New parents dream of all the things their children will one day get to experience like meeting friends, falling in love, and one day even having kids of their own, but, for many, those dreams get ripped away if their child is born with a disability.

When one father found out his daughter had been born with Down syndrome, he was crushed that there would be things she may never get to experience. “When you were born and for years afterward, I didn’t worry for what you’d achieve academically. Your mum and I would make that happen. We’d wield the law like a cudgel if we had to. We could make teachers teach you, and we knew you’d earn the respect of your peers. What we couldn’t do was make other kids like you. Accept you, befriend you, stand with you in the vital social arena,” dad Paul Daugherty wrote in a letter to his daughter Jillian.

“We thought, “What’s a kid’s life if it isn’t filled with sleepovers and birthday parties and dates to the prom?” I worried about you then. I cried deep inside on the night when you were 12 and you came downstairs to declare “I don’t have any friends.”

Despite dad’s worries and the limitations the world put on Jillian, she managed to make friends, play sports, go to college, and even fall in love. A decade ago, Jillian’s now husband, Ryan, walked up to the family’s front door asking for Paul’s permission to take Jillian to the homecoming dance. In that moment, every worry Paul had completely vanished.

Now on his daughter’s wedding day, Paul shared his touching letter as proof that a disability doesn’t mean having an incomplete life. “Now … look at you. You’re the nicest person I know. Someone who is able to live a life of empathy and sympathy and without agendas or guile, is someone we all want to know. It worked out for you, because of the person you are,” Paul wrote.

Read the rest of Paul’s touching letter here.

Can you believe this dad’s touching letter to his daughter on her wedding day?

Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Facebook/Paul Daugherty]

Dad Writes An Emotional Letter To His Daughter With Down Syndrome On Her Wedding Day is an article from: LifeDaily

While most women wouldn’t take a stand for a child that wasn’t legally their own, Crystal Kelley is a mom who strongly believes that every child deserves a fighting chance at life… and won’t let anything or anyone change her values.

Earlier this month, we learned of a gay couple who are fighting to bring their “triplings” home from Mexico, after running into trouble with their surrogates and unfair laws. Surrogacy can be a challenging topic when it comes to unique family situations like the one Kelley found herself in, but she hopes her decision helps other women do the right thing.

Kelley told PEOPLE she felt confident when she first met the couple who asked her to be their surrogate in 2011. She saw they were great parents to their three children and felt compelled to help when she saw how emotional they became about wanting another baby.

But being a mom herself, Kelley had a problem with a clause in her surrogacy contract that gave the couple the right to order an abortion at any time. She told PEOPLE she wanted to take out the clause completely but agreed to abortion only if an ultrasound showed the child to have such severe birth defects that would lead to guaranteed death.

“I thought there was such a small chance that anything was going to happen,” she said. “I absolutely regret that. It’s tough to think back on.”

Yet because her own daughter was born with a heart defect and recovered, Kelley decided she wasn’t going to terminate the pregnancy, even after a judge ordered her to and doctors warned she would suffer in life.

Today, PEOPLE reports that “Baby S” is 3 years old and “an outspoken kid in her own little way,” according to her surrogate mother.

“Everything that I believed she would be, she is. She’s alive, she’s capable, she’s growing and learning and doing things that normal toddlers do.”

Please SHARE this amazing woman’s story with your friends and loved ones on Facebook today!

[Featured Image: YouTube]

Surrogate Mom Gives Birth To Baby With Severe Birth Defects, Despite Parents Asking For Abortion is an article from: LifeDaily

The internet is outraged after a mom posted a video on social media of her child getting paddled by his school’s principal.

Five-year-old Thomas from Georgia was going to be paddled by school administrators, who told his mother that he would be suspended if she didn’t approve the spanking. 

Shana Marie Perez posted the disturbing video to Facebook, which showed the school’s principal and the assistant principal trying to hit the crying, struggling boy on his bottom with a wooden paddle. She took the video on her cellphone, as she pretended she was texting. 

“Mommy, help me!” Thomas cried. 

At one point Thomas ran over to his mom, and the principal said, “Nope, Momma can’t help. Momma might help if she stood outside the door.”

