We’ve compiled a list of wholesome stories to remind you life is beautiful. Hope you enjoy reading!
1. A woman didn’t know she had an identical twin until she saw a YouTube video of someone who looked exactly like her.
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| Credits: samfuterman/Instagram |
Anais Bordier, 33, was adopted as a baby in South Korea. But she wasn’t aware that she also had a twin sister.
The mystery began to unfold when a co-worker suggested she looked just like a YouTuber and American actress named Samantha Futerman. After Googling her, Anais discovered that the YouTuber shared the exact same birth date, November 19, 1982. A voice in her head told her: “She’s your twin.”
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So she sent Samantha a friend request on Facebook, asking where she was born. After some chatting, they decided to meet in person, without expecting their suspicions to be true.
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| Credits: Kickstarter |
Both were shocked when they finally met and discovered they were indeed sisters. A DNA sample was later sent to experts in the U.S., confirming they were twins. However, Anais’ birth documents stated that she was born to a single mother and had no siblings. It turns out Anais was raised in Paris, while Samantha grew up in New Jersey after being adopted by her parents.
Talk about solving a family mystery like finding a 13-year-old lost wedding ring on a finger-shaped carrot. Despite this incredible reunion, they were unable to find their biological mother or uncover the reason for their separation at birth.
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Their incredible story was later turned into a movie titled "Twinsters" in 2015. And yes, both Anais and Samatha are the lead cast in it.
2. In 2015, a woman took BMW’s April Fools’ Day advertisement at its word, and ended up winning a brand-new BMW with the number plate “NOF00L.”
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| BMW/Youtube |
A New Zealand newspaper had published the campaign under its April Fools’ Day Special section. The ad promised a free BMW to the first person who showed up at a dealership with their own car and the newspaper ad in hand.
Most people assumed it was just another April Fools’ prank, until one woman actually took the company at its word. Tianna Marsh drove her 15-year-old station wagon to the showroom at 5:30 a.m. local time. To her delight, she was rewarded with a brand-new BMW worth nearly US $37,000, complete with the cheeky plate “NOF00L.”
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“We wanted to turn the tables and reward the first person who was willing to take the chance,” said BMW spokesman Ed Finn.
The company later uploaded the moment to its YouTube channel, with the message: “Happy April Not Such a Fool.”
She could be a good reminder of taking a chance on yourself, especially when you have nothing to lose. But what do I know, my new phone voicemail still says, ‘If you’ve reached this recording, please hang up and text me, because I haven’t checked my voicemail since 2005.’
3. A man reunited with his 19-year-old cat, seven years after the pet went missing.
Robert lost his cat while preparing to move from California to Ohio. When the cat disappeared, Robert was devastated. He even abandoned his moving plans to stay back and search for his beloved companion. Despite countless attempts, he never found a trace of the missing cat and eventually had no choice but to accept the painful loss.
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Seven years later, a woman spotted an ill-looking cat and brought it to a veterinarian. Luckily, the vet discovered a microchip that revealed the cat’s identity: it was Robert’s long-lost pet, who appeared to have survived on the streets for years. That’s when Robert finally received the phone call he had been waiting for all along.
“I was afraid there was some kind of mistake,” Robert said in this reunion video. But the moment he saw his cat again, he broke down in tears, leaving many on the internet in tears as well.
Matt Shoukry is an eBay seller with multiple items listed on the platform. In 2019, he sold a VHS player to an old man based in Phoenix, Arizona, for $40. While many buyers usually write him an online review, he was surprised when he received a hand-typed letter from the 80-year-old man who bought the VHS player.
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This letter moved Matt to tears. So he decided to frame it and put it next to his desk in the house, because the old man’s kind act meant so much to him.
The seller will also digitize his videos so the old man doesn’t have to worry about his tapes degrading.
We can imagine how much the letter must have meant to Matt, just as it happened to this family when a postcard written by a WWII veteran finally arrives after 77 years.
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5. Stranger teaches a grieving man how to tie a tie for his dad's funeral.
Kevin Butcher and his wife Sherri were in the necktie aisle at Walmart in Ohio so that he could wear a tie at his father’s funeral later in the week.
It was apparent that he was grieving. When he finally picked a tie that he liked, it occurred to him that neither of them knew how to tie it.
While many of us in Kevin’s situation might have bought the tie, gone home, and turned to YouTube, Kevin decided instead to reach out to a fellow shopper, an older man who was already wearing a tie.
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Kevin approached the man and asked for help, despite worrying that he might sound crazy. To their surprise, it wasn’t awkward at all.
"This sweet man did not hesitate when Kevin explained why he needed help and proceeded to put the tie around his neck. He joked with him about how it might take all day to get it right… but he was determined," wrote Sherri on her Facebook feed.
"After a few tries of getting the right length, he gently pulled it back over Kevin’s head and thanked HIM for letting him do this!! He reached to shake hands with him and then pulled Kevin in close to hug him and tell him how sorry he was to hear about losing his dad."
"He looked at me and said, ‘take good care of him,’ and he walked away,” Sherri continued.
"Kevin and I both walked away quietly as we were both having a hard time fighting back the tears."
"I don’t know this man’s name... but I will never ever forget that heartfelt smile as he thanked us for letting him help. God bless you sir!!!"
The kind stranger later showed up at Kevin’s dad’s funeral. "Walking into the funeral home to see Mr. Hackler waiting for us to say a prayer for the family… This man is an absolute angel on earth," posted Sherri.
Our stories are for those days when you’ve lost a little faith in people. These feel-good, wholesome stories are here to remind you that kindness still exists, and that small moments can make the biggest difference. If you’d like more of these reminders, you can subscribe and never miss a story.
Send story ideas, facts, correction, or kind thoughts to hello@nostalgicgrandma.com.