upworthy
Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button
Joy

Disabled child's desperate plea to stop online trolls brought out the best in social media

Social media is his only real connection to the outside world, and TikTok users refused to let him fight the trolls alone.

brittle bone disease; viral tiktok; Kevin Gabor; social media; disability awareness
Kevin Gabor|TikTok and Mandy|TikTok

Social media rallies around disabled child after trolls attack his account.

There are so many good things people love about social media. It can keep you connected to family members that you no longer live near. You can find community in hobbies and special interests that other people share with you. It can even be used as a source of income if you're savvy enough to figure that out.

But with as much good as there is on social media, it can also be the source of emotional and mental distress. Between online bullying and internet trolls who just set out to harass unsuspecting people, social media can feel like a double-edged sword. In one instance, it's making you feel less alone in the world, then in another, it's making you feel unimportant. It can be difficult to navigate, especially as a child.

Kevin Gabor, a little boy with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), better known as brittle bone disease, found himself the target of internet trolls on TikTok.

Kevin has been using TikTok to build an online community because it's too dangerous for him to play outside. But for some reason, he was the target of mass reporting in an effort to get his account banned. Mass reporting is when a group of people report your videos or profile page repeatedly in order to get a creator permanently banned, forcing them to start their platform all over again from zero followers. Instead of giving up after the trolls tried to take his account down, Kevin decided to try to appeal to them, and in return, he found a whole community.

"You know I can't play, I can't run. I can't hang out with friends outside. I can't do a bunch of stuff," Kevin pleads. "Because I could break something and I have an online community so that I can share and have friends with and you're trying to take that away from me."

His tearful video didn't go unnoticed. It was viewed over 10.5 million times and the TikTok community rallied behind the boy and his family, sending followers and even Legos his way. Creators from all over made videos showing their support for Kevin, including Rosie O'Donnell. His account quickly grew to a million followers

Mandy, a creator who answered Kevin's call, compiled a video of multiple creators wishing him well and encouraging others to follow him and do the same. Heartwarming doesn't seem like a strong enough description. You might need to grab a tissue for the video below.

uplifting
JoyCommunity
Badge
All In
Craveable snacks. Quality organic ingredients. Positive community impact.
Joy

5 ways people are going "All In" this week

From the silly to the sentimental, there are so many ways people like to go “all in” on something. Here are our five favorite examples this week.

5 ways people are going "All In" this week
5 ways people are going "All In" this week
5 ways people are going "All In" this week
True

When you hear the words “all in,” what do you think? You might think of getting groovy at a nursing home, a french bulldog having a total breakdown in the drive-thru, or maybe even a snack bar company promoting self care. Whatever you picture, the idea is the same: Going “all in” means doing something with total commitment—literally giving it your “all” and going completely over the top. No second guessing, no holding back—just full-throttle enthusiasm with some creativity and flair thrown in. That’s how we get those viral internet moments we can’t stop watching.

This DWTS dance trend 

If you’ve been watching TV or on the internet this week, you might have seen the viral dance move Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach performed while on Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) last week. The one particular move, where Dylan holds Daniella as she does a mid-air horizontal walk, is going viral with over 8k videos using the sound. Some of my personal favorites include a mom and her baby, two girls or a girl and her cat, proving this dance trend is truly for anyone to try.

All In on Fiber

Speaking of trends, there’s one that really is about going “all in”, it’s called #fibermaxxing. After years of protein being the biggest nutrition trend, it looks like fiber might be taking over. For good reason too, while protein can cause issues with digestion, fiber can lead to better digestion, blood sugar management, weight control and reduced disease risk. Our friends at All In made a video explaining the #fibermaxxing trend. Each All In bar has 6 to 7 grams of fiber , plus they are delicious. Don't take our word for it, though: Click here to try it yourself (for free).

This child's long hair

This creator went all in… on pranking the audience. I don’t want to give away the contents of this video, but let’s just say it’s creative- and it made me quite literally laugh out loud. There are a lot of "momfluencers" out there who make content that uses their children, and as relatable and heartfelt as it is, sometimes a little satire break is worth appreciating.

Two entrepreneurs getting down to business


Lots of people dabble in entrepreneurship. These two went "all in" on helping others learn it. After four years of interviews with CEOs , research, edits, and a Penguin Random House book deal (yes, seriously), their book, Down to Business, has made its way into classrooms and libraries around the world. Now they are teaching other kids that age is not a barrier to entry in entrepreneurship; the earlier you start, the further you can go—and an entrepreneurial mindset will serve you no matter what you do in life.

