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Joy

Couple on a bullet train joyfully ducking for a stranger's photo brings joy to millions

The man who took the photo is hoping to find the couple.

Photo credits: @eliapocalypse (screenshot), Abdullah Ghazanfar (photo)

Simple acts of kindness are sometimes the most impactful.

When Abdullah Ghazanfar snapped a picture of Mt. Fuji through the window of a Japanese bullet train, he had no idea his photo would bring joy to millions of people. Considering the fact that it's one of the most photographed mountains in the world, a snapshot of Mt. Fuji taken quickly through the tiny window of a moving train doesn’t seem particularly noteworthy, but it’s not the famous peak that makes the photo so special. It’s the adorable couple ducking down below the window so Ghazanfar could take it in the first place.

“I was on the shinkansen coming back to Awaji island, where I live, after spending New Years in Tokyo,” Ghazanfar tells Upworthy. “[The couple] saw me taking a picture and then ducked down so I could get a better shot. I would've properly come forward and zoomed in, but didn't want them to be down there for too long, so just quickly snapped the picture and said thank you. Showed it to them and they had a laugh and really liked it too.”

Ghazanfar sent the photo to his best friend, who shared a screenshot of his text on X with the caption, “I think this is one of the best things I have ever seen.”

Clearly she wasn’t the only one to think that. The screenshot went viral on X and has since gone viral on multiple social media platforms, with people raving over the wholesome moment.

"This is the sweetest thing I've seen this week!!!"

"It’s their smiles for me. They were so happy to do it."

"I like them more than Mt Fuji."

"Their wholesomeness is more beautiful than the mountain."

"They are the view."

""Seriously even I want to thank these guys. 😍🙌"

People also shared how they'd experienced similar kindnesses when traveling in Japan.

"After 2+ years in Japan, I can say that pretty much sums up my experience. ❤️"

"Just came back from Japan. Japanese are the kindest people I have ever met. 🥺"

"As someone who visited Japan, I can vouch for how darling the people were. 😍"

"Your experience reflects so many interactions we had with the Japanese when we visited their beautiful country. Strangers always so helpful, generous and kind!"

"This is why I love Japan so much 😍"

Going viral on social media wasn’t Ghazanfar’s nor his friend’s intent. They were just sharing a lovely moment of genuine human kindness, but that authenticity is part of what makes it so wholesome. Anyone can make a manufactured image for clicks, but this was a spontaneously captured act of kindness and then shared just for the joy of it. Things like this happen every day all over the world, so on the one hand it isn’t something extraordinary. But these kinds of simple interactions are powerful reminders of humanity’s positive side—reminders we all need, especially on social media.


Ghazanfar says he’s still looking for the couple and that he puts out a call on every share that tags him, in the hopes that he can check in with them about the photo going viral. (If you recognize this couple, let us know!)

“I’m glad the picture is out there making [people] smile,” says Ghazanfar. “And I just really hope I can get some real confirmation from the old couple involved that they're happy with it, since I really didn't think the picture would get this out of hand. But I guess it belongs to the internet now.”

Just imaging this sweet couple in Japan who either have no idea of the delight they’ve brought the world or who have chosen to remain anonymously kind strangers is enough to make you smile, isn’t it?

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Internet

Young man goes viral for unwittingly demonstrating the perfect drunk girl drop-off

Ronny says it's just the way he was raised, and parents are taking notes.

@achi.1122/TikTok

Ronny did all the right things.



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Sometimes it feels like there's an ocean's distance between the way humans should act toward one another and the way we do. So when we see a good example of good behavior—especially in a situation where things so often go the wrong way—it's notable.

Such is the case with Ronny, a young man caught on a doorbell security camera dropping off a young woman who had been drinking. The footage is only 20 seconds long, but people are holding it up as a perfect example of how a guy dropping off a drunk girl should go. The TikTok video has nearly 30 million views, and the comments are filled with people praising Ronny for how he handled the situation.

First of all, Ronny walks the girl to the door and opens it for her. Very gentlemanly.

After she says, "Mommy, I'm so sorry!" into the doorbell camera and goes inside, Ronny addresses the camera himself.

