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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

Deaf Son Brings Mom To Tears By Using His Savings To Secretly Pay Off Her Mortgage
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Deaf Son Brings Mom To Tears By Using His Savings To Secretly Pay Off Her Mortgage

One of the ultimate shows of gratitude a successful child can give their parent is to pay off their mortgage or buy them a house. You hear it all the time, when somebody is about to hit it big, the first thing they want to do is buy their parents, or more specifically, their mom, a house. It’s a dream many of us have but are not often able to successfully achieve. For one South Carolina man, however, that dream became a reality. An important plan Malcolm Jenkins, who has been deaf since he was three years old, was in town to visit his family, and he wanted to use the occasion to do the thing he had always wanted to do-- pay off his mother’s mortgage. Since he wanted it to be a surprise, Malcom and his sister Natasha hatched a sneaky plan. Malcolm had been secretly checking the mortgage balance over a few months, and when he was finally ready to erase it, he and his sister told his mother that they wanted to make a small contribution towards it as a gift.“My mom made sure as we all grew up that there was nothing we could not accomplish despite any odds that may have been stacked up against us. [My brother] is a true example of doing anything you put your mind to.”- Claudia Jenkins Sneaky surpriseNatasha made the phone call for her deaf brother, initially calling the bank and saying the family wanted to make a small payment. Once on the phone with the bank representative, Natasha dropped the bomb, saying: “[We] actually want to pay off the account”. Upon hearing those words, Claudia screamed in surprise, began dancing up and down, and hugged her son, Malcolm. “My brother lost his hearing at three years old, but that never stopped him from living and excelling in life.” - Claudia Jenkins Overcoming the oddsDespite being deaf from a young age, Malcolm became a successful man, both in business and in life. A wonderful father and son, he was able to give back to his family in a way that many of us only dream of. If all of us could pay it forward like Malcolm, the whole world would be a better place. More uplifting stories:They Were Torn Apart By Distance – 70 Years Later, They Reconnect And Get MarriedWidowed Dad Raises 8 Kids Following 15 Rules Late Wife Left For HimDomestic Abuse Survivor Marries The First Responder Who Saved Her LifeMan Saves Up For A Year And Surprises Wife With Key To Dream HomeHonor your parents“No matter how far we come, our parents are always in us.” ― Brad Meltzer

Homeless Mom of 2 Gathers Nerve To Ask Police Officer A Question - The Response Changes Her Life
Uplifting News

Homeless Mom of 2 Gathers Nerve To Ask Police Officer A Question - The Response 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.Moms helping momsHeather, 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 alive The 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 uplifting stories:Police Officer Adopts Abused Toddler After Rescuing Her From Unsafe HomePoor Man Who Missed Job Interview To Save A Life Had Employers Lining Up To Hire HimStruggling Woman Is Stranded With Only $5 - A Chance Encounter With A Stranger Changed Her Life ForeverBrooklyn Landlord Cancels Rent For Hundreds Of Tenants, Setting An Unprecedented Example For OthersHelp when you canYou have the power to make a difference in someone's life.

Appalled Mom Stands Up For Daughter Sent Home For Perfectly Reasonable Outfit
Uplifting News

