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  • Aly Walansky

    Aly Walansky is a NY-based lifestyles writer focusing on travel, food, and wellness.
Homeless Mom Lives in Her Car With 2 Kids - Gathers Nerve to Ask Police Officer a Question That Changes Her Life
Uplifting News

Homeless Mom Lives in Her Car With 2 Kids - Gathers Nerve to Ask Police Officer a Question That Changes Her Life

It’s really easy to feel all alone in life, especially when going through hardship. But sometimes the best thing we can do is allow ourselves to ask for help, like Michigan mom Erin Harrison did. Harrison worked at a McDonald’s in Walled Lake, Michigan. But her pay wasn't enough to cover rent. And she and her twin daughters ended up homeless. Sleeping in Her CarErin was doing whatever she could to save money, and so she and the girls slept in her car for a few nights. The car was parked right outside of the girls’ school, but she wasn’t sure what she was doing was even legal. So, she did the only thing she could think to do -- she asked police officer Heather Kolke. “She started asking me legal questions. So of course I started asking more questions of her and discovered she was going to be sleeping in the car tonight so she could get the kids to school in the morning. They were homeless,” said Sergeant Heather Kolke.How One Police Officer Changed a Homeless Mom’s LifeHeather, also a mom, knew she had to help. “As a mom, I knew I had to get her a place to stay,” she said. She then enlisted the help of fellow police officers, and found Erin and her daughters a temporary place to stay, as well as gift cards to help her make ends meet. That wasn’t all though: They even got her a job interview and went with her to the interview for moral support.Heather wasn’t done yet though. She also planned a birthday party for twins Hayden and Abigail, with local businesses donating balloons, cake, and pizza.The Spirit of Community Is Still AliveThe whole community ultimately got involved, raising $2,500 in cash, as well as clothes for the kids, and items for their new home once they were able to get one."It warms my heart to know that there are people out there who care. I feel like I was connected with Sgt. Kolke through God. It is a reminder there are good people in the world," shared Harrison. More from Goalcast:Police Officers Notice Homeless Mom Living With Her Kids Behind Walmart – What They Do Next Brings Her to TearsHomeless Mom Gets Arrested For Suspended License And Lack Of Insurance, Police Officer Has Best Response

Natalie Portman Didn't Let A Man Tell The Wrong StoryAnd Neither Should You
Celebrities

