Ask anyone who runs a small business and they’ll tell you that it’s not easy. On top of the difficult task of drumming up enough business to stay afloat and hopefully turn a profit, you’ve sometimes got to deal with the ins and outs of city hall.

The frustration has caused plenty of business owners to go grey, curse like a sailor, and exhibit less than graceful behavior, as they grapple with bureaucracy. But when one man wrestled with city hall, his frustration would lead him far beyond the pale…

Muffler Business

Marvin was a small business owner who’d lived in the town of Grand Lake, Colorado for more than a decade. The 52-year-old worked as a welder and owned a muffler repair shop. His brother Ken described him as the kind of person who “would bend over backwards for anyone.”

Two Sides

He wasn’t the only one who thought so. He had a number of friends around town, all of whom described him as an affable, friendly guy. But there were others in the town who described Marvin as a guy with an aggressive and volatile temperament…

Outspoken

Heavily involved in local politics, that temperament was usually riled up when his opinions were challenged. He was a strong proponent of legalized gambling, going so far as to publish 2 newsletters to spread his ideas. When a local reporter interviewed him for an editorial opposed to gambling, the interview nearly ended in a fistfight.

Good Friend, Bad Enemy

There was also a time when Marvin threatened to kill a customer’s husband after she refused to pay for what she called a faulty muffler repair. “If Marv was your friend,” said one close friend, “he was your best friend. But if he decided that he was your enemy, then he was your worst and most dangerous enemy.”…

An Offer

Despite his contentious ways, Marvin made a decent living with the muffler shop he’d built on a small plot of land he’d bought back in 1992. Then in the late ‘90s, Mountain Park Concrete, a company owned by the Docheff family, expressed interest in buying Marvin’s land to build a concrete batch plant. It seemed like they’d come to an agreement when the concrete company offered Marvin $250,000 for the land he’d payed $42,000 for.

No Deal

But negotiations for the sale fell apart after Marvin raised his asking price to $375,000, then raised it again. Tired of dealing with Marvin, the Docheff’s decided to go to the Granby City Council to rezone the land around Marvin’s muffler shop. It would mean that they could build their plant in a vacant property next to his shop.

Bad Situation

Worse than losing out on the potential sale of his land, Marvin had used the vacant lot adjacent to his as a way to get to his shop, which the new concrete plant would block. Marvin fought the rezoning tooth and nail but, eventually, the Docheff’s won the right to build the shop. Marvin purchased a bulldozer with the intention of building an alternate route to his shop but city officials rejected his request to build it.

Insult to Injury

To add insult to injury, the city fined him $2,500 for junk cars on his property and for failing to have his shop hooked up to a sewer line. Marvin Heemeyer believed there were shady dealings between the Docheff’s and members of the council but he couldn’t prove anything. So he began plotting his revenge…

Cowards

Marvin sent a check for the fine with the word “cowards” written on the memo line, then sold the muffler shop property to a trash company and was given 6 months to vacate. Then the bitter man set about the task of modifying his bulldozer. He was going to make it into a weapon of war.

Custom Engineering

Marvin moved the bulldozer into the muffler shop and started outfitting it with a homemade composite armor made of cement sandwiched between half inch thick sheets of tool steel, in some places over a foot thick. The armor protected the cab, engine, and parts of the track transforming the construction vehicle into an ad hoc tank…

Preparing for War

He also installed front and rear cameras with monitors inside the cab, an air tank to help with circulation, and a stockpile of food and water. If there were any doubts about what Marvin’s intentions were, he set up several gun ports around the control center.

Hatred

Over the course of 18 months, Marvin took notes and made audio tapes to document his vengeful work. “Because of your anger, because of your malice, because of your hate, you would not work with me,” he said in one recording. “I am going to sacrifice my life, my miserable future that you gave me, to show you what you did is wrong.”…

Unreasonable

“I was always willing to be reasonably until I had to be unreasonable. Sometimes reasonable men do unreasonable things,” he wrote in his notes. On a Friday morning in the beginning of June, Marvin Heemeyer turned his back on reason for good. He mailed his audio tapes to his brother and climbed into his “killdozer” with a handwritten list of targets.

Sealed In

Once inside, he used winch controls to lower the concrete and steel armor shell onto the top of the vehicle, sealing him inside for good. In the warm summer afternoon air, Marvin’s war machine smashed through the side of his shed and into the Mountain Park Concrete plant…

Rolling Vengeance

Cody Docheff was at the plant that day and tried to use a bulldozer to block the path of the “tank” but abandoned the vehicle and fled when Marvin started firing on him from a gun port. Within minutes, the concrete plant and several vehicles were obliterated. As he slowly rolled the armored vehicle toward its next target, Marvin picked up a an escort of emergency vehicles.

Impenetrable

Police gunfire was unable to penetrate the vehicles thick armor and when one police SUV got too close , it was crushed by the seemingly unstoppable machine. At one point, Undersheriff Glen Trainor managed to climb on top of the bulldozer and unloaded his pistol into the vehicle…

Heroic Act

“I think the thing that drove me,” he would later say, “is that I knew that killing him behind the wheel was the only way we were going to be able to stop this thing.” But the 37 bullets he fired did nothing to stop the rampage. As Marvin and his ‘killdozer’ arrived in town, Granby police were waiting with more extreme measures.

Blow It Up

The police tried to use explosives to disable or blast their way into the machine but that too proved ineffective. They also requisitioned another construction vehicle to block his path but Marvin simply pushed the smaller vehicle out of the way. Police had no options but to establish a moving perimeter around the slow moving vehicle and evacuate people in its path…

Slow Rampage

Over the course of 2 hours Marvin Heemeyer’s slow rampage continued as he targeted the homes and businesses of those he felt had wronged him, severely damaging 13 buildings, knocking out gas service to City Hall, and destroying part of a utility service center on top of destroying the concrete plant. Eventually, the armored hulk was brought down by its own weight as the floor of a hardware store he was destroying collapsed, trapping the vehicle in the basement.

Lives Saved

As SWAT teams surrounded the vehicle, police heard a single muffled gunshot from inside the killdozer. After 12 hours of work with a flame torch and a crane, police got inside, where they found Marvin Heemeyer dead from a self inflicted gun wound. Amazingly, thanks to police efforts in rapidly evacuating people in his path, Marvin was the only casualty of the rampage.

Small Businessman Takes Extreme Action To Exact Revenge On Government Bureaucrats is an article from: LifeDaily

One of the most tragic and cruel events in our world’s history was the Holocaust in the 1940s. Surviving the Holocaust was not an easy feat and those that did survive have stories to tell about it.

While only half of the family in the following story survived the Holocaust, a father and son had one special thing to remember their mother by; a letter that she wrote them right before she was killed. The letter she wrote remained untouched for decades and how the family managed to get it will forever remain a miracle…

He Knew It Existed

A father told his son about the letter’s existence back in 1946. It was right after the war, but the son, who was only 11-years-old at the time told his dad he didn’t want to read it. In fact, he avoided seeing it.

Afraid Of The Letter

Then known as Misa Grunwald, and now Frank Grunwald, he explains that he was “scared of the letter.” The reason for this is that it was written by his mother right before she was killed during the Holocaust in a Nazi concentration camp. Frank himself survived the camp…

Holocaust Survivor

He is 85 years old now and is a retired industrial designer living northeast of Indianapolis on Geist Reservoir. Frank’s mother had written the letter to his father (her husband) just moments before her life was taken from her as she entered the gas chamber at Auschwitz on July 11, 1944.

His Brother Was Also Killed That Day

Frank’s older, crippled brother, was also killed in the chamber that day and the memory still haunts him. In the letter, which he initially didn’t want to read, were ten sentences, scribbled on paper…

The Entire Grunwald Family Were Prisoners Of The Nazis

His mother, Vilma Grunwald quickly wrote the note, folded the paper and wrote on the outside: Dr. Grunwald F. Lager,” also known as Kurt Grunwald, her husband. Frank’s father was also a prisoner at the Auschwitz concentration camp, except he was at one of the work camps.

German Guard

Kurt was a physician and his primary job was to treat prisoners’ injuries so that they could return to work as soon as possible. Vilma handed the letter to a German guard and by an act of God or a miracle, the guard personally delivered it to her husband…

It Was A Miracle He Got It

Today Frank thinks to himself, “What kind of Nazi concentration camp guard would do that?” While it makes no sense at all, it apparently did to Vilma and she likely scoped him out, sensing that this guard had some compassion. “My mother was a great reader of personalities,” Frank said.

Reunited With His Dad

Seven months after his mother’s murder, the remaining prisoners at the camp were liberated and Frank was reunited with his father. It was then that Kurt told him, “I have a note here from your mother.” Except Frank didn’t want to see it, he was too upset…

Moving To New York City

Then, the Grunwald family moved to New York City in 1951 and Kurt continued practicing medicine in Forest Hills. Frank went on to Pratt Institute and he studied industrial design before getting a job with General Electric in Syracuse. Soon, Frank met and married his wife, Barbara and the couple had two wonderful children.

His Father’s Death

But, there was something that Frank couldn’t get off his mind- that letter from his mother. After his father died in 1967 at age 67, he was going through his father’s belongings and found it. It was sitting on a desk in his dad’s bedroom and the paper had turned yellow after all the years. It was the last thing Kurt had from his wife so he likely read it every day…

Czechoslovakian Descent

Since the Grunwalds’ were Czechoslovakian, Vilma had written in her native language and Frank finally picked it up to read. What immediately struck him the most was his mother’s tone.

Vilma’s Tone Was Extraordinary

She was being held prisoner by the Nazis and she knew she was about to die, except there was no anger in her voice. “There’s not a word of anger or hatred or resentment or bitterness against the Nazis,” Frank said. “It’s all focused on my father and me, on the future.”

Hid The Letter

After reading it, Frank took the note home, put it on a desk and for two decades, he showed no one, not even his wife Barbara. Every few months, Frank would go to his hiding place to get it, sneak away, and re-read it in privacy.

Donated The Letter To The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Fast forward to the 1990’s and Frank decided to show the heartfelt letter to his family. Then, in 2014, he gave it to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. He thought, “‘Why not expose it so that others can see it?’”

A Big Year For The Museum

One of Frank’s biggest concerns was that once he’s gone, who will remember his mother? But after donating her letter, that fear has disappeared. The museum celebrated its 25th-anniversary last month, in April 2018, and over 40 million people have visited the museum in those years.

Vilma’s Letter Stands Alone

While the museum has received donations of thousands of personal artifacts, Vilma Grunwald’s letter stands alone. Judith Cohen, the museum’s chief acquisitions curator says, “I’m always reluctant to say it’s the only such document ever created, but to the best of our knowledge it is- it is the only one we have ever seen.”

Preservation

“Auschwitz, in the moments before gassing…In the extermination camps it was almost impossible to write material that was preserved,” Cohen continued. Since the quality of the paper of the letter was poor and composed mostly of wood pulp, the letter has to be preserved. To do that, the letter is rotated out of the museum’s gallery every six months. It is replaced with a facsimile.

Actual Proof

The value of the letter is immeasurable since some people still deny the Holocaust happened, doubting Auschwitz existed. But when anyone sees the physical letter, you can’t deny that it is proof that what happened was a reality, and how Vilma responded was real. Vilma Grunwald’s letter to her husband on July 11, 1944, read…

The Letter

“You, my only one, dearest, in isolation we are waiting for darkness. We considered the possibility of hiding but decided not to do it since we felt it would be hopeless. The famous trucks are already here and we are waiting for it to begin. I am completely calm. You- my only and dearest one, do not blame yourself for what happened, it was our destiny. We did what we could.” The letter continued…

The Letter Continued

“Stay healthy and remember my words that time will heal- if not completely- then- at least partially. Take care of the little golden boy and don’t spoil him too much with your love. Both of you- stay healthy, my dear ones. I will be thinking of you and Misa. Have a fabulous life, we must board the trucks.” – Into eternity, Vilma.

Heart-Wrenching Letter Uncovered Decades After Woman Was Killed In The Nazi Concentration Camps is an article from: LifeDaily

It is the duty of police officers to protect and serve their neighborhoods, to ensure the safety and well-being of all members of the community.

Sadly, not every police officer understands that. Thankfully, this is a story about an officer who knows how to keep the peace and not just do their job right, but who took a bullet for the people he was trying to protect…

Firefight

Shots were flying all around them. A half-dozen police officers had been called by the shooter’s wife. They had been warned he was armed. It wasn’t until that very moment, as the six of them attempted to shield themselves and diffuse the situation, that they realized how armed.

Drunk and Disorderly

Juliette was at the end of her rope when she made her way down to the police station that night. Her husband Theo had been drinking, which wasn’t unusual, but this time his drinking had given way to extreme and unwarranted anger. That anger in turn gave way to a drunken Theo waving his gun around and threatening her and their landlady…

He’s Asleep

Thankfully, before he could do anything with the gun, Theodore succumbed to the alcohol and fell asleep. Juliette decided she needed to get out of there as quick as possible and go to the police, lest he wake up and make good on his threats to start firing. So she walked into the police station to report the incident.

His History

Theodore Johnson wasn’t what anyone would call a model citizen. A 64-year-old grandfather who was on probation for a violent domestic situation involving his 12-year-old granddaughter. If that weren’t enough to give the officers cause for concern, he also had a lengthy criminal history, which included multiple felony convictions all the way back to 1972…

Upstairs

Needless to say, the six Police officers dispatched to the couple’s home on Ottawa Avenue, were advised to proceed with caution. The landlady let them into the upstairs unit and the brave officers began to ascend the stairs. They made sure to identify themselves as police to the potentially armed man by calling out as such.

Shots Fired

64-year-old Theodore Johnson was laying passed out in his apartment when he heard someone yell “police” outside his front door. He got to his feet and headed out of the apartment, gun drawn. No sooner had he come out of the front door that he began to fire shots out into the hallway…

Bullets Fly

Blam! Blam! The two shots rang out in the upstairs hallway. One of the bullets traveled through a window and hit the wall of a home next door, the other went straight into the bullet-proof vest of Officer David Muniz. In a flash, the officers on the stairs took up defensive positions.

Coming Down

Muniz, knocked back but mostly unharmed, headed downstairs with the rest of his fellow officers, including Timothy Hannon, Michael Surtz, John Jarrell, and John Lyons. Johnson meanwhile, steadied himself and followed the policemen down, gun in hand…

Deadly Consequences

At this point, despite the fact that he had been shot by the offender, Officer Muniz continued to do his best to calm the situation. He knew that if it escalated, they would be forced to protect themselves and a simple misunderstanding would result in deadly consequences.

