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“A balm for the soul”
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Best buddies separated during WWII reunite 78 later, proving that true friendship is forever

'It was like we had always been family.'

vets reunited, ptsd, world war 2

World War II, Operation Overlord, Omaha Beach, 1944.

This summer, after 78 years apart, my grandfather, World War II veteran Jack Gutman, got to reunite with his best friend from the war, Jerry Ackerman. They saw each other for the first time since the 1940s and spent two days laughing, joking, catching up and being honored by the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California.

Finding an old friend is always an occasion to celebrate, but the story of how this reunion came to be feels like true kismet. Not only were two buddies reunited, it also brought closure to two WWII veterans during some of the tougher years of their lives, while also uniting two families, now forever changed.

Take a moment and think back to what you were doing at the age of 17.



Depending on your generation, the activities might look a bit different. Baby boomers might have been sipping a milkshake at the local diner. Gen Xers might have been angstily listening to The Smiths or the Sex Pistols. If you’re a Gen Y millennial like me, you were maybe shopping for cheap jewelry at Claire’s Accessories at the mall. Regardless of what you were up to as a teenager, you probably weren’t doing what my grandfather was doing at age 17—fighting as a Navy Corpsman during the invasion of Normandy.

My Grandpa Jack was born in 1925 and grew up in New York City. When Uncle Sam called, he lied about his age and enlisted in the Navy. He wanted to serve his country, but had no idea the horrors of war he would witness during the Normandy Invasion and the invasion at Okinawa.

When I was growing up, my grandfather didn’t talk about the war. For years he struggled with PTSD and all of the various coping mechanisms people experiment with to get out of pain. It almost tore his life apart, but with the love and support of our family, he made his first steps toward healing.

With the help of Dylan Bender, a talented therapist with the Veterans Association, a decade of EMDR and CBT, my grandfather can now talk about his experience during the war. He even wrote a book about it.

Group photo of young navy corpsmen during World War II.

via Erin Shaw

He’s been interviewed on television, at the WWII Museum in New Orleans and he speaks to groups of students regularly. He even got to travel to Normandy, France for the 75th anniversary of D-Day as part of a documentary. You could say his journey to heal the wounds of war was pretty complete, but there has always been one bit of closure he was never able to get.

A friend he always wondered about.

In between the invasion of Normandy and his time in Okinawa, my Grandpa Jack returned to Camp Pendleton for training and that is where he met Jerry Ackerman.

“I was assigned to Oceanside, California and that’s where I met Jack, and we became instant friends,” said Jerry. “He was the most jovial, fun-loving guy ever. Always smiling and always happy.”

The feeling was mutual. “Jerry was one of my best friends after Normandy. I knew him when I got transferred over to Oceanside to the Beach Battalion. We hit it off, I guess from both being New Yorkers maybe. One thing I didn’t like about Jerry was that he was better looking than me,” Grandpa Jack joked. “We bonded together, and it was one of the greatest times I’ve ever had.”

The camaraderie of this new friendship gave my grandpa a respite from all of the atrocities he had experienced while trying to patch up dying soldiers on the beach in France. In his friendship with Jerry and another Navyman, Joe Gagliardi (who we haven’t been able to find), Grandpa Jack found solace and humanity … the very things he wanted to fight to protect when he enlisted. Unfortunately, the war hadn’t ended yet and when Grandpa Jack was sent to Japan, he, Joe and Jerry lost touch.

“We never got a chance to say goodbye when we got to Pearl Harbor,” said Grandpa Jack. “I got transferred to another ship. So all these years I often wondered about them.”

Apparently, Jerry had been wondering about my grandfather as well because one day in early 2021, out of nowhere, a silly little song my grandpa had once taught him popped into his head. It was a happy memory that Jerry desperately needed. His wife Barbara was in the hospital in New York for a health issue, and he was very down after having visited her.

“My parents have been married for 70 years and when something happens to one of them, like my mother’s hospitalization, it really affects the other,” said Peter Ackerman, Jerry’s son. “My father and I finished visiting her and went to a restaurant. It was there, toward the end of our meal, when a song randomly popped into his head that he hadn’t sung since his Navy days during WWII. It was a song, he said, that was taught to him by his good buddy, Jack Gutman. As my father lamented out loud about having never been able to track his friend down, using my phone and good ol' Google, I found someone matching Jack’s description and Navy background. When my father realized I was actually calling someone named Jack Gutman his eyes were as wide as pies!”

