In a letter to his mom, Wilma, Chuck, who turned 83 in March, writes, “Mom, I don’t know what’s more difficult to believe: that you are 102 years old or that you have a son who is 83 years old! Regardless, I’m so grateful you are my mom. I always have been. We’ve been through thick and thin in this life, and we are still going strong.” 

Wilma Norris Knight, born in 1921, is Chuck’s mom, and he credits her influence, prayers, and steadfast faith for the man he is today. Despite being raised in poverty and having endured the deaths of two husbands, a stepson, two grandchildren, and Chuck’s younger brother Wieland in the Vietnam War, as well as repeated battles with cancer and 30 different surgeries, Wilma is still here to tell about it.

  When Chuck’s father abandoned the family, Wilma raised her three boys, with Chuck being the eldest, as a single mother. Despite the difficulties she faced, she instilled values in her boys and taught them to be fighters. 

She made them believe that they could achieve anything in life and that, while there would be obstacles, determination would help them overcome any challenge.

  Chuck is overwhelmed with gratitude for the influence of three women in his life: his granny Scarberry (Wilma’s mom), who died at 90; his mom, Wilma; and his wife, Gina, whom he married in 1998. 

The couple has twins, Dakota and Danilee, who were born in 2001.

 

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Chuck Norris, born Carlos Ray in 1940, grew up in a small town in Oklahoma, where he watched stars like John Wayne, Roy Rogers, and Hopalong Cassidy. 

After graduating high school in 1958, Norris served with the United States Air Force and was stationed at Osan Air Base in South Korea, where he planned to train as security police.

 

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It was during his time in South Korea that he earned his black belt in Tang Soo Do, a form of Korean karate, and was given the nickname “Chuck.” 

After being transferred to an air force base in Riverside County, California, he opened a martial arts studio in Torrance, where he then lived. His success as a martial artist was exploding, and his studios expanding. 

Practicing himself, he won his first title in 1968 and held the title of Karate World Champion for six years, retiring in 1974.

  During this time, while training celebrities in martial arts, he met Bruce Lee, American martial artist and actor, which led to Chuck’s breakout role as Lee’s nemesis in the film The Way of the Dragon (1972). 

Norris found sweeping global success—his incredible agility and strength thrilling fans—after landing lead roles in Breaker! Breaker! (1977) and Good Guys Wear Black (1978). Chuck Norris is one of Hollywood’s all-time greatest action stars, and his mother has been a constant source of inspiration and strength for him throughout his life. 

As he said of her when she became a centenarian, “Mom has been an example of perseverance and faith her whole life.”
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  On April 26, the bus driver was taking students home from Carter Middle School when she began to experience "some dizziness". 

She attempted to pull over but didn't make it to where she planned to park and eventually passed out. The bus began to veer into oncoming traffic. That’s when Dillon Reeves jumped into action. 

Reeves, who was seated about five rows back, "jumped up from his seat, threw his backpack down, ran to the front of the bus, grabbed the steering wheel and brought the bus to a stop in the middle of the road... despite the justifiable panic," Warren Consolidated Schools Superintendent Robert D. Livernois said. 

In a video released by authorities at the news conference (below), Reeves is seen taking control of the steering wheel and then yelling to the other passengers, "Someone call 911. Now!"

The Warren Police and Fire Departments responded quickly to the scene to tend to the driver and the students were loaded onto another bus to be safely taken home. No injuries to the children on the bus were reported. 

The bus driver, whose name will not be released out of respect for her privacy, remains in the hospital and is still undergoing testing and observation. Warren City Councilman Jonathan Lafferty is calling Reeves a hero. 

"The City of Warren is very proud of our 7th Grade Hero Dillon Reeves! This young man jumped into action when his school bus driver experienced a medical emergency, bringing the bus to a stop and avoiding what could have been a very tragic accident. We are very proud of you for your heroic actions!" he said. 

Reeves' parents called him "our little hero". "Dillon, he’s really been a great guy this year," his mother Ireta said. "He has come a long way. He has surprised us with great grades and with his performances at schools with friends, with peers. And to do something like this just fills my heart, makes my heart skip a beat."
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Bree, who has Down syndrome, became an inspiration to many as she proved common misconceptions about the condition wrong and paved the way for more disabled individuals.

 

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Speaking to PEOPLE, the youngster's mom, Kecia Cox, revealed that it's been a "really touching" few weeks since her daughter found out she made the competition dance team at Murray High School. 