Drop the Gun

The Officers shouted at Johnson and demanded he drop his gun. He refused and a brief standoff ensued. “Go ahead and shoot me.” To which Officer Muniz replied, “No, we’re not going to shoot you. I know you shot me but I’m not going to shoot you.” They waited for something to happen…

Fire on Him

Johnson had his gun raised and went to fire again, this time directly at the gathered policemen. Before he could though, officers Hannon, Surtz, Jarrell, and Lyons all fired at him first. Theodore Johnson fell to the floor dead: the victim of his own addiction and temper.

No Choice

When the story made the news, some people believed that the officers were just doing what they had to in order to protect their lives, that of the landlady, and of course the complainant, Juliette Johnson. Other people wondered though, did the officers really have no choice?

Recent Cases

With everything that’s happened in recent years regarding police officer misconduct, it should come as no surprise that many believed Theodore Johnson had been mistakenly killed. Indeed, even the District Attorney and the Police Chief wanted to investigate every facet of the situation before they closed the case.

Body Cams

Recently, cops all over the nation have been forced to wear police body cams to make sure no police misconduct occurs. Luckily for everyone involved, Officer Muniz was wearing such a body camera at the time of the shooting. Now the top brass could review the footage captured by body cam to see if the situation did indeed happen as the officers described…

Tried and Failed

Body cams have been worn as a way to weed out malfeasance on the part of officers, but in this case, the camera actually helped to prove their story. It also allowed the court to view that the officers, specifically David Muniz, did everything they could to get Johnson to drop the gun before they were forced to fire.

Determined to Die

Officer Muniz’a body camera video shows what the DA believed to be indisputable evidence that the shooting was justified in every way. “It’s clear from the moment the action begins that Theodore Johnson is determined to be killed by the police.” explains Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty. Still, you can’t blame people for having their doubts…

Other Issues

Take for instance some of the more recent cases involving victims like Philando Castile, or even going as far back as Rodney King. People want to believe that they can trust their police officers, but a few bad apples have placed doubt on every department across the US. It’s for those reasons that these cameras are a necessary tool.

Reasonable

Prosecutor McGinty sent a letter to the Cleveland Police Chief, a man named Calvin Williams, to explain what the situation would be with the officers. His conclusion was that “The shooting was reasonable and necessary.” He added that the officers were more than justified…

Showed Restraint

The prosecutor added that, “The Officers in fact showed remarkable restraint and went above and beyond their duty to seek a peaceful end to a situation that would likely have been deadly to at least one officer were it not for his ballistic vest.” It was a brutal end to a brutal man.

No Alternative

It’s a tough thing to take someone’s life, and no one likes doing it: least of all police officers. But if it came down to your life, the life of innocents, and the life of a criminal and potential child abuser, you would likely choose the former option every time. What do you think? Do you think the officers could have safely defused the situation any more?

Cleveland Officer Is Shot In The Line Of Duty But Survives And Emerges Into Political Quagmire is an article from: LifeDaily

For animal lovers, there’s nothing better than having pets at home. They make things lively and are a great source of entertainment and interest for the kids. Just adding a few kitty cats or a pooch to the family can be a great addition for all.

However, there are some people who take the concept of owning pets to a whole new level. Some people even seem to prefer pets to kids, and it seems so with this family. But is their pet tarantula a threat to their two-year-old?

Average Family

Emma and Luke are your average happily married couple. They live in the Australian city of Canberra, both have full time jobs, and also have two gorgeous kids who they adore and spoil and every opportunity. They are also animal lovers; Particularly when it comes to reptiles who are their absolute favorites.

Cute Kids

4-year-old Hunter is one cute kid, but not as cute as his little sister, 2-year-old Amelia. They are also just your average Aussie kids but they know more about animals than most adults would know. And there’s a very good reason for that. In fact, they are lucky enough to be at close quarters with a whole host of animals every single day…

Home Zoo

You’ve probably never heard of a home zoo, and frankly nor had we until we came across this interesting family. While some folks are into video games or weekends family hikes, this family is into something completely different. It’s an expensive hobby, but it’s also a very fulfilling and satisfying one that keeps the whole family busy.

Health and Safety

According to Emma and Luke, health and safety are their priority. For them, the home zoo poses no threat to them or their kids, and all their pets are cared for on a daily basis and in line with best practices for keeping animals, even if many of the pets are actually insects and reptiles…

Passionate People

One thing is for sure; Emma and Luke are very passionate people when it comes to their pets, a hobby they take extremely seriously and have spent a lot of money on. Obviously the kids are their priority, but the good news is that they save a packet on toys and games, and the family pets do most of the entertaining at home.

Pet Addiction

According to Emma, once the family started buying and finding pets, it became like an obsession for them, “We just love them, I guess. It becomes a bit of an addiction once you start. We sort of ended up with a fair few,” Emma said. When it comes to addictions these days, being addicted to looking after animals isn’t such a bad thing…

Calming Amelia

Like many two-year-olds, Amelia suffers from the occasional temper tantrum, especially when things don’t go her way. But where other mothers may be left at a loss to deal with such tantrums, it’s no issue for this family. Talking about the family’s pet carpet python, Emma said, “She is pretty big, but she has got some growing to do. She is one of Amelia’s favourites, so if she is having a wobbly, I bring her out and she is happy.”

Spider Phobia

Emma also spoke about the fact that while the kids are comfortable with most of the family’s pets, of which there are an unbelievable number, she still has a bit of a spider phobia, “I think we have got some animals that I deal with a lot better than Em does, like spiders, she still has a spider phobia, I deal with them better than the two little ones here,” said Emma’s husband.

Spider Babies

As the Carlson family also decided at some point to buy a pet Tarantula, Emma was sort of forced to face her fears and overcome her spider phobia, “I can’t preach to other people about being used to snakes and getting over their fears if I can’t do it myself,” she said, adding, “I came home one day and there was an explosion of an egg sack and little tiny tarantulas all throughout her enclosure. So that was fun and I made Luke deal with that when he got home.”

First Pets

Many years ago, when the Carlson’s first got married and before the kids came along, they bought their first pets. Bizarrely, they opted at that time for two frogs and a shingleback, for reasons known only to them. “When two reptile people get together, we were in for a big collection from the start I think,” Emma said.

Gourmet Pets

It’s not that the Carlson’s eat their pets; Perish the thought. But they did talk about how some of their pets often eat better than they do. “We buy the expensive blueberries and sometimes raspberries, nice bananas for a treat and things like that.” Said Emma.

Food Shopping

With all those pets at home, needing a variety of different foods constantly, the Carlson’s often find themselves in the grocery store, as well as the pet store, stocking up, “We do have to stop at the pet store and get dog food for the dog and get bones and things for her. We get fish for the turtle, some turtle food. If it’s been raining, we will go for a walk and try to find some snails, we do a big cricket order every week and then obviously for these guys (the snakes), we have to get rats and sometimes rabbits and quail and different things. We get our big delivery of all sorts of rodents and things and big crickets.” They explained…

Showering With Frogs!

For the Carlson’s, showering with their pets in tow is a totally normal thing, “It’s totally normal for us to have a shower with the frogs or whack a snake in the bath with the kids,” Emma explained, “For us, it’s our everyday life, but other people are blown away. If you said you had 50 dogs or 50 cats, people would think you’re mad, but most of our guys are reptiles who are much easier to look after.”

How Many?

This normal family-of-four have an astounding 58 pets living with them on a permanent basis. Those pets include – 10 snakes, 10 dragon lizards, 7 amphibians, 6 monitor lizards, 6 geckos, 6 skinks, 3 birds, 2 rats, 2 stick insects, 1 dog, 1 turtle, 1 fish, 1 mystery snail, 1 Australian tarantula, and 1 centipede. Yes, that makes 58, just in case you counted…

Totally Normal

According to Emma, most people just think the Carlson’s are a normal, average Canberra family. “People think we’re normal because they see a dog at the front door, then they come inside,” explained Emma, “For us, it’s our everyday life, but other people are blown away. If you said you had 50 dogs or 50 cats, people would think you’re mad, but most of our guys are reptiles who are much easier to look after.”

Reptile Business

It comes as no surprise that the Carlsons opened a reptile-related business, following their passion for creatures of all types. Canberra Snake Rescue and Relocation was born just a few years ago, “It just kind of organically grew through us both being interested in animals, and the kids love them and play a part in caring for them,” Said Emma.

Carrying The Torch

It is very much the Carlson’s hope that their two kids will develop the same love for reptiles that they have. “Hopefully they carry the torch for reptiles after Luke and I are gone. We’ve got a few monitor lizards that will probably outlive us, so they’ll need someone to look after them,” Emma said. However, looking after all those pets doesn’t come cheap. “We’re pretty frugal people and we’re used to having no lights on at night so the animals can sleep,”Even with all the tanks, we’ve still got an average electricity bill for a family of four.” She said.

Healthy Habits

The Carlsons explained that they are clean living people. While many folks turn to alcohol or gambling to pass their free time, the Carlson’s do none of that, “It’s definitely worth it and we’ve got no other vices in life. We don’t drink, smoke or gamble at the casino. We’re just into our reptiles.” They explained.

Labor Intensive

It stands to reason that with all those pets around there’s a lot of work to be done. Emma explained that the reptile tanks need to be cleaned every two days, and just that task takes two hours to complete. Then, there’s checking on all the pets which takes another hour a day, and that’s not to mention all the playtime.

Pure Joy

For the Carlsons, having all these pets is nothing but pure joy, even if it is hard work. “The kids are great with them. They know which animals they’re allowed to be with and which ones they need to wait for Mum and Dad to be around,” Emma said, adding, “Hunter’s snake, Arlo, is his best mate, but he loves the lizards too. He even puts them under a blanket if he thinks they’re cold.”

Pet Obsessed Family Have A Tarantula As Well As A 2-Year-Old is an article from: LifeDaily

When people get on an airplane, whether flying internationally or domestically, they expect some in-house entertainment, a nice drink and a smooth flight. Sure there’s often some unavoidable turbulence and other things than can happen in the air, but for the most part these days, flying is a pleasant experience.

When Rose and her daughter Morgan got on a flight to Salt Lake City, the last thing they were expecting was to save a man’s life. How did they even manage it all those miles up in the skies?

Normal Flight

When the plane took off from Asheville en-route to Salt Lake City, the mother and daughter settled into their seats and waited for take off. The flight was packed but everyone seemed in a good mood and even the domestic flight attendants were smiling and friendly.

Short Trip

The flight was only supposed to be a couple of hours, and with the movie showing and the drinks being served time was flying by nicely just as Rose and Morgan had hoped it would. They didn’t hate flying but they just wanted to reach their destination already, and Morgan was a nervous passenger…

Pilot Speaks

Usually on domestic flights, the pilot or co-pilot will make a verbal appearance at least once over the speakers. They welcome the travellers, offer some info about the route, and tell everyone how high the plane is flying and what altitude they will reach.

Nurse Graduate

Morgan, 26, graduated with honors from nursing school back in 2016. Her mom Rose couldn’t have been prouder, especially as she was a nurse too. Morgan soon secured a job at the Mission Hospital near to where she lives, and had been working there already for a while, in a training capacity…

Springing Into Action

It’s just as well that two qualified nurses were on that flight, especially as there wasn’t a doctor on board. When the pilot announced something on the microphone, the mother daughter duo didn’t think twice and rushed to the front of the plane.

Man Down

When the women arrived at the front of the aircraft, they were greeted by a man who appeared to be in his 60s, looking worse for wear and barely conscious. The man was unresponsive, slouched in his seat, with his shirt covered in vomit…

‘Oh God’

“When we saw him, my mom and I looked at each other, and we were like ‘Oh, God,'” Morgan said. Thankfully, Rose had 30 years of experience dealing with emergency medical situations such as these. She soon took the lead, and tried to figure out what was wrong with the poor man.

Brink Of Death

The man at the front of the plane wasn’t looking good, and only getting worse. The women took his blood pressure, noting it was extremely low at just 56/30. According to Morgan, the man was “On the brink of death.” He was in hypovolemic shock, probably from extreme dehydration, and badly needed fluids…

Close Shave

According to Rose, who was unwittingly becoming an impromptu hero aboard this domestic Delta flight, “His blood pressure was too low. If somebody hadn’t done something to correct that, he probably would’ve gone into cardiac arrest and died.” Rose explained.

Lifesaving Teamwork

Rose and Morgan worked tirelessly to stabilize the man until the plane reached its destination. Working instinctively like a well-oiled machine, Morgan handed Rose a needle and catheter from the on-board medical kit in an attempt to hook the man up to an IV…

Rehydrating

As the fluid entered the man’s veins, his blood pressure increased slightly and stabilized. He really needed two or three liters of saline but the women made do as best they could with the limited equipment they had available to them on the flight.

‘Tight Rope’

The women were sweating as they worked on the man. They were also in radio contact with a physician on the ground who was advising them. “It was like walking a tight rope, keeping him all right with what we had available,” Rose said…

Regaining Consciousness

A few minutes passed by and there were signs of hope when the man regained consciousness. He was even able to speak and sip water by himself, although was dazed and confused about where he was. Once the plane had landed, paramedics took over and stabalized him further.

Much Appreciation

Not only did the pilot personally thank Morgan and Rose on the plane’s speaker system, a flight attendant also gave them a bottle of wine and Delta vouchers for their next flight. Meanwhile, Michael Thomas from Delta, said the company, “sincerely appreciates the efforts of these medical professionals who came to the aid of one of our customers who fell ill on a recent flight.”…

Quick Flight

An interesting fact also came out as an upshot of the incident. Rose and Morgan noted that the flight, which was supposed to be 4.5 hours in duration, made it to its destination in under three hours! ” The pilot hadn’t diverted the plane, but he definitely sped it up.” Rose said.

Inspired Daughter

Growing up, Morgan followed her mother’s lead and often volunteered at the hospital where her mom worked, enjoying watching her in action whenever she could. “Morgan kinda followed in my footsteps,” Rose said, and Morgan agrees…

‘Neat Experience’

“I didn’t think I’d ever get to work with my mom because she’s approaching retirement,” Morgan said. “As down on his luck as that guy was, he actually gave me a neat experience with my mom. I’m just glad he was all right and got to spend time with his mom, too.” she added. The fact the man was ok meant that Morgan didn’t feel so bad about the fact she felt exhilarated by the whole experience.

