Dog with 2 legs gets wheelchair built out of Legos by 12-year-old boy
A disabled dog with no front legs can now run and play thanks to a 12-year-old volunteer at an animal shelter who built her a wheelchair out of Legos. One-year-old Gracie was dumped at a veterinary clinic when she was a baby. She was covered in maggots and was missing hair under her eyes and…
A disabled dog with no front legs can now run and play thanks to a 12-year-old volunteer at an animal shelter who built her a wheelchair out of Legos.
One-year-old Gracie was dumped at a veterinary clinic when she was a baby. She was covered in maggots and was missing hair under her eyes and on her feet and tail. She was also missing her two front legs due to a birth defect.
The vet reached out to a local rescue called Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue, in Kennesaw, Georgia, who took Gracie in to help her find a new home. The Turley family, who runs the shelter, loved Gracie so much, they decided to adopt her for themselves.
Gracie loves to play with her fur siblings, including a dog who is paralyzed in his hind legs and likes to pull her around, and on who has three legs. While Gracie can get around OK on her own two hind legs, her mom, Tammy, was worried about her getting injured so they enlisted the help of Dylan, 12, a volunteer at the shelter.
Because Gracie was still a puppy and would continue to grow, she needed a wheelchair that could adapt. So Dylan built one using Legos that Gracie could be velcroed into.
“The first couple of times, it took her a minutes to figure it out, but we ended up getting little pieces of hot dog and when she smelled those, she took off,” Tammy told The Dodo.
Gracie quickly outgrew the first chair, so Dylan built her a second one that was designed to lift her up more. But they realized she needed one with bigger wheels, so he made a third version.
Gracie is now one year old and is done growing, so she was able to get fitted for a proper chair that will last so she can continue chasing balls and zooming around with her siblings.
An Operation Smile volunteer reverses an oxygen mask so a child with a cleft condition can blow a bubble for the first time in Guadalajara, Mexico. (Operation Smile Photos)
For thousands of children born with cleft conditions, Operation Smile provides simple, playful tools—like bubbles—to strengthen the skills they need to speak and thrive.
While a bottle of bubbles might seem out of place in a hospital setting, you might be surprised to learn that, for thousands of children around the world born with cleft lip and palate, they can be a helpful tool in comprehensive cleft care. Lilia, who was born with cleft lip and palate in 2020, is one of the many patients who received this care.
As a toddler, Lilia underwent two surgeries to treat cleft lip and palate with Operation Smile’s surgical program in Puebla, Mexico. Because of Operation Smile’s comprehensive care, it wasn’t long before her personality transformed: Lilia went from a quiet and withdrawn toddler to an exuberant, curious explorer, babbling, expressing herself with a variety of sounds, and engaging with others like any child her age.
Lilia is now a healthy five-year-old, with the same cheerful attitude and boundless energy. Her progress is the result of care at every level, from surgery to speech therapy to ongoing support at home—but it’s also evidence that small, sustained interventions throughout it all can make a meaningful difference.
Lilia at age 1, before surgery, and at age 5, 4 years post-surgery
Cleft Conditions: A Global Problem
Since 1982, Operation Smile has provided cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries to more than 500,000 patients worldwide with the help of generous volunteers and donors. Cleft conditions are congenital conditions, meaning they are present at birth. With cleft lip and palate, the lip or the roof of the mouth do not form fully during fetal development. Cleft conditions put children at risk for malnutrition and poor weight gain, since their facial structure can make feeding challenging. But cleft conditions can have an enormous social impact as well: Common difficulties with speech can leave kids socially isolated and unable to meet the same developmental milestones as their peers.
Surgery is a vital step in treating cleft conditions, but it’s also just one part of a much larger solution. Organizations like Operation Smile emphasize the importance of multi-disciplinary teams that provide comprehensive, long-term care to patients across many years. This approach, which includes oral care, speech therapy, nutritional support, and psychosocial care, not only aids in physical recovery from surgery but also helps children develop the skills and confidence to eat easily, speak clearly, and engage in everyday life. This ensures that each patient receives the full range of support they need to thrive.
