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It’s been said countless times, but teachers really are the best and bravest of us all. Anyone who has spent time surrounded by kids, trying to help them learn while managing the countless crises that can occur when hundreds of immature humans are put together in one place, knows that teaching encompasses so much more than just academic instruction. Teachers serve as mentors, counselors, nurses, mediators and sometimes even security guards.

That’s why a middle school teacher who thought there was a fight happening in her classroom ran full speed toward it—in a dress and heels, no less.

A TikTok video shared by @lilythern shows a teacher sprinting down a school hallway with an overlay of text that reads, “This middle school teacher thought she was running to break up a fight.” As she runs into the classroom, she sees a couple of dozen students gathered in a tight circle and shouting. The teacher immediately starts pushing her way through the outside of the circle, yelling, “Hey! Break it up! Break it up!”

But there is no breaking up to be had. In fact, what she finds is the exact opposite.

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As the students part to let her through, we see some of them holding up signs and smiling. Then we see a man down on one knee.

Watch:

@lilythern

#fyp #touchingmoment #middleschoolersbelike #loveit

How fast was that adrenaline switch from fight-or-flight to genuine joy? Seriously, the fearlessness with which she ran into that room is as heartening as the proposal itself.

People in the comments loved it:

“She is so strong. She was running towards the chaos to stop it with her bare hands. What a fighter. This is the best proposal ever.”

“That was the ‘Not in my school!’ run! 😂😂😂😂”

“Fearless teachers are the ones that deserve the most respect.”

“Don’t marry her, she has to join the Avengers.”

The students were clearly thrilled to be a part of the sweet proposal, and the teacher’s immediate and enthusiastic “yes” made it all that much sweeter.

Definitely a moment none of these students—or their teacher—will ever forget.

This article originally appeared on 4.12.23

If you’ve never heard of the Cat Distribution System, then you probably don’t own a cat, or you do, but you acquired your cat in a normal, non-weird way. You know, like at an animal shelter or from some nice lady on social media who had a box of kittens. Some people do get cats that way, and it’s one thousand percent a valid way to attain cat parent status.

But some lucky folks get cats through the Cat Distribution System (or CDS for short). Is this system real? The only people who know this are cats. They’re also the ones that run the system, so the rules and the way in which you attain your purr machine may be a bit wonky. You may wake up with an unknown cat in your bed even though all of your windows are closed, or you just may be like this delivery driver.

The driver was out picking up orders when a cat came out of the CDS and jumped on the man’s leg as he attempted to get back to his car. Thanks to his dash cam, you get to see CDS at work, and so did his mom. The video currently has over 2.8 million views on TikTok.

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When the driver asked his mom if he could keep the cat, at first she said no. Then she saw the footage of the cat aggressively and desperately choosing her son to be its new cat dad—and that’s how you get a cat through the CDS. Once the cat realized she made the right choice, she snuggled up on her dad’s lap as he drove her home.

“We are not cat people,” reads the text overlay. “My youngest son was out making deliveries last night. A cat kept following him. Then jumped on his leg and would not let go.”

I have news for you, Mom, you’re cat people now. It’s how the Cat Distribution System works. They train their recruits to turn non-cat people into cat people, one unsuspecting human at a time. If you don’t make it to the end of the video, yes, they kept the cat and her name is Venus. That’s how the system is designed.

Watch the CDS at work below:

@dretontheborder

#catrescue #catrescueroftiktok I am not a #catperson but maybe now I will be after today. I #Love my #son has a #huge #compassionate #heart #momsoftiktok #rescate #gato

This article originally appeared on 4.12.23

We’ve all seen it while cruising for spots in a busy parking lot: A person parks their whip in a disabled spot, then they walk out of their car and look totally fine. It’s enough to make you want to vomit out of anger, especially because you’ve been driving around for what feels like a million years trying to find a parking spot.

