Losing weight is never easy, but for father Dave Rueckl, he found his motivation. His stepdaughter, Becky, needed a third kidney transplant due to an autoimmune disorder called Henoch-Schönlein purpura. Unfortunately, Rueckl knew he was not a match to be her donor. However, he figured out what he could do to help her: donate his kidney to a stranger on the National Kidney Registry (NKR). “By donating to the registry, your loved one is moved to the top of the list for the next match in the NKR,” he tells Upworthy. What happened next was a journey of strength, pure will, and grit. Screenshot Rueckl starts weight loss journey Although he was willing to donate his kidney, he wasn’t able to. After undergoing medical testing, Rueckl (who was 60 years old at the time) was told that he was not fit to donate a kidney due to being overweight. “I needed to be under 240 pounds. At this time, I was 295 pounds…and as I like to say very fluffy,” he tells Upworthy. “When the doctors told me I needed to lose the weight this was the perfect time for me to quit making excuses and make some changes in my life.” Rueckl had two people who could help him: his best friend Tom Fameree, a six-time CrossFit Games qualifier, and his wife Gail, a chef.  “[Gail] changed our diet and started cooking healthy nutritious food,” says Rueckl, who added that he was eating fast food everyday. Encouraged by Fameree, he also joined CrossFit Green Bay. Rueckl deadlifts at CrossFit Green Bay. His CrossFit coaches Cody and Justin asked him what he wanted to achieve. “I told them that my main objective was to lose weight and become more fit. They assured me at that time that if I showed up and did the work good things were going to happen,” he says. “They told me it was not going to happen overnight but if I stayed disciplined and showed up at the gym that I would reach all my goals.” Rueckl locked in, working out six days a week. The day of his scheduled transplant surgery, May 26, 2023, his weight was down to 224 pounds—a whopping 71-pound weight loss. Rueckl donates his kidney to a stranger Rueckl’s kidney went to a man named Hasan. The two did not know each other on the day of Rueckl’s surgery, and Rueckl did not know who was receiving his kidney. “There is a process to learning who your recipient is. It falls on the recipient…when Hasan contacted me, I wrote back immediately, and we met about seven months after the donation (on June 28, 2024),” says Reuckl. It was a life-changing moment. “When we met for the first time, it was a really emotional feeling that I don’t think I can truly put down in words,” he says. “But unlike receiving a cadaver kidney, this was a time to rejoice. I was healthy. He was healthy and our Becky was going to get a kidney, and she was going to be healthy also. It was just a wonderful experience.” Rueckl poses with his kidney recipient, Hasan. Rueckl’s stepdaughter receives a kidney Thanks to Rueckl’s kidney donation to Hasan, Becky was moved up the transplant list. Her first transplant (from her Uncle John) occurred in 2001. However, her body rejected it, and she did in-home peritoneal dialysis for about a year. Her second transplant (from a cadaver) happened on July 4, 2003. It was a success, but, by 2021, she went into rejection again. After years of waiting, a match was found. Rueckl poses with his wife Gail, stepdaughter Becky, and grandson Ethan. “Our daughter Becky was finally transplanted on April 30, 2025. It was a long wait after I had donated, but Becky was a tough match and this kidney is perfect for her,” Rueckl shares. “She is doing wonderfully. She is a registered dietitian, and is also a very good mother who attends every single baseball game her son Ethan plays in.” Today, Rueckl is 63-years-old, continues to lead a healthy lifestyle, and is committed to CrossFit. “My health and wellness has never been any better than it is today. I’ve settled in at 240 pounds. I had never done a pull up in my life, and I did 50 at the gym last week. I deadlift 425 pounds,” he says. “By donating the kidney to the NKR, I saved Hasan‘s life, Becky‘s life, and my life. I am healthier than I’ve ever been in my life.” The post Unhealthy dad lost 71 pounds to donate his kidney to a stranger appeared first on Upworthy.