Appalled Mom Stands Up For Daughter Sent Home For Perfectly Reasonable Outfit

The principal at a Washington middle school sent a tween home for allegedly violating the dress code — a reason the girl's mother refused to accept. Suspended for violating the school dress codeA Washington mom couldn't believe it when she was told her 12-year-old daughter was being sent home from her Washington middle school. So, she filmed it and posted videos to her TikTok account, @khalesei_holt.The first video, which has more than 2 million views five days since being posted, shows her daughter in the office in a white t-shirt and grey sweatpants. It also shows the office secretary threatening to call security on the mom for filming the ordeal.Mom faces off with the principalIn a second video, which has a whopping 10.3 million views, the mom appears to be arguing with the principal about the suspension and whether or not she's allowed to record. "But she's still going to go class" asks the Mom. “Not right now,” the principal replies.The mom pushes back, “So you’re taking her education away over her dress code?”Written on the screen are the mom's words: "Sent home for dress code at 12 years old!" And the principal brings up attorneys? What a joke!"What rule was she breaking?In a third video, the mom appears to post the school dress code, which says:"Preserving a beneficial learning environment and assuring the safety and wellbeing of all students are primary concerns of the Board of Directors. Students' choices in matters of dress should be made in consultation with the parents," read the school handbook. Student dress shall only be regulated when, in the judgment of school administrators, there is a reasonable expectation that: a) health or safety hazard shall be presented by the student's dress or appearance, including possible membership in a gang or hate groups. b) material and substantial disruption of the educational process will result from the students' dress or appearance."Sparked a fierce debate onlineThe comment section of every post contained heated debates.Several wrote about how the girl was fairly suspended for breaking the dress code. "Probably because of how low cut her shirt [is] yall push this far I do see how that shirt can be an issue if she jumps a little too much or," one comment read."There's a school dress code for a reason and always has been this newer generation just can't stand it lol we all dealt with it," said another.Others wrote how the mother didn't handle the situation appropriately."This is why children have no respect for authority because the parents do not," one said.But many backed up the mom, pointing out that her outfit isn't that revealing."she's literally wearing a tee [shirt] and sweatpants... what are y'all saying is inappropriate?""students outfits don't distract anyone but the teachers," another wrote. "My thing is why are GROWN ADULTS looking at a minor's body? Yet there are cheerleaders wearing revealing outfits and 'it's not against dress code?'"There's something very wrong hereThis isn't the first time we've seen young girls sent home for allegedly violating the dress code. At an Oklahoma school, a female student was sent home for wearing black leggings, a T-shirt, a long cardigan, and boots. At another, a female student was sent home for wearing a turtleneck that had a dress over it.Seeing a theme developing here? Female students are being punished for wearing very reasonable outfits, and it's ridiculous. Now, we don't know all the details of every story because we weren't there — it's possible that the t-shirt and sweatpants we see the 12-year-old wearing wasn't the outfit she was being suspended for. Still, the pattern is clear. School dress codes are unfair to girls and need to be updated to treat their students more fairly. In the meantime, parents have every right to stand up for their kids.For more uplifting news:Man Gives Up First-Class Seat So 88-Year-Old Woman Can Fulfill Lifelong DreamFurious Dad Stands Up For Daughter Sent Home For Perfectly Reasonable OutfitMan Saves Up For A Year And Surprises Wife With Key To Dream HomeFierce Mom Tackles Man Peeping Into 15-Year-Old’s Daughter’s Bedroom

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

’Honey, You Should Wait Until You Lose The Baby Weight' - Store Employee Shames Mom And Regrets It
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’Honey, You Should Wait Until You Lose The Baby Weight' - Store Employee Shames Mom And Regrets It

This story originally appeared on Love What Matters.You know what they say about assumptions — they make an ass out of 'u' and me. That saying is particularly prescient in this story about a woman who was offended by a jewelry store employee who opened her mouth without any semblance of tact. Struggled for years with unhealthy eating habitsIn a personal essay submitted to LoveWhatMatters, Lacey Giebel of Washington said she struggled with societal pressures that lead to unhealthy eating habits for her entire life. “For years I used to starve myself to fit into the Abercrombie clothing, smaller sizes. I thought if I had one roll on my stomach boys wouldn’t find me attractive. I would cry in my room and do sit ups before bed to make sure I wouldn’t get bigger," she wrote. "I have always been self-conscious of my stomach. Once someone told me not to wear a white T-shirt because it was unflattering on my stomach. I literally haven’t worn one ever since."But as an adult, Giebel decided to take on more positive self-talk, deciding "to love myself, to eat healthy, realize the scale is just a number, to be active, and not be obsessed with my weight."After meeting a man and getting married, Giebel decided to adopt a baby boy,"My husband and I decided to adopt last year, which has been a beautiful journey becoming a family of three, but it is also extremely hard and stressful."Lacey GiebelShe resorted to stress eating after adopting a baby boyGiebel revealed that the stress of adoption led her to resort back to unhealthy eating behaviors."I am one that stress eats to the max! I ended up gaining 15 pounds in 4 months. I did my best to just enjoy every moment as a new mama to my baby boy. And focus on that," she wrote.As she focused on her baby rather than her eating, Giebel started to put on even more weight. "The weight gain started to eat at me (pun intended). I saw other new moms that had birthed their babies that were already smaller than me, with flatter stomachs, fitting into their tiny jeans. And here I was bigger than my usual, uncomfortable, and embarrassed that I was big, and I didn’t birth my child."Rude comment at the jewelry storeBut one day when her son was six months old, she was feeling great. "I had been feeling down about my appearance, but I lost some of the weight and felt confident this day," she wrote.Giebel decided to take her son out for a trip to the jewelry store, so she could get her wedding ring inspected and cleaned. But even as she felt confident, a random comment by the jewelry store employee almost brought her tears."The women went goo goo over Banning (I mean, who wouldn’t?) and then I asked about getting my ring soldered together since I hadn’t gotten to it yet. The lady looked at me and made a scrunched-up face," Giebel wrote. "‘OH HONEY, YOU SHOULD REALLY WAIT UNTIL YOU LOSE SOME OF THE BABY WEIGHT.’"Giebel couldn't help but feeling hurt. "My eyes instantly started to water. I was speechless. There were other customers around who heard. It took everything within me not to cry," she wrote. "I didn’t even want to stand there to tell her he was adopted. This was just my body, I didn’t birth him."She wants moms to lift each other upGiebel didn't pen this letter to get sympathy for how she looks. "I'm not saying this for people to comment that I’m pretty, and not fat, and feel bad for me," she explained. "I’m writing this honestly to remind people to be KIND. You don’t know what people are going through. You may see a woman with greasy hair and think, ‘Ew gross, shower!,’ but maybe she can’t because her baby is fussy and up all night and she hasn’t had 10 minutes. Maybe you see a mom with bad acne but maybe she’s breaking out because her baby likes touching her face while she gives them a bottle/nurses."Giebel's message is this:In a world full of mom shaming, be a mom that lifts up other moms.Lacey GiebelWords can hurt, so be kind In fairness to the jewelry store employee, she probably wasn't trying to make Giebel cry. She saw the woman and a baby and years of experience led her to conclude that the customer might not want the ring adjusted if they expect to lose weight in the near future.The problem is how the woman said it. She could have used more tact, by making her suggestion much more gently. Or, she could have simply kept her mouth shut, letting the customer decide what they'd like to do.Either way, Giebel's lesson from the situation is correct. We must lift each other up, not tear each other down — we do a good enough job of that in our own heads. More uplifting stories:Fierce Mom Tackles Man Peeping Into 15-Year-Old’s Daughter’s BedroomAppalled Mom Stands Up For 6-Year-Old Shamed By Teacher For Her PaintingMom Tells Son Not To Share With Other Kids And She Makes A Powerful PointWoman Finds Missing Child Using Tik Tok Hack All Parents Need To Know

