showed he’s one of the bravest young boys there are. “He’s very tough. When he walks in this door, they have an iPad waiting for him because they know all they have to do is give him that iPad and he lets them do whatever,” his mom told KVRR News. “I don’t think he has ever cried once,” his dad added.
KVRR News
As the treatments cost a lot of money, a friend of the family started a GoFundMe page on the behalf of dad Robert which described Tommy as a beautiful soul and an enthusiastic drummer.
It explained the burden the family was feeling and asked from those moved by Tommy’s story to step in and donate. It also read, “I met Tommy’s father, Robert through our “Band of Brothers” page for fathers of children with Down syndrome. His obvious love and wholehearted inclusion of little Tommy really touched my heart as serendipity brought us together as family with a love in common.”
KVRR News
Finally, almost three years later, the family’s biggest dream came true. Their little boy, but a big fighter and a hero, has been cancer free. Tommy got to ring the hospital bell and spread the good news.
The parents thanked everyone involved in their son’s fight against the disease, especially the kind doctors and nurses. “This hospital has been amazing. Everybody from the doctors to the nurses to Child Life. They are spectacular,” Robert said. “We couldn’t think of a better place for him to get treatment.”
We are very happy for the family and hope Tommy will have an awesome childhood.
After the successful operations by the U.S. Marshals in the past months during which a great number of children were saved from the hands of sex traffickers, our heroes yet again give us great news and make us proud of them and their work.
During the operation “Autumn Hope,” 45 children were located and rescued. 169 arrests were made by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and U.S. Marshals with the help of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio, Peter C. Tobin, said, “My thanks to all personnel who have stepped up for this operation. These are the same personnel who hunt down violent fugitives every day. I’m incredibly proud of them and pleased that they were able to apply those same skills to finding missing children. I know Operation Autumn Hope has made a difference in a lot of young lives.”
US Marshals rescue 45 missing children and 109 human trafficking survivors in ‘Autumn Hope’ operation https://t.co/97Ek9LIbBh
In August of this year, 40 missing children were saved by U.S. Marshals during sex trafficking bust in Georgia. All of the children involved in the operation “Not Forgotten” were taken to a safe place and no longer need to fear for their lives. A month later, in September, there were two more successful operations reported.
Operation “Safety Net” resulted in 25 children aged 13 to 18 to be located and saved in Ohio. What followed was operation “Triple Beam”in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma during which 262 suspects were arrested and five children were rescued.
We are very thankful for the effort and the hard work by the U.S. Marshals who make such a huge change in the lives of innocent children who were kidnapped.
This is one of those stories that will warm your heart and remind you how there are angels disguised in humans among us, and 58-year-old Linda Trepanier is definitely one of them. This Minnesota nurse went an extra mile when it came to taking care for two of her patients, the twin babies born with a rare genetic condition known as Pfeiffer syndrome.
Having three biological children and three grandchildren on her own, being a foster parent to 16 other children over the years, and an adoptive parent of three, this fierce lady is really one-of-a-kind. With her experience in bringing up so many kids, she knew she was the right person who could help in the case of the sweet twins.
Pfeiffer syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by the premature fusion of certain skull bones which prevents the skull from growing normally and affects the shape of the head and face.
Babies Marshal and Matthew were diagnosed with this syndrome right after they were born. The condition also affected their breathing.
After the Child Protective Services found the newborns’ parents not fit to keep the babies under their wing, they were placed into foster care with Trepanier, who was well aware they needed around the clock attention.
Regarding her decision to foster Marshal and Matthew, this fairy grandmother says how she gets comments from people who tell her how she should retire and enjoy her life instead of dedicating her days to special needs kids. Trepanier’s answer to these remarks is that she loves these boys so much that she would never even think leaving their side.
“When I first saw the twins, I thought they were the most adorable babies I’ve ever seen,” said Trepanier.
“They had big heads and tiny bodies. As soon as I saw them, I fell in love. I knew in myself that these boys were mine.”
By the time the boys turned three, Trepanier had already adopted them and now they are officially her sons. She says how she was first offered to adopt one of them, but even the though of separating them was killing her.
Trepanier takes the boys’ temperature every few hours and constantly monitors their breathing tubes. This may sound like a quite a lot of work, which really is, but this lady says seeing her boys smile makes her forget of all the struggles. She also hopes that over time their condition would improve and they would be able to lead normal and independent lives.
“I feel blessed that I can make the lives of these children better,” said Trepanier. “It’s a really hard job but seeing them happy makes me happy too.”
Everyone who gets around the twins should make sure they are completely healthy since the boys are prone to infections.
So far, they have undergone three head surgeries.
“I just fell in love with them. I knew in my heart that they were my boys,” Trepanier said. “People struggle to understand. They say, ‘Oh, those kids are going to tie you down.’”
Despite their health condition, Marshal and Matthew are happy kids who spend their days laughing and having lots of fun.
A lot of times people feel the urge to share their deepest emotions with complete strangers and soothe their soul. This way they feel like their pain is out there, free and walking out of their body, until they realize the naked truth that grief doesn’t just fade away. But, at least someone heard how harsh life was towards them.
One young mother shared her life story with Love What Matters and left many crying over her ordeal.
On that fateful day, nothing could prepare Angela Menci for what was coming. She was staying home with her kids when her husband Gare called her on the phone asking from her to go and pick him up. The 39-year-old dentist was in the middle of a procedure of a root canal when he felt “off.” He though he was experiencing a heart attack and made it clear the situation was urgent.
Angela quickly put her kids inside her car and headed towards her husband’s practice, praying nothing was really wrong with him. But luck wasn’t on her side on this one. They rushed to the hospital where he was admitted.
After spending hours waiting for some news on his condition, doctor’s finally informed her how he had a tear in his aorta. She remembers how they described his case as “catastrophic.”
This came as a shock to Angela who had to deliver the news of his state to her husband herself. She asked from a friend to come and pick her kids up and did her best to pull herself together before entering Gare’s room.