Meanwhile in California, Grandpa Jack was having a tough time himself. His life had changed drastically when the pandemic hit. He, like everyone else, was feeling isolated, and while younger generations were turning to their devices, social media and Zoom, older generations without as much tech knowledge were feeling even lonelier. At the time, Grandpa Jack had just gotten over the coronavirus and my grandma had gotten COVID-19 pneumonia and was still slowly recovering. They were quarantined at home and Grandpa Jack was experiencing some pretty tough bouts of depression.

“I was depressed and really down, sitting in my office one afternoon and I was just thinking that life was a lot of crap,” Grandpa Jack said. “I usually try to stay pretty positive, but this day was tough. In my lowest moment of depression the phone rang, and it turned out to be a guy named Peter. He said to me, ‘Are you Jack Gutman?’ and I said, ‘Yeah…’ and he said, ‘Were you stationed in Oceanside, California?’ and I said, ‘I sure was, yeah.’ And he said, ‘Did you ever know a Jerry Ackerman?’ and I said, ‘He was my best friend. I’ve got his picture up on my wall,’ and he said, ‘He’s my father and he’s sitting right here, and he’s been looking for you for about 77 years.’ And I tell you, the tears flowed. It was just the thing I needed so badly. I could not believe it.”

The timing of this call couldn’t have been better, and it was so random that it felt kind of like fate to our families.

“I will take to my grave the look of pure joy on my father’s face when he and Jack spoke for the first time. They talked for a half hour and vowed to keep in touch,” said Peter.

For Grandpa Jack, it was an emotional and life-affirming call that helped give his days some renewed vigor. “Hearing his voice and realizing that there’s a man that for 77 years has been wondering about me, it touched my heart,” said Grandpa Jack.

When the call ended, Peter tells me that his father was beyond grateful to have reconnected with Jack. “He was almost in shock, and happier than I had seen him in a very long time,” he said. “Sitting there in that restaurant, listening to my father talking, laughing and reminiscing with Jack, I felt so happy for both of them, and a deep sense of satisfaction in having helped sew that stitch. It was as if a circle was completed. It was a highlight of my life, and I believe one of the great highlights of my father’s life as well.”

These two men could have connected at any point during the last 70-plus years but for some reason it didn’t happen until a moment when they both needed to hear from each other. Some might call it coincidence, some might call it fate, but it changed both men’s lives.

“My dad’s life had changed so much because of the pandemic,” said my mom, Paula Shaw. “He couldn’t be out with his friends and doing his speaking engagements. So when Jerry’s call came through, dad’s whole life picked up again and turned around. It gave him hope and it gave him a sense that he mattered because this man, 77 years later, remembered him and sought him out. So it was a real turning point for dad.”

You’d think that just having that phone call would have been a highlight of these two men’s twilight years, but there was more coming.

A reunion with military honors.

Jack and Jerry kept in touch over the phone for the next year, but they were still yet to see each other face to face. My mom Paula had gotten to befriend Peter and together they were able to plan a time for Grandpa Jack and Jerry to meet, with a few family members in tow.

It turned out the Ackermans were planning to be in San Diego for a wedding in June of this year and with my own family based in Southern California it would be the perfect time for a reunion.

But before that, they had a face-to-face chat with my mom when she interviewed them for her podcast, Change it Up Radio. I asked my mom what it was like to facilitate the first face-to-face interaction between Jack and Jerry on her podcast over Zoom, and she described it as life-changing.

“When I got the idea to have them see each other for the first time on the Zoom screen I had no idea how really wonderful and moving and almost life-changing it was going to be. When they laid eyes on each other for the first time, dad started to cry, and Jerry just got the sweetest, softest expression on his face. He was so touched that dad was so happy to be able to see him.”

With their podcast interview in the can and a first face-to-face reunion over Zoom a success, it was time to get together in person in San Diego.

World War II veterans are harder and harder to connect with these days. According to Forbes, we lose approximately 234 of them each day. Having two best friends from the war still alive, healthy and with all their mental faculties intact is rare, so time was of the essence to get these two together for some quality time.

Unbeknown to Jerry and Grandpa Jack, my mom had arranged a visit to Camp Pendleton for them as well as for CBS News to come capture their reunion. Our family captured some of our own amateur footage, which is hard to watch without crying.