Real Heroes

Regardless of everything else, there’s no question that Rose and Morgan were real heroes on that day. For her part, Morgan was never the biggest fan of flying, but as she said, “I didn’t feel like I was in the air, thousands of feet above the world. I just got tunnel vision and focused on him and my mom.”…

Other Heroes

This story isn’t the only example of nurses on a flight saving a person’s life. Back in May 2017, a nurse called Courtney Donton saved the life of a woman who was having a cardiac arrest on a flight form New Jersey. At the time all she had at her disposal was a spoon and a toothpick, but they did the trick to save a life, “I got off the plane and onto the tarmac with her. She was nervous,” Donlon said. “I gave a report to the paramedics. She asked me to get off with her and hold her hand until she was with the paramedics. She was traveling alone. And we really created a trusting relationship — a bond. She felt safe, I hope, that she was under my care.”

Happy Ending

It’s just as well that there was a happy ending to this story, otherwise the prognosis could have been a whole lot worse. Obviously, medical professionals can’t be on each and every flight, whether international or domestic. However, luckily for this man, Morgan and Rose were on hand to save his life, and for that he is surely eternally thankful.

Mother Daughter Duo Save Man’s Life On Domestic Flight is an article from: LifeDaily

Sometimes life can get hard. Scratch that. Most of the time life is hard. When we are at our lowest, it can seem like there is a never ending stream of challenges and hardships that are standing between us and happiness.

But we are able to persevere and get through those rough patches, sometimes through our internal fortitude but more often, through the help of our friends and loved ones. When one family faced a difficulty beyond what most of us will ever go through, they would have to rely on each other for everything…

Featured photo credit: www.littlethings.com

Family Oriented

Jim and Karisa were a couple that loved children. At the ages of 31 and 29, they were still relatively young. But they’d married early and after they’d had their first child Angela, they just kept on having kids.

Big Family

By the time Angela was 8 years old, she had 4 siblings: 6-year-old Zachary, 4-year-old Wyatt, 2-year-old Nicholas, and the newest addition to the family, baby Juliana who was just 2 months old. Jim and Karisa couldn’t be happier with their big, happy family…

Pious Family

The Texas couple had a churchgoing family, bringing all the kids to services each Sunday. Perhaps their Mormonism was part of the parents’ decision to have so many children. It certainly seemed as if they’d taken the Bible passage “be fruitful and multiply” to heart.

Heading Home

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in April, the family was piled into their 2005 Chevrolet Suburban. They had just left Church and were heading southbound on US 87 toward their home in San Angelo, a drive they’d made hundreds of times before…

Split Second

As Jim Clemens sat behind the wheel of the cruising vehicle, he noticed something that made his heart suddenly drop. In the oncoming lane of traffic, a big red SUV suddenly turned it’s wheels. In just a split second, the vehicle would be passing the painted lines into his lane.

Quick Action

In a flash, Jim’s body was shot through with adrenaline. He had time to turn the wheel of his vehicle but couldn’t tell if he could turn it fast enough or, if he turned the wheel too fast, it would send his SUV rolling. With no other option, he pulled as hard as he could away from the oncoming red blur…

No Chance

But there just wasn’t enough time for Jim to avoid the oncoming vehicle. When the Red Chevrolet Tahoe collided head on with Jim and Karisa’s Suburban, both vehicles traveling at a high speed, the results were devastating. Despite the fact that they’d all been wearing seatbelts, each member of the Clemens family was badly hurt.

Unimaginable Tragedy

Tragically, Jim, Karisa, and 2-month-old Juliana were all killed. Angela, 8, sustained major head injuries and broke both her legs, Zachary, 6, broke his back and had other internal injuries, Wyatt, 4, suffered brain injuries, had multiple strokes, and was paralyzed on the left side of his body, and Nicholas, 2, suffered a number of lacerations and bruises…

The Other Vehicle

The driver of the other vehicle, 23-year-old Monique Deion had apparently lost control of the SUV for unknown reasons. Both she and her 1-year-old son had suffered serious injuries but were able to recover fairly quickly.

Unfathomably Difficult

But for the 4 surviving Clemens children, their road to recovery, both from their injuries and the loss of their parents, would be long and unfathomably difficult. The severity of their injuries and the risk of infection not only meant they would be in the hospital for weeks, they would also have to be kept separated during that time…

Reunited

But after several weeks, when the risk of infection had subsided, the kids were finally able to see each other again. Reunited at physical therapy, Angela and Zachary laid next to each other and silently held hands for a long time.

Scariest

“Angela was the scariest at first because we just didn’t know what her brain function would be because she was unconscious so long and she sustained a lot of head injury,” said Teresa. But after a few weeks, Angela was beginning to recover. She started speaking again and was even reading and singing at times…

Reliving Tragedy

But it wasn’t all good news for her. According to Teresa, the children have been told that their parents died but given their ages, coming to terms with that loss will take a long time. Due to memory loss problems related to her injuries Angela forgot they were gone and had to relive the pain of finding out more than once.

Walking

Wyatt had regained feeling in his left side and was beginning to walk again. Still, he would get tired easily so, when he went to visit Angela in her hospital bed, he told her that he was going to go back to his room after a few minutes…

Important Words

“Angie still doesn’t say a lot of words,” said her great-aunt Teresa Burrell, “But she leaned over the bed and looked in his eyes and said, ‘Wyatt, I need you.’ That active, sweet boy stayed there with her and held her hand for another 25 minutes. Wyatt doesn’t sit anywhere for 25 minutes”

Togetherness

And that being together, according to Teresa, the children’s being together has been helpful in  their healing. “I think it gives them power,” she said. “They grieve together, but they also find happiness together.”…

Hoping For Recovery

According to Teresa, that togetherness, the children’s resilience, and with a lot of prayer, the children are recovering much better than expected. “We didn’t think any of them were going to be able to walk, and now we’re thinking they all might hopefully walk again,” she said.

Coming Together

They also received a lot of help from extended family, friends, members of the Mormon community, and even strangers. In order to help pay for Jim, Karisa and Juliana’s funeral arrangements as well as the children’s medical care, the Clemens’ started a Facebook fundraising campaign…

‘We Feel It’

“People have been so kind and so supportive in their thoughts, in their prayers, in their contributions,” Teresa said. “We feel it, we really do. And we just have so much hope for these children and their future.” Through the help of thousands of people, the fundraiser got nearly $200,000 in donations.

Lean On Each Other

The Clemens children will continue to strive for recovery through the support of their family, their community, their faith, and perhaps most importantly, the support from one another. They will have months, if not years of hardship ahead of them physically and a lifetime of emotional difficulties but, together, they will do it.

After Tragic Accident Shatters Happy Family, They Lean On Each Other To Recover is an article from: LifeDaily

You don’t need to know anything about coins to know that there are some pieces of our history that are worth a ton of money. This includes coins dating as far back as the 1800s, like the one in the following story.

Finding a gold coin as rare as this one is like “finding a Picasso at a garage sale.” It’s a discovery of a lifetime and that’s probably why no one believed him…

California Gold Rush, 1854

At the height of the California Gold Rush in 1854, the San Francisco Mint produced less than 300 special $5 coins. Only three were known to still survive, until recently, as there are now four.

Convinced His Coin Was Fake

While the owner of the fourth coin has chosen to remain anonymous, he was convinced the gold coin was fake. Upon taking the coin to show to few collectors and dealers at a coin show, everyone thought it was fake, insisting that there was no way he could have a rare 1854 piece like that…

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation

After getting nowhere at the coin show, the man decided to take his coin to a rare coin authentication company called Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC). They’re a Florida-based company that does third-party authentication of coins and once they received the gold coin, they knew authenticating it wouldn’t be easy.

Du Pont Family

NGC had to first compare it to the three coins that currently exist, although the biggest problem was that one of those coins was stolen. It belonged to the Du Pont family in 1967, while the chemical company heir Willis H. Du Pont and his family were home, thieves broke in, tied them up, and made off with the coin from their Florida mansion…

The Coin Is Still Missing

The criminals took over 7,000 rare coins from the family, some of which have been found in strange places over the years. However, Du Pont’s rare $5 piece from 1854, known as a Liberty Head Half Eagle, is still missing.

Determining Its Authenticity

Richard Montgomery, President of NGC wanted to make sure that this wasn’t the stolen coin, so they obtained images from when it was previously auctioned in 1962. Once they determined it wasn’t the stolen Du Pont coin, the company received quality images from the Smithsonian, where one of the coins is held, as well as from the Pogue Family, private collectors who own millions in coins…

Looking For Similarities

Montgomery says that in authenticating the coin, he looked for common things. “You’ll see the four in the digit is slightly attenuated or not as high in relief as the regular part of the four…We noticed that was exactly the same as the Smithsonian piece.”

Where Did Such A Rare Coin Come From?

Similarities like that along with comprehensive methods to inspect the coin, helped them verify that this piece was indeed real. But where did the coin come from? Was it discovered at a garage sale?

The Owner Lives In New England

While NGC is keeping that information confidential to respect the owner’s wishes, they did say that the owner resides in New England and he is male. As far as the exact value of the coin, Montgomery says that it’s not his job to determine that since they don’t deal in the sales of coins and they only provide authentication and quality assessments.

“It’s Worth Millions”

However, if he had to guess, Montgomery says, “It’s worth millions.” It is incredibly rare to find something like this, as rare as “finding a Picasso at a garage sale.” However, if you’ve been in the business as long as they have, the time comes where a rarity will pop up out of nowhere. To get an idea of how many millions this rare coin can go for, let’s compare it to other coins…

1891 US Red Seal $1,000 Bill ($2.5 Million)

The $1,000 bill printed in 1891 depicts Major General George Gordon Meade on its face and was sold for $2.5 million in April 2013. Part of its high value stems from its age and rarity, in addition to the hands it passed through during history, making it one of the world’s most expensive banknotes ever sold.

1913 Liberty Head Nickel ($3.7 Million)

This 1913 nickel was pressed without having the approval of the U.S. Mint. Only five nickels managed to make their way into the public domain, the most expensive of which was purchased for $3.7 million. The ones that are believed to be found in mint condition, could be worth as much as $20 million…

1804 Silver Dollar, Class I ($3.8 Million)

This 1804 silver dollar was not actually minted in 1804. In fact, it was pressed 30 years later as a mix-up when minting dollars as gifts for Asian rulers on trade envoy visits. When sold by auctioneers Heritage Auctions in May 2008, it sold for $3.7 million at auction.

1804 Silver Dollar, Class I ($4.1 Million)

This silver dollar is from the same set of 15, as the previous one. This one, however, was sold by Bowers and Marena for $4.1 million. Still, in both cases, it’s rather impressive that something worth a single dollar could sell for so much…

2007 C$1M Coin (4.1 Million)

A 100kg coin is, in itself, a rarity. But after you add the fact that it was specially minted by the Royal Canadian Mint for the occasion and that it is made of nearly pure (99.99%) gold, the $1 million face value gets inflated to auction to $4.1 million.

1343 Edward III Florin ($6.8 million)

Think about how many coins you lose between the cushions of the sofa. Now, think about how many coins you may have lost over 670 years. This is exactly why the Edward III gold coin is so rare. It was minted in 1343 and it has survived many centuries…

1787 Brasher Doubloon ($7.4 Million)

Ephraim Brasher, a talented goldsmith, petitioned New York State to mint a new set of coins in copper in 1787. However, even when the state legislature didn’t want Brasher’s work and didn’t want copper coins, Brasher ignored their decision and went ahead minting coins anyway. Most of them were in bronze but a precious few were 22-carat gold. This doubloon was bought by a Wall Street investment firm for about $7.4 million.

1907 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle ($7.6 Million)

This complicated design produced by Augustus Saint-Gaudens was too difficult for the U.S. Mint to make in commercial quantities, which led to the modification of the design. Charles Barber, the Mint’s chief engraver, decided to strike the words “In God We Trust” from the coin, to which Congress “blew a gasket.” Still, the coin went into production and is very rare…

1933 Double Eagle ($7.6 Million)

The 1933 Double Eagle was pressed but never publicly released. In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt prohibited anyone from owning gold in an attempt to end the banking crisis at the time. However, twenty coins slipped through the cracks and are now worth far more than their $20 face value.

1784/5 Flowing Hair Silver/Copper Dollar ($10 Million)

It’s very rare than a dollar coin is worth $10 million, but this was the first ever dollar coin issued by the U.S. Federal Government. In 1794 and 1795, this 10% copper, 90% silver dollar, was minted by the U.S. Federal Mint, making it a historical memento. In January 2013, one 1794 dollar was sold for $10 million.

Discovery Of A Lifetime: ‘Fake’ Gold Coin Is Now Worth Millions is an article from: LifeDaily

When dogs find their way into a shelter, it can be either the best or the worst thing to ever happen to them. For some, the shelter is a stepping stone to finding their forever family, but for others, it’s the place they are forced to face rejection day after day until someone decides no one will ever want them.

Normally, the lucky dogs who instantly get adopted can’t wait to go home and start their new lives. However, when a 3-year-old pit bull named Merrill got adopted soon after she landed in a shelter, she refused to leave because of who she would be forced to leave behind…

New Additions At Rocket Dog Rescue

In October 2014, an elderly male Chihuahua named Taco and a young female pit bull terrier named Merrill were dropped off together at Rocket Dog Rescue, a dog rescue organization run completely by volunteers in the San Francisco Bay Area in California.

Taco And Merrill

The person who brought the 2 dogs in told the staff nothing about why they were getting rid of the dogs or what kind of life they had before that moment. The only thing the staff at Rocket Dog Rescue knew at the time was that Taco the Chihuahua was 8 years old and Merrill the pit bull terrier was 3 years old…

A Noticeable Bond

The volunteers immediately noticed that Taco and Merrill seemed attached to each other, but they also knew how hard it was to find someone to adopt 2 dogs as a pair, which is why they planned to post separate listings. But before they could do that, the dogs had to be cleared for adoption.

The Health Exam

During the exam, veterinarians found evidence that Merrill had been used for breeding at some point in her life. They also discovered the 3-year-old had a bad urinary tract infection that needed to be treated immediately with an expensive surgery that would make her unable to have puppies in the future, which is why they suspected her original owner gave them up…

A Stressful Surgery

The staff prepared the operating room for Merrill’s surgery, however, when they took her from the kennel she shared with Taco, they realized just how attached the 2 dogs were. Both Merrill and Taco started crying and throughout the entire surgery, Taco was incredibly anxious and wouldn’t stop crying.

Separation Anxiety

The staff had planned to let Merrill recuperate after surgery in her own cage, but as soon as Merrill was out of surgery and awake, the 2 dogs would not stop barking and whimpering for each other. By that point, the team knew they were going to have to do something because the separation anxiety the dogs had wasn’t healthy…

An Unorthodox Recovery

The team had no choice but let Taco into the recovery room so he and Merrill would finally calm down. Just as they expected, Taco curled up right next to Merrill and never left her side after that. In that moment, the staff members were relieved that the dogs were calm and resting, but they started to worry about what would happen when they were eventually separated.

