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"This can't be real": Couple's unbelievable op-shop find

An Australian man has made an epic discovery in his local op shop. Rob Klaric was browsing Lifeline's Mosman store on Sydney's north shore when he spotted two framed photos of himself and his wife, which they had lost while moving house more than 30 years ago. The photos were taken in 1988 when he and Leonie, his wife of 35 years, were backpacking across Europe. But turns out luck was on their side and they were reunited with their prized possession more than three decades later. "I'm still buzzing with this. I mean, what's the chances?" he told 2GB's Ben Fordham. "I've walked into a store and I see these pictures and I thought I was hallucinating." The photos hold special meaning for the couple, as it was taken in his mum's backyard when they went to visit her in Europe. "We backpacked across Europe, [went] to my mother's place in the north of Italy – so the photos are iconic because it's [taken] in my mother's backyard and Mum's just passed away a few years ago now." A year later, the couple got married, and the year following they had these images framed before they lost them in a move in 1933, when a removal company misplaced the boxes they were packed in. "I still tremble because I thought, 'this can't be real'." "The ironic thing is that my picture, apologies Leonie, mine was more expensive. It was $12 and hers was $8," he said. Klaric wondered if his late mother had something to do with the special find. "But look, it's got my mum, my beautiful old Italian mum, it's got her fingerprints all over it," he said. "Because those pictures were right in the middle [of the shop], on the floor, you would have never seen it unless you walked through the store. And if it was on the left or the right you wouldn't have seen it. "I think she's looking down from Heaven." Images: DailyMail

Family & Pets

How one elderly couple made their big move to Italy

US couple Tony Smarrelli, 74, and his wife, Francine, 75, were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in Venice, Italy when they decided to move to Italy for good. The Smarrelli's, who are retired elementary teachers from New York and both of Italian descent relocated to the picturesque coastal town of Scalea in southern Italy. “We were in St Mark’s Square (in Venice) when a quartet started playing (classic Italian song) Malafemmina,” Tony recalled the day they decided to make the big move. “It brought tears to my eyes, because my father would put on his Italian records every Sunday for dinner and would sing that song to my mother.” Looking to reconnect with their Italian roots, they purchased a 139 metre property with three bedrooms, a dining room and a walk-in-closet for for €150,000 ($A247,754) in November 2023. “We flew to Italy for the second time in 2023 and put an offer in for that home. We then secured our visas in the US in three hours, sold our home (in the US), packed up our belongings and flew back to Italy in December 2023,” Tony said. While their home in the peaceful coastal time was already livable when they bought it, the couple chose to renovate it, spending an extra €80,000 (about $A132,086) to retile the property, add a new plumbing and electric system, as well as two new bathrooms, an entire kitchen, doors, windows and screens. The property was renovated within four-months, and they said that a similar home in the US would have been nearly impossible for them to afford. “It would be easily $US1 ($A1.5) million to $2 million to live on a coast of South California or (a place with) any coastal views on the Eastern Seaboard,” Tony said. Tony's father and grandfather initially immigrated to the US in 1983 to make a better life for themselves, now 86 years later, Tony has returned to his homeland. “Some of my best friends said it takes a lot of guts to pick up and move to another country at 74 years of age. “I tell them it took guts for my father and grandfather to come to another country on a boat for eight weeks with no home, no work, very little money, no resources to make a better life for themselves,” Tony said. “In our modern world, it’s just a lifestyle change and for us, it was a good choice.” The couple said since their big move, they've cut back nearly y $3000 ($A4574) per month on expenses, which amounts to $36,000 ($A54,894) a year. The couple now spends about $1200 ($A1825) a month between the two of them. Back in the US, the couple's mortgage alone was $US1500 per month ($A2281) “Monthly expenses in the US before leaving were between $US4800 to $US5000 a month. In all we are about $US3000 less monthly living here in Italy,” Tony said. Tony plans to apply for an Italian citizenship, and while his father was naturalised as an American citizen before he was born, he plans to rectify this by appealing to a local court. Images: CNN

