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10 years after going unnoticed, daughter's TikTok turns dad's novel into number one best-seller

Lloyd Devereux Richards' crime thriller "Stone Maidens" shot to the No. 1 spot on Amazon.

stone maidens, booktok
@stonemaidens/TikTok

"Stone Maidens" is now flying off the shelves.

Never underestimate the power of the internet…or a daughter’s love.

Just ask Lloyd Devereux Richards, who’s now a bestselling author thanks to his daughter Marguerite Richards' TikTok going viral. Previously, he didn’t even know what TikTok was.

Lloyd began writing his serial killer thriller “Stone Maidens” back in 1998, based on real crimes that happened during his college years in the mid-70s. He would spend a little over a decade writing the book in the few precious hours he could carve out between his law career and being a dad to three children.

The book was finally published in 2012 after years of rejections from literary agents and editors. Unfortunately, this milestone was not met with many sales.

After seeing all her father’s hard work not pay off, Marguerite didn’t want his story to end on such an anticlimactic note.

“It was such a great book, and I knew how important it was to him,” she told The Washington Post. “He never was like, ‘Ah, nobody cares.’ He just always stayed positive. I thought maybe it’s just because nobody knows about the book.”

So Marguerite made a TikTok account dedicated to promoting his book. The first video showed footage of Lloyd at his desk, unaware that he’s being filmed. In the clip, Marguerite wrote how her dad dedicated so much time to writing it even though “being a dad came first,” and how much she’d “love for him to get some sales."

@stonemaidens It’s a beautifully written thriller on Amazon 🥹❤️ #stonemaidens #booktok #authorsoftiktok #thrillerbooks #books ♬ original sound - e

The Post reported that the video reached a million views overnight. Even better, ”Stone Maidens” had suddenly become one of the top-selling books in its category on Amazon. As of now, hard copies are sold out.

Marguerite posted a follow-up video showing Lloyd finding out the good news, and it’s 100% heartwarming. Tears instantly stream down his face. He is left speechless over the wave of praise.

@stonemaidens you all are amazing! Life can be hard and then it can be wonderful suddenly (still crying) #stonemaidens ♬ original sound - lloyd

“I’m ready for a nap!” he quips while throwing on his glasses. An app he had no idea existed completely changed his life in the span of 24 hours. Life is extraordinary in that way.

Subsequent videos show the pair celebrating the unexpected win, which has left Lloyd feeling “overwhelmed” and “blessed.”

Truly, even with all its inherent flaws, the internet can be an amazing tool for connection. As one person commented, “The world has so many hidden gems. Social media allows us to find them.”

One person noted how TikTok specifically could be a really positive platform, writing that “moments like this are why I stay on the app. The love and generosity from people is astounding. There is definitely more good than evil.”

As for Lloyd’s ever-growing fanbase—he’s been working on a sequel for the past four-and-a-half years. Stay tuned. Something tells me publishing won’t be nearly as difficult this time around.

And for those who might be finding themselves up against a similar challenge with their own creative endeavors, Lloyd does have a tip. Unsurprisingly, it has to do with resilience.

“Write, rewrite and write it again. And never give up.”

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5 ways people are going "All In" this week

From the silly to the sentimental, here are five ways people across the internet are giving it their all.

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When you hear the words “all in,” what do you think? You might picture a color-coordinated, fairy-themed surprise proposal that took months to create, or maybe you think of a singer who went on stage and nailed the perfect high note in front of everyone (like this girl). 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 week, we've found a handful of hilarious and heart-warming videos that perfectly capture what it's like to go "all in"—moments where passion, creativity, and commitment take center stage and something truly special happens as a result. Here are five of our favorite examples.

1. This "Sports Car" singalong

@_julianabba Replying to @courtney_azbell I’m okay @tate mcrae @t8 hq #tate #tatemcrae #tatemcraetour #sportscar #soclosetowhat #misspossesive #misspossesivetour #tatemcrae1 ♬ original sound - jules

The viral song “Sports Car” by Tate McRae has become an absolute viral hit, and it’s not hard to see why. Not only is the song super catchy, but her performance is show-stopping (you might even say she and her backup dancers go all in). Everyone is singing and dancing along—although this content creator’s rendition of the song might be the most passionate one. He gets a little too caught up, as you’ll see at the end of this video—and, well, his reenactment becomes "show stopping" in a different way. (Don't worry, though, he's totally fine.)