Cleared For Adoption

When Merrill was cleared for adoption, the team went ahead with their original plan to post 2 separate adoption posts since they knew from experience that it would be nearly impossible to find someone willing to adopt both Merrill and Taco…

Predictable Results

After posting the ads, they immediately were contacted by people interested in adopting Merrill. Sadly, no one contacted them about adopting Taco, which didn’t surprise the team since Taco was 8 years old and most people want younger dogs.

The Adoption

The staff was still holding out hope that someone would want to adopt Merrill and Taco together, but then someone came into the shelter 1 afternoon and instantly fell in love with Merrill. The staff wanted Merrill to go to a good home, so they gave him all the paperwork to sign so he could bring her home…

A Heartbreaking Realization

After the adoption papers were signed, the man opened the cage and took Merrill out. Both Merrill and Taco immediately started crying, and the staff had to explain that they were the only family they have both ever known. The man didn’t have the heart to separate Merrill and Taco, but he also couldn’t adopt them both.

A New Plan

The man ended up adopting another dog at the shelter that afternoon, and the experience showed the staff that they weren’t going to be able to separate Taco and Merrill. Instead, they had to come up with a new plan and do whatever it took to find a home that would take them together…

A Package Deal

The staff decided to post a joint adoption ad for both Taco and Merrill, and in the description, they explained that the dogs were a package deal since they refused to be split up. “These two love each other more than any bonded pair the shelter has ever seen,” the caption read.

The Joint Adoption Ad

“They cry when they leave each other’s side. This dynamic duo has lost their family, their home, and now we can’t let them lose each other!” The staff at Rocket Dog Rescue shared the post on their social media pages along with adorable photos of the pair…

Waiting For An Offer

As they expected, the post blew up and thousands of people were sharing their story. Soon enough, comments from people expressing interest in adopting the pair started flooding in. Now, they just had to wait for someone to contact them with a real offer to adopt Taco and Merrill.

A Real Offer

While they didn’t receive an adoption offer right away, a woman named Jodi offered to foster the dogs and get them out of the shelter until a serious offer was made. Not long after, a family from San Jose contacted Rocket Dog Rescue and said they had fallen in love with the photos of Taco and Merrill online…

Love At First Sight

The family made plans to meet the 2 dogs at Jodi’s house, and when they met the pair, it was love at first sight. Before adopting, the family decided to get them both checked out by a veterinarian just to make sure there were no other health issues that hadn’t been dealt with.

A Forever Home

While Merrill was now perfectly healthy because of the surgery she received while in the shelter, Taco had asthma and dental disease that caused him to lose most of his teeth. Despite the health issues Taco had, the family still wanted both dogs. They signed the adoption papers right away and took the pair home with them…

The Final Hurdle

The pair settled into their new home, but about a month later, Taco started looking unwell. When the family took him back to the vet, they were told Taco’s heart was enlarged and was causing his heart to fail. There was also fluid around his lungs. The family told the doctors they would do whatever it took to save Taco, so they started treatment and put him on medication.

A Miraculous Ending

Merrill refused to leave Taco’s side, and miraculously, the senior dog started responding to treatment. Eventually, his heart condition healed completely and medication helped stabilize his respiratory issues. Today, Merrill and Taco have been with their forever family for over a year and have never been happier. “Merrill & Taco are doing wonderful in their forever home,” Rocket Dog Rescue wrote in an update. “They are enjoying hanging out by the fire snuggling up after a long, fun-filled day.”

Pit Bull Refuses To Be Adopted Because Of Who She’d Have To Leave Behind is an article from: LifeDaily

The instinct to survive is our most powerful drive as humans, and when faced with a life-threatening situation, our bodies will do absolutely anything to keep us alive.

In late April 2018, a truck driver from Oregon mysteriously disappeared while driving a shipment to a town near the Idaho border. For 4 days, his body was pushed to the limits as he fought to make it home alive, but even when he faced starvation, there was 1 thing he refused to do…

Life On The Road

For years, a 22-year-old Oregon man called Jacob, worked as a truck driver to support his wife and their 2 kids. The job involved driving across the country for months at a time, and in the beginning, Jacob was happy to make the sacrifice to be able to provide for his family.

Missing Out On Life

However, over time, the months on the road started to drain Jacob, who hated being away from his wife and their 2 young kids. The father-of-2 hated feeling like he was missing out on his kids’ childhood, and when he found out his wife was expecting their 3rd child, he knew he didn’t want to miss out on more of such a precious time…

The New Job

Jacob quit his job and applied to work for Little Trees Transportation, a smaller transportation company owned by Roy Henry, that runs shorter routes mainly throughout the Pacific Northwest and would allow Jacob to spend his weekends at home with his family at their home in La Grande, Oregon.

A Family Man

“That was the reason he wanted to come to work for me,” Henry explained. “He said, ‘I have kids at home, man. I want to be home with my kids.'” Henry hired Jacob, and in just a few weeks, Jacob proved himself to be a star employee…

The Perfect Employee

According to Henry, the 6’6” loving family man was always happy to work and always showed up on time, which is why he started to get worried when Jacob never arrived in La Grande, Oregon at 8:45 p.m. like he was supposed to in order to refuel.

A No-Show

Jacob was transporting a shipment from Portland to Nyssa, Oregon, in late April. However, when he failed to show up at the scheduled refueling stop at 8:45 in the evening, Henry decided to check the truck’s GPS to see where he was. What he saw on the map, however, didn’t make any sense…

Checking The GPS

The GPS tracking showed Jacob had stopped at a truck stop for a short break before getting back on the road. After that, Jacob left Interstate 84 and turned south onto Highway 395, which was concerning for a variety of reasons. Not only was Interstate 84 the fastest, most direct route to the refueling station, but trucks and trailers are not allowed on Highway 395.

An Alarming Move

“The fact that he turned off in Pendleton is odd, if not alarming. It doesn’t make any sense to me,” said Henry, who tried to call Jacob to tell him he was going the wrong way. Because Jacob was outside of cell service, Henry’s call went straight to voicemail. After a few hours, Jacob should have reached an area with cell service, but he never did…

The Missing Person

Henry called the police and reported Jacob missing. Police went to the remote location on Highway 244 where GPS last tracked the truck and Jacob’s phone, but when they arrived, there was no sign of the 22-year-old or the truck. At that point, Jacob was officially listed as a missing person.

Support From The Community

Over the next few days, Henry and other locals from the Oregon town went out in search of Jacob by driving all of the routes he could have taken that day. “The community support we’ve gotten is nothing short of overwhelming,” said Henry, who only cared about finding his employee, who was set to become a father for the 3rd time at any moment…

Vanished Without A Trace

“I have insurance for the load. No amount of insurance is going to replace him,” Henry said. According to the police, the area that the GPS last traced Jacob and the truck was densely wooded and the terrain was extremely rough. So when there was no trace of Jacob 4 days later, everyone started to fear that there may have been an accident.

Coming Home To A Miracle

On the morning of the 4th day that Jacob was missing, his wife had gone to a meeting with local officials to discuss their next steps. When she got home, however, she found Jacob’s shoes at the door and found him inside putting flip flops on. The first thing Jacob told her was that he was hurting and freezing, so she rushed him to Grande Ronde Hospital to be evaluated…

Where The Trouble Began

While on the way to the hospital, Jacob’s wife notified police, who met them in the emergency room. When his boss and several officers arrived, Jacob started explaining that he accidentally put the wrong destination address in the GPS when he started the trip.

Correcting His Mistake

When Jacob followed the GPS instructions to take an exit south off of Interstate 84, he knew that wasn’t right and realized his original mistake. At that point, Jacob put the correct destination into the GPS and assumed he would be back on his way in no time…

Dangerous Directions

When the GPS instructed Jacob to turn onto a U.S. Forest Service road, he didn’t question the directions. However, as he drove down the snowy road, it became narrow and unpaved. At one point, the truck started sliding out toward a steep embankment.

Precariously Perched

Jacob knew it was too dangerous to try and move the truck any further and grabbed his phone to call for help. When he saw that there was no cell service, however, he realized he was going to leave the truck behind and try to walk back to the main road…

36 Miles Later

Jacob started walking just after midnight on a Wednesday without any food or water and didn’t stop until Saturday morning when he reached Interstate 84. Jacob then flagged down a driver, who drove him the rest of the way home. In total, Jacob walked about 36 miles through deep snow and freezing temperatures. Jacob’s kidneys started to fail, however, it was a miracle that he wasn’t more injured. “He’s a big boy. He kept moving and stayed warm enough,” Nursing supervisor Danita Thamert said. “It doesn’t look like he’s going to have too many injuries.”

Human Error

“What it boils down to is a simple matter of human error,” said Henry, who was just thrilled Jacob was home safe. “He made the proper effort to correct his mistake. From that point on, it was out of his control. He had no reason to believe the GPS was wrong…”

Sheer Will And Determination

“He told me the last night: He wedged himself under a log and the ground to stay warm and stay out of the elements. it was pretty much just sheer will and determination that got him out,” said Henry. However, the most unbelievable part of the story is that Jacob was driving a shipment of potato chips and he didn’t take any with him even though he nearly starved.

Honorable To The Very End

When Henry asked why he wouldn’t take the one source of food available to him, Jacob told him it wasn’t his to take. “That’s worth money. That’s the load I was hauling and I didn’t want to damage the property,” Jacob said. “That’s the way he was raised, that stuff’s not yours, you don’t touch it,” Henry added.

Driver Who Vanished Mid-Route Refused To Help Himself By Opening Truck Bed is an article from: LifeDaily

We all like to believe that our police officers are willing to do anything they need to in order to keep us safe. With that understanding, we also understand that in doing so, these men and women in blue need to make the hard choices that we cannot.

One Miami police officer had to make several hard choices recently in order to save lives. He didn’t know at the start if what he was doing was right, but he did it anyway…

Blocked-Off

The roads around the Miami International Airport were completely closed. It was a confused mess for drivers, an irritant that was stopping frazzled commuters from getting to their final destinations. The police officers were doing their best to keep the populace calm and away from whatever was brewing down the road.

Survival Mode

Meanwhile, Miami police officer Gutierrez was on the scene, though he had no idea why. As a matter of fact, he doesn’t remember much about what happened that evening. His memory, though mending, has a fair share of blanks in it. Luckily, we know how it all went down and how the trouble began…

Off the Deep End

It was 2013, and would-be mass killer and illegal Haitian immigrant Dominique Jean had finally gone off the deep end. After years of attempted murder and aggravated assault, he had decided to make his final stand at the Shell gas station right down the road from Miami International airport.

Past Misdeeds

Before that last moment of mad inspiration, Jean had spent much of his life on the wrong end of the law. He’d been arrested four times over a four-year span for many offenses. These included the aforementioned aggravated assault with a knife, carrying a concealed weapon, and trespassing. This new scheme would blow them all away…

Crazy Man, Crazy Plan

Jean’s plan was to set fire to the Shell gas station on Northwest 25th Street and LeJeune Road. His intention in the crazy enterprise of his? Why, to blow the whole station up while taking a whole lot of people with him in his blaze of glory and infamy.

Passing By

As Jean was running about the station, setting fires, Officer Mario Gutierrez was walking by. Officer Gutierrez had been on the police force for over 20 years. He was on duty in the Miami International Airport district at the time and as he walked by, something caught his eye…

Flames

Officer Gutierrez saw the flames in the distance. Any one with a brain can tell you that flames are not what you want to see in a gas station parking lot. The sight spelled trouble, and fire or not, the officer was ready to answer the call. As he approached, the brave officer beheld the man behind the blaze.

Something Amiss

Dominique Jean had a crazed, manic look in his eye which would have been enough to signify that he wasn’t mentally well. Of course, him walking through a quickly spreading sea of fire over highly explosive underground tanks also did the trick…

Charge In

It looked like something out of a Lethal Weapon movie. Officer Gutierrez drew his gun and stood outside the flames, daring the criminal to act. Within a few minutes, he realized he needed to put him down if he wanted to prevent the fire from getting even worse. The brave officer charged in.

Drew a Knife

Unfortunately for the officer, his enemy was prepared to die for his big finish. He was also armed to the teeth before he lit the fire. Officer Gutierrez approached and Jean drew his gigantic knife. He stabbed at him, swinging the weapon around and causing devastating injuries…

Ups and Downs

It didn’t matter that he was being stabbed though, Gutierrez kept right on fighting. Even as he was knocked down and stabbed, he would keep getting up to stop Jean from making a beeline for the unguarded gas tanks. He’d knock Jean down and as soon as they were both back up, charge him and knock him down again.

Keep Going

Eventually, though they were basically surrounded by an inferno, the officer finally had to make a decision. His life was in danger, as were those of the gas station’s patrons. He needed to do something. So he did. Feeling that he had no choice, he fired his gun at the assailant, killing him…

Hit the Valve

Wounded and bleeding out, Officer Mario Gutierrez stumbled over to the emergency gas stop button. Despite his grievous injuries, he was able to take one last bit of strength and turn off the valve, thereby preventing an explosion. Jean’s plan had been foiled by virtue of sheer badassery.

Out Cold

He fell to the ground out cold. Soon enough, investigators arrived at the scene. They took him back to the hospital and allowed the airport traffic to finally open up. Sadly, Mario’s story was far from over. They still had to call his wife…

Call Comes In

Laura Guttierez was sitting at home as she did every day when her husband went off to work. From the moment Mario had become a police officer, they had warned her that she may one day get a call that something had happened. Yet no one could be prepared for the news that day. “Everything got shifted upside down the moment of that call,” she said of the call.

Full Recovery

Luckily, despite having been stabbed multiple times while surrounded by fire, and putting his life literally on the line in every way one can, Officer Gutierrez finally stabilized. The hospital reported that he would make a full recovery. Laura and indeed even his fellow officers let out a sigh of relief…

Takes it Seriously

“It doesn’t surprise me at all because he takes his role,” explained his wife. “When he puts on that uniform to serve and protect his community very seriously.” By all accounts, Officer Gutierrez is the type of man who always went above and beyond for his job. However, in this case, he does not consider himself a hero.

Not a Hero

Miami-Dade Police Deputy Director Juan Perez, who has known Officer Gutierrez says his attitude is par for the course. “I believe Mario hasn’t grasped the magnitude of what he accomplished that day,” he explains. Officer Gutierrez himself says he was “simply doing my job…”

Love My Job

Gutierrez hopes to be done with his rehabilitation quickly so that he can get back out there. Indeed, the minute the doctor gives him the Ok, he plans to be in uniform. “I love what I do. I can’t think of doing anything else, and I wanna be on that motorcycle again, can’t wait,” said the brave police officer.