International Travel

Who dies in a heat wave? How to help protect the vulnerable in our communities

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/myles-david-sergeant-1542267">Myles David Sergeant</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/mcmaster-university-930">McMaster University</a> Extreme heat is a silent killer. From time to time, we hear about shocking cases of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/24/football-player-heat-deaths-athlete">football players</a> and other athletes who die suddenly while exerting themselves on hot days. Those deaths are certainly tragic, but statistically they are very rare. Most deaths from extreme heat <a href="https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-heat-related-deaths">are in older people</a>, who frequently die alone inside their homes. They often die slowly, as the heat creeps up to and sometimes past body temperature, especially when heat domes park themselves over cities and keep the temperature high all day and all night. When such deaths happen, they rarely make the news. Of all the climate change disasters our world is already experiencing, heat is the top killer, <a href="https://library.wmo.int/viewer/68500/download?file=1335_WMO-Climate-services-Health_en.pdf&type=pdf&navigator=1">as the World Meteorological Organization reported</a>. The planet was more than <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/08/temperatures-1-point-5c-above-pre-industrial-era-average-for-12-months-data-shows">1.5 C above the pre-industrial baseline</a> for 12 consecutive months from July 2023 to June 2024. In July this year, we saw the hottest three days ever on record, prompting <a href="https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/press-encounter/2024-07-25/secretary-generals-press-conference-extreme-heat">a special statement from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres</a>. <h2>Health risks and heat</h2> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499843/">Our bodies are made to dump excess heat</a> when we are too warm, but that process goes into reverse when the air is warmer than our core temperature. Our other main defence, sweating, doesn’t help when humidity saturates the air, making it impossible for our own moisture to evaporate. For the frail and elderly, who are more likely to be labouring with heart troubles, COPD or other challenges, simply sitting still in a heat wave requires an effort equivalent to walking on a treadmill. The effort is not great, but it is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjco.2021.10.002">steady and relentless</a>. It exhausts the body, sometimes to the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(22)00117-6">point of no return</a>. Tracking heat-related deaths is challenging, and it’s changing as authorities become more aware of heat as a contributing or underlying factor to deaths by other causes. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2006.100081">A paper published by the American Journal of Public Health</a> points out that the 1995 heat wave in Chicago likely contributed to hundreds more deaths than had first been attributed to heat itself. <h2>Who is at risk?</h2> Many people lack air conditioning or a way to get to a place that has it, such as a library, recreation centre or shopping mall. As a result, too many people in cities are forced to <a href="https://wmo.int/publication-series/2023-state-of-climate-services-health">endure long waves of heat</a> — waves that are occurring more frequently, lasting longer, and reaching higher temperatures — in a trend that appears set to continue getting worse. Air conditioning, <a href="https://www.lpm.org/news/2015-07-24/the-history-of-movie-theaters-and-air-conditioning-that-keeps-film-lovers-cool">once a luxury that drew people to summertime movie theatres on hot nights</a>, has become a necessity. Increasingly, it is also a legal requirement, as cities pass bylaws requiring landlords not to allow the temperature in their tenants’ quarters to rise above a certain level. Toronto has <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/home/311-toronto-at-your-service/find-service-information/article/?kb=kA06g000001xvbiCAA">such a bylaw</a> for rental units that have air conditioning available, capping indoor temps at 26 C between June 2 and Sept. 14. Such laws recognize the vulnerability of tenants who lack control over the temperature in their rental units, making heat death an especially urban tragedy, as confirmed in <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/82-003-x/2024006/article/00001-eng.pdf?st=e6jLNMuq">a recent Statistics Canada study</a> between 2000 and 2020. Deaths from extreme heat were more likely in cities with a higher percentage of renter households. During a single week-long heat wave in June 2021 — the year after the period captured in the Statistics Canada study — <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-heat-dome-sudden-deaths-570-1.6122316">B.C.’s chief coroner found that 570 people died from heat-related causes</a> — 79 per cent of them were seniors. <h2>Taking action at the community level</h2> From this Global North perspective, the community members who are most likely to die from extreme heat included: <ul> <li>Those over 65</li> <li>Those with more than one chronic condition (including hypertension, mental health, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease)</li> <li>Socially disadvantaged populations in our communities</li> <li>Those with mobility issues</li> <li>Those experiencing social isolation (living alone)</li> <li>Tenants with lack of air conditioning</li> <li>Those living in an urban heat island</li> </ul> This problem is not going away. Some of the <a href="https://www.intactcentreclimateadaptation.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/UoW_ICCA_2022_04-Irreversible-Extreme-Heat.pdf">actions we can take</a> to protect our most vulnerable community members include: <ul> <li>Increase awareness that excessive heat is not merely uncomfortable, but dangerous.</li> <li>Make sure people are warned about impending heat waves.</li> <li>Advocate for everyone to have access to air conditioning.</li> <li>Check on and support people who live alone, especially those with no air conditioning.</li> <li>Invite people over if you have air conditioning, or help them get to community cooling stations.</li> <li>Help vulnerable people who do not have air conditioning to improvise, by freezing wet cloths, for example, to take out and hang around their necks. Doing this, especially with a fan blowing, can be surprisingly effective.</li> <li>Learn and share the <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/fact-sheet-staying-healthy-heat.html">warning signs of heat-related illness</a>.</li> <li>Make sure they drink plenty of water and other replenishing fluids.</li> </ul> While we must do our best to limit climate change to keep our planet from getting ever hotter, we must also make every effort to protect the vulnerable from the impacts of the heat that is already here.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/236829/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/myles-david-sergeant-1542267">Myles David Sergeant</a>, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/mcmaster-university-930">McMaster University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/who-dies-in-a-heat-wave-how-to-help-protect-the-vulnerable-in-our-communities-236829">original article</a>.

Caring

Airline bans couple after racist row over reclined seat

Two travellers have been banned from Cathay Pacific flights after an argument over seat etiquette descended into racist insults. The incident occurred on a flight from Hong Kong to London, with a woman documenting her experience in a video posted on Xiaohongshu, China's version of Instagram. The woman, from mainland China, explained, "The lady sitting behind me asked me to put my seat up because it was blocking her husband's view of the TV. I politely declined, and she started stretching her feet onto my armrest, kicking my arm and cursing at me like crazy." A flight attendant stepped in to find a solution to the issue, but when the woman continued to refuse to put her chair up, the situation only escalated. "When (the female passenger) realised my Cantonese wasn't so great, she started throwing around some nasty comments, calling me a 'Mainland girl' and other derogatory stuff," the woman said, explaining how people from Hong Kong speak mainly Cantonese, whereas mainland Chinese mainly speak Mandarin. "Once I started recording, the husband behind me even shoved his hand on my armrest and started shaking it like crazy. I felt my personal space had been completely violated," added the woman, who said other passengers then intervened. In footage of the incident uploaded by the woman, a female voice can be heard saying in Mandarin: "You're old enough — why are you bullying a young girl?" And others can be heard shouting in Cantonese: "You're embarrassing us Hongkongers!" "After some passengers spoke up for me, the flight attendant finally said I could switch seats. I felt it was absurd—what if no one had backed me up? Would I have just been left to deal with it on my own?" the passenger said. "As a major airline, isn't Cathay supposed to know how to handle such disputes? Shouldn't treating passengers differently get some consequences? In a statement released Saturday, Cathay Pacific said it wanted to "sincerely apologise" for the "unpleasant experience," with the airline saying, "We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for any behaviour that violates aviation safety regulations or disrespects the rights of other customers." "We will deny future travel on any Cathay Group flights to the two customers involved in this incident." Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