“My husband was conscious, I had to deliver the news to him. His job now was to remain calm and keep his heart rate from elevating. The more it pumped, the more he bled out. He couldn’t freak out but that didn’t stop me from falling to the floor and crying as hospital personnel walked around me.”
As doctors couldn’t do anything, they suggested he was transferred to a hospital in Portland.
“It was determined he would need to be life-flighted to a hospital in Portland, more equipped for the severity of his surgery. Sam, the life-flight nurse grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me straight in the eyes. He told me that his job was to keep Gary alive. He told me he was great at his job and he had confidence in delivering my husband safely to skilled surgeons that would fix him. He took my number and promised to update me from the flight.”
Both Angela and Gare were aware things didn’t look good. But there was always a spark of hope throughout the whole time.
After four hours on the road, Angela was about to arrive at the hospital. The life-nurse kept her updated as promised and even let her to talk to her husband and remind him how much she loved him. Sadly, that would be the last time she gets to say those words to Gare.
Once there, two nurses were getting out of Gare’s room crying. Angela’s heart broke into a million pieces. She feared the worst, but they told her how he was still in surgery. They couldn’t tell her for sure whether he would survive it or not.
Eight long hours that resembled eternity passed before she got some good news. But the joy didn’t last long.
“I pressed the nurses’ button and they came out to tell me that the surgery was successful and that they would be bringing him up to the ICU. I jumped up and down and cried tears of joy. He is okay! He is going to live!”
The surgeon came out and said what she feared the most. After they administered the anesthesia, his aorta tore completely and he spent 5 minutes without oxygen. Gare was brain-dead.
“The nurses tried to prepare me for what I would see when I entered the room. I appreciated their efforts but nothing can prepare you to see your sweet, loving husband laying there ventilated, swollen and unconscious. They told me that hearing is the last thing to go so to talk to him, tell him to keep fighting. I sat next to his lifeless body and encouraged him to keep fighting, that I would never be okay without him.”
The chain of bad events wasn’t about to end. Devastating news came from Angela’s mother. Her sister passed away.
“My mom showed up and she was hysterical. I thought to myself, ‘pull yourself together, I need you to be strong and support me.’ She immediately pulled me out into the hall and said, ‘Your sister died last night.’ What. It took a few minutes before my brain could register the words my mom was speaking. I walked back into the room and screamed ‘MY SISTER DIED!’ and I chucked a cup of water across the room. A wave of relief washed over me as I thought now that my sister is gone, there was no way God would take my husband too.”
Unfortunately, this woman lost two people she loved the most on the same day. Was this really happening?
“I went into the hospital room as the neurologist performed multiple tests to check for brain activity. Tears filled the neurologist’s eyes as I looked at him and said, ‘He is gone, isn’t he?’ Yes. He was gone and I had to sign paperwork to take him off life support.”
His kids were there, saying the last goodbye to their father. It was a heartbreaking moment that made everyone cry.
“The image of those final moments with my children and their Dad will never leave me. It was the most heart wrenching part of this whole experience. They said goodbye and left the hospital. I climbed up on the bed and stroked his hair as the nurses turned the machines off. He was gone within minutes.”
As if life wasn’t cruel enough, Angela and her kids spent her youngest son’s first birthday at the funeral home.
Angela’s other sister offered her and her children a home.
“I don’t know why my husband and sister had to die. All I can do is have trust that God is here with me and is molding me to be the woman he knows that I can be. He gave me a wonderful sister and brother-in-law who immediately called and said they were finishing their basement into an apartment for me. Not only would I be living with them but they have been helping me raise my children. We have made our own little tribe.”
It’s hard, and it looks as if it’s not getting any easier, but life moves on. She has to be strong for her kids. She’s doing her best to be the best mother for them.
Many times, when we go through tough times and face certain obstacles, we turn to God and believe how our faith and love for the divine would help us overcome the issues. This is also true for those who suffer from certain illnesses such as cancer.
But the fact is that not everyone is religious, and not everyone finds comfort in practicing prayers.
After one nurse was fired from her job after she offered her Bible to a cancer patient, the question of whether we should ‘impose’ and offer our faith and beliefs to others has been raised.
Sarah Kuteh is a devoted Christian who trusts in the power of God. But did that gave her the right to make others share her beliefs? According to the Nursing and Midwifery Council, doing so, this nurse broke the code and the rules of her profession.
However, this wasn’t the first time for Kuteh to talk about faith in God to her patients. After Darent Valley Hospital found her behavior inappropriate, she got “sacked.” Kuteh believed she did nothing wrong and took the case to court, which ruled in the hospital’s favor.
Daily Mail reported that the patient said how Kuteh told him the way to reach God was through the words of Jesus. Below is the court’s statement.
“(She) told him she would give him her bible if he did not have one; gripped his hand tightly and said a prayer that was very intense and went ‘on and on’; and asked him to sing Psalm 23 [The Lord is My Shepherd] after which he was so astounded that he had sung the first verse with her. He described the encounter as ‘very bizarre’ and ‘like a Monty Python skit.”
Despite losing her job, Kuteh is certain her actions didn’t violate the code. On the contrary, she believes she was the one whose rights to express her religious beliefs were violated by the hospital.
A training plane that took off from Florida crashed down in a residential neighborhood in Foley, Alabama. Sadly, the two pilots lost their lived. Besides a house being damaged after the plane fell down and exploded and several vehicle being crashed, no civilians were injured.
Stars and Stripes
Navy instructor pilot Lt. Rhiannon Ross, 30, and her student, Coast Guard Ensign Morgan Garrett, 24, were on the training flight at the time of the accident. Navy officials are currently investigating but the reasons for the crash still remain unknown. The plane, Navy T-6B Texan II aircraft, could be controlled from either of its two seats.
Stars and Stripes
The Navy issued a statement expressing their condolences to the families of the killed pilots and wrote, “Their spirit, friendship, and devotion to their country will not be forgotten.”
