The Amazing Stuff

Like most dads, David Rosenman knows how important it is to spend time with kids when they’re little, because that time quickly starts to diminish as they grow older, form friendships, and eventually move out on their own. That’s why he always jumps at the chance to take his little girl to the local cafe and spend a few hours with the person he loves most.

Usually, the two bring separate projects – the little one loves to crochet, and Dad likes to catch up on emails – and grab a table together. But one day, she asked her dad if he’d forget the emails and newspaper articles for a while and just hang out with her.

Her request made him sit back and think about the level of attention he gives to his daughter.

Facebook / David Rosenman

In Rosenman’s words, “Today, we were together. She showed me her yarn project. I recalled the day she was born. We compared notes about whether or not couples at other tables were on dates (she likes to impersonate people on dates — resting her smiling face on her hand and practicing a starry-eyed stare). She told me about her friends and their hamsters. I watched her chew her breakfast sandwich and melted a little bit as I thought about how much I love her.”

“I wished it hadn’t taken her past experience and her courageous reaching out for me,” he writes, “to give her the attention she so wanted and needed.”

Flickr / Gideon

After a few hours, Rosenman walked up to the counter to grab his son a treat before they went home. When he returned to the table, his daughter let him know that a woman left him a note. Here’s what it said:

Facebook / David Rosenman

This simple note made him reconsider what it means to be a dad, and what it means for kids to grow up without fathers. In that moment, he realized how lucky he and his family are to have each other. According to Rosenman, “This anonymous message was enough of a reinforcement for me, and I hope more people might be guided by its power and by its author’s thoughtfulness.”

(via Little Things)

David Rosenman wants us to take one thing away from this interaction: “Please don’t wait for your child or other loved one to plead for your attention like mine did. He or she might not.”

It’s really nice when people reach out to extend words of kindness without being asked. As far as Rosenman and his daughter are concerned, I have the sneaking suspicion that they’ll be having more father-daughter dates like this. He’ll need to stay up-to-date on what the cool kids are up to, after all.

Childhood obesity is an important issue, especially given that nowadays, more than one third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese, according to the CDC. But as one Facebook user points out, how we combat the problem is very key to the well-being of the young generation.

While discussing a friend’s overweight daughter with her, Kara Waite was shocked to find out that the child’s teachers and even her doctor were insulting the young girl to her face, as if chastising her would somehow make things better. She had this to say on the matter:

A healthy lifestyle is helpful in maintaining a certain weight, but it shouldn’t sacrifice a healthy emotional state.

As Waite says, “Love her exactly as she is. Accept her exactly as she is. Like her, too, and let her know it. Fill her up with love and like and acceptance so she doesn’t learn to get it from cookies and Doritos and sundaes and pizza.”

Hyong Yi’s wife Catherine Zanga died last year after a heartbreaking battle with ovarian cancer. Wanting nothing more than to curl up in bed after suffering such a devastating blow, Yi had to stay strong for his family. With two young children at home, he had to be their rock.

That’s when he decided to do something truly amazing. He came up with a way to commemorate the anniversary of Catherine’s death that would help them move on, and also ensure that she would never be forgotten.

Catherine’s death left a huge hole in her family’s hearts. All three of them felt lost after she was gone.

Lindsay Clark Hart

That’s when Yi decided to draft love letters to express the love he’s had bottled up inside since her death.

Lindsay Clark Hart

After writing 100 notes over the course of a month, he and his children walked around Charlotte, North Carolina, on the anniversary of Catherine’s death and handed the notes to strangers.

Lindsay Clark Hart

He based the content of each note on memories and conversations he and his wife shared over the course of their relationship.

“I wanted them to experience how it felt to give this gift, rather than just be spectators,” Yi said of getting his little ones involved.

Lindsay Clark Hart

The event prompted a number of Yi’s friends to create a website where the notes could be published online.

Lindsay Clark Hart

“The most difficult, rewarding part of the past year has been to try and define a life worthy of Catherine. What is a life well lived? My conclusion: a life filled with love. Catherine taught me this,” Yi wrote in a Facebook post.

It was also the culmination of a year-long healing process. “For the last month, I was really looking forward to doing this with my children.”

Lindsay Clark Hart

“People sometimes take loved ones for granted. Be thankful for everyone around you,” Yi’s daughter Anna told the media.

Lindsay Clark Hart

According to Yi, “one of the things my wife was most concerned about was being forgotten. I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen now.” We couldn’t agree more. As our hearts go out to Yi and his family, there’s no chance that we’ll forget about Catherine. Something tells me that members of this community will hold her in their hearts forever, too.