So what was it like to witness the reunion in person? “It was just lovely to see,” said Mary Jo Gutman, my grandma. “To think about the time that had passed and now they were able to see each other and touch each other, it was just a beautiful moment. Everybody that was there was having the same experience. Some people teared up and some were just in a state of shock, but a happy state. We were all just happy for them both.”

My uncle, Craig Gutman, traveled with Grandpa Jack back to Normandy in 2019 and was with him when he visited the beaches and military cemetery there. He says while that was tough, this moment of closure was nothing but joyful. “It was just so nice for them to see each other again and to be back with each other,” he said. “Even after just a few minutes they were the same 19-year-old guys, BS-ing with each other and telling jokes. To just see the joy in both of them, being able to find an old friend after so many years that they probably figured was either dead or gone and would never be seen again. It was just great.”

My aunt Marilyn Gutman describes their reunion as a full-circle moment. “When they met, it was like they had always been together, starting in on the jokes, the laughter, the camaraderie that had brought them together initially. I felt their lives had just come full circle. I felt a completeness for them, a closure of the wounds of war.”

Over the course of the next couple of days, the families got to spend time together and although I wasn’t able to be there myself, everyone who was there described loving each other instantly just like Jack and Jerry had upon meeting.

“It was like we had always been family,” my mom Paula said. “I get a little teary just thinking about it. It was like we’d known each other for years. We laughed, we had meals together, we chatted up a storm. It was crazy. It was like whatever that energy was that brought dad and Jerry together had been passed onto the families. All the family members felt that same connection.”

For my Grandpa Jack, getting to reunite with his best friend from the war was the last bit of closure he has needed during his healing journey with PTSD. It has reminded him that love is the most important thing we can give to others and that we never know how we touch someone’s life just by being their friend.

“Jack struck me as the happiest guy in the whole world,” Jerry said. “I never ever knew what he went through in Normandy. I’m very delighted to know that at least I was a part of helping Jack rehabilitate himself. I’m very happy about that. Our reunion is something I will never forget.”

Grandpa Jack told me that he spent so long working to get over post-traumatic stress but not knowing what happened to Jerry was like a wound still left open. Finding out what had happened to him gave him closure, but being able to see each other and connect was a moment he’ll never forget. “It really fulfilled a closure for me. It was just amazing.”

“I feel like for both of them there was this unfinished chapter,” said my mom, Paula. “There was so much love between these two men and the war didn’t kill it.”

Perhaps Virgil said it best when he said, “Amor vincit omnia.” Love conquers all.

via Edith Lemay/NatGeo

Mia, Leo, Colin, and Laurent Pelletier pose on top of their camper van in front of adouble rainbow while in Mongolia.

True

“Blink,” a new film by National Geographic Documentary Films shows how a family with four children, three of whom are going blind, embraces life in the face of an uncertain future. It’s a testament to the resilience of the Lemay-Pelletier family but also a reminder for all of us to seize the day because all our futures are uncertain.

Edith Lemay and Sébastien Pelletier are the parents of Mia, a 13-year-old girl, and three boys: Léo, 11, Colin, 9, and Laurent, 7. Over the last six years, they’ve learned that Mia and the two youngest boys have retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic disease in which the cells of the retina slowly die. As the disease progresses, the person develops “tunnel vision” that shrinks until very little vision remains.

The diagnosis devastated the parents. "The hardest part with the diagnosis was inaction. There's nothing they can do about it. There's no treatment,” Edith says in the film.


However, even though the parents couldn’t affect the progress of the disease, they could give their children’s senses an epic experience that would benefit them for a lifetime.

“We don’t know how fast it’s going to go, but we expect them to be completely blind by mid-life,” said the parents. Mia’s impairment advisor suggested they fill her visual memory with pictures from books. “I thought, I’m not going to show her an elephant in a book; I’m going to take her to see a real elephant,” Edith explains in the film. “And I’m going to fill her visual memory with the best, most beautiful images I can.”

The Pelletier family (from left): Mia, Sebastien, Colin, Edith Lemay, Laurent and Leo inKuujjuaq, Canada.via National Geographic/Katie Orlinsky

This realization led to an inspiring year-long journey across 24 countries, during which every family member experienced something on their bucket list. Mia swam with dolphins, Edith rode a hot-air balloon in Cappadocia, and Léo saw elephants on safari.

Colin realized his dream of sleeping on a moving train while Sébastien saw the historic site of Angkor Wat.

“We were focusing on sights,” explains Pelletier. “We were also focusing a lot on fauna and flora. We’ve seen incredible animals in Africa but also elsewhere. So we were really trying to make them see things that they wouldn’t have seen at home and have the most incredible experiences.”

