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little girl with two young boys, police officer pins a badge on a young cop and a young woman with a police officer (inset)
Uplifting News

9-Year-Old Has to Steal Food to Feed Her Brothers - But One Police Officer Changes Her Life

In the bustling streets of Kansas City, a tale of resilience and unwavering kindness unfolds, touching hearts across the nation.Meet Klynn Scales, a young girl whose childhood was marred by adversity and hardship. At just nine years old, she found herself thrust into the role of caretaker for her two younger brothers, stealing food from 7-Eleven to feed them and navigating a tumultuous home life overshadowed by neglect and her mother's battle with addiction.

Single Mom of 6 Has Struggled With Homelessness - So High School Students Plot Together and Come Up With a Plan
Uplifting News

Single Mom of 6 Has Struggled With Homelessness - So High School Students Plot Together and Come Up With a Plan

Single parenthood is not easy. Having to play both parental roles while tending to the needs of their jobs and other life obligations has its obstacles. Single parents deserve any bit of help they can get.So when it became known that a single mom of six children in Charlottesville, Virginia, needed a mode of transportation for herself and her kids, a group of high school students and an organization with hearts of gold gave her the life-changing gift of a car.How High School Students Helped a Single MomMichelle Mendez is gifted a car by Louisa County High School students.Michelle Mendez, the mom of six, had financial upheaval.Before she received assistance from the nonprofit The Journey Home, Mendez was homeless and had stayed in and out of hotels across the area before getting help from the group.The Journey Home is a nonprofit that helps people recover from the struggles of homelessness with faith-based solutions.After getting help from the organization, the nonprofit Giving Hands also stepped in to offer assistance. Giving Hands was created by single dad Eddie Brown and his wife Ginny and focuses on providing help to single mothers who are facing periods of crisis, including car repair needs."The component that I look at is just the hope. And just seeing that in her eyes as she received that car and just the excitement and what it means for her boys too," Brown told NBC29 News.Giving Words also upped their support to a new level. They obtained a $10,200 grant from Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, a local company, and worked with the high schoolers to get Mendez a vehicle.Students Worked on the Car for Some TimeReportedly, the students had been working on the car for the course of the year so that the car would be ready for both Mendez and her children.Mendez revealed that it's "been hard as a single mom" when you have a family to support, but she is grateful for the community's efforts."I really appreciate everything everybody's done to make this happen," she said.It's natural to believe that a school project that took a year to finish would become a memorable experience for students. And one for a great purpose will leave a significant impression on those who benefit from the act.Mendez received the car in a ceremony that included the high school students who worked on getting the car in the best condition for her. Brown and a representative from Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, among others, were in attendance.Mendez’s Message for the High Schoolers Who Helped Maker Her Life BetterMendez has a short but impactful message of "hope" for the charismatic high schoolers as they've done a remarkable deed."[I hope they are] grateful that it gets to go to somebody who's really going to appreciate it and use it," she said.More from Goalcast:Ex-convict Stops for Breakfast at Denny’s – And Asks for a Waitress Who’s a Single Mom for This ReasonSingle Mom Cleans Four Bedroom Home Then Told She Gets to Keep It – Later She Finds Out It Was A “Prank”Judge Learns Single Mom Was Kicked Out of Her House at 13 Years Old – Then, He Reads a Letter in Front of the Court That Stuns Her

Surviving Vietnam POWs Are Honored With a Banquet 50 Years After Being Set Free And the Details Are Incredible
Uplifting News

Surviving Vietnam POWs Are Honored With a Banquet 50 Years After Being Set Free And the Details Are Incredible