Justified and Honored

Despite the fact that he had to kill Dominique Jean, Officer Gutierrez doesn’t regret it. It’s a real world case of the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few in two ways. He was ready to sacrifice not only the potential killer, but himself to protect the community at large. If anyone deserves officer of the year, it’s Mario Gutierrez.

Miami Officer Goes Above And Beyond In Literal Fire Fight With Potential Killer is an article from: LifeDaily

Fossils give us a unique insight into what the world was like way before we ever existed. While movies can paint a picture of what the world was like back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, actual bones provide us a glimpse of the real thing.

Dinosaur fossils are not found that often, but for one group of construction workers, the bones quite literally stopped them in their tracks…

Something Was Buried Beneath The Ground

On August 25, 2017, a construction worker from Saunders Construction was scooping dirt, when an on-site geotechnical engineer (someone who reviews soil conditions) told him to stop. The engineer had noticed that there was something inconsistent with the surrounding sand and claystone.

Crews Stopped What They Were Doing

As he brushed off the dirt and cleaned the area with water, the crews knew that what they were seeing wasn’t normal. In fact, it was completely a once in a blue moon type of occurrence. Finding an underground storage tank or unmarked utility is more of what the workers are used to, but not this…

Dinosaur Fossil?

Saunders Construction, Denver’s premier construction company, was working at a site on 132nd Avenue and Quebec Street that day. Aaron Pollick, the company’s project manager was not on site at the time but he got a call about crews stumbling upon what looked like a dinosaur fossil.

This Wasn’t Something They Were Prepared For

While they couldn’t make out exactly what the fossil was (this would take experts), when crews found it, they were very excited. Pollick said, “Not necessarily knowing what the exact next step was going to be was a challenge…Certainly, it’s not a common occurrence for something like this to be found.” The only problem was, Saunders Construction didn’t have an action plan in place for something like this…

Quarantined The Area

The crews decided to quarantine the area, which will eventually be a weight room at the upcoming Fire and Police Substation, and they made sure construction equipment stayed clear. A biologist contracted by the city of Thornton recommended a local paleontologist, who stopped by to confirm that what they were looking at was dinosaur bones.

Confirmation That It Was A Triceratops

Then, a few days later, Joe Sertich, the dinosaur curator at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science quickly determined that the dinosaur fossil was a triceratops. Very soon, a crew was put together to excavate the area…

A Once-In-A-Lifetime Opportunity

Volunteers from Sanders Construction, museum personnel, and Thornton police and firefighters all pitched in to help. Pollick was among them, saying, “What are the chances that you ever have this opportunity?” “There’s a lot of excitement that you get to go do it, play around and be a kid,” he added.

The Energy Was Palpable

Slowly but surely fossils from the triceratops were being dug out of the ground and you could feel the energy and excitement among everyone participating in the excavation. Piece by piece, they began digging out both brow horns, part of the skull that surrounds the brain, parts of the frill (the shield behind its head), parts of the snout, the lower jaw beak, parts of the neck, vertebrae, and lots of ribs…

Piece By Piece

Day by day, they uncovered yet another piece of the triceratops, although, the legs and arms still remain missing. Sertich hopes they are still around, especially since this is one of the most complete Cretaceous-period fossils found on the Front Rage.

A Miracle

He believes that the fact that they noticed this was a fossil is a pure miracle in itself. “They [construction crews] are really the heroes of a dig like this.” Triceratops were some of the most common dinosaurs in the American West during the time that dinosaurs roamed the earth. So how old was this triceratops fossil known to be?

Dinosaur Fossils In Denver Are Smaller

The fossil is estimated to be around 66-million-years-old! At the time, the dinosaurs in the Denver area were smaller than those found in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Scientists don’t have a definitive answer as to why this is.

How Does A Triceratops Look?

However, Sertich said that the Thornton triceratops is likely the size of a rhino, while those in the Midwest are closer to a mid-sized elephant. Triceratops had two big horns over its eyes and a smaller nose horn. The dinosaurs themselves are somewhat of an icon today, often depicted as fighting a T-Rex in horror movies…

How Did It Remain In The Soil?

It’s likely the Thornton triceratops was a young adult and that it died on a dry land surface, which fell apart over time in a way similar to a cow laying in a field. Additionally, other feeding animals may have scattered its parts.

How Were The Bones Kept Together?

The triceratops sat there for a while until it was eventually covered in sand, from a river changing course or even a flood. This likely kept the big and little bones together…

Displayed At The Denver Museum of Nature & Science

The fossils discovered were brought to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, where people visiting could see them through a window. Sertich described the experience of finding the triceratops like “Christmas.”

They Still Can’t Get Over It

“Were just opening all the presents right now,” he said. Sertich is fully away how lucky officials were that the bones were recognized as fossils. “A lot of times these will be plowed up and they won’t be recognized.”

Fossil Preservation Is Quite Difficult

Paul Murphy, the paleontologist with Paleo Solutions who first confirmed the fossils were dinosaur bones, said there are many factors involved with fossil preservation. It’s actually a difficult process.

How The Bones Were Kept

The bones could have been weathered by elements or scavenged and they need to be buried in sediment. Then, while all the bones are in there, all sorts of chemical processes need to occur. But, one question remains. Why does Colorado naturally have a lot of fossils? What makes them so common there?

Fossils In Denver, Colorado

The reason for this is that the soil in Denver is particularly acidic, however, it is still difficult to preserve bones. Even after 150 years of fossil collecting in Colorado, just like this triceratops one, fossil discoveries continue to be made.

Other Fossils Found In Colorado

In the past 30 years, scientists have found the world’s first articulated Stegosaurus skeleton, three of the world’s four largest dinosaurs, and the largest dinosaur trackway in North America. In 2010, a treasure trove of ice-age mammals and plants were discovered above Snowmass Village, and these are just to name a few. We’re glad Denver can add the Thornton triceratops to the list.

Dinosaur Fossils Discovered At Construction Site Unlock 66-Million-Year-Old Secrets is an article from: LifeDaily

Sometimes in our young lives, we meet a teacher who for whatever reason, be it their personality or dedication, inspires something positive in us. Unfortunately, this is not a story about one of those types of teachers.

This is a story about a teacher who, like so many that we hear about these days, betrayed the trust of her students and her peers. Of course she wasn’t the only culprit…

Ms. Hernandez

Our Lady of Charity School in Hialeah, Florida was, up until recently, the place of work of one Ms.Hernandez: a sixth grade teacher who inspired a bit more than a passion for learning in her students. One of them, a young boy who we will call John, was seemingly smitten with her from day one.

Months Together

You must understand that sixth graders, being on the cusp of adolescence, are notoriously susceptible to the whims of their hormones. This meant that after a few “private study sessions” with Ms. Hernandez, John had as much choice in his own actions as someone addicted to drugs…

Rumors Abound

As will happen in these situations, especially when dealing with a private and very religious school, people began to whisper about the sixth-grade teacher and her alleged relationship with one of her teenage students. Ms. Hernandez didn’t give much stock to these rumors however, and the affair continued unabated.

Disney Vacation

The relationship between John and Ms. Hernandez went on in secret for months. It culminated in an impromptu trip to Disney World in Orlando on the sixth grade teacher’s dime. It was a chance for the two to get away from all the sneaking around they did at home. Though it would eventually be revealed that there wasn’t all that much “sneaking” involved…

Out of Character

School principal, Xenia Torres had a feeling that something was going on, she just needed to prove it. It seemed odd to say the least, and very out of character. Maria Hernandez had worked at Our Lady of Charity for over four years. Her coworkers had gotten to know her very well. Though obviously not well enough.

Let Go

Oddly enough, as soon as they confronted her with the knowledge of the affair, Ms. Hernandex didn’t just up and resign. Quite the opposite in fact. She seemed proud of what she had “built” with John. The school took the only course of action left to them after that. Maria Hernandez was terminated from her position and the police were called…

Deniability

It wasn’t until after it all happened and knowledge of the relationship became public that the school decided to come forward and respond. “This is someone that we knew for a long time…It’s something that happened off the school premises and not during school hours. At this time, we’re just going to go ahead and cooperate with the investigation…” explained principal Torres.

Taken In

After the school’s principal notified the Department of Children and Families. police in Hialeah went to the home the of 32-year-old teacher and placed her under arrest. Maria Hernandez was charged with sexual battery, which is a lot like statutory rape. They brought her down to the station and began a lengthy interrogation…

Coming Clean

Though she wasn’t as keen to admit the affair while in custody, eventually, after enduring a good deal of difficult questions, Ms. Hernandez came clean about the affair. She explained that she loved John and that it was all ok, because his mother had known about the whole thing and allowed it to continue.

Parental Approval

Allowing it to continue was only part of it. What police soon found out was that not only did she allow it, 15-year-old John’s mother actually approved of him having a sexual relationship with her. So much so that she allowed Maria Hernandez to take him with her to Disney World…

Meager Earnings

A Cuban immigrant, John’s unnamed mother wasn’t what you’d call “well off.” Struggling constantly to make ends meet, she worked at a factory, earning just $7.21 an hour. His father had died in Cuba 10 years prior and she knew that Ms. Hernandez was providing things she never could…like Disney vacations.

Disputing Claims

Eventually, both Hernandez and the boy’s mother were brought to court. Though John’s mom has denied many of the allegations against her by the police. ”She is in disagreement with some of the items in the affidavit,” explained the District Attorney. “particularly certain knowledge she had of what was going on.” But how could she have not known?

Couseling

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman was not having any of it. In fact, when John’s mother appeared before her at the behest of state child welfare administrators, the judge informed her that she must agree to counseling and supervision by the Department of Children & Families or lose custody.

Taken From Her

If the mother does not comply with her new court-ordered parenting plan there will be ramifications. The least of which will involve 15-year-old John and his younger sibling, being taken into state custody by the dept of Children and Families. As for John himself, he has his own guidelines to follow yet…

Why Take the Risk?

Why did Hernandez do it, you may ask? Well, it may surprise you to know that she is not really Ms. Hernandez at all. You see, she is estranged from her husband and it’s clear from her actions that she was very lonely. She has been released on $10,000 bail but is still awaiting sentencing.

Must End

The judge delivered a stern warning to John as well as a direct order. The order is as follows: Any ongoing relationship between [the teen] and the teacher will end, effective immediately. The teen, who has since been suspended from school himself, nodded in agreement in the courtroom. Of course, he’s hardly the first young person to fall victim to an attractive older woman…

State of Affairs

Stories of teacher-student affairs aren’t a new thing. Indeed, in recent years, with the onset of social media and phone apps like Tinder, Snapchat, and Instagram, it’s even easier to get in touch with students outside school hours. But back in the day, some predatory teachers had to do everything they could to “nab em young.”

Infamous Teachers

Mary Kay Letourneau is possibly the most infamous teacher to have an affair with a student and that student was much younger than poor John. Vili Fualaau was a mere 12 years old when the two began a sexual relationship in 1996. She was eventually caught, but miraculously, the two continued the relationship even as she served her time…

Moving On

In the end, Fualaau and Letourneau parted ways, though not before they had two young children together. Vili is 26 and a good father and he has done his best to put that part of his life away for now, but it’s not easy when your life at 12 forces you into adulthood. Which is why the judges and agents are so keen on John getting free of Ms. Hernandez as soon as possible.

Be Vigilant

In this writer’s opinion, which I presume is one that will be shared by many readers, John’s mother’s acceptance nee approval of her son’s relationship with Maria Guzman Hernandez is reprehensible. It is something that we as parents should never condone, regardless of our circumstances and one that should be discouraged at all costs.

Florida Teacher Goes Way Over The Line With Student Right Under Guardians’ Noses is an article from: LifeDaily

With the ease of the internet, most things are literally at our fingertips. Except, sometimes, finding what we are looking for can take a long time, especially when it involves a missing person.

One younger brother always felt like something was missing in his life, which prompted him to search for his older sister who he had never even met. The process of finding her was a lengthy one, but one that proved to be well worth it…

Reminiscing One Summer Night

One summer night, after Steve Inman’s wife and his 2-month-old boy had gone to bed, he started thinking about his family and heritage. Having a rare and quiet moment to himself, Steve pulled out a box of photo albums in his home in Fontana, California.

Old Photos

In one of the albums, he found a picture of himself as a young boy and he laughed at the fact that he and his son have the same round ears. Steve also sorted through old and faded photos of his mother as a young woman in South Korea. Then, he came across a photo of his oldest sister…

His Sister Sally

All Steve felt was sadness as he stared at his sister Sally sitting in a meadow before he was born. She was around 8-months-old at the time and she had a similar look on her face as his own son often has.

Uncanny Resemblance

Seeing the resemblance between his sister and his first child, made Steve start to cry. Sally had been missing for 37 years and although he never met her, at that moment, it hit him how much a part of him she was. He had an overwhelming feeling that he had let Sally down…

Unanswered Questions

He wondered if she was still alive because how Sally disappeared was never quite clear to him. Steve was told that his father, Steve Sr., was stationed with the Army in Korea when he married his mother, Chum Ku Yi.

At-Home Birth

When Chum went into labor, they couldn’t get to the base hospital in time, so Sally was born at a house in the village on Chang-mal. The couple raised their daughter for about eight months with the help of a nanny, an older woman they knew…

Moved To American

The family was set to move to America, but the U.S. and Korean authorities would not approve documents stating that Steve. Sr. was Sally’s father.  Although they claimed to have fought tooth and nail, the family wound up leaving Sally with her grandmother in Korea while they went back to Steve Sr.’s hometown of Salt Lake City, where they would work out the problem.

Kidnapped By The Nanny

A few years later, Steve’s parents got a call from his grandmother who said that Sally’s nanny had come to visit because she missed the little girl and wanted to take her for a few days. The old woman took Sally but never returned…

Times Were Rough

Back in America, the Inmans (Steve and his family) were having problems. Steve Sr. wasn’t making much money and had been drinking heavily, making going back to Korea to look for Sally very difficult. Chum went on to give birth to another girl, Connie, and then Steve.

Emptiness In Chum’s Heart

But a few months after Steve was born, their father left them. Chum eventually remarried, settling with Steve and Connie in California, while traveling to Korea several times looking for Sally. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find her and the girl’s absence haunted the family…

Sally Was Always A Topic Of Conversation

“Sally should be here,” Steve’s uncle would say at Christmas dinner. Framed pictures of a young Sally sat on top of the television and hung in the hallway of the family’s home in Fullerton, California. In one of the albums, there was a picture of the nanny, and it was the first time Steve and Connie saw evil in her face.

