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Man Lures 5-Year-Old With Ice-Cream and Kidnaps Her - But 2 Teens on Bikes Take Matters Into Their Own Hands
Uplifting News

Man Lures 5-Year-Old With Ice-Cream and Kidnaps Her - But 2 Teens on Bikes Take Matters Into Their Own Hands

A strong community can do far more than a single person can. Sometimes, you need someone to watch your back. In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, two teenage boys went above and beyond to protect their community.How Two Teens Used Their Quick-Thinking to Save a Little GirlPhoto by Erik Mclean5-year-old Jocelyn Rojas was playing in her front yard one early afternoon, as she always does. When her guardians went inside, things took a turn for the worst. She was lured into the car of a stranger. Jocelyn couldn’t be found. Her family called the police and issued a search. Jocelyn’s neighbours searched alongside the police for two hours. Just as an Amber Alert was about to be filed, 15-year-old Temar Boggs and his friend Chris came back to save the day. They returned Jocelyn safely to her family -- on their bikes!When the search started, the two teens jumped on their bikes and began to scour the neighbourhood. After a while, they spotted something out of place. “I saw this suspicious car and I looked into the passenger seat, it was a little girl.” They slowly followed the car to try and confirm the identity of the child. When they could see it was Jocelyn, the boys went into a full sprint chasing the car.The driver wasn’t easy to catch, especially on a bike. “Every time we’d go down the street, he’d turn back around, and then … we’ll follow him,” Temar said. They chased the kidnapper for 15 minutes. The driver seemed to realize he was being followed and decided to give the girl up. “He stopped at the end of the hill and let her out,” Temar said, “She stood there for a little and then she ran to me and said that she needed her mommy.” The boys comforted Jocelyn and ensured she was safe. Minutes later, they returned the girl back to her family.How Community Played a Role in Bringing a Little Girl Home When they returned, the whole community took turns giving the two teens flowers and praise. “At first she didn’t want to leave my arms,” Temar said, “She was scared until I told her, ‘They’re going to take you to your mom.’” Temar and Chris showed an unbelievable amount of courage that afternoon by putting themselves in harm’s way to protect their community. Luckily, no one was hurt and Jocelyn was back with her caregivers. “He’s our hero. There is just no words to say,” Jocelyn’s grandmother Tracey Clay said. Jocelyn’s mother also showed her gratitude to the boys that saved her daughter. “It’s amazing that teenagers took it upon themselves and put their lives in danger to make sure my child was okay,” She said.The Lancaster community came together to save Jocelyn. All of her relatives and neighbours played a role in bringing the child home safely and didn’t rest until it was done. Without a strong community, a triumph like this could never happen.

9-Year-Old Boy Trusts Instincts And Saves 18-Year-Old Girl From Being Abducted In Broad Daylight
Motivation

9-Year-Old Boy Trusts Instincts And Saves 18-Year-Old Girl From Being Abducted In Broad Daylight