TikTok couple slammed for leaving toddlers unattended in cruise cabin

TikTok Influencers Matt and Abby Howard have been slammed online for their controversial parenting choice while on a family vacation. In a now deleted video, the couple explained that they had brought their sons Griffin, 2, and August, 1 on a family cruise, and they went to dinner without the boys, but monitored the room through FaceTime. "So we ended up taking them for 5 nights and it became apparent that they weren't enjoying it and therefore we weren't either," they said in the caption. "So THEN we switched our dinner time to AFTER their bedtime and FaceTimed the monitors while we ate." Abby noted that baby monitors "don't work on board unless you're only like 10 feet away", adding that their dinnertime solution worked out "much better for everyone" Social media users were quick to respond to their decision, with many highlighting the safety concerns. "They literally could not have gotten to them fast enough if anything had happened and I cannot stop thinking about that. It’s sickening," one wrote on Reddit. "It's literally common sense that you do not leave a baby alone unsupervised," another added. "The fact that they would so willingly leave their children in an unfamiliar environment completely alone is shocking," another added. "Are they seriously that f****** dumb? Do they not watch the news, have they not seen what happened to Madeline McCann?" a fourth wrote. Following the controversy, the couple released a video claiming that a family member was always with the children while they were at dinner, although they didn't clarify who. "We take our roles as parents extremely seriously and we love our children more than anything in the entire world, and we're very protective of our kids," Matt said in the video. "We had someone with our children at all times on this boat," he continued adding that the speculation surrounding them is "completely untrue". "I do want to clarify that we have not, would not, will not ever leave our children unattended. We would would never, ever want to put them in harms way in anyway," Abby added. She explained that her family would "tag team" to help the couple out with watching their children. Viewers were quick to speculate whether they were telling the truth, while others were glad they clarified. "Thanks for the clarification because it did come off like the boys were alone- context is everything," one wrote. "I hope this is the truth," another added. "For them to post about it like it's some genius parenting hack is just wild," a third wrote. Image: Instagram

Family & Pets

Drunk couple forces emergency landing after mid-air meltdown

A Ryanair flight to Ibiza had to be diverted after a drunk couple allegedly assaulted cabin crew and other passengers. The plane, carrying holiday-makers from Manchester to Ibiza had to make an emergency landing in Toulouse, where police hauled the intoxicated passengers off the plane. A British traveller on the flight, who asked to remain anonymous, recalled the man "swigging duty free vodka" on the first hour of the flight, before he started arguing with a male cabin crew member and punched him in the face. As they tried to restrain him, the intoxicated man assaulted another passenger and spat at a woman, hurling verbal abuse at her. “He was kicking off with everyone, he was out of control,” the witness said. Flight attendants reportedly warned him that the flight would have to be diverted if he didn't calm down, but he replied: “I don’t give a f***.” The altercation lasted for about 40 minutes until Flight FR2626 had to land in Toulouse, and 12 police officers took him away in custody. Video of the attack showed the man shouting and swearing at the police, before assaulting another traveller as he was being escorted off the flight. After he left the plane, his partner started harassing another traveller, hitting him and calling him a "paedo". In another video, police were filmed physically restraining the woman, before removing her from the plane. The flight spent just over an hour and a half on the tarmac at the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport before continuing its journey to Ibiza. Just last week Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary called for flyers to be limited to two drinks at airports to crack down on disorderly behaviour on flights. “We don’t want to begrudge people having a drink," he said. “But we don’t allow people to drink-drive, yet we keep putting them up in aircraft at 33,000ft. “In the old days, people who drank too much would eventually fall over or fall asleep. But now those passengers are also on tablets and powder. “It’s the mix. You get much more aggressive behaviour that becomes very difficult to manage.” The airline has started carrying out hand luggage checks to stop passengers on flights to Ibiza and the Greek islands from smuggling duty-free alcohol on-board. A Ryanair spokesperson has apologised for the incident saying: “This flight from Manchester to Ibiza diverted to Toulouse after a small group of passengers became disruptive in-flight." “The crew called ahead for police assistance, who met the aircraft upon landing at Toulouse and offloaded two passengers before this flight continued to Ibiza. “We sincerely apologise to passengers for any inconvenience caused as a result of these unruly passengers’ behaviour, which was beyond Ryanair’s control. This is now a matter for local police.” Image: news.com.au

