“It was a homeless man in a wheelchair. ‘I saw the whole thing! I love love!’ He had the biggest smile on his face.”
‘Will you marry me?’ The minute I said yes, we heard him. The yell of a man 100 yards away. He approached us with the biggest smile on his face.’: Couple donate annual Christmas ‘Albert box’ in honor of unforgettable homeless man
‘You have anxiety.’ I had to lie to get the care I needed. I fought for the surgery I knew would save my life.’: Endometriosis warrior becomes advocate, ‘No one deserves to suffer from this’
“We’re often told we are overdramatic, making it up for attention, mentally unstable— all while suffering severe pain. It wasn’t rainbows, it wasn’t sunshine. It was survival.”
‘We have to come with new ways to connect.’ Our traditional stages went dark. COVID wasn’t going to stop us.’: Musician finds peace during COVID-19 Christmas, ‘We’ve found healing’
“The pandemic has yielded a range of emotions. Yet, one can still find hope, comfort and peace through music. Once we are able to resume regular performances, I hope we remember those who cannot come to us, and we will go to them.”
‘I feel like I made a difference.’ They feel so empowered. I never fail to tear up a little.’: Teacher wraps Christmas baskets with students, ‘It’s so beautiful to see them helping others’
“I feel a tiny glow of hope these bright-eyed kids will continue to think about simple ways to make an impact in the lives of those around them, even after they finish school. I have to hold back my years when I think about the difference they’re making.”
‘Have you been biting your fingernails?’ he asked. I got this sinking feeling.’: Woman with limb difference goes on self-love journey, ‘Being different is amazing’
“I didn’t see anyone like me until I was in my teens. At times, I felt like it was only me in the world with a little hand, which felt lonely and scary. I used to wish on every star, ‘Please could I just have two normal hands?’”
‘A car ran a red light and hit me. ‘Stop being dramatic and take a cab.’ I was DEVASTATED. I didn’t want to struggle or hurt anymore.’: Woman shares journey to sobriety, ‘I chose life’
“Alcohol was like a looming cloud. I chose alcohol over everything. I would mourn with alcohol, celebrate with alcohol, and survive with alcohol. I asked myself, ‘Do I want to spend my life mourning ghosts of a life lost, or actually live?’”
‘Are you sure about having this baby?’ He was as blue as a Smurf. I walked down the corridor, empty, without my baby.’: Mom shares son’s journey with congenital heart defect, ‘It made me who I am’
“I didn’t know what or how to feel. ‘I’m numb.’ The word ‘death’ was written under risk factors. Signing the consent form was the scariest thing I’d ever done. It was basically signing away your child to your worst fear.”
‘She patted my tummy. ‘Thanksgiving wasn’t good for you… too much turkey.’ I was confused. What was wrong with my body?’: Dancer becomes body positive advocate, ‘I want to be the change’
“I’d eat lunch and sneak off to be sick. I was ashamed even with all the dance and exercise, it didn’t help. I was fat. ‘Your body is wrong for dance.’ I didn’t fight back.”
‘Please tell me what’s going on!’ It was a freak accident. ‘AM I DREAMING?’ Christmas was supposed to be ‘THE DAY!’: Woman pregnant with rainbow baby, ‘She chose US to be her parents’
“I was rushed to the hospital because it looked bloody BAD. ‘I just have this weird feeling,’ I told him. I was shaking from absolute shock.”
‘Starting tomorrow, I won’t use drugs.’ It was only a matter of hours before the loneliness crept in. I didn’t care if it killed me.’: Mom describes sobriety journey, ‘God met me right where I was’
“I found myself with two kids, multiple divorces, and a life in utter chaos. I still couldn’t see the problem was me. I’d promise I’d be back and never show up. My kids spent 3 years never knowing if I was coming home.”
‘It’s all in your head.’ I was urinating 30 times a day. It was hard to bear. I was left with a tube hanging between my legs.’: Woman diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis, ‘It’s given me confidence’
“I felt as if I had a UTI, but the dipsticks came back fine. I spent so much time in the toilet it became a work joke. I’d wake up five times a night for the toilet and at times, would hardly empty my bladder at all. I just felt clueless.”
‘I broke out with an allergic reaction in HANDCUFFS. I spent all night lying in jail, completely defeated.’: Mom of 8 battles alcoholism, ‘I try to have unconditional love for myself’’
“I played the martyr, feeling sorry for myself raising these babies alone, instead of admitting I needed help. I was a total failure of a mom.”
‘Ali, you’re adopted and we love you.’ Fear of abandonment poured through my veins. I was walking on eggshells.’: Adoptee shares self love journey, ‘I had to surrender and trust’
“After an 8 hour surgery, I woke up with a peace sign shaped scar across my entire abdomen. Half my liver and my gall bladder were removed. ‘You are one in 200 cases in the world.’ That surgery gifted me a greater perspective on life. I no longer fear death.”