Marie, 11 months, with her mother at Operation Smile Madagascar before her cleft surgery (Operation Smile Photos)
A Playful (and Powerful) Solution
Throughout a patient’s care, simple tools like bubbles can play a meaningful role from start to finish.
Immediately before surgery, children are often in a new and unfamiliar environment far from home, some of them experiencing a hospital setting for the first time. When care providers or loved ones blow bubbles, it’s a simple yet effective technique: Not only are the children soothed and distracted, the bubbles also help create a sense of joy and playfulness that eases their anxiety.
Milagros Rojas, a volunteer speech therapist in Peru, using bubbles in a screening with a patient. (Operation Smile Photos)
In speech therapy, bubbles can take on an even more important role. Blowing bubbles requires controlled airflow, as well as the ability to form a rounded “O” shape with the lips, which are skills that children with cleft conditions may struggle to develop. Practicing these skills with bubbles allows children to gently strengthen their facial muscles, improve breath control, and support the motor skills needed for speech development. Beyond that, blowing bubbles can help kids connect with their parents or providers in a way that’s playful, comforting, and accessible even for very young patients.
Finally, bubbles often follow patients with cleft conditions home in the “smile bags” that each patient receives when the surgical procedure is finished. Smile bags, which help continue speech therapy outside of the hospital setting, can contain language enrichment booklets, a mirror, oxygen tubing, and bubbles. While regular practice with motor skills can help with physical recovery, small acts of play help as well, giving kids space to simply enjoy themselves and join in on what peers are able to do.
Bubbles at Home and Beyond
Today, because of Operation Smile’s dedication to comprehensive cleft care, Lilia is now able to make friends and speak clearly, all things that could have been difficult or impossible before. Instead of a childhood defined by limitation, Lilia—and others around the world—can look forward to a childhood filled with joy, learning, discovery, friends, and new possibilities.
CTA: Lilia’s life was changed for the better with the care she received through Operation Smile. Find out how you can make an impact in other children’s lives by visiting operationsmile.org today.
In 1971, a year after the break-up of the Beatles, John Lennon released his most important piece of music, his single “Imagine.” The song is an appeal to humanity’s goodness and urges the listener to “join us” in visualizing a world without war, hunger, or greed.
The song provides a glimmer of hope in that if we can visualize a perfect world, then maybe one day it will be achievable. Over the past 50 years, the song has become a secular hymn that can conjure hope in the aftermath of the most tragic events. The song was played by Queen at Wembley Arena the night after Lennon was murdered in December 1980. Stevie Wonder sang it at the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics to honor the lives of those lost at the Centennial Olympic Park bombing. Neil Young played it at the 9/11 Tribute to Heroes concert. And who could forget the infamous celebrity singalong to “Imagine” in 2020 barely a week into the initial COVID pandemic shutdown?
Why Julian Lennon vowed never to sing it
“Imagine” is widely seen as Lennon’s signature song that encapsulates his artistic persona, which is no small feat given the earth-shattering effect the songs he wrote with the Beatles have had on the world.
Given the song’s incredible power, Lennon’s son Julian vowed never to perform it in public. Julian has had success as a musician over the years, most notably with his 1984 hit, “Too Late for Goodbyes.” He’s also a philanthropist who has produced numerous documentaries.
The war in Ukraine pushed Julian to break his vow and he performed a beautiful rendition of “Imagine” as part of Global Citizen’s social media rally, “Stand Up For Ukraine” on April 8, 2022. The campaign worked to raise money for the war-torn country, a cause Julian still adamantly supports.
During the 2022 performance, Julian was accompanied by guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, who is best known as the lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme and a longtime guitarist for Rihanna’s world tours.
“The War on Ukraine is an unimaginable tragedy… As a human, and as an artist, I felt compelled to respond in the most significant way I could,” Lennon wrote in the video’s description in 2022. “So today, for the first time ever, I publicly performed my Dad’s song, IMAGINE. Why now, after all these years? — I had always said, that the only time I would ever consider singing ‘IMAGINE’ would be if it was the ‘End of the World’…But also because his lyrics reflect our collective desire for peace worldwide.”