School district officials are investigating the incident, although they noted corporal punishment is allowed in the district. Corporal punishment, defined by the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry as when “a supervising adult deliberately inflicts pain upon a child in response to a child’s unacceptable behavior and/or inappropriate language,” is legal in 19 states.

Perez told The Atlanta-Journal Constitution that her son tried to punch another child and wound up spitting on a classmate before this encounter. His mother was even arrested two weeks ago for truancy because Thomas missed 18 days of school for doctor’s appointments, that Perez said should have gotten him excused. 

“They told me if he could not get a paddling he would have to be suspended and if he got suspended for even one day I WILL go to jail for truancy,” Perez wrote on Facebook. “I could not go to jail or my kids would have nothing.”

The district is currently investigating this incident and looking into its discipline policies at this time. 

Georgia, along with 18 other states in South, Southwest and Midwest allow corporal punishment. According to the NY Daily News, The Supreme Court ruled in the Ingraham V. Wright case of 1977 that the spanking of kids in schools does not violate the Constitution’s ban on “cruel and unusual punishment” or the right to due process.

Watch this disturbing video:

Do you think Perez was right in letting the principals’ discipline her child? Do you agree with corporal punishment?

Let us know in the comments below.

[Featured Image: Facebook/Shana Marie Perez]

Mom Watches Georgia Principal Paddle Her Son In Disturbing Viral Video is an article from: LifeDaily

Here’s a heartwarming story that has been circulating the internet for some time now. Although we don’t know how who wrote it or if the account is true, we know it will put a smile on your face.

A woman was forced with the dreaded task of renewing her driver’s license at the DMV, when an employee asked her to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. “What I mean is do you have a job, or are you just a…?,” the clerk said.

“We don’t list ‘Mother’ as an occupation … ‘Housewife’ covers it,” said the clerk emphatically.

The clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessing a high-sounding title like, “official interrogator” or “town registrar.”

“What is your occupation?” she probed. What made me say it, I do not know… The words simply popped out.

I felt I had triumphed over bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official record as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than “just another mother.”

Motherhood… is there any career more important?!

Did this story touch your heart? Please SHARE with friends on Facebook if you can relate!

[Featured Image: Shutterstock]

Woman Has A Brilliant Response The Second Time She’s Asked For Her Occupation is an article from: LifeDaily

We’ve seen grown men protect the women in their life before, but never a boy as small as this one. 

When urban management officers were trying to shut down illegal vending on the streets of China, one tough toddler didn’t want anyone going near his beloved grandmother. 

The little boy is shown in the following video grabbing a steel pipe to defend the old woman, yelling “Don’t touch my grandma.”

There’s even a point in the shocking clip when he gets extremely mad and throws the pipe down. Officers stood by, some even filming the little boy, because how could you resist. 

He is his grandmother’s little protector and we think it’s adorable! 

Watch the video that’s been making its rounds on Chinese social media below. 

If this video made you laugh, please SHARE it with your friends and family on Facebook!

[Featured Image: YouTube/People’s Daily 人民日报]

Tough Toddler Uses Steel Pipe To Defend His Grandma is an article from: LifeDaily

We’ve heard about some pretty awful cases of bullying amongst children, adults, and even adults bullying children, but not many are as terrifying than the following story out of Meadow, Texas.

Mia Gonzalez is only 13 years old and sadly she has already learned just how cruel and terrible people can be. Her entire family of 9 people are currently living in fear after Mia has become the target of what is being called extreme cyberbullying. Unknown stalkers have sent evil messages over social media and created several hate-filled Instagram accounts attacking the middle schooler, going as far as threatening to kill her and other family members.

Yet things took an even more terrifying turn when Mia and her mother, Nicole Garza, realized that the ruthless bullies were watching them inside their home from the windows. “It wasn’t the messages that scared me the most, it was the fact when they took the picture of me at my window, because of how close they were,” Mia told KCBD.

Garza says in the video below that after both Mia’s grandfather and uncle passed away, her daughter received hateful messages from the stalker. “They were laughing at her saying that everybody that she loved was dying and that she was going to come up next.”

