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Company Makes ‘Hug-A-Hero’ Dolls For Children With Deployed Parents

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A design studio located in Jacksonville, North Carolina, has launched an effort to help children cope with the military deployment of a parent. Surprisingly, the response to its giveaway of “hug-a-hero” dolls has been overwhelming.

hug-a-hero dolls

Daddy Dolls / Facebook

Overwhelming Community Support

Fifteen years ago, Dyal Studios owner Tricia Dyal started the Daddy Dolls business with a friend. This doll company makes hug-a-hero dolls, which are printed with pictures of the receiving children’s deployed parents.

Dyal’s husband is a retired Marine, and she started making the dolls when her great aunt made something similar for her daughter while her husband was away. When many North Carolina troops were deployed in early January, she started a drawing to give one doll to a local family each week for 12 weeks.

hug-a-hero dolls

Daddy Dolls / Facebook

Unexpectedly, Dyal Studios received more than 500 requests for the dolls. On top of that, the community banded together to donate dolls to children. In fact, she told The News & Observer that one of her clients donated $5,000 to the giveaway.

Because of this overwhelming support, the giveaway has become too big for Dyal Studios to draw one name every week. Dyal says that she may try to team up with The American Red Cross or United Services Organizations to distribute the dolls. Then, they can help children outside of Jacksonville too.

Anyone Can Sponsor a Child

Anyone who wants to support the hug-a-hero dolls effort can visit the Daddy Dolls website to sponsor a child. In addition, the dolls can be sponsored for more than military children. Hospitalized children and other civilian kids in need can be sponsored as well.

hug-a-hero dolls

Daddy Dolls / Facebook

UPS Driver Adopts Pit Bull On Her Route After Owner Passes Away

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As a UPS delivery driver, Katie Newhauser made friends with people and pets along her route. One day, she went an extra mile for one of those friends.

UPS Driver Adopts Pit Bull

Facebook / Katie Newhouser

Delivering Smiles

Newhauser lives in Rancho Cucamonga, California, where she has been a UPS driver for several years. Over the years, she has become friendly with customers and their dogs on her regular delivery route. She developed a particularly close friendship with a woman named Tina and with Tina’s dog Leo.

Newhauser posted a picture of Leo riding shotgun in her UPS truck on the UPS Dogs Facebook page. The page is dedicated to dogs and other critters that UPS drivers have befriended on their delivery routes.

UPS Driver Adopts Pit Bull

Facebook / UPS Dogs

Sad News

Newhauser told People magazine, “Leo would hear my truck come into the condo complex and start barking and scratching at the door to come down to the truck. He loved coming to the back of the truck to look around.”

One day, Newhauser got the devastating news that Tina had died. She also learned there was nobody in Tina’s family who could adopt Leo.

A Truly Special Delivery

At that moment, Newhauser decided to adopt the big, friendly pup herself. She picked him up and delivered him to his new home. Newhauser said he’s getting along great with her other dogs and is truly part of the family.

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Watch: Playful Cat Tests Buddhist Monk’s Patience During Prayers

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When a cat wants cuddles, you may as well give in. That’s what a Buddhist monk learned when he interrupted his prayers to pet a persistent cat.

A story that charmed viewers in Thailand and across the world started at the Udomrangsi Buddhist temple in Bangkok. The cat in question is a regular guest at the temple.

Feline Feelings

On this particular day, the friendly feline wanted an extra helping of affection.

There was only one problem. The cat’s visit happened during the temple’s prayers for the New Year, which take about five hours of chanting and require intense concentration.

Persistence Pays Off

The cat wasn’t going to let a thing like that stop him, and he climbed into the lap of a young Buddhist monk. The cat probably knew that respect for all living things is a key teaching of Buddhism.

A video of their encounter received over 300,000 views and made it onto Thai television.

Resistance Is Futile

The young man, who goes by the monastic name Luang Pi Komkrit Taechachoto, told Reuters News that he tried ignoring the cat, tried pushing him away gently and finally just gave in.

That sounds like a wise decision. After all, is there a better way to reach Nirvana than with a purring cat on your lap?

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“Angel Dog” Appears In Photo Of Woman Spreading Her Pet’s Ashes

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A woman traveled halfway across the country to scatter her beloved dog’s ashes at his favorite park. In return, her golden retriever apparently returned as a dog-shaped angel to share a final, ghostly romp.