“Local and Navy emergency personnel responded to the scene to secure the area and ensure the safety of the local community,” they added.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the tragically killed pilots. Rest in Peace and thank you for your service.
Little babies are super fun for a number of reasons. They do tend to change mood every now and then, but their naive actions often bring us to tears from laughing.
And when the little ones share their home with a pet, things get even better. Young children hanging out with cats and dogs has to be the best thing ever. The bond they are able to create with their furry pals is pure and sweet and they are likely to remain best friends for life.
YouTube
But as much as the four-legged companions are patient when their human siblings make them do things they are not happy with, smelling their poops is a big no, no. Well, at least for the doggo from the video below.
The baby and the dog are sitting together while mom is filming them. The sweet little boy is having a hard time pushing his turd, and once he’s done, the dog’s done tolerating the smell too, so he leaves the chair and lets the baby roll.
Mom finds this hilarious and shares it with the rest of us. Well, mommy, thank you for that, because this video really made us laugh.
Take a look at it below and make sure you share it with your friends.
“Parenting is the easiest thing in the world to have an opinion about, but the hardest thing in the world to do,” Matt Walsh once said. Honestly, everyone who has ever experienced the joy of being a parent would say this is true. Raising a child takes a lot of patience, wisdom, and devotion, and moms and dads are always more than willing to provide all that and even more to their little treasures.
One dad from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, named Albert showed the whole country that when their kids are in danger, parents get superpowers.
Source: YouTube – Inside Edition
As the family was having fun in their backyard gathered around the pool, 18-month-old Rocco was chasing after a colorful ball. While he was trying to reach it, he somehow managed to wander through the gate and get into the water. That’s when Albert went into action and jumped over the 4 foot tall fence to save his son. His reaction was quick and amazed many people. With all the people who were there, Rocco wasn’t in real danger as they all saw him entering the pool, but the way Albert’s instinct kicked in is worth all the praise.
Source: YouTube – Inside Edition
In fact, scientists can’t really explain how parents are able to do way more than they think they are capable of when it comes to saving their kids.
We have witnessed cases where mothers lift cars to save their trapped children and now we see Albert who jumped over a fence that tall. The thing is that this phenomenon can’t be researched because in this situations everything happens in an instant.
Source: YouTube – Inside Edition
Speaking of the incident, Albert said how he simply did what had to be done and didn’t think of anything but getting Rocco out of the water in time. “Anybody can do that. Anybody can jump over a fence, you know. A kid’s in trouble. You know, you’ve got to get to them as quickly as you possibly can,” he told Inside Edition.
Source: YouTube – Inside Edition
However, he wants to urge parents to never leave their little ones out of sight because kids are curious and can easily find themselves in trouble. “You just absolutely have to keep an eye on your kids. I don’t care what measures you put in place. Tragedy can happen,” he added.
You can take a look at this super dad’s incredible stunt in the video below and never forget to be extra cautious when supervising your kids.
Eliza Curby and her partner Ben had only been dating for three months when they received the news about Eliza’s pregnancy. Although it seemed a bit sudden and they felt pretty scared, the couple couldn’t be happier because they both dreamed of creating a family and having children.
They got ready for the big arrival and were eager to meet their first born child. Baby daughter Charlie was a happy and a healthy baby that brought joy into the life of her parents. Their days were filled with excitement and they were never bored.
However, just several weeks after giving birth, mommy Eliza started feeling odd. She knew something was wrong with her body but just couldn’t figure out what.
She shares their unusual love story with News.com:
“We fell pregnant with our first, Charlie, three months after we started dating!
Ben had always been super keen to become a father so we were over the moon at the thought of creating our own little family.
Needless to say the decision was taken out of his hands – I win!”
Being a mother meant the world to Eliza who believed her body was in the midst of something strange.
Instagram/curbye
She was experiencing dizziness and was feeling exhausted most of the time. At one moment she though she could be pregnant again but Charlie was only six weeks old so she convinced herself that her state was due to all the commitments she had such as taking care of the baby and the house, and running errands.
However, she couldn’t help by ponder over the fact that she could be expecting another baby. She even shared her thoughts with Ben.
“I was exhausted trying to figure out the ins and outs of being a mum, but about a month after having Charlie though I felt really, super exhausted.
Everyone told me it was sleep deprivation catching up with me but I was not convinced – I remember looking at Ben and saying, ‘I think I’m pregnant.’
He just laughed.”
Charlie had already turned their life upside down, so having more children that soon seemed like the craziest thing ever.
Instagram/curbye
But mothers’ instinct almost never fails them, and Eliza’s was telling her to buy some pregnancy tests in order to be able to learn what was really going on. And four tests later, her assumptions were confirmed. She is having another baby!
And if the couple thought this came as a surprise, wait until you see the shock on their faces when the doctor told them that there wasn’t one baby, but two. Yes, they were having twins.
She shared what happened in the doctor’s office that day with News.com:
“The technician seemed awkward and uncomfortable, before he finally said, ‘Look, it’s early days…. but…. I think there’s two.’
And it turns out there was!
I was so scared but secretly super excited – I think everyone has a secret desire for identical twins.”
Instagram/twingenuity
The second pregnancy went as smoothly as the first one, and at 36 weeks, the baby boys were delivered without any complications.
Jack Antony Richard and Wolfe George Harry were born in perfect, healthy condition – Ben, Eliza and Charlie were thrilled to meet the newest editions to their family!
Instagram/twingenuity
Having three children isn’t easy, especially when they are same age, but life is fun under the roof of this lovely family. The parents even started a blog they call “twingenuity” where they share fun stories of their every day life.
Instagram/twingenuity
Both Ben and Eliza are beyond grateful for their big family. They are the perfect example that we can’t always plan things ahead because God often has other plans. We are happy for this couple and we wish them only the best.