"My name is Ronny, I am sober. I drove her home," he says. As he starts to walk away, he turns around and adds, "My girlfriend's in the car."

Watch:

@achi.1122

Lord its me again 🥴 #TheSecondChild #ThanksRonnie #RingDoorBell #DontDrinkAndDrive #MyWildChild #Sissa #oldfiles

So, this guy stays sober at a party, serves as a designated driver, makes sure the girl gets into her house safely, assures the girl's mother that he drove her there sober and even adds that his girlfriend was with them so she doesn't have to wonder if she was in the car with him alone.

"Shout out to all the Ronnies!" wrote one commenter on Instagram. "I married one. My friend died her senior year of HS, because she was hit by a drunk driver. In my 20’s when I was out, I would ask my boyfriend (now husband) to take some very intoxicated females & males home who had no other ride. He NEVER said no. Now I’m raising young men and this is so so important!! #mothersagainstdrunkdriving"

"Everything about this," wrote another. "Props for her not driving. Props for the gentleman taking the girls home. Props to the adults in his life that modeled that behavior, and in her parents that taught her not to drive after drinking!!!!"

"This is fabulous. I love it. Way to go sorry girl and Ronnie," wrote another. "I did however literally lol at the 100% tired sigh quality in Ronnie’s voice. #Good ol’ Ronnie- doing the right thing even when he’s sick of your nonsense."

Ronny did sound a bit exasperated, but that's all the more reason to give him kudos for doing all the right things.

However, after the video went viral, Ronny took the opportunity to share that he didn't think he deserved praise—he only did what his parents had raised him to do.

"I want to take the 10 minutes of fame I have right now to spread the message, be kind," he wrote in a follow-up TikTok caption. "If at any point, you are in a similar or relevant position where you know you have the ability to help, help. There are certain things in life that sadly not all of us were told and I think that's why the world is the way it is. I am really grateful for my parents for raising me the way they raised me. And to be quite honest, I don't think I would've acted the same way if they would have taught me otherwise. All I'm trying to say is, although I greatly appreciate the attention and the compliments what I did shouldn't be something exceptional."

@ocqv

to be quite honest, I got tired of re-recording this video, I feel like I got my point across enough to be understood. However, if you did not understand what I was trying to say, I’m going to further explain it. I want to take the 10 minutes of fame that I have right now to spread the message, be kind. If at any point, you are in a similar or relevant position where you know you have the ability to help, help. There are certain things in life that sadly not all of us were told and I think that’s why the world is the way it is. I am really grateful for my parents for raising me the way they raised me. And to be quite honest, I don’t think I would’ve acted the same way if they would have taught me otherwise. All I’m trying to say is, although I greatly appreciate the attention and the compliments what I did shouldn’t be something exceptional. It should be the normal thing in my opinion, I believe that everybody’s in a position to help at some point in their life some people just don’t take that opportunity so let this just be a little reminder, help, be kind. Thank you guys 🫶🫶

Well, if there was anything that could endear people to Ronny any more than they already were, it's his giving credit to his parents and encouraging everyone to be kind and helpful.

Well done, Ronny. And well done, Ronny's parents.


This article originally appeared last year.

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Pop Culture

Fans applaud Quinta Brunson for how she supported Jennifer Aniston during an emotional interview moment

“Quinta handled this masterfully."

@variety/TikTok

The way Brunson comforted Aniston speaks volumes.

For those not familiar with Variety's “Actors on Actors,” it’s a live interview series where two actors discuss various aspects of their craft and career. Often, actors will be paired together because of a common thread. Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy during the height of Barbenheimer, for example. Or Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt—both from “The Devil Wears Prada.”

So it’s no surprise that two comedy queens, Jennifer Aniston and Quinta Brunson, would be paired together for the latest “Actors on Actors” segment. What people are astounded by, however, is the way Brunson handled a very serious moment.

At one point during the conversation, a producer off camera suggested that Brunson ask Aniston “what it’s like to watch ‘Friends’ now.”

This clearly struck a chord with Aniston, who, already tearing up, said “don’t make me cry.”

Noticing this Brunson said in a soft voice, “You’re already crying. Do you want a minute?,” before assuring her “We don’t have to talk about [this].”