Nine-year-old Tiernan McCready was walking home from school in Londonberry, Northern Ireland, when he noticed three men grab an 18-year-old girl and attempt to get her into a van. Instead of running away, he decided to act."I was scared when I saw it but I just couldn't have stood there and done nothing so I tried to distract them so she could get away to safety," he told Belfast Telegraph.McCready shouted at them, saying he had a phone and if they didn't let her go he'd call the police."I think that frightened them a bit. They let her go and she was able to run," he said.It could have been way worseThe 9-year-old and teenage girl started to run away, but he fell on some steps and cut his finger on glass.Still, they ran on to safety.Before McCready got home to tell his mom to call the police, he gave the teenager a stern talking to."I told her that it was very serious and that anything could have happened to her," he recalled to Belfast Telegraph. I told her that her mummy could have been waking up tomorrow with no daughter. I ran home and we phoned the police and told them.Tiernan McCreadyReflecting on the situation, McCready was proud of how he reacted."I am pretty happy," he said. "It's kind of mind-blowing. I am just happy that the young girl is safe now."A brave, big-hearted exampleTiernan's mom, Ciara, said she's extremely proud of her "little hero.""This just shows how big a heart he has," she said. "This is just Tiernan, he is a gentleman, he is so kind-hearted and would do anything for anyone. I am so proud of him for doing this."Police recognized Tiernan's heroism too and awarded him with a badge of honor and a box of chocolates."Most adults would be paralyzed in shock, confusion, or fear and fail to act until it was too late. Tiernan reacted instantly," police wrote on Facebook. Let that sink in. This could have been the start of a potentially serious and harrowing crime. That girl could have been my child, my sister, your child, your family member.Facebook post by police "This doesn't go anywhere near to paying off the debt our community owes this boy," the post continued. "Our youngsters often get a bad rep but remember the vast majority are brave and big hearted just like Tiernan."Look out for othersMany fully-grown adults wouldn't do what Tiernan did. But with big risk comes big reward and the teenager was able to escape, safe and sound.This is yet another reminder to keep your eyes peeled for strangers in danger around us. You could end up saving a life.More uplifting stories:4 Years Ago, He Was Homeless–Today, He Bought His First HousePoor Man Who Missed Job Interview To Save A Life Had Employers Lining Up To Hire HimDomestic Abuse Survivor Marries The First Responder Who Saved Her LifeBrooklyn Landlord Cancels Rent For Hundreds Of Tenants, Setting An Unprecedented Example For OthersHeroes Come In all sizes"Heroism is endurance for one moment more."- George F. Keenan

12-Year-Old Trusts Her Instincts And Saves Little Girl From Being Abducted in Broad Daylight
Uplifting News

12-Year-Old Trusts Her Instincts And Saves Little Girl From Being Abducted in Broad Daylight

Twelve-year-old Jada Miller was playing with her friends in their Kenosha, Wisconsin neighborhood when she realized something was off. A man known as Eli or Elijah (his legal name is actually Benjamin Spasogevich-Lee), was leading 4-year-old Caylee away, and the toddler's parents were nowhere to be seen.She chased after the kidnapped girlSpasogevich-Lee was reportedly considered to be suspicious in the neighborhood, often doing yoga in his underwear on his front lawn. He even allegedly talked to neighborhood kids about sexual assault and kidnapping."I felt that if I had stopped to ring the doorbell, the parents were too busy doing something. They wouldn't get to the door in time," Miller told TMJ4. "I just ran after Caylee because I didn't know what could have happened next."When Miller arrived to rescue the girl, the man fortunately let her go.Caylee was like, 'I’ll be back' and then I looked at him and said, ‘no she won’t.'Jada MillerBrave tween saves the dayWhen interviewed, the girl's father said he "never thought [Spasogevich-Lee] would do something like that."The father added that he decided to call the police instead of chasing after his daughter. "I wanted to go chase after him, I really did, but that's not how I was brought up so I called the police," he said.As of the story's release in 2017, Spasogevich-Lee was being held on charges of disorderly conduct and child abduction. When released, he was ordered not to interact with anyone under 18.Keep an eye out for each otherWhile it's unclear what Caylee's father was doing leaving his toddler outside and not chasing after her when she was taken away, 12-year-old Jada Miller is worth celebrating. Her bravery and boldness saved 4-year-old Caylee, and is a reminder for all of us to keep an eye open for anything suspicious.More uplifting stories:4 Years Ago, He Was Homeless–Today, He Bought His First HousePoor Man Who Missed Job Interview To Save A Life Had Employers Lining Up To Hire HimDomestic Abuse Survivor Marries The First Responder Who Saved Her LifeBrooklyn Landlord Cancels Rent For Hundreds Of Tenants, Setting An Unprecedented Example For OthersBe aware of your surroundingsThere could be danger lurking around the corner, so keep an eye out for trouble.