Cameras followed the family for 76 days as they traveled to far-flung locales, including Namibia, Mongolia, Egypt, Laos, Nepal and Turkey. Along the way, the family made friends with local people and wildlife. In a heartbreaking scene, the boys wept as the family had to leave behind a dog named Bella he befriended in the mountains of Nepal.

But the film isn't just about the wonders of nature and family camaraderie. The family's trip becomes a “nightmare” when they are trapped in a cable car suspended hundreds of feet above the Ecuadorian forest for over 10 hours.

annapurna range, blink, nat geoLeo, Laurent, Edith, Colin, Mia, and Sebastien look out at the mountains in the Annapurna range.via MRC/Jean-Sébastien Francoeur

As expected, NatGeo’s cinematographers beautifully capture the family's journey, and in the case of “Blink,” this majestic vision is of even greater importance. In some of the film's quietest moments, we see the children taking in the world's wonders, from the vast White Desert in Egypt to a fearless butterfly in Nepal, with the full knowledge that their sight will fail one day.

Along the way, the family took as many pictures as possible to reinforce the memories they made on their adventure. “Maybe they’ll be able to look at the photographs and the pictures and they will bring back those stories, those memories, of the family together,” Edith says.

But the film is about more than travel adventures and the pain of grief; ultimately, it’s about family.

“By balancing [the parents’ grief] with a more innocent and joyous tale of childlike wonder and discovery, we felt we could go beyond a mere catalog of locations and capture something universal,” the directors Edmund Stenson and Daniel Roher, said in a statement. “Keeping our camera at kid-height and intimately close to the family, we aimed to immerse the audience in the observational realities of their daily life, as well as the subtle relationships between each of them. This is a film built on looks, gestures and tiny details—the very fabric of our relationships with one another.”

Ultimately, “Blink” is a great film to see with your loved ones because it’s a beautiful reminder to appreciate the wonders of our world, the gift of our senses and the beauty of family.

The film will open in over 150 theaters in the U.S. and Canada beginning Oct. 4 and will debut on National Geographic Channel and stream on Disney+ and Hulu later this year. Visit the “Blink” website for more information.

via TheEllenShow / YouTube

Mark Wahlberg on "The Ellen Show."

Actor Mark Wahlberg recently attended a daddy-daughter dance with his 10-year-old, Grace. Sadly, Grace had no interest in seeing her father strutting his stuff on the dance floor.

"I didn't get one dance," Wahlberg told Ellen DeGeneres. "And I told her we were going to do the whole big circle and I was going to go off. And she said, 'Dad, if you embarrass me, I will never talk to you again.' But what she did do is she hung out with me."

No matter who your dad is, especially if you're a 10-year-old-girl, you have zero desire to see him dance in front of your friends.

But the parents at the dance probably would have had a blast seeing Wahlberg bust out some of his old-school '90s Marky Mark moves.

However, Wahlberg couldn't help but leave his mark on the music being played at the dance.


Let's not forget, he didn't get famous for his acting but for showing off his abs in the "Good Vibrations" video.

Being that Wahlberg's time as a pop star was three decades ago, he couldn't believe it when he heard the music being played at the dance.

"[Grace] sat there on the edge of the stage, by the DJ. And then I'm sitting there with one other dad and I'm like, 'This is not an edited version of this song. There are explicit lyrics being played at a school dance for girls and I'm like no good,'" he said.

"I told the DJ and he's like, 'Oh, I thought it was.' I said, 'What are you doing?' I'm hearing F-bombs and this and that's not okay," Wahlberg said.

He's right. There's no place for music with explicit lyrics at a dance for 10-year-old children.

Wahlberg says the DJ didn't know he wasn't playing the edited version, but it's probably more likely that he didn't even realize the song was a problem. Pop music these days is filled with a numbing amount of violent and misogynistic lyrics.

A recent study from the University of Missouri found that nearly one-third of pop songs contain lyrics that degrade or demean women by portraying them as submissive or sexually objectified.

Currently, three of the top five songs on the Billboard Top 40 contain the word "bitch." One of them is sung in Korean.

It's odd that Americans have become more sensitive to misogyny in pop culture in films, television, and comedy, but still have a huge cultural blind-spot when it comes to music.

That's not a good thing, especially when pop music is marketed to teenagers.

"We know that music has a strong impact on young people and how they view their role in society," said Cynthia Frisby, a professor in the Missouri School of Journalism.