Many things have changed since the 70s -- technology is far ahead of where it was, diplomatic relations have shifted, and new wars have started and ended. The Vietnam War is one of the most haunting events of that decade -- it changed warfare and shifted American culture forever. An entire generation of people were shaped by the experience of fighting the war, or fighting against it and protesting for peace in the streets. Now, few people will remember the 591 prisoners of war -- including the late Senator John McCain -- who were captured and held in Hanoi Hilton prison and finally released in 1973. Then, in May of that year, the Nixon government threw a banquet in their honor. The Biggest Banquet in White House HistoryOn May 24th 1973, 1,600 people gathered to celebrate the freedom of their comrades in arms. The dinner was hosted in a grand tent by the President himself, decorated with sparkling chandeliers and fresh flowers. Icons Sammy Davis Jr. and Bob Hope provided the entertainment that night, and food and drink flowed freely. People were happy to celebrate the end of the war, and even happier to celebrate the release of the prisoners who had suffered so long and fought so bravely for freedom ad democracy. The 50-Year Anniversary Dinner Was Almost IdenticalThe dinner held to commemorate the survivors in 2023 was more like a reenactment than an anniversary. The organizers made sure that every detail mirrored the amazing event 50 years ago -- down to identical centrepieces and the same menu!Many of the 591 prisoners of war were still alive to remember the events of 50 years ago and celebrate their freedom. When President Nixon signed the Paris peace deal to end the Vietnam war on February 12, 1973, his government got to work extracting the prisoners who had been tortured and brutalized. By April, most POWs were home. Survivors Ranged From 75 to 91 Years OldMany of the survivors were able to tell their story, remembering it in vivid detail even 50 years later. Hal Kushner, an army surgeon, was on a mission to deliver medical supplies when his aircraft crashed into the hills of Vietnam. He was severely injured after a machine gun exploded and its bullets hit him -- his arm and collarbone were also broken. Kushner’s co-pilot was also in dire condition, and the crew chief left them alone together as he went to try and get help. Kushner’s co-pilot died after three days, and Kushner was captured.He was held in jungle camps first and then eventually transferred to Hanoi Hilton. Along the way, many fellow prisoners died in Kushner's arms. In total, he was held for 1,973 days. When he was finally free and returned home, he met his son -- who he didn’t even know existed. His wife was in the early stages of pregnancy when Kushner left for the war, unbeknownst to both of them. Conditions Eventually Improved at Hanoi HiltonAs outrage over the capture of prisoners of war grew stateside, the prisoners themselves were bonding and their morale was slowly improving. Their shared trauma was bringing them closer together. “Having roommates who know everything good or bad about you, you can’t pretend. We talked about our guilt, our shame, our anger." Leon "Lee" EllisThe soldiers were able to rebound and live somewhat happily when they returned, and many prisoners, like Captain Leon “Lee” Ellis, credits their emotional closeness with their recovery. “We knew that if we came home bitter, we would still be in handcuffs and leg irons," Ellis added.Celebrate Those Who Survived the WarEven though many survivors were able to live normal and happy lives after the end of the war, they never forgot what they lived through in Vietnam.One soldier, Ken Wallingford, was chained and kept in a tiger cage like an animal. He and six others were kept in the cages for almost a full year. “They put me in this cage by myself. I had to bend down to get into it. I couldn’t stand because it was five feet high.”Ken Wallingford50 years after these prisoners of war were saved, the celebratory banquet is a great reminder to us all to never forget the sacrifices those who fight for democracy have made for us. It is of course important to remember the hard things, the violence and pain. It is also important to celebrate the good things -- resilience, friendship, and bravery embodied by these amazing soldiers. More from Goalcast:WWII Veteran Has Kept a Photograph of a 14-Year-Old in His Pocket for 78 Years – Then His Mystery Girl Showed UpYoung Girl Tells Worried Mom She Talks to a Veteran Every Morning — Their Shared Conversations Are SurprisingVeteran Spends 70 Years Searching for the Lost Love of His Life – At 91, He Finally Finds Her

Womans Husband of 14 Years Leaves Her After She Was Paralyzed - Makes a Comeback in More Ways Than One
Uplifting News

Womans Husband of 14 Years Leaves Her After She Was Paralyzed - Makes a Comeback in More Ways Than One