Bridesmaids who went all in

Last on our list; two bridesmaids who committed to the bit. These ladies went “all in” in their remake of the legendary scene from the movie “Bridesmaids”. If you haven’t seen the original movie, starring Kristen Wig and Maya Rudolph, this might be your sign.

In the viral TikTok this bride, Caroline, had no idea what was coming when she put on her favorite movie while getting ready for her big day. The fact that she wanted to watch her favorite show before her bridesmaids surprised her, makes this going “all in” surprise all the better.

Snag your free (!!) snack bar here while this deal lasts. Just pick up a bar at Sprouts and text a pic ofv your receipt to get it for free. Enoy!

From Your Site Articles
JoySponsoredPop CultureHumor
Sustainability

Beavers were brought to the desert to save a dying river. Six years later, here are the results.

Their engineering feats are pretty dam incredible.

beavers, beaver dam, animals, wildlife, ecosystem, nature, earth, sustainability, deserts, waterways, rivers, pollution, climate change
Canva Photos

Can outsider beavers save this dried up river?

It's not easy being a river in the desert under the best of circumstances. The ecosystem exists in a very delicate balance, allowing water sources to thrive in the harsh conditions. These water sources in otherwise extremely dry areas are vital to the survival of unique wildlife, agriculture, and even tourism as they provide fresh drinking water for the people who live nearby.

But man-made problems like climate change, over-farming, and pollution have made a tough job even tougher in some areas. Rivers in Utah and Colorado part of the Colorado River Basin have been barely surviving the extremely harsh drought season. When the riverbeds get too dry, fish and other aquatic creatures die off and the wildfire risk increases dramatically.

About six years ago, one team of researchers had a fascinating idea to restore the health of some of Utah's most vulnerable rivers: Bring in the beavers.

beavers, beaver dam, animals, wildlife, ecosystem, nature, earth, sustainability, deserts, waterways, rivers, pollution, climate change Beaver on riverbank. Canva Photos

In 2019, master's student Emma Doden and a team of researchers from Utah State University began a "translocation" project to bring displaced beavers to areas like Utah's Price River, in the hopes of bringing it back to life.

Why beavers? Well, it just makes dam sense! (Sorry.)

In all seriousness, beaver dams restrict the flow of water in some areas of a river, creating ponds and wetlands. In drought-stricken areas, fish and other wildlife can take refuge in the ponds while the rest of the river runs dry, thus riding out the danger until it rains again.

When beavers are present in a watershed, the benefits are unbelievable: Better water quality, healthier fish populations, better nutrient availability, and fewer or less severe wildfires.

It's why beavers have earned the title of "keystone species," or any animal that has a disproportionate impact on the ecosystem around them.

beaver, dam, dam building, nature, ecosystem Pbs Nature Swimming GIF by Nature on PBS Giphy

Doden and her team took beavers who were captured or removed from their original homes due to their being a "nuisance," interfering with infrastructure, or being endangered, and—after a short period of quarantine—were brought to the Price River.

Despite the research team's best efforts, not all the translocated beavers have survived or stayed put over the years. Some have trouble adapting to their new home and die off or are killed by predators, while others leave of their own accord.

But sine 2019, enough have stayed and built dams that the team is starting to see the results of the effort. In fact, beaver projects just like this one have been going on all over the state in recent years.

- YouTube youtu.be

The water levels in the river are now the healthiest they've been in years. The fish are thriving and Utah residents are overjoyed with the experiment's results.

According to an early 2025 column in The Salt Lake Tribune (i.e. six years after the beaver translocation began) the revitalization of the Price River has "helped save [our] Utah town."

"A tributary of the Colorado River, the Price River runs through downtown Helper," wrote column authors Lenise Peterman and Jordan Nielson. "On a warm day, you’re likely to find the river filled with tourists and locals kayaking, tubing and fishing along its shore. A decade ago, it was hard to imagine this scene—and the thriving recreation economy that comes with it—was possible."

Of course, it wasn't JUST the beavers. Other federal water cleanup investments helped remove debris, break down old and malfunctioning dams, and place tighter regulations on agriculture grazing in the area that depleted vital plant life.

But the experts know that the beavers, and their incredible engineering work, are the real MVPs.

beavers, beaver dam, animals, wildlife, ecosystem, nature, earth, sustainability, deserts, waterways, rivers, pollution, climate change An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River Public Domain

In other drying, struggling rivers in the area, researchers are bringing in beavers and even creating manmade beaver dams. They're hoping that the critters will take over the job as the rivers get healthier.

