“I walked in and there was Aaron, sitting quietly with a 6-pack. ‘He’s only had a couple,’ I told myself. I said a silent prayer.”
‘I found Aaron chugging a beer like his life depended on it. I left the room sick to my stomach.’: Wife of recovering addict says ‘shame has NO place here’
‘What do you mean you found a lost CHICKEN?’ My 12-year-old and her best friend came bursting through our side door.’: Mom urges ‘savor moments of joy in the chaos’
“Folks, I grew up near New York City. The only thing I know about chickens is how to bake them at 350 degrees. ‘Mom! Mom! We have to save it!’ It was getting dark quickly.”
‘I’m afraid your dad isn’t going to make it.’ I had to come up with $45,000, in the middle of a pandemic.’: Daughter dresses as Disney princesses to give dying father second chance at life
“Every girl thinks their dad is the best one in the world. I’m not exaggerating when I say, I won the father lottery. Now, it was my time to give back. ‘I’m going to save him!’ This was bigger than my pride, bigger than anything in the world.”
‘I’m a gay man.’ Their tone immediately changed. In a tense manner, they said, ‘Well, you won’t be donating today.’: COVID-19 survivor raises awareness after disallowed to donate plasma
“I recovered from COVID-19 and tested positive for high levels of antibodies. At first, they told me I was a prime candidate for plasma donation to help save lives. Now, I’m being deemed nonessential and told my help during a global crisis is unwelcome, simply because of who I am.”
‘Scott needed his tonsils removed. ‘I feel nervous.’ Hours later, I got a text from his brother: ‘I’m so sorry.’ He had to be playing a prank.’: Woman loses husband to sleep apnea during tonsillectomy
“Scott went in for his surgery and FaceTimed me when he got out. He said in his hoarse post-surgery voice, ‘I’m so sorry I am not there to help you and your mom right now. A few hours later, I got a text from his brother. ‘Mel, I’m so sorry. Scott didn’t make it. I’m so sorry.’ Huh? I didn’t know what he was talking about.”
‘Penny is nonverbal, but please don’t make her a prop. She is not your ‘disabled best friend.’: Dad touched after stranger’s rare ‘act of empathy’ for daughter with Aicardi syndrome, ‘the world needs more people like her’
“I’ve experienced too many instances of people taking selfies with Penny and posting them all over social media. Penny is not your ‘Disabled Best Friend,’ or a chapter in your Facebook Story. Please don’t exploit a non-existent relationship with a disabled child in a wheelchair to demonstrate to your friends and family how wonderful you are. She just wants to belong.”
‘Them: When are you leaving the city now that you have 5 kids? Me: Never! Why do we have to?!’: Mom praises city lifestyle despite criticism, pressure to settle down, ‘our kids are thriving’
“We have triplets, a 1 year old, and a 13 year old. People tell me the city is ‘bad’ for children. ‘Children need a backyard.’ ‘They need a safer community.’ ‘The city is too busy for littles one.’ They are WRONG.”
‘I felt itching on my stomach, noticed a small black spec. I became panicked. My boss looked at me. ‘That’s a tick!’: Young woman encourages others battling invisible illness to ‘never stop fighting’
“I remember riding the train and I felt like a stranger was living in my body. I didn’t feel like myself… I felt like my world was constantly spinning, I was beyond exhausted, no matter how much I slept, and I often found myself wearing sunglasses because the light bothered me so much. Before this, I didn’t even own a pair. I got a call from the Urgent Care. ‘You tested positive for Lyme Disease. You need to come get you an antibiotic.’”
‘We emerged from deep under the streets of New York. To our surprise, a tall, dark-haired man came from nowhere. ‘I just know I need to,’ he said.’
“‘I see you have a notebook there,’ I said. There we stood, unlikely friends totally blocking the stairs to the subway. It was a moment of pure magic.”
‘My husband took me to Louis Vuitton and told me I could choose a purse for my birthday. Y’all, I’m not a Louis kinda gal.’: Woman declines husband’s offer, ‘I could have that bag or 3 months of paid babysitting’
“I went in the store and felt…a wee bit outta place. I quickly turned my rugged Fossil purse around so the sales people wouldn’t see the brand and know I didn’t belong. I found a sales person who offered me champagne. CHAMPAGNE? Then, I asked the price.”