Kevin Grant is a sadistic 31-year-old man from Naugatuck, Connecticut, who doesn’t deserve to be called human. His twisted brain and abusive nature forced his step-son to go through hell while under his care. The poor boy’s mother, 29-year-old Kaitlin Elizabeth, witnessed the severe abuse and cruelty her son suffered on a daily basis and did nothing to prevent it.
The poor boy was forced to drink hot sauce until he vomited and was left to sleep in the laundry room and the garage for months.
He wasn’t even allowed to get outside in order to use the bathroom. Instead, the lunatic of a step-father made him urinate in his pants and forced him kneel on hard and uncooked rice and tacks for an entire day. In one occasion, when the little brother hurt his head after he fell on a table, his poor brother was grounded for no reason and was left to stand on his feet facing the wall for an entire week. He even ate in that position.
This was just a tiny bit of all the things the boy went through while sharing the house with the crazy step-father and his even crazier mother who watched the abuse taking place right before her eyes.
It has been reported how the boy would do push-ups until his fragile arms would completely give up. Once, Kevin put a bottle rocket into the boy’s mouth which caused him severe injuries.
Luckily, the suffering was put to an end on October 1, after the state Department of Children and Families got an anonymous tip about the abuse.
The Hartford Courant reported that Kevin has been arrested and charged with second-degree assault, intentional cruelty to persons, risk of injury to a child, second-degree reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct but was released by posing bail amount of $25,000. The careless mother was also charged with injury to a child, second-degree reckless endangerment and conspiracy to commit both intentional cruelty to persons and disorderly conduct. She posted bail amount of $10,000 and was also released. The two wrongdoers are to appear at court on November 1.
We honestly hope they will get the punishment they deserve and that’s long years behind bars.
Losing a parent means losing a part of you, especially when you are young and can’t understand why your mom or dad whom you love unconditionally are no longer around. The pain is enormous and seems like it won’t fade away no matter how much time passes by. Thankfully, during our heartbreak, we usually have kind people around us who help us overcome the grief eventually, if that’s even possible.
Kingston Technology is sharing a mini movie based on a true story that won’t leave anyone indifferent.
Watched by over 7.4 million people, this video is tugging at heartstrings.
Little Jerry lost his mom and he’s now asking from the officer on the other side of the line to help him find her in Heaven. Officer Lee picks up the call, not aware of the words he is about to listen to.
But how do you tell a five-year-old that their mother will never come back and she will never sing to them again? You just don’t.
Officer Lee tells Jerry to get a red balloon and write a message to his mom on a piece of paper and then let it fly high to the sky and reach her. Jerry buys plenty of red balloons and writes many heartbreaking messages, but they don’t go to his mom. So he calls Lee again, and what the officer does next will leave you in tears. His kind deed changes Jerry’s days and helps him ease his pain.
The video is something worth watching and sharing with others. Take a look at it below.
The gruesome murder of pregnant mother of two, Shanann, who was carrying a boy, and her two daughters Bella and Celeste which took place in 2018 is still shaking the whole country as new details emerged after Netflix aired the murder-based documentary American Murder: The Family Next Door.
The killer is the husband and father Chris Watts, who at the time of his family’s “disappearance” asked the public to help him find them and prayed for them to get back home safely knowing he murdered them mercilessly and dumped their bodies at an oil field.
Shanann’s relationship with her murder husband seemed like a normal one. She would often describe him like a caring father. Just months before she was killed, she wrote on Facebook, “He’s my rock! He takes care of us girls unconditionally! Thank you baby for holding down the fort this weekend! Love you,” according to The Sun.
Chris was charged with five counts of first-degree murder, three counts of tampering with a deceased human body, and one count of unlawful termination of pregnancy.
He pleaded guilty and received five life sentences. He’s currently serving prison time at the maximum-security prison in Wisconsin.
The reason behind the cold-blooded murder was Chris’ affair with his colleague, Nichol Kessinger. He believed his family was standing on his way to happiness with Nichol who claimed she wasn’t aware her boyfriend was expecting his third child and believed he and wife Shanann were separated. She only came forward with the affair after she learned Chris’ family “went missing.”
According to the documentary, Chris and Shanann got into a fight the night she was killed and he confessed to her there was another woman in his life. “In that fight he essentially confessed to having an affair, that he wanted a divorce. That it was pretty much over between them, and she had said something to the effect of, ‘well you’re not going to see the kids again.’ As a consequence of that conversation he strangled her to death,” said lawyer Steven Lambert who is representing the victim’s family, as reported by Mirror.
According to ABC7, Chris spoke of the killing from prison and recalled how his daughter Bella, who was 4 years old, saw him wrapping her mother’s body and asked, “What are you doing to mummy?” He continued, “I was just getting the sheet off the bed and she walked in, and she had her little pink blanket with her. She was like, ‘What’s wrong? What’s wrong with mommy?'”
Chris then took his wife’s dead body and put it into the car along with his two girls who were unaware of what was going on. Once at the oil field, Chris killed his younger daughter, 3-year-old Celeste, while Bella begged him not to do the same to her.
“He walks over and takes Cece’s favorite blanket and smothers her. At that point, Bella says: ‘Please, daddy, do not do to me what you just did to Cece,'” Lambert said.
Bella tried to escape, but she failed and was soon killed the way her mom and sister were. According to Daily Star, Bella bit her tongue as her dad suffocated her.
“Those are my kids, that’s my baby, I talk to them every night,” Chris told investigators from prison. “I don’t see how this could happen. Every time I see pictures of them I don’t know how this could have happened… Couldn’t have I just saved my girls’ life? Couldn’t I have done something? Why did I…I don’t know. Like this is my flesh and blood, this what…like, what I wanted all my life is to be a dad, to have kids and they love me… Nothing made sense. Like the oil tank, nothing made sense.”
Before he confessed to what he did, he claimed it was Shanann who killed her daughters and he then did the same to her, but he later said those were false accusations. His girlfriend Nicole has always claimed she had no involvement in the murders and has never been charged concerning the case.
Take a look at the Netflix’s documentary’s official trailer below and learn more of the case.
