Life rarely gives us the storybook moment where darkness turns to triumph—but it does happen. Kate and David Ogg had such a moment. The Australian couple welcomed premature twins into the world on March 25, 2010, but their joy quickly turned to heartbreak when doctors told them that their baby boy, Jamie, hadn’t survived. What happened next would become a story of love, resilience, and the extraordinary power of a mother’s touch.
Kate and David had been ecstatic to learn they were expecting twins, but their excitement was overshadowed when the babies arrived prematurely at just 27 weeks. Doctors worked tirelessly to save them, but after 20 minutes of efforts, Jamie was pronounced dead. Devastated, the medical team placed his tiny body on Kate’s chest so she could say her goodbyes.
As she held him close, she and David spoke to him, telling him about his twin sister, Emily, and how much he was loved. Kate gently stroked his face and held his tiny fingers, unwilling to let go just yet. Then, against all odds, Jamie gasped.
Representative Image: Skin to skin contact is becoming a more comon part of many birthing plans. Canva
"We feel so fortunate. We're the luckiest people in the world."
— David Ogg
At first, doctors dismissed it as a reflex. But then he moved again. Clinging to hope, Kate placed a drop of breast milk on her finger and touched it to Jamie’s lips. Incredibly, he swallowed. His breathing became more stable, and his body gradually warmed up.
“I’d carried him inside me for only six months—not long enough—but I wanted to meet him and to hold him, and for him to know us,” Kate told Today. “We’d resigned ourselves to the fact that we were going to lose him, and we were just trying to make the most of those last, precious moments.”
The power of skin-to-skin contact
What happened in that hospital room wasn’t something doctors could easily explain, but it reinforced a growing body of research about the benefits of skin-to-skin contact, sometimes called "kangaroo care." Studies have shown that placing newborns—especially premature babies—on a parent’s chest helps regulate their breathing, stabilize heart rates, and even improve survival rates.
"The twins are developing completely normally."
— Kate Ogg
Jamie’s survival wasn’t just a miracle—it was a testament to the incredible bond between mother and child.
The Oggs shared an update on their twins two years after that unforgettable day. Kate playfully asked them, "Where’s your nose? Where are your ears?" Emily and Jamie pointed proudly to the right spots. When she asked, "Where's your belly?" both lifted their shirts with matching grins.
In 2011, the Ogg family grew again with the arrival of another baby, Charlie, who was born full-term and weighed over 10 pounds. "A little sumo," Kate affectionately called him.
Representative Image: Arriving in a new world can be a challenge. Canva
A mother’s instinct
After her experience with Jamie, Kate approached Charlie’s birth differently. “Just give him to me when he’s born,” she told her doctor, fully trusting the power of immediate skin-to-skin contact.
The family eventually moved to a quiet coastal town in New Zealand, where they settled into life with their three children. But even as the years passed, Kate admitted she still felt the need to check on Jamie more than usual. "I panic if they sleep in too long and I don’t hear a sound from the nursery. I’m a bit too morbid, I think," she said.
"Technically, you're two minutes older. But Emily's been alive longer."
— Kate Ogg
Some miracles can’t be explained. But for the Ogg family, the proof of love’s power is right in their arms.
Couple has annoying conversation
The one phrase people most want to ban forever—and 20 more that drive us all nuts
If you’ve ever cringed at hearing “It is what it is” or rolled your eyes at someone saying “No offense…” before delivering something totally offensive, you’re definitely not alone. Some expressions are so irritating, so overused, or so grammatically cursed that hearing them once more might just push us over the edge.
We asked our Facebook audience, “ If you could ban one annoying phrase from existence forever, what would it be?” and holy moly, did the floodgates open. Typically, a given question might rack up around 5,000 comments—but this one? Over 14,000. People shared responses that were funny, petty, brutally honest, and occasionally downright poignant. From phrases that try (and fail) to sound wise, to those so overused they've lost all meaning entirely—here are the top contenders folks are completely done with.
The one phrase nearly everyone wants to vanish
By far the most repeated offender was:
Over and over, users cited this as the ultimate non-response. It’s dismissive, it ends conversations, and it offers exactly zero comfort or help.
Another big category? Expressions meant to comfort that end up being painful or insulting. These include:
Many commenters explained that these phrases, while often well-intentioned, feel dismissive in times of grief or hardship.
Grammar gripes and word crimes
Grammar lovers had a lot of feelings. Some of the most-cited “please stop saying this” phrases included:
And let’s not forget the collective rage over “pacifically” when people mean “specifically.”
Words that reveal more than they intend
Several users took issue with phrases that feel passive-aggressive or intellectually lazy, such as:
As user Jacqueline C. put it, “'To be honest...' What does that mean? That you're not honest any other time?”
Phrases tied to racism, sexism, or toxic positivity
A significant number of respondents took aim at harmful or politically charged phrases. Among them:
These comments weren’t just about annoyance—they were about the emotional weight and social impact of language.
James G. didn’t mince words when he wrote: “‘Go back to your country, then’ 🤬. The epitome of racist. I love my country, plus my ancestors did not ASK to be brought here the way they were.”
Corporate speak and empty buzzwords
You knew these were coming.
These phrases sparked a different kind of rage—one reserved for staff meetings and marketing emails.
Iris H. summed it up: “Most corporate speak. Downsizing. Low hanging fruit. Pivot. etc…..” Just say what you mean, please.
Why this resonated so deeply
There’s something unifying about shared irritation. These phrases might seem harmless or routine, but for many people, they’re like verbal paper cuts—tiny annoyances that, over time, sting a lot more than they should.
Whether it’s poor grammar, dismissive condolences, or flat-out hate speech in disguise, we’re collectively craving language that’s thoughtful, clear, and kind.
So the next time you find yourself reaching for one of these expressions, take a beat. Maybe there’s a better way to say what you mean. Or maybe… just don’t say anything at all.
And if you’ve got your own phrase that should be banished from existence? Don’t worry—there’s still time to add to the list.
Got another phrase that needs to go? Drop it in the comments on our original Facebook post.
Bonus: The top five most hated phrases from our poll
Let’s make 2025 the year we finally stop saying all of them.