Losing a loved one and being diagnosed with a critical illness would destroy someone's life. Yet, one amazing woman has bounced back stronger than ever. By all accounts, 37-year-old Riona Kelly of Halifax, Yorkshire got off lucky. While a car accident 18 months prior shook her up, she had her health and was able to walk.But one day would change all of that drastically in ways she couldn't imagine. Rushed to the hospital with a spinal stroke leaving her paralyzed from the waist down, she heard the words anyone dreads to hear. "Doctors told me I would never walk again," she recalled to the Sun.However in a cruel twist, she'd soon lose more than just her mobility. A Husband Deserts His WifePhoto by Karolina Grabowska Just five days into her hospital stay, Kelly says that her husband of fourteen years called it quits on their marriage. "It was the time I needed my husband the most."It left Kelly -- a mother of four -- alone to fend for herself in a scary new world in a wheelchair. Her lows were perilously low."The first time I went out in a wheelchair I thought everyone was looking at me, I hated it and hated myself," she recalled, adding that she considered the worst. "If someone had given me the choice I would have ended my life, I didn't want to live anymore.”She thanks her lucky stars for her friend Sarah and her kids for seeing through that dark period. Riona Kelly was not ready to go out without a fight. A Strong Woman’s Comeback StoryKelly did physiotherapy around the clock, determined to get strength and feeling back in her legs. Then one day, despite what the doctors told her, she took her first steps on her own.She says there are four great reasons as motivation to never give up. "It took me 25 minutes to get up 16 steps, and the same time to come back down again, but I was determined to do it for my children."Amazingly, that's just the first act of her incredible success story.During her rehab, she met personal trainer Keith Mason. The two instantly hit it off."After our sessions, Keith and I stayed in contact, he would ask me how I was getting on and our relationship blossomed from there."It's been a love song ever since. "We have now been together for 11 months, the children really like him and I finally feel like I'm living the life I deserve."How One Woman Reminds Us to Walk Our PathPhoto by Dominic SansottaKelly's ex-husband Richard maintains that he told her of the divorce the morning before her stroke. Kelly's just thankful that he's in the rearview. "Looking back, going through what I did was the best thing to ever happen to me."Against all odds, Kelly is literally walking away from her troubles. She only needs her wheelchair to walk longer distances. Like, for example, the two marathons she's completed. Who can imagine how lonely Kelly must have felt in that hospital in the weeks and months after her husband left her?Author Ryan Holiday talks about two choices we have when faced with adversity. We can wallow in the 'Dead Time -- where we are passive and biding.'Or, as Kelly chose, we can choose 'Alive Time,' where we are 'learning and acting and leveraging every second towards their intended future.'With friends and family as motivation, she chose life and is now living her best. Even at our darkest point, it's a path available to us all.More from Goalcast:Woman Marries the Love of Her Life – Then Finds Out She Shares a Crazier Connection With Her Mother-In-LawWoman Is Forbidden by Dad to Marry Her Lover – Years Later, Her Daughter Discovers a Big Family SecretWoman Diagnosed With Rare Genetic Disorder Wonders if She’ll Ever Find Love – Then One Man Steps in With the Answer

Young Woman Shows Her Dad With Alzheimers Her New Tattoo - The Reason Why She Got It Brings Him to Tears
Uplifting News

Young Woman Shows Her Dad With Alzheimers Her New Tattoo - The Reason Why She Got It Brings Him to Tears

