Category: Uncategorized

  • Domestic Diapers: Hello Bello Becomes First and Only Independent Diaper Company to Manufacture in the U.S.
  • Hello Bello just became the first-ever diaper company to manufacture products from start to finish on U.S. soil with the opening of its factory in Waco, Texas. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Oct. 26, and all co-founders were present: Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard, Sean Kane, Jay McGraw and Jennifer Pullen. Hello Bello launched in 2019 and manufactures and distributes over 100 family essential products, including diapers, wipes, toiletries, cleaning supplies and more. The factory is massive at 312,000 square feet and was designed by Waco’s own Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia design team. The new factory will create approximately 200 new jobs for the area, provide greater sustainability in both production and distribution, offer better quality control and lower costs for the consumer. "We started this company with a simple mission to provide access to premium products for all; ensuring that parents never have to sacrifice on quality or choose between their baby or their budget,” Kristen Bell said in a press release. “By having this extraordinary (and very colorful) factory, we will be able to reduce our carbon footprint, create US jobs, provide superior quality control and produce a best-in-class product for all families. We are so grateful." Hello Bello plans to source most of the raw materials from local and regional U.S. supply partners, improving the company’s overall carbon footprint. “From the beginning we set out to design the absolute best diaper on the market that’s both premium, affordable and accessible to all families,” said co-CEO Sean Kane. “Opening our new diaper factory and distribution center [in Waco], means we can deliver even more on our brand promise.” Image source: Waco Tribune
  • Never Too Late: Brown Physics Student Earns Ph.D. at Age 89
  • Manfred Steiner successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation, “Corrections to the Geometrical Interpretation of Bosonization” in Brown University’s Department of Physics. “It’s an old dream that starts in my childhood,” said 89-year-old Steiner. “I always wanted to become a physicist.” As a young man, Steiner fled Vienna as World War II ended and made his way to the United States. “I knew physics was my true passion by the time I graduated high school. But after the war, my uncle and my mother advised me to take up medicine because it would be a better choice in these turbulent after-war years,” said Steiner. He followed his family’s advice and graduated with a medical doctorate in 1955 from the University of Vienna. He then went on to Washington, D.C. where he studied and trained in hematology, and, finally, a three-year stint at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1967. Throughout his career, his love for physics never diminished. “Physics was always a part of me,” he said. “And, when I retired from medicine and I was approaching age 70, I decided to enter the world of physics.” He started taking physics classes at MIT, but transferred to Brown University. After successfully defending his thesis, he said: “It feels really good. I am really on top of the world.” Despite many other accomplishments, Steiner said, “this Ph.D. is the one that I most cherish because it’s the one that I was striving for my whole life.” “I think young people should follow their dreams whatever they are, they will always regret it if they do not follow their dreams,” said Steiner. Image source: Brown University
  • Lifeboat Rescuers Race From Colleague’s Wedding to Save Stranded Paddle Boarders
  • On Oct. 28, lifeboat volunteers in the UK rushed from a fellow crew member’s wedding to rescue six paddle boarders — and they got there in just seven minutes. The men were lined up along the aisle, creating an arch for the newlyweds: Ashley Witcombe, a shore crew volunteer, and his new bride, Cheryl. Moments later, the crew’s pagers began beeping, so they raced to rescue a group of people that were stranded on a small beach at Ilfracombe in Devon. “They’d literally just got married,” said wedding photographer Becky Payne. “We went outside and just after we took a couple of pictures they had to run. It was pretty exciting.” Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboatman Leigh Hanks said, “We hope the pagers didn’t disrupt Ashley and Cheryl’s special day too much, although I’m sure it’s something they’re both used to. It’s not the first time the pagers have gone off at a crew wedding, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.” Hanks said the conditions for the rescue were “challenging,” but the crew rescued three adults and three children successfully. The group was stranded on a paddle boarding trip in the southwest region of England. Later that afternoon, the crew drove past the wedding venue again and waved to the newlywed couple. Image source: Manchester Evening News