This situation has turned out to be an unexpected one!
Many have credited social media as an extremely powerful platform to connect people from all walks of life, and that is especially true for two mothers from Alabama – after an incident at their local movie theatre. The two women got to know each other personally after one of the women apologized for her daughters’ “rude and obnoxious” behavior via Facebook, days after the matter had happened.
Kyesha Smith Wood had allowed her son, daughter and step-daughter to go watch Cinderella at their local movie theater. However, the two girls were laughing and talking loudly throughout the movie, and even kicked Rebecca Boyd’s seat.
“I turned around and I said, ‘You know girls, we paid for this movie just like you did. Could you guys keep it down?’ They just laughed. After I spoke to them, they seemed to not care. They just laughed in my face,” Boyd recalls.
After the movie has ended, Wood’s son told her about his two sisters’ misconduct. This has led her to utilise social media to locate Boyd herself. Embarassed by her daughters’ behaviour, Wood has expressed her sincere apologies to make it up to Boyd and her daughter.
“After the movie she approached my girls and told them that her husband had been laid off and this was the last movie she would be able to take her daughter to for a while and my girls ruined that for her.”
Thanks to Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page where they had shared Wood’s post, the viral story has since generated more than 250,000 likes! Boyd then contacted Wood after seeing the shared post. After meeting Boyd in person, Wood also passed the apology letter which her daughters had written, along with some of their allowance meant for Boyd’s next movie trip. Since then, both families have even became great friends!
It’s very common for the children of celebrities to follow into their famous parents’ footsteps. But having a mom or a dad, or sometimes both, who are widely recognized for what they do can be both a curse and a blessing. People tend to believe that these children have it easy as they have someone who pushes them forward, but many times, they also feel the pressure to reach the success of their parents, which isn’t always easy.
Billy Joel, the creator of some of the most famous music hits ever, such as Piano Man, which became a top 20 single, New York State of Mind, Just the Way You Are, which earned him two Grammy’s for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, Uptown Girl, We Didn’t Start the Fire, and a lot more, is one of the best musicians the world knows of.
His album The Stranger, done in collaboration with well-known producer Phil Ramonewas ranked by the Rolling Stone Magazine at number 67 on its 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
So, getting even close to what this man has accomplished sounds quite impossible, but it looks like his daughter Alexa Ray Joel is on the right path to gain fame in the world of music herself.
Alexa was born on January 1, 1986. Billy and her mother, model Christie Brinkley met back in 1983 in the Caribbean paradise of St. Bart’s. The moment he laid eyes on the gorgeous blond, he immediately tried to impress her. “I tried to look like me on an album cover. I gave it every angle I could,” he told the Rolling Stone. However, things didn’t work that time. But when Christie’s boyfriend died in a tragic car accident, Billy met her in the Caribbean and the two became a couple.
They married on a yacht in New York Harbor.
Despite her parents being under the spotlight practically their whole lives, Alexa had a very normal childhood. But just when she was eight years old, they divorced. Although those were hard times for the family, they always remained close. Even today, all three of them own houses in Sag Harbor, New York.
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Alexa fell in love with music from very early age. She recalls her dad singing lullabies and playing the piano to her. “We would sit around and play music,” she said. “[Dad] would play piano, I would sing ‘Sound of Music,’ and mom would dress me up. I just had so much fun with them that I never got into the crazy party scene.”
“My best memories growing up are of putting on musicals with my mom and dad. Both of them are real hams; it was like vaudeville in East Hampton.”
Alexa attended the New York University as a musical theater student but decided to take a leave of absence to focus on her career.
“I mean, obviously, my parents are kind of a big deal so there was a lot of pressure there for me to kind of be seen in my own light and pave my own way,”, she said.
Shutterstock
In 2005, Alexa and her band performed all around the U.S. In 2007, she released her first independently distributed EP in 2007 and took part at many festivals such as Bonnaroo Music & Arts festival and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Since both she and her dad are musicians, it doesn’t come as a surprise that they perform together occasionally. “I learned about embracing all different genres as opposed to just getting attached to one. I just learned so much from him. He’s like a musical encyclopedia,” she said.
Alexa was also part of numerous fashion events in New York where she performed and interviewed celebrities and designers.
In 2008, she was on the cover of BELLA Magazine’s Beauty Issue. “I don’t like the idea of fashion having to be something you have to follow. You have to dress to empower yourself. That’s what it’s all about,” Alexa said.
There were rumors that she has undergone plastic surgeries and she slammed US Weekly for publishing about her. “The continuously-circulating rumors that I have had extensive ‘face-work’ and undergone breast-augmentation surgery is simply and entirely 100 percent false,” she wrote on Instagram. “The only thing I have ever had done is my nose, which I have always been completely candid, honest and open about.” She also added, “Obviously, I’m going to look different. It’s called ‘growing up’! I’m very sorry to disappoint everyone who wants to believe that I have had multiple surgeries, but that just simply isn’t true.”
34-year-old Alexa is engaged to restaurateur Ryan Gleason.
Back in 2017, when he proposed to her, she shared the news on Instagram and wrote, “So I was completely taken off-guard, dumbstruck, and shell-shocked- and FOR ONCE in my life, I had absolutely no words, and I couldn’t speak,” wrote Joel. “I just kept staring at this ridiculously exquisite ring — and he was just hysterically laughing at me!!!”
“He said to me: ‘Before I met you, my world was in black and white. You colored it in between the lines.’ It was the most beautiful thing anybody’s ever said to me. How could I possibly say no to that?!?!”
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Today, it looks like she’s back at the studio and focused on her music career again.
The job of servers at restaurants is many times underrated. Customers don’t realize that these people are doing their best each day to serve anyone as fast as possible, having a smile on their face all the time despite being tired from working long hours. Things get even harder when one works in busy places such as the famous New York City pizzeria Patsy’s which has been around for over 80 years. In fact, it is believed that Patsy’s is the first place to has ever offered pizza by slice.