The Terry County Sheriff’s Office told KCBD because of the severity of the threats, they are investigating the bullying along with Texas Rangers and the Attorney General’s office.

Mia says she just wants to stop living in fear. “I wish they’d just leave me alone for everything to go back to normal, so I can go back outside or I can sleep in my own bed.”

But since the incidents began last August, there has been one social media account Mia is ok with. Visit Mia’s Army Facebook to send this brave little girl your support!

Please SHARE this alarming story with other parents online!

[Featured Image: KCBD]

Middle Schooler And Family Are Targets Of Extreme Cyberbullying is an article from: LifeDaily

Revolutionary Nelson Mandela once said, “there is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.”

Nobody proves these words true better than Inky, the slick octopus, that stole his freedom through a drain pipe. According to Inside Edition, Inky the octopus slipped right out of the aquarium and found liberty in the ocean. He was so sly, he didn’t even bother to cover his tracks.

The staff at New Zealand’s National Aquarium only noticed Inky was missing but they found his suction cup tracks showing his route.

While the rest of the aquarium slept, Inky slipped through a small gap in the top of his tank, traveled across a wet floor and squeezed his way into a drain pipe, where he crawled through a river of sewage and came out clean on the other side. Inky crawled to freedom through a six-inch circumference of smelly foulness I can’t even imagine…or maybe I just don’t want to.

Sidenote: while nobody can confirm the true identity of the slippery fugitive, sources say he bears an uncanny resemblance to Tim Robbins.

[Featured Image Credit: Inside Edition via Youtube]

Sneaky Octopus Pulls Escape Heist And Slides His Way Back To The Sea is an article from: LifeDaily

Retired Master Cpl. Paul Franklin is a veteran of the Canadian Forces who lost both of his legs from just above knee when a bomb hit his vehicle in January 2006.

Ten years later, he’s extremely frustrated with his government. Once a year, Franklin needs to fill out an unnecessary amount of paperwork confirming he is still an amputee.

The exasperations Franklin expresses are just a few among many that veterans often feel upon returning home.

“It’s insane,” Franklin said. “My problem with all this is if you have someone who has post-traumatic stress disorder or some sort of brain injury, or you have a combination of the two and they’re on street drugs or alcohol or whatever, the chance of them filling out the forms correctly is minimal at best.”

When a veteran in Canada (and often in the US too), wants to receive disability benefits, they need to fill out multiple forms with a variety of agencies, including insurance companies. The process is long and complicated, according to Franklin and it does not have the veterans best interests in mind.

The ministry that takes care of veterans like Franklin has had some improvements in recent years.

Instead of giving disability to those who apply for it, Franklin thinks it should be given to all those who work in statistically probable jobs….you know, as a courtesy for risking their lives and losing their limbs in the name of freedom.

If you or somebody you know has a similar story, please tell us in the comments. Issues like this don’t change unless we talk about them, so make sure Franklin and all veterans are heard loud and clear by SHARING this on Facebook.

[Featured Image Credit: Edmonton Journal]

Veteran And Amputee Is Frustrated He Has To Jump Through Metaphorical Hoops To Receive Disability is an article from: LifeDaily

Parents are always striving to give their children an extra push. They want to see us succeed and find happiness.

But sometimes, they care a little too much and end up hurting us more than helping us. They try to make important choices for us, nag relentlessly about applying to grad school, or push too strongly for us to move back home and help run the family clown business (sorry Mom, but I’m still not spending the rest of my life with a red nose glued to my face).

And then sometimes, you find parents like this Mom, who’s motivation is pretty unclear to us:

While the kid is still in high school, he has spending habits fit for a movie star, the most absurd of which is his $2.4 million car collection.

“Jack is Jack,” Mom gushes about her fabulous son and his outrageous spending habits. “Jack is privileged; he’s amazing; he’s funny; he makes me laugh every day,” Mom says listing his um…positive traits.

So while Mom may not be the best role, she’s just trying to figure it out like the rest of us. Clearly, this family wants the attention so make sure you make them famous by SHARING this video on Facebook.

