Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

Love can bloom in the most unexpected ways, and for Summer Pfleger, it all started with a dare. The TikTok user, who goes by @summerwa101, shared a heartwarming video documenting how a playful challenge from her mother led her to the love of her life.

It all began when Pfleger noticed a handsome employee at the front desk of a Holiday Inn. Encouraged by her mom, she nervously picked up the phone and made a call that would change everything.


"My mom dared me to call him… so I did!"

— @summerwa101

A simple dare turned into something magical

In the video, Pfleger shared her initial hesitation before making the call. Despite her nerves, she followed through. When the employee, Ethan, answered, she told him she thought he was cute and asked if he was single. To her delight, he was—and they exchanged numbers.

"All because you made a phone call!"

— @tiffany_livehost

From first dates to forever

Two panels depicting a post on TikTok by Summer Pfleger. It isn't unheard of for a relationship to start on a dare, but to capture the moment on camera is a treat. TikTok | @summerwa101

What started as a dare quickly turned into a whirlwind romance. Pfleger shared updates with her followers, revealing that she and Ethan had gone on several dates. She also documented the sweet moment when he officially asked her to be his girlfriend—with a unique twist.

Since their first conversation involved her asking for a fork, Ethan made it memorable. He gave her a fork engraved with "Be my girlfriend" and the date they met.

Two panels depicting a post on TikTok by Summer Pfleger. The met over forks, so he asked her to mary him with one. TikTok | @summerwa101

Their love story continued with romantic gestures, including Ethan decorating a table with butterflies—Pfleger’s favorite. Eventually, on her birthday, Ethan proposed at the spot where they had their first date.

A love story that came full circle

@summerwa101 Little did I know I was gonna end up marrying the cute boy from the Holiday Inn. This video took a year to make! #fyp #foryoupage #justmarried #married #couple #holidayinn @Holiday Inn Express #marriage ♬ original sound - Summer Pfleger

One year after their first conversation, Pfleger and Ethan tied the knot. She shared a final video update, dressed in her wedding gown, ready to say "I do."

"Did I watch the entire thing and celebrate like you were a close friend? Yes. Congrats!"

— @kjb12345

Even Holiday Inn Express, where Ethan worked, joined in on the celebration:

"Congrats to you both! We are so excited to be a part of your love story."

— @holidayinnexpress

One phone call, a little courage, and a push from Mom led to the love of a lifetime!

More For You

Chris Hemsworth's response to his daughter's big question deserves applause

Chris explains what happened.

Image from ellentube/YouTube video.

Chris Hemsworth's response to his daughter's big question deserves applause

Chris Hemsworth might be best known for swinging a hammer as the Norse god of thunder in “Thor: Ragnarok,” but when it comes to being a dad, he’s just as legendary. The 35-year-old actor and father-of-three had a standout parenting moment that proves he’s more than just a superhero on screen.

It started with a curious question from his daughter

In a 2015 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Hemsworth shared a story that starts with his daughter, 4-year-old India, having a very specific question about anatomy—and ends with a beautiful message about identity and acceptance.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bride honors late son with an empty seat at her wedding. She broke down when the man he saved walked in.
Canva

Bride honors late son with an empty seat at her wedding. She broke down when the man he saved walked in.

Triston's passing at the age of 19 had left his mother, Becky, heartbroken, but she found solace in knowing his heart and other organs had saved lives. Two years later, Becky and her husband-to-be, Kelly, were to get married.

At their wedding, Becky and Kelly reserved an empty seat to honor Triston's memory. The seat had a sign that read, "I'm in heaven for your wedding so what shall I do? I'll come down to earth to spend it with you. So save me a seat, just one empty chair. You may not see me but I will be there." While this message was already deeply moving, Kelly had something even more special planned.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gay teen asks friend's mom permission to attend girls-only sleepover. She handled it beautifully.
Reddit

Gay teen asks friend's mom permission to attend girls-only sleepover. She handled it beautifully.

For many young people, sleepovers have long been cherished occasions to bond with close friends - sharing late-night chats, snacking on treats, and revealing deep dark secrets. It's within these intimate gatherings that unbreakable connections and lifelong friendships are often forged. When Mason Brian Barclay's new best friend, Houston Shelton, invited him to a sleepover at her house, he was eager to take part in this rite of passage. However, Houston's parents had instituted a strict no-opposite-sex rule, meaning only girls were allowed.

