Adorable moment a deaf and autistic boy who has 'no friends' received more than 700 birthday cards sent by strangers
Image by: Jon Mills
This is the adorable moment a deaf and autistic boy who has 'no friends' received more than 700 birthday cards sent by strangers across the world.
Mum Natasha James, 33, put an appeal out on Facebook to see if anyone would send Dylan a card for his ninth birthday.
He had to be taken out of school due to his condition more than a year ago and lost contact with other pupils when he spent nine months receiving treatment in London.
But Natasha, of Plymouth, Devon, said they were stunned by the mountain of cards that kept arriving through the post for him - even during the coronavirus lock-down.
The final tally was 714 and Dylan spent most of his birthday on Thursday (March 26) opening them up - with his mum filming his joyous reaction to it all.
She said: "Dylan spent a long time in London in hospital and has been out of school for over a year. He doesn't have any friends, which is horrible to say.
"I put an appeal on Facebook to see if anyone would send him a card.
"The response we had from strangers was completely overwhelming. People were contacting us saying they would like to buy him something and what sort of card would he want.
"They were absolutely brilliant. We thought we might get about 100, which would have made it very special. But the last count we had 714.
"They were still putting things through the door right up until his birthday and leaving presents on the doorstep."
Natasha said they had cards from as far away as Las Vegas and Australia. A chief petty officer in the Royal Navy, known as Bernie, also delivered a box of arts and crafts and 55 cards from all recruits at the navy barracks.
Image by: Jon Mills
Image by: Jon Mills
Image by: Jon Mills
She added: "We have been inundated with cards and little gifts. The appeal went live on Facebook four weeks ago and things started arriving the following day. The postman had to knock on the door every day and they had to come in a special van. Some days there were 10, other days there were 50.
"On his actual birthday (Thursday) we had 103 cards.
"We were stunned. I put the appeal up and just hoped for the best and thought some would be better than nothing.
"It is such a tough time for people at the moment and they are not meant to be going out.
"We thought it would really slow down with the coronavirus but people were still making the effort by posting them during their only exercise of the day and they continued to turn up.
"We are just so grateful that we are surrounded by such lovely people who were able to make Dylan's day so special.
"His birthday was tough. He is autistic and does not understand why he can not go out. He kept asking throughout the day, can we go out now and can he have a friend come over?
"Every time he did we just went back to open more cards. It took hours to go through them all.
"It certainly gave us something to focus on and made the day a lot easier.
"People are only allowed out once a day and to think during this time they wanted to post cards for my little boy was overwhelming. It means the world they were still making the effort for Dylan.
"You can see in the video he was totally overwhelmed. His reaction was brilliant. He didn't know where to start and was so intrigued to find out where they had all come from."
Natasha said Dylan had been out of school since February last year and had lost contact with everyone since. He spent nine months in London being treated and was now living at home with his three siblings.
She added: "He does not understand the situation so it has been difficult with him. But this meant the world to us.
"We will display the cards as much as we can in the front room and will be rotating them each day.
"It made a very difficult time slightly easier and we will be forever grateful to the kindness strangers showed to my little boy."
Video by: Ellis Wylam
Icy conditions cause a water ball to instantly freeze in a mesmerising pattern
Image by: Carol Bauer
This is cool footage of the icy conditions that causes a water ball to instantly freeze in a mesmerising pattern.
The footage was captured on a frosty February morning by 55-Year-Old Carol Bauer in her hometown of Graceville, Minnesota, USA.
Carol said: “In the winter I like to photograph snowflakes, frosty trees, sundogs and when it is extremely cold I experiment with hot water freezing as it comes out of hot cup and I’ve even shot it out of a squirt gun and like to see how it freezes in mid air.
“I would say though frozen bubbles are one of my favorite. I like to try to make them look unique by utilizing every day items I have such as unique glass, glass flowers petals, crystal balls that I use for some of my other photography set ups.
“This year I tried something new and set a rose that I received for valentines in a glass and encased it in a frozen bubble.
Image by: Carol Bauer
Image by: Carol Bauer
''I try different objects and then since sunrise and sunset are my favorite things to photograph I like to do it at that time of day to give it that unique glow that only sunrise and sunset can give.