@varietymagazine Jennifer Aniston gets emotional when asked about "Friends." #ActorsOnActors ♬ original sound - Variety

Tilting her head up to not let the tears fall, Aniston replied “No, no, sorry, I just started thinking about...” before Brunson quickly said “I know. Yeah.”

It’s evident that Aniston’s emotional reaction is triggered by the loss of her former “Friends” cast mate Matthew Perry, who died October 28, 2023. The pair’s friendship remained strong even after the show ended in 2004—Perry even revealed that Aniston was the member of their group who reached out to him “the most” during his sobriety journey.

All this to say, Aniston was understandably triggered by the question. Brunson saw that, and acted accordingly. She once again offered “we don’t have to talk about it,” waited while Aniston grabbed a tissue to compose herself, then masterfully guided the conversation to a joke.

“So, Jen, ‘Friends’ is turning 30…and you are turning 30…When you were a baby on that show, you were so advanced…your fine motor skills were insane”

Viewers applauded the “Abbott Elementary” star for “taking care” of Aniston’s emotional wellbeing.

”Quinta gets props for saying to Jennifer, ‘We don’t have to go there if you don’t want to.’ I get why the producers were trying to create that buzzworthy moment, but I also appreciate Quinta’s willingness to derail it for Jennifer’s sake,” one person wrote on Youtube

“Quinta’s little ‘I know’ — it was so simple but so kind and empathetic,” added another.

Over on TikTok, comments were just as complimentary.

“Quinta handled this masterfully,” wrote one person.

Another echoed, “How Quinta handled that- that’s why she’s where she’s at.”

Seeing people take care of one another never gets old.

You can watch the full conversation between Brunson and Aniston below:

This article originally appeared in June.

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Heroes

Pizza guy whose quick thinking saved a woman's life gets the reward of a lifetime

He saw her trapped in her own home, begging for help.

via WITI Milwaukee

Joey Grundl, Milwaukee pizza guy.

Joey Grundl, who was working as a pizza delivery driver for a Domino's Pizza in Waldo, Wisconsin, was hailed as a hero for noticing a kidnapped woman's subtle cry for help. It's a timeless story that continues to resonate with people today.

Back in 2018, the delivery man was sent to a woman's house to deliver a pie when her ex-boyfriend, Dean Hoffman, opened the door. Grundl looked over his shoulder and saw a middle-aged woman with a black eye standing behind Hoffman. She appeared to be mouthing the words: "Call the police."

"I gave him his pizza and then I noticed behind him was his girlfriend," Grundl told WITI Milwaukee. "She pointed to a black eye that was quite visible. She mouthed the words, 'Call the police.'"

domestic abuse, celebrity, community, kidnapped

The Dean Hoffmann mugshot.

via WITI Milwaukee

When Grundl got back to his delivery car, he called the police. When the police arrived at the home, Hoffmann tried to block the door, but eventually let the police into the woman's home.

After seeing the battered woman, Hoffmann was arrested and she was taken to the hospital for her wounds.

Earlier in the day, Hoffman arrived at the house without her permission and tried to convince her to get back into a relationship with him. He then punched her in the face and hog tied her with a vacuum power cord.

"If you love me, you will let me go," she pleaded, but he reportedly replied, "You know I can't do that." He also threatened to shoot both of them with a .22 caliber firearm he kept in his car. The woman later told authorities that she feared for her life.

An alert pizza delivery driver helped save a woman from her abusive ex-boyfriend, police say. A 55-year-old Grafton man now faces several counts of domestic ...

A day later, Grundl was seen on TV wearing a hoodie from Taylor Swift's "Reputation Tour" and her fans quickly jumped into action, tagging Swift in photos of the hero. Grundl already had tickets to go to an upcoming Swift concert in Arlington, Wisconsin, but when Swift learned of the story, she arranged to meet Grundl backstage.

"She … she knew who I was," Grundl jokingly tweeted after the concert. "I'm thoroughly convinced Taylor gave me a cold."

"This has been one of the most exciting weeks of my life," Grundl said. "I'm legitimately getting emotional and I almost never get like this. But as the likely most memorable week of my entire life comes to an end … I guess I can really say … I'm doing better than I ever was."


This story originally appeared four years ago.

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