Mom Finally Reunites With Missing Daughter After 14 Long Years Apart
Uplifting News

Mom Finally Reunites With Missing Daughter After 14 Long Years Apart

In 2007, a 6-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped by her father. Fourteen years later, she finally came home.Police couldn't solve the kidnapping caseAngelica Vences-Salgado hadn't seen her daughter since December 22, 2007 when the girl's father allegedly abducted her, according to BBC News.At the time, police issued a felony warrant for the father, Pablo Hernandez, but couldn't come up with much except that the pair may have traveled to Mexico.Police eventually dropped their search for the girl, Jacqueline Hernandez, and the case went cold.A long awaired reunionFast forward to September 2 of this year and police cracked open the case again. According to a press release from the Clermont Police Department that was shared on Facebook, Vences-Salgado told police she was contacted on social media by a girl claiming to be her daughter.Police coordinated with various departments including Homeland Security Operations and ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations to "intercept" the now 19-year-old girl and see if she was who she claimed to be.After speaking to police, Vences-Salgado agreed to meet Hernandez on the border with Mexico in Laredo, Texas. Meanwhile, police looked into Hernandez's documentation and she checked out — the girl was who she said she was.People were blown awayThe comment section of the Facebook post was lit up with positive comments, including "This is wonderful So glad to hear that they are back together where they belong."Another commenter wrote: "How amazing!! 14 yrs missing and she's now home with her mom. Never give up hope !!"Never lose hopeThat last Facebook comment is exactly right. In our lives, bad things can happen that set us off course. But if we hold onto our resolve and never lose hope, amazing things can happen like this reunion after 14 long years. More uplifting stories:4 Years Ago, He Was Homeless–Today, He Bought His First HousePoor Man Who Missed Job Interview To Save A Life Had Employers Lining Up To Hire HimDomestic Abuse Survivor Marries The First Responder Who Saved Her LifeBrooklyn Landlord Cancels Rent For Hundreds Of Tenants, Setting An Unprecedented Example For Others

Quick-Thinking Mom Uses Pizza Hut App To Save Herself From Abusive Boyfriend
Uplifting News

Quick-Thinking Mom Uses Pizza Hut App To Save Herself From Abusive Boyfriend

Held captive in her home by an abusive boyfriend, one mama bear's quick thinking might have saved her and her cubs from the unthinkable.Terror trapOne afternoon noon in Avon Park, Florida, what was usually a happy home to Cheryl Treadway and her three children turned into a terror trap. She had been arguing with boyfriend Ethan Nickerson all day when things took a frightening turn. that's when Nickerson -- hopped up on meth -- took out a knife and began sharpening it in front of her while refusing to let her and her kids leave. Her bold idea workedTreadway tapped into her mom reserves and intuition for an way out. She pled with Nickerson to let her order pizza from the local Pizza Hut using the chain's online app. Remarkably, it worked.With only a small window to act, Treadway ordered a pepperoni pizza along with an urgent request."Please help. Get 911 to me. 911 hostage help!"When the order came in, the staff recognized the name and address as being from a regular customer. The message got their attention. "We've never seen that before," the restaurant's manager, Candy Hamilton, told local station WFLA. I've been here 28 years and never, never seen nothing like that come through.- Candy Hamilton, manager at Pizza HutMeanwhile, Nickerson didn't realize anything was amiss until police arrived. That's when Treadway fled from the house with a baby in her arms and told them that her boyfriend had a knife.After a tense stand-off, Nickerson surrendered. He was taken into custody and deputies safely removed the other two children from the home. Thankfully, none of them were harmed.He was charged with aggravated assault with a weapon without intent to kill, battery, false imprisonment and obstructing justice by depriving communication to law enforcement.Urgency spurs actionTreadway's clever thinking impressed police, including Lt. Curtis Ludden when he spoke with FOX5.I don’t know if I ever would have thought of it. I mean it’s just something that she did so naturally.- Lt. Curtis Ludden Treadway was lucky, and the stats back it up. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), "72% of all murder-suicides involve an intimate partner; 94% of the victims of these murder suicides are female."She's not the only victim. Her kids make up the 1 in 15 children who are exposed to intimate partner violence each year. The impact of that can last a lifetime. As we work to a world where this is a thing of the past, Treadway reminds us to pull out any stops to safety. Because of that, this is a survivor's story.