One of the waiters working there is Armando Markaj.
Reddit.com
Recently, Markaj has been serving a woman named Karen and her daughter. Karen, an elderly lady, had no remarks on the service but was offended by the fact there were no enough photos of women among the photos on the walls of the celebrities who have dined there. She decided to ask her waiter why is it like that, to what he said smiling, “Well, summer is coming, probably women don’t like to eat pizza as much. You know, sense of humor.”
He then added that there were in fact photos of female celebrities who have visited the place, among which Barbara Walters, Christine Quinn, and the First Lady. But, according to Karen, that wasn’t much. In fact, she got so mad that she refused to leave Markaj a tip, and wrote on the bill, “Maybe women don’t tip either.”
When Markaj went to clean the table, he noticed the woman had left an envelope behind. When he opened it, he saw a check on $424,000 inside.
Markaj told the owner, Frank, about the check, and the two decided to wait for a couple of days as they were sure Karen would come back looking for it. But since that didn’t happen, they decided to track her down with the help of the social media. Karen learned her check was at the restaurant and went to pick it up. She was very thankful for what the waiter did. Although she refused to tip him for something which apparently wasn’t any of his fault, he still chose to give her her check back. “I’m glad we had it here for you. It would have been dramatic for a lot of people. She was in tears. She was super excited that someone had found it and kept it,” he said.
ABC7NY News
Karen offered Markaj money, but he refused them, and was only glad he did the right thing.
“Small details like this define us as humans – it’s just a small gesture,” he told ABC7NY News.
Speaking to what the waiter and the owner did for her, Karen said, “I’m so grateful that the insult that we gave him did not prevent him from doing the right thing.”
ABC7NY News
This story is a perfect reminder that we should treat everyone we meet in life nicely. Kindness doesn’t cost anything, but can change the life of many in an unexpected manner.
According to a research conducted in Lima, Peru, 7 out of 10 women experience sexual harassment on the streets by men who call them names as they walk past by. So, how do we put a stop to this careless and offensive behavior by the “stronger” sex?
It looks like the sporting goods company Everlast knows the answer. After spotting several men who offend women on the streets every day, they decided to do an experiment and involve the habitual harassers’ mothers into it.
The moms agreed to take part with the sole purpose of teaching their sons a lesson that no woman should ever feel a victim of their offensive words and acts. Believe it or not, the moms underwent a “transition” and got wigs and make-up after which they were asked to pass by their sons.
And as you assume already, the results are both concerning and hilarious. One of the harassers says “piggy” as his disguised mother walks past him. At the end they all got what they deserved.
This video is definitely a must watch. Check it out below.
The approval of euthanasia for terminally ill children under the age of 12 by the Dutch government has caused a stir among people not only from the country, but beyond. Before the rules were passed, there had been a debate that lasted for a couple of months, with some saying a child that young cannot be given a chance to choose to terminate their own life because they don’t even understand what they are doing. Others believed that children who are “suffering hopelessly and unbearably,” along with their parents’ consent could be approved for euthanasia.
Euthanasia for babies younger than a year old is already taking place in the Netherlands, and is now extended for terminally ill children younger than 12.
Dutch government approves plans to allow euthanasia for terminally ill children aged between one and 12 https://t.co/KiAhyR4Pkp
The conservative Christian parties were against the approval, but doctors and pediatricians were reported to be pushing the changes. Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said in a letter to the parliament, “The study shows that there is a need for active termination of life among doctors and parents of incurably ill children, who are suffering hopelessly and unbearably and will die within the foreseeable future.” thus revealed the government’s new plans to make provisions that cover children below the ages of 12.
In addition to the parents’ consent, at least two doctors must agree with the euthanasia upon perceiving the child’s health condition and determining the patient is experiencing “unbearable and endless suffering.”
Based on studies and research, the number of children affected with the new rules will be between 5 and 10 a year. These would be children who suffer from cancer or metabolic diseases which can’t be eased through palliative care.
#Netherlands will permit doctors to “euthanise” terminally ill children aged between one and 12, ostensibly only “terminally ill children who agonise with no hope, and unbearable suffering”. For now. https://t.co/MDS730wNOo
Referring to those studies, the Health Minister added, according to NL Times, that euthanasia will be provided to “a small group of terminally ill children who agonize with no hope, and unbearable suffering,” and “are without any prospect of improvement.”
When The Netherlands became the first ever country to implement law of euthanasia back in 2001, the then Health Minister said, “[Assisted suicide] is and remains a last resort that cannot be seen as an alternative for poor health care. Doctors have the right to refuse and patients have the right to choose euthanasia.”
The Dutch government has agreed on plans to make euthanasia legal for terminally-ill children under the age of 12. https://t.co/F2Jnpmur5O
Referred to as the “Queen of Pop” and regarded as one of the most influential figures in pop-culture, Madonna only moved up in her career throughout the years and is still the idol of many generations.
However, of all her roles she has had in her life, she seems to love that of a mother the most.
Photo: Wikimedia
Madonna has six children. While she was dating boyfriend Carlos Leon, she got pregnant with her eldest child, daughter Lourdes Leon whose resemblance to her super-star mother is uncanny. At the time the world learned their favorite artist was going to have a baby, they went crazy and everyone was eager to see the little bundle of joy.
In 2000, Madonna married director Guy Ritchie with whom she had son Rocco.
When the couple divorced, Rocco was just eight years old and was forced to live in Britain and the States. He followed his mother on her tours but complained how she didn’t have much time for him as she was busy with her professional life. Eventually, he moved to London permanently after his dad got the custody over him. Today, however, the relationship between Madonna and Rocco is better and they are close again.
Two weeks ago, she posted a photo of him for his birthday and wrote “I Love You more than you will ever know.”
During her divorce with Ritchie, Madonna visited an orphanage in Malawi where she met little David Banda whom she adopted. She also adopted another child from Malawi, her daughter Chifundo Mercy James. Both David and Chifundo are now 14 years old.