"Unlike rap or hip-hop, pop music tends to have a bubbly, uplifting sound that is meant to draw listeners in," Frisby continued. "But that can be problematic if the lyrics beneath the sound are promoting violence and misogynistic behavior."

Let's face it, pop stars are role models. Their examples show young people what to wear and how to behave. That's not to say that kids will blindly follow someone just because they like their music. But it has an undeniable effect.

Wahlberg, and any parent who monitors what their kids are listening to, deserve credit for protecting the minds and hearts of their kids.

Frisby has some great advice for parents concerned about negative imagery in pop music.

"Ask your daughters and sons what songs they like to listen to and have conversations about how the songs might impact their identity," Frisby said.

"For example, many songs might make young girls feel like they have to look and act provocative in order to get a boy to like them, when that isn't necessarily the case. If children and teens understand that what they are hearing isn't healthy behavior, then they might be more likely to challenge what they hear on the radio."

He's right. There's no place for music with explicit lyrics at a dance for 10-year-old children.

Wahlberg says the DJ didn't know he wasn't playing the edited version, but it's probably more likely that he didn't even realize the song was a problem. Pop music these days is filled with a numbing amount of violent and misogynistic lyrics.

A recent study from the University of Missouri found that nearly one-third of pop songs contain lyrics that degrade or demean women by portraying them as submissive or sexually objectified.

Currently, three of the top five songs on the Billboard Top 40 contain the word "bitch." One of them is sung in Korean.

It's odd that Americans have become more sensitive to misogyny in pop culture in films, television, and comedy, but still have a huge cultural blind-spot when it comes to music.

That's not a good thing, especially when pop music is marketed to teenagers.

"We know that music has a strong impact on young people and how they view their role in society," said Cynthia Frisby, a professor in the Missouri School of Journalism.

"Unlike rap or hip-hop, pop music tends to have a bubbly, uplifting sound that is meant to draw listeners in," Frisby continued. "But that can be problematic if the lyrics beneath the sound are promoting violence and misogynistic behavior."

Let's face it, pop stars are role models. Their examples show young people what to wear and how to behave. That's not to say that kids will blindly follow someone just because they like their music. But it has an undeniable effect.

Wahlberg, and any parent who monitors what their kids are listening to, deserve credit for protecting the minds and hearts of their kids.

Frisby has some great advice for parents concerned about negative imagery in pop music.

"Ask your daughters and sons what songs they like to listen to and have conversations about how the songs might impact their identity," Frisby said.

"For example, many songs might make young girls feel like they have to look and act provocative in order to get a boy to like them, when that isn't necessarily the case. If children and teens understand that what they are hearing isn't healthy behavior, then they might be more likely to challenge what they hear on the radio."


This article originally appeared on 03.03.20

There can actually be some advantages to starting college later.

Recently a 31-year-old wondered if they were making a “stupid” decision for wanting to start college, and sought the opinions of strangers online.

In a post made to Reddit, they shared how they had been working retail and dealing with self esteem issues since they were 19, and felt like maybe, just maybe going to school could help them reach their full potential and give them a “purpose.”

However, they also shared that they currently lived with their parents, who warned them that college would be “wasting time and going into debt.” Hence the dilemma.


So this person asked the community, point blank: “Is this a bad decision?” and got a flood of support from well wishers and fellow later bloomers reminding him of the power of embracing second chances. It was a pretty amazing display of humanity for being a plethora of Reddit comments.

Many who had been in similar situations argued that the life experience gained will only help with this person’s studies.


“I’m in skool rn @ your age and it’s actually super easy, you’ll be surprised how things make much more sense with a bit of life experience under your belt. Good luck, you’ll have fun,” one person wrote.

Another added, “Same. I am 34 and started a little over a year ago. I think I am in a much much better position for it now! I am mature, and I am a lot more focused than 18 year old me would have been. It isn’t “easy” at any age. But you’ll be surprised at how much easier it will be than you think it will be now.”

“I graduated at 42. Feels great. Nice to have a lived life of variety and waited to really find my calling. There’s no ultimatum on improving yourself,” said another,

Even those who hadn’t experienced this personally could share stories of loved ones who had–and succeeded.

“My Dad got his university degree after he retired. He previously only had a Grade 8 education. I was proud of him and I’m proud of you OP,” one person wrote.