You’re obviously not going to confront them about it because that’s all sorts of uncomfortable, so you think of a better, way less ballsy approach: leaving a passive aggressive note on their car’s windshield.

Satisfied, you walk back to your car feeling proud of yourself for telling that liar off and even more satisfied as you walk the additional 100 steps to get to the store from your lame parking spot all the way at the back of the lot. But did you ever stop and wonder if you told off the wrong person?

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What if that person on the receiving end of the note had a perfectly good explanation for why they’re driving car with a disabled sticker and tag?

That’s exactly what happened to Emma Doherty, who was surprised to see someone pen such vitriolic words to her in this letter she found on her car.

The language in the note is pretty harsh:

“You lazy conning b-tch. You did not have a disabled person with you! These spaces are reserved for people who need them!!!”

I get that avoiding conflict is something that’s been trained into us, but maybe if whoever wrote this note decided to say something to Emma, this entire thing could’ve been cleared up entirely.

Instead, she had to take to Facebook to pick apart the anonymous grouch and explain her situation to the rest of us. And hopefully whoever wrote the note (if they see her post) understands why they were terribly wrong.

Emma is the mother of a terminally ill child, Bobby. Her ruthless and powerful message sheds light on the misconceptions associated with disabilities and helps to break the stigma that all impairments are visible, because they’re not.

“To the person who put this on my car, which I had put my disabled badge fully on, I’m not angry at your pure ignorance, I’m actually upset with it. How dare you ever accuse anyone of not needing a disabled badge without knowing. I wish you had the balls to say this to my face and I would have told you (even tho I don’t need to explain myself to the likes of you) but I’d have happily said why I have a badge.“

“I promise to get the stigma away from people with disabled badges who don’t “look disabled.” I hope this gets shared and back to you and you will see my son is terminally ill, he’s had over 15 operations, 3 open hearts, 2 stomach, lung and diaphragm and countless artery stenting operations and spent half his life on intensive care.”

In her post, she delineates the severity of Bobby’s illness, which has put the young man through multiple surgeries and procedures that are no walks in the park.

“He’s had 2 strokes and was paralyzed, brain damaged and has a spine and hip condition as well as a massive heart condition. The reason I didn’t get his wheelchair out was because I was running late because my son, who had a MRI scan, CTSCAN and a dye for heart function yesterday, only got discharged late and was back in this morning so carried him in.“

“But for your information not everyone who holds a blue badge needs to have a wheelchair! I’ve told … security and broke down, I’ve sat through things nobody should see but why did your note break me? Because it’s your pure ignorance towards others. I’m a single mom trying my best to hold it together for my son who’s in and out if hospital. NOT ALL DISABILITIES ARE VISIBLE and I hope you regret doing this and learn your lesson!”

Throughout her post, Emma simultaneously castigates the person and drives one important point home: Just because someone isn’t in a wheelchair or crutches, doesn’t mean they aren’t disabled or in need of physical care or assistance.

I knew something would be said one day as every day I get looks and stares and see people whispering to each other about me and Bobby walking from the car. Everyone needs to stop and think before acting. I hardly ever let anything upset me but this did. How aggressive as well, and as for conning my son’s disabled pass… [It] is not a con, he’s actually seriously ill. I’ve added a picture of him to prove not everyone looks ill or disabled but can be seriously ill.

The mother clarifies at the end of the message that she’s sure it wouldn’t be a hospital staff member who wrote the message, because those who work in healthcare are well aware of the various reasons someone would have a disabled tag on their vehicle.

“I’d like to point out this has nothing to do with the hospital itself. They were lovely with me when I was upset and they treat us with every respect, always have [in our] 3 long years with them. They’ve saved my son’s life many times. It [was] just somebody who was parked [there].”

Her post quickly went viral, with many people echoing her sentiments and thanking her for helping to clear up that tons of people suffer from different disabilities and that not all of them are so readily apparent.