Utah's San Rafael River, which is in bleak condition, is a prime candidate. In one area of the river, a natural flood inspired a host of beavers to return to the area and "riparian habitat along that stretch had increased by 230%, and it had the most diverse flow patterns of anywhere on the river," according to KUER.

It's hard to believe that beavers nearly went extinct during the heyday of the fur trapping industry, and continued to struggle as they were considered nuisances and pests. Now, they're getting the respect they deserve as engineer marvels, and their populations have rebounded due to better PR and conservation programs.

It's about dam time!

This article originally appeared in June.

From Your Site Articles
beavers
SustainabilityScience
Music

James Brown and opera legend Pavarotti thrillingly revamped a soul classic live in 2002

The pairing sounds bizarre on paper, but it works brilliantly.

james brown, Luciano Pavarotti, it's a man's man's man's world, james brown live, Luciano Pavarotti james brown
Photo credit: Screenshots from Luciano Pavarotti YouTube video

James Brown and Luciano Pavarotti once collaborated for a thrilling live performance.

"The King of the High Cs" and "The Godfather of Soul"—they were both in the realm of music royalty, even where nicknames are concerned. But it probably didn’t seem like an obvious pairing for operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti to share his stage with funk legend James Brown. They were speaking different languages, both literally and musically.

Nonetheless, the duo came together for an incredible collaboration back in 2002, with Brown joining Pavarotti during a star-packed concert aiding the UN refugee agency’s work in Zambia. The show featured a number of major pop and rock stars, including Sting, Lou Reed, and Grace Jones—but the highlight was probably Pavarotti adding a multi-lingual, more cinematically orchestral spin on Brown’s 1966 song "It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

James Brown and Pavarotti unite on stage for charity

This cultural fusion begins simply enough, with Brown soulfully belting over the sizzling strings and a slow-burning groove of piano, bass, and drums. The raw vocal performance here is a thing of wonder—just check out the singer’s wordless melisma around the :38 mark and the way he shapes the word "train" out into a knotty pretzel. But the big reveal, naturally, occurs when Pavarotti begins his robust cameo in Italian, ushered into the performance by Brown’s outstretched arm.

After that section, the soul singer looks overjoyed, grinning widely and gently clapping his hands before kicking back into gear. The pair appear completely in sync, their voices almost melding together by the final stretch—at the end, while soaking in a standing ovation, Pavarotti even gives his collaborator a huge hug.

The performance is seamless, but Pavarotti didn’t seem to feel much pressure about his translated parts—not a total surprise, considering he was one of the most beloved opera singers of all time. According to UDiscover Music’s breakdown of the docu-series James Brown: Say It Loud, when Brown’s agent Jeff Allen asked Pavarotti in advance how he’d figure out his vocal, the tenor casually responded, "I make it up."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

The video's YouTube comments are excellent. Here are some standouts:

"When the Godfather of Opera met the Godfather of Soul."

"When you see a Ford Mustang and a Ferrari racing together"

"to whomever had the idea of putting these two distinct icons together, I applaud you"

"This is the collaboration we didn't ask for, but deep down needed. Blessed be all."

"This is like the oddest but also one of the greatest collabs I’ve seen."

Pavarotti's history of collaborating with mainstream pop stars

This was far from Pavarotti’s first work with a more mainstream artist—in fact, it was a typical part of his "Pavarotti & Friends" benefit shows, which ran from 1992 to 2003 in the late musician’s home town of Modena, Italy. Some of those other collaborators included Stevie Wonder, U2’s Bono, Michael Bolton, Meat Loaf, Queen’s Brian May, and, in 1996, Elton John—the latter of whom even recruited Pavarotti to record a new version of his 1996 song "Live Like Horses."

In director Peter Demetris’ behind-the-scenes footage from the music video shoot, both artists expressed their mutual admiration. "Elton is a superb artist, a great performer, incredible soul, and it’s a great privilege for me to know and work with him," Pavarotti said. John added, "Once I initially met him and got over the intimidation part, [working with him] was fine. Singing on stage with him is incredible. You feel the stage vibrating. It’s quite amazing."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

From Your Site Articles
music
MusicPop Culture
Humor

A female writer asked what's a 'universal thing men like' and got 19 hilarious answers

“I just realized I don’t actually know any men in real life."

what men like, what men love, aubrey hirsch
via Unsplash

What do these men love?

Writer and illustrator Aubrey Hirsch jokingly asked her followers on Twitter what’s a “universal thing that most men like?” because she was writing a comic and “just realized I don’t actually know any men in real life." The tweet inspired an avalanche of funny responses.

Hirsch is the author of “Why We Never Talk About Sugar,” a collection of short stories, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, Child, American Short Fiction and Time.