Tattoos are like inked chapters of our lives, stories etched onto our skin that carry deep meaning. They mark milestones, honor loved ones, and sometimes, they serve as a lifeline to precious memories. In a heartwarming TikTok that has captured the world's heart, a young woman named Isabel unveils a tattoo to her father — a tattoo with a profound purpose."I got a tattoo, and it's actually for you," Isabel begins, and the camera reveals the beautiful design. She created it a few months ago, a design she hopes her mom will get too. Each element holds a piece of her father's story, a thread of connection between them.The Tattoo One Young Woman Got for Her Dad The tattoo bears the year "1952," the birth year of her dad, a symbol of his origin and the beginning of his unique journey through life. But there's more — two waves, intertwined. One represents her, the other him, a visual metaphor for the time they spent sailing together. It's a memory that shines bright in her heart, a moment when he taught her the magic of the open water.Isabel's voice trembles with emotion as she describes the significance. "It'll never fade, and you'll always remember it," she says, her eyes glistening with tears, "Every day you see it, it will always remind you of us."Her dad listens intently, his face a canvas of emotions. He may not grasp the full depth right away, but the love behind it is palpable. They share an embrace, a powerful embrace that conveys more than words ever could.How a Tattoo Created a Thread of Connection Between a Dad and His DaughterWatching this video, you can't help but be moved, especially if you've known the pain of Alzheimer's. Isabel has learned to treasure the little moments and to record memories as a way to hold on.The video serves as a bittersweet reminder. Alzheimer's is a tough journey, not just for the person facing it, but for their families too. Yet, in this bittersweet moment, there's an indomitable spirit, an inspiring testament to the boundless love of families. It's in the gestures like this tattoo, in the endless patience and care. Those facing this challenge are heroes, keeping the light of hope burning bright in the face of life's harshest storms.More from Goalcast:Man Diagnosed With Alzheimer’s Disease Defeats the Odds and Graduates From University at Age 84Married Man With Alzheimer’s Forgets He Was Married – Falls in Love With Wife Again and Proposes to HerMan with Alzheimer’s Sits Outside Every Day – Gets Beautiful Surprise Every Afternoon

Mom Works Four Jobs for Five Years to Save Money for College - Now Her Son Has Received a Full Scholarship to His Dream School
Uplifting News

Mom Works Four Jobs for Five Years to Save Money for College - Now Her Son Has Received a Full Scholarship to His Dream School

Waiting and finding out whether or not you got accepted into colleges can be an exciting and nail-biting, anxious moment. This is emphasized when it comes to your dream school, as is the case of Amir Staten, a Pennsylvania teen who recently went viral for his exuberant reaction when he got accepted into his ideal university.And the joy has continued to elevate as he learned he would be attending the school with his whole tuition being paid via a scholarship.Getting Accepted Into a Historical UniversityThis past February, Staten, based in Philadelphia, sparked many people's attention across the U.S. for his exuberant reaction to the acceptance.In a video shared by Good Morning America, Staten can be seen leaping up and down and yelling with pure happiness after getting accepted into Morehouse, a historically Black all-male university in Atlanta, Georgia."Let's go! I just got in. Mom, I just got in," he could be heard saying in the video.A few months after that heartwarming moment was filmed, Staten also discovered that he received a full-ride four-year scholarship to Morehouse. According to the university's website, it costs nearly $52,000 per year to attend while living on campus.New Remarkable University DevelopmentKarlynne Staten, Amir's mother, shared a video where he can be seen crying out of pleasant surprise when he found out he was one of 15 Bonner Scholars through an email."You don't have to pay for college," Amir can be heard explaining to his mom.Founded in 1990 by the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation, hailing from Princeton, New Jersey, the program aids the men of Morehouse by fostering service throughout the campus by helping them become accountable and honorable leaders while promoting positive changes in the world around them.Staten's mom revealed that he was an exceptional student as he received the honor roll and became head of his school's Black Student Union. He also was no stranger to sports as he was the basketball team captain.The Sacrifices One Mom Made for a Better FutureGiving back to the community, Staten's mom also said he completed 120 hours of community service."He has gone above and beyond of what is expected of him," Staten's mom told Good Morning America.Noting that Amir has a twin sister and that she fosters a young boy, Staten's mom took on other workloads to ensure they would be set for college."I have been working three or four jobs for the last four or five years so I could try to save up and maintain a household and still have some type of funding [for their college degrees]," she told the outlet.According to Kevin Booker, the dean and vice president of Morehouse student service, Staten, along with the other scholars in the program, will go to the Dominican Republic in their senior year of undergraduate studies. While there, they will work at an orphanage, fulfilling the scholarship's premise of helping those in need.More from Goalcast:She Was Born in Prison and Then Raised by a Single Dad – Years Later, She’s Going to Harvard on a Full Scholarship16-Year-Old Student Accepted to Over 186 Colleges — Receives More Than $10 Million in Scholarship Offers13-Year-Old Sells Tea on the Street in the Cold for Earthquake Victims – University Awards Him a Full Scholarship

