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Boy breaks down crying after learning his new puppy was a gift from his late father

47-year-old Joe was allergic to dogs, so he knew exactly what to get his son for when he wasn't around anymore.

via Inside Edition/YouTube andWZZM13
Boy moved to tears after learning his new puppy was a gift from his recently deceased father

For some people, when they come face to face with death, they begin to think a lot about their legacy and what they'll leave behind. Others worry about who will take care of their family and loved ones with them gone. Some people film videos or write cards for birthdays and other special occasions ahead of time, while others opt for even bigger and more emotional gestures and posthumous gifts.

On January 8, 2020, 47-year-old Joe Kavaluskis lost his nine-year battle with multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer. He left behind a wife and two sons after his passing. But that didn't stop him from fulfilling one of his son's dreams a week later on his 13th birthday.

In the final days of his life, he told his wife, Melanie, to buy their son, Logan, a puppy after he passed. He thought the dog would brighten his spirits after such a loss and it was something he always wanted but couldn't have. Joe was allergic to dogs so he couldn't have one in the home.

kids, puppies, dogs, animals, pets, cancer, death, fathers, dads, family, love, heartwarming The boy's father was allergic to dogs, so they never could keep one in their home. Photo by IgorTheGoodBoy on IG — Boston Terrier on Unsplash

"He said, 'Just promise that when I do pass, that you get Logan a puppy as soon as you can, because I know that it will bring him a lot of comfort,'" Melanie Kavaluskis told Inside Edition.

Throughout his childhood, Logan had hermit crabs and lizards, but never the puppy he always wanted. When he was 3 years old he got a stuffed Boston terrier and named it Puppers and took it everywhere he went for years.

Joe thought it was the right time for his son to have a real Boston terrier of his own.

A week after Joe's passing, Melanie told her son Logan they had to drive to Midland, Michigan to pick up a puppy, but he had no idea it was a gift for him. Halfway through the drive home, his cousin Jon broke the news.

"That's from your dad. That's your dog," Jon told an astonished Logan. "Really?" Logan replied.

The 13-year-old boy looked down at the dog and he still couldn't believe it was his. "'Dad wanted you to have a puppy," his cousin said.

Best of all, the boy's emotional reaction to the news was captured on video, making for a truly incredible moment and memory for the still-grieving family.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

The pain of the loss is still fresh for Logan in the video, and you can see the exact moment his emotions come spilling out. It's incredibly powerful.

"Words can't explain the shock," Logan later told WZZM13. "I had to ask 'really?' again, just to make sure it was my dog and not a horrid prank."

The family has named the dog Indy and Logan says he's a great fit for the family.

kids, puppies, dogs, animals, pets, cancer, death, fathers, dads, family, love, heartwarming A Boston Terrier can't replace a dad, but it can help. Photo by Kindred Hues Photography on Unsplash

"He fits to all of our needs. Cuddles with my mom and my brother and plays with me, unless I want him to relax," Logan said.

Melanie thinks that her husband's final gesture may have been his best.

"He got it right. This was amazing. This gift is just perfect. Perfect timing," she said.

The Inside Edition coverage of the story was viewed over 6 million times on YouTube. Commenters from all over the globe chimed in to share how much the story meant to them.

"Imagine your dad's last day on earth last ever wish was to make his son happy, im never taking my dad for granted ever again"

"You can tell he’s a very sweet appreciative kid. Mom and Dad did a good job raising him."

"Imagine your dads dying wish to be for you to have the one thing you couldn’t have when he was here"

"He had the most caring father, dedicating his last wish to his son. What an amazing person."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Joe's gesture may have done more than just cheer up his son. Research shows that pets can be a big help for kids who are grieving.

"Pets can help improve mood," said Gina McDowell, a licensed professional clinical counselor and behavioral health clinical educator at the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, in a Huffington Post article.

"Playing with pets often creates positive emotions that can last throughout the day and may even help manage symptoms of anxiety and depression," she continued.

It has to be terribly frustrating to be suffering from a terminal disease knowing you'll be unable to comfort your children when you're gone. But Joe did one of the most beautiful things imaginable by fulfilling one of his son's dreams while also giving him a way to cope in a time of need.