Natalie Portman Didn't Let A Man Tell The Wrong StoryAnd Neither Should You

Moby released his autobiography Then It Fell Apart in which he talked about his controversial relationship with Natalie Portman when she was just 18 years old and he was 33.The problem? The relationship never happened. And Natalie made sure the world would know exactly how it went down.But this isn't the only time the Black Swan actress has a narrative directed towards her that she wants nothing to do with.Portman's highly publicized break from husband of 11 years, Benjamin Millepied, has set the rumor mill into full swing. Allegations that Millepied's affair with a much younger woman was the cause for the separation have hit every publication's headlines.While Portman has remained silent on the reason for the split, her actions speak volumes as she has been seen out in public without her wedding ring. While Portman spoke out–loudly-on Moby's account of their supposed relationship, this time she is taking the strong but silent route.Why Did Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied Separate?Portman and Millepied were together over a decade before the controversy hit. They share two children together, son Aleph, 12, and daughter Amalia, 6. To outsiders the family looked ideal. But rumors began this past June that Millepied, 46, had an affair with Camille Étienne, a 25-year-old climate activist. According to reports, Portman knew of the affair since March but continued to work on the relationship for the sake of their children. The two are notoriously private when it comes to their family and children. Portman spoke to Madame Figaro back in 2012 about what family means to her, “Nothing is more important than my personal life. It’s something which comes first, always makes sense, and compared to the happiness of a successful family life, everything else is practically superficial.”The upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder star is true to her word and has decided in this case, to remain silent on the split.While Portman was quick–and fearless–to call out Moby's comments regarding their questionable relationship from 20 years ago, this time she has chosen to keep her personal life personal.What Did Moby Say About Natalie Portman? According to Moby, the two met backstage at his concert in Austin, Texas, when he was 33 and she was 20. He mentions that they dated briefly before Natalie ended the relationship when she met someone else.“I wanted one thing: for me to be alone … nothing triggered my panic attacks more than getting close to a woman I cared about," Moby confessed in his book. And according to him, "he had tried to be Natalie’s boyfriend, but it hadn’t worked out" as he wasn't ready to love a woman.Except, according to Natalie Portman, a big part of what Moby details is not as accurate...especially the fact that they even dated at all. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the actress said she and Moby never dated.“I was a fan and went to one of his shows when I had just graduated,” Natalie said. "When we met after the show, he said, ‘let’s be friends’. He was on tour and I was working, shooting a film, so we only hung out a handful of times before I realized that this was an older man who was interested in me in a way that felt inappropriate."I was surprised to hear that he characterized the very short time that I knew him as dating because my recollection is a much older man being creepy with me.Natalie Portman to Harper's BazaarShe also said there was a big factual error in the book, saying that she was not 20 when they met, as he claimed in the book, but had just turned 18.He said I was 20; I definitely wasn’t. I was a teenager. I had just turned 18. There was no fact checking from him or his publisher – it almost feels deliberate.Natalie Portman to Harper's BazaarNot only did Moby falsely depict their relationship as romantic, he also tampered with the facts in his book. Writing such an account without even double checking with her was baffling to Natalie, especially since he made that whole story the selling point."That he used this story to sell his book was very disturbing to me. It wasn’t the case. There are many factual errors and inventions. I would have liked him or his publisher to reach out to fact check.”Natalie got her apology, but with difficultyMoby ultimately responded on Instagram, and rather than apologize, actually doubled down with a defense. In the caption, he mentions that Natalie's version "confused me, as we did, in fact, date." "And after briefly dating in 1999 we remained friends for years. I like Natalie, and I respect her intelligence and activism," Moby continued. "But, to be honest, I can’t figure out why she would actively misrepresent the truth about our (albeit brief) involvement."Except a few days later, after receiving backlash for his defense, Moby ultimately issued an apology on Instagram, saying that “many of the criticisms leveled at me regarding my inclusion of Natalie in Then It Fell Apart are very valid."He admitted he shouldn’t have included her at all without getting her permission. He also said “given the dynamic of our almost 14-year age difference I absolutely should’ve acted more responsibly and respectfully when Natalie and I first met almost 20 years ago.”What Natalie's experience means for the rest of usMoby's apology represents a step in the right direction when it comes to men holding themselves accountable for their mistakes. However, the situation highlights important underlying issues in women's experiences with men.Moby using a story he largely imagined to be true (whether or not they dated, we will never be able to tell as the two have differing accounts--and Moby has not taken back his claim) to sell books is a form of exploitation of a woman for his personal cool factor. A small victory for women and their voicesIn the wake of the Time's Up movement, of which Natalie was a strong advocate, the need for women's voices to be heard has become more important than ever. [Time's Up|] gave women the ability to say, ‘We’re essentially being silenced and shamed and now we’re coming forward.'Natalie PortmanNot letting your story be controlled by other's voices is important, but that doesn't mean that everyone deserves to know the intimate details of your life–such as when it comes to your family. But by refusing to let Moby have his way, Natalie is setting an example for all women whose stories have been controlled by men. Speaking your truth is always worth it, even when the voices around can appear to be louder. More inspiring celebrities:After Surviving Abuse Twice, Rihanna Is Ready To Have Kids With Or Without A ManCharlize Theron Fought Through Trauma To Build Her Fulfilling LifeAt 50, Jennifer Lopez Proves That Women Can Age and Continue to ThriveOctavia Spencer: Her Journey From Overlooked Typecast Actress to Boss Lead

Firefighter Delivers Baby Then Learns Her Mom Cant Keep Her - So He Adopts Her and Gives Her a Home
Everyday Heroes

Firefighter Delivers Baby Then Learns Her Mom Cant Keep Her - So He Adopts Her and Gives Her a Home