Before the digital revolution’s ruthless efficiency, there were things in life that we delighted in waiting for through the mail. There were quarterly fan club letters you got from your favorite band or sci-fi franchise. There were magazine subscriptions or the occasional letter from your pen pal overseas. People also used to have LP subscriptions with Columbia House, in which they would receive new music in the mail every few weeks. Before the turn of the century, the mail wasn’t always bills, advertisements, and the occasional catalog. Every day, there was a chance that something magical could show up. Gen Zers are making mailboxes fun again Gen Zers are bringing back the joy of receiving something in the mail through snail mail clubs, monthly subscriptions that cost around $8 a month for artists who send stickers, illustrations, newsletters, horoscopes, recipes, bookmarks, and whatever else can fit into a standard-sized envelope. The artwork and stories are usually whimsical and tend to appeal to women. The mailings are a wonderful way for subscribers to feel the joy of receiving something in the mail and a message from a creator they love, instead of disposable content made of pixels and delivered through algorithms. “Physical mail creates a pause,” Jaylan Birdsong, the artist behind the Perch Post mailer, told Dazed. “It asks you to slow down, touch paper, sit with an image, flip through a zine, tape it to a wall, or tuck it into a journal.”  When people receive something tangible, they tend to relish it more than digital artwork. It’s a big reason why people have physical media, like LPs and CDs, because they allow you to really experience the artwork. @jaylanbirdsong With everything going on in the world, this passion project has been so much fun!—designing, making, and sending out art you can actually hold (not just scroll past). It’s a little something to look forward to, and I’m so grateful for everyone who’s joined and supported so far! Each month, I create a new theme and design everything around it. April is all about Earth, sustainability, and retro nostalgia! This month I also put together mini collage kits for some interactivity April spots are open now if you wanna get in on it—link in my bio to join! #snailmail #zine #junkjournal #fyp #foryou #crafttok #junkjournal #mailclub #craftygirl#zine #artistsoftiktok#graphicdesigner#journaltok#crafts ♬ hot slow – berlioz Snail mail clubs aren’t just about getting a surprise in your mailbox; they are about creating a tangible connection between creators and their audience. “Social media sort of feels like driving by a billboard—where people might come across me and say, ‘Oh, that’s nice’, and then they keep going—whereas someone subscribing to my mail club feels like we’re sitting down and sharing a meal together; it’s a much deeper, more intimate way of connecting with somebody,” Christine Tyler Hill, founder of The Coud Hill Report snail mail club, told Creative Lives in Progress. @lastgayamericandynasty13 as soon as @Christine Tyler Hill launched “the cloud report” i knew i had to secure my spot! forget netflix, this is the type of monthly subscription i want. the first edition has arrived, and i loved seeing the local happenings of Burlington, VT through this lense cozy from my home states away! cheers to more physical media this year. can’t wait for next month’s report #supportsmallartists #physicalmedia #thecloudreport #zine #vermont ♬ Whatcha Gonna Do – The Valdons Snail mail clubs are a great way for artists to make extra money The subscription-based business is also great for creators to make some considerable side money. Kiki Klassen, the creator behind Lucky Duck Mail Club, told CNBC that she is able to bring in around $4,385 a month in subscription revenue, with a profit margin of about 70%. The artistic endeavor has “definitely created a cushiony security I didn’t have before,” Klassen told CNBC’s Make It. “It’s been nice not to think about [expenses] paycheck to paycheck anymore.” @theluckyduckmailclub April & May of mail club! I’ve been making the prints more fun and vibrant and I really love them! It’s funny how the sun coming out can totally change your whole mood and style. I have had my head in the garden the last few weeks – can’t wait to see how it inspires the June letter! Every month I send out a letter, an art print and quote of the month to members of my mail club. You can sign up to start receiving monthly snail mail with the link in my bio! #snailmail #mailclub #letters #snailmailclub #art #happymail #letterwriting #snailmailrevolution #penpal #subscription ♬ Grapejuice speed audio – 1D Audioz The one drawback is that creators have to get really good at stuffing envelopes. Unless they have help on the side, a popular creator could have to stuff hundreds, if not thousands, of envelopes a month.  @oncemorewithlove 5 things I wish I knew before starting a mail club. Hope this helps someone #mailclub #penpal #artsub #snailmail #journalingcommunity ♬ やわらかな陽射し – LoFi Siberinyan Snail mail clubs are a wonderful example: once we think technology has robbed us of certain joys, some reach back in time and bring them back. There’s nothing wrong with email or snail mail; the cool thing is that we can enjoy both these days.  The post Gen Zers who love something to look forward to delight each other with snail mail clubs appeared first on Upworthy.

