Mark Hahn knew of the dangers of tornadoes, but he’d never been as close to one as he was on July 21, 2026. Mark and his dog were outside their Grayson County, Kentucky, home when the confirmed EF-2 tornado ripped through. He and the pup jumped into his RV, which likely saved their lives. Even though the tornado knocked the vehicle on its side, Mark had only minor injuries. Following the tornado, Mark’s Amish neighbors came to his aid. #BREAKING: A Kentucky man who says that Jesus saved him and his dog after a tornado destroyed his home, received an unexpected surprise this week……the Amish showed up and not only helped clean up the damage, but offered to rebuild his ENTIRE HOME for freeWOW!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/40eR9aGlW6— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) July 28, 2026 The Amish Helped Tornado Victims Following the Storm They may not have fancy technology, but Mark’s Amish neighbors showed up after the tornado with loving and helping hands. Not only did Mark’s neighbors want to help clean up the mess, but they offered to rebuild his home for free. That kind of compassion and love is so rarely seen these days. The gesture touched the hearts of thousands of strangers. “This is the way the world was when I was a child. My grandfather and many neighbors from Denver went to help recover victims from the big Thompson canyon flood. Many other times the men went a helped during times of crisis in our state,” someone commented on X. Others have such respect for the Amish. “I love the Amish. Always have. Had a robust presence in my hometown area in KS. I support 98% of everything they do and believe and live… I’ve never seen them reaching out so much, my whole life. It’s wonderful, but is it a new era? What’s going on there?” Someone asked. This person would like President Trump to recognize the Amish not just for their help with this tornado, but for all the good they do. “@POTUS I think the Amish deserve special recognition- they have been rebuilding homes and streets since hurricane helene for free for strangers they never knew. If that isn’t American Christian values I don’t know what is!!” They suggested. Mark Hahn may have lost his home in the tornado, but certainly not his faith in humankind. This story’s featured image can be found here

Lifeguarding is a popular summer job for teenagers but not everyone is cut out for it. It can be mentally grueling work, involving long days of scanning, rapt attention, and staying ready for anything. When danger strikes at the beach, lifeguards have to be prepared with incredible physical fitness, swimming skills, and rigorous training to combat waves that can turn deadly in an instant. One such moment was recently captured in footage that’s gone viral, and it’s one of the most intense ocean rescues you’ll ever see just feet from the shoreline. Cameras capture chaotic, frightening shallow water rescue Recently, a 10-year-old boy was swimming on a beach in Santa Cruz, California, when he was overwhelmed by powerful waves. The first person on the scene? A 16-year-old first-year lifeguard named Ryder. Video footage from nearby beach-goers captured the chaos mid-rescue. Ryder is seen with his arms locked tight around the boy as the two are pounded by waves. He fights to drag the boy to shore when a bystander tries to jump in and help. He, too, is swept away by the powerful current. More strangers try to help but cannot withstand the force of the water. Eventually, another lifeguard joins in and, together, he and Ryder are finally able to pull the boy to safety. Even right on the shoreline, the waves are relentless and it takes all of their strength and training to get him fully out of the water. Every time it looks like they’ve reached land, another wave comes to knock them down. In the end, the boy survived and was safely reunited with his family, his life saved thanks to Ryder and his fellow lifeguards. The full video is just two minutes long, but the entire ordeal is heart-pounding and emotional. Watch it here: Seasoned experts wowed by the young lifeguard’s technique Ryder’s courageous rescue has gone viral across social media and local and national news. He’s being hailed as a hero. “Many years ago as a teenager myself I was a lifeguard. I made eight saves over three summers, and I sometimes think about those people and hope they are doing well today. My little contribution to the world. This lifeguard is a hero and I’m so proud of him,” one Redditor wrote. But even more impressive than his heroism, seasoned lifeguards and experts say Ryder’s technique and composure in the face of danger were incredible. A couple of things stand out from the video: Ryder doesn’t fight the waves. Lifeguards know you can’t outswim or walk through waves this strong. When the swell comes, he takes a deep breath and purposefully goes under with the boy until they pass. In one part of the clip, the two resurface several yards from where they went under—shaken, but alive. He keeps his arms locked around the boy. Lifeguards are trained to approach and grab victims from behind. A panicked victim might bear hug, flail, or pull a lifeguard under. Grasping from behind gives them more control. But the most important thing is not letting go. Ryder wasn’t able to get perfect positioning in the chaos, but his grip was extremely impressive. He orders the bystanders to get back to shore. While well-meaning and brave in their own right, untrained civilians can often make a rescue attempt worse. Ryder followed his training and showed incredible patience slowly making his way closer to shore. Extra people flailing around him and