[Featured Image Credit: News Dog TV via Youtube]

Mom Defends Her Spoiled Son’s $2.4M Car Collection And Absurd Lifestyle is an article from: LifeDaily

Beyonce Knowles is a big deal in 2016, as she has been for most of the 21st century. But with fame and money comes scandal, and that’s something that no celebrity seems able to avoid, and Queen Bey is no exception. Having known she was talented since the age of 8, Beyonce Giselle Knowles, she rose to fame along with her band, Destiny’s Child, and since then she has become the highest selling female artist of all time, a statistic she is very proud of, and rightfully so. However, celebs have secrets that they don’t want you to know about, and do their best to keep them from the public. But those secrets sometimes leak, as in this case with Beyonce, so sit back and enjoy these 14 personal secrets Beyonce just doesn’t want you to know about…

14 Personal Secrets Beyoncé Doesn’t Want You To Know is an article from: LifeDaily

This daddy-daughter duo have the cutest bedtime ritual.

I remember growing up and doing a similar thing with my Dad. Instead of putting me to bed with something hilarious as this, he used to wake me up for school with “the claw.” In the wee hours of the morning, I’d burst awake with tickles, which always got me out of bed and excited for school.

When summer vacation finally rolled around, he would say, “the claw is in hibernation,” which my brother and I loved. It meant we got to sleep in because school was not in session.

This Dad and his adorable daughter have an adorable ritual similar to the one I had with my own father. Dad uses his splendid ‘superpower’ to knock his daughter out and get her to sleep.

Of course, it turns more into playtime than bedtime, but all parents know that putting a child to bed is an endeavor that often requires superpowers. If you have any fond memories such as these, we’d love to hear them in the comments, after you check out the adorable video. And don’t forget to SHARE with a parent in your life.

[Featured Image Credit: Rumble]

Dad Puts Daughter To Bed Using Adorable ‘Superpowers’ is an article from: LifeDaily

Sometimes miracles can arise from tragedy.

In the darkest of times, we find ourselves suddenly immersed in light. That was what happened to Courtney Hill of Illinois. The young widow was married to Brian, a retired decorated Navy veteran who served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait.

When Brian returned to the United States, he was killed in a tragic trucking accident. The pain it caused this family was unbearable, but on the day of Brian’s wake, Courtney uncovered a miracle.

She had been having funny symptoms, so Courtney took a pregnancy test, and as she said a final goodbye to her husband, she got to hold his hand and tell him the good news.

However, weeks later Courtney discovered something else. She wasn’t just pregnant, she was having three smiling faces that would remind her of Brian. Courtney was overwhelmed with this news, which came with a mix of bittersweet emotion.

Friends and family have set up a GoFundMe account to help out Courtney with the financial burden of her three buns in the oven. So far, the campaign has managed to raise nearly $17,000 in first eight days alone!

[Featured Image Credit: CBS]

Weeks After Husband’s Death, Mom Learns She’s Pregnant With Triplets is an article from: LifeDaily

Hillary Clinton is a woman you just can’t ignore…even if you really really want to. Some of us love her, while others despise her and think she would be the worst American president in history if she makes it to the White House. Having been involved in numerous high-profile scandals when her husband Bill served as president, Hillary herself is no stranger to scandal, and she has allegedly been involved in countless! If you are considering voting for Hillary at the next election, we think these 18 facts about her will interest you, and may even sway your decision as to whether a vote for Hillary is a good idea or a bad one…

18 Fascinating Hillary Clinton Facts You Should Know is an article from: LifeDaily

They say curiosity is the best teacher, and this proves true for one little girl.

The tiny pip-squeak discovered the mechanics of round objects recently, when she attempted to turn a soccer ball into a comfortable chair. It didn’t work out well for her, but on the contrast, it also worked out better than it could have.

Children often learn about the world around them by applying the scientific method (remember that one, kids). They will observe the world around them, guess a ‘rule’ about life, test out that assumption and then gather all that necessary data.

For this girl, she saw that soccer ball and observed that it was similar to a chair. She then tested what would happen if she treated it like a chair, and unfortunately for her, those observations were incorrect, but at least it made an adorable video so all of us can have a good chuckle.