She Lost a Lifelong Friend

Ashley Lang called her golden retriever Wagner the “love of her life.” When he was alive, his favorite place to play was a park in Aspen, Colorado.

When Wagner died at the age of 12, Lang knew what she had to do. Although she was living in Chicago, she traveled to Aspen to scatter Wagner’s ashes at his favorite park. The evening sun was setting behind the mountains as she tossed the ashes and a friend snapped pictures.

A Ghostly Image Appeared In the Photos

When the picture appeared in her friend’s phone, it revealed a shadow clearly shaped like a dog floating in the air near Lang. The dog appeared to be facing Ashley and taking one last, playful jump before heading to heaven.

Lang told newspaper reporters she believed this was Wagner’s way of saying goodbye.

A Message of Comfort

The amazing photograph was posted on the Facebook page of the rescue organization Amanda’s Amazing Animals. It has since gone viral, and many people say the “angel dog” has comforted them when recalling their own lost pets.

What do you think? Is it just a trick of lighting and shadow, or is it a ghostly messenger of love?

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Ghostly White Giraffe Caught On Film With Her Adorable Baby

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A remote nature reserve in Kenya is home to a family of white giraffes. They are extremely rare and the first ones known to be captured on film.

Local Legends

Local villagers first spotted the white giraffes in 2017 at the Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy in Kenya. They alerted conservationists, who traveled to the reserve to capture the rare giraffe family on video.

This is the first time a white giraffe had ever been filmed or photographed.

The conservancy has invited wildlife biologists, giraffe specialists and other scientists to study the giraffes. The giraffe family’s otherworldly beauty has captured the world’s attention.

The White Giraffe Family Is Growing

As the newspaper All Africa noted, “The giraffe, described as one of a kind and believed to be the only one in the world, has continued to dazzle the local community, scientists and wildlife enthusiasts globally.”

In 2019, the Hirola Conservancy announced that Mama Giraffe had given birth to a second white baby.

Why Are They White?

Residents have since reported that another white giraffe was living at a nature reserve in Tanzania.

Biologists say the giraffes are not albinos. They probably have a condition called leucism that prevents pigmentation of skin cells. Animals with leucism can still develop dark pigment in their eyes and other organs.

Experts don’t think the condition will cause medical problems for the giraffes, but it might make them easy for predators to spot.

The giraffes appear to get along fine with the other giraffes at the reserve. With luck, they’ll continue delighting and dazzling the world for many years to come.

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Centenarians Married For 82 Years Share Secret To A Happy Marriage

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Everyone hopes for a long, happy marriage when they say their vows, but some couples give a whole new meaning to the concept. That’s the case for two centenarians in Charlotte, North Carolina, who just celebrated 82 years of wedded bliss.

That’s a Lot of Anniversaries

D.W. Williams and his sweetheart Willie first got married in 1937. Since then, they’ve lived out every word of the “for better or for worse” promises that most couples make on their wedding day. They have been through tough times, good times and everything in between. They had three children and dozens of grandchildren.

In May, the couple appeared on the Steve Harvey Show to talk about the secrets to a long, happy relationship. Despite prodding from Steve and his audience, the couple said they couldn’t offer any secrets because they didn’t really have any.

“We just find funny things to talk about,” said Willie.

They Love God and Each Other

Their granddaughter believes it’s their faith that binds them. “They still go to church every Sunday,” she said. “They love God and each other.”

D.W. put it simply during an interview with a local news program. “Don’t fuss,” he said, meaning he never argues with any decision Willie makes. Who knew it could be that easy?

Grandma Rescues Base Jumper Dangling Off High-Rise Building

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A video of a base jumper being rescued by an elderly woman has emerged on social media and gone viral. The incident occurred at an Acapulco resort in Mexico after the base jumper, Kody Kosloski, misjudged his trajectory and crashed into the woman’s high-rise apartment.

Grandma Rescues Base Jumper

Inside Edition / Kody Kosloski

Footage of the Scary Incident

Kosloski, a Michigan resident, was recording his stunt from the top of the tall building. The on-body camera captured his descent and unexpected veer to the left. Then, he crashed into the side of the apartment block.

For a few seconds, Kosloski dangled on the side of the building before an elderly woman appeared on the balcony below him. As she asked him what he needed, he told her that he was OK. When he failed to climb up to the balcony above, he pulled out a knife to cut himself free.