Travel Trouble

"I don't call that a life": Couple sign up to die in double suicide pod

Warning: This article contains sensitive content that some readers may find distressing. A couple from the UK has signed up to be the first to die in a double suicide pod, invented by an Australian doctor, after 46 years of marriage. Peter and Christine Scott, from Suffolk in England’s east, have shared their plans to travel to Switzerland to die together after Ms Scott, a former nurse, was diagnosed with early-stage vascular dementia. After meeting at a jazz club, the pair married 46 years ago, and shared that they have opted out of potentially years of hospital treatment and the crippling costs of care which could eat into their life savings. “We have had long, happy, healthy, fulfilled lives but here we are in old age and it does not do nice things to you,” Mr Scott, 86, told<a title="www.dailymail.co.uk" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13825105/Former-RAF-engineer-nurse-wife-sign-British-couple-use-double-suicide-pod-Switzerland-dementia.html"> The Daily Mail</a>. “The idea of watching the slow degradation of Chris’s mental abilities in parallel to my own physical decline is horrific to me,” the former Royal Air Force pilot added. “Obviously I would care for her to the point I could not, but she has nursed enough people with dementia during her career to be adamant she wants to remain in control of herself and her life”. “I would not want to go on living without her,” he said of his 80-year-old wife. “I don’t want to go into care, to be lying in bed dribbling and incontinent – I don’t call that a life”. As English law does not allow for euthanasia, the couple have planned their trip to Switzerland for the procedure, where Ms Scott has planned out her final days with her husband. “I’d like to go walking with Peter in the Swiss Alps, by a river. I’d have a beautiful plate of fish for my last supper, and enjoy a great bottle of Merlot,” she said. “I’d make a playlist including Wild Cat Blues and The Young Ones by Cliff Richard and I’ve found a poem called Miss Me But Let Me Go, which sums up exactly how I feel”. The suicide pod, known as Sarco, can be turned on with a simple flick of a switch from inside the futuristic capsule that resembles a modern car. The machine was invented by Australian Dr Philip Nitschke, who has long been behind a number of initiatives to allow legal euthanasia in Australia. The 3D printed Sarco capsule ends the lives of those inside by pumping the pod with nitrogen which replaces the oxygen in the pod, which renders the occupants unconscious within about a minute without, its claimed, any panic or distress. With falling oxygen, the person eventually suffocates. Dr Nitschke said the machine is activated by a button from inside the pod. “The capsule for two people works exactly the same as the single Sarco but there is only one button so they will decide between them who will push it,” he told <a title="www.dailymail.co.uk" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13825105/Former-RAF-engineer-nurse-wife-sign-British-couple-use-double-suicide-pod-Switzerland-dementia.html">The Daily Mail</a>. “Then they’ll be able to hold each other”. Image credits: Courtesy of Exit International

Legal

Flight attendant shares travel tips for loved-up couples

A flight attendant has shared what loved-up couples should not do when taking a trip together. Seasoned cabin crew member Suzanne Bucknam has warned couples to be wary of appropriate behaviour, and advised against these travel “icks”. Suzie told <a href="https://www.skyparksecure.com/">SkyParkSecure</a>, that one thing couples should be aware of when travelling are public displays of affection (PDA), which could land you in trouble. "A kiss on the lips or handholding doesn't warrant ick status but making out and putting a blanket over each other's laps gets very uncomfortable for everyone in the vicinity," Suzanne explains. "I've seen several couples attempt to join the mile-high club either in the bathroom or, worse, at their seats with said blanket over them. In fact, I've caught a couple with their pants down in the back of our plane once. We did an emergency landing and had them escorted off the plane, then got back in the air without them.” "It should be known that you can be arrested for public indecency, and flight attendants won't be afraid to call the authorities if they see you trying to get too cosy with your partner." Another must do for travelling couples is to book your plane seats together, rather than ask other passengers to change seats. "A simple boarding process can become a nightmare if couples don't book seats together but demand another passenger to move," she says. "Not only does it slow the process down significantly, but it often causes an altercation between passengers when someone won't move. Someone picked and paid for that seat, so they are well within their right to turn down a request to switch." Suzie said that while she understands couples, especially honeymooners, are excited about their travels, that doesn’t give them the right to make demands, and being difficult will get you nowhere. "What I wish all honeymooners knew before travelling somewhere is that, just because they're celebrating, it doesn't mean others have to celebrate or contribute to that celebration. If you do get a free upgrade or a free drink, fantastic! But please don't demand one from an unsuspecting flight attendant," she explains. "And as an employee who has been in that situation, it's just plain awkward if there are no upgrades available, and it's against the airline's policy to give freebies." Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

Couple charges guests to attend their wedding

A couple have made the divisive decision to charge their loved ones to attend their wedding in order to save money. When newlyweds Nova and Reemo Styles, a couple from the US, they were originally quoted $150,000 USD ($227,936 AUD) for their dream nuptials. "That's the number they were starting at," Nova explained to US news outlet ABC 7. In order to cut down on costs without cutting out any extravagant extras from their big day, the couple decided to put a price on attendance, and slap their loved ones with a fee. "And I said, 'People choose to go to Beyoncé's concert, because they know that they're gonna have an experience’. Let's put the stress on the guests, and let's sell tickets for a wedding,'" Nova admitted. Her new husband Reemo admitted he wasn’t too keen on the idea, as he recalled telling his wife “Babe, people aren’t going to come.” The couple decided to charge guests $333 USD ($510 AUD) each, which earned them a place on a double-decker bus for the reception which took them on a 12-hour adventure in New York City. The controversial move ended up saving the couple $70,000 USD ($106,260 AUD), and their big day went off without a hitch. They admitted that they received pushback from some guests, as NOva recalled one invitee saying, "I would never spend money on tickets. I don't care. Who do you guys think you are? Jay-Z and Beyoncé?” The couple stood by their choice to charge their guests, as many friends and family did fork out the hefty fee. Nova and Reemo’s story quickly made it to the ‘wedding shaming’ Reddit group, where social media users were not so sympathetic and were quick to condemn their “tacky” and “ridiculous” choice. "Talk about TACKY! I would never think of making someone pay to come to my wedding! That is just ridiculous...," one said. "I absolutely would not pay to come to a wedding, because I'm already paying to go -- gas, time to get ready, a gift, that's money/time I could spend in other ways," another said. "That's probably the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I would imagine many guests RSVP no," added another. Another user was quick to point out that if they needed help covering such a huge sum of money, they should’ve chosen to cut back on the extravagant day instead of expecting their loved ones to cover the cost. Image credits: ABC 7