And when she finally made it work? Triumph! This girl is too cute…

So take a look at this little girl learning about life and SHARE this video with Facebook to remind all your friends to never stop being curious. Life is a classroom; never forget that.

[Featured Image Credit: Kyoot Kids via Facebook]

Mom Captures The Incredible Moment Her Young Daughter Gets An Unexpected Physics Lesson is an article from: LifeDaily

Sometimes, we fear helping those who need our aid the most.

We look away from homeless people because the symptoms that go along with it are ugly. We pretend not to notice the crying stranger by our side, because what can we really do to help? And in this case, people walked right past this stray dog because they feared being bitten.

Of course, a stray would lash out, right? He was scared and stuck in a gate for unknown reasons. Maybe he was sick or perhaps he carried rabies. Rather than helping their fellow creature, people decided to walk right by because fear is often stronger than love.

However, one man was filled with mercy at the sight of the stray. He knew the terrified animal might bite him, but he took a risk anyway.

The result was compassion, and a little bit of mercy can go a very long way. In this case, it touched the hearts of over two million people, according to Animal Aid Unlimited of India.

And perhaps this video will touch your heart too. Remember, in some way, all of us are just a dog stuck in a gate. Some of our issues are more obvious than others, but all of us are going through something right now. A drop of mercy and a welcoming ear can go a long way.

If you believe in helping those who are stuck or in need, then please SHARE this inspiring video to remind your fellow humans of the power of compassion.

[Featured Image Credit: Youtube]

Dog Becomes Stuck In A Gate And Teaches Us All A Lesson In Compassion is an article from: LifeDaily

Memphis police responded to an unusual call when they put their best foot forward and took an 8-year-old girl to a father-daughter dance.

The six cops attended with Jewel Warren, the daughter of officer Tim Warren, who was unable to attend because he died in the line of duty four and a half years ago.

Tim Warren was shot and killed in July 2011, when he responded to a domestic incident in downtown Memphis. Since then, his widow, Betsy, and children, Jewel and James, have been coping with the aftermath.

So, when the second grader was invited to the father-daughter dance, she was at a bit of a loss. But these heroes didn’t let something like this stand in the way of a fun night.

“We know we cannot replace Tim, but we can be there for his family when we are needed,” Officer Amen, one of the attendees, said in a statement. “It was truly a honor.”

Amen’s colleague, Officer Pfeil, added, “It was an honor to be able to attend this event and to help keep Tim’s memory alive.”

This story touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes. If you want to help keep Tim’s memory alive and show respect for these commendable officers, then please SHARE with friends and family on Facebook!

Police Men Attend Father-Daughter Dance For Girl Who’s Dad Died On Duty is an article from: LifeDaily

Can you believe it’s a whole 40 years since the Brady Bunch first graced our TV screens?! For those of us who are old enough, it feels like just yesterday that we were watching this adorable, all-American family, regularly on daytime TV. Even though it’s many years since the Brady Bunch were together, they do meet up occasionally for reunions, and comeback shows and sequels. And more than that, the show has become somewhat of a big hit in the world of pop culture, and even has a semi cult-like following. It all started in 1974, when life was all about funny hairstyles, loud shirts and massive collars. At that time, the Brady Munch captured the hearts of many, and that doesn’t just mean Americans, as the Brady Bunch made it to Europe and around the world. So let’s take a closer look at the Brady Bunch, then and now, and see where they’re at today…

The Stars Of ‘The Brady Bunch’ – Then And Now is an article from: LifeDaily

Although April 1 has already passed, we thought this month would be a great time to have a closer look at some of the forgotten hoaxes of yesteryear, that fooled the world, sometimes entirely. Most of these date back to the period 1500-1800, and it’s quite remarkable to see how people got so easily fooled back in the day, usually by the ramblings or paintings of a madman. In those days people were new to photographs, and had never heard of or even though of the concept of photoshop. But throughout the ages there have always been tricksters, who for whatever reason, wanted to hoax people and make them believe their narrative. Here are 18 such forgotten hoaxes that beggar belief….at least in this day and age…

18 Forgotten Hoaxes That Fooled The World is an article from: LifeDaily

Cops might not have superhuman powers like the superheroes in comic books and movies, but they still get up every day and put their own lives in harm’s way in order to make the world a safer place for total strangers.