Watch:
Lennon went on to say he was influenced to sing the iconic song “because within this song, we’re transported to a space, where love and togetherness become our reality, if but for a moment in time… The song reflects the light at the end of the tunnel, that we are all hoping for…
“As a result of the ongoing murderous violence, millions of innocent families, have been forced to leave the comfort of their homes, to seek asylum elsewhere,” Lennon concluded his message. “I’m calling on world leaders and everyone who believes in the sentiment of IMAGINE, to stand up for refugees everywhere! Please advocate and donate from the heart. #StandUpForUkraine.”
Lennon’s decision to never play “Imagine” was a wonderful way to honor his father’s legacy by respecting the power of his song, but John would probably be proud if he knew that he sang it at a time when we all need to imagine “all the people living life in peace.”
Julian Lennon keeps his father’s legacy alive
Julian Lennon continues to advocate for those suffering in the world by raising awareness and offering help through his charity, The White Feather Foundation, which was established in 2007 and exists “for the Conservation of Life” and provides aid for the environment, the preservation of Indigenous cultures, and access to clean water, education, and health.
In 2023, The White Feather Foundation launched an emergency campaign alongside World Central Kitchen to feed those in need in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. And in early 2025, Lennon and The White Feather Foundation donated a split $10,000 to MusiCares and FireAid in response to the Los Angeles wildfires.
Clearly in all that Lennon does to help the world and others, whether through his philanthropy or his music, he’s supporting the vision of “Imagine” and making his father proud.
This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.
Kindergarten is one of the most formative experiences in a child’s life. Not only do they learn there how to navigate the tricky world of friendships and the seeds of independence, they also start their education journey. All of that is made extra special if they have a teacher who really loves them. When you’re a kindergarten teacher, you know that you have the power to make a serious impact, and that shouldn’t be taken lightly. A retired kindergarten teacher warmed hearts on TikTok as people learn just how great that impact is.
Then, one by one, they filed through the gate
In the video shared by user Kim Hamilton (the daughter of said teacher) in 2022, a woman, who is identified in the comments as Mrs. Pearson, is sitting on her porch when a girl in a cap and gown shows up at the gate. “Congratulations!” Mrs. Pearson calls out, waving. Soon, she realizes that the young girl isn’t alone.
“What’s happening?” she asks her daughter, who can be heard chuckling behind the camera.
“They’re your kindergarteners,” Hamilton replies, as kids in caps and gowns start filing through the gate.
“Did you know this was happening?!” Pearson asks, the shock and joy clearly evident on her face.
“Oh my gosh, I love you all! Look at you!” she exclaims as she runs over to the kids.
Hamilton explains to her that these kids, clearly high school graduates, are the last group of kindergarten students Pearson taught before retiring. As each one of them comes into the gate, the joy on Pearson’s face grows exponentially. It’s clear that these kids were her babies, and even though now they’re all grown up and going off to college, they’ll always have that special place in her heart.
“Oh my god, you’re all just gorgeous!” she says, giving each one a hug.
The kids are just as happy to see their beloved Mrs. Pearson as she is to see them. They eagerly shuffle together to pose for a picture as she just stops and looks at them, taking it all in. Presumably, she hasn’t seen them much in the many years since she retired. Maybe they’ve seen each other around. As a kid, I loved running into my teachers outside of school. I still do. But the fact that these kids showed up to see her, to allow her to celebrate her integral role in their lives, that’s really special. And I’m not the only one who thinks so.
People in the comments lost it completely
Here are just a handful of the comments people left on Hamilton’s video:
“Proof they never stop being our kids after they leave us.”
“The love she showed and was shown, she must have been one heck of a teacher”
“I started crying when your mom did.”
“Love this! ❤ I teach kindergarten and only hope my students will remember me like this! She must have been extraordinary!”
“Literally teachers like HER are the reasons I still talk to my teachers from middle school, HS & college good teachers are so special.”
“The best gift a teacher can receive is seeing her former students bloom.”
Teachers can truly make a lifelong impression on us, for better or for worse. When you get a good teacher at any age, it’s never too late to offer them your gratitude and appreciation.
This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.
Jumbo, a Dutch supermarket chain with over 700 locations, noticed a problem. A lot of their older customers were lonely. So in the summer of 2019, they created something called a Kletskassa, which translates to “chat checkout.”
