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After raising a child who has an anxiety disorder, I admire Naomi Osaka's self-advocacy

After raising a child who has an anxiety disorder, I admire Naomi Osaka's self-advocacy

If you were to meet my college-aged daughter on certain days, you'd never guess she suffered from a debilitating anxiety disorder. She can be personable, she can appear confident, she can seem at ease and comfortable in her own skin from the outside. She's a musician and she performs beautifully—and even particularly well under pressure. You might catch her belly laughing with her friends. You might see her excel at giving a class presentation. You might marvel at her many gifts.

What you wouldn't see is how many days she has spent barely able to leave her bedroom. How many hours she's spent paralyzed by the "what if" monster in her brain. How many social events she's missed because she just couldn't make herself get in the car. How many emails she's had to send teachers to explain that her anxiety was getting the better of her (and could she possibly get an extension on a deadline?). You won't see how many times and ways she's beat herself up for not being able to function like people who don't struggle with mental illness.

My daughter is smart and talented and capable. She also wages daily internal battles most people don't see, and she doesn't win every battle. Therapy has helped a lot, but it's a lot of work. Raising her has helped me develop a deep respect for anyone who struggles with anxiety because I know how much work it takes to get to a good place. And I know how much work it takes to get your brain to stay there.

That's why seeing tennis star Naomi Osaka announce that she wasn't going to do press conferences at the French Open because they were too hard on her mental health piqued my attention. I don't really follow tennis and only know Osaka's name from headlines, but reading her initial statement felt familiar.


At age 23, Osaka is only a few years older than my daughter. And yet it's clear that she, like my daughter, has learned to advocate for herself. That's a gift that should not be undervalued.

When Osaka explained that she wouldn't be doing press conferences at the French Open, many people immediately criticized her. Talking to the press is part of being a professional athlete, some said, and if she doesn't like it maybe she shouldn't be in pro sports. I don't think those people actually listened to what she was saying. Or perhaps they didn't really think through what she said.

"I've often felt that people have no regard for athletes' mental health and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one," Osaka wrote in a statement on Twitter and Instagram last week. "We're often sat there and asked questions that we've been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and I'm just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me.

    "I've watched many clips of athletes breaking down after a loss in the press room and I know you have as well. I believe that whole situation is kicking a person while they're down and I don't understand the reasoning behind it."

    After basically being told she'd have to participate in press conferences, face huge fines, or perhaps be prevented from competing, Osaka pulled out of the tournament altogether. And this time, she got a bit more specific about her mental health struggles.

    "I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that," she wrote. "Anyone that knows me knows I'm introverted, and anyone that has seen me at the tournaments will notice that I'm often wearing headphones as that helps dull my social anxiety.

    "Though the tennis press has always been kind to me (and I wanna apologize especially to all the cool journalists who I may have hurt), I am not a natural public speaker and get huge waves of anxiety before I speak to the world's media. I get really nervous and find it stressful to always try to engage and give you the best answers I can."

    I can imagine my daughter saying something like this—and I also know that she'd mean something more than what the simple words on the page say. Most of us would feel nervous talking to the press, naturally, which leads to people's "Eh, just suck it up and deal with it" attitudes. But for someone who struggles with anxiety as a mental health disorder, it's not just about dealing with some nerves. Anxiety can be debilitating—and it affects everything. My daughter's anxiety disorder has nothing directly to do with her schoolwork, and yet it makes getting her schoolwork done nearly impossible some days. I can only imagine how anxiety would impact an athlete's performance—the whole purpose for their being in a tournament to begin with—and how necessary it would feel to mitigate the things that contribute to it.

    So while some people have called Osaka a drama queen or a diva for saying, "I'm not okay with this, and here's why," I see a young woman who is being vulnerable in sharing her needs, advocating for herself, and taking necessary action when a situation isn't tenable.

    My daughter has had to learn to advocate for herself, which is vulnerable and scary. Thankfully, the vast majority of the time her self-advocacy been met with support and reasonable accommodation. I've seen similar support and solidarity pour out for Osaka on social media, which is heartening. I've also seen callous criticism and cruelty, which heartbreaking.

    Naomi Osaka is one of the top tennis players on the planet, and for her to back out of a major global tournament is no small thing. And she's right—talking to the press isn't an innate part of being an athlete, nor is it a necessary one, especially in the age of social media where athletes have the ability to speak directly to people who follow them.