2. A little bit of everything, according to Reddit (but especially personal growth) 

This week, the team at All In asked Reddit users what they go “all in” on in their own lives, and the responses were entertaining and inspiring (and sometimes both). One commenter shared that they go all in on blue cheese dressing when they’re eating buffalo wings (respect), while another shared that they go all in on saving up their retirement (we love to see people reaching for big goals). Turns out you can go “all in” on everything from maintaining a healthy marriage to putting salt on your cucumbers. Our favorite responses, though, were people who went in on personal growth and learning. Click here to see what they had to say (and click here to snag a box of All In bars—for free!).

3. Pursuing a life-long dream 

@kynder.jpg that's my mom! 💙⛸️ #iceskating #followyourdreams #figureskating #lifeover50 ♬ No One - Aly & AJ

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking you’re “too old” to follow your dreams, watch this video, because this midlife mom will prove you wrong. This video shows a woman skating in her first figure skating competition—and she’s about to turn 50. The daughter, who filmed and posted the video to TikTok, says that ice skating has always been her mother’s lifelong dream, and recently she just decided to go for it. The costume, the composition, and the passion are all first-rate, but the best part is that the commenters are going crazy for her, too. One of them wrote, “As a former competitive figure skater, nothing makes me tear up like videos of people getting into skating later in life. The ice was my first love, it was home. Welcome home.”

4. These infectious dance moves

@itz_sokizzy

♬ Some Nights - Fun.

Okay, so unlike the figure skating mom, there’s nothing technically impressive about this woman dancing—as in, she’s not a professional dancer. She doesn’t use choreography or sparkly costumes—but what’s great about these videos is that her passion and enthusiasm just can’t be denied. It’s just her in her bonnet, dancing along to upbeat classics like “Some Nights,” by Fun, and somehow you can’t help but be completely mesmerized—and maybe start dancing along yourself. We watched a bunch of her videos—there are tons, and they’re all equally enthusiastic—and we couldn’t help but laugh and groove right along with her. That’s what’s great about going “all in”—it inspires other people, too.

Song re-enactments...with a surprising guest star 

@animallover.zx123 if you're done with your ex move on#just move on#ex #move on with your life #fyp #fyp #fyp #fyp ♬ Gladdest Done with your ex - GLAD FAMILY

People can sometimes be “extra” when it comes to their pets (like dressing up their dog as a cowboy or a mailman for Halloween). But there’s being “extra” with your pet, and then there’s going “all in,” which this TikTok creator undoubtedly does. King Guinea Adventures (@animallover.zx123) has built a platform on staging re-enactments of popular songs, but with a twist: the star of the show is a guinea pig. These hilarious videos show the guinea pig acting out the lyrics of popular songs such as “Video Games” by Lana Del Ray and “Whiskey Lullaby” by Braid Paisley and Alison Kraus. The literalism of these videos is what makes them actually hilarious, and it shows how much thought the creator put into making them (In “Video Games,” for example, when Lana sings “Swinging in the backyard / pull up in your fast car,” you see a literal toy car appear in the swing next to him. When she gets to the lyric “video games,” you see a Nintendo Switch pop up.) It’s creative, it’s funny, it’s fun—and best of all, this creator takes their love of pop culture (and the love of her pet guinea pig) and truly goes “all in.”

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

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Culture

Episcopal priest beautifully explains patriotism vs. nationalism and what sets them apart

One is love, the other idolatry.

Photo credit: Canva

What's the difference between patriotism and nationalism?

Patriotism can feel like a loaded term sometimes, as the meaning can range in people's minds from a basic love of country to a fierce loyalty one is willing to die for. What constitutes "country" can also impact how we perceive of patriotism, as there's a difference between the land, the people, the ideals, and the current government.

And then there's nationalism, which may sound like the same thing but isn't. So what's the difference? Episcopal priest Joseph Yoo shared his thoughts on what separates patriotism from nationalism, and people are appreciating having the key differences laid out so clearly.

@joseph.yoo

Nationalism vs. Patriotism #yourEpiscoPal #YourKoreanFather #nationalism #patriotism #LanguageLearning

"Patriotism is love," Yoo begins. "It's gratitude. It's saying, 'I care about my country enough to tell the truth about it, to celebrate what's good and work to fix what's broken."

"Nationalism, that's idolatry," he continues. "It says my nation is the nation above critique, above others, God's favorite. And once you slap God's seal of approval on your own flag, congratulations, you've just made your country a 'golden calf.'"