It’s exactly what it sounds like. A checkout lane specifically for people who are not in a rush and would like to have a conversation with the cashier. No pressure to scan quickly, no annoyed sighs from the person behind you. Just a place where taking your time is the whole point.
The first Kletskassa opened in Vlijmen, a town in the North Brabant province. The response was so positive that Jumbo rolled out 200 of these lanes across the country. They also added “chat corners” in their stores where people can grab a cup of coffee and talk with neighbors.
The initiative was part of the Dutch government’s “One Against Loneliness” campaign, which makes sense when you look at the numbers. Statistics Netherlands found that nearly 1 in 10 people in the country reported feeling lonely frequently. Among people 75 and older, around one-third said they feel at least somewhat lonely. And that loneliness tends to stick around, especially for seniors living independently.
Colette Cloosterman-van Eerd, the CCO of Jumbo and one of the people behind the National Coalition Against Loneliness, explained the thinking: “Many people, especially the elderly, sometimes feel lonely. As a family business and supermarket chain, we are at the heart of society.”
She added that Jumbo wants to be more than just a place where people shop. “We help our stores by means of a manual to signal loneliness among customers and to set up local initiatives. Several stores also have a chat corner where customers can grab a nice cup of coffee and chat with neighbors.”
Vandaag opende Colette Cloosterman-van Eerd een nieuwe Kletskassa bij de Jumbo winkel in Udenhout. Tevens het startschot voor het openen van 200 Kletskassa’s door heel Nederland. Meer lezen: https://t.co/gv6Q6xd2Nipic.twitter.com/NfT7tBdk1Q
The “Alles voor Mekaar” Foundation (which translates to “All Together”) runs the coffee corners with local volunteers. They connect lonely seniors with people who can help with things like gardening and grocery shopping, but mostly they just provide a place for people to show up and talk.
This is all happening while the grocery industry is moving in the exact opposite direction. Self-checkout lanes, automated systems, less human interaction. Jumbo looked at that trend and said no thanks, we’re going to do the thing that actually helps people.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport has supported local coalitions in all 355 municipalities across the Netherlands to fight loneliness through home visits, hotlines, and activity directories for seniors. The chat checkouts are one piece of a much larger national effort.
It’s a pretty simple idea. Some people just want to talk while they’re buying their groceries. So you give them a place to do that.
There is a grittiness that seems to be missing in today’s movies. A big reason is that actors look too perfect. Before the turn of the millennium, the screen was filled with actors whose faces had character: Walter Matthau’s nose, Jack Nicholson’s wild hairline, and Sylvester Stallone’s droopy eyes and bottom lip that pulled to the side. They looked like real people, and that made them much more relatable than today’s A-listers, such as Ryan Gosling, Ryan Reynolds, and Michael B. Jordan.
When it comes to female actors, the difference is less noticeable because women have always been held to more stringent beauty standards. But in the late ’80s, some of the biggest stars, including Meryl Streep, Sigourney Weaver, and Geena Davis, were all pretty, but their faces had character. Compare that to today’s actresses, such as Scarlett Johansson, Margot Robbie, and Zendaya.
Archer Green, a popular YouTuber who digs deep into why movies work, took a shot at explaining why actors look so different today in a video titled “Why Aren’t Actors Ugly Anymore?” In the video, he cites three major reasons why actors today lack the relatable physical characteristics that made pre-millennium screen legends so memorable.
1. Cosmetic surgery
“In an article from 2021, Raquel S. Benedict likens our body to an investment in which we have to maximize our value through looking good,” Green said. “We’re reduced to a collection of features like perfect skin or a strong jawline. The body is no longer the vehicle through which we experience joy and pleasure, but a status symbol that needs to be constantly presentable to the world.”
“For actors, this is taken to the extreme, especially for women. They can never age or show any imperfection. They need to be a bankable star, and a big part of this is looking good on camera. Pretty girls should always smile,” Green added.
He adds that actors these days all have perfectly straight, pearl-white teeth. He notes that earlier in his career, Tom Cruise had crooked front teeth, which made him look like a real person. Many actors today also have perfect hairlines, whereas actors such as Nicholson, Bill Murray, and Burt Reynolds had age-appropriate receding hairlines that made them look authentic.