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.

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Girls give the 'fear my father' trope a wholesome twist with adorably dorky dad reveals

He's not mad, he's just disappointed.

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Girls are "warning" guys not to get on their dad's bad side, with a wholesome twist.

We all know the stereotype: there's the beautiful girl with no shortage of suitors, but there's just one problem—her dad is a menace. He's large, burly, cold as ice, and usually sitting on the front porch with a shotgun. If you want to date her, you better be ready to impress him (and he's impossible to impress). Worse, if you hurt her, he'll hurt you even more.

It's a common trope seen in movies, TV shows, and country songs. And while, as a dad myself, I respect being protective of our daughters in a world that can be really dangerous for them, the stereotype and attitude behind it probably does more harm than good.

Luckily, a new viral trend is putting a wholesome twist on the "fear my father" trope, and people are gobbling it up.

Girls on TikTok and Instagram are making videos warning anyone who might hurt them that they'll have to deal with Dad. Tense hip-hop music sets up the dramatic reveal of these intimidating father figures, only...they're all the sweetest, most lovable dorky dads you ever did see.

In Madeleine Byrne's take on the trend, she reveals her sweater-wearing father as he giddily discusses all the things he loves about shopping at Costco. Watch out, bad boys!

"Stay away if you hate a good deal i guess," she joked.

@madeleinebyrnee

Stay away if you hate a good deal i guess

User Jackie McLoon ups the ante, showing off not one, but two threatening dads. They're promptly shown dancing around, wearing silly outfits, and even blowing bubbles outside for fun. Scary!

"mess with me I dare you," McLoon writes.

@loonymcloony

mess with me I dare you. #lgbtq #fyp

Definitely don't mess with Eunice Cycle, whose dad will make you a mean cup of his famous Chinese soup.

Cycle loves to torture her adorable dad with these videos. In another, she teases, "Cheat on me? This is my dad," to which he responds with a peace sign, a laugh, and a "Yes, cheat on me, too."

Oh, Dad. Never change.

@eunice.cycle

TikTok · Eunice Cycle🧋

In another spin on the meme, a girl reveals her smiling dad dancing goofily in an apron. Yep, definitely don't want to mess with her! If only because you could never live with yourself if you broke her sweet father's heart.

@sweetmemesaremadeofgeese

#meme #memes #funny #funnyvideos #dad #daughter #cheat #cheater

The trend has been going strong for five years now, evolving slowly over time. By now there are hundreds of videos of girls and women doing their own take on the joke, and commenters continue to eat it up.

"having a dad like this was my dream growing up.," one commenter wrote about Madeleine Byrne's Costco-loving father.

"They will hit ya with 'I’m not mad, just disappointed' and we all know that hurts the worst," someone wrote about Jackie McLoon's double dads.

"your dads the loveliest man ever i would never mess with you for fear that it would upset him," a commenter told Eunice Cycle about her soup connoisseur dad.

The violent and threatening overprotective father archetype comes from a place of love, really, but it's really not the best template for what a positive male role model should look like.

I mean, who wouldn't be worried for their daughter in a world where domestic violence, sexual assault, and even infidelity are so prevalent?

But the answer to that violence is not more violence. Worse, the looming, terrifying father trope infantilizes woman and suggests they can't be trusted to make their own decisions. It treats them like property, something to be guarded and given away by men. And, believe it or not, it unnecessarily demonizes young boys and men.

Truth be told, there are other and better ways to protect your daughter. The dads in these videos may not be physically imposing or even have a mean bone in their bodies, but making your girls feel safe and loved, modeling gentle and positive masculinity, and being an active and affectionate presence in their lives—now that's how it's done!

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Studies show non-parents are happier than parents unless 1 of these 3 things are true

"Bundle of joy" might not be the most apt nickname.

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Having kids decreases your quality of life and marital satisfaction, but that doesn't mean you can't be happy.

For decades now there's been one great question looming over society: Does having kids make you happier?

