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Joy

Video of two 90-year-old sisters saying goodbye shoots straight to the heart

“If we don’t see each other again on this earth, we’ll see each other in heaven."

@stephanieatkinson/TikTok

Don't say goodbye.

A video making the rounds online is reminding us all that love transcends all time and distance.

94-year-old Barbara Carolan of Seabrook, Massachusetts, hadn’t been able to see her 90-year-old sister Shirley, who lives in Nevada, since 2020.

When it became clear to Barbara that she might not have much time left to spend with her beloved sister, she prepared to make the 2,700-mile cross country trip to say goodbye.

“They waited so long to see each other, and if you don’t know if you’re going to see someone again, you know, especially siblings, it must be really hard,” Barbara’s granddaughter, Stephanie Atkinson Shively, told told her local news outlet WMUR.

Shively volunteered to ride alongside her grandmother and document the trip. In a TikTok video, which has been seen over 13 million times, we see Barbara and Shirley getting emotional while reminiscing.

“We had a wonderful, wonderful time,” Barbara tells Shirley through tears.

“If we don’t see each other [again] on this earth, we’ll see each other in heaven,” her little sister assured.

“You betcha!” Barbara sobs. “You betcha.”

Watch the video below, aptly captioned: “Hug your sister.”
@stephanieatkinson #goodbye #sistersforever #notgoodbye ♬ original sound - Stephanie Atkinson Shively

Needless to say, viewers were struck by the sweet moment.

“There needs to be a category on this app for videos that are guaranteed to make you cry cuz dammit I’m tired of randomly balling my eyes out!” one person wrote.

Another added, “It’s not good bye, it’s see you later. I imagine when we pass, it’ll be like going home. And never again will we have to be separated from the ones we love.”

Shively shared several other moments from the journeys, including some pictures of the sisters when they were younger. But the ‘last tearjerker’ showed grandma Barbara waving goodbye as she made her way back home.

There’s a bit of comic relief in this one, as Barbara yells “until we meet again!” and gets “WHAT?!” from Shirley, having to repeat herself a few times.

Watch:

@stephanieatkinson #sistersforever #notgoodbye #sisterlylove ♬ original sound - Stephanie Atkinson Shively

All in all, just a beautiful, heartwarming reminder to savor our lives, and all the loved ones in it.

Now go hug someone.


This article originally appeared on 9.16.23

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family
Family

Three grown-up brothers create the most epic Halloween photos ever with their baby sister

Patti Schmidt/Instagram

The Schmidt family's Halloween photoshoot has become an annual tradition.

Two of Patti Schmidt's three sons were already well into adulthood when her daughter Avery was born, and the third wasn't far behind them. Avery, now 5, has never had the pleasure of close-in-age sibling squabbles or gigglefests, since Larry, Patrick and Gavin are 28, 26 and 22, respectively—but that doesn't mean they don't bond as a family.

According to People.com, Patti calls her sons home to Point Pleasant, New Jersey, every fall for a special Halloween photoshoot with Avery. And the results are nothing short of epic.

The Schmidt family started the tradition in 2017 with the boys dressing as the tinman, the scarecrow and the cowardly lion from "The Wizard of Oz." Avery, just a toddler at the time, was dressed as Dorothy, complete with adorable little ruby slippers.

The following year, the boys were Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Chewbacca, and Avery was (of course) Princess Leia.

In 2019, they did a "Game of Thrones" theme. ("My husband and I were binge-watching [Game of Thrones], and I thought the boys as dragons would be so funny," Schmidt told TODAY.)

In 2020, they went as Princess Buttercup, Westley, Inigo Montoya and Fezzik from "The Princess Bride."

Patti shared a video montage of each year's costume shoot—with accompanying soundtracks—on Instagram and TikTok. Watch:

"They laugh a lot during the shoots," Patti told People. "The boys are good sports. They adore Avery."

That much is clear. How lucky is this little girl?

Middle son Patrick, who is a professional surfer, told People "It's fun, and Avery has a blast."

Patti is the one who comes up with the theme, which she surprises the kids with. This year's theme remains a mystery, though she asked followers for ideas. People offered some fun possibilities including:

- Goldilocks and the Three Bears

- "Alice in Wonderland," with the boys going as the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter and the Doormouse

- "Brave," with Avery going as Merida and the boys as her little brothers

- "Sleeping Beauty" with the boys going as the fairy godmothers

- Frankenstein's Bride, Frankenstein, Dracula and the Wolfman

- "Friends" with Avery going as Phoebe and the boys as Ross, Chandler and Joey

- "Guardians of the Galaxy"

- "Harry Potter"

Patti offered one vague clue for what this Halloween holds when she told TODAY, "There may or may not be a good-natured groan or two when I pull out the next theme." Hoo boy, can't wait to see what it is.

