+
Sign up for
The Upworthiest
Our top stories of the day delivered straight to your inbox.
upworthy

acts of kindness

Health

'You saved my life': Suicidal person's life is changed after reading a homemade bumper sticker

One kind note can change the world.

Photo by Tod Perry

A recreation of the note left on Brooke Lacey's car.

If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is in need of help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (273-8255) or text "HOME" to the Crisis Text Line: 741741.


There’s an old Hebrew saying that if you “save one life, you save the world entire.” Who knows if Brooke Lacey, 22, had that lofty goal when she began a campaign in 2020 to help uplift people’s spirits during the first COVID-19 wave.

But her kind efforts may have done just that.

Lacey has struggled with mental health issues throughout her life and she knew that people like her were going to have a really hard time during COVID-19 lockdowns. A study from May 2021 found that the New Zealand population had “higher depression and anxiety compared with population norms.” The study also found that “younger people” and “those most at risk of COVID-19 reported poorer mental health.”


To help those who may be struggling, Lacey printed 600 stickers with an uplifting message and posted them around places where people may take their lives, including trains, bridges and large bodies of water in Wellington, New Zealand. She also made a bumper sticker with the same message for her car.

The stickers spoke directly to those who may be contemplating taking their own life. “Please don’t take your life today,” the stickers read. “The world is so much better with you in it. More than you realize, stay.”

Earlier this month, Lacey parked her car in her university’s lot and when she returned to her vehicle to leave, she noticed a note was affixed to the windshield. Thinking it was someone complaining about how she parked or a ticket, she prepared for the worst but wound up being blindsided by the positive message.

“I left my house with a plan and asked for a sign, any sign, I was doing the right thing when I saw your car in the parking lot. Thank you,” the note read. At first, Lacey wasn’t sure what the person was referring to, then she remembered her homemade bumper sticker.

“I had these made so long ago, put one on my car and forgot about them, until now,” she tweeted on her since deactivated account. “I am so glad whoever you are chose to stay today. You never know who needs this reminder.”

Now, it’s unclear exactly what the person’s “plan” was, but there's no doubt that Lacey’s bumper sticker inspired them to choose life. Let’s hope that the sticker also inspired them to seek professional help for whatever difficulties they are going through.

Whether it was intentional or not, Lacey’s sticker was effective because it followed one of the most important strategies that people use at suicide hotlines. According to Science.org, it’s of utmost importance that people contemplating suicide are handled with “respect and empathy.”

Lacey's story is a beautiful reminder of the power that one simple, thoughtful gesture can have on another person’s life. Every day, there are people all around us who are looking for a sign to give them a reason keep going. Whether it’s a hug, a smile or the right message in the right place at the right time, we should all be like Lacey and make sure everyone knows that the world is better with them in it. In fact, much more than they ever realize.


This article originally appeared on 02.24.22

From Your Site Articles
Pop Culture

People are loving this Amazon delivery driver for warning a woman that her house is 'unsafe'

Great info, even better delivery.

TikTok

Delivering packages AND safety.

Amazon delivery drivers don’t have the easiest job in the world. Sitting through traffic, working in extreme temperatures, hauling boxes … not exactly a fun time. So when a driver goes out of their way to be extra considerate—people notice.

One delivery driver has gone viral for the way she delivered a little bit of safety education, along with some lighthearted advice. The TikTok video of the encounter, which now has more than 4 million views, was shared by Jessica Huseman, who had only recently moved into her new house.


The clip shows the doorbell cam recording of the driver approaching the house. As the delivery driver makes it to the front door, she sings, ”Hello … I hope your Monday’s going well. You have no markers on your house that says what number you are.”

From there, the driver’s song quickly changes tune, going from funny jest to helpful PSA.

“And that is hard to find your house my dude, and it’s unsafe, honestly,” the driver continues, adding, “what if you needed medical assistance and the paramedics didn’t know your town well? Come on.”

@_jesshopehuse We just moved in and this happened today…she’s not wrong though. Guess I need to get some house numbers. #amazondelivery ♬ original sound - Jessica Huseman

“Have a great day!” she says happily before walking off.

Huseman added the caption: “We just moved in and this happened today... she’s not wrong though. Guess I need to get some house numbers.”

The driver’s observation was clearly on point. Several medical pros commented to back her up.

“As someone who works in EMS I can verify house numbers are necessary! BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THEY ARE EASILY VISIBLE FROM THE STREET AT NIGHT,” wrote one person.

Another replied, ”yes! Medic here, we’ve had to call dispatch and ask for them to get [the] caller back on the phone and get [the] description of [the] house because there [are] no numbers.”

Besides her information being vital, people were mostly in love with the driver’s friendly attitude. Here are just a few of the compliments:

“Honestly, give them a raise. That’s awesome vibes right there.”

“She’s a whole friken mood, I love her she gives me pink vibes.”

“I need to meet this Amazon driver!!!! I love her!!”