He explained the patriotism results in activism like that of John Lewis crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge to demand that the country live up to its professed ideals. Nationalism results in tragedies like the January 6th invasion of the Capitol, where Confederate flags and crosses were seen in the same mob.

"Patriotism says, 'I love my family enough to admit when we've messed up, and I will help us grow," Yoo says." Nationalism says, 'My family is perfect, everyone else is trash, and if you disagree you are out."

"One is honest love. The other is toxic possession," he says. "One builds. One bullies."

Yoo concluded with a biblical point: "Jesus never called us to worship a flag, only to love our neighbor."

It's important to differentiate between patriotism and nationalism because the latter has become a bit of a lightning rod in the political discourse. Some use it as a pejorative term, while others have embraced it as something totally acceptable or even positive. When the definitions are muddied, it causes confusion.

American flags, united states, america, patriotism, nationalism Flags can be a symbol of both patriotism and nationalism.Photo credit: Canva

Of course, Yoo is not the sole authority on what these words mean, but his thoughts are aligned with what the neutral arbiters of definitions say they mean.

Dictionary.com has an entire page discussing the terms, defining patriotism as "devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty,” and nationalism as "the policy or doctrine of asserting the interests of one’s own nation viewed as separate from the interests of other nations or the common interests of all nations," ultimately leading to how the two words are used:

"Patriotism generally has a positive connotation. It’s used for various positive sentiments, attitudes, and actions involving loving one’s country and serving the great good of all its people.

Nationalism generally has a negative connotation. It’s used for political ideologies and movements that a more extreme and exclusionary love of one’s country—at the expense of foreigners, immigrants, and even people in a country who aren’t believed to belong in some way, often racial and religious grounds."

flags, countries, world, patriotism, nationalism Love of one's country is nice. But there's a difference between patriotism and nationalism. Photo credit: Canva

Britannica also has a whole page about the two words, with this basic synopsis of the differences:

"Patriotism is a feeling of attachment and commitment to a country, nation, or political community, and its conception has roots tracing back to Greek and Roman antiquity. It is associated with the love of law and common liberty, the search for the common good, and the duty to behave justly toward one’s country. Nationalism, on the other hand, is a more modern ideology that emerged in the 18th century, focusing on the individual’s loyalty and devotion to the nation-state, often surpassing other individual or group interests."

And then there are some famous takes on patriotism:

“I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.”
― James Baldwin

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.”
― Mark Twain

mark twain, author, patriotism, nationalism, democracy Mark Twain had quite a bit to say about patriotism. Giphy

“Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.”
― Theodore Roosevelt

“The difference between patriotism and nationalism is that the patriot is proud of his country for what it does, and the nationalist is proud of his country no matter what it does; the first attitude creates a feeling of responsibility, but the second a feeling of blind arrogance that leads to war.”

― Sydney J. Harris

There's nothing wrong with loving your country, but anything taken to excess and exclusion isn't healthy. Nationalism is excessive and exclusive in its very nature, and while patriotism can be weaponized, when kept in check it's what keeps people striving to make their homelands the best that they can be for everyone who lives there.

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What makes kids popular in high school? Researchers found they share the same personality trait.

It's not looks, athletics, or grades.

via Canva/Photos

A girl is crowned prom queen.

Every high school has a few "popular" students that almost everyone likes. They are often chosen to be prom king or queen and elected to the student council. They are the folks that everyone waves to in the hallways, and they are usually confident and friendly.

So, what are the traits that make certain people popular and others slink by with little recognition? Are the most likable kids also the most athletic? Do they have a higher GPA? Are they more extroverted? Are they funnier? Are they more attractive?

Communications expert Vanessa Van Edwards was recently on The Dan Buettner Podcast, where she shared the common trait that popular kids have in common. Van Edwards, who describes herself as a recovering awkward person, teaches communication skills at Harvard University.

Researchers discovered the trait after interviewing thousands of high school students and asking them to list the people they liked at school. It revealed a significant finding: popular kids had the longest lists of people they liked.

What traits do popular kids in high school share?



The findings are straightforward: if you like a lot of people, many of them are likely to like you back.

Even though you may no longer be in high school, there are benefits to being popular in your workplace, church, or neighborhood. Van Edwards says we should all learn how to like other people if we want to be likable ourselves.