Kosloski was able to steady himself between the railing and roof of her balcony. As he cut himself loose, the elderly woman reached out her hands to safely guide him onto her balcony. He survived with only a scratch on his knee.

After the Rescue

When Kosloski landed safely, he yelled, “I’m OK,” to a cheering crowd. Then, the camera panned over to his base-jumping equipment, which was still attached to the building.

The elderly woman offered him a glass of water, but he declined. In an interview with Inside Edition, Kosloski said, “That lady was a sweetheart, very helpful, kind and nice. I’m sorry for scaring her.”

Planes Drop Over 4,000 Pounds Of Food For Starving Animals

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In an effort to save starving animals displaced by the recent wildfires, the Australian government dropped 4,000 pounds of food in areas devastated by the fires. Food dropped included carrots and sweet potatoes.

Australian Wildfires

The Australian wildfires began in September. In the state of New South Wales, the fires are difficult to extinguish due to excessive heat and drought. Fire season in Australia begins in July. Natural causes such as lightning strikes are cited as the most common reason wildfires begin.

Animals in the Bushfires

In addition to the homes that have burned as well as the 28 people who have died during the fires, around a half billion animals have been affected. Conservationists believe that number is conservative and that there may be as many as one billion animals who have been either killed or displaced by the fires. As many as one-third of the koalas in New South Wales are estimated to have died and one-third of their habitat is now gone.

Endangered Species

Koalas are not in any immediate danger of extinction. However, many of the animals in Australia could be in danger due to their niche environments and lower populations. The food dropped by the government was specifically targeting the brush-tailed rock-wallaby as the animals were already on the endangered list prior to the fires. The wallabies were already under stress due to the ongoing drought. With their habitat now damaged or destroyed, finding food was nearly impossible for them. According to officials, wallabies typically survive bushfires but are often left stranded with very little natural food.

The Australian government has indicated that it plans to continue the food drops in various regions where wildfires have destroyed habitat until the areas can recover.

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GPS Shoes Now Available For Seniors With Alzheimer’s And Dementia

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If you have a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s, the possibility that they might wander is a serious concern. Now, you can use soles with built-in GPS to track them everywhere they go.

SmartSoles Are a Smart Idea

The insoles are made by a company called GPS SmartSole. The insoles use GPS and cellular technology to track the person wearing them. You can use your phone or your computer to get the person’s location.

They look just like the insoles that you’d buy at the drugstore. They’re small, lightweight and discreet.

Peace of Mind for Caregivers

Patti Ciancaglini is the wife and caregiver of former professional boxer Ray Ciancaglini, who is now a concussion awareness activist. In a video, Patti explains that Ray enjoys walking around their outdoor property, but she worries that he’ll get lost.

SmartSole allows Ray to enjoy his walks without wandering into dangerous areas or getting lost. It also gives Patti peace of mind and allows her to keep Ray at home instead of taking him to a nursing home.

Safety First

The SmartSole is designed for:

  • Adults with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
  • Children with special needs.
  • People with traumatic brain injury.
  • Anyone who’s at risk of wandering.

Therapist Lynette Louise, who specializes in working with developmentally disabled clients, uses the soles to help her clients get a taste of freedom while staying safe.

An Uncommon Solution to a Common Problem

Alzheimer’s and dementia cases are on the rise. SmartSoles are a smart solution that will make life a little easier for everyone.

Rare Baby Zebra Born With Polka Dots Filmed In Kenya

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Zebras wear the most dramatic, fashionable stripes in nature, but one baby zebra is bucking the fashion trend by sporting polka dots instead. A zebra foal named Tira apparently has a rare genetic mutation that gives him dark fur and spots instead of the classic stripes.

Spotting the Spots

The unusual baby zebra was born at Maasai Mara Nature Reserve in Kenya. When reserve tour guide and photographer Anthony Tira was making the rounds of the zebra community in September, he spotted the unusual foal.

The reserve has a rule that whoever finds a rare or unusual animal can name the animal, which is how Tira got his name. Tira is a draw for hundreds of visitors at the reserve and millions of fans online.

We’re All Talking Tira

Tim Caro, a zebra expert at the UC Davis, said a zebra’s stripes are important for keeping cool, hiding from predators and warding off biting flies. Since little Tira lacks this striping, he might be more susceptible to bites and predators.

For the moment, Tira is living happily at the reserve with his mother and doing all the normal zebra things. Meanwhile, the world is pulling for this special spotted baby.

 

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