Firefighters save lives every day -- it’s their job. But then they move on to the next job and rarely know what ends up happening to the people they rescue. Except in this case, where the firefighter rescued a baby and then decided to adopt her. Marc Hadden is a member of the fire department in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and on November 14, 2011, he had an unusual day at the office -- rather than fighting a fire, he ended up delivering a baby for the very first time.An Unusual 911 CallPhoto by RDNE Stock projectThe baby's birth mother had called 911 complaining of abdominal pain, and Hadden ended up at the scene.“She struggled from the minute she was put in my hands,” said Marc in an interview with PEOPLE. Marc had to give the baby emergency oxygen just seconds after she was born to help her breathe on her own. “It was amazing to hear her cry.”Marc HaddenBut soon after, at the hospital, the birth mother said she couldn’t care for her daughter -- and Marc immediately wanted to be the one to step up to take care of her.Welcoming Rebecca Grace Into the FamilyJust two days later, that baby ended up coming home with him and his wife. They named her Rebecca Grace.Marc and his wife Beth already had two sons and really wanted a third child, but had experienced some complications while trying to conceive. They were already on the road to adoption when they met baby Rebecca.Beth said she knew it was meant to be as soon as Marc called her with the news of his day at work. “I delivered a baby.”“Can we keep her?” she had replied. Beth had been half-kidding, but then Marc gave her the news. “I think she might be going up for adoption.”Sometimes the Best Things Happen in the Blink of an EyePhoto by Laura GarciaBeth visited the birth mom at the hospital the very next day.“My heart just went out to this woman,” said Beth. “I brought her a little prayer book and asked if I could get anything for her.”While the women were talking, a doctor came into the room and said they were ready to proceed with adoption, and then the birth mom turned to Beth, "I can’t give my baby to someone I’ve never met."That was the moment of opportunity. “I want you to adopt my baby,” the woman said, looking at Beth, and then the nurse brought the baby in and Beth got to hold her for the first time.“She is what we prayed for,” says Beth. “It felt like winning the lottery.”Now Gracie is a member of the family, and Beth and Marc have been honest with her about how she came into their lives. "I’ve taken her to the back of the ambulance where she was born, so she knows!” says Marc.Beth and Marc remain grateful and in awe. "Sometimes the best things in life happen in the blink of an eye — and you can’t let them pass you by,” said Beth.More from Goalcast:Waitress Hands Exhausted Firefighters a Note After Paying for Their Meal – Little Did She Know What Was Going to HappenWoman Leaves Her Newborn Baby Girl in a Drop Box – The Firefighter Who Found Her Just Became Her DadFirefighter Meets the Son of a Man He Rescued From a Fire 23 Years Ago in an Emotional Reunion

Woman Finds Out Her Lover Is 53 Years Old Pretending to Be a Young Model - Then, She Finds Love With the Real Man in the Photos
Uplifting News

Woman Finds Out Her Lover Is 53 Years Old Pretending to Be a Young Model - Then, She Finds Love With the Real Man in the Photos