Aggressive Dogs Lunge At Two-Year Old Boy, Mom Acts As A Shield To Save His Life
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Aggressive Dogs Lunge At Two-Year Old Boy, Mom Acts As A Shield To Save His Life

We all know how parents sacrifice for their kids. In one extreme example, one mother threw herself in harm's way to protect her everything.The dogs ambushed himSamantha Bishop was in the front yard of her Anaheim, California home with her 2-year old son Grayson while husband Spenser was at work.A surveillance camera captures Bishop petting two dogs belonging to her next-door neighbor before walking to the front yard. Meanwhile, Grayson was near the driveway running behind a palm tree. That's when things took a dark, violent turn.Suddenly, one of the dogs lunged at and bit Grayson. The second dog immediately rushed to attack the boy.Mother-guided missileWith a full head of steam, Bishop bolted to her son, scooping him up as she raced to the front door.However, she was unable to find her keys. And so, for five agonizing minutes, Bishop cradled her son with one arm as she fought the dogs back with the other.She finally made her way inside with Grayson as responders soon arrived.The little boy was rushed to the hospital, where he required cosmetic surgery on his face.The healing beginsHusband Spenser told Inside Edition that he couldn't get himself to watch the footage because it's too upsetting."She screamed at the top of her lungs, she was trying to protect her little boy, I think she did a damn good job," he told Inside Edition. "As soon as I got to the doorstep and there was blood everywhere, I lost it. A firefighter had to pull me away and he cried too. He was very upset."There was some positive news for little Grayson. The first responder firefighters paid him a surprise visit, giving him gifts and letting him sit in the firetruck. A mother's love is limitlessAlthough she's still too shaken to speak, Bishop's attorney Richard Patterson told the Mercury News that she deserves supermom status."She is the miracle mom. She brought all of her strength and energy to bear. Every ounce of it."- Samantha Bishop's attorney Richard Patterson It's crazy when you think about it: Our parents loved us before we even existed. When it comes to protecting her child, there is no price too high for a mother to pay. While she might have physical and mental wounds from the ordeal, you can bet that Samantha Bishop would do it all - and more - again in a heartbeat.More uplifting news:Childhood Sweethearts Got Engaged After Spending More Than 13 Years ApartSingle Dad Adopts 13-Year-Old After He’s Abandoned At HospitalPregnant Woman Wakes Up From Coronavirus Coma To Discover She Had Delivered Her BabyMan Writes Touching Note To Hospital Staff Who Saved His Wife’s LifeDoctor Couple Cancel Their Wedding to Keep Fighting Coronavirus Together