The delivery driver (named Kelsey) eventually saw her viral video and decided to do a follow-up, where she added other unsafe things she’s seen on the job—primarily unclear entrances and exits—along with an additional sweet message:

@queenofconsent #stitch with @_jesshopehuse ♬ original sound - The Queen K

“Crisis management and prevention education is essential and literally a part of my soul. So anytime I do go out and deliver packages … if I see something, I say something. Cause that’s how bystander intervention works. But keeping in mind that it’s more than that. It is about reminding each other that we are enough, and being there for one another.”

Whether it’s packages or something to smile about, Kelsey is a master of delivery.


This article first appeared on 6.15.22.

From Your Site Articles
acts of kindness
Joy

Stanley responds to woman's intense video showing how only her Stanley cup survived a car fire

Free marketing turned into an act of kindness.

@stanleybrand/TikTok

People love the way Stanley responded.

Sometimes bad luck quickly turns into good luck. And sometimes, one person’s outrageous story quickly turns into grade A advertisement.

Danielle, aka @danimarielettering on TikTok, uploaded a rather intense video showing her scorched car after it caught fire.

Though her car was completely burnt to a crisp, thankfully Danielle was okay—but it wasn’t just her that went unscathed. In her now-viral clip, she shows her still pristine Stanley cup, which she picks up from the center console.

Not only pristine, in fact, but still holding unmelted ice from the day before, which can be heard clinking against the glass.

"Everybody is so concerned if the Stanley spills but what else? It was in a fire yesterday and it still has ice in it,” Danielle says.

@danimarielettering Thirsty after you catch on fire? @Stanley 1913 is like no problem i gotchu #fyp #carfire #accident #stanleycup ♬ original sound - Danielle

This inadvertently gave Stanley a free commercial, which people were very quick to note.

“Stanley better cut you a check after this advertisement,” one viewer joked.

Another quipped, “Never understood the Stanley hype until now so they better get you money for this free advertisement.”

Daniel’s video began racking up millions of views, even making its way to Stanley's global president, Terence Reilly, who made a special response.

"We've all seen your video. Wow what an ordeal, and we're all really glad you're safe,” he says in a video for Stanley’s TikTok account. "I've seen a lot of comments that we should send you some Stanleys. Well, we're gonna send you some Stanleys.”

But then, he sweetens the deal.

@stanleybrand #stitch with @Danielle ♬ original sound - Stanley 1913

“But there's one more thing and we've never done this before and we'll probably never do it again, but we'd love to replace your vehicle… yeah all of us at Stanley we'd really like to replace your vehicle."

Going by the comments section, the gesture was well received—and might have even scored Stanley some more loyal customers.

“As a marketer the is exaaaaactly what I was hoping they would do.”

“This is awesome definitely buying a Stanley now!”

“Ngl love the honesty of ‘probably not gonna do this again’ and that alone might make me consider buying a Stanley.”

“They responded, that freaking awesome. I’m gonna have to buy a Stanley now.”

“Me on Christmas— YOU get a Stanley…YOU get a Stanley…we ALL get Stanleys!”

”Absolutely how you work a marketing opportunity. Take your moment in the spotlight and do good with it. Nice job, Stanley.

Danielle has since posted a heartfelt follow-up video thanking the millions of viewers for supporting her, a complete stranger.

“I think that is the best form of humanity,” she says. “As a person who’s gone through most of their life feeling invisible, you have made me feel incredible. And I can't thank you enough. And I just want to say to anybody that maybe feels like that, like you’re not seen or heard…just give it fifteen seconds. Everything might change”

From Your Site Articles
best of humanity
Joy

Mail carrier saves dog on her route after she noticed it had been bitten by a snake

She let the owners know what happened by leaving a message in their doorbell camera.

Fox5 Atlanta|YouTube

Mail carrier saves dog after its bitten by poisonous snake

Pets are family members and when one is hurt or sick it can feel devastating. But all animals are curious which means sometimes they get out or another animal gets curious about them and they get into a sticky situation. Which is what happened when one family's beagle mix, Ginger was bitten by a copperhead snake while they were at work.

Their mail carrier, Holle Prigmore was out delivering mail when she noticed the dog limping by the side of the road but it was when she went to grab a treat that she realized something was wrong. Prigmore told Fox5 Atlanta that she noticed something moving near the mailbox and when she got closer she could see it was a snake.

The postal worker took a photo of the snake and posted it to social media where the group members identified it as a copperhead. That's when Prigmore knew she had to act fast if she was going to save the dog.

"You should take their collar off cause there could be swelling, and I just knew she might be fine but she's a small dog and I couldn't stand the idea of her maybe suffering throughout the day if nobody was home," Prigmore says.

Not wanting to waste time, Prigmore typed up a quick message on her phone and showed it to the doorbell camera so the Ginger's owners would know what happened. Then off she and Ginger went to the emergency vet. Thanks to the mail carrier's quick act of kindness for the family dog, Ginger is going to be just fine and the family got to thank her in person.

Watch the entire video below:

From Your Site Articles
mail carrier saves dog
Trending Stories