We’ve all experienced the post-breakup rough spot where all feels pretty hopeless. It can be easy to give up on love and putting yourself out there again can seem like an impossible task.Back in 2015, Emma Perrier was dealing with a broken heart of her own, and like many of us in the throes of going through a breakup, she spent a few months hiding out at home and watching a lot of depressing and sappy movies.But then, she had had enough of wallowing. She decided to take a chance and get back out there, never expecting that she would be in for a wild ride.Emma Braved the World of Online Dating for the First TimePexels/ cottonbro studioBy now, most of us are aware of the difficulties of online dating. The world of Internet dating apps is broad, and not without danger at times. Emma was already suspicious of online dating apps. Rather than go for the notorious Tinder app, she settled on downloading the dating app Zoosk. The second “o” in the Zoosk logo looks like a diamond engagement ring, which is signaled that the app's demographic seemed interested more serious relationships than the casual hookups.Emma got started by taking the collection of selfies necessary when registering her profile to “verify her identity.” Meeting men was not easy for Emma, who worked long hours as a restaurant manager for a coffee shop. She was not a regular dweller at pubs and nightclubs either, which complicated things in her quest for love.She could do this. had just gone through a bad breakup. She was ready for what was next and so began her journey in the world of dating apps."I’m a romantic,” Emma told The Atlantic, two years later. “I love to love,” she said, in a thick French accent. “And I want to be loved too.”At First, It Seemed PromisingEmma was a pretty woman, and she got responses as soon as her profile was posted. And then, a private message from a dark-haired Italian man named Ronaldo “Ronnie” Scicluna, who reminded her of a high school crush. The message was blurred by the app, so she was not able to read it until she paid the fee.After discussing it with her sister, she finally paid the £25 ($34) subscription to Zoosk so she could open the message.Ronnie’s message simply said: “You look beautiful.”According to his profile, Ronnie was a 34-year-old electrician in England’s West Midlands, just 100 miles away from her own location. At First, She Didn’t Notice the Red FlagsWhat followed was a quick connection. Ronnie and Emma both worked blue collar jobs and were too lonely Europeans looking for a soulmate. In an effort to impress her, he sent her a few words in French, her native language. However, when Emma returned the favor by sending him a message in Italian, Ronnie did not understand it, which surprised her.In retrospect, that was a red flag.Ronnie and Emma moved their correspondence from Zoosk to WhatsApp, a free messaging app, where they would text daily as Emma commuted to work. She wondered how a handsome man like Ronnie could be so into her.I’m very natural. I mean, I’m nothing. I’m very simple you know ... so I was flattered.Emma Perrier in The Atlantic“You could easily have picked someone else,” Ronnie told her one day.“No.You’re the only one I wanted to talk to ... I paid because of you,” shereplied.“Assoon as I saw your picture I wanted you,” he wrote.“Makesme happy to know that,” Emma replied.The Only Problem Was, Ronnie Didn’t ExistRonaldo Scicluna was a fictional character created by AlanStanley, a short, balding, 53-year-old shop fitter.He created the persona as a way of protecting himself from rejection.“I was in a pretty lonely place,” he told The Atlantic. “I wasn’t feeling the most attractive of people, I might say. You know, I always struggled with self-confidence and ... I was going through a messy separation and I was just feeling like I needed somebody to talk to.”He used an image of a male model he found on Google to create hisfalse persona. “I’m always nervous about posting personal images of myself,” heexplained. “I just don’t like pictures of me. It goes back a long way, to behonest.” Emma’s profile was the first he saw. He was as captivated by her as she was by the fake version of him.Emma Was Being CatfishedPhoto by Andrea PiacquadioHis flirting with Emma soon progressed to late-night telephone calls. In October of 2015, she wrote how happy she had become since “meeting” him.“Areyou not usually happy, stinky?” he asked.“Iam,” she said, “but you changed something.”They both agreed to delete the dating app and Emma tried to push for an in-person date. But he kept on putting her off by using excuses.“It’shard to keep everyone happy,” Ronnie complained. “Dad loves me working andwants me to keep doing better. Mum wants me to quit. She worries about me. Myhealth. Stress. Dad thinks I handle it well.”“Ithink what you need is a [girlfriend] to look after you,” said Emma."Do you want to know why I started online dating?” she asked him one night. “Because I wanted to ... meet that someone and to start something with that someone ... not to have a broken heart ... which is even more painful when you have never met someone.”“Metoo,” said Ronnie. “We both want the same thing.”“Giveme a date then,” Emma wrote. “I will suit your availability.”Shewaited for his reply.“Idon’t think you realize how difficult it is for me to get time off,” he wrote.“Justa dinner to start with,” Emma begged. “I can do the travel ... then if theconnection is really there we will find a way.”“Doyou think it will be there?” he asked.“Ihave never been so sure.”“Doyou have faith in us?” he asked.“Itcould work perfectly well,” Emma wrote.“AndI love you,” he wrote.