And yes, in case you were wondering, the brother dressed as Westley did yell "As you wish!" as he rolled down the hill.

@pattiaveryschmidt

Reply to @hmccrow Here it is with audio 😄 #bigbrothers #babysister #theprincessbride #halloween #halloweencostume

And no, the boys and Avery don't just get together for Halloween. The boys and Avery do all kinds of things together, which Patti shares on her TikTok page.

"They are close despite not only age differences but physical distance," Schmidt told TODAY. "Our two oldest sons live in different states, but they're within driving distance, and I try to get everyone together as much as possible."

Here they are teaching Avery how to skateboard:

@pattiaveryschmidt

Families that skate together… #goskateboarding #bigbrothers #familytime

Avery is a seriously lucky little girl.

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Family

These twins share almost everything — except a common gene mutation.

True
Cigna 2017

The first thing you notice when you see twin sisters Carrie and Erica together are their smiles.

They’re big and welcoming, crinkling the corners of their eyes in exactly the same way.

Yet there's one big difference between Carrie and Erica. Carrie has the BRCA gene mutation. Erica doesn’t.

If you don’t know — don't feel bad because lots of people don't — a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene is one of the most common indicators that a person will get breast or ovarian cancer in their lifetime.

Watch Carrie and Erica's inspiring story below:

Her twin sister wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the preventive steps she took.

Posted by Upworthy on Thursday, June 29, 2017

"We have had a substantial family history of breast and ovarian cancers," Carrie says.  And when the sisters found out that their mom had the BRCA gene, they both decided to get tested for it too.

"I was positive and she was negative," says Carrie.

For Erica, relief at her diagnosis was short-lived. "I was also sad and nervous and upset that the two women closest to me, my mom and my sister, both had it."

Rather than worry, Carrie immediately went to work.

Together with her care providers, she arranged for mammograms and MRIs to test for breast cancer every six months, along with blood tests for ovarian cancer.

For a while, all the tests came back fine. Then, one routine MRI revealed some abnormal cells. Carrie had a biopsy to be sure, but the results were conclusive: cancer cells.

Like hundreds of thousands of other women, Carrie began cancer treatment — and she did it with her sister at her side.

"I started chemotherapy," she says. "Lost my hair, lost my appetite, lost a good sense of myself. But, you can come out the other side."

Erica and Carrie. Image via Cigna.

"Without preventive care, I probably would not be here today," she says, her voice breaking. "That's the truth."

Along with knowing her genetics, early detection helped save Carrie’s life. Now she’s not taking anything for granted.

"This could happen to anybody, no matter what age you are," she says. "I would highly suggest people go in to have regular doctor visits and to know your numbers so that you can take control of your health and your life."

Keeping an eye on your health numbers — blood pressure, blood sugar, BMI and cholesterol — can help you spot potential health problems early.

Erica agrees. "Going to the doctor is not the most comfortable thing and mammograms are not that comfortable, but I think Carrie has shown people what’s good about going to the doctor and finding out early."

As Carrie thinks about her future, she’s excited about what it holds. "I'm looking forward to having a family one day, traveling the world, and being more of a participant in this crazy, awesome life."

More

Ariel Winter's biological mom abused her. Her Mother's Day post is important.

On Mother's Day,  actor Ariel Winter shared a touching photo of the woman who raised her — her sister, Shanelle Gray.

The two have been through a lot together.

Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision for Fox Searchlight/AP Images.

In 2012, the Department of Children and Family Services found evidence that Winter's biological mother had been abusive to Winter, a star on ABC's "Modern Family."

Two years and many court dates later, Gray — who helped Winter separate from her biological mom legally and emotionally — became her younger sister's legal guardian.

"Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible mothers," Winter wrote on Instagram. "I was lucky enough to have an unbelievable sister who raised me to be the woman I am today. I wouldn't be anywhere without her love and guidance. She's my rock and my best friend in the entire world."

For many people, Mother's Day can be tough. The day might bring reminders of strained relationships, feelings of desertion or abuse, or the memories of lost loved ones who aren't around to celebrate with flowers or hugs.

Winter's post is a great reminder that families — especially in these modern times — come in all different forms and sizes. We can choose the loved ones we celebrate.

And that means there's no wrong way to honor the woman or women who raised you.

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images.

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