Bree follows in the footsteps of her older sisters, 18-year-old Kyra and 16-year-old Adrie, both of whom she calls "role models" and played a big role in encouraging her love for dancing. Over the years, she attended every single one of Kyra and Adrie's competitions and memorized all their dances in the hopes that she, too, would be on the team one day. 

However, Cox—who also shares a 14-year-old daughter named Mia, 9-year-old twins Claire and Livvy, and son Noah, 5, with her husband Kris—admits that she wasn't always sure if Bree's dream would become a reality.

 

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"When Bree saw this new thing — not just classes at the neighborhood dance studio, but they got to be on the football field, and the basketball court and part of the school — that just lit her up in a different way," she explained. 

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"We can shout their worth and their capabilities all day long, but if nobody's willing to listen, then it doesn't really get very far," Cox added. 

However, she didn't let her concerns stop Bree from pursuing her dream. The family "followed Bree's lead" and continued to encourage the teen. Bree and Adrie practiced their routines together for the auditions and when tryouts finally rolled around, they performed a dance each in front of the judges and coaches. 

Despite never having been on the team before, Bree says she wasn't nervous.

 

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"She just beams when she dances," Cox recalled. "She just goes in there, doesn't worry about what people think of her, steps on the floor, does what she loves and that's where she's the most at home." Three days after tryouts, both Bree and Adrie learned that they had made the team through individual letters. 

According to Cox, Bree was initially very calm when she got the news. "When they first told her she made it, she's like, 'I know.' Like no big deal... She was so proud," the 42-year-old revealed. Later that night though, Bree's emotions set in as she relayed the exciting news to her dad. 

"She's never felt happy tears before," Cox said of the sweet moment that went viral on social media. "She's cried when she's sad. But she was like, 'I'm not sad.' We had no idea that she would get that emotional."

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Bree explained that she was only crying because she was so happy and likes "being part of the group." "We've gone to doctor's appointments this week, and anywhere basically, and she's like, 'Mom, tell them,'" Cox said. "And I said, 'Tell them what?' [She'll say,] 'Tell them about I made the drill team!'" 

The proud mom hopes her daughter will hold onto that feeling of joy and belonging as she grows older.

 

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"Our greatest hope is that she never feels like she wants to change the fact that she has Down syndrome, or that she's not good enough because she has this disability," Cox explained. 

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"She doesn't like to talk about it, but she knows that she's different and has different struggles. For her to have this moment where she didn't feel different was worth it all for us. And the fact that she could do it with her sister is huge," Cox added. 

TikTok user @wranglerbum shared a video of the heartwarming reunion between two horse brothers. He wrote, “It’s been years since these horse brothers have seen each other,” in the video’s caption. The horses, Koda and Harley, get more and more excited as they recognize each other. Koda can’t wait to get in the corral to be next to his brother again.

@wranglerbum Due to so many requests. Last repost of a very special moment. #smileforward #horsesoftiktok #cowboy #quarterhorse #harleythehorse ♬ Surrender - Natalie Taylor

The third horse, Journey, is watching and unsure of what is going on so Harley makes sure to reassure Journey that Koda is family and everything will be okay. Here’s the sweet reunion from a different angle.

@wranglerbum Reply to @jonathanpristera Harley and Koda from a different angle #horsebrothers #smileforward #horsesoftiktok #quarterhorse #harleythehorse #koda #family ♬ original sound - Wranglerbum

“I love how their heads together form a heart,” one TikTokker commented. “They get so emotional; so do I,” wrote another viewer. @Bieaux added, “The love shows even in the eyes, although mine are full of tears.” Now the two siblings spend their days together “horsing” around and being by each other’s sides.
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On this particular afternoon, Shadow had just caught himself some lunch and was poised to start eating when Jackie demanded that the snack should be hers. The pair bickered for a bit, but in the end, the meal went to Jackie. 

Surely, she thought, “the one who lays the eggs around here should get the best treats.” “Jackie always gets her way,” Sandy Steers, Friends of Big Bear Valley executive director, told The Dodo.

  Steers has gotten to know this eagle pair quite well — watching them daily through the lens of Friends of Big Bear Valley’s eagle camera. 

For years, this camera has allowed nature lovers a unique glimpse into the lives of the beautiful birds living high above their heads. 