Money & Banking

Woman “bullied” on plane over budget seating trick

A young woman has recalled a flight from hell when she was “bullied” by a couple who were trying to utilise a seating hack that went viral on TikTok. The solo traveller took to Reddit to recount the story and ask social media users if she was in the wrong for her action. The woman began by saying she usually pays more to select her plane seat ahead of time, but a medical emergency on another plane had her waiting on standby and left with no option other than to sit in a middle seat. When she was finally able to board, she was greeted by a couple who had purchased both the window and aisle seats in a bid to have more space, utilising a travel “trick” that has been popular on TikTok. The method, which has been dubbed the 'poor man's business class', usually leaves travellers with an empty middle seat and more space, and few travellers opt to pick a middle seat. “When I got to my row the man and woman were chatting and sharing a snack... it was obvious they were together. I mentioned to the man that I'm in the middle, and he got up to let me in,” the unsuspecting traveller wrote on Reddit. “I asked them if they would prefer to sit together, I said I was totally okay with that. The woman reacted rudely to this and said ‘you're not supposed to be sitting here anyway’.” After noticing how the plane was full, she offered to show the pair her new ticket with the correct seat number on it. “She flicked her hand at my ticket and made a disgusted sound. I offered again if they wanted to sit together to which she didn't reply, her partner said it's okay and... made some small talk,” she continued. The man’s girlfriend then interrupted their conversation to ask,”'Did you use one of those third party websites to book your flight? It's so frustrating when people cheap out to inconvenience others.” The American woman explained that she had booked her flight directly and she had been placed on standby like everyone else and didn't choose the middle seat - she was assigned it. She then tried to keep the peace by refusing to engage with the furious woman. “I was so done with her attitude, I put my headphones on and attempted to do my own thing,” she explained. But the “entitled” girlfriend wasn't letting it go, as the woman explained, “This woman kept reaching over me and tapping her partner and trying to talk to him in a way that was super intrusive.” “I could tell even her partner was trying to engage her less so that she would hopefully stop, but she didn't.” “I think they tried to pull that tactic where they don't sit together on purpose...hoping no one will sit between them. But on full flights it doesn't work. And even so - it's not the other person's fault.” The traveller's post was met with hundreds of comments slamming the girlfriend’s behaviour, as one person wrote, “It's like a toddler having a tantrum.” “She was disappointed and a total a**hole. Gross entitled people,” another added. Another person applauded the traveller’s level-headed behaviour, writing, “Wow! You are my hero for keeping it classy - I’m afraid I would not have been as kind as you.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Missing couple found dead in stranded lifeboat

A couple have been found dead in a lifeboat after attempting to sail across the Atlantic ocean. The bodies of Brit Sarah Packwood and her Canadian husband Brett Clibbery washed up in a boat on a beach in Nova Scotia over a month after they left Canada in a 12.8m eco-friendly yacht. The couple were heading to the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the mid-Atlantic. “Powered by the wind and sun. Heading east to the Azores. It’s probably the biggest adventure of our lives so far,” they said online, prior to their trip. Searches including by plane had been underway after the couple failed to arrive or communicate. Clibbery's son James announced the couple's deaths on Facebook. "There is still an investigation, as well as a DNA test to confirm, but with all the news, it is hard to remain hopeful," he wrote. "I am so very sorry to the people who were friends of them. "They were amazing people, and there isn't anything that will fill the hole that has been left by their, so far unexplained passing." It remains unclear how the couple got into trouble, but police in Halifax have launched an investigation into their deaths. One theory is that the small yacht was hit by a much larger ship. The couple had been living in Salt Spring Island in the southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia, and were documenting their travel adventures on Facebook and YouTube. On June 10 they posted a video saying they were heading on a "new adventure" from their home in Saltspring Island, British Columbia to Dartmouth Yacht Club, Nova Scotia. "All being well, and weather permitting the Captain and I intend to set sail in the next day or two for an ocean crossing," Packwood said. They were both experienced sailors, and the last video they shared was of them leaving Halifax on June 12. In the video, taken aboard the yacht, Clibbery said they could see "one big ship on the horizon which came out from Halifax, so they're out of our way. We're sailing." Images: Facebook

Travel Trouble

David Beckham's incredible offer for 'stealing' couple's wedding venue

David Beckham has reportedly made a huge offer to a couple in a bid to steal the venue from them. The couple had booked the luxury resort Gleneagles in Scotland, UK for their dream wedding, but the football legend - who has reportedly been busy hunting for the perfect location to celebrate his 50th birthday - also wanted to book the venue to mark the milestone birthday. According to <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/david-beckham-steals-couples-wedding-32864115" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Mirror</a>, Beckham has apparently convinced the couple to move their wedding date and venue by helping them pay off their wedding and a few other special offers. A “friend of a friend” took to X, to share the claim this week. “A friend of a friend is getting married at Gleneagles next year but David Beckham wants the date for his 50th, so to get the friend to move it so he can have the hotel, Gleneagles are paying for their new wedding date, honeymoon AND paying off their mortgage … the power of Becks," user Ollienarrator wrote in a tweet. Fans of Beckham praised the football legend for being so generous. “OMG!!!! That’s absolutely wild! Ah but so worth it,” wrote one person. “What a wedding present!” added another, to which the original poster responded: “I bet Beckham won’t have to pay either! But yeah, mortgage paid off will do!” The Mirror reported that they have contacted Beckham's representatives for a comment. Image: Ryan Browne/ Shutterstock Editorial