  • Enormous Statue Honoring Mister Rogers Unveiled at His Alma Mater
  • Rollins College in Florida unveiled an enormous statue of beloved children’s TV host, Fred Rogers, who graduated from the college 70 years ago.  The bronze statue is over seven feet tall and weighs more than 3,000 pounds. It depicts the “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” star and his Daniel Tiger puppet pal, surrounded by adoring children. He is wearing one of his iconic cardigans and a pair of sneakers that he changed into at the start of each episode. The statue, called “A Beautiful Day for a Neighbor,” was created by British sculptor Paul Day and took 11 months and more than 4,000 hours to complete. It includes lyrics from the series’ theme song “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” which Mister Rogers sang on his show that ran for 31 seasons and had 895 episodes. The statue also has famous characters and the Trolley that connected Mister Rogers’ fictional home to the world of make-believe. "My hope is that this piece will bring joy and inspiration to many people, just as Mister Rogers' Neighborhood did for generations," Day told NPR.” Fred McFeely Rogers graduated with distinction from Rollins in 1954 with a major in music composition. He met his wife at Rollins, Sara Joanne Byrd Rogers, who even had a character named after her on the show. The college hosted Rogers’ son, John, for a private unveiling ceremony last week. “Very, very special — as Dad would say,” said John Rogers. Image source: Miami Herald, NPR
  • Miracle at Mile 8: Young Mother Collapses During Boston Marathon, Fellow Runners Save Her Life
  • Megan Roth, a running coach from Minnesota, was running in her first race since giving birth to her 10-month-old son at the Boston Marathon on Oct. 11. The 34-year-old hoped to beat her own personal record of 2 hours 44 minutes, but she was not stressed — she simply wanted to “go out and race well and have fun being back in Boston.” Eight miles into the race, she began feeling very ill; she then collapsed to the ground and had a cardiac episode. “It happened so quickly that I wasn’t even able to — I just collapsed,” Roth told The Washington Post. “I don’t even remember hitting the ground, so when I woke up in the ambulance, I didn’t realize the seriousness of it.” Marie Rogers, a retired critical care nurse, was cheering on the runners from her brother’s home along the route when she saw a runner on the ground from the window. “She got up with the help of another runner, but she appeared to be going down again,” said Rogers. Rogers and her brother’s roommate, who is also a nurse, went out and found Roth “lying face down, making incoherent sounds.” Rogers noticed her earlobe turning blue, so she turned Roth over and was unable to find a pulse. Rogers started performing CPR and called to a woman on the sideline to call 911. “After a few minutes, a runner stopped, introduced himself as a paramedic. He checked for a pulse, couldn’t find it, so I continued with CPR. Another runner stopped, an ER paramedic and then a physician, and from there they took over. EMS arrived [and they] had to shock her three times,” Rogers said. Distance runners are often alone during long runs, so Roth was fortunate to have been in a populated area with medical personnel on standby. “It was a total team effort, and it gives me great pleasure seeing people come together for the sake of someone else,” said Rogers. Once she regained consciousness, Roth began trying to determine what had happened. “I think my mind immediately went to: ‘I just passed out. I didn’t think I went into cardiac arrest, right?’ I was just, I was thinking I passed out, and I wasn’t exactly sure what had happened,” she said. “So when I woke up, I was instantly devastated and like: ‘What just happened to me? Why?’ Because it happened so early in the race.” Then she had another realization. “‘Oh, my gosh, I was so lucky to be here,’” she said. “I felt like I could be dead right now. It’s just amazing and unbelievable. I think of myself, and if I look at my situation, I think I know how to give CPR, but it’s not something that I’ve ever done before. It’s just all the circumstances of it. I don’t know if I would have been that fortunate if it hadn’t happened there or even if it had happened while I was at home.” “People have been so amazing, and I’m just overwhelmed with the kindness that people have shown me,” Roth said. “I’m just overwhelmed with gratitude with the love and support. The running community is so amazing, and people you never would have expected have reached out to say they have a defibrillator. I continue to get messages and support from people, and it’s just such a happy ending.” Image source: Runners World, KSTP