“Learn how to like," she told Buettner. "In fact, be free with your likes. The most popular kids were the ones who were first likers. In other words, they walked down the hallway and they say, ‘Hey, Dan. Hey, Sarah. Hey, Joy.’ They're the ones who walk into a class and be like, ‘Hey, you want to sit with me?’ They are inviters. They are likers. They are looking for good. And in that way, I think that we can train ourselves to be more likable by searching and hunting for likes."

@steven

Body language expert Vanessa Van Edwards reveals what makes kids popular and the common trait that all of them have 👀 Full episode on The Diary Of A CEO #podcast #podcastclip #interview #bodylanguage #tips #advice #tip #vanessavanedwards #expert #doctor #dr #didyouknow #popular #friends #diaryofaceo

There’s something very positive about the fact that people who like others are liked in return. It’s a great excuse to have an open attitude when meeting new people and to look for the good in everyone around you, even if they may be a little challenging to get along with.

What is the reciprocity of liking?

There is a concept in psychology known as the reciprocity of liking, which states that if someone likes you, you tend to like them back. Because when someone likes you, they are usually kind and supportive. Therefore, most people like those who like them.

However, there is one big caveat to this truth: People with low self-esteem often dislike themselves, so if someone shows them affection, they may not reciprocate because it makes them feel out of balance.

Ultimately, if you want to be the popular kid in any of your social or professional circles, you have to like yourself first. Because when you like yourself, there’s a much greater chance that you will like other people. This leads to a virtuous cycle of friendship growth, where you expand your social circle in a wonderfully positive way.

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Mental Health

These simple techniques can stop you from being bothered by other people's actions

"Every difficult person in your life is showing you exactly where you need to grow."

Photo credit: Canva

These simple techniques stop you from ever getting angry again.

Other people behaving badly can easily disrupt someone's day. People can become angry, sad, or simply unsettled by something someone else says or does, even if they're a stranger. When something like this happens, it usually feels like you have no control over how upset you get from the actions of another person, but what if that wasn't the case?

What if an angry driver screaming at you didn't cause you to feel flustered and out of sorts? There just might be a way to control your negative reaction to others' poor behavior by using a simple technique. It doesn't involve buying a course or sitting through some long seminar, either. It's a trick that many therapists teach clients when learning to manage their emotions without making them someone else's problem.

anger management; angry; controlling anger; emotional control; emotional regulation Heated argument between friends in a bedroom.Photo credit: Canva

YouTube creator Jamie Social recently uploaded a video explaining that anger is a choice. While some may disagree with such a broad oversimplification of anger being an option we simply choose, there is some truth to it once it's broken down into smaller parts. Most people would probably say that they wouldn't choose to be angry if they were given the option between being content or being angry. So, how is anger a choice? And how can someone tap into feeling like they have the option to choose?

"Neurologically, the stress chemicals that create anger naturally flush from your system in exactly 90 seconds, but we keep the anger alive by replaying the story, rehearsing our comeback," Social explains. "It's like having a smoke alarm that goes off when you burn toast, but instead of opening a window, you keep making more toast."

anger management; angry; controlling anger; emotional control; emotional regulation Driver expressing frustration in traffic.Photo credit: Canva

Before explaining how to gain control over those spiraling thoughts that keep you angry long after the inciting incident, Social lists different myths about anger. The first myth is about people who like to push the buttons of other people. Since no one else is in control of your emotions, no one can push your buttons to make you angry, sad, or any other negative emotion, according to the video.

"Buttons only work when they're connected to something. Those buttons are actually unhealed wounds or value violations from your past. When someone pushes your buttons, they're showing you exactly where you still need healing," Social says before later adding that stopping to ask what the feeling is really about can give you time to slow down and think about other instances that made you feel that way. It's the revealing of why the button is there, so it can be disconnected from the source of pain.

Therapists will often say that anger is a secondary emotion. Social reiterates that point by sharing that anger often acts as a bodyguard for more vulnerable emotions. Hurt, fear, disappointment, and embarrassment are all more vulnerable emotions to express, so anger pops up instead to protect the person from feeling emotions they may not be ready to face yet. But learning to identify the underlying emotions can significantly reduce instances of anger, according to Social.

Discovering your own "choice point" is key to helping to eliminate being bothered by other people's behaviors and actions.