Money & Banking

Elderly couple left stranded by cruise ship

An elderly American couple was left behind by a Norwegian Cruise Line while on holiday in Spain this week. Richard and Claudene Gordon- aged 84 and 81 - were on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the Norwegian Viva with plans to celebrate Richard's birthday before things went downhill. The couple decided to take an independent excursion by themselves while the ship was docked in Motril, Spain, but on their return, their bus was delayed for an hour due to poor weather, so they ran late for the 5:30pm all-aboard time ahead of a scheduled 6pm departure. “I am a very experienced traveler and have probably been on as many as 30 cruises during my lifetime,” Richard told CNN. “Never before have we ever missed catching a ship on time at a port. So we are not someone who abuses the system.” Richard claimed that at 5:45pm they notified a relative on board who raised the alarm that they were nearby and running late, but nothing could be done at that point as the ship had to leave on time. By the time the couple arrived at 6:10pm, the boat had left the harbour, but Richard claimed that the cruise line had a tendency to depart behind schedule, and made no attempt to contact them until late Tuesday. “Our cruise began in Lisbon and we departed from Lisbon about one and a half hours after the scheduled departure at 4pm,” he claimed. “Then the next night or two, at least a half-hour late from the dock, so it is clear that they do not always leave on the exact moment scheduled.” The couple were left stranded without their medication, eyeglasses and spare hearing aid batteries, which were left on board. Their daughter ended up having to book her parents a flight to Palma de Mallorca, where the boat was making its next call Wednesday morning, according to the publication. By the time the couple got to Mallorca, they were met with "a beautiful black BMW limousine" which took them back to their ship. "There we were met by the head of ship services who escorted us inside the ship to meet the general manager of the ship, then they escorted us to breakfast, then they escorted us to our cabin.They said they have already complained about the harbour master who was supposed to take care of things for them. "But of course the ship had not contacted us directly for two days so that doesn’t speak so well for them.” The Norwegian Cruise Line disputed the couple’s account of what happened. “After several attempts to contact these guests with the phone numbers provided, as well as trying to phone their emergency contact, we were unable to speak to them directly. However, we worked closely with the local port agents to make arrangements for the guests to rejoin the vessel,” a spokesperson said. “It is important to note that a delayed departure has the potential to impact the ship’s ability to deliver its planned itinerary and thus influence the experience for all guests on-board. While this was a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time.” Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

Hall of Fame fighter hospitalised after saving elderly parents from fire

In the heart of Ohio, a story of heroism and sacrifice has emerged from the flames of a devastating house fire. Mark Coleman, a revered figure in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) and the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), found himself in the midst of a harrowing ordeal, where his actions transcended the octagon to demonstrate unparalleled bravery and love for family. On a fateful Tuesday morning, as the dawn painted the sky over Fremont, Ohio, tragedy struck the Coleman household. Details of the fire initially emerged through local news outlets, shrouded in anonymity. However, it wasn't long before the truth surfaced – it was Mark Coleman, the UFC legend, who had selflessly rushed into the inferno to rescue his elderly parents from imminent danger. Reports indicated that Coleman, aged 59, wasted no time in the face of adversity. With unwavering determination, he courageously carried both of his parents, Dan and Connie Foos Coleman, to safety, braving the engulfing flames that threatened to consume their home. Yet, his valour knew no bounds as he plunged back into the fiery abyss, driven by an instinctive urge to save another beloved member of the family – their loyal dog, Hammer. Tragically, despite his desperate efforts, the canine companion did not survive the blaze. Coleman's daughter, Kenzie, revealed on social media that Hammer's persistent barking had roused her father from slumber, ultimately saving his life. This heartbreaking loss added another layer of sorrow to an already traumatic event. As news of Coleman's heroic act spread, an outpouring of support and prayers flooded social media platforms. His second daughter Morgan, in an emotional Instagram post, recounted her father's selfless deeds and pleaded for continued prayers during this trying time. To the Coleman family, Mark wasn't just a UFC pioneer; he was a beacon of strength and resilience, a cherished father and a beloved friend. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4bQHaopteq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4bQHaopteq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Morgan Coleman (@mocoleman18)</a> </div> </blockquote> Mark Coleman's legacy in the world of MMA is undeniable. Dubbed "The Godfather of Ground-and-Pound", he etched his name in the annals of UFC history as the organisation's inaugural heavyweight champion in 1997. His contributions to the sport earned him a well-deserved place in the UFC Hall of Fame in 2008, solidifying his status as a true icon. However, beyond the glitz and glory of the octagon, Coleman's journey has been marked by personal struggles and triumphs. In 2020, he battled a heart attack, a testament to his resilience in the face of adversity. A year later, he confronted his demons, seeking rehabilitation for alcoholism, and emerged stronger, embracing a healthier lifestyle. Author Jonathan Snowden, who shared a close bond with Coleman and was poised to document his remarkable life story, offered a glimpse into the aftermath of the fire. Through poignant images capturing the devastation, Snowden provided a raw and unfiltered portrayal of the ordeal. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This is what's left of the house Mark Coleman and his family were in last night. Mark's dog Hammer woke him up to a house in flames. He saved both his parents and is fighting for his life. <a href="https://t.co/hicYhv7SDm">pic.twitter.com/hicYhv7SDm</a> — Jonathan Snowden (@JESnowden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JESnowden/status/1767637195555299781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a></blockquote> Images: Instagram / Twitter (X)