Officer Damon Cole from the Fort Worth Police Department started the day like any other day, but one emergency call had him wishing for the first time that he had super powers. Cole was the first to arrive at the scene where he found a frantic mother searching for her 5-year-old son Joshua in a friend’s pool. The pool was full with murky water and was littered with garbage, so Cole had to dive to the bottom to search for the boy since it was impossible to see below the surface.

Cole bumped into the boy’s body as he made his way back to the surface, yet he had been submerged under the water for nearly 15 minutes by the time he was rescued, and not even the hour of CPR could resuscitate him.”We see a lot of difficult things on this job and you try not to make it personal, but this is the first time I’ve been directly affected like this in 16 years as a police officer,” Cole said. “I don’t view myself as a hero. I just wished I had super powers to save that boy.”

When Joshua’s family found out that Cole regularly participated in Heroes, Cops and Kids, an organization that brings cops dressed up as superheroes to events to cheer up children, they asked him if he would be willing to come to the funeral dressed up as Spider-Man, Joshua’s favorite superhero.

“I told them I would be honored,” Cole said. “I was really touched. I was having a really hard time with it because I felt like I should’ve saved him.”

Cole showed up at the 5-year-old’s funeral in a full Spider-Man suit as he had promised, but also brought along a child’s Spider-Man suit for Joshua to be buried with. The devastated family thanked him and even gave him a plaque they had specially made to thank him for his efforts.

Watch the entire video below to see the incredible way this cop went above and beyond for a family after he couldn’t save their little boy.

Can you believe how much this cop did for Joshua and his grieving relatives? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Facebook/Damon Cole]

Heroic Cop Dresses Up As Spider-Man For Tragic 5-Year-Old’s Funeral is an article from: LifeDaily

Dads are incredibly protective of their daughters, and will do anything to make sure nothing hurts them, so when this Oregon dad’s baby daughter suddenly disappeared from his life when her mother took her away, he searched everywhere for two years to get her back.

41-year-old Bryan Thouvenel first met his now estranged ex-girlfriend in 2010 at a karaoke bar, and the two eventually welcomed their daughter, Harmony Rain Thouvenel, into the world. But after two years together, Bryan’s ex-girlfriend took Harmony and headed north to Washington without ever speaking to him again or telling him where he was taking their daughter.

Bryan searched everywhere for his daughter, and despite being so close, he never heard anything about where Harmony was or if she was safe for two years. But while eating at a restaurant one day with his own mother, Cindy Lorenz, Bryan received a phone call from a friend who had seen Harmony in a Salvation Army homeless shelter in Spokane, Washington.

Lorenz ran to her car and immediately started driving her son to find his daughter. “She’s not in the best of health in the world, you know, but she drove for 10 hours straight until we got up there to the courthouse,” Bryan said.

After a warrant forced Harmony and her mother to appear in court, Bryan was finally given custody back and was free to take his daughter home.”I sat there and the next thing you know I’ve got my daughter coming out, walking by herself,” Bryan said. “She’s kind of looking around, and I said her name once. She kind of looked at me funny and I said ‘Harmony, it’s daddy.’ Her eyes just kind of lit up.”

“It made it all worth it, you know?” he said. “It was two years I fought through hell just to be a part of my daughter’s life and she was back in my life.”

Now, Washington nonprofit Time to Put Kids First is sending Bryan and Harmony on a trip to Hawaii to try and make up for all that lost time. “It would be this huge memory that she would actually remember. Regardless of whatever happens in the future, she will always have this one memory with dad,” Bryan said.

Can you believe where this dad finally found his precious daughter? Let us know what you would do if you were in this situation in the comments below, and please SHARE this incredible story with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: KATIE ALAIMO/AP]

Dad Finds His Daughter In A Homeless Shelter Two Years After Disappearing With Mom is an article from: LifeDaily