    I've seen people bag on Osaka because she makes millions of dollars from tennis, meaning she should just put up with the bad stuff since it's paying her so well. But just because someone is highly successful in their field and makes a ton of money doesn't mean they are immune to mental health issues, and it certainly doesn't mean we should expect them to do things that are hurting them.

    When my daughter is deep in a bout of anxiety, no amount of money could make her do something that her brain is telling her not to do—even when it's something she wants to do. But that doesn't mean she can't do anything. Naomi Osaka's mental health isn't keeping her from playing tennis. Her ability to compete isn't the question here. It's the mental health impact of media expectations, and if an athlete who is at the top of their game, who has spent their whole life working toward competing in top-level tournaments, backs out of something like the French Open, that means something.

    Having watched and walked with my daughter through years of battle with her own brain, I admire Osaka for highlighting the importance of mental health. I know that many people don't understand her needs or don't agree with the way she's communicating them, but those people have no idea how hard this stuff is. Seriously, no idea.

    I know, because I didn't have any idea until I witnessed and walked with my daughter through her own anxiety ups and downs how hard it truly is. So even if the only thing that comes from this is a bigger discussion on mental health, great. We need to talk about this stuff more often and more openly.

    Thank you, Ms. Osaka, for getting the ball rolling.


      Autumn de Forest

      Autumn de Forest stands before a sign with her name on it

      When Autumn de Forest was 5, she picked up a paintbrush for the first time. It wasn't long before she was ready to show the world what she could do.

      After a year of practice, the then-6-year-old asked her father if he could get her a booth at a local art-in-the-park program. "People would come up to the booth, and they would talk to my father, and they'd say, 'This is great!'" she said. "Apparently they thought it was Take Your Daughter to Work Day."

      Almost everyone thought the artwork was her father's. And when they found out that tiny Autumn was the artist, people couldn't believe their eyes.


      art, kids, art genius, kid genius Autumn created this piece when she was just 5 years old. Autumn de Forest

      Soon, Autumn rose to national fame.

      When Autumn was 8, she was featured on the Discovery Health Channel. There was a slew of media attention in the years that followed. There was Disney. There was The Today Show. There was Wendy Williams. She was called a child genius, a prodigy, and an expert painter.


      autumn deforest, art, kids, paintingSoon, Autumn rose to national fame.Autumn Deforest


      Suddenly, Autumn de Forest was everywhere.

      But not everyone was so accepting of the young artist and her work. Some people in the art world had ... questions. Sure, she was good for a kid. But was her art actually good? Others wondered if the whole thing might be an elaborate hoax.

      Autumn decided not to listen.

      By 14 she developed a startlingly organized daily routine that went far beyond a 9 to 5.

      Somehow, as the focus on her age begins to wear off, Autumn's work ethic and art only grow stronger. She said that most days, she'd wake up in her parents' Las Vegas home at 7:30 a.m. After breakfast, she'd break out her supplies for a one- or two-hour painting session. From there, she dove into her school work. Most brick-and-mortar schools can't accommodate her travel schedule, so she did the majority of her schooling online.

      Before dinner, it's back into the studio.

      "That session can last much longer, that can be three or four hours when I really get into it," she said. "Then I probably have dinner and go to bed."

      kids, painting, artistic genius, paintings, kid artists Autumn de Forest paints Autumn de Forest


      The results? They speak for themselves.

      Autumn de Forest, painting, art, kids, prodigy An Autumn de Forest painting Autumn de Forest

      Her work has been displayed in galleries and exhibitions all over the world.

      Autumn held a public demonstration before a showing at The Butler Institute of American Art.

      Autumn de Forest, painting, kids, artAn Autumn de Forest painting Autumn de Forest

      In 2015, Autumn received the International Giuseppe Sciacca Award in Painting and Art.

      The award took her to the Vatican for a private showing of her artwork with the pope.


      She's also worked with the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, headed up by former First Lady Michelle Obama.

      Autumn de Forest, the Pope, Pope Francis, painting, artAutumn de Forest stands with the Pope who looks at one of her paintings Autumn de Forest

      As part of the program, de Forest traveled to underprivileged schools around the country and led painting workshops. Oh, and if you're looking for some hard numbers to attach to Autumn's talent, she's got those, too.