If you’d like to learn more about this project, head on over to Yi’s website.

Born in 1976, this sad chimpanzee only knew life inside of laboratories. Her name is Foxie, and not only was she forced to test hepatitis vaccines, but she was also made to give birth to baby after baby to create more test subjects. She was never given the chance to raise them herself.

In 2008, she found refuge at the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in Washington.

Her former so-called “caregivers” claimed she was “not to be trusted” around humans.

Facebook / Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

They warned people that she would become aggressive if anyone got too close.

Facebook / Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Instead, the poor girl was simply aloof and disinterested in forming relationships with others.

Facebook / Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

But something miraculous happened when she was given a small toy.

Facebook / Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Foxie “adopted” a troll doll with bright pink hair, and her mood improved drastically.

Facebook / Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

She’s since received more dolls, and she never lets them out of her sight.

Facebook / Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

She carries them around just like she would have carried her own babies.

Facebook / Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

After years of solitude and sadness, the simple gift gave the sweet girl something to live for.

Facebook / Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

(via The Dodo)

She’ll never have to worry about being alone again. She still loves receiving new dolls from friends (even though she already has a ton)! You can find more information on the organization’s website and Facebook page.

Proving that Holland truly is the world capital of electronic dance music, this grandpa is awesome. At 83 years old, he’s learned that time is short, and if you want to dance, you should dance.

And that’s exactly what he did at an EDM festival Haarlem, Holland. I hope that you’re prepared to be amazed by his epic skills.

video-player-present

This just makes me want to go dance! Maybe he can teach me a step or two.

There are some amazing and kind-hearted people in the world, but few display their emotions like one young Alaskan boy. When Patrick McClung, a passionate 3-year-old boy, learned what homelessness was, he was crushed. He couldn’t understand why people didn’t have homes — and burst into tears.

His reaction is enough to bring you to tears.

video-player-present

His sorrow was quickly transformed into charity, though, with the help of his mother.

When learning about the less fortunate in the world, more people should react how Patrick did. Many people will share Facebook statuses or agree that things are tragic — but rarely do you see someone moved to such action. Patrick is a 3-year-old hero — and we hope he inspires you!

Most husbands adore their wives. That might seem like an obvious thing to point out, but it’s important to note that while most spouses adore each other, some share an even deeper love.

Bobby Wesson is one of those spouses, and he decided to write a manifesto about why his wife is a hero. She is a caring wife, a giving mother, and a registered nurse. The post, shared on Facebook, has already been read by thousands, and you definitely want to hear what Wesson has to say.

The Chive

(via Distractify)

What a touching an awesome tribute to the love of his life. This not only exposes her bravery, but the bravery of all nurses who put everyone else above themselves. Thank you so much for everything you do. We are truly grateful for your dedication.

Disaster struck in Brazil last Thursday when two mining dams collapsed, unleashing gallons of mud into the small town of Bento Rodrigues. Several townspeople are dead and even more are missing, but as rescuers quickly learned, humans weren’t the only ones devastated by the disaster.

While looking for survivors, fire fighters came across a dog that somehow managed to live after being washed away by the mudslide, only to get stuck up to her chest in thick sludge. Fortunately for the brave pup, help was on its way.

As you can see, the damage is horrific.

Getty Images

The entire town is covered in layers of thick mud, and at this point, the prospect of finding survivors looks grim.

Getty Images

But one day, just as they were about to give up hope, rescuers came across of a strong little survivor who was in need of saving.

Getty Images

The stranded dog had clearly been swept away by the unforgiving mudslide, but somehow, she pulled through. All she needed was a helping hand.

Getty Images

She was weak, so her new buddy carried her away from the scene so that she could be cleaned up.

Getty Images

And this pup isn’t the only survivor. Hundreds of animals have been rescued from this nightmare, and they’re being cared for by generous volunteers from the Animal Rights Defense Institute.

Facebook / Animal Rights Defense Institute

Even in the face of so much heartbreak, these rescuers provide survivors with something invaluable: the opportunity to reunite with their faithful friends.

Facebook / Animal Rights Defense Institute

Reunions like this wouldn’t be possible without their tireless efforts. “One thing is certain,” one volunteer writes. “We at ARDI, along with the help of dedicated veterinarians, will continue to stand by these animals.”

(via The Dodo)

Anyone who shares their life with a pet knows that they quickly become family. In times of crisis, it’s critical that volunteers and rescue workers keep their eyes peeled for four-legged friends who are in dire need of help. Not only does it make a difference in the animals’ lives, but it also leaves a lasting impact on the humans who love them.