  • SuperMom: Mother of Four Runs Into Burning House to Save Her Kids
  • A mother of four from Chelsea, Michigan repeatedly ran back into her burning home to save her children from a fire last week. Mikala Vish was severely burned while rescuing her children who are ages 12, 6, 4 and 9 months. “The most heroic thing I’ve ever seen,” Lt. Derek Klink told WDIV-TV. ”Mikala deserves all of the credit.” Vish is in the hospital with second and third-degree burns on over 60% of her body and has a “very long road ahead of her,” according to a post on Facebook by the fire department. Vish’s six-year-old son also suffered burns “on his hands, feet, and back.” A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family since they lost everything they own in the fire — the page has raised over $226,000 so far. Money donated to the GoFundMe will go toward the family's needs following the fire. Funds collected via the site will first be dispersed to Chelsea Area Fire Authority Local 1889 before going "directly" to the family, according to the campaign description. "Please help to provide some relief to Mikala, and her four beautiful children, as she recovers from injuries she suffered in the fire," per the campaign page. Image source: Fox News
  • ‘They Are My Heroes’: Georgia Middle Schoolers Save Bus Driver’s Life During Stroke
  • On. Oct. 1, a bus full of students was en route to East Paulding Middle School in Dallas, Georgia when their bus driver, Julie Williamson, began feeling sick. She was able to safely pull the bus to the side of the road, and seventh graders Conner Doss and Kane Daugherty ran to the front of the bus. "I come in the aisle, and then I look down and Miss Julie's face is just bright red and shaking," Doss told local Atlanta station WSB-TV. Doss kept the other students calm and directed them to the back of the bus while Daugherty assisted Williamson.  "I hear her say, 'Hey! Somebody help!' So I run up. She's over here shaking really bad," Daugherty recalled. "I picked up the [radio dispatch] and said, 'Somebody help. Somebody help, our bus drive feels really dizzy.'" A dispatcher called the bus’s phone and instructed Daugherty on how to set the emergency brake, flashing lights and flashing stop sign. The dispatcher then called 911. "We know she's got diabetes, so we thought maybe it was an attack. We got her to drink Coke, eat cookies, and all of that," Daugherty said. The two students opened a bus window and began waving down passing cars, hoping someone would stop to help before the ambulance arrived. A pastor pulled over, ran onto the bus and gathered the students to pray while waiting for the ambulance. "That was a moment of relief, I think, for Ms. Julie and for us too to know God was on our side," Daugherty said. Williamson is now at home recovering from what doctor’s believe was a mini stroke thanks to the boys’ heroic efforts. Conner and Kane were recognized at the Board of Education meeting on Oct. 12. "I am incredibly proud of Kane and Conner for jumping into action to help their bus driver and make sure their classmates were safe," East Paulding Principal Tom Alverson wrote in an email to Southern Living. "Without them stepping up and saying what they did, I don't necessarily know if I'd be here today. They deserve the world,” said Williamson. “They are my heroes.” Image source: Yahoo News
  • Lifeguards Carry 95-Year-Old Woman to Beach Every Day of Her Vacation
  • 95-year-old Dottie Schneider went to Orange Beach, Alabama in October for a week-long family vacation. She uses a wheelchair to get around and was unable to walk in the sand on her own — but that did not stop her from getting to the beach for some fun in the sun.  Shane Martin, the lifeguard on duty the first day of Schneider's vacation, drove up on an all-terrain utility vehicle to ask if the family needed any assistance. Martin helped Schneider into the vehicle and drove as close as possible to where her family was lounging — he carried her the remainder of the way and ensured she was comfortable in her chair. 