      Her paintings raked in over $7 million at auctions by the time she was a teenager — fetching as much as $25,000 each — much of which has gone directly to charities and disaster relief funds.


      At 23-years-old now, what's Autumn de Forest up to lately?

      Autumn de Forest, painting, art, kidsAutumn de Forest works with other young painters Autumn de Forest

      A lot!

      The transition from child prodigy to respected artist has kept her busy.

      In 2017, the Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center in Hendersonville, Tennessee hosted a major solo exhibition for de Forest titled "Her White Room: The Art of Autumn de Forest."

      That same year, de Forest was listed as one of Teen Vogue's "21 Under 21." In her profile she was praised for her talent as well as her commitment to art education.

      "In dis­advantaged schools, they consider the arts an extracur­ricular activity," she told Teen Vogue. "It's devastating, as there could be child prodigies in these schools, but they don't know that they have this God-­given gift because they're not given the opportunity because there's nearly no art programs in schools."

      In 2018, de Forest was featured in the music video for the song "Youth" by best-selling recording artists Shawn Mendes and Khalid. The video highlights exceptional young people working to change the world, including de Forest, Emma González, and Elias and Zion Phoenix.

      The video has over 17 million plays on YouTube.

      And of course, Autumn continues to share her absolutely incredible artwork on Instagram and in shows and exhibitions around the globe.

      The Autumn de Forest Foundation, helps her keep track of the kids she's met throughout the years and to continue to help them with their art careers.

      A portion of the foundation's money goes to a 529 account set up for the students while 10% goes to them directly.

      "A lot of these kids that I work with, they're not very old, they're in second grade, third grade, fourth grade. Maybe in 10 years, they may only have four or five thousand dollars but that could be the difference between them going to college or not," Autumn told Teen Vogue.

      Autumn's incredible rise in the art world is an astonishing feat for someone who's still in her teens. But that accomplishment is easily matched by her generosity and commitment to helping develop tomorrow's prodigies as well.

      For more information, visit the Autumn de Forest Foundation.


      This article originally appeared nine years ago.

      via Jordan the Stallion/TikTok (used with permission) and State Farm Insurance (used with permission)

      Jordan Howlette (aka Jordan the Stallion) in his new role as Commissioner Gordon.

      Jordan Howlett, 27, is known by his 26 million-plus followers on TikTok and Instagram as Jordan the Stallion (a play on singer Megan Thee Stallion). He’s attracted a massive following for his fast food recipes, life hacks, smooth voice, deep research, kind heart, and iconic “come here” camera zoom. Not bad for a guy who shoots most of his work staring into his bathroom mirror.

      Now that he’s reached the pinnacle of TikTok popularity, he’s branching out as an actor. Specifically, he's taken a role as Chief Gordon in State Farm Insurance's new Batman-inspired commercial. Upworthy talked to Howlett about his new role and how he creates his incredibly popular videos.

      The new State Farm commercials feature actor Justin Bateman as “Bateman,” the last person you want at a crime scene when you could have had the real thing, Batman, show up. In the spot's opening, Bateman meets Commissioner Gordon, played by Howlett, who closely resembles Jeffery Wright, who played the role in 2022’s The Batman.

      “As I began to fill out, I started to resemble Jeffrey Wright, and I think it was just a perfect pairing. I love the work that Jeffrey does,” he told Upworthy. He also channeled Wright’s gritty performance for the State Farm spot. “My mind immediately went to Jeffrey Wright's version of Commissioner Gordon, where he talked with a grungy whisper.”

      - YouTubewww.youtube.com

      Even though TikTok videos made him famous, Howlett couldn’t avoid catching the acting bug after this role. “I have been fully immersed and infected with the acting bug,” he told Upworthy. “I'm the embodiment of a fan and a student of acting and film and TV, and I have such tremendous respect for that art. And as much as I love having these opportunities, they’re due to the work I've done in the bathroom. I'm happy that those created these opportunities, and I don’t take them lightly.”

      Howlett felt the “aura” surrounding his co-star Jason Bateman and tried to define that type of rare charisma. “I think it stems from people feeling as though they're represented by that person on screen,” he said. “If you watch people that you really admire, it’s like they speak to you in a certain way, right? Their art embodies something that really speaks to me. It's almost surreal because it's like you feel you know them on a molecular level.”