Caring

Couple who found love in chemotherapy raise funds for final trip

Ainslie Plumb, 22, and Joe Fan, 29, found love in an unexpected place, at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. The couple met in 2022 while they were both undergoing leukaemia treatment. “We met at an event for young people with cancer and became friends following that,” Plumb told 7News. “(We) would hang out during our hospital stays, I asked him out in October 2022 and (we) have been together ever since.” While Plumb successfully entered remission, last October, Fan was told that he was now terminal, as doctors had run out of options to treat his Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. With only months left to live, Fan, who has actively given back to the hospital and cancer community by playing his violin for patients and staff and worked with the Queensland Youth Cancer Service, has one final wish - to travel. The couple have set a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-joe-live-his-dreams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a>, to help raise funds which cover flights, accommodation and specialised travel insurance, for Fan's final trip. “I go through my cancer treatments and observe the toll that takes on my physical and mental wellbeing,” Fan said. “The end of a trip can hopefully mark the start of another — and I have held onto hope, looked forward and dreamed for one more trip, more time, one more experience with that someone I love.” Their first destination will be Taiwan and Hong Kong, where Fan's parents are from and where he spent a majority of his childhood. They also intend to travel to New Zealand and Western Australia to swim with whale sharks at Ningaloo in the state’s north. “We’re aiming at going at the end of February to give us time to co-ordinate with his doctors around his appointments and infusions, which are all booked in advance,” Plumb said. “We recently reached 75 per cent on the fundraiser and are hoping to hit 100 per cent perhaps by the end of January.” As of today, the couple have successfully raised over $21,000 from their $20,000 goal, and have thanked everyone in their community and strangers for their support. “Truly, words do not suffice,” the couple said. Images: 7News

Relationships

Couple misses their own wedding after cruise ship forced to turn back

A couple has missed their own dream destination wedding after their cruise ship was denied entry into New Zealand. Janine Sherriff and Kyle Risk dreamed of exchanging rings at the popular Lord of the Rings filming location, Hobbiton, located on the north island of New Zealand. The couple were meant to meet up with some close friends and family in New Zealand, as they travelled across from Australia on a P&O cruise ship, but were turned back from docking over an unclean hull. The “Kiwi Adventure” cruise, which was meant to be a 13-day journey, turned into more of a Tasmanian adventure after the ship was told to head to Australia’s southernmost state instead. New Zealand’s biosecurity laws were triggered over just three juvenile mussels and one single hydroid (AKA: lace coral), which needed to be removed from the ship's hull. “We took the time off from work, we had our nearest and dearest friends and family all co-ordinate to be in New Zealand at this exact time,” Janine told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-25/cruise-ship-turned-away-from-nz/103151078">ABC</a>. “The plan was to get off the boat, go straight to Hobbiton, have our wedding, then head straight back to the boat for the rest of the honeymoon.” “Now we have to figure out what to do about our wedding, we have all this money down the drain. I am heartbroken this day has been taken away from me." Kyle added, “First off, I was furious.” “I saw Janine’s face when we got the news. I was ready to explode. “I got a selfie from our family and friends at the site in Hobbiton we should have been on about 20 minutes before we had to turn around.” “It would have meant a lot as it was a beautiful setting. As long as we have each other,” he added. The cruise operator in charge of the vessel, P&O, has offered customers $300 in on-board credit and a 50 per cent credit on a future cruise. “We apologise for the change in itinerary and thank our guests for their patience and understanding,” a spokesperson for the company’s Australian division said per the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12791331/Engaged-couple-P-O-cruise-forced-turn-New-Zealand-fume-dream-Lord-Rings-wedding-ruined.html">Daily Mail</a>. Image credits: Facebook / Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

“Now THIS is a gift I can get behind”: Couple praised for unusual wedding request

A young couple have come up with an inventive way to pay off a speeding fine, while asking their friends and family to contribute to the cost. Annabelle and James, from Texas in the US, were less than three weeks away from their wedding when James unfortunately received a speeding fine in the mail. With their wedding budget already at capacity, the young couple weren’t sure how they were going to be able to fork out for the $231 fine. However, they came up with a genius way to deal with the fine: by adding it to their wedding gift registry. Annabelle shared their great idea to TikTok, writing, “Wedding in 26 days, timing couldn't be better.” <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7288095171068103982&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40imthatgurlneb%2Fvideo%2F7288095171068103982&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2FokrbI8IiAf2R6neDQgBDaXXCZ2DEJl8SgCBJIz%3Fx-expires%3D1697760000%26x-signature%3DdT%252FKt%252BrdEhkr8paiK0OSLVuZj0g%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> In the video, Annabelle showed her fiancé James sitting in front of a computer holding an envelope containing the $231 penalty for driving over the speed limit. “Feel free to support James in his down-bad era on The Knot at Annabelle and James's Wedding Registry,” she wrote in the caption of the clip. In the 15-second-clip, Annabelle showed their registry list on the computer screen, focusing on a section for 'cash fund' on their digital gift wish list and a picture of a police officer issuing the fine. She then zoomed in on James updating their registry, writing 'PLEASE HELP,' as he added the speeding fine to the cash fund. The video has racked up hundreds of thousands of views, with many people praising their inventive way of repaying the fine. “Now this is a wedding gift I can get behind,” one viewer declared. Others also flocked to the comments to share similar stories that happened around their own wedding days. “I got a speeding ticket the night before our wedding... guess it happens to the best of us,” added one person. “My husband got a speeding ticket the day of our rehearsal dinner, so very relatable,” agreed another. Image credits: TikTok

Relationships

"Entitled" couple slammed for charging guests almost $4K to attend wedding

A daring UK couple has taken being frugal to the next level by charging their guests £2,000 (AUD $3,806) to attend their wedding. The couple's antics have gone viral on Reddit after one of the guests shared the bewildering experience online The guest claimed that he received an email prior to the wedding with a link that read, "Click here for payment." Assuming it was a link for a honeymoon fund, the guest clicked on it only to discover the couple's ridiculous request for nearly £2,000. The generous guest decided to humour the couple and paid the fee, hoping that he would be able to enjoy the free bar and indulge in the wedding feast, to reap some of the benefits of his investment. It's not surprising that the couple, who asked their guests to pay for their wedding, also charged them for drinks. After spending nearly £2,000, the wedding guest also had to pay an additional £30 (AUD $57) on drinks. After doing the maths, the guest concluded that the wedding venue's cost had been evenly distributed among them - so the couple essentially enjoyed a free wedding thanks to their friends and family. This sparked outrage among other Reddit users who were in disbelief over the couple's "entitlement". "I'm sorry (not sorry), but I would never pay to attend a wedding, let alone pay £2000. The entitlement is overflowing here!" commented one person "I'd reach out to the bride and groom for a refund," wrote another. "Your friend and every other guest were absolute suckers for going along with this scheme," another brutally honest user added. Another user criticised the couple for not providing drinks for their generous guests. "I don't have anything against dry weddings but surely you can offer something other than just water." "As soon as I saw that payment screen, I'd have cancelled my RSVP. Regardless of the bride and groom's relationship, if you want a particular type of wedding, foot the bill yourself," another user commented. "Their approach was simply tacky." Image: Getty