Madonna’s adoptive children are happy to have her as their mother. Although she’s known to be very strict and asks from all her children to follow certain rules, she loves them unconditionally and does all that because she wants them to turn into hard-working individuals.
Lourdes is now 23 and looks exactly like her mom. She’s multi-talented and wants to pursue a career in acting. She’s also a fashion model and loves helping her mom choose her outfit for her tours.
When he first appeared on screen in the 1960’s, actor David Birney caught the attention of a huge number of people who loved what he had to show to the world.
Born on April 23rd, 1939 in Washington, D.C, to a father who was a special agent for the FBI, David got to study at prestigious schools. After graduating from West High School, he attended Dartmouth College and majored in English Literature. While at the UCLA, talented and versatile David earned M.A. in theater arts, acting and directing.
Wikipedia
He had his first major role in the soap opera Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing in which he portrayed the character of Mark Elliot.
Besides being one of the most famous actors at the time, David nurtured his love for theater as well and was part of numerous productions. His role of a soldier killed in Vietnam in Ron Cowen’s play Summertree earned him the Theater World and Clarence Derwent award in 1968.
David was well aware of his popularity and admitted he was “also the most popular actor of daytime television.”
As he became more and more famous, magazines were interested to learn more of his private life, including his religion. When asked whether he was half Jewish, David told The New York Times, “Why does everybody want to know if I’m Jewish? David asked. “I really find it offensive, because I don’t know whether they’re asking about my religion or my background. Actually, I’m an Irish Protestant but I have no organized religious affiliation. And religion is much too serious a thing to talk about. After all, we’re all actors, and nobody asks if it’s difficult being Protestant and playing Macbeth, or being Jewish and playing Irish.”
The onscreen chemistry between David and co-star Meredith Baxter in the short-lived sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie continued in their private life.
The two fell deeply in love and tied the knot in 1974. They had three children together and in 1985, they hosted the NBC show Missing … Have You Seen This Person? which was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for an Outstanding Informational special. Their marriage ended in 1989.
A few years after they separated, Meredith came forward with allegations against her ex-husband saying he struck her in several occasions. “It was so sudden and unexpected, I couldn’t tell you which hand hit me, or even how hard,” she wrote in her memoir Untied. “I do recall thinking, ‘I’d better not get up because he’s going to hit me again.'”
David commented these allegations as “immensely sad and truly absurd,” adding, “Meredith’s own account of these years is its own rebuke to her credibility.” He told People Magazine that she was just trying to get a full custody of their children by portraying him as a bad person.
In 2009, Meredith came out as a lesbian and is now married to Nancy Locke.
Youtube/OWN
Many actors could envy David on his career in both film and especially theater. Among the roles he performed on stage are Antonio Salieri in Amadeus, David in Benefactors, and Jack Tanner in Man and Superman. He has been especially fond of Shakespeare and played in almost every of his plays, including Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliette.
In the 1990’s, Davis directer A Christmas Pudding. The funds raised were donated to the charity People Assisting the Homeless. This wasn’t the first time, however, for the actor to be doing something for those in need. He has been a humanitarian his whole life and helped change the life of many for the better.
”It’s an activity that started as a lark and sort of turned out to be something quite substantial,” David said in 2000.
In 2017, some magazines, among which Wide Wide World newsletter for Dartmouth College class of 1961 alumni, reported that David was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, news which wasn’t confirmed by David or any of his spokespeople.
In it, classmate Arthur Bloom wrote, “I would like to thank all the members of the class who have taken the time to call David Birney. His long-time companion and caregiver, Michele Roberge, tells me that those calls are the highlight of his day. The official diagnosis is now Alzheimer’s, but it is still possible to have a conversation with David —although sometimes those conversations are a bit like doing Theatre of the Absurd without a script.”
Michele and David performed together at the 50-year reunion of Dartmouth College class of 1961.
Last year, the same newsletter said, “Arthur [Bloom, old classmate] talks to David Birney several times a week; David can ‘still get out a few simple sentences and phrases, and we have basically one or two minute conversations. He is well taken care of by his loving companion Michele Roberge and by an aide who comes in when Michele is not there.”
David has left so much to the world of film and theater. He is a truly awesome man with a heart of gold.
A versatile performer adored by millions who left the world some of the greatest hits of all time. Who else if not legendary Freddie Mercury? Not only undeniably talented, but also a pioneer and an innovated singer who marked the rock era, Freddie’s vocal tugs at the heartstrings every time we listen to him.
Freddie was born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar, today Tanzania, but he and his parents fled to London in 1964, amid the bloody revolution on the islands.
Once in the UK, he got involved with music and made friends with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor and later replaced the lead singer of the group Smile. He soon renamed the group into Queen and changed his own name too. Well, the rest is history.
Although being dubbed one of the best, if not THE best, rock musicians, Freddie could pull any song the way no other singer could.
In 1988, he let his vocal speak of himself when he shared the stage with Spanish opera singer Montserrat Caballé. The two recorded the incredible song “Barcelona,” which became the theme song for the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona. Later, they recorded an albums with the same name. The song they perform in the video below, “How Can I Go On,” was part of the album.
Listen to their angelic voices. This is something you don’t get to hear every day.
“The Queen of Technicolor,” Rhonda Fleming, who stunned millions with her talent and beauty over the course of her career, passed away October 14, 2020, at the Providence Saint John’s Health Center – Santa Monica at the age of 97. The cause of death was aspiration pneumonia, as confirmed by her longtime assistant Carla Sapon.
Fleming possessed unique and captivating charm that people fell for. She was born Marilyn Louis in Los Angeles. Her father, Harold Cheverton Louis, was an insurance salesman, and her mother, Effie Graham, was a model and an actress herself, and Flaming inherited the talent and love for acting from her.
Rhonda Fleming, “Queen of Technicolor” who appeared in “Spellbound,” dies at 97 https://t.co/agY1fvaedx
What is very interesting about the actress is how she found herself in the film industry.