16-Year-Old Puts Her Abusive Father in Jail - Today, the Police Officers Who Arrested Him Walked Her Down the Aisle
Love Stories

16-Year-Old Puts Her Abusive Father in Jail - Today, the Police Officers Who Arrested Him Walked Her Down the Aisle

On July 15, 28-year-old Ivy Jacobsen walked down the aisle to wed her now-husband Tristen.Despite not having her father there, she didn't walk alone. Because while he may not have been there for her, 15 other men were. And whew, you're gonna want to grab the tissues for this one.Why the Father of the Bride Wasn’t at His Daughter’s WeddingPhoto by Dominika RoseclayIvy was just 16 years old when her abusive father walked into a prison cell and out of her life. A sophomore in high school, Ivy played a pivotal role in having her dad arrested and convicted after enduring years of sexual abuse. In July 2013, after three separate trials, Ivy's father was convicted of rape of a child and child molestation. He's currently serving 16 years in prison.After the last trial ended, Ivy was finally free to rebuild her life. She graduated high school and became a law enforcement officer. She currently works as a school resource officer in East Wenatchee, Washington State, which she says is her "dream job."And now, she's a newlywed.And through it all, there have been a number of men who stepped up when her father so miserably failed. Men who shouldered the responsibility of helping to raise her, mentor her, and love her. Men who selflessly made sacrifices to help a child who wasn't their own. Men, she says, without whom she'd "be on the streets."Men who taught her the true meaning of what it is to be a father. Including her father's arresting officer, David White.15 Men Step Up to Walk a Bride Down the AisleIvy knew that on her wedding day, she wanted to do something special to pay tribute to the men in her life that stood by her when she needed them most. "I wanted to honor these 15 men because they were true examples of FATHERS who deserved to be called 'DAD,'" Ivy wrote in an Instagram post. So, she invited them to continue their journey with her...down the aisle.Wedding planner Karrah captured the heartwarming moment on camera and uploaded it to TikTok where it's been viewed over 12 MILLION times. Because it's THAT BEAUTIFUL.As the bride makes her way toward the altar, the men take turns accompanying her, two at a time with one on either side. They hold hands and usher her a few steps down the grassy path before handing her off to the next pair of waiting men.The caption on the video tells a powerful story: "On her wedding day, she asked 15 of the most important men in her life to escort her down the aisle." "These men included her brother, brother-in-law, childhood coaches, and the police officer who arrested her father."With each step, it's obvious that this is so much more than just a love story between a man and a woman on their wedding day. It's a love story between a woman and her "fathers." The men who CHOSE to stand with her throughout her life.(Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry).When Ivy reaches Tristen the officiant asks, "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" Her entourage thunderously responds with a collective, "We do."*SOBS*How One Woman Is Turning Tragedy Into TriumphThe gut-wrenching video is melting hearts around the world. In addition to its 12 million views, it's also garnered over 1.8M likes and 17K comments."I can’t stop crying. this is so beautifully heartbreaking 💓," writes one emotional commenter.Another writes, "This is beautiful. I’m so grateful she has all these amazing men to show up for someone who couldn’t in the first place. ❤️""Her Village! they all gave her what she needed in a dad!" writes a third.But it isn't just the men who stepped up that make this so beautiful. It's Ivy. Her strength, her resilience, and her overwhelming courage."Thank you for sharing this and being vulnerable. As a survivor of domestic abuse due to a very abusive marriage, I admire your strength to live above what you’ve experienced," writes one person."Wow, as someone who grew up with an abusive father and let him walk free, I am so proud of her for standing up for herself. She deserves to feel safe and protected," writes another.In an interview, Ivy credits David White, her father's arresting officer, and her own student resource officer from middle school, with being a hero. But the truth is, she's the hero.Despite enduring unthinkable trauma by the man who she should have been able to trust the most, Ivy is thriving. And now? She's using her own tragedy to help others. From Hurt to HopeIn a follow-up TikTok, Ivy thanks viewers for their outpouring of love. She also reminds people that they don't have to live a life imprisoned by their trauma."We all have a story that shapes us — it does not define us — but shapes us and empowers us in ways to move forward."Ivy JacobsenIvy is definitely moving forward. And thanks to the unbreakable bonds she shares with 15 very special men who prove that love really does have the power to triumph over tragedy, she's not doing it alone. More from Goalcast:Bride’s Father Dies Before Wedding – So Her Mom Gifts Her the Ultimate Daddy-Daughter Dance SurpriseBride and Groom Stand at the Altar – Then He Asks Her to Step Aside for Someone ElseBride Bows Head During Wedding Ceremony – The Voice She Hears Next Leaves Everyone in Tears