“AndI love you too,” she replied.Emma’scoworkers and friends kept asking why they never met her boyfriend, and Emmawas beginning to wonder what was going on too. Alan’s excuses were runningthin.Her Friends Made Her RealizePhoto by RDNE Stock projectOne night, Emma was at work, closing the restaurant with a Spanishwaiter named Abraham. Emma shared how she badly wanted to meet her mysteriousboyfriend. Abraham responded: “But Emma, the guy doesn’t want to meet you ...maybe it’s not even him.”Emmasaid they’d talked on the phone.Abrahamsaid her boyfriend was “probably an old man.”Then he said he’d heard about an app that could help.“He could be a psycho,” he addedSoon,Emma’s family recommended she stop talking to Ronnie. He had refused to meether after six months, they said. “I didn’t want to listen to them,” Emma said. Butone evening after work, she downloaded an app called Reverse Image Search as away of finding the original source of a profile photo.“Believeme I was scared to use it for the first time,” Emma said. She uploaded thephotograph of Ronnie wearing his leather jacket. Within seconds, she learnedthe man in the photo was a a model and actor from Turkey, called Adem Guzel. “Doyou have anything to tell me about Adem Guzel?” she wrote in a text message.“It is me,” Alan replied, thinking fast. Those were his modeling pictures, he said. He’d once used another name. “It was a long time ago,” he promised.Alan was still lying. “I would have lost someone that I really treasured,” he said.. But Emma said he needed to reveal himself through a FaceTime call. He categorically refused, saying FaceTiming was for kids.But Emma Had Problems Giving Up the FantasyPhoto by Austin Guevara“I couldn’t believe it because, you know ... when you talk to someone every day, and you share your life ... he was my confidente,” Emma said.She eventually discovered Alan’s true identity when he accidentally sent an email using his real name. She started to investigate. “Iknew,” Emma said. She typed Alan’s email address into Google.Right then, she found everything she needed to know. “Everything, everything,” she sighed. “His Twitter accounts. Where I’ve seen his face.”It was devastating and I felt sick. You have no idea how much I’ve been hurt inside.Emma PerrierShe then called Alan. “Is your real name Alan?” Emma asked.Alanfinally came clean. “I could not be any more apologetic,” he said. “I told hereverything.” Itwas, Alan said, a “big error of judgment, the worst and biggest mistake of mylife.” But even in his telling of “the truth,” Alan told Emma he was 50,shaving off a few years.Alan finally sent her a real photograph of himself, wrinkles and all. “It might sound cruel what I’m going to say,” Emma told me, “but I carried on talking with him, after I knew who he was, only because I wanted to know why he did that to me,” Emma said. “I’m 34 at the time, but maybe another girl, when she finds out, she could maybe go too far, maybe kill herself.” After the big reveal, Emma asked Alan if he wanted to meet her. “I really wanted to go, to end the story,” she said. But was Alan dangerous?To Protect Others, She Reached Out to the Turkish ModelPhoto by Anna ShvetsEmma decided that she needed to protect others from this happening to them, and so, she sent a Facebook message to the Turkish model Alan had been impersonating:"Hello Adem, we don’t know each other but a year ago I met a guy online and that man is using your picture and pretends he is you under another name. I wasn’t sure if getting in touch with you was a good idea but I needed you to know, kind regards, Emma.”Adem, who was 35 at the time, almost ignored it as he received a lot of messages on the daily. But something told him to reply. After reading Emma’s message, he wrote back. “And the conversation just started,” Adem said. He was furious when he heard how Alan had treated Emma. So he had a video call. “It was crazy,” she said. “I wasn’t sure it was him, I was always in doubt.” And he was nervous too! I never do FaceTiming. But somehow I wanted to do it with her.Adem Guzel in The Atlantic“You are so real,” Emma said, crying. “You really exist!”Emma and Alan ultimately met for some closure and had a good talk. “We talk, talk, talk,” Emma said. She asked him about drinking whiskey with his father. He said his dad had passed away a few years ago.Her Prince Charming Turned Out to Be Real After AllBut in the meantime, Emma's connection with the Turkish model Adem was developing into something more.She invited Adem to London. She wasn’t going to waste time onanother long distance guy! “It wasn’t to flirt, believe me,” Emma insisted.Adem said yes immediately. OnMarch 31, 2017, Emma sent her catfish a goodbye text message:"Alan I wanted to tell you that tomorrow I’m going to pick up Adem at the airport. And I still don’t know if it’s good or bad but I’m going to meet ‘my Ronnie.’ You built up all this shit, I’m not sure if I should thank you or detest you for that. But this is happening."She then picked up Adem at the airport the next day. “I was really nervous,” Adem said. Right there and then, Emma decided to kiss him.“Three minutes later I felt like I know her a long time,” Adem said. The chemistry was undeniable. She gave him a key to her apartment, and together they went sight-seeing around London. Later, when Adem opened his suitcase, Emma saw the the leather jacket from her favorite photograph!Soon, their fairytale-like story was everywhere.“Mycatfish became cupid,” Emma told the DailyMirror, “And now we’re living happily ever after.” Today, the couple lives together in London. “He’s lovely,” Emma said, “He’s a lovely man.” While Emma could have given up on love, she decided to keep an open mind, even after the traumatic events Alan put her through.More from Goalcast:Men Warn They Would Break Up With Plus Size Woman if She Didn’t Lose Weight – But One Personal Trainer Gets Down on One Knee