Couldn’t Get Sally Out Of Their Heads And Hearts

This was the woman responsible for kidnapping their sister and ripping her away from their family and they were furious about it. Connie also always felt like something was missing. She described it as being homesick even when she was home. Steve worried about what may have happened to Sally, was she an orphan or even homeless?

Searching For Sally Online

As he went oven dozens of scenarios in his head, Steve realized how much the internet had been flourishing and he typed Sally’s name into google search engines. He thought there was no way he would find her online because the nanny probably changed her name. Still, Steve sent emails to news stations and even wrote to Oprah, but he had no luck.

“Sally Inman (Missing Child)”

He was told a private investigator would cost him $30,000 just to start and he didn’t have that kind of money. But, Steve, 33, at the time, promised himself he wouldn’t give up. Not even knowing where to start, Steve created a Facebook profile for “Sally Inman (missing child).” He posted the only 12 photos of her that he had and wrote that she had been abducted…

Zero Leads

Sadly, Steve didn’t receive any leads from the Facebook profile. He became lost in his work and raising Miyka, the baby boy he had with his wife, Donya. Then, the day after New Year’s, while he was relaxing and watching the Food Network, his cell phone rang.

Unfamiliar Number

Not recognizing the number, Steve let it go straight to voicemail and once the voicemail finished, he listened. “Steve, I was on Facebook and I noticed you were looking for your sister and I read the whole thing…And I would like you just to give us a call because the girl you’re looking for is actually my mom,” the girl said in what sounded like a Southern accent. But, Steve was suspicious and suspected the call was a prank…

“There’s No Way,” Steve Thought

He called back anyway and the girl said, “Hold on, let me get my mom.” Steve’s heart was beating fast when the woman picked up the phone and said, “Is this Steve? This is Sally.” Steve could barely get any words out but he kept thinking that this had to be a scam.

Was This Really Sally?

“I have those same pictures,” the woman said. Steve, struggling for words suggested, “Maybe we could take a paternity test.” The woman was now insulted saying, “I know who I am…I don’t need a paternity test.” She continued, “Well, my mom would know it’s me…because I have a birthmark on my lip.” At that moment, Steve dropped the phone…

Reunited At Last

After calling his mother and calling Sally right back, Steve realized this was actually Sally. Sally, herself, had always been confused about her history and she wondered who her biological parents were. The fact that her brother just found her 37 years later was a miracle. It was all so surreal and Sally’s husband bought a webcam so she could see her family on Skype. Connie, 36, and Sally, 38, kept staring at each other through the computer screens, studying their faces and mannerisms. They both spoke fast and had the same wit and laugh.

A Happy Ending

Sally felt like she had been robbed of 37 years, missing her siblings graduations, weddings, and their children’s births. All of the siblings tried to piece together what happened in South Korea in 1974 when the mixed-race children of American soldiers and Korean women were stigmatized. While questions still lingered, they didn’t let that get in the way and Steve, Connie, and their mother flew out North Carolina the next week.

After 37 Years, A Missing Sister Is Found Through Facebook is an article from: LifeDaily

Many people are fascinated that dinosaurs actually roamed the earth up to 100 million years ago. These creatures were bigger than almost anything that exists today, have never been seen alive by man, and have given us clues into the prehistory of our very planet and species.

We can thank researchers who devote their lives to this research in helping us paint a clearer picture of what actually went on when dinosaurs were around. A recent discovery is casting insight into the lives of dinosaurs, and those that fed on them…

Groundbreaking Discovery

It’s a discovery that seems straight out of a Jurassic Park movie, except it’s real. Researchers have successfully identified a 99-million-year-old fossilized tick on a dinosaur feather. It’s a new discovery that offers us the first direct evidence that animals in the past were also parasitized by creatures such as ticks and lice.

Little Critters

While it sounds reassuring that these bugs didn’t only want to suck our blood, but in fact, dinosaur’s blood too, we’re curious as to how these ticks were discovered. Where did scientists find the bugs that are supposedly 99 million years old?

Where Were The Ticks Found?

Researchers found the blood-filled parasites trapped in amber. The specimens include the oldest dinosaur parasite to be found together with remains from its extinct host. This offers us a glimpse into the long history between ticks and dinosaurs and their living descendants, birds.

Paleontologist

The study’s coauthor Ricardo Perez-de la Fuente, a paleontologist at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History said that he was “astonished” by the discovery. “It was something we weren’t expecting at all.”

The Relationship Between Dinosaurs And Current-Day Birds

While scientists have suspected that the blood-sucking bugs dined on dinosaurs for millions of years, they’re still feasting on birds to this day. It’s been difficult to establish the relationship between dinosaurs and birds because finding the fossils that included ticks and the dinosaurs they lived on were non-existent.

A Rare Find

That was until now. Perez-de la Fuente says, “Direct evidence of an organism and the remains of another one, the host, is extremely rare in paleontology.” So before we explain more, I’m sure you’re wondering who discovered the amber?

Where Was The Amber Found?

Private collectors Scott Anderson and James Zigras purchased the pieces online, as Burmese amber is currently sold online in mass quantities by local traders. Both men ended up donating their material to museums and they got in touch with researchers specializing in the study of amber.

Bridging The Gap Between Scientists And Collectors

Perez-de la Fuente says that breaking the wall between collectors and scientists is key for the advancement of specimen-based research, particularly in paleontology. But why is this find so particularly significant?

Direct Evidence

These findings represent the first direct evidence of a parasite-host relationship between feathered dinosaurs and ticks. Fossil ticks had been found previously, but never in association with remains of their hosts.

Extinct Ticks

Scientists can now describe a new, extinct group of ticks based on multiple specimens. Some of these ticks can also be related to feathered hosts and through the presence of beetle hairs preserved attached to their bodies. But how do these ticks compare to the ticks today? Do they share any of the same characteristics or genetic make-up?

Differentiations

There are two very distinct differentiations between the ancient ticks and ticks today. The first being an immature hard tick grasping a feather, which represents evidence of ticks parasitizing feathered dinosaurs in mid-Cretaceous.

More Evidence

The second piece of evidence is that four of the discovered ticks are assigned to the new species Deinocroton draculi. These ticks are closer to a single species of tick that only lives in Southern Africa and not anywhere else in the world. There are similarities between the ticks but they are also vastly different. But what about dinosaur DNA? Could it be extracted from this tick, like in Jurassic Park?

Extracting DNA

Although Jurassic Park was based on a real study that claimed to have extracted DNA from amber, other experiments concluded that the amber sample was contaminated by modern DNA. Currently, the technique to extract DNA from amber does not exist, as DNA easily degrades with time.

1993 Jurassic Park

The 1993 film Jurassic Park featured dinosaurs brought to life thanks to a blood-engorged mosquito trapped in amber. However, the reality is that DNA has a very short half-life and this genetic information would not be recoverable…

Traces Of Blood

The researchers did, however, look for the chemical signatures of iron in any preserved traces of blood that may have remained, but they did not succeed in finding any. Iron is also common in mineral contaminants in these fossils.

DNA Is Difficult To Preserve

On the subject of DNA, Perez-de la Fuente adds that it is a very fragile molecule and it’s very unlikely to persist in such ancient fossils. He adds that the conditions of fossilization in amber, such as great changes in temperature and extreme dehydration are awful for the preservation of DNA. But the ticks weren’t the only thing found in the amber…

More Creepy Crawlers

Along with the ticks, the team found microscopic hairs from carpet beetle larvae, creatures which are commonly found in birds’ nest today. The beetle larvae eat organic material like hair or skin, which are particularly difficult for them to digest.

Amber’s Special Features

“A special feature of amber is the ability that the resin has to capture small pieces of the environment in an almost unaltered way,” Perez-de la Fuente. Based on the contents of the amber, the team says that the fossils offer hard evidence in nesting behavior in the host animals. So what’s next for the scientists?

Links Between Other Specimens

Scientists now need to work harder to establish the link between the other specimens, identified as Deinocroton draculi. Many feathered dinosaurs are thought to have built nests 100-million-years-ago and the beetle setae offer a clue as to where the ticks were getting their meals.

The Importance Of Preserved Specimens

The paleontologist said that it couldn’t have been from the nest of a modern bird because the evidence indicates that birds emerged much later. Overall, this discovery shows just how much information can be gathered from preserved specimens.

Paleontologists Discover 99-Million-Year-Old Ancient Tick, Redefining What We Know About Dinosaurs is an article from: LifeDaily

When your life is put in danger, the natural instinct is to escape the situation. However, if fleeing is not an option, the body will do whatever it takes to defend itself.

In May 2016, 2 police officers in France were the target of a violent hate-fueled attack. Even though they believed they were about to die at the hands of their attackers, 1 of the officers refused to do the 1 thing that would ensure their safety, and now he’s being hailed a hero for it…

A Normal Day On Patrol

On a typical afternoon in May 2016, Kevin Philippy, a 28-year-old probationary police officer, was driving around the streets of Paris with his partner, Allison Barthelemy. The pair had been on patrol when they suddenly got held up in traffic on a narrow city street.

Bumper-To-Bumper Traffic

Shortly after turning onto the Quai de Valmy in the 10th arrondissement, traffic came to a complete standstill. While traffic can be a huge frustration, it’s not normally life-threatening. But that afternoon, the bumper-to-bumper traffic nearly cost them both their lives…

Controversial Reforms

At the time, reforms in French labor laws had led to protests across the country’s capital city that were turning violent as the hard-left and anarchist activists were using the demonstrations as opportunities to carry out brutal attacks against police officers.

A Police Demonstration

Earlier that morning, police unions across the country had gathered and held demonstrations to highlight the anti-police sentiments and violent attacks they were being subjected to during the controversial labor reform protests. According to the police, they were just trying to do their job and keep the peace…

The Counter-Protest

That same day, hard-left protesters decided to gather for a counter-demonstration. However, the protesters were denied permission to hold their march because of alleged violence against police. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop them.

The March Continues

After being denied permission to hold a counter-demonstration, about 300 hard-left and anarchist protesters marched through the streets of the city to express their disapproval of the police and claiming they were victims of police brutality…

A Chance Encounter

While marching through the streets, the demonstrators started chanting “Cops, pigs, killers!” Eventually, the protestors ran into a police car that was completely stopped in traffic on the Quai de Valmy in the 10th arrondissement, and they weren’t going to let the opportunity slip away from them.

Nowhere To Escape

Officers Kevin Philippy and Allison Barthelemy were inside the police car. At that point, they were already at a complete stop because of traffic. However, when a group of 15 masked protesters surrounded their police vehicle, they had nowhere to go…

The Violent Mob

“There’s cops, come one, let’s f**k them up,” someone from the aggressive mob was recorded screaming when they came across the police car by chance. The young men, who were all masked and hooded, circled the car and started hitting the glass windows.

Caught On Camera

During the attack, which was filmed by multiple passers-by, the men took iron bars and metal bollards that they had torn from the roads and started smashing them against the trunk window of the police car. Soon enough, the glass shattered leaving a gaping hole in the car window…

The Attack

The men lit a smoke bomb or a molotov cocktail and threw it through the broken window. As they hoped, it exploded in the car, which caught on fire with the 2 officers still inside. To avoid being burned by the flames, the police had no choice but to exit the car and face the violent mob.

The Viral Footage

In the video of the attack, which was posted online and quickly shared and viewed by millions of people around the world, 28-year-old Kevin jumped out of the car to escape the danger. However, when he got out of the car, he realized he and his partner weren’t safe yet…

The Gun

1 of the violent protesters charged at Kevin and started swinging an iron bar. Without thinking, Kevin’s hand went straight for his gun in its holster knowing that it had the power to save him, his partner, and get the unruly crowd under control.

The ‘Kung Fu Cop’

However, in that moment, Kevin knew that if he responded violently, it would only prove his attackers right. So instead of drawing his weapon, Kevin used his arms to impressively block and evade the attacker, who was trying to hit him with a metal bar…

Blocking The Attack

Kevin’s partner, Allison, thought they were both about to be killed since they were largely outnumbered by the mob. Seconds later, however, Kevin jumped in front of her, deftly blocked their attacker’s swings and punches, and gave them enough time to run off.

The Hero

Kevin had no choice but to leave behind the burning police car, but when people saw how bravely, calmly, and skillfully he reacted in a tense situation, they hailed him a hero and dubbed him the ‘Kung fu cop.’ In the moment, however, Kevin only cared about keeping the situation from escalating and getting away from the attackers…

The Roast Chicken

Once Kevin and Allison had retreated, the attackers put a cardboard sign on their car, which read ‘Roast Chicken going free.” In French, chicken is a slang word for a police officer. When officials heard what happened and saw the video of the attack, they applauded the pair for their reactions.

Awards And Promotions

In a ceremony, the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, awarded both Kevin and Allison the “gold internal security medal”, the highest French police award. Kevin was also promoted from a probationary police officer to a full officer even though he had recently failed his entrance exam…

A Proud Moment For The Police

“What made me extremely proud was your extreme self-control. (Here was) a police officer who was strong in his own personality and values not just strong because he had a gun,” Cazeneuve said. “Many of my colleagues suffer far worse. They are the heroes, not me,” Kevin said.

A Lasting Image

“The images of the violence they were subject to will stay etched in the memory of the French people for a long time. Because, after the protests and tensions have passed … we will keep one image in our minds: That of a police officer stepping out of a vehicle with one single objective in mind, to protect his colleague,” Cazeneuve said. “If I had taken out my weapon or shot, I would have gone from being a hero to zero,” Kevin added. “My career could have ended there.”

“Kung Fu Cop’ Decorated For Unorthodox Reaction To Hate-Fueled Police Attack is an article from: LifeDaily

Every bar has their regulars, the people who frequent the place so much they might as well set up a cot in the back. Bar owners, in general, remember these people, not least of all because they tend to be their best customers.

Our story begins with two of these bar owners in Bar Harbor Maine, who noticed one of their customers, a man they thought they knew, was driving drunk…

Bar Harbor Barflies

Driving while intoxicated is no joke. These days, mainly because it’s their ass on the line if anything goes awry, bartenders take particular notice of the state of inebriation their customers are in when they head home. On this particular summer night, Rick was looking like his driving might be somewhat impaired.

Drunk Driving

The bar and inebriate in question were both located, conveniently for the the theme of the story, in Bar Harbor, Maine. Worried he might hurt himself or someone else, the owners called the police to keep an eye on Rick. They quickly arrived and pulled over the drunken barfly. As expected, he was drunk as a skunk…

Proper ID

They told Rick to get out of his car, which had been registered to him. Then took his wallet and checked his ID. He had all the proper identification on him: credit cards, driver’s license, and Social Security card in his pockets. There was just one problem, the man who they’d pulled over wasn’t Rick Bellittieri. He wasn’t even a Rick.