potentially drowning just adds to the chaos and danger. Bryan Kine, a lifeguard supervisor in Santa Cruz, told ABC7, “We appreciate their eagerness to help, but often we find that…they get swept off their feet. We’re really thankful that nobody else was injured or pulled out.” Ryder trained at Santa Cruz County Parks Department Junior Guards. It obviously paid off in just his first season on the job. A lifeguard in Santa Cruz, California, rushed in to rescue a young swimmer caught in powerful surf but was overcome by the powerful waves. Minutes later, two lifeguards along with the young swimmer safely made it back to shore. pic.twitter.com/O4lRUozZIR— ABC News (@ABC) July 28, 2026 The viral nature of the story is giving people a newfound appreciation for lifeguards at the beach. Recent swells in California have seen a huge uptick in rescues. While not all are quite as harrowing as this one, they require incredible strength, determination, and commitment to training from these first-responders. “I am blown away by the love, kindness, gratitude and respect you’re sending his way!” Ryder’s mother said per Fox News. “A few people have asked about a GoFundMe—but honestly he was just doing the job that he absolutely loves.” Instead, she asked that fans of Ryder show their support for the local parks department that taught him the skills that saved multiple lives that day. The post 16-year-old lifeguard’s rescue skills stun as he pulls drowning child from violent waves appeared first on Upworthy.

Love it or hate it, or love it and hate it, the Internet is a place of creation and destruction. It’s where people come together to share ideas and collaborate to make a better world. It’s also the destination of choice for those who like to sow chaos and contribute to the gradual unravelling of civilized society. In this article, we aim to focus on the positive side of the Internet by sharing one of the newest rounds of life hacks, which are seriously simple ways to make your life easier. Tech writer Danny O’Brien coined the term “life hack” in 2004 to describe software-related tricks that developers used to make their lives easier. “Modern life is just this incredibly complex problem amenable to no good obvious solution,” O’Brien told Lifehacker in 2005. “But we can peck around the edges of it; we can make little shortcuts. And once you point out that everyone does that, once you coin the term, it’s really easy to pile a whole of lot of shared behaviors into one neat pile.” The 17 best hacks Reddit had to offer What's your "I can't believe other people don't know this" hack? byu/Extra_Gear7502 inAskReddit Reddit is always a great place for people to share their latest and greatest life hacks. Recently, a user asked people to share the ones that are “so good, you can’t believe other people don’t know them.” The responses didn’t disappoint. They covered everything from time-saving keyboard shortcuts to how to pick the best orange at the grocery store. We combed the list to choose the best 17, and here they are: 1. Pick heavy fruit “When purchasing citrus fruit, select the heavy ones. They are more likely to be fresh and juicy than the lighter ones (assuming the same variety and similar size).” “I learned from Alton Brown to pick the fruit that feels heavier than it looks. Means it’s more dense. Hasn’t failed me yet!” 2. Dental trick “Dental tablets – like the ones that dissolve to clean dentures – clean out water bottles incredibly well. Can be super lightweight to carry while camping/hiking/traveling too. Put all my friends onto this hack!” “Have been using them for decades for cleaning anything that’s not easily cleanable. And since it’s made to clean … teeth you can use it without worry for anything that touches food.” Denture tablets are great at removing stubborn stains, descaling coffee makers, or getting the impossible red-sauce hue out of tupperware. 3. Clipboard history “For people who work on Windows computers, hit the Windows key and V at the same time. Instead of pasting, it opens up your entire clipboard. Once you enable it, it will save a history of what you copy, and you can pick and choose.” “I have worked with computers for decades and just tried this. I cannot believe I didn’t already know how to do this. Thank you random internet person!” 4. Magic delete “Instead of hitting backspace 10x when you misspell a word and want to retype it you hold control and when you backspace it deletes the whole word.” 5. Proven stress reducer “Minding your own business really does reduce stress.” “Honestly, just leaving social media behind in the dust can be amazing for your soul.” 6. Latex for pet hair “A wet latex glove in circling motions extracts all the pet hair embedded in your couch’s upholstery into neat little balls that you can easily collect and discard.” “Tbh you don’t even need to get it wet. The friction and static clump everything together. I work as a dog groomer and at the end of every work day, I throw on a glove and just start going to town on any fuzzy surfaces.” 7. Two checking accounts “Having two checking accounts. One for bills, one for spending. Total up all of your monthly bills and divide by how many paychecks you get in a month. That amount (plus a little more for fluff) should go into the bills account. The rest is for saving or spending and goes to the other account. Never keep the debit card for the bills account with you. That money is NOT for fun times!” “I have not had a single money issue since I started doing this. Should be way higher.” 