Boy Walks More Than 2 Hours to Make It to His Graduation - Then an NFL Star Steps Up With a Free Ride
Motivation

Boy Walks More Than 2 Hours to Make It to His Graduation - Then an NFL Star Steps Up With a Free Ride

It was grade 8 graduation day for 14-year-old Xavier Jones. But before he could step onto the stage to receive his diploma, he had to take a few thousand steps first to get there.When his grandfather's car wouldn't start, Xavier knew he had to come up with an alternative plan to get to the ceremony which was being held across town. So, he did what most of us do, he turned to Google for help. “I looked up Harris Stowe University on Google Maps, and then I saw the walking distance, and then I said I could probably make it,” Xavier told News 4. "I wanted to walk across the stage."It was a journey that would take him 6.6 miles and over two hours to complete.Determined Boy Walks Over 6 Miles and Two Hours to Receive His DiplomaBut it was a journey he didn't have to walk alone. Enlisting his brother and a friend for company, the trio trekked through the blazing hot sun, walking from north St. Louis to midtown.Jones' mentor, Darren Seals, who works with him at the Sankofa Community Center told KSDK News, "The shoes that he walked in had holes in the bottom, holes in the top. Two-and-a-half-hours walk. A long road, I wouldn't have walked it."He might not have walked it, but Xavier did. And he made it. Just in time to walk across the stage to receive his diploma from Yeatman Middle School and a standing ovation from the crowd. But that's not all the 4.0 grade-point-average student received.A University Steps Up and Gives Xavier Jones a Free RideThe president of Harris Stowe State University, Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith, was so impressed by Xavier’s determination that she decided to take a few steps of her own."When I heard that story and to see that young man who was so bright and excited and driven, it spoke volumes to me," Dr. Collins Smith said. "It spoke resilience, persistence, perseverance." His persistence paid off. She awarded Xavier with a full-ride presidential scholarship that will cover four years of tuition, books, and fees. It will be waiting for him when he graduates high school.However, it wasn't the only "free ride" in Xavier's future. When word got out about the teen, Miami Dolphins NFL player, Terron Armstead, decided to gift him with a literal ride. NFL Player Joins Forces With Others to Give Teen a Literal Lift Times Two Armstead partnered with Ryan Pritchard EV, Bommarito Automotive, and others (including his Miami Dolphins teammate, Tyreek Hill) to give Xavier and his family not one ride, but two. During a celebrity basketball game at Cahokia High School in the Cahokia suburb of St. Louis, Armstead surprised Xavier with a $5,000 E-bike. But he didn't stop there. He then gifted the boy and his family with a brand new Honda Odyssey, courtesy of the generosity of Bommarito Automotive.And while the minivan may not be the NASCAR race car Xavier hopes to professionally drive one day, it'll definitely get him where he needs to go."We hear a story like Xavier. It's only right. Follow Xavier's example. He's a leader whether he wanted to be or not. His story is inspiring. It's motivating. That's what leaders do."Terron ArmsteadXavier may only be 14 years old but he's no stranger to overcoming adversity. Growing up in poverty, his mother passed away several years ago and he and his six siblings are being raised by their disabled grandfather. Additionally, the teen has sickle cell anemia, which, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a disorder that affects the red blood cells and can cause fatigue, periodic episodes of extreme pain, swelling, vision problems, and frequent infections.And yet, despite his challenges, Xavier isn't about to give up. He continues to put one foot in front of the other and is inspiring others along the way. "At the end of the rainbow, there’s a pot of gold. I learned a lot from Xavier that day,” Dr. Collins Smith told KMOV. “Even on your worst day keep pressing forward.”More from Goalcast:Single Mom Asks Stranger to Cheer for Her Daughter at Graduation – Little Did She Know Just What He Was About to DoTeacher Thinks His Students Are Looking “Scruffy” at Their Graduation – Gives Them All Free Haircuts in School