Most studies show that, perhaps surprisingly, people without children tend to be happier, or have more life satisfaction. And when you really think about it, it makes sense why. Being child-free eases your finances and allows you more time to pursue friends, romance, hobbies, travel, adventure, and career aspirations. Having children makes your immediate quality of life and marital satisfaction go down temporarily, or in some cases, permanently. The Surgeon General even recently issued an advisory warning that parental stress is a major public health issue.

But there are three factors that might turn the tide. In the right circumstances, the joy and immense satisfaction of raising children can overcome all the associated stressors and lead to incredible joy and happiness. Other studies from around the globe prove that you might just be a happy parent if:

parents, parenting, moms, dads, children, kids, family, love, stress, happiness, studies, research When your kids grow up and move out, it's like you've won: That's when the happiness really kicks in. Photo by Esther Ann on Unsplash

1. Your kids have moved out

A study from Heidelberg University in Germany specifically looked at happiness in people aged 50 and older. What they found makes a lot of sense.

People who have children were happier than those without, but only in the older age group, and only when those grown children no longer lived at home. Drilling down, the research found that when children become a source of "social enjoyment" rather than stress, life satisfaction increases dramatically while symptoms of depression decrease.

You can think of it as finally getting to enjoy the fruits of your hard labor. After spending decades teaching, nurturing, and shaping your children, your twilight years is when you get to really enjoy them as fully-fledged people who enrich your lives. While there's lots of joy and fun and happiness to be found in the younger years, those years are also marred with financial and other stressors which can subdue our overall happiness.

2. You have a lot of money AND good work/life balance


parents, parenting, moms, dads, children, kids, family, love, stress, happiness, studies, research Parents struggle to make enough money while devoting time to caring for and enjoying their kids. Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

One study out of Bocconi University in Milan, Italy found that "Parents are happier than non-parents ... as long as parents feel they can handle their work pressures to find work/life balance and they have the financial and other resources they need."

Oh, is that all?

Some estimates say it costs roughly $24,000 per year to raise a child, on average. A family with three kids would need to make about $75,000 just to cover the absolute bare minimum food and childcare costs — yowza! The costs are more when they're young (daycare, childcare, diapers, toys) but it never stops being expensive. Parenting is also extremely time-consuming, requiring several hours per day of childcare and extra housework for most families.

The impossible conundrum that many parents find themselves in is somehow having enough money and enough time to do it all. It's easy to see that if you can somehow solve that puzzling equation, yeah, you'd be a heck of a lot happier. Easier said than done!

3. You don't live in the United States

parents, parenting, moms, dads, children, kids, family, love, stress, happiness, studies, research Parents in Spain, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, and more are enjoying more time off to spend with family. Photo by Mauro Lima on Unsplash

In 2016, The Council of Contemporary Families wanted to look into whether parental discontent was a global phenomenon or not. So, they studied parents and non-parents from 22 different countries to see if they could find any differences in life satisfaction.

The report found that parents in countries like Norway, Hungary, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and Spain were shown to be happier than non-parents.

And yet, according to Time Magazine, "Of the 22 countries the researchers studied, America has the biggest happiness differential between parents and the child-free."

The report specifically cites the high cost of childcare for young children and the limited amount of paid leave Americans receive—and not just parental leave, but simple vacation time. Countries like Spain and Portugal mandate anywhere from 22-30 paid leave days per year, while Americans average about 11. That allows for significantly less time to actually enjoy time with your kids, and has a big impact on our happiness, or lack thereof.

Of course, happiness can be measured in a lot of different ways. Is happiness a blissful feeling of freedom and joy? Or is it a deep satisfaction and sense of purpose in your life? Or maybe a combination of the two?

What the overall body of research seems to show is that there are many different paths to happiness, whether you choose to have children or not. Finding joy and satisfaction in your life as a parent might be considered "hard-mode." There are a lot of obstacles working against you, especially in America, but the research is beginning to give us some clues about how we can get there.

This article originally appeared in May.

