Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

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.


media.upworthy.mattersmedia.io

Just before the ceremony, Kelly told Becky there was someone she needed to meet. To Becky's amazement, a 21-year-old man named Jacob appeared. Jacob was the recipient of Triston's heart, and he had flown from San Diego to be there for Becky's special day. Overwhelmed with emotion, Becky broke down in tears as she listened to her late son's heartbeat with a stethoscope.


Becky's excitement was palpable as she jumped up and down, surrounded by guests who also shed tears of joy. The story quickly spread on Facebook, touching thousands of hearts worldwide.

One commenter, Judith Cleek, wrote, "This says so much about her new husband. What a marvelous show of caring and love, so touching and heartwarming." Another, Helen Burnett, added, "This is such a beautiful thing... A selfless act of love... Shows us all things are possible... God bless this family." Tara Sorensen expressed a wish for more positive stories like Becky's to be shared, stating, "Why can't we just have one news channel that is dedicated to sharing positive, inspiring stories like this? There is so much kindness and good in the world that could invoke the same if only it was shared."

media.upworthy.mattersmedia.io

While Becky and Kelly had to say goodbye to Triston, this heartfelt moment will forever remain a cherished memory.

This article was originally published earlier this year. It has since been updated.

More For You

woman in brown shirt covering her face

It normalizes vulnerability.

Photo by Fa Barboza on Unsplash

Mom encourages parents to let their kids see them cry in emotional video

Kids often look at their parents like superheroes–strong, confident and indestructible. But of course, they are human. And with that comes feeling and expressing emotions, some that are sad and heavy–especially when dealing with the loss of a loved one.

And Instagrammer Ashley Lemieux (@ashleyklemiuex), a grief expert who has her Masters in Science with an emphasis in Grief and Bereavement, shared why she believes kids should see their parents cry.

Keep ReadingShow less
parents signing into their baby's crib; a baby with sensors stuck on his head

Callie Foster (@thelacouple) and her husband Leo share their journey learning sign language with son Luca.

thelacouple/Instagram

Couple documents emotional journey learning sign language after son is born deaf

When Callie Foster (@thelacouple) and her husband Leo welcomed their baby boy Luca into the world in 2021, they received an unexpected health diagnosis. After failing his newborn hearing screenings twice, and following further testing, at six weeks old they were told that Luca was profoundly Deaf. As first-time hearing parents, it was overwhelming and emotional news that they have shared with their followers on Instagram. "We grieved the sounds we thought he'd never hear, the whispered I love yous, the world we assumed he'd miss out on," Callie wrote in an Instagram video detailing their journey with Luca.

But they immediately took action, researching and engaging with online parenting and Deaf communities. One mother's advice changed everything: ‘All your baby needs is love and language—keep singing, keep talking, but most importantly, start signing.' So they did.

Keep ReadingShow less
madeliefvis_, the greatest showman, wedding

Maddie (madeliefvis_) and her family practice dance from 'The Greatest Showman' for sister's wedding.

madeliefvis_/Instagram

Family practiced epic dance from 'The Greatest Showman' for 8 months to surprise sister at her wedding

Surprise performances at wedding receptions are always iconic. And TikToker Maddie (@madeliefvis) and her entire family pulled off one for the books. To surprise her sister who was getting married, they learned the dance and exact choreography for the song "From Now On" from the movie The Greatest Showman to surprise her at their wedding reception.

"Watch our family practice for 8 months to learn this dance from my sister's favorite movie as a surprise for her wedding," she wrote in the video's caption.

Keep ReadingShow less
kimberly dowdell, reunion, down syndrome

Brothers Blake and Jack have an emotional reunion.

thekimberlydowdell/Instagram

Teen with Down syndrome travels hundreds of miles for incredible reunion with brother

Going off to college is the break-free moment that most young adults long for. While the newfound freedom is an amazing change, it is also a time of transition--which can bring a lot of uncomfortable feelings with the adjustment. It can be overwhelming, scary, and unfamiliar. So when mom Kimberly DowDell (@thekimberlydowdell) received a message from her son Blake that he was feeling anxious and overwhelmed during his second semester at college, she knew exactly what to do. She loaded up the family, including her husband and Blake's brother Jack (who has Down syndrome), and got on the road to go see him. And the brothers had an emotional reunion that was shared on social media.

"Blake is in his second semester of college, and being away from home can be hard. When he told us he was feeling anxious and overwhelmed, we didn’t even think twice—we jumped in the car and drove 286 miles just to be there for him," she wrote in the post's Instagram caption. "To remind him he’s not alone. To give him words of encouragement. To wrap him in a hug that says, we see you, we love you, and we’re always here for you."

Keep ReadingShow less
Hand dyeing brassy hair

A beautiful hair journey.

Fabulous son helps his mom embrace gray hair after years of dyeing

Have you watched The Substance? I have not (body horror isn't really my thing), but from what I gather, the message at the film's core is profound: Don't resist aging because doing so only invokes chaos and destruction. This sounds nice in theory, but there's so much pressure to age the "right" way in the real world. Older women especially face an impossible task: aging "gracefully" while the world around you treats youth as the ultimate prize.

However, a viral YouTube video is not-so-quietly rewriting society's beauty rules. When celebrity hairstylist Guy Tang's mom decided to embrace her natural gray hair and stop dyeing it dark, she turned to her son for help. The transformation, documented in one of Tang's many videos, took over eight hours to complete—an astounding testament to the power of reclaiming authority and recognizing the beauty of aging.

Keep ReadingShow less