8. The hiccup cure “If you have hiccup or sidestitch (running), you can rid of it by exhaling all the way till you have no more breath and then hold it for a few seconds.” “For hiccups, I usually take really deep breaths and hold them. I guess either way is pretty much just stimulating the diaphragm, which helps stop the hiccups.” There are many scientifically backed methods for getting rid of hiccups. No one in particular is a silver bullet, but lots of people find one that works for them and stick with it. Listening, bragging and refrigerator tips 9. The trick to being a great listener “Do you want to vent or do you want advice?” “We’re on the same team. It’s you and me vs the problem, not me vs you.” 10. Unzip zip ties “You can loosen zip ties by pinching the side of the block with pliers.” “Alternatively, you can also push a pin or small flathead screwdriver under the tab to lift it and then let the zip tie out that way without damaging the block.” 11. Lettuce that lasts “Wrapping lettuce in aluminum foil makes it last for a month.” The key is getting the moisture levels just right. A sealed plastic bag will make the lettuce soggy, while storing it in open air will cause it to dry out. Loosely wrapped foil keeps just enough moisture on the leaves. 12. Brag your way to the top “Work pro tip, particularly if you are in an office/corporate environment: Just doing your work silently isn’t enough. There is a reason those most vocal are usually who get promoted. It might be unnatural, but you need people to know the work you’re delivering. You have to be comfortable humble-bragging to keep climbing.” “Can confirm. Have talked myself through many promotions all the way from the floor to a director position. I guess I have to do some actual work soon though… meh, let me go see who’s by the coffee machine now. It’s been five minutes after all.” 10+ genius life hacks !Toothpaste headlights, bottle door weights, DIY patches, rust-busting soda & more — pure everyday problem solvers.I think I might Use some of them! #LifeHacks #DIYGeniuses #SatisfyingFixes https://t.co/lIElf6Y0mx pic.twitter.com/m5s04a2vQs— Edwin (@Nuked4Every1) July 20, 2026 Hacks for your mind and mood 13. Meditation is peace “Prayer and meditation do not change other people or your surroundings; what they change is *you*: how you interpret situations, other people’s actions, how you react, etc. and as you calm and filter life through this lens, the people around you become calmer, more at ease, more open to connection with you, and life expands.” “This is also what mindfulness does, too! And ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). They help you learn to give space to your thoughts, feelings, and actions before you make a decision to keep them or let them go.” 14. Get moving “If you’re depressed, don’t feel good, maybe had a bender or anything else, get out from underneath the blanket and take a walk around the block. You will feel 10x better after about 10 minutes of moving. If you’re actually bed-ridden or sick sick. Don’t. But if you’re hungover or beating yourself up or you don’t feel good, go for a stroll. You’ll feel better when you get back.” “When I was super depressed, I’d call it my depression shuffle. Once every 24 hours, didn’t matter what time, I had to go outside for 10 minutes. Didn’t get properly dressed or anything, coat and beanie, and then at minimum a slow shuffle to loop twice around my building. Usually I went right back to bed after. It didn’t make everything instantly better, but it did put me one inch closer toward recovery. An inch is an inch, I’ll take it.” 15. Enliven your leftovers “Using a slightly damp paper towel to cover food when you microwave it. Prevents it from getting dry and retains more flavor.” “Also, if you’re reheating leftovers and don’t want them to be soggy from the microwave, put them in the Air Fryer for 5 to 7 minutes. Works well for French fries, chicken wings, spring rolls, etc.” 16. Revolving credit “I have one credit card that is used exclusively for recurring bills, and it never leaves the house. It’s also set to autopay, so I never have to think about it.” 17. Don’t worry about what you can’t control “Stop allowing things you can’t control to live rent-free in your head.” “A very helpful trick I learned for when anxiety is making me ruminate at night is to pick a random shortish word, preferably with nonrepeating letters (ex, “blue”). Take the first letter of that word (B) and just start listing any and all words you can think of that start with that first letter. When stuck, move on to the next letter (L) and start listing those words. If you make it to the end of your word, start over with a different word and eventually your brain gets bored enough to let you fall sleep lol. I can usually go from high anxiety to dead asleep within a few minutes and most often before I finish my first word, so it might be worth a try! Bonus: there’s nothing to learn or practice for it to work since it’s just listing words hell, it even works if you misspell your base word lol.” The best hacks are usually the simplest At the end of the day, none of these tricks require a special app, a expensive gadget, or a total life overhaul. That’s kind of the whole point of a good life hack: it works because it’s small enough to actually stick. Whether it’s a dental tablet cleaning out a water bottle or a quick walk around the block turning a bad day around, the internet’s collective wisdom keeps proving the same thing over and over. Sometimes the fix you’ve been missing was never complicated, you just hadn’t heard about it yet. This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated. The post 17 life hacks that work so well it’s stunning that more people don’t know them appeared first on Upworthy.