Another said, “My anecdotal story. My second year in college, a 30-year old man (who was divorced, and had two kids) enrolled as a freshman. They put him as a roommate with someone in the suite I was in. He had been a coal miner for 12 years are was tired of being "covered up", which was his term for being in three cave-ins. He was actually a really cool guy and despite being clearly older, fit in well. And, very long story short, I heard he just retired as the second-in-command in the state's department of energy. So, using his degree, he had a good career in energy policy that spanned over 30 years. So, my answer is no, you are not a loser.”

One person pointed out how starting from this clean slate, however late, might actually be easier than trying to pivot from a career that's already established.

“So many people are stuck in jobs or on career paths that just don't really suit them (me included). I find it all very disappointing, and deeply dissatisfying, and changing paths is honestly very difficult once you're in the daily grind and have responsibilities,” they wrote.

Still another reminded the OP that learning is an integral part of life, no matter what age you are.

“I have always kept learning, and still learn new things and new ways. After I graduated, I continued off and on to pick up new ways. When you quit learning, you might as well crawl in your casket. I'm older and continue, I do not want to get put in a care home and told to watch some insipid show. No, always continue learning. Good for you.”

And some simply came in to offer encouragement, like this person, who wrote, “I just want to chime in that you are absolutely crushing it in life. Throw everything you can into this. Truly rooting for you. I hope I read your ‘I did it’ story in five or so years.”

Tips for Going to College after 30

There can be many reasons for people 25, 30, 40, and beyond to pursue higher education—be it to boost employment prospects or just to continue being lifelong learners. Sure, it might be daunting, but the most worthwhile things usually are. Here are a few things that can help make that process a smoother one.

Make a solid plan

This is just about researching different schools and programs. Hone in on WHY you want a degree, what kinds of opportunities you hope will come from it, how much time you can commit, will you be going in-person or online, etc. A clearly defined, realistic plan that includes specific timelines, milestones, and even little rewards helps keep you on track and motivated.

And remember you don’t have to do this portion alone. There are often career guides that can help. Speaking of which…

Take Advantage of Student Support Services & Resources

Most colleges offer resources like financial aid advisors, academic advisors, tutoring, technical support, on-campus childcare centers, and writing and career centers that can be very helpful. It’s also worth noting that many programs that accept transfer credits or work credits, so that you can leverage on your previous life experience.

Stay organized

Odds are, you will be multitasking schoolwork along with various other adulting tasks. That’s why things like calendars, to-do apps, or even accountability groups are imperative. Plus, you’ll want to find which note taking system works best for you, because it’s definitely not a one-size-fits all approach.. Also, never underestimate the power of designated study space.

Manage stress

Nobody wants to burn out. It might seem impossible to eat well, exercise, get a good night’s sleep and find time to relax when you have so many demands, but even the smallest amounts of consistent self care will give you more energy to put out in the long run.

Commit and Celebrate!

Participate in class, ask questions, tell friends and family of your milestones. A) because you’ll be able to look back and really have memories, beyond just academic accomplishment and b) because you deserve it.

When older people get lonely, interacting with pets can be a game-changer.

Sometimes when we're in the younger, busier time of our lives it's easy to forget—or not even realize—that our elderly friends and neighbors might be lonely. But very often, people who have long been retired, who may have already said goodbye to many of their friends or who have physical limitations that make it difficult to get out to visit people can find themselves alone most of the time. Feelings of loneliness can lead to depression and other health risks, in addition to simply being not very enjoyable.

A viral Reddit post offers a good reminder of this fact, but in the most heartwarming way.

Reddit user u/SnooCupcakes8607 shared a photo of a typed letter with the caption: "I went on a vacation 2 weeks ago, and let my neighbor babysit my pets. Shortly after I got back home, I received this letter from him in the mail that made me smile and cry. I’d like to share it here."


"Good afternoon," the letter begins. "This letter is regarding your vacation two weeks ago, and how you let me babysit Smokey, Oreo, and Jennifer. I'd just like to give you a letter of thanks."

(The letter doesn't specify what kind of pets Smokey, Oreo and Jennifer are, but the original poster later shared that they are a German shepherd, "the crankiest little beagle you’ve seen in your life," and a cat named Oreo.)

Then he continued:

"As you know, I'm an old man. You don't see me outside often anymore, as these joints aren't as lively as they used to be. To add to that, two years ago, in the midst of the pandemic, my dad got diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. After his death, I was left alone in my home. I don't have a wife or kids. I could go to sleep one day and never wake up again. Every day is just sitting around and wondering what I have done for this world.