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A man called 911 but couldn't speak, so his 5-year-old daughter heroically stepped in

"Don't worry, Dad."

jeffsaks123/YouTube
A man called 911, then his 5-year-old picked up the phone. Life-saving adorableness ensued

The old "Someone call 911!" scene in TV and movies makes stressful emergencies seem a lot easier to manage than they actually are. If you've ever been the one to make that call, you know that adrenaline comes on strong. It can give you energy and strength, but it can also make you shaky, and it can make it hard to keep a clear head while you talk to the dispatcher. You might have trouble staying calm, clearly describing the situation and your location, and following potentially life-saving instructions.

That's what makes this next story all the more incredible. A 911 call can be a scary thing, and an emergency call from a dad having chest pains and trouble breathing is no exception. But thankfully, an exchange between that dad's 5-year-old daughter and 911 dispatcher Jason Bonham turned out to be more humor than horror. If you missed hearing the recording that has repeatedly gone viral since 2010, you have to hear it now. It's perfectly timeless.

When an Indiana dad used his cell phone to called 911 and couldn't talk, his daughter Savannah picked up the phone. Remaining remarkably calm, cool, and collected, the articulate 5-year-old expertly answered Bonham's questions—and added her own hilarious commentary as well.


911, 911 call, emergency, kids, cute, adorable, family, dad, dads and daughters, ambulance 5-year-old Savannah did an amazing job staying on the phone until medical help arrived for her dad. Photo by Mark Boss on Unsplash

At Bonham's request, she made sure the front door was unlocked so the emergency crew could get in. She told him about their dog, Lou Lou, who was "small" and "barks a lot," but was "friendly." She consoled her dad—who may have been in the middle of a heart attack—with "Don't worry, Dad," and "Stay calm, Dad." (Cue tears here, wow.)

She also kept the dispatcher up to speed on what was happening, repeatedly saying, "So far, so good." She asked her dad Bonham's questions, like had this ever happened before? Was he having chest pain? Was he able to breathe? She acted as mouthpiece and translator, effortlessly multitasking during the call.

But the pièce de résistance was when Savannah told Bonham that she and her dad were in their "jammies" so she'd have to change. "I don't know what I'm gonna wear, but...he really needs oxygen, real fast."

Five. Years. Old. This kid is seriously something else. Watch:


- YouTube www.youtube.com

Recordings and news clips of the call have racked up millions and millions of views. People just can't believe Savannah's remarkable poise and adorable wit.

"That moment you know you won as a parent," a YouTube commenter said.

"This little girl is extremely bright, & has NOT been raised with a lot of mombo-jumbo baby-talk ; the parents have done a great job of raising a very articulate child" another added.

"This brought tears to my eyes the way she looked after her daddy," someone wrote.

"I defy anyone not to shed a tear when she says 'don't worry Dad!' That is pure perfection," added another.


@crimewave_911

Savannah Hensley, an incredibly brave 5-year-old girl, called 911 to get help for her father, who was experiencing chest pains and was having trouble breathing. The 911 dispatcher was surprised and even thankful for how calm Hensley was in the situation. She was only 5 years old but very composed and aware of the situation at hand. Frank, her father, was in no position to speak, but Savannah was up to the job. What 911 dispatcher Jason Bonham didn't expect was for Savannah to keep him entertained #911 #911call #fyp #fypシ #fypシ゚viral #fypage #crime #crimestories #crimejunkie #brave #saved #story #viral #police

Bonham said he was surprised by how Savannah handled the call. "Most people when you talk to them, they're hysterical," he told Eyewitness News. "Every time I've listened to it it's amazing. She's just a little person."

Thankfully, despite the scare, everything turned out fine for Savannah's dad. When the story went viral, her mom posted on Facebook, "We are so grateful & blessed that Savannah's 911 call is still being circulated. It makes the whole entire night worth while. The more awareness it brings & the more adults that teach children what to do the better!"

The story originally occurred about 15 years ago, which makes Savannah around 20-years-old today. According to posts on her mother's Facebook profile, Savannah looks happy and thriving in her normal, everyday life, despite the story picking up new viewers every single year.

Well done teaching that kiddo, mom and dad. She was truly amazing. And kudos to Jason Bonham for the masterclass in talking a child through a life-threatening emergency. Thanks to these two heroes, everything turned out A-OK for this Indiana family.

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.

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