''The temperature ideally should be below zero for the crystals to freeze quickly.”
“I mix up my solution with water, corn syrup, and sugar. I then set it outside for it to cool a bit before I begin.
''I place solution in desired object and take a straw and blow the bubble and let nature take its course. It not only has to be cold but it needs to be have fairly calm winds otherwise it will pop too quickly.
“I did not have a lot of opportunities to get out an do frozen bubble this winter as it was busy with a lot of family things going on and on the day I did this video it was going to be one of the last cold days to do this and the temperature, the wind speed and sunset all came together to make it work.
''I should also note you do not need an expensive camera for this. I have nice cameras but for this I used my iphone. So it is a very inexpensive way to have some fun.''
Video by: Carol Bauer
Fashion designer creates remarkable "squishy" flesh suits out of cotton and jersey fabrics - to show the concept of an "ideal" body type is "ridiculous"
Image by: Daisy May
Meet the bizarre 'family' created by a fashion designer using a series of grotesque 'flesh suits.'
Textile artist Daisy May Collingridge, 29, used her skills to make five striking characters - Burt, Hilary, Clive, Dave and Lippy - out of stuffed fabrics.
The characters - which she refers to as her family - have exaggerated anatomical features which give them an unsettling effect.
Drooping layers of hand-dyed fabric in pink and purple are stuffed with wadding and bean bags to exaggerate the human anatomy.
Gaping eyeholes are cut from the headpieces of the bespoke suits which each take around three months to create.
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
One is loosely based on her father Dave, but the others she says are 'imaginery.'
Daisy says she created them to show there is no such thing as an "ideal" body type.
Daisy, who lives in Leicester, said: "They neither promote nor demote one body type, The idea that there even is an "ideal" body is ridiculous.
"They are creations that are reflective of the human form but with fantasy elements and I really designed them to bring a bit of joy into the world.
"They, just like people, have their own individual characters and, just like people, some people will be repelled by them whilst others will adore them."
Daisy graduated from Central St Martins, University of Arts in Kings Cross, London, in 2014.
And since then has been developing her favourite form of design - free machine quilting.
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
The technique sees Daisy hand-quilting three layers of hand-dyed jersey fabric and cotton, filling it out with wadding, beanbag beans and even sand, to form a soft, "blobby" skin suit.
The sculptures can be displayed as static items or can be worn for a more lifelike performance.
She said: "It's just become something else now. It's become these figures. They move so well - they're stretchy, and they bounce a little.
"All the outfits are made up of separate components to make them more wearable - so often it's a stuffed vest top, or the quilted material stitched over dungarees to slip on.
"And there's gloves and a mask to cover the hands and head. It's all based on normal outfits."
Daisy added: "It's artwork, more than anything. I want to do more photoshoots with them, and I definitely want to do more exhibiting and performance work."
Video by: Gabriella Petty
This is the hilarious footage of a levitating dog on a broomstick dressed as Harry Potter
This is the hilarious footage of a levitating dog on a broomstick dressed as Harry Potter.
Filmed by Nicky Gilmour and hoisted into the air by her husband Gilly, 4 year old Springer Moose could easily be The Boy Wizard.
Nicky, a 42-year-old childminder from York said: “This video was a group effort with my husband and daughters ellenor and Gracie.
''Moose is a four year old springer - the video was inspired from tik toks the girls have been showing us.
''We decided to make some of our own and had to include our gorgeous boy Moose.
“Moose is seen rising on a broom wearing a Harry Potter cloak my husband is behind him holding him steady whilst we get his attention with his favourite possessions.. a ball....... we are only sorry we could find the Harry Potter glasses.''
Video by: Gabriella Petty
Stunning video of northern lights above shipwrecked boat captured by photographer
Image by: Brian Matthews
Trapped in an icy grave, this doomed shipwreck is framed by a stunning celestial display of the northern lights.
The ill-fated SS Ithaka was wrecked after being blown onto the coast near the town of Churchill in Canada in 1960.
British photographer Brian Matthews caught the eerie, dark outline of the wrecked freighter trapped in sea ice - with a dazzling aurora display above it.