"In that space lies freedom," Social says. "Most people don't even know this space exists. Victor Frankle discovered this in a Nazi concentration camp. No matter what happens to you, you always have the freedom to choose your response. That trigger hits, your body floods with chemicals. But before you react, there's a microsecond of choice. When you learn to find that choice point, you become the author of your own experiences."

anger management; angry; controlling anger; emotional control; emotional regulation Offering comfort in times of need.Photo credit: Canva

Additional suggestions include becoming the observer of your emotions instead of becoming them. It's noticing what your body is feeling but not engaging with it in a way that would cause a reaction. Social also mentions reframing people you find difficult to interact with by viewing them as personal trainers for your emotions.

"Every difficult person in your life shows you exactly where you need to grow," Social explains. "That critical boss, they're training your resilience muscle. That passive aggressive neighbor, they're developing your boundary-setting skills. Just like a physical trainer puts you through uncomfortable exercises to make you stronger, emotional trainers build your emotional strength."

Utilizing breaks when you don't have the emotional capacity, creating a trigger journal to know what triggers you, creating healthy boundaries, and avoiding creating stories in your head are additional techniques to help with not reacting negatively.

Changing your response to other people's actions will take time and practice, but these simple strategies will put you on the path to having a calmer existence.

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Mom creates an awesome, in-depth social media 'prep school' for her tween daughter

First lesson? How to handle a mean comment.

Photo credit: Canva

Can we all take Social Media Prep School?

How do parents teach their tweens and teens about using social media safely? How do they make sure they don’t miss out on what is a major fixture of their social life, but still teach them the skills needed to navigate all those icky things that make social media a mental hellscape? Not to mention doing it all while still not having fully figured it out as adults?

It’s a conundrum indeed, but a crucial one for modern day parents to tackle. Thankfully, educator, entrepreneur, and fellow mom Jamie Sea came up with a brilliant idea to help parents cover their bases in a way that’s both neuroscience-oriented and tween-friendly.

She calls it her “Social Media Prep School.”

Sea’s Social Media Prep School is something she originally came up with for her 11-year-old daughter, who will no doubt be entering onto the apps in a few years time. But before that, Sea wants to, “Prepare her for everything: how to not let any kind of comments affect her, how to believe in herself, how to show up in the most amazing way.”

@jamieseaofficial Join us while we prep my daughter for social media❤️ We go over: ✅how the brain filters before someone comments ✅examples she can understand ✅the lens of seeing the world based on our internal world ✅the comment mirror reframe #subconsciousmind #nervoussystemregulation #confidence#motherdaughter #nlp #socialmedia ♬ There Is a Place - Deeper Soaking Worship

First lesson: how the brain filters before commenting.

Holding up an image of a brain, Sea adeptly breaks down pretty heady concepts in a way that her daughter can understand. Using the example of posting a dance video, Sea tells her daughter:

“When somebody sees the dance video, what they're going to do is they're going to see, and then it's going to go through all of these sensations: the way that they see, hear, feel, touch, smell, all of that. And it's going to go through all of their own past experiences. So everything that they've ever been told about dancing and themselves, it'll go through what they believe about the world, if they think dancing is good or bad or silly or stupid. How they're feeling in that moment, like if they're tired or cranky or they just had a bad day or someone just yelled at them, right?”

After making sure her kiddo gets the concept, Sea goes on to explain how these factors can make a person send a not-so-positive comment, like "That’s so cringy.” Regardless of why the comment is made, none of them actually have anything to do with her daughter or her dancing, but instead reflect their internal perspective. And since they don’t see her as a person, just an image on a screen, it makes it “easy for them to just comment on.”

Sea then takes it a step further. Grabbing some glasses, she demonstrates how someone can see the world (literally, in this case) through a different lens. Again, these lenses are created by, “Past experiences, how they're feeling, their beliefs, what they've been told growing up, how they feel about themselves,” she says.

If someone wants what another person has, they might be looking through “jealousy” lenses. People hurting might see and communicate through "hurt" lenses, and so on.

Finally, Sea introduces the concept of what she calls “The Magic Mirror,” basically teaching her daughter what projection is.

Going back to the scenario of someone making the “dancing is...so cringy” comment through a “hurt” lens, Sea asks her daughter to “imagine” that the comment is actually mirroring back a message to the person who wrote it.

“They're actually not saying that to you. They're saying that to themselves.”

And that’s just video one! In subsequent videos, Sea also teaches her daughter why negative comments can still hurt, despite knowing all the aforementioned information (spoiler alert: it’s the nervous system), as well as what to do about it—including body awareness, calming breathing exercises, and reflective practices.