And as it turns out, Emma isn’t the only parent who’s dealt with judgmental individuals who gave them flack for having a disabled sticker on their car. As if having to deal with a sick child isn’t enough, they also have to suffer through getting guff from randos on the street over a measly parking spot.

Bobby’s condition has left him without pulmonary artery function, which means that blood will not pump throughout his body. As you can imagine, walking long distances — or performing many physical tasks otherwise healthy individuals take for granted — are out of the question for the 3-year-old.

As a result of her son’s condition, Emma has to take him to the hospital for treatments throughout the week, and seeing the note on her car while having to deal with that ultimately set her off. Thankfully, she used her anger to send a positive message.

Floored by the positive response to her message, Emma went back online to thank people for being so receptive and helping to spread awareness that disabilities come in many forms.

“My inbox is full of people who have told me they have been stared at or even spat at. This is a serious problem and I just want it to change. I am hoping by sharing what I went through people will start to think before acting.”

This article first appeared on 11.26.19.

Have you seen anyone with a semicolon tattoo like the one above?

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…everywhere.

That’s right: the semicolon. It’s a tattoo that has gained popularity in recent years, but unlike other random or mystifying trends, this one has a serious meaning behind it. (And no, it’s not just the mark of a really committed grammar nerd.)

The semicolon tattoo represents mental health struggles and the importance of suicide prevention.

Project Semicolon was born from a social media movement in 2013.

They describe themselves as a “movement dedicated to presenting hope and love to those who are struggling with depression, suicide, addiction, and self-injury. Project Semicolon exists to encourage, love, and inspire.”

But why a semicolon?

“A semicolon is used when an author could’ve chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life.”

Originally created as a day where people were encouraged to draw a semicolon on their bodies and photograph it, it quickly grew into something greater and more permanent. Today, people all over the world are tattooing the mark as a reminder of their struggle, victory, and survival.

I spoke with Jenn Brown and Jeremy Jaramillo of The Semicolon Tattoo Project, an organization inspired by the semicolon movement. Along with some friends, Jenn and Jeremy saw an opportunity to both help the community and reduce the stigma around mental illness.

In 2012, over 43 million Americans dealt with a mental illness. Mental illness is not uncommon, yet there is a stigma around it that prevents a lot of people from talking about it — and that’s a barrier to getting help.

More conversations that lead to less stigma? Yes please.

“[The tattoo] is a conversation starter,” explains Jenn. “People ask what it is and we get to tell them the purpose.”

“I think if you see someone’s tattoo that you’re interested in, that’s fair game to start a conversation with someone you don’t know,” adds Jeremy. “It provides a great opportunity to talk. Tattoos are interesting — marks we put on our bodies that are important to us.”

In 2014, The Semicolon Tattoo Project held an event at several tattoo shops where people could get a semicolon tattoo for a flat rate. “That money was a fundraiser for our crisis center,” said Jenn. In total, over 400 people received semicolon tattoos in one day. Even better, what began as a local event has spread far and wide, and people all over the world are getting semicolon tattoos.

And it’s not just about the conversation — it’s about providing tangible support and help too.

Jenn and Jeremy work with the Agora Crisis Center. Founded in 1970, it’s one of the oldest crisis centers in the country. Through The Semicolon Tattoo Project, they’ve been able to connect even more people with the help they need during times of crisis. (If you need someone to talk to, scroll to the end of the article for the center’s contact information.)

So next time you see this small punctuation tattoo, remember the words of Upworthy writer Parker Molloy:

“I recently decided to get a semicolon tattoo. Not because it’s trendy (though, it certainly seems to be at the moment), but because it’s a reminder of the things I’ve overcome in my life. I’ve dealt with anxiety, depression, and gender dysphoria for the better part of my life, and at times, that led me down a path that included self-harm and suicide attempts.

But here I am, years later, finally fitting the pieces of my life together in a way I never thought they could before. The semicolon (and the message that goes along with it) is a reminder that I’ve faced dark times, but I’m still here.”