A shroud of lights in an array of shades of green seem to dance in the heavens above the shipwreck which lies trapped in the sea ice around it.
Brian, 41, from Hartlepool was amazed by his snaps, and rated them "the best northern lights photos I've ever taken."
Image by: Brian Matthews
Image by: Brian Matthews
Image by: Brian Matthews
He and friend Alex didn't intend to capture such magnificent shots however.
Brian said: "Originally we went to photograph polar bears.
"But then we went back to Churchill and as the weather cleared up, we saw the solar activity had changed.
"I've seen the northern lights several times and they vary in strength, but on this night they were so strong, yellows and greens dancing across the sky, and as it strengthens reds and purples appeared too which I've never seen!"
The northern lights, sometimes known as an aurora, happen when electrons crash into atoms in the atmosphere and give off photons of light.
Video by: Brian Matthews
Meet the skateboarding cop who shreds at the skatepark - in full uniform
Image by: Craig Hanaumi
Meet the “the coolest cop ever” a skateboarding police officer who is a star at the skatepark - in full uniform.
Officer Craig Hanaumi skates in full uniform, shredding at the skatepark with with the kids of Bellevue, Washington, USA.
“I always have my skateboard in cop car,” said Hanaumi, 44, who has been working in law enforcement for 16 years.
Hanaumi has been skating since he was a little kid growing up in 1980s Hawaii, but he took a 25 year break to train to be a cop and move to Washington.
In 2015 he got a nuisance call about skaters doing tricks in the parking lot of a bank.
Before he politely escorted them off the property Hanaumi asked the kids what tricks they were doing and even tested out one of their boards.
A video of the interaction hit YouTube, gathering over 150,000 views with comments calling Hanaumi the “coolest cop ever.”
“When I was a kid the only contact I had with cops was when they were kicking us out of places for skating, which is fair enough,” he said.
“But now the kids in our community...their first contact with a cop might be to actually skate with one.
“We want people to forget the uniform, I would hope that skating helps to humanize the badge.
“When I can show up to the park and have people acknowledge that, other than the uniform, I’m just an old guy skateboarding, then I have succeeded.”
Hanaumi now hits the skate park every week, does flips off his cop car and, occasionally, he even skates around the police station.
“There aren’t too many good spots in the police station, it’s all flat ground, there are much better places in the city to skate - we have three world class skate parks in this city,” he joked.
The cool cop also imbues his law enforcement activities with ’aloha spirit' – a combination of kindness, modesty, respect, patience and perseverance.
“I try to share the aloha spirit in every interaction I have,” he said.
Adding: “I’m not that good at skating, I’m good for a 44-year-old police officer, if there was a category for that I’d be ok!
“I actually haven’t improved much at skating since I was nine-years-old, but I haven’t got worse either, so that’s good.
“I don’t think the kids are that impressed by my skill, but I think they appreciate that I am out there doing it, I’m not trying to show off."
Image by: Craig Hanaumi
Image by: Craig Hanaumi
Image by: Craig Hanaumi
Image by: Craig Hanaumi
Like most skaters, Hanaumi isn’t too afraid of getting hurt.
“I have had a lot of accidents and injuries, you can’t be a skateboarder without having injuries, it’s impossible,” he said.
“You have to fall down thousands of times to gain any kind of proficiency, you can’t get around that, you have to keep getting back up.
“The scars and abrasions you get from skateboarding are like badges you wear with a bit of honor.
“In 2016 I attempted to drop in on a Vert Ramp and I slammed twice, really, really hard both times, that hurt so much, my hip and my front elbow were so bruised!
“A video of it got shared on Thrasher magazine’s Instagram, that's like the bible for skaters, it was very funny.
"After that I knew I had to go back and try and get it right. I got there in the end!
“The skateboarding mindset is that you keep doing it until you get it right.”
Despite the bumps and bruises Hanaumi’s superiors are very supportive of his activities.
“I’ve had really fantastic bosses over the years. However my current supervisor Sgt Ben Jones took it to the next level.
"Not only does he support the skate outreach, he’s out there skating with me whenever he can. It’s fantastic.