One day, the stunning redhead with bright green eyes was spotted by agent Henry Willson, who discovered Rock Hudson and Robert Wagner as well. She was on her way to Beverly Hills High School where she studied, when Willson stopped her and said, “You ought to be in pictures.”
Of course, young Fleming had no idea he was an agent and got scared by him. Later, she was reported to had said, “It’s so weird. He stopped me crossing the street. It kinda scared me a little bit — I was only 16 or 17. He signed me to a seven-year contract without a screen test. It was a Cinderella story, but those could happen in those days.”
Rhonda Fleming with actor Rod Taylor leaving the premiere performance of ‘Lolita’ at the Beverly Theatre. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
At the start of her career, Fleming played an extra in a couple of movies before she landed her breakthrough role in Spellbound (1945), produced by Selznick and directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
From that movie on, Fleming became one of the most wanted and most appreciated actresses of that period of Hollywood’s golden age. Speaking of the time she was a face recognized by the whole country and beyond, and her roles in color movies, Fleming told People, “Suddenly my green eyes were green green. My red hair was flaming red. My skin was porcelain white. There was suddenly all this attention on how I looked rather than the roles I was playing.”
Rhonda Fleming, the star who lit up the screen in such films as ‘Spellbound,’ ‘A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court’ and ‘Gunfight at the O.K. Corral,’ has died https://t.co/jjhtylSykBpic.twitter.com/upNDabu9yQ
Fleming played in more than 40 movies, including A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Serpent of the Nile, The Great Lover, The Spiral Staircase and more.
It is said that even the tiniest act of kindness can go a long way, and I am convinced this saying is very much true. Just think about it, treating someone with a smile or a “thank you” doesn’t cost us anything, but given to them at their hard time may mean the world to them. So, always be nice to people you come across, because as great late actor Robin Williams once said, “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”
Chloe is a little girl who loves people so very much. Her bubbly personality is appreciated by many, even strangers. This time, she and daddy were having some fun time together at the Copley Place mall in Boston, MA, when she noticed the escalator. As she saw all the people going down the escalator, she stood next to it and waved “bye” to each and every one of them.
What’s best is that everyone waved back. Chloe put smiles on so many faces that day.
Her daddy believed what his little girl did was kind of cute, something we totally agree with, and decided to put it on tape, and boy, we are so glad he did.
If you want to see sweet Chloe spreading positivity, check out the video below, and If you find it cute, please share it with your friends and make their day.
The story of little Cameron Scott teaches us that giving up is never an option. This brave little man went through so much during his short life. To everyone’s surprise the 8-year-old hero beat stage 4 brain cancer.
Thanks to his strong will, his parents’ support and unconditional love, and the professionalism and devotion from the staff of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Cameron was given a chance to live and explore the beauties of life.
According to Wivb.com, Cameron was initially diagnosed with a high-risk tumor that unfortunately spread to his spine. He had to undergo a surgery and numerous medical treatments that would help him recover. It wasn’t easy, but thanks to all the love he receives from people around him, and the advanced medicine, he pulled it through.
Wendell Scott, Cameron’s father, says his son is his hero. We would add that he is our hero too.
The follow-up treatments were done at the St.Jude’s where doctors discovered how Cameron didn’t suffer from a single disease, but four.
Thankfully, the boy was admitted at the right hospital that pioneered gene sequencing of his cancer which lead to a more targeted and more effective treatment.
The six months of chemotherapy and radiation resulted in a happy, cancer free young boy ready to grasp everything his new life has in store for him.
“I feel amazing now,” Cameron said. “I feel like I’ve been through everything.”
Share this story with your friends so that more people see how brave this young boy is!
No matter if they are humans or animals, parents are parents, and that means they are always there for their little ones, making sure they receive plenty of attention, care, and love.
Now if you believe humans’ feelings towards their bundles of joy are stronger or in any way different than those of the animals, this video will prove you wrong.
Source: Facebook/Denver Zoo
A baby lion was born at the Denver Zoo in July of last year and his first encounter with his mighty daddy is cute beyond words. Now imagine the fierce King of the Jungle getting emotional in front of his newborn cub. People are glad the video of the father and son was put on tape because it comes as a refreshment from the bad news we hear every day.
The lion could be seen crouching in front of the tiny baby, and that’s cute and heart-melting at the same time.
Source: Facebook/Denver Zoo
The cub is still way too small to be shown to the public, so the workers at the zoo make sure they post plenty of videos of him on their Facebook page.
“He’s spent the last couple months bonding with his mom (Neliah), dad (Tobias) and half-sister (Kamara) behind the scenes at Predator Ridge at Denver Zoo, and will soon make his big public debut in one of the outdoor habitats,” Jake Kubié, the director of communications at Denver Zoo told Bored Panda. “He’s all the things you might expect of a lion cub: playful, curious and energetic!”
Source: Facebook/Denver Zoo
What is even more special about the cub is that the public took part in naming him. This way, the zoo helped raise funds for the lions who live there. The list consisted of three very special and meaningful names people could choose from and vote for.
The first name was Meru, which is the name of a mountain in Tanzania, the second was Moremi, the name of a game reserve in Botswana, and the third was Tatu, Swahili word for the number three, as the cub is the third offspring of mom Neliah. Honestly, we were totally in love with each of these names and knew that whichever the public voted for would suit the baby just perfectly. Eventually, the name Tatu was chosen.
Source: Facebook/Denver Zoo
Now, if you are among those people who find this story cute, but believe that lions don’t belong in the zoo but free and living in their natural habitat, the zoo has something to share with you.
“It’s very important to remember that half of African lions have disappeared in the last 25 years and face growing threats, such as poaching, loss of prey and destruction of habitats in their native ranges” the Denver Zoo representative said. “We hope that by seeing our little lion cub, people will be inspired and take action to help protect his wild counterparts and other wildlife around the world.”
Source: Facebook/Denver Zoo
Take a look at the video below to witness the first encounter between this sweet cub and daddy.