The interesting thing about the responses is that they weren’t the typical stereotypes about men. She didn’t get a ton of people talking about sex, sports or toxic masculinity. Instead, there were a lot of folks that mentioned very specific male behaviors as if they were talking about a bizarre species they discovered in the wild.

There were two things that got the most comments on her post. First, men enjoy throwing heavy objects into bodies of water. Preferably, the larger the rock, the deeper the body of water and from the highest vantage point possible.

The other is watching construction sites. Evidently, the phenomenon is so popular in Italy that there is a specific word for this type of person in Italian.

Here are 19 of the best responses to the question, “What’s a universal thing that most men like?”

1.

When asked why men enjoy watching construction sites so much, a poster on Reddit named justdaps had the perfect response. "I just find it really satisfying and interesting to see the process behind things being built," he wrote.

2.

3.

4.

I have seen dudes do this and I have done it plenty of times myself. I usually stand while watching TV when I want to really focus on what’s happening and do not want to be distracted. This usually happens while watching sporting events or the news. It's also a great way to use your body language to let other people know that there is something very important happening on the television.

5.

When we do this 99% of the time we’re pretending that the sign is 10 feet high and that we have the ability to dunk a basketball. There are two types of men, those that can dunk and mere mortals.

6.

As a man, this one is near and dear to my heart. I can’t tell you the number of hours I have spent with my friends just throwing lines from “The Big Lebowski” back and forth.

“Nice marmot.”

“The Dude abides.”

“Say what you want about the tenets of national socialism, Dude. At least it’s an ethos.”

A movie that's running up the ranks of being among the most quotable is another dude buddy pic, "Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood."

"All right, that's too hot. Anything we can do about that heat?" ... "Rick, it's a flamethrower.”

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Evidently, after reading the responses, Hirsch knew what was going to happen next. No need to feel ashamed about going viral. It just means you created something that people love.


This story originally appeared two years ago.

From Your Site Articles
men
HumorJoy
Family

Woman screams at a mom for bringing 2-year-old 'man' into the restroom. She had the best response.

Who is bothered by a two-year-old in the restroom?

bathroom, child in bathroom, angry woman, potty training, public restroom, women's room
via Canva/Photos

A young boy on a toilet in the women's restroom.

Parents already have to deal with a lot while traveling with their little kids. Being outdoors, exposed to danger and unknown conditions, they have endless worries. On top of that, parents do their best to ensure their child is not an inconvenience in public settings. Often, they end up reminding others of the importance of empathy and understanding.

A woman who goes by u/Public-Proposal7378 on Reddit shared how another lady gave her a trying time when she was shopping at a public restroom with her little son. The post was taken down later. The little boy accompanied his mother to the women’s bathroom, but a lady went off on her. However, she received an epic response from the mum.

bathroom, men's room, wome's room, bathroom sign, public restrooms. A bathroom sign.via Canva/Photos

A woman was confronted for bringing her young son into the women's restroom

The mom shared that she went to the washroom and took her son along with her. The woman got into one of the stalls. She mentioned that the bathroom was empty at the time, and the duo casually began talking. “I refer to him as a buddy, so clearly he's a boy,” she noted.

Soon, an older lady came into the bathroom and went into the next stall. Hearing the mom speaking to her boy, the lady freaked out and started screaming. She referred to the two-year-old as a "man" and began ranting. “She was telling me that this is the women's room and males should not be in here. She goes on and on about how this is inappropriate, she doesn't feel safe, and males need to be in the men's room or wait outside,” the mom recalled. The mom couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the woman's worry.


She decided to wait after she was done, so she could speak to the woman, but the lady refused to get out of the stall. “I can see her feet just standing in front of the stall door waiting for me to leave,” she remarked. The mom quickly left the washroom but waited outside. “She comes out about a minute or so later, and she comes face to face with the two-year-old that she was screaming about being in the women's room,” she wrote. The mom responded to her unruly comments with a single, bold question. “I asked her where exactly I should leave my two-year-old while I need to use the bathroom, while I am out with him alone, if he doesn't belong in the women's room,” she asked. The elderly lady had no response and immediately left.