Until I met Smokey, Oreo, and Jennifer.

Your pets are the cutest, funniest, and most troublesome (In a good way, don't worry, they didn't mess up my house too much!) individuals. They gave me the motivation to restart my life again. I started waking up early in the mornings. I began to take walks outside with your pets for the first time in years. Every 10 minutes, whenever I felt sad for a second, they would bark or rub against my leg and make me laugh.

The highlight of their stay was when I took them to the park. It was the longest time I've spend outside in a while. It didn't just bring back pet interaction, I also met other people, started talking, and made friends with a handful of fellow human beings. I was so happy to finally be able to talk with friends again, interact with others, and feel like I'm part of the human race.

I realize I sound very existential right now, but I'm telling the truth. It's nice knowing that I'm doing something for someone, even if it's my neighbor.

I adopted two dogs soon after. (You may have been hearing noise from my home, pardon them!) I now take regular walks to the park with them and talk with friends I made there. Anyways, I'd just like to say: thank you so much. You brought back meaning to my life. And that's all that matters.

Sincerely,

Robert (P.S. I think it's time for you to mow the lawn, haha!)"

People absolutely loved Robert's letter—and Robert himself, judging from some of the comments:

"Robert is a national treasure and I take anything less to be an insult!"

"I wouldn’t just mow my lawn, but Robert’s too. Forever."

"Robert really is the good in all of us. He must be protected at all costs."

Some people related to Robert, having found a new zest for life after getting pets of their own. Others joked that the whole letter was just an elaborate, "Midwest-nice" way to tell the poster their lawn needed attention. Some doubted the veracity of the letter, but even if it's not real, the comments from people sharing how their elderly loved ones had been helped by neighbors sharing their pets with them show that animals really can help people who are lonely find more connection and purpose in their lives.

It's a good reminder to check in with older folks around us and to share the joy of our pets with people who might be lonely. You never know whose life you might touch with your furry friends.


This article originally appeared on 4.6.22

Bob Van Dillen saves woman stranded in her car.

In the 5 days since Hurricane Helene made landfall on the southeastern coast of the U.S., over 120 people have died from the tremendous winds and flooding. Although the devastation has been tragic, there have also been beautiful acts of heroism to give us all a glimmer of hope in the wake of destruction.

On Friday, September 27, FOX Weather Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen was broadcasting from Peach Tree Creek in Atlanta, Georgia. He and his crew heard a woman screaming while doing a live TV set up in the pre-dawn hours. She had driven into a flooded area and her car was rapidly filling with water.

"I just put the microphone down and called 911," he told Fox Weather. "I know that those guys are swamped, so we waited about five minutes. She was getting panicked a little bit more because the water was coming up a little bit higher."


After realizing the emergency services probably wouldn’t make it in time. He took matters into his own hands and waded into the chest-deep water to help the woman escape her car. "She was in there, she was still strapped into her car and the water was actually rising and getting up into the car itself, so she was about, almost neck deep submerged in her own car,” Van DIllen later told FOX News.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

"She would have drowned," host Janice Dean said.

"You know, I don’t know," Van Dillen humbly replied. "I told her, ‘OK, undo your seatbelt,’ she undid her seatbelt. I said, ‘Let me have your phone, let me have your bags,’ then put [her] on my back and we walked in… she’s fine, she was in shock," Van Dillen said. The 6-foot-1 weatherman then carried her back through the water to safety.

When the woman reached safety, Van Dillen gave her a warm shirt and put her in a car while she waited for a firetruck and her husband to arrive. When the husband arrived at the rescue scene, he hugged Van Dillen, shook his hand and thanked him repeatedly.

Van Dillen's crew caught the heroic deed on tape, but the weatherman didn’t want to be the center of attention, so he kept trying to refocus the story on the storm's devastation.

"Her husband picked her up, and she's all good," Van Dillen said. "But the story now turns not on me, but it turns to how much flooding we've seen. I mean … amazing amounts coming in."

He even downplayed the bravery of his rescue. "You know how it is. I was concerned that one, maybe there was a nice swift current, but the current really wasn’t that bad. But, the water temperature I was afraid of, too. The water temperature is probably about 80 [degrees]. So, all of those things were working pretty nicely, so, that being said, the water came up to about my chest," Van Dillen told Fox News.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Initial reports showed that the first 3 days of the hurricane were the wettest in Atlanta in 104 years and a flash flood emergency warning was declared for the first time in the city’s history. George Governor Brian Kemp says that Helene’s damage will far exceed Hurricane Michael's in 2018. "It has been unlike any other storm I think we've ever faced because of the size of the wind field that this storm brought through and how it literally is affecting 159 counties, not just 20 or 30 counties in south Georgia," Kemp said according to Fox 5 Atlanta.