Appalled Mom Stands Up For Son When Daycare Sends Back Malicious Note
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Appalled Mom Stands Up For Son When Daycare Sends Back Malicious Note

A Texas mom thought she'd send her kid to daycare with a lovely note, but what she got in return was shocking and uncalled for.A shocking note from a daycare teacherFrancesca Easdon sent her child Kyler to daycare like any other day, but on this occasion, she sent him with a note to “make him smile at lunchtime,” she said in a since-deleted Facebook post, according to Fox News.“Please tell Kyler that his mommy loves him so much and I’m thinking about him," the note read.What she got in return will make your stomach churn.When the boy returned home, a message in the lunchbox read: “No! Put him on a diet and go away!” Helping to make healthy choicesThe mother was shocked. How couldn't she be?“I sent this note in Kylers lunchbox, thinking that it would make him smile at lunch time, but instead, I received this in return from one of the teachers!” Easdon posted on Facebook.The mom said she had been working to introduce new healthy options in his lunchbox, though that she thinks her son is “absolutely perfect the way he is.”“I’m just helping him make healthier choices,” she said, according to Fox.The teacher was firedIt's unclear what drove this daycare teacher to write such a hurtful note, but what we know is that Easdon immediately contacted the Rocking Horse Day Care where Kyler was going, who “assured” her the matter was being investigated “yet almost no remorse was shown,” she said.“I am disgusted that I put my trust in these people to care for my child and this is what I get in return.”According to Fox, the teacher who wrote the note admitted to doing so and was subsequently fired. Meanwhile, Easdon took her son out of the daycare and enrolled him in a “beautiful new facility….Kyler’s safety and level of care comes first,” she wrote.Rude and uncalled forRegardless of what little Kyler looked like or how much he weighs, this teacher's note is absolutely uncalled for. It's so shocking that you have to wonder what drove the daycare teacher to send it.But since we don't have any more info other than what the mom wrote on Facebook, let's just take this as a reminder to not comment on someone else's weight — and never tell a mom to put her kid on a diet. Yeesh.More uplifting stories:More uplifting stories:Fierce Mom Tackles Man Peeping Into 15-Year-Old’s Daughter’s Bedroom11-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

Woman Gets Shamed For Breastfeeding Son In Public, Thousands Of People Stand Up For Her
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Woman Gets Shamed For Breastfeeding Son In Public, Thousands Of People Stand Up For Her

It is not uncommon for a natural activity to be turned into a social taboo. In many ways, the female body is particularly laden with rules and regulations attempting to control our life experiences. Often we must oblige, or we are viewed as “divergent,” “rebellious,” or even “disobedient.”Anti Mom-ShamingWell, one woman had just about enough of the breastfeeding shaming from both a specific woman, and society, so she decided to do something about it.Ashley Kaidel was enjoying a meal at a restaurant when her baby starting showing signs of hunger. So, Ashley began to breastfeed her child at the table, but another woman began to shame Kaidel with her eyes, darting looks of disgust.In the moment, faced with the decision to either feed her son or make the other woman more comfortable by covering up or stopping, Ashley chose the former. Not only did she choose to continue feeding her child as is, but she faced her shamer head on, and took a photo of the moment.A picture is worth 1,000 wordsAshley Kaidel then posted the photo to Facebook, garnering over 400,000 likes and 120,000 shares on the photo alone.“In the picture, it appears I'm staring off into the distance. In reality, I'm staring into the eyes of a woman staring at me. She is looking at me with disgust and shaking her head with judgement in an attempt to shame me and indirectly tell me without words that I am wrong and need to cover myself.”- Ashley KaidelKaidel continues saying in her post, “With that being said, the reason I post these types of pictures is for the mother that tried breastfeeding uncovered once and she got shamed, she got stared and pointed at, she got nasty comments, she got asked to leave the room, she got asked to cover up.”Ashley is trying to reduce the stigma around breastfeeding. She says, “I do this for the person that has the mentality 'Boobs are to be covered. They're for your husbands eyes only. They're intimate. It's a personal/private thing to feed your baby. Cover up out of respect. My kids don't need to see that. Walk out of the room' and any other derogatory, close-minded comments and sentiments alike.”“Breasts were made to sustain your baby's life before they were made to bring pleasure to any other man, woman, partner or spouse. Their sole purpose is to make food and dispense it straight into a baby's mouth. There is nothing weird about this and there's no difference in me feeding my baby with my breast than you feeding yourself with a spoon.”- Ashley KaidelKaidel continues saying, “No person should be isolated and shunned because they're eating, especially when you yourself are eating while ridiculing how someone else is eating. Is it not certainly easier to avert your eyes from a displeasing sight rather than suggest or demand a mother and child remove themselves from your presence? How pompous and selfish is this? Just look away. It's simple to do so. No harm done at all.”Defiance for all mothersAshley Kaidel raises points that could have been heard in a sexual education class or a related seminar. In challenging the lack of social acceptance of breastfeeding in public spaces, Ashley is standing up for new mothers everywhere, and their children.One person standing up for a principle or cause can change the entire status quo surrounding that issue. We all have the power to prevent an outdated mentality from affecting our actions and behaviors. When we rise above what society expects us to do and do what we believe is right, often we can find a lot of people standing in our corner to support us.More uplifting stories:Fierce Mom Tackles Man Peeping Into 15-Year-Old’s Daughter’s BedroomAppalled Mom Stands Up For 6-Year-Old Shamed By Teacher For Her PaintingMom Tells Son Not To Share With Other Kids And She Makes A Powerful PointBudget-Conscious Mom Gets Brutally Lunch-Shamed, Moms Step In To Defend Her