No matter how we get there, the end result is so important: help and support for more people to also be able to say ” I’m still here.”

If you want to see more incredible semicolon tattoos, check out nine photos and stories that our readers shared with us!

This article was written by Laura Willard and originally appeared on 7.7.15

What happens when the proudest moment of a parent’s life is also the strangest?

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Then Cason’s grandmother decided to send a text to family members about her newest bundle of joy. Again, nothing unusual there either.

But when that text went to a stranger named Dennis Williams, and he decided to join in on the celebration, things became even more interesting. Check out the exchange below.

And just like that, the Williams brothers arrived at the hospital with gifts and well-wishes for the new mom and dad.

The following note from the Lashley family was posted on Williams’ Facebook page praising the brothers’ kindness and generosity for providing a small token to a family they didn’t even know a few hours beforehand.

The best sentiment from the Lashleys:

“If we all only had this kind of heart.”

This hilarious and heartwarming story is going viral for all the right reasons.

Plenty of stats and polls point to a depressing truth: Our world is becoming more and more divided by racial, ethnic, religious, and cultural lines.

But it’s easy to forget just how far we’ve come:

Two random black dudes showed up in the hospital room of a white family to provide gifts and love to their newborn baby, and the Internet universally loved it. That, in itself, is an epic feat.

These families will be connected forever due to a random act of kindness that warmed the hearts of millions.

Not to mention, when baby Cason grows up, his parents will have one amazing birth story to share with him.

But first, let’s share this great story with everyone who needs a smile.

This article was originally published on March 22, 2016

The House GOP has been a fount of chaos of late, but recently their GOP pals in the Senate told them to hold their beer. In the last week a new wacko star has emerged. His name is Markwayne Mullin. It is his real name. He’s also, as his bio claims, an undefeated MMA fighter. He’s so strong that on Tuesday he threatened to beat up a Teamsters honcho, during a hearing, no less. (He would have gotten away with it, too, had it not been for Bernie Sanders.) Now, of course, we’re learning all kinds of weird things about this guy — including from the big guy himself.

Per Mediaite, former Michigan lawmaker David Trott told Politico that in 2015, Mullin, then a fellow representative, took photos of himself putting his fingers up sleeping congresspeople during a flight to Israel. Trott’s wife, Kathleen, aka “Kappy,” was particularly incensed over the incident:

“We were in the clothes we’d been wearing for like 24 hours,” Kappy says. “We get on this bus, and it’s a couple-hour bus ride and people were kind of leaning on their spouse’s shoulder and falling asleep. And this idiot starts walking up and down the bus with his camera and anyone who fell asleep, he would put his finger in their nose and take a picture.”

“I said [to myself, ‘If] that idiot comes near me when I fall asleep, I’m going to punch him,’” Kappy told us.

Granted, playing weird, frattish nostril pranks has nothing on challenging a Teamster to a fight during a congressional hearing. But today’s GOP sure does know how to pick ’em.

(Via Mediaite and Politico)

When 50 Cent, aka Curtis Jackson, closes out his The Final Lap Tour, he can enjoy the downtime in peace. One of his outstanding legal dilemmas has reportedly come to an end. Per TMZ, on Friday, November 17 it was revealed Jackson will not face criminal charges in relation to his mic-throwing incident in Los Angeles after a City Attorney’s office representative told the publication that they’ve decided not to pursue charges.

Back in August, during a concert stop in the city, Jackson was captured on video hurling his microphone in a frustrated fit following a string of technical difficulties. In the clip, the microphone made contact with a bystander, which the public later learned was Power 106‘s host Bryhana Monegain. After the viral video began to circulate online, rumors quickly followed that Jackson could be named in battery charges by local law enforcement.

After the incident, Monegain took time away from the station to seek physical and mental treatment. Ultimately, she returned in October. Yesterday, she took to her official Instagram page to thank the public for their support. “The reason I keep pushing,” she wrote, sharing a picture of a flower bouquet sent to her office by her mother.