“We have city-run skate camps, how cool is that?”
Hanaumi uses a board made by the acclaimed skate company Street Plant, run by skate legend Mike Vallely, who is also the lead singer of the hardcore punk band Black Flag.
“Mike Vallely actually donated ten boards which we gave away to kids in the community,” said Hanaumi.
“For someone of his stature to collaborate with someone in law enforcement was very significant.
“He has such a great ethos, he’s always said that skateboarding is for everyone who gets on a board, it doesn’t matter who you are, or how good you are.
"That's the way I see it too."
Video by: Gabriella Petty
Dad-of-two who lost arm while serving in Afghanistan becomes first military veteran in the world to receive a 3D-printed multi-grip 'bionic arm'
Image by: Simon Galloway
A British army veteran who lost an arm while serving in Afghanistan has become the first serviceman in the world to receive a 3D-printed multi-grip 'Hero Arm'.
Darren 'Daz' Fuller lost his right hand and forearm a decade ago when a friendly mortar in Helmand Province inexplicably misfired and struck him.
The 43-year-old says recovering from the trauma was "immensely difficult" but that he is experiencing a "new lease of life" after being fitted with the "incredible" bionic arm.
The prosthetic, which Bristol-based firm Open Bionics market as the 'Hero Arm', is made using a state-of-the-art 3D printer and gives amputees never before experienced dexterity.
The bionic arm works by picking up signals from muscles in the user's residual limb.
When Daz flexes his muscles, special sensors detect naturally generated electric signals and convert these into intuitive and proportional hand movements.
Image by: Simon Galloway
Image by: Simon Galloway
Since receiving his arm, Daz has been able to hold his daughter's hand with his right hand for the first time ever and use a knife and fork, which he hasn't been able to do for years.
He said: "I can now do so many of the little things that most people take for granted - I'm so happy.
"I can hug my daughter and play games with her in a way I have never been able to before, it's amazing.
"There are so many things I’m doing two handed compared to before, and so many things I'm still discovering.
"It's a really exciting time."
Daz, who lives in Colchester, Essex, with his wife and four-year-old daughter Sky, enlisted into the Parachute Regiment in 1994 and served for 20 years.
He completed tours in Northern Ireland, Macedonia and Iraq before his fateful final outing in Afghanistan in 2008, when his right hand and forearm were blown clean off.
The section commander was operating army weaponry to provide support for troops patrolling nearby when an explosive shell, or mortar bomb, went off and struck him.
Image by: Simon Galloway
Image by: Simon Galloway
Image by: Simon Galloway
Image by: Simon Galloway
Daz said: "I ducked as the mortar went off and then looked down to see half my arm was missing, there was blood everywhere.
"I wasn't in a huge amount of pain, I was just thinking, 'will I see my girlfriend and son ever again, will I survive?'
"It was such a surreal moment because even though you're a serviceman you think losing a limb isn't the kind of thing that will ever happen to you."
Daz thought he was "going to die" in the immediate aftermath of the incident and then, as the months wore on, he went through a period of denial over what happened.
He said: "I had a range of different emotions as time wore on but eventually I accepted the situation I found myself in and moved on.
"It wasn't easy because I was right-handed, so I had to learn how to do everything all over again with my left, which was a huge challenge."
Over the past decade Daz has tried a number of prosthetics but found none of them worked exactly how he wanted, until he got the bionic Hero Arm this year.
He said: "The functionality is absolutely amazing, I can make the smallest movements with it.
"I've tried all sorts of prosthetics over the years and the Bionic Arm is by far and away the best of the lot - it's absolutely brilliant.
"I really believe it's going to improve my life massively."
The prosthetic has given him the ability to do things with his daughter such as paint, bake and do crafts.
The former serviceman, who was medically discharged in 2014, received funding for his Hero Arm through the NHS Veterans’ Prosthetics Panel, which is a pathway for veterans who have lost a limb while serving.
The prosthetic can be purchased by civilians in the UK for around £10,000.
Daz was also supported by Blesma, a limbless veterans’ charity which he currently works for as an outreach officer.
He said: "Hopefully I'm the first veteran of many to receive a Hero Arm.