Black Woman Receives Hate Letters for Marrying a White Man - 58 Years Later, Theyre Still Together
Marriage

Black Woman Receives Hate Letters for Marrying a White Man - 58 Years Later, Theyre Still Together

Leslie Uggams is probably best known for her role in the Deadpool series, but her real life reads a bit like a movie as well.At the heart of her life story is an incredible tale of love that has spanned over 5 decades, defying the odds of racism and prejudice.Her Family Expected Her to Marry a Black ManPhoto by Văn ThắngBorn in 1943, Leslie's talents as an actress got her into show business very early in life. At only 10 years old, she already made a record for MGM. This was only a precursor to an incredible television, screen and film career. The time Leslie grew up in was a difficult one for anyone in an interracial relationship. In a 1967 interview with Ebony, Leslie recalls how she was expected to marry a Black man. When she dated a white boy in her teens, her aunt told her not to entertain the idea of a future with him. Leslie said:"I remember the shock I got once when I was dating a white boy. He sent me a colour picture of himself. I showed it to my aunt. He was a good looking boy with beautiful hair. I thought he was gorgeous. But my aunt to one look and started in to lecture me. 'Well he's alright, I suppose,' she told me, 'but only for dates, huh, honey? When you're thinking of settling down for keeps you'll make sure you marry a nice [Black] fella, won't you?'"Leslie never discriminated when she dated even she admits, "I had to be extra careful of the company I kept," being a Black woman in show business.Then, She Met Her Future Husband Grahame PrattBy the time Leslie met Grahame Pratt, she was already successful. Even though their first meeting in Sydney, Australia was not ideal, Leslie said she would never forget it."Then I came for my first appearance at Chequers night club and met Grahame," she said.He was quite drunk and asked her to join him and his friends for another drink.I don't know why I ever agreed to join them for yet another drink but I did. I reckon I must have liked his style. I remember thinking he was English, not Australian.Leslie Uggams in EbonyAfter that, Leslie and her mother kept seeing more and more of Grahame. "I found myself really falling for him, which was quite a thing for me to realize as I was only 21."When she left Sydney, it would be 12 months until she would see him again.She Didn’t Believe He Could Handle the RelationshipThe thing is, unlike Grahame, Leslie is American and she was way more aware of the public perception of interracial relationships in her home country than he was. So she had reasons to question the marriage and the strength of his love.I believed he loved me and wanted to marry me, but at the same time I felt he might also have welcomed a way out of our love, if that were possible.Leslie Uggams"I mean it is a tremendous responsibility to take on a mixed marriage like ours," Leslie continued. She identified three problems they would have to contend with: the racial tensions in America, the fact that she was not going to quit her work in show business, and the necessity for Grahame to move to the United States.So Leslie decided they would try it out at first, to make sure their marriage could withstand it."I felt that as I was the one who would be taking him away from the sort of life he had been used to it was up to me to make sure he really knew what it would be like," she said.They got engaged for 5 months, during which he came to New York to meet her family. She Was Afraid Her Family Wouldn’t Accept HimOther than the obvious negative attitudes towards interracial relationships, Leslie also worried about her own family's reception of Grahame. While she wanted Grahame to experience a "real sample of life" in an interracial relationship in America, she also wanted to make sure her folks would truly welcome him."Knowing my family's ideas about mixed marriages I wanted to know, too, whether they would really accept Graham and not just tolerate him," she said.You can imagine how I felt, after they got to know one another, my father told me he couldn't hope for a better son-in-law.Leslie UggamsLeslie was pleasantly surprised at Grahame's ease with her friends and family. It turns out that being Australian gave him a different perspective and approach to the new culture he had moved into."He had none of the self-consciousness about the situation that a white American often has. He fitted in easily with all my friends...just because he liked them. And they certainly liked him, both the men and the girls."They Got Hate Letters but It Didn’t Threaten Their LoveLeslie and Grahame settled into married life quite well. They lived in New York where hardly anyone made nasty remarks. “It was not as hard as I expected it to be,” Leslie told PEOPLE. “I think the reason is that Grahame was not an American white man. But of course we did get mail.”"Sometimes when I go on tour through the States I get anonymous letters about being married to a white man," Leslie revealed. "I remember I got one in Detroit of all places. It came to the club addressed to 'The Little Negro Entertainer.' They're always addressed something like that and they're not pleasant to read."Back in that 1967 Ebony interview, Leslie wished for one thing: "I just want my children to be happy as we both are. Then they'll have everything that is worth living for."Don’t Underestimate the Power of LoveWell, 55 years later, Leslie and Grahame are still going strong. The couple went on to have two children: Danielle and Justice, 42, and are now grandparents of Cassidy, 7, an aspiring actress.As for how they’ve made it work all these years, Leslie said, “We laugh all the time — but it ain’t always roses. We have fun together.”Leslie and Grahame's heartwarming story proves that love transcends everything from hostile environments and cultural differences. Both decided to give themselves a chance. Had they listened to their doubts, they would have missed out on their love. Instead, they tried to make it work, keeping an open mind. We can certainly all be inspired from this incredible couple.More from Goalcast:Woman Finally Marries “True Love” 43 Years After Her Mother Forced Her to End Interracial RelationshipIn 1963, He Broke Their Engagement and Her Heart — 60 Years Later, He Took a Chance and Sent Her a Facebook Friend RequestWhite Woman Refuses to Listen to Dad After He Forbid Her From Marrying a Black Man – 60 Years Later, They’re Still Togethertrue love always finds a way"Love recognizes no barrier." - Maya Angelou

Man Was Refused a Loan Because He Was Broke - 18 Years Later, He Buys the Same Bank for $590K
Entrepreneurs

Man Was Refused a Loan Because He Was Broke - 18 Years Later, He Buys the Same Bank for $590K