‘You’re just an attention-seeker!’ Kids pushed me. ‘I can’t carry on.’ I felt hopeless.’: Woman with Borderline Personality Disorder finds self-love, ‘I’m capable of amazing things’
“‘It’s just a teenage phase, she’ll grow out of it,’ doctors said. I didn’t see a future for myself. I was just a label.”
‘90% of your kidneys are scarred.’ I was terrified and in denial. Somehow, my body had betrayed me.’: Man details journey with Stage 5 Chronic Kidney Failure, ‘I am a fighter’
“All I could think of was how miserable my uncle was on dialysis. He plugged himself in every night for 8 hours while a machine cleaned his blood. ‘I won’t do dialysis and just let myself die.’ 15 years later, here I am.”
‘We want YOU as our parents!’ It was the last time we heard from them for 14 months. We fell in love with all 5.’: Family adopts internationally, ‘Our forever is almost in sight’
“My husband said, ‘They want you.’ When I rounded the corner, they all started yelling, ‘Mama!!! Mama, come here!’ They made a conscious CHOICE to call me ‘mama.’ I will always cherish this.”
‘If I don’t make it, I love you.’ I thought I was going to die. My body was shouting at me to get those things out.’: Woman details Breast Implant Illness, ‘They’re a ticking time bomb’
“I couldn’t feel the entire right side of my face, swallow, or speak. I thought I was having a stroke. I left my husband a goodbye letter. I didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.”
10 Things To Ask A Muslim Woman That Aren’t Microaggressions
“I’m tired of needing to break stereotypes. I am much more than my hijab.”
‘I don’t want to die. Living like this is exhausting. It’s taken everything from me.’: Woman with chronic illnesses says ‘I feel incredibly lucky to still be here’
“I’m exhausted fighting for my life every single day, facing death so often. I’m exhausted living one day to the next and not knowing if I’m going to be alive in the morning. I’m in a never-ending nightmare. Except it’s not a nightmare. It’s my reality.”
‘This won’t be easy.’ I felt robbed of pregnancy innocence. We fought so hard for our son. We weren’t prepared for what we were about to face.’: Woman shares IVF journey, ‘I won’t give up’
“We didn’t ask many questions, just signed on the dotted line. I felt helpless. I could see my baby moving around on the screen, but I couldn’t help him.”
‘You’re just a dramatic teenager.’ I was brushed off and swept aside. Then I swallowed a bottle of Advil.’: Woman overcomes eating disorder and anxiety, ‘I use my suffering to grow’
“I set a goal to get ‘skinny’ for graduation. I was starving myself, but if anyone mentioned it, I’d become outraged. In my eyes, I was ‘finally taking care of myself’ and anyone who thought differently was just trying to tear me down.”
‘The doctor smirked. ‘The bad news is your wife is going to be a vegetable. The good news is I know a good divorce lawyer.’: Man dedicates life to curing wife’s Multiple Sclerosis
“The day after our wedding, while on our honeymoon, my wife stopped holding my hand. ‘What’s wrong?’ She began shaking. ‘Let’s step outside so we can talk,’ the ER doctor said. ‘She will never walk again and can’t give you children. You need to get a divorce immediately. With the way you look, you can free yourself of this burden.'”
‘The baby started screaming and I snapped. I hurled my coffee mug at the floor. It was the wakeup call I needed.’: Mom shares journey with postpartum anxiety, ‘We’re just trying our best’
“I bought a Doppler I used every day to make sure I could still hear a heartbeat. It should’ve been crystal clear I wasn’t okay. I spent hours Googling, ‘How to get your baby to sleep.’ I felt like I had to ‘prove’ I was a good mom.”
‘She won’t have a normal life.’ I realized things needed to change. We shouldn’t be ashamed of our disabilities.’: Woman details journey with Cerebral Palsy, ‘Love yourself always’
“I couldn’t walk like most kids or use my arms. The doctor tried to scare my parents, ‘She won’t survive.’ My mom was frightened when she heard this. She didn’t know if I would have a future or what would become of me.”
‘I hadn’t heard from him all day. ‘ARE YOU ALIVE?’ I started to panic. I never thought it would happen to me.’: Widow finds hope after losing husband, ‘Live as if today is YOUR last day’
“Our love story was a modern-day version of ‘The Notebook.’ When our eyes met, it was a full-blown fireworks extravaganza. His co-worker called me, crying. ‘He’s gone. Mose is gone.’ They handed me his wedding ring and wallet. It was real. The nightmare was happening to ME.”