A Body

Not long after the drunk man’s arrest, police began to investigate the man and the obviously stolen IDs. Maine State Police were brought in to help track down the now missing Rick Bellittieri, who it appeared had disappeared the previous July. They went to the property on Goose Cove Road, and it was there that the mystery deepened…

Summer Contractor

The deceased Rick Bellittieri had met the drunk driver in the summer of 2012. He’d wanted help working on building a duplex off of Goose Cove Road and needed to hire contractors. Like many folks, he decided to solicit the work on Craigslist, a website for posting personals, positions, and odd-jobs in one’s area. He got a response almost immediately.

Cunning Carpenter

William Morse was hired to work on carpentry for the planned duplex. It was good work and would keep him going for some time. A longtime resident of Trenton, Maine, Morse took one look at the property and it’s owner and decided then and there that he was going to squeeze Bellittieri for much more than the cost of contract work…

Dead and Buried

It is unknown when Morse decided that he was going to kill Rick Bellitteiri but kill him he did and most efficiently. The real Rick was shot several times, twice in the head, and was then dragged into the woods behind the Goose Cove house. Morse then buried him under a pile of potting soil and felled a tree upon the grave, just to be sure.

Bank Accounts

Next, in what was most certainly the reason for the slaying to begin with, Morse expertly siphoned money from Bellittieri’s bank accounts. What isn’t clear, is why he decided to then drive his car and present himself as the deceased Bellittieri for the next year…

How Much?

Having been an accountant, Rick Bellittieri was more than well-off. In his tenure as Rick, Morse spent more than $175,000 from a number of financial accounts. He spent that money on two cars, an Audi and a Volkswagen, a hot tub, a snowmobile, and even a couple of motorcycles. All while living as Rick Bellittieri.

Under Arrest

Following the drunk driving revelation and the subsequent discovery of Rick’s remains, William Morse was arrested on murder charges. He was brought in and held without bail until he could be tried for the crime. The 45-year-old Morse was even given a name by the press and prosecution as he awaited trial. They called him “Hundred Dollar Bill…”

Defense Attorney

Jeffrey Toothaker, who was one of the two attorneys representing William Morse at the trial, took a strong stand on the supposed murder. While it was clear that Morse had indeed stolen Bellittieri’s identification and money, it was not remotely clear who had killed him. In fact, all the prosecution had was a theory, oh, and a whole lot of circumstantial evidence.

Circumstantial

How and why Rick Bellittieri was killed remained open to speculation. Clearly he had been shot and then buried, and clearly Mr. Morse had stolen his money. Yet, this evidence didn’t indicate that Morse was the killer at all. It did leave a whole host of unanswered questions. Though, the prosecution was far from done…

Reasons

Rick’s decision to hire Morse was his fatal mistake in the end. Though he had been promised a fairly lucrative job, Morse has 175,000 reasons to kill Rick Bellittieri. But it was possible that the identity thief had simply found him dead at the Goose Cove property and decided to hide the evidence and just steal a dead man’s identity.

Questions Remain

Yet even as they brought evidence and witnesses to the courtroom, prosecutors were unsure about much of the case. Key details were missing and as Mr. Toothaker put it, “Knowing that someone is dead does not mean that you killed him.” A good question to be sure, but the witnesses definitely helped clear up some things…

Death in the Family

When he was first asked about where the real Rick Bellittieri was, Morse told police that he’d gone back to his home on Long Island, New York because of a death in the family. It was proven to be an outright lie fairly quick and the prosecution had a way to prove it to the jury as well.

Brotherly Rift

In addition to the two aforementioned bar owners who alerted the police to Morse’s drunken driving, the prosecution also brought in Rick’s brother, Edward Bellittieri to testify. Though both of the brothers had become estranged in 2009 and they hadn’t spoken, he didn’t understand why his brother would have gone back to New York..

Strange Messages

Though Ed Bellittieri wouldn’t tell the prosecution why he and his brother hadn’t spoken and they hadn’t spoken for years, he was able to tell what Rick’s voice sounded like. He listened to a recorded message from “Rick” that was supposedly left after he’d been dead for several months. He confirmed that it wasn’t his brother’s voice.

No Defense

Oddly enough, Toothaker and Morse’s other attorney decided not to call any witnesses during their portion of the trial. They also had the unpleasant job of telling the court that Mr. Morse had chosen not to testify in his own defense. By the time the jury left to deliberate, it seemed like a real open-and-shut case…

Guilty

And an open-and-shut case was exactly what it was. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before returning to give a verdict. As expected, they voted guilty on all counts. There was just too much motive to believe that Morse had only accidently found and buried the body.

Reasonable Doubt

Now, some people may look at this and think: “This is going to come back and bite them in the ass when they find out Morse didn’t actually kill Bellittieri.” That’s as may be, but circumstantial evidence, along with a clear motive, is often enough to secure a conviction. Also you must admit, it’s not as if Morse didn’t come across as a shifty, murderous liar.

Maine Police Pull Over Drunk Driver And Discover He’s Not Who He Says He Is is an article from: LifeDaily

The world is a beautiful place. It’s a bold statement, but one backed by countless examples. In this case, we’ll use an appropriate example, the face of a newborn baby. Yet, as beautiful as the world may be, it can also, at times, prove to be just as cruel as it is lovely.

Fate had delivered a cruel stroke of luck to Renee and Brandt. Their baby was ill and wasn’t getting better…

Blessing

Renee and her husband Brandt were overjoyed. After several years of trying, they had been blessed with another child. They already had a son, whom they loved dearly, but of course Renee always wanted a little girl. Their newborn daughter, bright-eyed and chubby-cheeked little Linke, was everything they could have asked for and more.

Rising Temperature

When Linke was a little over a year old, she came down with a rather severe case of pneumonia. Despite antibiotics, nothing seemed to be lowering her fever, nor clearing her lungs. Four cycles of the antibiotics later, and the new parents were at their wits’ end. It was time to drive to the hospital for help. It was a four hour drive…

Diagnosis

Renee had driven the four hours to their “local” hospital in rural South Africa. Linke was taken in and treated for her pneumonia. Unfortunately, when the doctor came back out, it was with the worst news imaginable. Little Linke didn’t just have pneumonia, she had Leukemia. She was only fourteen months old.

Months to Live

Linke’s parents now had to face the reality of the situation. Their daughter might not even make it to her second birthday. They were introduced to an oncologist who began treatment immediately. They tried everything they could, treatment after treatment, to little avail. Six months later and they were no closer to curing her…

Not Working

Six months of treatment in South Africa, and the doctors came to the Nel family to tell them that they’d run out of options for their daughter. Even though he had looked in a medical journal for any new or innovative treatments, nothing was available. According to the oncologist, 98 percent of her blood cells were cancer cells.

Terrified

“Your perception of what cancer is…it’s not something that children deal with at that time, that’s not the perception…It changes your world…” explained Renee. She and Brandt were terrified about what would come next. They needed a second opinion, but a hospital full of doctors had all seemingly said the same thing: Linke was going to die…

Won’t Accept

Still, the Nels were like any other parents. They were not going to accept the diagnosis, they couldn’t. Instead, Renee was ready to fight with everything they had and some things they didn’t even know they had in order to find a treatment for their baby girl.

Contacting Doctors

They decided that if the doctors in South Africa were incapable of helping Linke, then they would find someone, somewhere who was. Renee took to Google and searched into the wee hours of the morning. Deep down, she knew there had to be someone out there that could help her baby. She just had to find them…

Web MD

Over the course of the next few days, Renee Nel emailed 130 doctors around the world. She then waited patiently for the response. 24-hours later and only one person responded to her request. That reply came from Dr Luciano Dalla-Pozza who worked at Westmead Hospital, in Sydney, Australia.

He Can Help

“Dr Luce, as he would become to the Nels, asked them to send all their medical files right away. Renee did so and a day later he came back with a simple “I can help her” reply. It was all they needed to know. As soon as they could, Renee, Linke, and their other son, were on a plane headed down under…

Sold it All

The Nels would arrive in Australia eight weeks later, after having sold pretty much everything they had. They knew they would have to in order to facilitate the family’s move to a continent half-a-world away, and of course afford what would be a revolutionary and undoubtedly expensive treatment.

Give Her a Chance

The Nels had gone to a new continent, which would be difficult for anyone, let alone a family dealing with what they were dealing with. “It definitely wasn’t easy,” explained Renee Nel. “But when you are not given a choice, when that’s the only option you have to give your child a chance…we just had to do it…”

The Big Move

And so with no other options, Renee and Brandt Nel moved their family of four from a rural farm in South Africa to Australia. Despite all the pitfalls that come from moving to another country, the red tape, changes in culture, any parent would have done the same if it meant saving their daughter’s life.

Primary Focus

“It’s hard as a family, and you know a lot of things run through your head, but it becomes your one and only primary focus, and you know, you just try and help her as much as you can.” said Renee. Barely a day after they arrived, Linke was taken to Westmead Hospital to meet the man who would save her…

Support and Aid

The family wasn’t alone in all this however. The Cancer Medical Research Institute, which is behind popular charity drive Jeans for Genes Day, helped out immensely with the move. They provided her family with support for the move.

Dr. Luce

Dr Luciano Dalla-Pozza assessed Linke’s condition immediately. She was cleared to enter a clinical trial the next day and by the end of the first month of treatment, Dr. Luce had seen major improvements. Miraculous though it may seem, Linke Nel’s Leukemia was fully in remission: less than 30 days after arriving…

Four Years Longer

Today, four years after she was told that her daughter would never make her second birthday, Renee Nel is celebrating with her little girl. Six-year-old Linke has seen a number of holidays, birthdays, and Christmases come and go, defying expectations with each passing day.

Thankful

“We are thankful to have her and be able to reach different milestones that we’d been told we wouldn’t have. To see her go out and make friends and special bonds which she was robbed of when she was a little girl.” says Renee, who now lives in Western Sydney with the rest of her family…

Research Donations

The Nels added that they wouldn’t have been able to make the move Down Under, or save Linke, without the support of their friends and family: and of course Children’s Medical Research Institute. Of course that’s not even counting how their contributions have helped medical research as well.

The Power of Hope

Throughout their ordeal, Renee leaned heavily on the power of hope, but she recognizes that it was science and research that truly gave her daughter a second chance at life: a fair chance to be exact. Today, the Nels, Linke included, continue to support the people that supported them.

Given Months To Live, Little Girl Saved By Doctors After Mother’s Impossible Search is an article from: LifeDaily

Even those who are considered the elite of society, highly respected and admired by the masses, are capable of committing atrocities beyond imaginable.

In the case of Dr. Sadeghi, a well known plastic surgeon with a lucrative plastic surgery office in New Orleans, he would use his power and stature to perpetrate twisted acts on his wife and patients that would shake a city to its’ core….

A Bit Of Celebrity

A handsome and well known breast plastic surgeon from New Orleans seemed to have it all. Amongst the socialites of the ritzy parts in the city, Dr. Ali had become somewhat of a celebrity, due to his charming personality, good looks, and incredibly lavish lifestyle.

A Shining Star

Vigorously sought after for his expertise in cosmetic surgery, Dr. Ali had become a shining star in the medical world. For those who wanted to book an appointment for breast augmentation at Dr. Ali’s office, an expected wait of 6 months would be the norm. Clearly, Dr. Ali would be viewed as a brilliant doctor, but his expertise stopped there. The Doctor’s illicit choices would be far from brilliant…

Taste For The Finer Things

Dr. Ali had become somewhat of a playboy in his town, driving expensive and fancy cars, and spending thousands on nightclubs and dinners. He had a taste for the finer things in life, including his taste for women. Only problem was… he was married.

A Monster In The Home

Being married would serve as an obstacle for the young doctor’s attempts to really live the “bachelor” lifestyle. Not only married, he also had children with his wife. Unsurprisingly, his wife insisted the charming and fun loving persona would fool all those around him, and that his demeanor inside the home would resemble that of a sick and twisted sociopath, who had terrorized her for years…

A Failed Marriage

Dr. Ali’s marriage to his wife had always been unstable, plagued with constant bickering and fighting. The only love they shared was the love they had for their children. They had been the only reason they were still together. But, Dr. Ali’s wife claimed she had been subjected to years of sexual and mental abuse that had taken its toll on her. She couldn’t take it anymore, not a single moment more..

Filed For Divorce

Dr. Ali’s wife decided to file for divorce from the father of her children. The renowned plastic surgeon, a self proclaimed perfectionist, did not want to face the realities of having a failed marriage. But, his reluctance would not stop his wife from pursuing a divorce. Although Dr. Ali would not just face a divorce, but allegations that would shatter his entire life like broken glass…

A Bitter Divorce

Dr. Ali’s wife paid big bucks to hire a prominent lawyer, and together they were determined to bring the him down. A bitter and ugly divorce and custody battle would be in the works. When the city of New Orleans would learn about the allegations against their beloved doctor, their loyalty would be tested..

Allegations Of Rape

Dr. Ali’s wife notified the New Orleans Police Department that her husband had repeatedly raped her during their marriage. His estranged wife claims she fought his advances off, but he pinned her down and sexually assaulted her numerous times. In the course of ten years, beginning while they lived in New York, and continuing until their move to New Orleans, the woman had endured painful assaults where she begged him to stop, but he refused…

Bled From The Impact

In one instance, she claims he forced a bottle inside her during one specific assault. She had bled and felt excruciating pain, but unfortunately did not go to the hospital. She refused to report any of the attacks or to seek any medical care. The woman had been living with a monster…

Voyuerism Accusations

The mind blowing accusations wouldn’t stop there. To the horror of all those that know Dr. Ali Sadeghi, he would also be accused of voyeurism, secretly watching patients in the nude while in his operation room. The accusations were piling up on all sides, but the drama unfolding was just beginning…

Consent Forms

Patients undergoing surgery must sign consent forms objecting to any form of videotaping to occur while under the doctors’ care, but all these women had been taped in extreme vulnerability. Humiliated and stripped of their dignity, the patients who had entrusted the doctor were thirsty for justice. They would not allow this man to do this again to anyone else, but with power and money people can easily turn a blind eye…

Doctor Arrested

Within a few days all the allegations were brought to light, Dr. Sadeghi would be arrested and brought in handcuffs to the New Orleans Police Department. The state prosecutor charged him with three counts of video voyeurism of his patients, and another two counts of voyeurism and one count of second degree rape of his estranged wife. Once the actual jaw dropping details emerged from the case, Dr. Sadeghi’s cocky persona would quickly dissolve.