We all remember our lowest points. The memories from those times never leave us: what happened, how we got out of it, but also how we were treated when we needed help the most. Adam Deering never forgot his humble beginnings. In 2002, he was near-broke, and tried to get a £10,000 loan at the RBS branch in Urmston, Greater Manchester. He was denied.The once almost penniless man is now a wealthy businessman, and he’s marked the difference two decades can make by buying the bank that denied him his first chance. This is how he did it.The Bank Refused Him a Loan at His Lowest PointPhoto by Yurii HleiAt the age of 21, Adam had ambitious plans for his future. Believing in his capacities, he decided to take a chance on himself and his business idea."I quit my job as a salesman aged 21 because I knew I had it in me to create a successful business, but I didn't have a penny to my name so I needed a bank loan," Adam said in Daily Mail.He walked into the bank fully prepared, but got a crushing response.I presented them with a comprehensive business plan and asked for £10,000 but the bank manager didn't seem to take me seriously at all.Adam Deering"I was devastated when she told me I was too young and inexperienced and there was no way they could take a risk on me," Adam continued.But He Never Gave Up on His PlanDespite the disappointing defeat, Adam never abandoned his idea. At the time, he went right back to work, toiling hard from the floor of a small office as he could not afford a desk and a chair.Without the money I spent four months cold calling people from the floor of a small office because I couldn't even afford a desk and a chair.Adam Deering"Those early months were so difficult, not knowing if I was going to be able to make it work and not knowing if I'd be able to pay my bills," he continued.He finally got help from his good samaritan neighbor, Chris, who helped him set his life straight and get a job. He ended up working in debt management (ironically) and then quit when he was ready to launch his own venture. 18 Years Later, the Tables Have TurnedWhile the beginnings of his venture were not easy, Adam continued to believe. He spent his last pennies from his sales salaries to rent a small office."There were lots of times where I thought it was the end, but I refused to give up and it paid off," he said.Eventually, his hard work yielded amazing results. Adam now heads five multi-million companies, so he could well afford to buy the bank's building for £450,000. His plans is to renovate and convert the building into an 8-apartment complex and a retail unit.Adam spends his free time now as a motivational speaker, helping to guide others as he has been guided himself back when he was a teenager who was expelled from school and spent his time doing small-time crime before falling into a cycle of getting fired from jobs.Determination Always Pays OffThe businessman said: "Building a business from scratch certainly isn't easy and there are always times when you wonder if it is going to work out. The key is to stay true to your vision and keep going, there will always be hurdles to overcome.""When I was turned down for the loan, it was tough but because I had a dream and I was so focused on achieving it, I made it happen anyway," he admitted.Adam was able to turn a defeat into an incredible win, even if it took years for it to materialize. Buying the bank that refused him was a celebration of his own resilience."To me, buying the bank building brings things back full circle and it shows that I was right to keep believing in myself," Adam said.More from Goalcast:“He Started Crying”: Man Stops Bank Robbery By Talking to Him and Giving Him a HugBank Calls Police On 92-Year-Old For Creating Disturbance – Officer Leads Him Away And Reacts UnexpectedlyHow A Struggling Single Mom With $12 In Her Bank Account Rescued Herself To Become A Millionaire CEO

Strangers Call Mom a Whale in Front of Everyone - Instead of Getting Angry, She Buys Them Coffee
Uplifting News

Strangers Call Mom a Whale in Front of Everyone - Instead of Getting Angry, She Buys Them Coffee

Many of us may have experienced bullying firsthand but it's how we handle and respond to it that matters.When Dianne Hoffmeyer was ridiculed by two women for her appearance, she decided to take the higher road and perform an act of kindness instead. Dianne's story went viral and everyone praised the amazing way she handled a situation that could have easily gotten out of hand. Her response sets a wonderful example for all of us. Bullied for Being “Different”Photo by Clément ProustIt started off as a normal day for Dianne when she was waiting in line with her 22-month-old child at Tim Hortons in Fort Gratiot, Michigan. Suddenly, she heard two women making mean and hurtful comments behind her in the line."'Oh look at her hair! It's nasty looking, and the roots are coming through,'" she heard one woman saying. "'Oh, she's a whale, oh the whale needs to eat.'"Hoffmeyer then ordered herself a cappuccino, prompting one of the woman behind her to comment, "Oh, even the whale needs to have liquids. Maybe she should go back into the water.""I just instantly started to cry because it hurts," Hoffmeyer told WXYZ, an ABC-affiliate. "I don't know the women. I've never seen them or met them and I don't know why they would choose to say something like that."The Beautiful Reason Behind Her ActionsIt would have been very easy for Hoffmeyer to return that hate with more hate, but instead she decided to be a positive role model for her child and be kind."I told my cashier 'I'll pay for their coffee' and [the cashier] was like, 'What!'" Hoffmeyer said.The chain's manager, Brittany Sanders, told ABC News they were floored at what Dianne had done."The next day, we gave her a gift card and a Tim Hortons travel mug, and she was very pleased," Sanders said. "I felt she did the right thing by killing it with kindness and paying it forward. She handled it very well.”Always Choose KindnessDespite this incident, Dianne said that she would like to buy the women another cup of coffee if she met them again and would tell them how she felt when they had verbally attacked her. Dianne's story proves that no matter the circumstances, we can always choose to break the cycle of hate and instead put kindness back into the universe! One act of kindness can drastically change someone's day. More from Goalcast:Girl Is Bullied for Her “Cursed” Skin – Today, After Proving Everyone Wrong, She’s Become a Famous ModelBullied Boy Loses Hope After a Priceless Gift From His Grandmother Is Stolen – But His Best Friends Feel OtherwiseBullies Target 7-Year-Old in Horrific Hate Crime – Little Did They Know 20 Bikers Would Show Up at Their School Choose love over hate Spreading love always leaves a bigger impact.