There are so many conflicting ideas about building self-confidence in children. Is there a right way? Could praise be harmful? Should everyone receive a gold star? As with many things in life, sometimes the best solution is the simplest one, hiding in plain sight, or just out of it. Namwila Mulwanda and her partner Zephi practice “gentle-parenting” with their daughter, Nhyara. Shared in a video on Instagram, one of their techniques is talking about Nhyara when she’s within earshot but out of sight. These aren’t your typical behind-closed-doors parent conversations: no venting about daily frustrations or sharing complaints they’d never say to her face. Instead, they create intentional moments of celebration, offering genuine praise and heartfelt affirmation. View this post on Instagram Meet the mom behind the viral video In a viral Instagram post that’s garnered over one million likes, Mulwanda writes, “POV: You talk behind your child’s back so they can hear you.” Self-described as a “passionate mother, content creator, and small business owner,” Mulwanda naturally overflows with ideas: she writes a Substack, She Who Blooms, which is about “blooming in our own time, in our own way.” She also runs Rooted, a shop where she “carefully curates products that embody the essence of growth, empowerment, and staying rooted in one’s true self.” In the video, Mulwanda and her partner sit in a quiet corner, chatting about their daughter Nhyara while occasionally peeking around to see if she’s listening, which she is. With her within earshot but not directly part of the conversation, they discuss their daughter: “I’m just so proud of her and the things she does,” her mom starts. “She works on her reading, like that difficult word that she took the time to really sound out,” adds her dad. They go on to applaud her independence (“She’s always telling me, ‘Daddy, I want to brush my teeth on my own,’” says Zephi), before concluding that she’s amazing. “She’s amazing,” says Mulwanda. “So, so, so amazing,” Zephi responds. View this post on Instagram Parents couldn’t stop relating People in the comments were obviously here for it. Parents shared their own versions of this technique, including one who wrote, “As a solo mom, I pretend to make phone calls to a family member and do this.” Another parent shared a powerful example: “My son used to be scared of climbing down the stairs. So, my husband said loudly, ‘He’s very brave! He has shown a lot of courage lately.’ The next day, when we tried carrying him down the stairs, he said, ‘Nope, I have a lot of courage in me.’” Others reflected on their own childhoods. One commenter wrote, “No exaggeration, I’d be an entirely different person had my parents been like this with me.” “Stop, I was just thinking last night, ‘When I have kids, I’m going to have loud conversations with my future husband about how much I love our children and how proud I am of them,’” another enthusiastically shared. Children believe that conversations between adults are more authentic and honest. Photo credit: Canva Research indicates that indirect praise has a stronger psychological impact than direct praise, particularly in young children. “This is such a powerful way of reinforcing positive behavior,” explains parenting influencer Cara Nicole, who also went viral for her unique approach to parenting. “There’s something special about overhearing others talk about you. You know they’re being genuine because they’re not saying it directly to you.” The psychology behind why it works This effectiveness stems from children’s innate understanding that conversations between adults tend to be more honest than parent-child interactions. From an early age, children recognize that direct conversations with parents often have an intentional, behavior-shaping purpose. In contrast, overheard praise feels authentic and spontaneous, rather than an attempt to influence the child’s self-image. These techniques work best when praise focuses on effort and process rather than innate qualities. Take Nhyara’s dad’s comment: “She works on her reading, like that difficult word that she took the time to really sound out.” Yet, it’s crucial to keep praise realistic and measured. Avoid overzealous claims about future achievements, like acing every spelling test for the rest of her life. Children have keen intuition; if they sense insincerity, the strategy can backfire, damaging their trust in parents. Similarly, over-inflated praise, like declaring “incredible” performance for average effort, can burden children with unrealistic expectations. Keep it simple. A casual remark like, “I noticed how carefully Maya put away her toys without being asked. That was so nice. It really helped keep the house clean.” Why this resonated with so many The viral response to Mulwanda’s video demonstrates the power of gentle parenting combined with thoughtful, specific praise. It’s heartening to see modern parents sharing their diverse approaches to showing their children love. For many commenters who didn’t experience this kind of upbringing, these conversations offer a path to healing. As Mulwanda eloquently states in her pinned comment: “To those of you who only heard negative as a child, you were never the problem. You were a child, and you didn’t deserve the experience you had. Your presence on this earth is a blessing, and the fact that you show up every single day is proof of just how amazing you are. You are brave, you are beautiful (you too, boys), and you deserve the world and more.If any of you feel emotions rising up, close your eyes, hug your inner child, and remind them that you’re there.” – Namwila Mulwanda This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated. The post Parents go viral for ‘secret’ praise technique. Science confirm it’s certifiably genius. appeared first on Upworthy.