They've not always had Hollywood smiles! From Tom Cruise to Celine Dion and Cheryl. dental experts weigh in on the work stars have had done to transform their teeth
Images from his time on the 80s movie. Tom Cruise's gnashers are far from straight before having dental work done. pic.twitter.com/5CiZXApxGm
“iPhone face. It’s hard to define, but I think it’s basically this kind of pristine look that most actors seem to have,” Green said. “It’s why some people look out of place in period pieces because they’ve got a modern haircut or their teeth are too wide. They’re striving for a kind of look that didn’t really exist before the 21st century.”
“And this speaks to a kind of aesthetic that many modern movies have,” Green said. “They’re perfectly lit, the set perfectly designed, the actors in perfectly clean clothes, but this kind of perfection just makes it all look boring.”
3. The industry is afraid to take risks
“If you look for it, you can find interesting-looking people in modern movies,” Green said. “But this whole change in how actors and, by extension, movies in general look is a natural result of an industry that’s afraid to take risks. Movies need to make money, so they minimize anything that could theoretically make the film less successful, but in the process, remove what makes it special.”
Ultimately, Hollywood is in the storytelling business, and one of the keys to making a story work is creating characters who are relatable and have, well, character. The movie business is in the depths of a six-year slump, and the cure for getting folks back into theaters may not be fear-based perfection, but putting people on screen who resemble the folks in the seats.
It’s no secret that even the most seemingly safe of public places can instantly turn dangerous for a woman. Is it fair? No. But is it common? Absolutely, to the point where more and more women are documenting moments of being stalked or harassed as a grim reminder to be aware of one’s surroundings.
One of the most common and frightening experiences many women can relate to is being followed by a strange man. It’s scary because it’s difficult to tell the difference between a random passerby who just happens to be walking in your direction and someone who has malicious intentions. At least, at first. But sadly, most women have learned how to pick up on the clues.
Lacie (@lacie_kraatz) is one of those women. In April of 2023, she was out on a run when she noticed a man in front of her displaying suspicious behavior.
Things got especially dicey when the man somehow got behind her. That’s when she pulled out her phone and started filming, partially to prove that it wasn’t just her imagination, and also out of fear for her safety.
“Hello. I’m just making this video so that women are a little more aware of them,” she begins in the video. “See this gentleman behind me? Yeah, this is what this video’s about.”
Here is exactly what happened on that run
According to Lacie, the two were initially running in opposite directions. But at some point after seeing her, the man stopped in the middle of the trail and waited for her to pass so that he could follow her path from behind.
“Now, I know what you’re thinking, ‘Why are you suspecting that he’s following you?’” Lacie continues. “Well, let me tell you. I was just walking like this, and I look up, and he’s in front of me, and he just keeps doing a ‘peek’ like this behind him, over and over again.”
Lacie added that at one point, she even made an illegal crossing when “do not walk” sign was still up in an attempt to put some distance between herself and the man. After looking over her shoulder, she noticed that the man was visibly “speeding” to keep up.
In case there is still any doubt, Lacie then begins to run to see if the man will follow suit. Sure enough, he does.
Luckily the man eventually seems to give up, though he still seems to be watching her from a distance. Lacie ends up safe back home, but she didn’t even accomplish what she set out to do that afternoon.
“I couldn’t even finish my run,” she concludes. “I only ran like a mile and a half. I wanted to do 3 miles, but no, creepy men just had to be creepy f****** men today.”
Women in the comments had plenty to say
Countless women empathized with Lacie in the comments section. Clearly, this was not a unique circumstance.
“What I do when I’m being followed is act feral,” yet another person shared. “Like I’ll bark and growl really loud and flail my arms around. If you look crazy, you’re doin’ it right.”
Another added, “Man, nothing pisses me off more than men who make me feel uncomfortable doing things that I NEED to do for my health and well-being.”
Others tried to give their own tips for handling the situation, from finding nearby police or fire stations to using a variety of running trails to simply notifying the first visible passerby of what’s happening and asking to stand with them.
And of course, the resounding advice was to use the public space, and modern-day technology, to one’s advantage.