Eleven-year-old Baylee Abbott may be missing fingers on one hand, but what she lacks in physicality she makes up for tenfold in intelligence. After using prosthetics for her entire life, she came across a project called Enabling the Future, which gave her an idea. She could build her own custom prosthetics with a little help from 3-D printing technology.

Once she figured out the basic principles, she enlisted the help of the folks at DoES Liverpool. Together, they came up with a prosthetic that could change thousands of lives.

video-player-present

Not only did Baylee come up with a great, practical tool for her to use every day, but she also found a way to express her creativity. She’s clearly a clever little one, and we can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

Justin Pounders had just gotten engaged to his fiancée when they moved in together. He thought that he had found his soulmate, his partner for the long haul, but then tragedy struck.

One night after going out with an old friend, Justin’s fiancée was assaulted and killed by a man who had followed her home. Devastated, Justin spent months in emotional agony. He didn’t know if he’d ever be able to move on.

It took around a year for Justin to finally get back into the dating game. He joined an online dating service and was matched with a woman who he thought looked familiar. He just didn’t know why he recognized her. Pounders talked to his mother about this woman, and she confirmed that the person he met on the site was his first crush from preschool!

(via Little Things)

You don’t see something like this every day. I hope that Justin and Amy find the love that they were always looking for. I have a feeling that these two will have a long, wonderful future.

Anorexia is a debilitating condition that ruins countless lives. Devastating as it may be, however, one thing that is certainly true about the disease is that it can be defeated with the right treatment and care.

If you need an example, 22-year-old Megan Jayne used to be anorexic. At 14 years old, she weighed only 70 pounds. When she hit rock bottom, she had to be hospitalized and fed through a feeding tube because of how thin and frail she was. She eventually overcame the disease, and she’s now promoting body positivity on Instagram. She hopes that her story will inspire others to begin walking down the road to recovery.

Body image issues affect millions of people, young and old. The influence of these issues often rears its ugly head in the form of bulimia, body dysmorphic disorder, and anorexia.

A photo posted by Megan 🐼 (@bodyposipanda) on Aug 30, 2015 at 10:36am PDT

Megan was diagnosed with anorexia when she was 14. She has since overcome the illness, and she wants to share her story with people suffering from the condition all over the world.

A photo posted by Megan 🐼 (@bodyposipanda) on Nov 2, 2015 at 9:58am PST

She aims to inspire those who are going through the same thing that she went through.

A photo posted by Megan 🐼 (@bodyposipanda) on Oct 25, 2015 at 11:49am PDT

Megan hopes that these people will follow her down the path to recovery so that they can live the lives they deserve.

A photo posted by Megan 🐼 (@bodyposipanda) on Oct 19, 2015 at 1:10pm PDT

Overcoming anorexia has allowed Megan to love and embrace her body, and she wants her story to resonate with people who aren’t quite there yet.

A photo posted by Megan 🐼 (@bodyposipanda) on Jul 17, 2015 at 7:54am PDT

(via Distractify)

If you could use a little more positivity in your life, be sure to follow Megan on Instagram. In a world that’s often fixated on pessimism and tragedy, Megan’s story is a beacon of hope. Her optimism is infectious!

Carlee Leifkes and Lucas Unger have never been a traditional couple. They have tattoos, they have piercings, they have crazy-colored hair, and they’re totally okay with defying what it means to be “normal.” But they are in love, so they decided that one traditional institution that they’d like to take part in is that of marriage.

You can rest assured, however, that their wedding will be far from ordinary. Unger decided to start things off with a seriously abnormal engagement ring.

Lucas Unger had a custom engagement ring made for his better half, Carlee Leifkes.

Facebook / Carlee Leifkes

He replaced a more traditional rock with his own wisdom tooth.

The couple got engaged on Halloween, and the two are planning on having their wedding in Las Vegas.

Facebook / Carlee Leifkes

Even though they picked up the ring together, Unger wouldn’t let his soon-to-be bride see it until he popped the question.

Facebook / Carlee Leifkes

She obviously said yes, and they’re both beyond excited to get hitched.

Facebook / Carlee Leifkes

(via BuzzFeed)

I bet you’ve never seen anything like that before. Carlee can now literally carry a piece of her man with her everywhere she goes. Congratulations to the happy couple on this truly unique display of love!