Distraught 79-Year-Old Is Pulled Over for Speeding - He Did Not Expect the Treatment He Received From the Cop
Motivation

Distraught 79-Year-Old Is Pulled Over for Speeding - He Did Not Expect the Treatment He Received From the Cop

Being out on the road and then being pulled over by the police could be a really frightening and intimidating experience -- especially if you are an older person who doesn't have the best coordination and cognitive function.But when one elderly man was pulled over, the situation worked out rather well for him! A Surprising Reason for SpeedingIn a video that the Sterling Heights Police Department shared on Facebook, an officer pulls over a 79-year-old driver named David who seemed upset and near tears.Officer Coates took some time to talk to David, and learned his wife was unwell and he also had a special needs son. David went on to say that the only reason he was speeding in the first place was to find the right cables for his newly purchased TV that he had bought to cheer up his family."I really try to drive right. I bought a new television today because I wanted to make my wife happy, you know, and I can’t get it hooked up." DavidUnderstand Before You JudgeDuring the conversation, David also confided that he wasn't technologically savvy and was hence hoping to find someone who could help him. "Everything’s going wrong," David said, looking visibly distraught.Coates didn’t give David a ticket; instead he offered to come by his house after his shift and help set up the TV. An hour later, he brought some colleagues, and made good on the promise! We should never judge a book by its cover. It may be scary sometimes when we think we are in trouble, and that we may get a ticket or a reprimand, but be honest about what you are going through and you just may find someone who wants to help you!More from Goalcast:Elderly Man Lost His Wife Over 50 Years Ago – Breaks Down When He Gets to See Her “Come to Life”Elderly Man’s “Grandson” Calls Him Asking For $2,300 – A Walmart Cashier Immediately Stops Him From Getting ScammedBe empathetic “You can only understand people if you feel them in yourself.” – John Steinbeck.

Teen Low on Cash Finds $135,000 in a Bag at an ATM - His Next Move Is a Reminder to All Parents
Uplifting News

Teen Low on Cash Finds $135,000 in a Bag at an ATM - His Next Move Is a Reminder to All Parents

Jose Nuñez Romaniz, a criminal justice student, visited an ATM after trying to buy some socks for his grandfather and realizing he was low on cash. When Jose got to the ATM to make a deposit, he made a wild discovery. Next to the machine was a bag filled with cash. It turns out the bag contained $135,000!Stumbling Into Something BigAt first, Jose didn't know what it all meant or what actions he should take. “When I first saw it, I kind of stared at it for a few seconds, not knowing what to do,” Jose told the New York Times. "I was very shocked. I’ve never seen so much money."Jose Nuñez RomanizHe wasn’t sure if he had stumbled upon a crime scene and was now in trouble, or would become a hostage, or if it was some sort of mistake. Thinking quickly, he called the police.Jose found out that there wasn't a crime in process, but the bag had accidentally been left behind by a worker who was filling the ATM.“This money could have made an incredible amount of difference in his life if he went down the other path, but he chose the integrity path and did the right thing,” Officer Simon Drobik, a spokesman for the Albuquerque police told CNN.A Community Hero That could have been the end of it, but then this young man got an amazing reward. The teen was called a "community hero" by Officer Drobik. The mayor and police chief also held a ceremony to officially thank him!Local businesses joined in on the celebration by showering him with gift cards from local restaurants, season tickets for University of New Mexico football, a $500 scholarship, and even a bunch of sports gear.His mother was super proud too. "She called me and almost started crying… She told me I did the right thing and that she was proud of me."Jose Nuñez RomanizDoing the Right ThingJose remembers that when he was staring at the money, waiting for the police to arrive, he heard the lessons his mother and father had taught him when he was growing up in his head. "My parents always taught me to work for my own. Stolen money would never last you any time."Jose Nuñez RomanizWhen Jose came across that bag of cash, he could have easily taken the money with him and used it to provide him and his family a comfortable life. However, he chose to do the right thing, which gave him a sense of satisfaction. Additionally, his actions led him to receive the admiration of others, which is rewarding in itself. More from Goalcast:10-Year-Old Doesn’t Have Any Money to Pay For His Beloved Uncle’s Funeral – So He Decides to Sell All His ToysThree Kids Find Wallet Stuffed With $700 and Return It – Little Did They Know What Was Coming Next42-Year-Old Finds Pouch With $10,000 on a Bench – Waits Over Three Hours for Owner to ReturnAct with integrity Doing the right thing can present limitless rewards.