Jackson and his attorney, Scott Leemon, have yet to release a statement following the news.

The media likes to call them “cocaine hippos.” And there are a lot of them. Back when Pablo Escobar was the world’s most notorious drug kingpin, he was so decadent that he imported animals to his Colombian compound that, ecologically, shouldn’t be there. Zebras, giraffes, kangaroos, rhinoceroses. And four hippos. After Escobar’s death in 1993, most of these animals either died or were sent to zoos. But not the hippos. There are now about 170 of them, descended from the original quartet, who’ve long posed a threat to the nation’s ecosystem.

Perhaps they won’t be menace for much longer. Per The New York Times, after some 30 years of inaction, the nation’s officials have decided on some ways to finally reign them in. The plan is to sterilize some, euthanize others, and relocate others to sanctuaries in other countries.

They’re already hard at work: On Friday one official said they’d already surgically sterilized four hippos: two males, two females. The goal is to sterilize 40 within the year.

Escobar brought the original four hippos to his lavish estate in the 1980s, where they joined a menageries of wild animals, there to entertain his guests and show off his wealth. After Escobar was killed in a shootout in Medellín, the hippos took their lives into their own hands. As their numbers exploded, local reaction was a mix of affection and dread. In 2009, a hunting party of Colombian soldiers drew public ire after shooting and killing one of the so-called “cocaine hippos,” name of Pepe.

Sterilizing hippos is not easy, as one can imagine:

Hippos can weigh more than three tons and spend most of their days wallowing in the water, so they’re easiest to capture at night. Experts said they are generally tranquilized with a dart and undergo surgery wherever they land. If they run into the water after being hit with a dart, they could drown, experts said.

“This procedure is very dangerous since the veterinarian must be very skilled to sterilize it in the shortest time possible, before it wakes up,” said Germán Jiménez, a biologist at the Pontifical Javeriana University in Colombia.

The good news, though, is that at least Colombians won’t have to bid adieu to all the cocaine hippos.

(Via NYT)

When Taylor Swift rolled into Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, along with Sabrina Carpenter for The Era Tour, the city was ready for a multiple-day celebration. Unfortunately, tragedy has struck the region’s Swifties. According to TMZ, on Friday, November 17, a devoted fan of Swift died just before the scheduled concert.

Before the “Blank Space” singer could take the stage, news spread that said fan, named Ana Clara Benevides Machado, had passed away. After learning of the death, Swift took to her official Instagram page to pen a touching letter via her Stories in remembrance of the supporter.

Read Swift’s full letter below.

I can’t believe I’m writing these words, but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before the show. I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this. There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too you.

I’m not going to be able to speak about this from stage because I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it. I want to say now I feel this loss deeply, and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends. This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil.

Machado’s cause of death has not been revealed. Ticketholders believe the heatwave in the region could have contributed to the tragedy. During the show, Swift was recorded handing out water bottles to onlookers.

Dakota Johnson has a unique way of delivering lines. The actress doesn’t shout. She rarely gets worked up. She prefers a kind of deadpan, speaking with a monotone that’s more laidback than disinterested. But there’s a part in the new trailer for Madame Web when she just sounds bored, possibly because the line is so clunky. It’s this part that’s turned into a social media meme.

Per The Daily Beast, people online seized upon a random part of the Madame Web ad, in which Johnson, on the narration track, gets awfully expository. Her character, Cassie Webb (yes, that’s her name), is talking about the film’s big bad, who looks awfully familiar.

“I’ve seen that man before,” Johnson muses. “He was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders, right before she died.”

The line may have sailed right past most viewers upon first watch. But leave it to social media yuksters to milk it for laughs.

One person turned to Johnson’s iconic exchange with Ellen DeGeneres.

Some roped in doomed Republican lawmaker George Santos.

Others went with George W. Bush.

And Trump.

You can watch the trailer for Madame Web, which hits theaters February 14.

(Via The Daily Beast)