Brave Gas Station Clerk Trusts His Instinct And Prevents Alleged Kidnapping
Uplifting News

Brave Gas Station Clerk Trusts His Instinct And Prevents Alleged Kidnapping

Follow your gut — you never know when it could help you save a life.He had a suspicious feelingWhen Manveer Komer saw a man and a woman pull up to his Philadelphia area gas station, the convenience store clerk got a suspicious feeling."I was looking,” Komer told ABC's local affiliate. “This is not a boyfriend, not a girlfriend.”Something in the gas station attendant's gut told him that the man and woman weren't a couple, but rather, the woman was a victim of kidnapping.An active kidnappingWhile in the convenience store, surveillance footage shows the man buying cigarettes with the woman's credit card. Then, as they were leaving, Komer suddenly exits from behind the cash and steps in front of the woman, protecting her while locking the man outside.“You come behind my back. I help you. No problem."Manveer Komer says to the woman.Then, Komer turned to the man and reached into his pocket as if he had a gun to scare him off. He didn't, but that's all it took for the suspect to drive off and for the attendant to have saved the day.Afterward, Komer kindly gave the woman a bottle of water to cool down.Shortly thereafter, the woman gave consent to police to track her phone and the man was soon arrested.It turned out that the woman was a doctor and the man had assaulted her, carjacked her car, kidnapped her and stolen her cell phone.Police used the cell phone to track the suspect down and charged him with aggravated assault, kidnapping, carjacking, robbery and other related offenses, according to ABC.Heroism takes many formsWhat led Komer to suspect the kidnapping? And more importantly, what led him to react?It's hard to say, but what's clear is the Komer was a hero on this day, and his reaction proves that following your gut to help others can have a massive impact.More uplifting stories:Quick-Thinking Dad Saves 11-Year-Old From Clutches Of KidnapperThis Woman Trusted Her Instincts And Saved A Little Girl From Being AbductedCashier Trusts Her Instincts And Rescues Woman From Kidnappers Who Assaulted HerBrooklyn Landlord Cancels Rent For Hundreds Of Tenants, Setting An Unprecedented Example For Others

Quick-Thinking Dad Trusts His Instinct And Saves Little Girl Snatched By Kidnapper
Uplifting News

Quick-Thinking Dad Trusts His Instinct And Saves Little Girl Snatched By Kidnapper