“Get in losers, we’re going to buy an airline,” is the short bio next to the smiling face of Hunter Peterson, an aviation enthusiast making waves trying to disrupt the air travel industry. On Saturday, May 2, at 3 a.m., Spirit Airlines abruptly shuttered, leaving thousands of employees out of work and thousands of travelers holding unusable tickets. There was no notice or warning. One day, people were booking tickets, and the next, the budget airline went dark. This airline made air travel affordable to a subset of people who otherwise couldn’t afford it. Spirit airplaneCanva The FAA and other airlines scrambled to offer solutions for those booked with the budget airline. While Spirit is offering refunds, the loss of a budget airline giant will be felt. Peterson decided to go further by doing something unheard of in the airline industry– crowdsource to buy an airline. The idea behind crowdsourcing funds is to make the airline people-owned. This means there would be no corporation backing the airline. No overpaid CEO, and no large shareholder who gets to decide the fate of the company. Peterson calls it Spirit 2.0, and much to his surprise, an astonishingly large number of people were interested. View this post on Instagram What started as a zany idea quickly turned into an unexpected movement. Peterson set up a website where interested people could pledge money starting at $45– the average price of a Spirit Airlines ticket. The potential CEO wanted to keep the price point within reach. None of the money has left anyone’s accounts. Their pledge acts as a placeholder for future funds, but the clock is ticking. It may sound like an elaborate joke or scheme to go viral, but Peterson is doing the work. Not only has he met with the Spirit Flight Attendants’ Union, but he’s also spoken with attorneys. In his videos shared on Instagram, he explains the importance of doing the legal footwork before money leaves people’s accounts. View this post on Instagram “I just got off two calls,” Peterson says. “One, with one of the largest law firms in the world that specializes in mergers and acquisitions, aviation distress assets, and debt, and they basically said, this is doable. We can do this. I also got off a call with someone that represents high-net-worth individuals who may be interested in basically giving us some money to just burn to figure out the legalities of this.” Peterson explains that in less than a week, they’ll be auctioning the operation certificate for Spirit. This means that if this lofty goal is going to be reached, potential small-donor investors need to reach the astronomical $1.75 billion total. Yes, billion. Before giving the brief update, Peterson’s site letsbuyspiritair.com had already raised over $24 million. The total continues to climb rapidly, with people pledging amounts anywhere from $45 to $850. Since the website popped up, the total pledged has reached $437 million, and it’s restoring hope in people trying to make this proposed people-owned airline a reality. View this post on Instagram “ITS ACTUALLY HAPPENING WE CAN DO THIS,” one person screams. “Is this feeling I have…. hope? It’s been so long since I’ve felt it lol” another says. This person is already thinking bigger, writing, “If this succeeds the people can band together to buy even more companies that get intentionally bankrupt by private equity and we can start brining back consumer friendly practices or seizing the means of production maybe.” Someone else shares, “This Spirit Airlines 2.0 project is giving me hope for America. I know there are more important fish to fry when it comes to issues in America. But if we are successful with this, imagine all the other issues we can address (e.g. healthcare, reparations, homelessness, etc.) using this framework. Like truly power to the people.” The post Man crowdsourcing to purchase shuttered Spirit Airlines exceeds $437 million in days appeared first on Upworthy.

Imagine you’re strolling along, taking in a beautiful day, when suddenly, your eyes catch a large window. Propped up in front of it is a cardboard, handwritten sign. Well, that’s something different. The sign reads in Spanish, “Grita Max. Si tienes suerte, aparecerá Ángel.” This translates to, “Shout Max! If you’re lucky, an angel will appear.” One woman took the challenge, and the results paid off beyond many of our wildest dreams. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pawbuddiz Rescue (@pawbuddizrescue) On the Pawbuddiz Rescue Instagram, we see it all play out in a short clip. A woman happens upon the sign and begins yelling, “Max? Max! Maaaaaax!” Suddenly, a fluffy Golden Retriever pops up, almost as if he’s in a puppet show. His big brown eyes are sparkling, and some could argue that his gentle pant appears like a smile. Her voice seems to melt. “Maxito! ¿Cómo estás?” Max quite possibly “answers” her question with one simple bark. Many in the comment section are moved by the cuteness. With over two million views and just short of 300,000 likes, Max is a big, adorable hit. Fidel One commenter shares a similar story, writing, “In Bruges, there used to be a Golden Retriever who sat in the window on the canal. He was there for many years and was a big tourist attraction. There were paintings all over the city of him. It was awesome.” Another who knew this dog, reminded the commenter of his name: “Fidel.” Others had also met him. “I remember him,” one exclaimed. “Had the lucky moment of encountering him.” Fidel the dog. Photo Credit: Dennis G. Jarvis, Wikimedia Commons It turns out Fidel (or Fidele) was incredibly famous in Belgium and around the world. Back in 2024, a travel blogger shared their wonderful experience meeting him. “When we first arrived in Bruges, I had no idea that the ‘Dog of Bruges’ was so famous. As it turns out, not only is he a famous movie and television star (you can see him for about two seconds at the 4:41 mark in In Bruges, and he also appears in a Godiva Chocolate commercial), but he’s also in the photo collection of every single person who has ever visited Bruges. The dog is a golden Labrador named Fidel and he lives at the Côté Canal Bed and Breakfast. He sleepily hangs out in a canalside gable window and seems to be oblivious to the hordes of fans that pass him daily.” Maxito Returning to Max, an Instagrammer joked, “If I scream ‘Max’ at my phone, will he appear?” And yet another wrote a little two-line play: “Lady: ‘Maxito! What are you up to?’ Max: ‘Chillaxin’.” A dog looks out the window in Amsterdam. Photo Credit: Cecily Knobler Many simply marvel at how adorable it all is. “Both owner and Max are terrific,” writes one. “Such a sweet angel. I wish I had a Max on my street!” gushes another. And one makes a practical point, sharing, “Max is probably wondering how these strangers know his name.” The response? “Even if he wondered, he’s still happy that he’s being recognized.” The post A woman noticed a window sign that asked her to ‘Shout Max!’ What came next was pure joy. appeared first on Upworthy.

Close your eyes and think back to some terms that you heard at a party in the Y2K era. If someone in 2026 genuinely asked, “Do you want to get crunk with that guy wearing bling or is he a scrub?” they’d seem like they were living in the past, right? It goes down just as well as greeting someone with a “Wassup!” from the 1999 Budweiser commercials, or referring to someone’s hat as “fly.” Slang terms seem to have a shelf life of a couple of years before they fizzle out, and are a clear line of demarcation between who’s young and cool and who’s not. The interesting thing is that the term “cool” has never really gone out of style. It was used to describe James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause in 1955 and in 2025 to describe singer Charli xcx. According to sociolinguist Dr. Erica Brozovsky, Ph.D the term “cool” has been used to describe someone who’s incredibly calm for over 500 years. But it really took off in the jazz era, when Black musicians used it to inspire a style and sound.  The birth of ‘cool’  “From Anna Lee Chisholm’s ‘Cool Kind Daddy Blues,’ to Miles Davis’ Birth of the Cool, the word was used to describe a certain kind of musicality, but also a type of personality, laid back, competent, and confident,” Brozovsky said. “By the late forties, The New Yorker noted the term’s rising popularity. ‘The bebop people have a language of their own, their expressions of approval include, cool,’” Brozovsky said. Miles Davis. Credit: Winston Vargas/Flickr The term has endured for decades, from the definition of cool, Arthur Fonzarelli in the ‘70s, to actor-comedian Eddie Murphy in the ‘80s, to Snoop Dogg in the ‘90s, and Bad Bunny in the modern era. The question remains why “cool ” has stood the test of time while terms such as “swell” or “wicked” have fallen into the cultural dustbin. Brozovsky believes it has to do with a linguistic quirk in which humans tend to repeat metaphors with sensory elements more often than those without. It makes sense. “Cool” is something you can feel while “swell” is not. Why is it that ‘cool’ has stuck around? “A 2015 study tracked the popularity of various words and phrases over time and found that terms that evoke a sensory experience are more likely to persevere than those that don’t. For instance, sharp increase became a more popular way to say sudden increase and a bright future became more common than a promising future,” Brozovsky says. Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley. Credit: Marion Doss/Flickr “In fact, the study found that people were 50% more likely to remember a list of metaphors if they contain sensory words,” she continues. “Perhaps swell with its convoluted origin was just too abstract to compete with the physical sensation of cool, but it seems to me that the history of the word outweighs its semantic appeal.” In a world where styles in clothing, music, and vocabulary are constantly changing, it’s nice to know that some things cut across the generations. Whether you’re 70 or you’re 12, you know what it means to be cool. You probably don’t agree on who fits the bill, but vibe is forever. The post Expert reveals the linguistic quirk that explains why every generation loves the word ‘cool’ appeared first on Upworthy.