"There are many others like me who could really benefit from such an amazing prosthetic."
Video by: Ellis Wylam
A globetrotting dad who has travelled to over 100 countries has recreated 20 in is back garden for his kids
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
A globetrotting dad who has travelled to over 100 countries has recreated 20 in is back garden for his kids.
David Nash, 41, has used a variety of props to make DIY versions of some of the planet's most beautiful places.
He has recreated the Nile River and Venezuela's Angel Falls as well as scenes from France and Cuba in his garden, shed and roof.
David has used his garden to build Peru, Japan, USA, Morocco, Thailand, Panama, Venezuela, Brazil Trinidad and Barbados.
His children have also enjoyed trips to Sri Lanka, China, The Netherlands, the UK, Ireland, Bhutan, Russia, Egypt, Iceland, Australia and Italy.
The 41-year-old, from Sible Hedingham, Essex, got creative for partner Emma and their two daughters Rose, two, and Ruby, four months.
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
David, assistant headteacher at Hedingham School, said: "I have tried to bring the essence of each country out while portraying it in a humorous way.
"I've recreated famous scenes from each country, just from using scraps around the house that I've collected from all the places I've been.
"I've made the Nile River and the Panama Canal from painting old cereal boxes."
He added: "We are all aware of how awful the situation is at the moment - but it has made us all slow down a bit.
"It's giving us time to make things like we used to do - from scraps and from boxes and things like that.
"The aim of this, more than anything, is to keep spirits up, and keep people smiling during a tough time."
David has travelled to 105 countries in his life, and has so far recreated 25 of them in his garden since the beginning of the lockdown.
He has created a Sri Lankan themed night, and a funny Australian scene where he fashioned himself an outfit out of Fosters boxes, and donned an Australian cork hat.
And David has also created a Caribbean beach scene, inspired by his honeymoon with wife Emma - during which the couple visited 11 Caribbean islands.
David said: "One thing you find when you travelling particular countries like India or Central America, is that you can’t rush things.
''There is a lot to take in and it takes time.
"We’ve turned into a very 'hurry-hurry' culture - if there is one silver lining in all of this is that people have realised the importance of spending time with each other."
He added that he has drawn inspiration for using household items from seeing children in some of the countries he has visited doing exactly the same thing.
David, who fashioned a rickshaw out of a large milk carton, said: "I remember in Ethiopia we saw exactly that, one of these Tuk Tuks made out of old oil cans.
"In South Africa, kids were using bricks as cars.
"The joy of doing this with my two-and-a-half year old daughter is that children tend to have that creative imagination, a willingness to believe anything can become anything."
David said that some of his favourite countries that he's visited include Bhutan, in south Asia, Japan, and Holland.
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
He said: "We've done Bhutan as one of the countries in our garden.
"They measure wealth there in terms of happiness, rather than economic prosperity.
"They have famous funny signs at the side of the road, that say things like 'After drinking whiskey, driving is risky'.
"So we recreated some of those in our garden, but made them more topical to here.
"I did Holland last week, too - I put some clogs in the sink, and told my wife that the sink was clogged," David joked.
David added that he hopes bringing a taste of each country to his home can enrich his daughters’ lives during lockdown - as well as the lives of his followers on social media.
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
He said: "We haven't been able to do as much travelling in the last couple of years, with two young children - especially with the younger one.
"But at least now they'll have some funny photos to look back on, and know about some of the countries their dad has been to."
He added: "I feel very lucky, I’m healthy and my family’s healthy, I’ve got a wage, whereas a lot of people out there have an uncertain future.
"Experiences you have while travelling help you to gain perspective. You miss the most basic things - and I think that's what this current situation has taught us.
"With panic buying, this is the first time in our lives we’ve thought 'are we going to have to do without these things we need'. It's woken us up slightly."
Incredible bond between a dog and a rhino captured on video
Image by: Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre
A "remarkable and unbreakable" friendship between a dog and a RHINO has been captured on video.
The sweet pairing can be seen doing everything together - with the rhino even giving the dog a kiss.
David is an Anatolian Shepherd and Esmé is a white rhino.
Despite their differences, the two are clearly fond of each other's company.