Relationships

Dying husband and wife spend their final days holding hands

A married couple have spent their final days holding hands in hospital, after their beds were pushed next to each other so they could be side-by-side as they both passed away. The couple from Tennessee, Tommy and Virginia Stevens, both 91, were both admitted to the Vanderbilt hospital for unrelated medical issues. Tommy, who was suffering with Alzheimer’s disease, had been struck down with aspiration pneumonia and sepsis, and was transferred to the hospital's palliative care unit. The same morning, Virginia suffered a fall as she sustained six broken ribs, a spinal fracture, and a hip injury, and was admitted to the hospital's trauma unit. As Tommy and Virginia's family were struggling to split time between the two wards, hospital staff were able to pull strings for the longtime lovebirds to be roomed side-by-side. Virginia was moved into a room near Tommy’s in the Palliative Care Unit, and her hospital bed was scooted against his so she could comfort him as his health continued to get worse, the hospital said. “He was awake when she came in,” their daughter Karen Kreager said. “His eyes were open. He wasn’t communicating a lot — just in small whispers. But he knew that she was there and that she was going to be right beside him. They haven’t stopped holding hands the whole time. She won’t let go of him.” “It reminds me of why we do this work,” Mohana Karlekar, MD, medical director of VUMC’s adult Palliative Care Program told local news station <a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2023/09/19/she-wont-let-go-him-vanderbilt-helps-hospitalized-wife-comfort-dying-husband/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WSMV</a>. “We take care of people — husbands, wives, mothers, fathers — not patients. We brought this family together during one of their most difficult times with little effort on our part. It involved a call, seeing an extra patient that day and some conversations.” “From the time we brought Mrs. Stevens over, she held her husband’s hand and fussed in a very loving way with him,” Karlekar said. “She was able to tell me Monday that she was at peace with what was going on, and she wanted to be there until the end.” Tommy died on September 8th, just a day before the couple’s 69th anniversary, and Virginia died a few days later on September 17th. Image credits: Vanderbilt University Medical Center and The Stevens Family

Caring

Uber driver shocked by elderly passenger's intrusive questions

A young Aussie Uber driver has shared the moment he was grilled by an elderly female passenger with a line of very judgemental questions. James Bade, 23, regularly uploads dash-cam footage to social media from his Uber journeys with colourful characters. In a video he posted on Wednesday, Bade picks up an elderly female passenger, who quickly begins quizzing him about his schooling and career. The woman asks Bade what his Year 12 ATAR rank was, before judging his answer. "What was your score like at the end of the year?" the woman asked. "Uhh, not great," Bade awkwardly responded. The passenger then pressed further, asking if his mark was "70? 80?", with Bade stated he got "65". "You did s***", the woman bluntly said. "Yeah, but that's okay," Bade said, to which the passenger responded, "No, it's not okay. It's s***." Bade, who appeared momentarily stunned by the woman's brash assertions about his school results, told her that he gave his final tests "a good go", with the passenger saying, "You did not." <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7277944950711438599&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40jamesbadeofficial%2Fvideo%2F7277944950711438599&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F65176828c7d846a09f542b7a8ccae59d_1694528612%3Fx-expires%3D1694826000%26x-signature%3DJ1LS93ofX1akA%252F3OHw4mxLNRhyI%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> Later on in the drive, she began questioning the young man about his career aspirations. Bade mentioned that he was "doing real estate for a few years" that gave him "some opportunities" but that he was happy being an Uber driver in the meantime. "Oh, God. Well you've gotta sort of get it together," the elderly passenger said. "It is together!" the young driver hit back. "I'm always chatting to new people and they're giving me new ideas for different things." The woman responded, "No it's not, my idea is to get it together." Bade posted the interaction to his TikTok account, as the video has quickly accumulated hundreds of thousands of views. Viewers were quick to praise Bade's patience with the elderly passenger, while slamming the woman's judgement of Bade's personal life decisions and her condescending attitude. "Nothing like an elderly alcoholic telling another person to get it together," one person commented. Another wrote, "I'm so sorry you had to deal with that...she's using your services and simultaneously looking down on it. It's insane. A job is a job." "You're so patient and calm with her, I would have kicked her out. Who gives her the right to judge?" added another. Image credits: TikTok

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Couple charges guests to attend their wedding

Woman “bullied” on plane over budget seating trick

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David Beckham's incredible offer for 'stealing' couple's wedding venue

Elderly couple left stranded by cruise ship

Hall of Fame fighter hospitalised after saving elderly parents from fire

Couple who found love in chemotherapy raise funds for final trip

Couple misses their own wedding after cruise ship forced to turn back

“Now THIS is a gift I can get behind”: Couple praised for unusual wedding request

"Entitled" couple slammed for charging guests almost $4K to attend wedding

Dying husband and wife spend their final days holding hands

Uber driver shocked by elderly passenger's intrusive questions