In a moment's notice, a restaurant owner went from onlooker to hero when he saved a little girl from the clutches of a kidnapper.Terror across the tableMost crazy events start as just a regular day, and this one was no different. CCTV footage captured a woman sitting on the terrace of Bella Napoli pizza restaurant with her four-year-old daughter and another woman. Meanwhile, restaurant owner Dishal Sooku had been sitting next to the family with his father when he alerted him to a man acting suspiciously in the mall. Suddenly, the man raced towards the restaurant. Moments later, he jumped over the terrace rail and grabbed the woman's four-year-old daughter by the neck.Said one eyewitness to the Ridge Times, "It didn’t look like he was trying to take her, he was really trying to hurt her. His eyes were dead."Papa mode engagedIn an instant, Sooku swooped in with only one goal, he told News24."At the time my only thought was 'I need to save this child.'"- Dishal Sooku"The only thing to do was to restrain him in a way that he would let go of the child."Unfortunately for the madman, Sooku had been practicing jujitsu for years and knew exactly how to take the man down. He quickly took him to the floor and detained him until security came. A getaway vehicle reportedly also fled the scene and the suspect is said to be a heavy drug user, reports SA People.Fortunately, the girl was unharmed. A humble heroThe video has since amassed millions of views and has turned Sooku into a hero. According to the Sun, a post with his picture by page SA Long Distance Truckers lauds his actions."Dishal you sir are a hero and a man in a million. Your act of bravery has not gone unnoticed. We wish you all thats good in this world."- Post by SA Long Distance TruckersHowever, Sooku is quick to deflect any hero-talk, instead crediting his martial arts training for being ready." I don't consider myself a hero. People say you're at the right place at the right moment, and it all comes with preparation. I think the years experience in martial arts is what allowed me to react the way that I did.For Sooku, the girl's safety is reward enough."I just with her all the best and I'm glad I could have done what I did," he said. Staying alert is staying safeSooku can say what he wants, but he definitely deserves all the praise he's received. If Sooku wasn't there, who knows what the title of this piece would be.However, it's a reminder that not all danger takes place after dark. The scariest part about this was it took place in a crowded mall in broad daylight. Whether it's at the park or going to school, a child's path through life is only as safe as we make it. Like one brave man showed us, we can all contribute to keeping our children safe.More uplifting stories:This Woman Trusted Her Instincts And Saved A Little Girl From Being AbductedPoor Man Who Missed Job Interview To Save A Life Had Employers Lining Up To Hire HimYoung Man Saves Girl From Attempted Kidnapping At RestaurantBrooklyn Landlord Cancels Rent For Hundreds Of Tenants, Setting An Unprecedented Example For Others

Quick-Thinking Woman Acts Like Girl's Mother To Stop Kidnapping Attempt
Uplifting News

Quick-Thinking Woman Acts Like Girl's Mother To Stop Kidnapping Attempt

One fast-acting woman used her wits to rescue a girl from the clutches of a terrifying kidnapper. School scare 12-year-old Amy Martinez of Los Angeles was on her way to Lathrop Intermediate School when a woman grabbed her out of nowhere and started dragging her down the street, telling the girl to keep quiet. The young girl recalled to NBC Los Angeles that she feared the worst."I thought I wouldn't see my mom or my dad again. She was saying that the demons are coming, Satan is here"- Amy MartinezDespite Martinez screaming at the woman to let go of her, her assailant wouldn't stop. Rescue rideThat's when police say Martinez's angel on wheels appeared. The woman -- who wished to remain anonymous -- was driving back from dropping her kids off at school when she noticed the girl struggling with the suspect. She remembered the girl's terrified look clearly. "I'll never forget the way she looked at me. Her eyes were screaming for help"- Anonymous heroThere was not much time to act. "She said she had, in her mind, five seconds to come up with something to save this child," said police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.That's when the woman made a brilliantly brave move. She circled back, stopped her car and asked the girl if she was okay. When she shook her head no, the woman said to the suspect 'That's my child, give her back to me.' After three attempts, the suspect released the girl. The good samaritan then drove Martinez safely to school and called the police. Police ultimately arrested the suspect, identified as 34-year-old Claudia Hernandez Diazon on suspicion of kidnapping a child under the age of 14.Community is familyWhen asked about her rescuer, Martinez was nothing but grateful. "I want to say thank you for saving my life, and you’re my hero"- Amy Martinez Meanwhile, her mother, shaken from the scare, said that from now on a relative will be driving her little girl to school everyday. Cpl. Bertagna says that the anonymous woman truly walked the talk when it came to protecting her community. "We always say if you see something say something. Well, she saw something and did something,'' he said.It's reported that every 40 seconds in the United States, a child either goes missing or is abducted. Another study reports that 38 percent of attempted abductions occurred while a child walks to or from school.While we can't watch our kids 24/7, we can keep an eye on our community like we do our own family, just like this woman did. We would not just avoid tragedy but create a safer, happier world. More uplifting stories:Young Woman Narrowly Escapes Serial Killer By Sliding Hands Out Of Handcuffs11-Year-Old Genius Passes Up Higher Learning And It’s A Lesson For All ParentsMom Tells Son Not To Share With Other Kids And She Makes A Powerful Point11-Year-Old Receives ‘Fat Letter’ From School Officials – Mom Has The Best Response