Undaunted by the gender-based restriction, Barclay decided to directly appeal to Houston's mother, making a thoughtful case for why she should allow him to participate. "Hey, Mrs. Shelton! This is Mason Brian Barclay, I am one of Houston's new best friends. If she had people over on Friday, would I, a very homosexual male, be able to take part in the sleepover?" he asked her in a text message. "I think the common meaning behind only allowing the same sex to share sleepovers is due to the typical interest in the opposite sex when in this case, I do not like the opposite sex."

Keep ReadingShow less
HOA president tried to stop kids from playing outside. Dad shut her down instantly.
Representative photo by Canva

HOA president tried to stop kids from playing outside. Dad shut her down instantly.

With screens dominating so much of modern life, the sight of kids playing outside has become increasingly rare—but for some, even that seems to be a problem. A viral TikTok video from Daily Dose Of Masculinity (@masculineessence_) has sparked a debate after a Homeowners Association (HOA) president confronted a father, demanding that he keep his daughters indoors because neighbors had complained about the noise.

@masculineessence_

Visit TikTok to discover videos!

An unexpected confrontation caught on camera

Footage captured by a doorbell camera shows three young girls screaming and running inside as the HOA head approaches their house. Moments later, she rings the doorbell, and their father answers. Wasting no time, she immediately makes her demand:

"So, I am going to ask you to keep them inside," she says.

Clearly puzzled, the father responds with a simple but firm question:

"For what reason?"

Her reasoning? Multiple noise complaints from irritated neighbors.

"I have like 10 houses now contacting me. They are like barking at me and running," she explains.

Kids frolicking Representative photo by Katherine Hanlon | Unsplash

Dad isn’t backing down

At first, the father tries to reason with her, explaining that his daughters are just playing outside, as kids do. But as the conversation continues, his patience wears thin.

"That's what's wrong with this world because people like you and those other people don't let kids be kids, okay?" he says, his frustration growing.

Not interested in further debate, he firmly ends the conversation with:

"We appreciate you stopping by. Have a nice night."

Giphy


The video, captioned "HOA president gets mad at girls for playing," quickly took off online, with thousands of viewers chiming in on both sides of the argument.

TikTok reacts: Is the dad right, or was the HOA head reasonable?

The viral clip sparked a heated discussion, with some siding with the father and others sympathizing with the HOA president.

Some viewers believed the HOA head was being overly strict and that kids should be free to play outdoors.

@d33dspizza shared a wholesome perspective, writing:

"Our neighbors stopped over and said they loved hearing our kids playing and yelling outside… because theirs are all grown and moved out and they miss hearing it."

Representative photo by MI PHAM | Unsplash

Others, however, thought the volume level mattered—especially if the noise was disturbing residents at night.

@syb1375 pointed out that the HOA head had handled the situation calmly, saying:

"She was being respectful and came to reason with him instead of calling the police after getting so many complaints. It’s nighttime… people work in the morning."

Some commenters saw both sides but noted that ten different households complaining was significant.


"Not looking for a fight, but when 10 different households send a noise complaint, that’s a problem. We don’t know what noises they are making, so I can’t really take a side here."
— @Ilovehentaixdd

Meanwhile, @martin_arce acknowledged the HOA head’s position, writing:

"I wouldn’t be rude to her though. His neighbors demand it from her, and she’s gotta do it as her responsibility. And also, your neighbors’ demands aren’t unreasonable."


Giphy


Where is the line between community rules and personal freedoms?

At its core, this situation highlights a larger debate: how much control should HOAs have over residents' daily lives? While some believe neighborhood rules help maintain peace, others argue that they often overstep boundaries—especially when they interfere with something as simple as kids playing outside.

Whatever the case, one thing is clear: this father had no intention of keeping his daughters cooped up inside just because some neighbors complained.


Follow Daily Dose Of Masculinity (@masculineessence_) on TikTok for more videos.

Keep ReadingShow less
A Kansas child said there was a monster under the bed. Turns out, there was.

Representative Image: Monsters are usually things of our imaginations... usually.

Canva

A Kansas child said there was a monster under the bed. Turns out, there was.

Most of us have heard a sleepy little voice say: “There’s a monster under my bed.” Usually, these fears are eased with a quick peek and a reassuring hug. But in Great Bend, Kansas—about 189 miles southwest of Topeka—one babysitter found something that made every parent’s worst fear come true.

The Unexpected ‘Monster’ Under the Bed

According to a statement from the Barton County Sheriff’s Office, it was 10:30 p.m. on a Monday when deputies responded to a call at a home in Great Bend. A babysitter had been putting the children to bed when one of them insisted there was a “monster” lurking under their bed.

Keep ReadingShow less