50-Year-Old Woman Challenges Herself to Spend 500 Days Alone Underground - When the Time's Up, She Doesnt Want to Leave
Uplifting News

50-Year-Old Woman Challenges Herself to Spend 500 Days Alone Underground - When the Time's Up, She Doesnt Want to Leave

How much time are you able to spend alone, without seeing anyone else? A few days? Maybe longer? Now, how much time do you think you’d be able to go without seeing anyone else while also living alone, underground? One woman figured she could last 500 days… and she was right.A Scientific JourneyCourtesy of PexelsOn Saturday, Nov 20, 2021, a Spanish mountain climber named Beatriz Flamini entered a cave in southern Spain to spend 500 days in isolation. She was 48 years old and wanted to help scientists see how a human would handle living underground for so long. According to the Associated Press, the project was called “Timecave.”Flamini entered the cave 70 meters underground, armed with books, painting and art supplies, and knitting. She used two cameras to document her experience and then placed the recordings at an exchange point. Her team dropped off food and other necessities at the site throughout her time there.According to AP, there was a team of psychologists, researchers, physical trainers and speleologists monitoring her, but none of them had direct contact.After five hundred days underground (excluding eight days where technical difficulties forced her to stay isolated in a tent, instead), Flamini emerged, triumphant.A Lovely TimeShortly after Flamini came out of the cave, there was a press conference where she detailed her time there. She asked who was buying the celebratory round of beers, and admitted she lost track of time after about 60 days.At no point did she feel like she would hit the panic button though, even when a swarm of flies attacked her. "If this is your dream and you're realizing it, why are you going to cry?" she said, as per Reuters.“In fact, I didn’t want to come out,” she told reporters. "When they came in to get me, I was asleep. I thought something had happened," Flamini added. “I said: 'Already? Surely not.' I hadn't finished my book.”Then, because she hadn’t showered in more than 16 months, the now-50-year-old asked to be excused.A New Record Flamini missed a lot of things during her time in isolation, like the end of certain COVID restrictions, the death of Queen Elizabeth, and the start of the Ukraine war. But her team also believes she now holds a world record, which will hopefully be verified soon.According to the AP, Italian Maurizio Montalbini set a world record in 1987 by spending 210 days in a cave. There are also reports of a person who spent more than 460 days underground in 2016.RELATED: 10 Celebrities You Won’t Believe Set Guinness World RecordsFor now, Flamini is looking forward to catching up with friends and family. Doctors will also continue to monitor her mental and physical health in the near future, so she’ll wait to hear their final assessments before planning her next adventure. Until then, she’ll have fond memories of this one.“I didn't talk to myself out loud, but I had internal conversations and got on very well with myself,” she added. “You have to remain conscious of your feelings. If you're afraid, that's something natural but never let panic in, or you get paralyzed.”You're More Capable Than You RealizeIt takes a strong person to survive an isolating experiment such as this, but this story is also touching because it reminds us of just how incredible the human body is. If you can put your mind to something, you really can achieve incredible feats. Flamini is proof of that. We may not be able to survive a cave, but we can get through hard things. Often, the only person that stands in your way is you. This story just reminds us that sometimes we have to stop the negative self-talk and get our grit on instead. Because once we do, we’re basically unstoppable.