As one person wrote, “Girls we have got to normalize turning around and yelling at people following us. Let them know you know, take pictures of them, scream, make a scene.”
What experts say you should do
Experts say the most important thing is to stay in a populated area as long as you’re being followed. If you can pop into a store, do it. And always let a trusted friend or loved one know where you are. Giving a family member access to Find My Phone or a similar tracking app could be a lifesaver.
It’d be nice if these kinds of unsettling interactions didn’t exist. But here we are.
Some estimates say around 75% of women have been followed by a stranger at some point in their lives; a shocking, tragic statistic. They’re also around four times as likely to be continuously stalked compared to men. It’s not fair that women and girls have to deal with this, and that they’re forced to develop a keen instinct for when danger is present.
At the very least, it’s good that women are speaking up more so that these situations are easier to spot early on and women can know how to navigate them in the safest way possible.
And as for Lacie, she went on to join the US Coast Guard and regularly posts updates about her life in the military. Safe to say she has no problem taking care of herself these days.
This article originally appeared three years ago. It has been updated.
Just when you think you’ve heard every amazing “Bohemian Rhapsody” cover imaginable, from standout AGT performances to spontaneous crowd sing-alongs to haka renditions, this one literally comes out of nowhere. And it’s every bit as exciting, magical, profound, and inspiring as the OG.
On the streets of Paris, window shutters open to reveal three women clad in white who begin to sing, “Is this the real life…” in a way that can only be described as heavily Disney-coded. A pianist appears seemingly out of nowhere. Then another singer from another window. And another. Then, a blonde man in a horse drawn carriage comes down and belts out “Mama, just killed a man…” so good you just know it made Freddie Mercury smile wherever he is now.
Oh, and did we mention the 11-year-old who absolutely shreds a guitar solo??
Meet the 30 performers who made this happen
These are just some of the 30, yes, 30 musicians and singers that came to deliver a truly epic flash mob performance of Queen’s signature rock ballad. The performance was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which Queen first released in October 1975. Really, this was something between a flash mob and immersive theatre. Wow.
To say the clip has gone mega-viral would be an understatement. In under 24 hours, it received over 30 million views across TikTok and Instagram and has since been viewed over 600 million times. Of course, most viewers expressed more than a little FOMO.
“Could you imagine seeing this? Like omg I’d be freaking out.”
“This is tremendous, and I am so envious of those who witnessed it in real life.”
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Julien Cohen, the pianist in the video and mastermind behind this epic flash mob, was able to pull off such a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration. After all, his entire social media is dedicated to outstanding duets with talented musicians…many of which have also gone viral. And, if someone invites you to come to Paris to be part of a “Bohemian Rhapsody” flash mob, are you really gonna say no?!
Among the star-studded line up are Michael Spence, aka Mickey Callisto (lead singer) and Olly Pearson (second guitar), both of whom competed onBritain’s Got Talent. Fittingly, Callisto often got compared to the late, great Freddie Mercury by BGT judges. Pearson also played Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” while on the show.
Other performers include:
DDKN: A French pop group consisting of sisters, Stella, Nounée, and Anouche, known for angelic harmonies. They were the first three singers.
Aside from being such an auditory delight, part of what makes “Bohemian Rhapsody” so incredibly compelling is how it brings people together with connecting threads of pure, raw emotion. This group handled both those elements so well, and the result is not only a celebration of one of Queen’s most beloved works, but of humanity as a whole, how good it feels to create with one another, and to physically witness art being made. Truly, this could not have come at a better time.
Excuse me…off to go listen to this for the 20th time.
This article originally appeared one year ago. It has been updated.
Pauline Monk, an 86-year-old grandma from Sissonville, West Virginia, is a Taco Bellstan. And Mawmaw Pauline (as she’s called by her grandkids) recently got the opportunity of a lifetime: to be the first patron of a brand new Taco Bell location in her hometown.
“Taco Bell opening in their hometown might not be a big deal to most. But to us, it was an answered prayer that she made it to see that day,” her granddaughter Autumn Collette, tells Upworthy.