Shakespeare slaps in Gen Z slang.

High schoolers have been studying Shakespeare plays for generations, grappling with the bard's language as they learn to appreciate his brilliance. The further we get away from Shakespearean English, though, the more challenging it is for young people to understand it, giving teachers the formidable task of helping their students relate to 400-year-old English.

What better way to prep them for it than to translate Shakespeare's storylines into their language?

That's what comedian Richard Franks did by summarizing "Romeo and Juliet" entirely in Gen Z slang, and teachers are praising him for it. Watch him leave no crumbs:



From Juliet seeing Romeo as "an absolute snack" to the Capulets and the Montagues "beefing hard" to "it's giving bruh, just check your messages" when Romeo mistakenly believes Juliet's really dead, it's modern translation perfection.

It's meant to be comedy, but it has real educational value

English teachers in the comments were thrilled to find a fun, engaging way to introduce "Romeo and Juliet" to their students:

"As an English teacher, this is going into my lesson on R&J with Year 9 next week. 💥"

"I'm humiliating year 10 with this first thing Monday morning."

"This is brilliant. I had a professor who would sit on the edge of his desk and tell us all about The Canterbury Tales. Just the major highlights, some interesting background and then say go read it. They are such hilarious raunchy tales that everyone went off, struggled through the Middle English and read it. I was an English teacher and this is how you keep them engaged. Amazing."

"I have spent 40 years working with high school in college students, editing, papers, grading papers, and this honest goodness is the best explanation of Romeo and Juliet I have ever heard. I am laughing tears.😂😂"

"As someone who has majored in Shakespeare, this is downright hilarious 🤣"


A lesson in Shakespeare, but also a lesson in Gen Z slang

People are also loving Franks' skit as much for the Gen Z slang lesson as the other way around:

"This is beyond brilliant because it works two ways: kids can understand Shakespeare, and olds can understand kids. The level of your intelligence and comedic genius is off the charts!"

"You think you're teaching Gen Z Shakespeare. But really you're teaching Gen X modern slang. Thank you for your service."

"As a 52 year young Olds, I actually finally understood some of the new young slang taken in the context of the play recap!"

"YAAASSS!!! 😂 My knowledge of Shakespeare was translating the Gen Z lingo for me 😅"

"This is the best break down of Romeo and Juliet I've ever heard...And I'm Gen X 😂."

This is not Franks' first foray into translating Shakespeare into Gen Z. He also has a Macbeth breakdown that's equally brilliant:

Arguably, that one's even more impressive as "Macbeth" is a harder plot to follow in many ways than "Romeo and Juliet."

As one commenter wrote, "This is brilliant - and beyond the humor, it is a fascinating study of language. Shakespeare as written is not really anything close to any kind of modern English at all, and even many familiar words had different meanings or usages/connotations. But the story itself, if we can manage to understand it at its core, is tragic and brilliant. Language is constantly evolving—if he were alive today, I bet Shakespeare would get an enormous kick out of this.👏👏👏"

Shakespeare probably would have loved this

Several commenters shared that they thought Shakespeare would enjoy this, and considering the way he played with language, invented words and used slang himself in his writing, they may be right. Language is ever-evolving, but few people in history have had more of a direct impact on the English language than Shakespeare. As much as English has changed since the late 1500s, there are many words widely believed to be created or first used by Shakespeare that we use regularly today, including "lonely," "rant," "obscene," "gossip" and more.

So Gen Z's distortion or invention of words to communicate is right up Shakespeare's alley. The famous poet and playwright didn't just invent words but created phrases we use today as well. "Breaking the ice" and "heart of gold" are Shakespeare's babies, so Gen Z phrases like "main character energy" are basically giving Shakespeare vibes.

From an educational standpoint, Franks' videos are great for illustrating how ideas can be expressed in various ways, even when people speak the same language, in addition to helping hook young people into Shakespeare's stories by putting the plot into terms they relate to. What a fun jumping off point for a lesson on Shakespeare, all from the mind of a comedian. Shakespeare would surely be proud.

You can follow Richard Franks on Instagram for more comedy.