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A grieving Phoenix mom received the tribute of a lifetime from Taylor Swift.

In 2010, Maya Thompson received devastating news that would change her life forever.

Her 3-year-old son, Ronan, was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of cancer. After months of chemo and radiation, Ronan passed away in May 2011, just days shy of his fourth birthday.



But Ronan's story doesn't end there.

Since her son's diagnosis, Thompson has documented her family's story on her blog, "Rockstar Ronan."

Her passionate, honest writing caught the attention of faithful readers around the globe, including singer Taylor Swift.

Yes, this Taylor Swift, doer of good deeds. Photo by Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images.

Taylor Swift was so moved by Thompson's story that she wrote the song "Ronan."

The song is deeply personal, incorporating some of the intimate moments Thompson shared about her son. As such, Swift gave Thompson a co-writing credit on the heart-wrenching ballad. Proceeds from the song go directly to the Ronan Thompson Foundation and other organizations in the fight against childhood cancer.

Given the sentimental nature of the song, Swift has only performed it live one time — that is, until last week.

Swift had only performed "Ronan" once, for the 2012 Stand Up to Cancer television event.

But on a recent tour stop in Glendale, Arizona, Taylor Swift performed "Ronan" live and dedicated it to Ronan's mother, Maya, who was in the audience.

I love you. @taylorswift You have my heart for the rest of my life and beyond. #ronan #fucancer #swiftieforlife #allhailqueentaylor #1989 #rockstarronan #youaremyqueen @ronanfoundation #beboldgogold
A photo posted by Maya Thompson (@mamamaya) on

Though the entire Thompson family met Swift backstage before the concert, they were shocked when Swift's tour manager asked them mid-show if it was OK for Swift to perform "Ronan" that night.

For both women, the performance was an emotional, powerful experience.

Before playing the song to the sold-out crowd, Swift applauded Thompson for her bravery, strength, and tireless support of childhood cancer research.

Swift fought back tears during the short lead-in, as her own mother is currently undergoing treatment for cancer.

"I've had cancer hit really close to me in my family, so because Maya's right there, I would like you to give her a round of applause, please."

Thompson described the unforgettable evening on her blog, which takes the form of letters to Ronan.

"My eyes welled up with tears, but I didn't cry. Instead, I sang right along with Taylor the entire time. You would think in the most emotional situation, I would have completely lost it, but I didn't. I think the reason why is because I could literally feel your little arms wrapped around me. I have not felt your presence so close to me since you were physically still here on this earth. It was absolutely one of the purest, most magical moments of my life."


Swift performs "Ronan" for the sold-out crowd in Glendale. Image by KnowledgewithFun2.

Childhood cancers often strike without warning, consuming the lives of kids and their families. But there are new victories and breakthroughs every day. Every effort to fund research, support caregivers, or just bring awareness to the fight is an effort worth applauding.

So hats off to you, T-Swift. Thank you.

Grab a tissue and watch Taylor Swift's heartwarming introduction to "Ronan" from her Glendale show.

Joy

Sorry, Labradors. After 31 years, America has a new favorite dog.

The American Kennel Club has crowned a new favorite.

via Pixabay

A sad-looking Labrador Retriever

The sweet-faced, loveable Labrador Retriever is no longer America’s favorite dog breed. The breed best known for having a heart of gold has been replaced by the smaller, more urban-friendly French Bulldog.

According to the American Kennel Club, for the past 31 years, the Labrador Retriever was America’s favorite dog, but it was eclipsed in 2022 by the Frenchie. The rankings are based on nearly 716,500 dogs newly registered in 2022, of which about 1 in 7 were Frenchies. Around 108,000 French Bulldogs were recorded in the U.S. in 2022, surpassing Labrador Retrievers by over 21,000.

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Jason K. Pargin shares his controversial theory on lobster.

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Pargin is the author of the “John Dies at the End” and “Zoey Ashe” series and the former editor of Cracked.com.

"I don't think anyone actually enjoys eating lobster. I think they've just been convinced that it's a high-class food for a really specific reason,” Pargin says in his controversial video. He then describes how just a few centuries ago lobster was once used as prisoners' food and ground into fertilizer.

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Joy

An 8-year-old snuck his handwritten book onto a library shelf. Now it has a 56-person waiting list.

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel— written by "Dillon His Self"—captured the hearts of his local librarians and their patrons.

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel captured the hearts of his local librarians.

Writing a book is no easy task, even for adult professional writers. Many would-be authors dream of a day when their work can be found on library shelves, unsure if it will ever come.

But for 8-year-old Dillon Helbig, that day has already arrived—in truly unconventional fashion—thanks to his own determination to make it happen.

Dillon wrote his 81-page graphic novel, "The Adventures of Dillon Helbig's Crismis" (written by "Dillon His Self") in a hardcover journal with colored pencils over the course of a few days. He even put a label on the back of the book that reads "Made in Idho" [sic] and put an illustrated spine label on it as well. Then, without telling anyone, he brought it to his local library in Boise, Idaho, and slipped it in among the books in the children's section.

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Pop Culture

This 1940s guide on 'how to be pretty' for teen girls has some surprisingly modern suggestions

In a resurfaced video from the 1940s, Mary Stuyvesant, a Ponds beauty consultant, spoke to a group of high school girls about "how to be pretty."

1940s guide on "how to be pretty" is surprisingly modern.

Often, when we think of the 1940s and the messaging that was sent to women and girls back then, we tend to imagine lessons about how to get and keep a husband. But it turns out that all messaging wasn't the same and some girls were receiving a much more progressive message about their appearance.

In a resurfaced video from the 1940s, Mary Stuyvesant, a Ponds beauty consultant, spoke to a group of high school girls about "how to be pretty." Surprisingly, the advice is rather timeless and not at all focused on becoming the best wife and mother you can be, but on learning to care for yourself. Stuyvesant refers to your physical appearance as icing on a cake and that good icing tastes nice but the cake is the most important part.

She goes on to explain to the girls that who they are as people is the cake and that's the part that needs the most attention.

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Weatherman rescues a chicken in a blizzard and now they're friends.

There's a little-known saying that every weatherman needs a chicken. OK, it's little known because I totally just made it up, but you have to admit, it's just random enough to make you wonder if you missed out on a weird colloquialism. But in this case, it may be a new saying because weatherman David Neal found a stray chicken while reporting on a blizzard, and they've somehow become best friends.

The chicken, now named Penelope, was running around in the snowstorm while Neal was filming, so he tried to catch her so he could make sure she was warm. Penelope had other plans and gave Neal a literal run for his money. Eventually, with the help of a bystander who was likely as confused as the chicken, Neal was able to get Penny in his arms.

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Today Info/Youtube

Taylor Swift "diving" below the stage of her Eras Tour concert

The highly anticipated, Ticketmaster-bustingTaylor Swift Eras Tour has officially begun. And it’s looking like the pop star is pulling out all the stops to deliver a heap of spectacle.

Case in point—a video from the “Anti-Hero” pop star's kick-off concert that’s making quite the splash online.

In a mesmerizing blend of live performance and hologram wizardry, audiences saw Swift, clad in a flowy red dress, dive into a pool built into the stage. She then swam across to emerge through waves in a shimmery jumpsuit, just before climbing a ladder and disappearing into a cloud.

Basically, it was like a romantic fairy tale brought to life.

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