@jamieseaofficial #subconsciousmind #nervoussystemregulation #thejamieseashow #motivation #selflove#motherdaughter ♬ There Is a Place - Deeper Soaking Worship


@jamieseaofficial #subconsciousmind #nervoussystemregulation #socialmedia #momsoftiktok #thejamieseashow ♬ There Is a Place - Deeper Soaking Worship


If you’re thinking, “Holy cow, this is an amazing idea,” you’re not alone. Down in the comments, people were floored (and inspired) by Sea’s thorough approach.

“I would totally pay for a lesson with pdfs to help me navigate this conversation with my kiddos.”

“This was incredible! I am a therapist for adolescents and this is exactly what I help teach my kids when they are having anxious thoughts. I hope a ton of parents see this video and learn how to explain this to their kids.”

Others wistfully noted how even adults could benefit from this type of education.

“I just took this whole class, and I’m 38.”

“This is such good timing because I just got a bunch of hate comments on a video! Thank you!”

We could all stand to learn social media literacy, but especially young developing minds. This is such a clever way to give them vital skills for thriving in today’s world, plus teaching them cool, nerdy words like “amygdala.” Talk about covering your bases.

If you’d like to keep up-to-date with Sea’s Social Media Prep School, give her a follow here.

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Dog being rescued from house fire insists police officer put him on a leash first

Maybe there's such a thing as being too good of a boy.

Photo credit: Canva

Some dogs know they are never to leave the house unleashed.

Well-trained dogs are a treasure, and a dog named Oakley in Aurora, Illinois, has given a whole new meaning to the phrase "good boy." Despite the harrowing situation he found himself in, people everywhere are delighting in this rescue dog's almost-too-good behavior.

According to the Aurora Police Department, the four-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier was home alone on the afternoon of September 11, 2025, when a fire broke out in the home's attic. When police officers responded to a fire report, they found flames coming from the back of the home. Investigator Michael Ely and Investigator Jacob Leonard weren't sure if anyone was home, but they were informed there was a dog, and they forced entry through the front door. They didn't find any people inside, but they did find Oakley in a room with a gated doorway on the first floor.

@cbsnews

A family dog named Oakley led a police officer to his leash as the pup was being rescued from a house fire in Aurora, Illinois. Nobody else was inside the home and Oakley had no injuries. #aurora #illinois

When Ely removed the gate and coaxed Oakley to come with him, the dog immediately ran away through the smoky house—and right past the front door. As the smoke alarm blared, Ely followed Oakley, who went straight to his leash hanging on a hook by the back door. Oakley put his nose up to the leash, then sat down and waited dutifully for Ely to put it on him. As soon as the leash was secured, Oakley was good to go and Ely quickly led him out of the house to safety.

Ely told CBS News, "He ran right to that leash and kind of looked up at it, and I'm like, 'Okay, buddy. We'll put your leash on if that makes you feel better.' As soon as I put the leash on, he took off on me."

Here's the full footage shared by the Aurora Police Department:

Oakley is fortunate that the fire was upstairs and not immediately threatening his life, otherwise his good training may have cost valuable seconds getting out of the burning building. Since the video was shared, Oakley has become a viral sensation, with people in the comments celebrating his dedication to rules and routine:

"Awww... he's like, 'Mom doesn't let me go out without a leash.'"

"What a good boy, and good owners too. They've taught him the only possible way to go out through that front door is when to have your leash on."

"Firefighters: 'This is an emergency we need to evacuate.' Dog: 'No no you got it all backwards bro. It’s an emergency that I don’t have my leash.'"

"He was like, 'You ain't gettin' me in trouble. I got yelled at the last time I ran out the house without my leash!'"

"Oakley’s like, 'Dude, you are an officer of the law, and the law says LEASHES!'"

dog, leash, leash laws, dog rescue, good boy Dog leash is a must. Giphy

The homeowner is so thankful officer Ely was able to find Oakley and get him out of the house. They shared some details about the good pup with the Aurora Police Department:

"He is a rescue dog from a local organization called Players for Pits. He was adopted as a puppy by our family. He is 4 years old and is an athletic dog who loves to play and wrestle. He enjoys snuggling with us, snoring loudly as he sleeps, sunbathing, and eating peanut butter. We are forever grateful to Mike at the Aurora Police Department for saving our sweet dog."

Thankfully, the fire was put out, and despite Officer Ely's smoky coughs caught on camera after exiting the home with Oakley, there were no injuries to any people or pets.

Three cheers for Oakley, the goodest boy, and for the responding officers who risked their own safety to rescue the diligent pup and his trusty leash.

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