On Facebook, Steers frequently updates eagle fans about their favorite pair — Jackie and Shadow — a partnership whose daily relationship triumphs and squabbles often feel far too familiar. “Shadow and Jackie are the perfect match,” Steers said. “He’s very tender toward Jackie and lets her be the boss.” Originally, Jackie mated with another eagle. But when Shadow arrived, Steers could tell he was stealing Jackie’s heart. Eventually, Jackie’s original mate conceded to Shadow and flew away. With the ex out of the nest, Shadow and Jackie began their life together. 

This incident was quite surprising — eagles usually mate for life, but Jackie and Shadow’s unique connection was strong enough to inspire Jackie to re-partner. 

“This sounds weird, but you can tell that Jackie has a lot more respect for Shadow than she did for her previous mate,” Steers said. Since partnering, Jackie and Shadow’s funny personalities have been on full display. 

Fans know that Shadow is reliable and accommodating, while Jackie is a bossy lady with a big heart.

  Steers is grateful for the eagle camera and how it’s allowed people to see wildlife in a way they usually wouldn’t. 

As viewers watch Jackie and Shadow build their nest and prepare for parenting, they slowly develop deeper feelings of empathy toward the natural world. 

“[Jackie and Shadow] demonstrate how much personality and emotion animals have that very often people dismiss as instinct,” Steers said. “You can’t watch them for very long and not think there’s more going on than just chemicals in their body.”
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A group of wild elephants demolished a banana plantation in Tamil Nadu, India leaving only a tree with a bird’s nest and hatchlings inside. 

The elephants’ gesture is already winning hearts online after the video went viral. According to Thanthi TV, the event occurred at Sathyamangala, a town in Erode district, when five wild elephants approached the town after leaving the Vilamundi Forest. 

According to accounts, the elephants entered the yard of a guy named Krishnasamy and destroyed over 300 banana plants. When the guy and other villagers went to inspect the ᴅᴀᴍᴀɢᴇd plot, they discovered something unique and beautiful: a tree with a few hatchlings in the sparrow’s nest that was still standing strong. 

Many viewers were stunned, with many noting how the elephants, despite their anger, emanate tenderness. They were also known as gentle giants by many people.
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So many times we have seen stories of pet owners who put their lives in danger to save the life of their beloved pet. Like the 74-year-old woman who fights off an alligator to save her golden retriever. The name of the woman is Suzan Marciano who belongs to Boca Raton, Florida and she was walking her dog Nalu near a lake one evening. After playing fetch, they decided to enter the lake and the dog was chest-deep in the water. But Suzan recalled how scary she was to see one dark spot that was coming slowly towards her dog. 

The dark spot was an alligator that was more than six feet long and in a moment, Nalu was in the jaws of the alligator. The woman didn’t think for a moment and sprang into action to get the dog free. She said that she just came down on the alligator with all her weight. 

The alligator released Nalu but now his attention was towards Suzan. It bit her vigorously and she said that she was in great shock. She did not experience pain. Somehow they managed to escape but both were severely injured and required to visit the hospital. Suzan received five stitches on her hand and the dog had to undergo two-hour surgery for wounds on her stomach and thigh. 

This incident had a deep impact on both of them. Both were in shock by what they went through. Suzan said that she did not go to the park for weeks. 

Really it was a bad incident. They are very lucky to escape and we are happy that they have recovered.

 
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According to We Love Animals, Ronald didn’t know what species the critter was at first. It was so tiny and hairless, it appeared to be some kind of rodent. After bringing the critter inside, it eventually became clear that the tiny thing was none other than a baby squirrel. Ronald took it upon himself to raise the tiny squirrel and do his part to keep him alive. He named the little thing Robert T. Squirrel (or Bobby for short). 

It took a lot of work to rehabilitate Robert the Squirrel, but it all paid off when the sweet thing started to grow and show some personality. Of course, it couldn’t last forever. Robert was a wild animal, after all. In a video shared by We Love Animals, he said: “It was time to release [Robert] so I bought a squirrel house. He loved it and that was his home.” Ronald added that the squirrel bonded with him and regularly comes into the house as he wants. 

“He comes in the house when he wants to. We’re friends and sometimes he’ll sit on my knee while I watch television. When he’s ready to go outside just like a pet, he’ll run to the door,” he added. 

 You can see more of Robert’s story in the video below:

 
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