The commenters supported the mom

restroom, athroom stall, public restroom, stalls, toilets, A public restroom.via Canva/Photos

“Why are people really that threatened by the idea that a literal baby is in a women's bathroom?” the mom asked. Several people commented, assuring the mom that she wasn’t in the wrong. Many related to her plight of being criticized while traveling alone with a child. u/oldtimehawkey wrote, “If there are stalls around the toilets, I don’t see what the problem is. As long as someone isn’t seeing me peeing, they can be in the bathroom.” u/betterthanbeer added, “Yeah, I got wrong-footed by my toddler daughter who had to pee ‘now’ and dashed into the ladies room faster than I could redirect her. Two ladies helped.” u/Calgary_Calico said, “What an absolute psycho. He's two, He doesn't even know what male and female are yet, lady.” u/jneinefr remarked, “This is wild to me. I'm sorry you had to deal with that, even without an incident.”

Although there is no exact age at which a mom should stop taking her male child into the women's room, it's common knowledge that it's okay to do so until the child reaches grade school. Then, they are probably old enough to wait outside for mom to finish or to use the men's room themselves. The mom in this story had the perfect response to the older woman's reaction to her child in the bathroom: Where should I leave him when I have to go to the bathroom? This forced the older woman to choose between her "safety" and that of a two-year-old. She wasn't going to win that battle.

This article originally appeared last month

From Your Site Articles
parenting
FamilyMotherhood
Pets

10-year-old girl walks into police station and brings officers to tears with 2 simple words

She's been handing out handwritten cards to officers all over the country ever since.

police, cops, police officers, law enforcement, heroes, 10-year-old, thank you letters, kindness
Photo credit: Canva

A 10-year-old has been handing out Thank You cards to police officers across the country for years.

10-year-old Savannah Solis knew she had to do something. Per KHOUN, the girl from Tyler, Texas had heard the tragic news that two local police officers in New York had been murdered. The news, all the way back in 2015, brought her to tears.

Solis knew that, as a kid, there wasn't much she could do, to stop the bad guys, to make the world safer. But she dreamed of one day being a police officer herself and being able to help. As a 5-year-old, Solis says her mother had a heart attack and the first person to arrive and offer help was a police officer. She never forgot that officer's kindness and bravery.

Savannah’s mom, Debbie, recalled the immense love and support the girl had for police officers all over the world. Inspired and mesmerized by their line of duty, she hoped and wished only the best for each of them. “We would drive by and see them stopping somebody and in the backseat she would pray, asking God to take care of them,” the mom recounted.

In the meantime, she wanted the heroes in her own community to know that she cared. So she decided to write personal letters. Hundreds of them.

police, cops, police officers, law enforcement, heroes, 10-year-old, thank you letters, kindness a piece of paper with a heart drawn on it Photo by Immo Wegmann on Unsplash

Her letters had two words recurring each time, “Thank you.”

Furthermore, the girl explained as best as she could what their service meant to her and how grateful she was to them for saving lives.

During her Christmas break, the girl went all out making these letters and posting them—she even delivered a few personally to police departments all over Texas.

“You are my heroes. I want to say don’t stop, please don’t give up. Many do not care or appreciate the sacrifices you make every day. But I do,” the girl remarked. Savannah added a note of inspiration which read, “Many are standing with me today to let you know that you matter. Officers across Texas, you matter to me. Officers in New York City, you matter to me. Officers all across America, you matter to me. Please keep taking care of us.”

One of Solis' deliveries was caught on video, per KXAN, where officers were moved to tears by her gesture.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

She went about taking autographs of as many officers as she could. Debbie noted that her daughter didn’t want celebrity or artist autographs but those of the cops. All the officers are seen shaking hands and getting teary-eyed as they read the cards colored and highlighted with the title, “My hero.”

Austin Police Department Assistant Chief Jessica Robledo felt proud of the girl’s gesture and of the fact that their role was so valued in someone’s eyes.

“The words she spoke from her heart touched every single officer. I noticed everyone was trying to blink back tears. That’s what it’s all about. She is an old soul. She knows the right thing to say and I don’t think she even realizes the impact of her words on these officers and this department,” she remarked.

That was 10 years ago. As Solis grew up, she continued her personal outreach to police officers all over the country, letting them know that their bravery was appreciated.

She visited a precinct in Manchester, New Hampshire as recently in 2021 where she brought cards to the officers, met the K9 dogs, and was introduced to the police horses as well. Commenters were blown away that Solis was continuing the gesture after so many years.

"Savanna. Officers need that inspiration with everything going on today. You're remarkable for doing this."

"Amazing young lady right, thank you Savannah I appreciate all your efforts to show your appreciation for our men, woman, dogs and horses in blue"

"What an amazing young woman thank you for sharing this post and thank you for your service to our city. And all the law enforcement officers all over the Country."

Bravo, Savannah!

This article originally appeared in July. It has been updated.

From Your Site Articles
police
PetsJoyHeroes
Trending Stories