    "Everyday for one week Lifeguards would meet Ms. Dottie and her family to help assist her down to her beach chairs then at days end escort her back to the condo," Orange Beach Surf Rescue wrote in an Instagram caption. “We are forever indebted to the guys with Orange Beach Surf Rescue,” said Kimberly Waterbury, Schneider’s daughter. “They made my mother feel special. She was not made to feel like she was a burden on anybody.” Waterbury said she made several attempts to tip the lifeguards, but her efforts were politely refused each time. “All the pay we need is watching her smile,” they would say. Image source: Instagram / @orangebeachsurfrescue
  • Dad Pauses Midway Down the Aisle to Ask Daughter’s Stepdad to Join Them
  • One dad melted the hearts of millions when he paused as he walked his daughter down the aisle to extend a hand to her stepdad and invite him to help finish the journey to the altar. The bride, Kelsey Griffith, posted the moment to TikTok with the caption: “My dad surprised my stepdad by including him in our walk down the aisle.”
    @griffithk5My dad surprised my step dad by including him in our walk down the aisle🤍 #theperfectday #fyp #wedding #dancingqueen♬ original sound - Nicole Reynolds
    The stepfather thought the dad was extending his arm for a handshake, but he pulled him towards the aisle instead. The two men each linked arms with the bride and continued walking her down the aisle to join her new groom.  “This is what happens when a parent loves his child with complete unselfishness,” one TikTok user commented. “If this doesn’t serve as a lesson to all divorced and or additional parents, I don’t know what does. Congrats to all of you. More parents could learn!” wrote another user. Image source: The Mirror
  • Man Buys Back His Late Mother’s Car Decades After Her Death: ‘It Feels Like She is With Me Again’
  • Some of John Berry’s fondest memories of his late mother are of her cruising in a 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, wearing oversized aviator sunglasses and a scarf loosely tied around her head. The top of the lime green car was almost always down. “She would make it an event to go to the supermarket,” Berry told The Washington Post. “My mom really loved that car.” Berry’s mother, Janis Berry, died unexpectedly at just 43; Berry was 15. “We never got to say goodbye. It was devastating for all of us,” said Berry, who has an older brother and younger sister. “It was a sense of loss that’s hard to describe.” Berry’s parents were divorced at the time of her passing, and her things were sold in an estate sale — nothing was left behind. The convertible was the only thing that was kept, but not for long. The car was still in Berry’s father’s name, and he decided to sell it a few years after his ex-wife died, to a car collector from Defiance, Ohio. Years passed, and in the early 1990s, it hit Berry just how much that car meant to him. “As I grew older, I just longed for her to be in my life,” said Berry. “So I began my quest to hunt down the car.” After several years of searching, Berry finally found the new owner of the car, Mike Hamilton, though he was not interested in selling it. Berry was disappointed but happy to know where it was. He continued to follow up every six months for over 20 years, explaining to Hamilton the significance of the car. “It’s a perfect car,” Hamilton said of the Oldsmobile. “Over the years, several people have asked me if I was interested in selling.” The car became just as special for Hamilton — he enjoyed taking his granddaughters for rides and driving it to church in the summertime. Hamilton has 28 cars in his collection at one point, but he recently decided to begin slowly selling some of them, so he sent Berry the message he had long been waiting for: “I am ready to sell the Olds,” Hamilton wrote in an email Sept. 10. “I have another person that would like to purchase the car but have not encouraged him at all because of your longtime desire.” Berry drove six hours from his home in Union, Kentucky to Rapid City, Michigan, where Hamilton moved in 2000. “I had not seen it since 1980,” said Berry. “It was exactly as I remembered it.” “It was like somebody turned the key, not just on the engine, but on a flood of memories,” Berry said. “It was really powerful. “To be able to sit in that car and put my hands on the same steering wheel she put her hands on and open the door with the same handle she used and sit in the same seat she sat in — it’s a real connection,” he said. A few of his mother’s belongings were still in the car, including a pair of her aviator sunglasses, a stamp from 1972, a map with handwritten notes, and a pair of her mother’s silver hoop earrings. “It came full circle,” Berry said. “It was an emotional journey. “When I walk by that car, I talk to it like it’s my mom,” he said, pausing to wipe a tear. “In a way, it feels like she is with me again.” Image source: The Washington Post