Relentless Dad Finally Reunites With Kidnapped Son After 24 Years Of Searching
Uplifting News

Relentless Dad Finally Reunites With Kidnapped Son After 24 Years Of Searching

More than two decades of searching aand Chinese parents Guo Gangtang and Zhang Wenge came up short — until one day, a DNA test was a match and they were finally reunited with their long-lost son.Any parent's worst nightmareGuo Xinzhen was twp years old and playing outside the family's front gate in Beijing when a man and woman kidnapped him. Parents Guo Gangtang and Zhang Wenge were devastated. How couldn't they be? Their son was another victim of a large string of abductions that occurred during China's decades-long one-child policy.According to AP, boys like Guo Xinzhen, too young to know their names or hometowns, were sold to couples who wanted someone to look after them in old age. Girls were sold to be a bride to an only child or as a servant.In a 2015 TV interview, the boy's mother showcased her devastation: "What use is it for me to live?" she reportedly said. "It was me who lost the child."Father searches tirelessly for childBut the parents wouldn't give up hope. The boy's father, Guo Gangtang crisscrossed China on his motorcycle, driving through 30 of its 34 provinces. In the process, he reportedly wore out 10 motorcycles and said he once nearly fell off a cliff when he was blown off his bike in a rainstorm.To fund the search, Guo operated a shop in Beijing that sells artwork. He also received financial help from relatives including his father, who kept working into his 70s.Throughout it all, Guo carried a photo of his son as well as details like that he had a scar on his left little toe. Guo's journey was so riveting that it was turned into a 2015 movie called "Lost and Love," starring Hong Kong actor Andy Lau. The film was marketed with the tagline: "Only when I am on the road do I feel like a father."In 2012, Guo started a website to help find kidnapped children as well as a charity in 2014. While he wasn't able to locate his son at that point, he managed to locate dozens of others lost children."Thank you for participating in anti-trafficking activities for 24 years and helping more than 100 children return home," the police ministry reportedly said on its social media account.An emotional reunionFinally, this June, Guo Xinzhen was found. Police experts found him a database after matching his toddler photo with what they thought he'd look as an adult. A DNA blood test confirmed that he was in fact the boy his parents had been looking for for 24 years, and they embraced in an emotional reunion as seen in a video recorded by police.[iframe https://webapps.9c9media.com/vidi-player/1.9.23/share/iframe.html?currentId=2241491&config=ctvnews/share.json&kruxId=&rsid=bellmedianewsprod,bellmediaglobalprod&siteName=CTVNews&cid=%5B%7B%22contentId%22%3A2241491%2C%22ad%22%3A%7B%22adsite%22%3A%22ctv.ctvnews%22%2C%22adzone%22%3A%22embed%22%7D%7D%5D height=315 width=560]It turned out that the boy was taken northwest to Henan province by two suspects, Tang and Hu, who confessed to the abduction. It's unclear if Guo Xinzhen knew he was abducted or not."He is a great father," the long-lost boy — now a man — was reportedly quoted as saying to reporters about his father. "I am proud of him."Never lose hopeIt would have been understandable for these parents to stop searching. Finding their son in a country of over a billion people goes beyond the saying "finding a needle in a haystack." Yet they didn't lose hope. Rubber was burned, technology advanced and they finally found their son — helping to find over 100 other children in the process.This story isn't just an uplifting one, it demonstrates the importance of perseverance and maintaining hope when all appears to be lost. More uplifting news:Single Dad Adopts 13-Year-Old After He’s Abandoned At HospitalChildhood Sweethearts Got Engaged After Spending More Than 13 Years ApartWoman Marries Man Who Saved Her Life At The Vegas Mass ShootingPregnant Woman Wakes Up From Coronavirus Coma To Discover She Had Delivered Her Baby