Autumn Collette shared a behind-the-scenes video of her Mawmaw Pauline being interviewed by local news station WOWK 13 News, where she shared her excitement over being the first customer to step foot in and eat at her favorite restaurant.
Autumn Collette posted a touching video of Mawmaw Pauline soaking up her Taco Bell experience on opening day, adding that she “got to be the first patron inside. First person to sit down. First person to place an order.”
She explained how MawMaw Pauline was able to have her Taco Bell dream come true.
“My uncle is in the House of Delegates for West Virginia. He rallied hard to get that Taco Bell there,” she shares, adding that he helped his mom attend the opening. “There were a lot of people inside wanting to order and every single person agreed she should be first. It was the sweetest thing. We didn’t even ask for her to be first to order. They just came up to me and asked if she’d want to be first because she deserved that. They also wouldn’t let her pay.”
Mawmaw Pauline got her moment in the spotlight.
During an interview with WOWK 13 News, she said, “Oh, I’ve wanted one for all the time. It’s one of my favorite restaurants. It got here, and then I found out I had terminal cancer, and I didn’t think I’d live to see it built, but thank the Lord that I am here today to open it up! I’m the Queen of the Taco Bell of Sissonville!”
Mawmaw Pauline’s cancer battle
She tells Upworthy, “She beat breast cancer over 20 years ago. She was a blue collar worker who also owned her own businesses and worked hard her whole life. Any time someone in the community was down she was there to lift them up. You’ll never meet someone with a negative thing to say about her.”
In the video’s overlay, Autumn Collette shared that her Mawmaw is unfortunately battling cancer again.
“She was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung and liver cancer in November of 2025. She was given a life expectancy of 2-3 months,” she wrote. “On May 6, 2026: 6 months after her diagnosis…she made it to see the Taco Bell open in her hometown of 70-some years.”
She adds, “My Mawmaw is just an angel on earth. And I know everybody says that about their mawmaws.. but I am for certain that mine really is. She is the most wholesome woman.”
Viewers respond
Many people were touched by this win amid Mawmaw Pauline’s cancer battle and the love and joy she exudes for Taco Bell:
“She should NEVER have to pay for another Taco Bell meal EVER! Free Taco Bell for Life. This brought tears to my eyes ❤️.”
“Baja Bless this woman 🙏🏻.”
“I love her🥹 I’m so happy she got to get her nacho bell grande!!”
One of the biggest differences between being 25 and 50 is the idea of going out and partying past midnight. A 25-year-old can do that a few nights a week, whereas someone in their 50s would need three days to recuperate from one night out. As we age, our bodies change, we appreciate a good night’s sleep a lot more, and a quiet night with a good book feels a lot more appealing than it did two decades earlier.
Gen Xers are entering the curl-up-with-a-good-book phase of their lives. Those born between 1965 and 1980 are somewhere between 46 and 61 and have probably had more days than they want to admit when going to bed before nightfall seemed like a great idea.
Kim and Penn Holderness, the husband-and-wife duo behind The Holderness Family, frequently go viral for their hilarious parody songs. Now, they’ve done it again with a funny send-up of The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” called “It’s Bright Outside,” about getting the urge to knock out while the sun’s still up.
In the video, the couple goes out for a glass of wine, which quickly takes the wind out of their sails, and they head home to curl up in bed. But they have to close the blinds because “it’s still bright outside.”
The video touched a nerve with many Gen Xers in the comments.
“Damn, this hits hard tonight, Hubs and I split onion rings, had 2 drinks, and we’re home by 7,” Julie wrote.
“Yesterday we went out at 5, ate dinner at a restaurant with our kids at 6, came home at 7, cut cake to celebrate the anniversary, walked the dog, and were in bed by 8,” Eye Snap added. “This was the most excitement we had on a Saturday night in like 5 years.”
Why do older people go to sleep earlier?
The biggest reasons people go to bed earlier as they age are physical. As we age, our bodies begin producing melatonin, the hormone that signals it’s time to sleep, earlier in the evening. Our bodies also become more sensitive to light, which affects our circadian rhythms, or natural sleep-wake cycles. Finally, as people age, they experience a decrease in energy production, making going to bed much more desirable than it was when they were younger.
.jpg){kind=link}