You should never underestimate the power of kindness. A little bit goes a long way, and you never know how drastically a small act of kindness could change someone’s life. A man named Leon Logothetis fully grasps the importance of human compassion. He used to be a banker, but he gave it all up in order to travel the world and help people in need.

During a recent visit to Denver, Colorado, he met a man whose life was crumbling around him. The single father had recently become homeless, and no matter how hard he tried, nothing seemed to work out for him and his little son. That’s when Logothetis decided to step in.

(via Facebook / Leon Logothetis)

What a touching gesture. We should all take a page out of his book and carry out one act of kindness each day. Who knows? Maybe we could change people’s lives for the better.

Every day, police officers put their lives on the line to protect and serve their communities. Their days are long, but that’s what makes this noble profession so worthwhile. They spend countless hours defending people when they can’t defend themselves.

During this police officer’s shift, he got an awesome surprise from someone who he loves very much. It absolutely made his day, and when you see the pictures, it’ll make yours, too.

Sergeant J. McRay, a police officer in Arlington, Texas, was greeted by his daughter as she was coming home from her ballet practice one night.

Facebook / Arlington Police Dept.

She wanted to get a picture with him in his uniform while she was in hers.

Facebook / Arlington Police Dept.

The photo was shared on the Arlington Police Department’s Facebook page, and it has since gotten over 19,000 likes and 3,000 shares.

(via Little Things)

This is a really heartwarming picture. He might look big and tough, but his little girl turns him into a softie in no time flat.

On October 10, 2015, in Sartell, MN, a bride walked down the aisle and exchanged vows with the love of her life. There were tears, applause…the happiness was palpable.

Greta Perske met Tony Hokanson four years ago through mutual friends.

Phodot Photography

Their ceremony at Celebration Lutheran Church was beautiful.

Phodot Photography

And the reception was equally joyous…

Phodot Photography

But one dance, in particular, brought all the guests to tears.

Phodot Photography

No, that’s not Perske’s father…this is Danny Daniels — he’s the man who saved the bride’s life.

Phodot Photography

When the young bride was just 16 she was diagnosed with leukemia.

Phodot Photography

Less than a year after the devastating news, Perske’s condition had deteriorated.

Phodot Photography

She was on a bone marrow transplant waiting list when a miracle happened.

Daniels was her match.

Phodot Photography

After losing someone special in his life, the 51-year-old man and his wife signed up to donate.

Today, Perske credits Daniels’ act of kindness not only with her life but also her calling — she decided to become a nurse when she learned what he’d done for her.

Phodot Photography

She recalled her thought process to the St. Cloud Times: “I want to help save lives, too. I want to give back.”

(via SC Times)

Even though they’d only met once before, it’s easy to understand the incredible bond Perske and Daniels share with one another. And it’s no wonder everyone was in tears…and gave the bone marrow donor a standing ovation when he was announced at the reception!

If you’re feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, check out more heartwarming snapshots by Phodot Photography.

Ryan Weimer is the proud dad of five wonderful children. He and his wife, Lana, are probably some of the busiest people on the planet (as anyone with a motley crew of adorable little ones will tell you), but they always do their best to ensure that they put their kids’ needs above their own.

While that may sound like an apt description for any large family, the Weimer gang is anything but ordinary. They face a unique set of challenges, since three of their five kids were born with a condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). To help his children lead happier lives, Weimer started a wonderful project that would eventually go on to help children across the country.

It all started just before Halloween a few years ago, when Weimer’s oldest son, Keaton, asked if he could dress up as a pirate that year.

Magic Wheelchair

Although that may sound like a simple request, designing Halloween costumes for kids with SMA is tough, since they’re often wheelchair bound.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Weimer set out to create the most epic pirate costume that the world had ever seen. While brainstorming different concepts, he decided that he’d incorporate Keaton’s wheelchair by turning it into his very own ship!

“What kid wouldn’t love having a pirate ship to roll deep in, sailing through the streets, collecting Halloween booty?” Weimer writes. “He even made the front page of the newspaper!”

Keaton’s amazing costume was an instant hit! And you best believe that the other kids wanted their wheelchairs decked out, too.

Magic Wheelchair

After seeing how happy these costumes made his kids on Halloween, Weimer decided that he would make it his mission to provide that same sense of pride and happiness to wheelchair-bound kids across the country. That’s when Magic Wheelchair was born.

Magic Wheelchair’s goal is simple.

Magic Wheelchair

“Our vision,” Weimer writes, “is to put a smile on the face of every child in a wheelchair by transforming [the chairs] into awesomeness created by our hands, and their imaginations.”