After an Accident Left Him Blind, Man Gets Back Up on His Motorcycle for Another Ride
Uplifting News

After an Accident Left Him Blind, Man Gets Back Up on His Motorcycle for Another Ride

Dennis Thompson knows he has taken a wrong turn or two in his life, the most serious one being a motorcycle accident over two decades ago. And though that moment is far in the past, it still follows him today.The Army man had always loved riding his motorcycle and being on the open road with the wind in his face. “I’m tough,” he described himself, and maybe so; but it didn’t stop him from making a serious error of judgment that would nearly cost him his life.“I messed up. I started drinking, trying to drink the anger away,” Dennis explained. Even worse, he drank and drove that motorcycle. When the inevitable happened and Dennis crashed his beloved bike, his life took another dramatic turn for the worse. The life-threatening motorcycle accident left him in a coma for months.Why One Man Was Forced to Sell His Beloved BikePhoto by Nick WehrliDuring those long months in the hospital, Dennis’s heart stopped beating six times. His right arm and leg had to be amputated, and he needed 156 units of blood just to stay alive. It was touch and go, and even when Dennis came out of the coma alive, there was more bad news.“I tried to turn on the lights,” Dennis remembered. But he couldn’t. Dennis had also lost his sight. It was hard not to give up. The tough man felt worthless, as if all of the things he loved to do had been taken away from him. Blind and missing two limbs, he angrily decided to sell his motorcycle. But his brother David convinced him that he didn’t have to.How One Project Helped a Man Look on the Bright Side“You know your bike,” David told his brother. “You know all the things to do with a motorcycle, so why don’t we rebuild it?” Dennis had indeed been an aviation mechanic and he was skilled with his hands. David knew his brother could modify the motorcycle he loved so much to make it possible to be out on the open road again.The project was just what Dennis needed to be able to look on the bright side again. As soon as he was able to after the motorcycle accident, he got to work. It was a labor of love that took him and his brother a few months. RELATED: Why Talking About Your Feelings Boosts Psychological ResilienceWhen they were done, the unique motorcycle was something to be proud of. Perhaps Dennis, despite all that he had been through, the amputations and the blindness, could get back up on that bike again.During the months of recovery, when things were looking up for Dennis and he was hard at work on his beloved project, he met Sandy. Sandy had never driven a motorcycle, but she could see how much her soon-to-be-husband was enthralled by it. So she decided to learn.How One Man’s Story Is a Testament to a Powerful MindIn the meantime, Dennis and David poured hours of work and love into adapting Dennis’s old bike to his new needs. In the end, they had a two-seater motorcycle specially adapted to allow Dennis to sit in the back seat and feel the wind on his face once again. This time, it would be his wife Sandy in the driver’s seat. The two would turn the page, starting a new story on the road together.“I use my imagination or my mind more when I’m riding,” Dennis said. It was indeed that tough mind that took him from the motorcycle accident, his lowest low, to a new high.“Just because you crash doesn't mean that you stop doing what you need to do or what you enjoy doing,” Dennis said metaphorically. His story is a testament to the power of the mind: the physically tough soldier turned mentally tough survivor.