In one video, Esmé can be seen to kiss the head of David.
In another, David playfully chases Esmé across a field.
Both are resident to Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC), a South African wildlife facility focused on conservation of rare and vulnerable species.
Image by: Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre
Image by: Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre
The founder and managing director of HESC Lente Roode, 72, says the unique bond the two animals share is important to her.
"Esmé was our first rhino calf that we decided to introduce to an anatolian shepherd dog as a companion.
"It took a few days but as soon as the two were used to each other the relationship was remarkable and unbreakable.
"Esmé and David have a very special relationship and are therefore very dear to me."
David the dog is nearly two years old and was donated to HESC by a friend to Lente.
Esmé upbringing was slightly more challenging.
"Her mother was a young and inexperienced cow and couldn’t produce milk for Esmé," Lente said.
"On Esmé’s arrival she was extremely malnourished and as a result pressure sores formed on her ankles and underneath her feet."
Video by: Gabriella Petty
This pet raccoon rides in a boat, uses a litter box and is best friends with a golden retriever
Image by: Caryn Williamson
Meet Rebel - the pet raccoon who rides in a boat, uses a litter box and is best friends with a golden retriever.
“For most people, a raccoon is not a good pet,” said Rebel’s owner, Caryn Williamson, 44, who lives in Hudson, Indiana.
“They require constant supervision and they are so much more intelligent than a dog or cat.
“They can literally unlock your front door and walk right out.”
Rebel’s full name is Rebel Raccoon the Bush Brat.
“But he also answers to Booby or Booby Baby or Boobear,” said Caryn, who is the manager of an HVAC company for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.
“Most raccoons won’t answer to their owners but he will answer me and come when I call him, it’s pretty cool!”
Caryn says she adopted Rebel, who will be a year old in April, from a breeder in Ohio via the United States Department of Agriculture.
“I got him September 9th of 2019 and I’m currently on the list for a baby raccoon, from the breeder.
“We got him from a young couple when he was just under five months old.
“Exotic pets like raccoons can’t be brought to a shelter or humane society and they can never be released into the wild.
“They are euthanized unless you can find someone willing to adopt them. We took on the challenge!”
Rebel quickly settled into Caryn’s home and became firm friends with her eight-year-old golden retriever Remington.
“Rebel and our dog Remington get along great.
“They are best friends, so much so that when Remington goes outside, Rebel paces back and forth at the door chattering until his friend is back.”
Image by: Caryn Williamson
Image by: Caryn Williamson
Image by: Caryn Williamson
As for Rebel’s day-to-day care, Caryn confirmed that raising a raccoon comes with certain complications.
“Raccoons are pack animals so being alone is not good for them,” she said.
“They need either animal or human companionship at all times.
“Rebel lives indoors at all times unless he is outside under our supervision. We live on a lake, and he goes for boat rides all summer. He is neutered, and has all recommended vaccines, and regular veterinary check ups.
“In order to maintain our exotic pet permit we are required to have vet checks and home checks by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
“Raccoons can’t live in cages. They get too stressed. But we do have to have a safe place to put him away and secure him for our permit.
“He has a Critter Nation enclosure that has a hammock in it that he likes to sleep in, and he goes in there when he wants to be left alone.
“He also has a feeding cage. Raccoons are messy eaters so I stay a step ahead.
“Raccoons eat what we eat, it’s a balance of meat and protein and fruits and vegetables.
“He loves eggs, and eats one every day for breakfast. He also gets a raw chicken leg once a week and eats it bone and all.”
Caryn’s lifestyle in rural Indiana allows her to keep Rebel without incident, but she doesn’t believe the species is ready to be fully domesticated.
“Maybe in a few hundred years,” she said.
“Rebel uses a litter box just like a cat and they are trainable to an extent, but raccoons are very stubborn and will only listen to commands when they want to.
“To live with a raccoon you must live on their time and their schedule. I have a very flexible schedule, so it works…but it wouldn’t work for the average person.
“Living with a raccoon is learning their moods and body language. It’s a daily struggle to entertain them.
“But the cuteness and love they exude far outweighs the trouble and mischief they cause.”
Video by: Gabriella Petty