And that’s exactly what they do.

Magic Wheelchair

Every year around this time, the Weimers and a group of dedicated volunteers work tirelessly to ensure that each request that’s been accepted by Magic Wheelchair is completed in time for trick-or-treating.

Everyone knows that dinosaurs are the coolest. It’s a fact.

Magic Wheelchair

These costumes help children feel strong and powerful.

Magic Wheelchair

Sitting astride a flaming dragon will do that to you, you know?

What’s even cooler is that children can submit their own video requests. If selected, Magic Wheelchair will help them transform into their favorite characters.

Magic Wheelchair

If you know a little one who would love Magic Wheelchair’s help next Halloween, all you have to do is visit their website and go through the simple application process.

(via My Modern Met)

What started as a Halloween challenge to make one little boy smile has turned into an incredible project that helps brave kids all over the country feel their best on the spookiest day of the year. To learn more about Magic Wheelchair’s inspiring work, check out their website. If you’re interested in what you can do to help, visit their volunteer page!

When this nervous mother brought her little girl to the skate park for the first time, she didn’t know what to expect. She spent ages convincing her daughter that she had every right to join the boys at the park, and after a while, the little one opened up to the idea. When they arrived at the park one day, Mom was ready to defend her daughter if any of the older boys picked on her.

While the child was trying to get the hang of it, a teenage boy approached her. What he did next blew her mother away.

Dear teenage boy at the skate park… pic.twitter.com/78ry5esoTa

— Jeanean Thomas (@JeaneanThomas) October 11, 2015

Here’s a full transcript of what she had to say to the boy:

You’re probably about 15 years old, so I don’t expect you to be very mature, or for you to want a little girl on your skate ramp for that matter.

What you don’t know is that my daughter has been wanting to skateboard for months. I actually had to convince her that skateboarding wasn’t for just for boys.

So when we walked up to the skate park and saw that it was full of teenage boys who were smoking and swearing, she immediately wanted to turn around and go home.

I secretly wanted to go, too, because I didn’t want to have to put on my mom voice and exchange words with you.

I also didn’t want my daughter to feel like she had to be scared of anyone, or like she wasn’t entitled to that skate park just as much as you were.

So when she said, “Mom, it’s full of older boys,” I calmly said, “So what, they don’t own the skate park.”

She proceeded to go down the ramp in spite of you and your friends flying past her and grinding rails beside her.

She only had two or three runs in before you approached her and said “Hey, excuse me …”

I immediately prepared to deliver my “She’s allowed to use this park just as much as you guys” speech when I heard you say, “Your feet are wrong. Can I help you?”

You proceeded to spend almost an hour with my daughter showing her how to balance and steer, and she listened to you! A feat not attained by most adults.

You held her hand and helped her get up when she fell down, and I even heard you tell her to stay away from the rails so that she wouldn’t get hurt.

I want you to know that I am proud that you are part of my community, and I want to thank you for being kind to my daughter, even though your friends made fun of you for it.

She left the skate park with a sense of pride and with the confidence that she can do anything, because of you.

Jeanean Thomas, Cambridge

It’s really hard for teenagers to do the right thing because they’re so afraid of being judged by their peers. But even though this boy’s friends gave him a hard time, he decided to lend a helping hand to someone he knew was struggling. With a few moments of his time, he managed to help a little girl develop confidence that will last a lifetime.

When this 95-year-old man called into a BBC radio show, no one expected something this wonderful to happen. Bill, a longtime listener of Alex Dyke’s morning show, called into the show to tell Dyke about how much he missed his wife.

Dyke was so moved by his story that he sent a cab to Bill’s house to pick him up and made him a special guest on the radio show.

Bill, the 95-year-old fan of Alex Dyke’s show, called in to tell the story of how lonely he’s been since his wife’s tragic injury.

Twitter / BBC Radio Solent

She took a nasty fall that landed her in hospice care. Bill visits her every day, but he wishes that she could still be at home with him. Since he doesn’t have his wife around anymore, Alex Dyke keeps him company.

Bill was invited to be a special guest on Dyke’s show.

Facebook / BBC Radio Solent

He was received warmly by listeners, and by Dyke himself. The gesture meant a lot to Bill.

(via BuzzFeed)

What a heartwarming story. I’m sure Bill was ecstatic about being on the show, and now he has quite the story to tell his wife when he visits her again. We hope that she makes a speedy recovery so that she can return home! Bill would probably much rather listen to the radio with his favorite lady, anyway.