Humiliating Videos

In one claim, in the operating room, the New Orleans breast surgeon took videos of four nude patients without their consent, in one case while his staff danced to the beat of hip-hop artist Chris Brown. Sadeghi then showed off the videos by texting it to his girlfriend and numerous friends.

Search Warrants

Six search warrants would turn up lists of evidence that would surely destroy the career and reputation of the perverted doctor.  Prosecutors discovered numerous illicit photos and videos from Sadeghi’s electronic devices, hard drives and emails. Even with the evidence against the doctor mounting, the surprising outcome of the trial will cause major outrage…

Vowed His Innocence

Sadeghi continuously vowed that he was innocent and that the truth would eventually come out. He pointed his finger at his wife who he blamed for wanting to destroy his reputation for her own personal vendetta against him, and to mainly keep him away from his kids. He quickly posted his bond and was released from jail, forbidden to see his wife and children for the remainder of the trial.

A Man Falsely Accused

When the grand jury was issued, the entire town wanted a piece of the trial that could possibly lock up the most prestigious plastic surgeon in town. During the trial, Sadeghi’s lawyers portrayed a virtuous man who had spent a good portion of his life contributing to the cause of breast cancer patients. They villainized his estranged wife as a bitter woman who would go to any lengths to bring her husband down for cheating on her with another woman.

Discrediting Prosecutors

Sadeghi’s attorneys argued that the prosecution could not prove that the three instances of secretly video taping his patients nude took place in his New Orleans’ office. The recordings, they said, appear to have taken place at different clinics or hospitals in different parts of town. Sadeghi would not go down easily…

Police Humiliation

Remember the illicit photos the police had found on his computer? Sadeghi is not just any doctor, he is specifically a breast doctor. Having pictures of womens’ breasts is nothing out of the ordinary for a breast surgeon. His attorneys argued that the police mistook it for porn. The police investigation and its’ outcome had become some sort of debacle.

Charges Dismissed

To the shock and horror of Sadeghi’s estranged wife, patients, and the entire city of New Orleans, all charges were dropped against the doctor. The alleged rape of his estranged wife and voyeurism of his patients were dismissed by Orleans Parish prosecutors. No one can really make sense of the outcome. Had he been a victim himself, a target of unjustified claims, or did a monster just walk free?

What Is Happening With The Doctor Now?

Currently, the headaches have just begun for this doctor. He is involved in multiple lawsuits. One lawsuit is from one of the four patients who alleges he had been filming her while she was nude and unconscious on the operating table. Another lawsuit involves a separate incident involving a business associate who had killed a 20 year old passenger, while driving Sadeghi’s Lamborghini. Life will never be the same for the doctor nor the people affected by his choices. But, his current dilemma is the perfect example of karma…

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon’s Questionable Practices Definitely Don’t Follow The Hippocratic Oath is an article from: LifeDaily

Each day, we all have the opportunity to make the change that we wish to see in the world. However, only a few of us are truly in a position to make immediate, large-scale reform.

In April 2018, 2 ordinary men from Philadelphia were thrust into the spotlight when a cafe manager accused them of committing a crime. Rather than dwelling on what happened, they used the opportunity to enact the kind of change and reform they always dreamed of but never had the platform for…

An Afternoon At Starbucks

On April 12, 2018, 23-year-old Rashon Nelson and 23-year-old Donte Robinson entered a Starbucks at Rittenhouse Square, an affluent neighborhood in the heart of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After walking inside, the young men sat down at a table and quietly continued their conversation.

A Business Meeting

Rashon and Donte are longtime friends, and on that April afternoon, the 2 had come to Starbucks to meet with another friend for a business meeting to speak about a possible real estate opportunity. Sadly, they never got a chance to have the meeting…

Minding Their Own Business

The 2 men were sitting quietly minding their own business like everyone else in the cafe that afternoon. However, unlike all the other people in the Starbucks, the manager singled Rashon and Donte out because they hadn’t ordered anything.

Waiting For A Friend

Rashon and Donte explained they were waiting for their friend to arrive and didn’t want to order anything until he had joined them. The manager didn’t believe their story, however, and asked them to leave. Rashon and Donte then calmly insisted they really were just waiting for their friend to arrive…

The 911 Call

The store manager refused to listen to what the pair was saying, and accused them both of trespassing when they wouldn’t leave the cafe. Since Rashon and Donte wouldn’t leave, the store manager decided to call the police to report the 2 men.

The Trespassers

The store manager told the police that there were 2 men in the Starbucks that refused to purchase any food or beverages and wouldn’t leave when ordered to. Not long after, police officers from the Philadelphia Police Department arrived at the cafe…

Things Escalate

The police officers approached Rashon and Donte, who were still just trying to talk quietly amongst themselves, placed them both in handcuffs, and arrested them both for trespassing. Meanwhile, customers inside the cafe started to notice what was going on.

Looking For Answers

The other people inside the Philadelphia Starbucks started asking the police and the staff what was going on, and what the men had done to warrant being arrested. When no one could give them a legitimate answer, 1 of the women inside the cafe took out her phone and started filming…

The Footage

“The girl behind the counter had called 911, apparently, and the cops came and said the guys were ‘trespassing,'” she said. “They said we were waiting for somebody,” said Melissa DePino, who filmed the confronting scene and later posted it online.

The ‘Friend’ Arrives

As the men were being led out of the Starbucks and into police cars, the ‘friend’ that they insisted they were waiting for since the manager confronted them showed up. “Then the white guy in the video — that’s their family friend they were waiting for — he shows up. The guys wanted to know what they did. And then more cops and more cops and more cops show up,” Melissa said…

Staying Calm

Despite the madness of the situation, Melissa explained Rashon and Donte remained incredibly calm. They “never raised their voices” and “never did anything remotely aggressive.” Melissa posted the video online and was stunned when it rapidly went viral.

Shared With The World

“The police were called because these men hadn’t ordered anything. They were waiting for a friend to show up, who did as they were taken out in handcuffs for doing nothing. All the other white ppl are wondering why it’s never happened to us when we do the same thing,” Melissa wrote in the caption of the video…

The Public Reacts

When some people saw the video, they were outraged at what happened. For many, it was clear that the men were being racially profiled and punished for doing something that white people get away with all the time at Starbucks cafes. Yet, not everyone had the same reaction to the video.

Differing Opinions

Some felt that the manager had a right to call the police because the men hadn’t purchased anything. Others believed the men must have done something else not shown in the video for the manager to call the police and for the officers to arrest them…

No Extenuating Circumstances

“People ignore this kind of stuff,” Melissa said. “They don’t believe that it happens. People are saying that there must be more to this story. There is not. This would never happen to someone who looks like me. People don’t believe black people when they say this stuff happens. It does. They want to know the extenuating circumstances. There are none.”

No Evidence

Meanwhile, Rashon and Donte had been taken to the police station and spent hours in jail. Ultimately, the police released them both and no charges were filed because there was a lack of evidence. But the damage had already been done, and people across the country vowed to boycott the cafe chain…

The Apology

Kevin Johnson, CEO of Starbucks, quickly released a statement apologizing to the 2 men and all of their customers for what happened at the Philadelphia store. “We apologize to the two individuals and our customers for what took place… We take these matters seriously and clearly have more work to do when it comes to how we handle incidents in our stores. We are reviewing our policies and will continue to engage with the community and the police department to try to ensure these types of situations never happen in any of our stores,” he wrote.

The Starbucks Settlement

After being released from prison, the 23-year-olds reached a settlement agreement with both Starbucks and the city of Philadelphia for what happened. As part of the settlement with Starbucks, Rashon and Donte received a financial settlement, the amount of which is unknown. The company also offered to pay their tuition at Arizona State University, an online college program that they offer to all Starbucks employees. Finally, Starbucks will meet with the men to discuss their experience and help them reform company policies and practices…

A Productive Resolution

In their settlement with the city, Rashon and Donte had their records expunged and accepted just $1 each from the city and insisted that the rest of the $200,000 be donated completely to set up an entrepreneur program for high school students in the city. “I am pleased to have resolved the potential claims against the City in this productive manner… Rather than spending time, money, and resources to engage in a potentially adversarial process, Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson approached the City and invited us to partner with them in an attempt to make something positive come of this. This agreement is the result of those conversations, and I look forward to seeing the fruits of this effort in the coming months and years,” Mayor Jim Kenney said.

Working For Change

“We thought long and hard about it, and we feel like this is the best way to see that change that we want to see,” said Donte after reaching the settlement with the city. “It’s not a right-now thing that’s good for right now, but I feel like we will see the true change over time.”

2 Men Celebrate $2 Settlement After Being Arrested For Bogus Crime is an article from: LifeDaily

It’s just amazing to think about what kids can achieve when they put their minds to it. If a responsible and caring adult is there to guide them, the sky’s the limit.

When Jenna was 12, and was diagnosed with a brain tumor, her family, friends and classmates were understandably devastated, but everyone hoped for the best. What happened because of this remarkable girl would change the lives of sick children nationwide…

Jenna’s Story

Jenna lived in the Fort Mill area, and was loved and cherished by her parents and friends. Jenna was full of life, with a smile which lit up even the darkest of rooms, this pre-teen had her whole life ahead of her. She was excited for the future, but fate had other plans for this remarkable little girl.

Legacy Live On

Jenna’s untimely passing affected a lot of people, really badly. The school and particularly the class she was in was very close knit. The kids in the class were close, there was no bullying, and guess who was one of the most popular girls in the class? Always chirpy and always helpful, Jenna was a bit of a class legend…

Inspiring People

Jenna not only inspired her peers during her lifetime, she has also continued to do so in her death. For starters, a former teacher named her daughter Jenna, and she also inspired her league soccer team to score 10 goals after they trained extra hard in their honor. When Jenna died, everyone felt a terrible loss in their hearts.

Paving The Way

Soon after she was diagnosed, Jenna took a turn for the worse and needed to be treated by doctors at a building beside what now is the Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte. Jenna could only have imagined in her wildest dreams what facilities became available after she passed, and actually thanks to her…

Money Raised

Following her death, Jenna’s friends and classmates embarked on their first fundraising project. They managed to raise a staggering $50,000, which went straight to build the new children’s hospital room, which was lacking in the city until then. It’s located on the 11th floor, in the oncology unit, and is painted in Jenna’s favorite color, periwinkle.

Touching Tribute

Jenna’s friends seemed to constantly be working on one fundraising project or another following her death. Maybe it was cathartic for them, and took their minds off of the tragedy. Whatever the case, these kids raised more cash. This time it went towards a tribute page for Jenna in what would have been her senior yearbook. When the kids collected more than they needed they donated the funds to the Levine hospital…

Record Fundraiser

Morgan Witherspoon, Jenna’s older sister, may only be 21, but she is many years ahead of herself. In her capacity as Clemson University’s ‘Clemson Miracle’ Executive Director, the school’s largest nonprofit, Morgan has raised a lot of money in her short career. Most of that cash she raised for the Greenville Health System’s Children’s Hospitals was inspired by Jenna.

Pure Passion

Morgan is a very passionate person as well as an ace fundraiser. “It’s easy for me to talk about, because I’m passionate,” she said, “My family benefited from programs at the hospital. It’s cool to be able to spread that love a little bit.” A little bit? Morgan raised a record-breaking amount so she’s also clearly modest…

How Much?!

As if folks weren’t thrilled enough last year when the school raised a record amount of money, this year they were ecstatic. So far in 2018, they have raised a stunning $235,000, the highest amount from any single contribution to the hospital from a university organization.

Thanks To Jenna

According to Morgan, the spike in funds raised is down to Jenna, and to Morgan’s mind, it’s as simple as that. “It definitely started when Jenna was diagnosed,” Morgan said, “After she passed, our family continued to give back.” And give back they did, in a very big way…

Dance Marathons

More recently, Jenna’s friends had a great idea as to how they could raise even more funds. By culminating Clemson and the University of South Carolina, Morgan was able to stay in touch with Jenna’s friends who told her about their dance marathon initiative. “That’s how I knew I wanted to be plugged in here at Clemson, to give back and continue her legacy,” Morgan said.

Dance All Night

The event, which took place in February, saw 500 students participating in a dance marathon that lasted for 12 hours straight and went throughout the night till the morning. Each student raised at least $100, although many students raised a whole lot more. They didn’t even sleep all night, or sit down…

Honor The Kids

Morgan was touched by the fundraiser, and especially by the dedication the students displayed. “You’re standing for kids who can’t,” she said. “You’re standing to honor the kids who are in the hospital struggling.” It was always hard for Morgan to hold back tears as she felt the loss of her sister so acutely.

Keeping Jenna Close

There’s no doubt that Morgan has dealt with her sister’s death by busying herself constantly with fundraisers which will benefit other sick children. “I got to tell her story,” she said, “It’s a great way to keep her close.” adding, “It definitely shaped who I am, my passions and what I want to do with my life.”

Miss Nation

For all her hard work and dedication, Morgan was named as Miss Nation Ford High School in 2015. that fundraiser raised awareness for an organization which helps sick children in South Carolina called Make-A-Wish. They are the ones who took Morgan on an all-expenses-paid Disney trip, soon after Jenna passed, sparking her interest in fundraising and helping others.

Amazing Miracles

Morgan has worked so hard that Clemson’s chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa became student organization of the year and also won that acclaim once again a year later. Morgan even represented her school in Colombia as Gov. Henry McMaster proclaimed the “South Carolina Dance Marathon Day,” which will raise not thousands, but millions of dollars for children’s hospitals nationwide…

Branching Out

What started as just a small school project in Fort Mill has gained so much momentum, it has turned into a monster; A good monster. Those sparks from Morgan have spread awareness nationwide and many more dance marathons have been held across the nation.

Amazing Generosity

Jennifer Jameson, Children’s Miracle Network manager at the Greenville children’s hospital, spoke about the impact that Jenna’s death, and the fundraisers which ensued, have had, “The students are incredible and their hard work and determination will truly leave a legacy. Countless patients and families will be impacted by their generosity.” She said.

Many Saved

It’s hard, almost impossible to quantify, but Jenna’s tragic death, along with Morgan’s hard work has saved tens if not hundreds of kids’ lives over the years. The nationwide fundraisers, along with the brilliant initiatives have raised literally thousands of dollars, and relieved a lot of suffering for a lot of kids and their families.

Bright Futures

Morgan couldn’t be happier or more fulfilled from the work she does, even if she still misses her sister Jenna. “I want people to see that even though we’re young, we have the opportunity to do big things,” Morgan said. “We are helping kids we don’t know and may never meet.

Caring Students Raise Record-Breaking Funds With Unique Dedication is an article from: LifeDaily