The Sound of Music has been beloved for generations, partially for the music (and Julie Andrews’ angelic voice), partially for the historical storyline, and partially for the love story between Maria and Georg Von Trapp. The idea of a nun-in-training softening the heart of a curmudgeonly widower, falling in love with him, and ultimately becoming a big, happy family is just an irresistible love story. But it turns out the real love story behind their union is even more fascinating. Maria Von Trapp (left) was played by Julie Andrews and her husband Georg was played by Christopher Plummer in Photo credit: Public domain The National Archives has collected information about what’s fact and what’s fiction in The Sound of Music, which is based on a real family in Austria named Von Trapp. The film was generally based on the first section of Maria Von Trapp’s 1949 autobiography, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, with some of the details being true and others fictionalized for a movie audience. What the movie got wrong For instance, Maria was actually hired on as a tutor for just one of Georg’s children, not as a governess for all of them. The children, whose names, ages and sexes were changed, were already musically inclined before Maria arrived. Georg was not the cold, grumpy dad he was portrayed as in the beginning of the film, but rather a warm and involved parent who enjoyed making music with his kids. Maria and Georg were married 11 years before leaving Austria, not right before the Nazi takeover. The Von Trapps left by train, not in a secret excursion over the mountains. But perhaps the most intriguing detail? Maria was not in love with Georg at all when they got married. It doesn’t initially make for a great Hollywood romance, but the Von Trapp love story began with marriage for other reasons and evolved into a genuine love story. Maria wrote that she fell in love with Georg’s children at first sight, but she wasn’t sure about leaving her religious calling when Georg asked her to marry him. The nuns urged her to do God’s will and marry him, but for Maria it was all about the children, not him. When Georg proposed, he asked her to stay with him and become a second mother to his children. “God must have made him word it that way,” Maria wrote, “because if he had only asked me to marry him I might not have said yes.” “I really and truly was not in love,” she wrote. “I liked him but didn’t love him. However, I loved the children, so in a way I really married the children.” However, she shared that her feelings for Georg changed over time. “…[B]y and by I learned to love him more than I have ever loved before or after.” Marrying without love wasn’t unusual The idea of marrying someone you don’t love is antithetical to every romantic notion our society celebrates, yet the evolution of Maria’s love for Georg has been a common occurrence across many cultures throughout history. Romantic love was not always the primary impetus for marriage. It was more often an economic proposition and communal arrangement that united families and peoples, formed the basis of alliances, and enabled individuals to rise through social ranks. Some cultures still practice arranged marriage, which limited research has found has outcomes identical to love-first marriage in reports of passionate love, companionate love, satisfaction, and commitment. The idea of marrying someone you don’t already love is anathema to modern Western sensibilities, but the reality is that people have married over the centuries for many reasons, only one of which is falling in love. Maria’s marriage to Georg actually was about falling in love, but not with him. She loved his children and wanted to be with them. It definitely helped that she liked the guy, but she wasn’t swept off her feet by him, there were no moonlit confessions of love a la “Something Good,” and their happily ever after love story didn’t come until much later. Their real love story, explained Ultimately, Maria and Georg’s love story was one for the ages, just not one that fits the Hollywood film trope. And it’s a compelling reminder that our unwritten rules and social norms determining what love and marriage should look like aren’t set in stone. Do marriages for reasons other than love always evolve into genuine love? No. Do marriages based on falling in love first always last? Also no. Should a marriage that starts with “like” and develops into to a genuine, deep love over years be considered “true love” in the way we usually think of it? Who can say? Lots to ponder over in this love story. But Maria’s description of learning “to love him more than I have ever loved before or after” is a pretty high bar, so clearly it worked for them. The Von Trapps were married for 20 years and had three more children together before Georg died of lung cancer in 1947. Maria would live another four decades and never remarried. She died in 1987 at age 82 and is buried next to Georg on the family’s property in Vermont. This article originally appeared last year It has been updated. The post The real-life love story of Maria and Georg Von Trapp we didn’t see in ‘The Sound of Music’ appeared first on Upworthy.