      @jordan_the_stallion8

      Dedication is important for big roles #StateFarmPartner @Jake from State Farm

      In his videos, Howlett just tries to be himself. “It really is me,” he shared. “I don't have the bandwidth to try to put a mask on in any way. It really just is authentically myself. And I'm just happy that people can relate to that.” He also works quickly so that his videos feel natural. He records most of them in one take, but spontaneity has drawbacks. “The one downside is, after you posted, you think, like, ‘Oh, would have been funny if I said this.’ But, sorry, it’s too late because I was just doing it one time,” he said. That authenticity comes from a life where he has battled homelessness and depression and started a new life after being a Division 1 college baseball player.

      Because of his ability to overcome his struggles, Jordan is seen as a role model or big-brother figure by some of his Gen Z followers. It’s a big responsibility that he takes seriously. ”I feel like there's a responsibility to people who see me in that way, to make sure that I do the best I possibly can to make them proud,” he told Upworthy. “I don't tell people to do something or use something that I wouldn't do or use myself, and make sure that I stay true to who I am and continue to do that out of respect for them. I'm honored.”

      woman lying in a hospital bed looking out the window

      It's hard to explain the relentless intensity of having young children if you haven't done it. It's wonderful, beautiful, magical and all of that—it truly is—but it's a lot. Like, a lot. It's a bit like running an ultramarathon through the most beautiful landscape you can imagine. There's no question that it's amazing, but it's really, really hard. And sometimes there are storms or big hills or obstacles or twisted ankles or some other thing that makes it even more challenging for a while.

      Unfortunately, a lot of moms feel like they're running that marathon alone. Some actually are. Some have partners who don't pull their weight. But even with an equal partner, the early years tend to be mom-heavy, and it takes a toll. In fact, that toll is so great that it's not unusual for moms to fantasize about being hospitalized—not with anything serious, just something that requires a short stay—simply to get a genuine break.

      moms, motherhood, exhaustion, parenting, parentingAn exhausted mom looks at her laptop while kids play in the backgroundImage via Canva

      In a thread on X (formerly Twitter), a mom named Emily shared this truth: "[I don't know] if the lack of community care in our culture is more evident than when moms casually say they daydream about being hospitalized for something only moderately serious so that they are forced to not have any responsibilities for like 3 days."

      In a follow-up tweet, she added, "And other moms are like 'yeah totally' while childfree Gen Z girls’ mouths hang open in horror."

      Other moms corroborated, not only with the fantasy but the reality of getting a hospital break:

      "And can confirm: I have the fondest memories of my appendicitis that almost burst 3 weeks after my third was born bc I emergency had to go get it taken out and I mean I let my neighbor take my toddlers and I let my husband give the baby formula, and I slept until I was actually rested. Under the knife, but still. It was really nice," wrote one mom.

      "I got mastitis when my first was 4 months old. I had to have surgery, but my hospital room had a nice view, my mom came to see me, the baby was with me but other people mostly took care of her, bliss," shared another.


      motherhood, moms, babies, exhaustion, mental healthAn exhausted mom holds her newborn babyImage via Canva

      Some people tried to blame lackadaisical husbands and fathers for moms feeling overwhelmed, but as Emily pointed out, it's not always enough to have a supportive spouse. That's why she pointed to "lack of community care" in her original post.


      They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to raise a mother. Without the proverbial village, we end up bearing too much of the weight of childrearing ourselves. We're not just running the ultramarathon—we're also carrying the water, bandaging the blisters, moving fallen trees out of the way, washing the sweat out of our clothes—and we're doing it all without any rest.

      Why don't moms just take a vacation instead of daydreaming about hospitalization? It's not that simple. Many people don't have the means for a getaway, but even if they do, there's a certain level of "mom guilt" that comes with purposefully leaving your young children. Vacations usually require planning and decision-making as well, and decision fatigue is one of the most exhausting parts of parenting.

      - YouTubewww.youtube.com

      Strange as it may seem, the reason hospitalization is attractive is that it's forced—if you're in the hospital, you have to be there, so there's no guilt about choosing to leave. It involves no decision-making—someone else is calling the all shots. You literally have no responsibilities in the hospital except resting—no one needs anything from you. And unlike when you're on vacation, most people who are caring for your kids when you're in the hospital aren't going to constantly contact you to ask you questions. They'll leave you to let you rest.