Son Drops Everything To Take Mom With Alzheimer's On Dream Trip Around The World
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Son Drops Everything To Take Mom With Alzheimer's On Dream Trip Around The World

A loving son took his mom, whose health was steadily declining with Alzheimer's and who lived in a care facility, on a trip to Nepal. What happened there wowed doctors and allowed this mother to thoroughly enjoy her final years.Sad decline for a loving motherFor 44-year-old Sean O’Sallaigh, growing up in Dublin was tough, but it would have been impossible to make it through without his mother Mary.“She was the best thing in my life. Unconditional love is a thing you don’t get often, and she always gave it, even though she had a tough life," he told Good News Network.Sean eventually left Dublin for Rome, but when his mother got diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2003 at the age of 77, he made frequent trips to see her.As her symptoms worsened, Mary was placed in a care home a year later, but Sean didn't feel it was right for her. So, he decided to to take her on a trip to Nepal and escape winter. That's when everything changed.They took a transformative trip to NepalWhile in Nepal, Sean and Mary went out more than they would have in cold Ireland. “It was warm and she was able to go out so much,” Sean told GNN. “We would walk by this lake and watch the children playing. They would come and sit with us at cafes and talk to her all the time and she to them.“I would take her hair brush out with us and the children would brush her hair. They called her Grandma, and she would say ‘namaste’ to everyone. We were there during a festival called ‘Happy Holi’, where they throw colored powder up in the air. They asked me if they could throw some over her and she loved it.”Miraculously, Sean noticed his mother's condition improve.“I thought Alzheimer’s was just a decline, but when we got to Nepal she started to regain capabilities. I couldn’t understand it and the doctor there told me it was all the new stimulation. Everyone wanted to talk to her and she loved it.”Their travels continued to her last daySeeing his mother improve, Sean decided to take her to his apartment in Rome. She loved going to his favorite restaurants and seeing all the little churches, GNN reports. When the weather got too hot, they went to Umbria where Mary found the found the cows and goats with bells around their necks “hilarious.”“Everyone she met in Italy talked to her and wanted to give her a kiss,” Sean said, “she loved it.”Then, they went to South Africa where they hired a lovely caretaker named Gloria. “She used to put Mom’s hair in lovely little plaits which she loved,” he said.But while in South Africa, Mary got a chest infection and died at the age of 83 in May 2019.“I had to put my life on hold to look after her like that, but it gave me so much too,” Sean said. “People thought she would be a burden but she just never was. We had a really difficult time when I was young, and we only got through it because we had such an amazing mother.”“When I would put her into bed at night sometimes she would say, ‘you are good’ or ‘I love you’, and that was enough for me.”Make the days count As heartbreaking as the end of this story is, it's beautiful at the same. Yes, Sean may have lost his mother, but he was able to spend those critical final days with her and see her Alzheimer's improve. This story is a reminder to cherish the moments we have with our loved ones, and it's also evidence of how transformative travel can be.More uplifting stories:They Were Torn Apart By Distance – 70 Years Later, They Reconnect And Get MarriedWidowed Dad Raises 8 Kids Following 15 Rules Late Wife Left For HimDomestic Abuse Survivor Marries The First Responder Who Saved Her LifeMan Saves Up For A Year And Surprises Wife With Key To Dream Home