Young Woman Narrowly Escapes Serial Killer By Sliding Hands Out Of Handcuffs
Everyday Heroes

Young Woman Narrowly Escapes Serial Killer By Sliding Hands Out Of Handcuffs

Our traumas do not define us. They can definitely have the power to alter our paths in life, but by no means do they define who we are as individuals. Still, when we experience a traumatic event and our bodies, spirits and minds process the occurrence over time, we go through a wide array of emotions. This experience is a human response, and one that survivors of some of the most horrific events know is natural.Survivor's storyKara Chamberlain survived a kidnapping at gunpoint at the hands of a serial killer in 2002. At the age of 15, Kara had offered to water her friends' flowers outside before they left for a day at the lake. While watering the flowers, Kara’s assailant drove onto the driveway, approached her, and said that he was giving out brochures. He asked if she could leave the brochures for the parents and Chamberlain agreed. He led her to his car, and at this point forced her into a plastic container in the backseat and then drove off.“I went into the situation with a plan to escape. So, the minute the gun touched the side of my neck, I knew I’m tiny, 15-year-old, this is a grown man, I can’t fight him off, so what is my next best thing?”- Kara ChamberlainHer captor held her for 18 hours. While captive, Kara was given drugs and sexually assaulted.Sweet escapeIn the morning however, as the serial killer laid asleep, Kara slid her hands free from the fuzzy handcuffs around her wrists, and she managed to escape. When she emerged from his place, she approached a car with dangling handcuffs, told the men in the car of her ordeal, and asked to be taken to the authorities.After surviving the unthinkable, the police investigated Kara’s kidnapper further to discover that he was linked to at least three murders in the state of Virginia alone.Turning advocateKara Chamberlain is now vocal about her entire experience. She shares her insight saying, “I have these, these huge dreams of really doing for the conversations about emotions and trauma and really just this human experience of what it is to go through hard things. I really want to do for those conversations what we’ve done around race, around gender and sexuality, I want to change the way we talk about it.” “Because we live in this toxic positivity culture where it’s ‘good vibes only,’ or you know, ‘it doesn’t matter, just, you should be happy that your baby is healthy, or that you’re healthy, or that you escaped’ or whatever. But that doesn’t hold space for the ‘negative emotions.’”-Kara ChamberlainKara goes on to clarify what she means by ‘negative emotions,’ explaining, “No emotions are negative, they’re just emotions, right. So, I’m very, very passionate about really just holding space for all feelings. You know, it’s ok to say ‘I’m having a bad day’ it doesn’t mean that you’re not thankful for all of the amazing things that you have, they’re not mutually exclusive, joy and gratitude and having a bad day or being angry, they don’t exist in two separate arenas. They can coexist.”Kara goes on saying, “Hard stuff is going to happen to you in your life. We all have hard things that happen. And, when you’re in them sometimes it can feel like you’re in the bottom of a canyon and there’s no way you can get out. But sometimes you just need to see the person at the top, to be like, ‘OK, well she got through it, so I can too.’”“And, really to know, just because something bad happens, it does not have to define your life, it can very much define where you go with your life, but it doesn’t have to define who you are.”- Kara ChamberlainYou have the powerTrauma is often unavoidable and unpreventable in the human experience. However, while your perspective can change on many things in life post-trauma, it does not have the power to dictate your identity. Only you have the power to decide who you are and who you are going to be. And, even though living in authenticity, breathing through the difficult moments, and being grateful for the good ones is a process, it is life. The more we accept life for all its complexities, the more we can live it in our truth.More uplifting stories:Appalled Mom Stands Up For Daughter After Teachers Shortens Her Name Without Consent11-Year-Old Genius Passes Up Higher Learning And It’s A Lesson For All ParentsMom Tells Son Not To Share With Other Kids And She Makes A Powerful Point11-Year-Old Receives ‘Fat Letter’ From School Officials – Mom Has The Best Response