      Paula Fitzgibbons shares that had three kids under the age of 3 in 11 months (two by adoption and one by birth). Her husband, despite being very involved and supportive, had a 1.5 hour commute for work, so the lion's share of childcare—"delightful utter chaos" as she refers to it—fell on her shoulders. At one point, she ended up in the ER with atrial fibrillation, and due to family medical history was kept in the hospital for a few days for tests and monitoring.

      "When people came to visit me or called to see how I was, I responded that I was enjoying my time at 'the spa,' and though I missed my family, I was soaking it all in," she tells Upworthy. "My husband understood. Other mothers understood. The medical staff did not know what to make of my cheerful demeanor, but there I was, lying in bed reading and sleeping for four straight days with zero guilt. What a gift for a new mom."

      moms, motherhood, mental health, exhaustion, relaxing, relaxation A mom relaxing in a chairImage via Canva

      When you have young children, your concept of what's relaxing shifts. I recall almost falling asleep during one of my first dental cleanings after having kids. That chair was so comfy and no one needed anything from me—I didn't even care what they were doing to my teeth. It felt like heaven to lie down and rest without any demands being made of me other than "Open a little wider, please."

      Obviously, being hospitalized isn't ideal for a whole host of reasons, but the desire is real. There aren't a lot of simple solutions to the issue of moms needing a real break—not just an hour or two, but a few days—but maybe if society were structured in such a way that we had smaller, more frequent respites and spread the work of parenting across the community, we wouldn't feel as much of a desire to be hospitalized simply to be able to be able to rejuvenate.

      This article originally appeared three years ago.

      Family

      Why Gen X—'the forgotten generation'—might just make the best grandparents

      Those latchkey kid qualities will come in clutch as we enter this stage of life.

      Gen Xers will be the coolest grandparents ever.

      Generation X came of age with The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, fought our way through the young adult years with Reality Bites and Friends, and managed the madness of middle age with Modern Family and The Office.

      Now the "MTV generation" (yes, we really have been defined by our entertainment as much as anything else) is hitting a new life milestone as our kids start having babies. That's right, Gen Xers are becoming grandparents. The Brat Pack are turning into "The Golden Girls." Seems unreal, yet here we are.

      pretty in pink, 80s, john hughes, coming of age, film, breakfast clubThe Breakfast Club is having grandbabies.Giphy

      But no need to fret too much, slackers, because Gen X is not destined to be typical grandparents. We've already begun to establish that fact with our resistance to being called Grandma or Grandpa or any variation thereof. Gen X wants its own nicknames to match our unconventional, non-conformist vibe. Call us Bubs and Gigi. Popo and Yaya. Skipper and Queenie. Anything but Gramps and Gran, please.

      We need cool nicknames because Gen Xers will inevitably be the coolest grandparents ever. After all, we're the coolest generation. It's just a fact. Everyone knows it.

      cool, genx, generation x, grandparents, cool kidsEveryone knows it.Giphy

      But for those who doubt, here's what makes "the forgotten generation" custom-made for grandparenthood:

      Gen X is practical and resourceful

      Grandkid got a bean stuck up their nose? Gen X won't panic. We've seen it all and we're excellent problem solvers. There's no grandkid shenanigan we can't handle. Think of all the stuff we had to figure out by ourselves when we were growing up and how we can pass those skills down to the grandkids. They're going to be shocked by what we're able to do.

      Gen X is resilient but caring

      We hear a lot about pendulum swings when it comes to parenting, and Gen X hasn't been immune to that phenomenon. The benign (and sometimes not-so-benign) neglect many Gen Xers experienced as kids may have led to some overprotectiveness and hovering in our own parenting styles, but we've learned a lot from both methods. We know that hardship builds character, but so do hugs. We've learned the balance of toughness and tenderness, so when the grandkid falls down, we'll encourage them to dust themselves off, give them a quick squeeze, and send them right back to the playground.

      ferris bueller, dance, genx, generations, grandparentsMatthew Broderick Dancing GIFGiphy

      Gen X is in tune with our inner child

      If any generation has done the work of healing our inner child, it's Gen X. At least, let's hope most have. We've had a lot of decades now to come to terms with our upbringing, to heal the hurt parts, and to remember the joy and wonder of those 70s and 80s childhoods. Who better to hang out with the grandkids? We'll take them to the park and show them how to jump off the swing. We'll take them exploring in nature, make a picnic under a tree, and feel the grass between our toes. And we will thoroughly love it as it reminds us of our own childhoods.

      Gen X is adaptable and tech-savvy

      As the generation that didn't grow up with the Internet but raised kids who did, Gen X has had to adapt to all kinds of new, wonderful, and terrifying technologies in our parenting journeys. As a result, we can help out when the grandkids have some newfangled devices with unforeseen issues that their parents have no clue about. We've been there and done that and have the scars to prove it. Hopefully our adaptability will rub off on the younger set.

      genx, say anything, tech, savvy, grandparentsGIF by moodmanGiphy

      Gen X values work-life balance

      We may not really be at retirement age yet, but Gen X is dialed in on work-life balance. We've got time for the grandkids because we make time for the grandkids. The rat race always got a cynical side eye from Gen X, and even those who've found success in the professional world aren't willing to sacrifice family for the company's bottom line. We'll make some sacrifices to give the grandkids some valuable real-life experiences, and we can teach them what really matters in life in the process.

      In other words, Gen X is going to rock grandparenthood, shedding the stereotypes of older generations. We haven't done any other part of life according to the standard rules, and we're definitely not going to start now. We'll be writing our own grandparent playbook as we go, and our grandkids will be all the better for it.

      3-year-old saves great-grandma after she fell and hit her head

      There's no rule that says only an adult can be a hero. Teens and sometimes small children can become heroes too, even when they're not thinking of themselves as someone worthy of a cape. Bridger Peabody is just three years old but the toddler is already adding hero to his resume before he even starts preschool.

      Bridger is a huge fan of the show Paw Patrol, which came in handy when an emergency took place while he was being babysat by his great-grandmother Sharon Lewis, 77. The two were home alone when the unthinkable happened, "Gigi," which is what Bridger calls his grandma, fell and the toddler had to rescue her. Lewis uses a walker to get around and must've become unsteady on her feet while maneuvering the wheeled walker inside.

      The pair were outside enjoying some playtime before everything went south. As they were making their way inside from playing in the backyard, Lewis fell—but it wasn't just a normal trip and fall. The great-grandma didn't land on her knees, bottom, or even her hands—which probably would caused enough damage. When Lewis fell, she forcefully hit her head on the cement steps and blood quickly rushed from her wound—but that wasn't the end of her problem.

      elderly, great grandma, great grandma, injury, childcareThank goodness the little boy knew what to do. Giphy

      "I tripped over something and fell and hit my head on the concrete step," Lewis tells Inside Edition.

      The elderly woman was unable to move and her cell phone was not with her. Since she was home alone with the toddler, she realized he was the only one there who could help her. So, she instructed him to get her phone. Bridger may be young, but he knew his grandmother was hurt and needed his help. There were a couple of stumbling blocks for Bridger to overcome, though, the first one being that the phone was in the car, not inside the house. The second was that the sun had set and the toddler is afraid of the dark.

      dark, emergency, child, great grandma, helpThe situation was pretty dire.Giphy

      This is where Paw Patrol comes in. The show is popular with toddlers and preschoolers, and depicts cartoon dogs of different breeds donning uniforms from various help and service professions (firefighter, police, construction, etc.) to rescue different fictional animals. It shows kids the importance of bravery, team work, and kindness—which Bridger clearly picked up on. The little guy knew that it was dark outside, but he also knew he needed to help his great-grandmother—so he braved the dark channeling his inner Paw Patrol character.

      His self pep talk was caught on camera and it's just as adorable as one might imagine. You can see Bridger holding his blankie in the night vision security camera as he walks to the car repeating, "Don't be afraid." The boy opens the car door and excitedly exclaims, "YAY! I did it!" when he gets inside the car. When the interior light turned on in the car, Bridger could clearly see the phone and was able to grab it and bring it back to his grandmother, allowing her to call 911.

      The ambulance came to take Lewis to the hospital where she received 22 staples in her head. She's now home safely recovering all thanks to the bravery of her three-year-old great grandson.