When the staff at the Monterey Bay Aquarium noticed a wild sea otter swimming into the safe waters of their Great Tide Pool, they began to wonder if something was wrong with her since healthy wild otters rarely visit the safe pool so frequently.

But when the staff got to work one morning, all their questions had been answered. “Around 8:30 a.m., Aquarium staff witnessed a BRAND NEW pup resting on her belly, being furiously groomed by a proud momma,” the aquarium staff wrote in a blog post. As the staff looked closer, they noticed the fluffy sea otter pup was still attached to the umbilical cord.

While still in the water, this new mom quickly fluffed out her newborn’s fur, which helps keep them warm and buoyant.

Afterwards, the two dried off on a rock for some quality cuddling time before heading back into the bay.

Watch the entire video below to see this adorable new mom cuddle her newborn otter pup.

Can you believe how adorable this new mom is with her baby? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this with your friends on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium ]

Firefighters don’t just put out fires, they have the incredibly difficult task of being first responders to a variety of situations. Not only do they have to make sure everyone is safe, but they also have to make sure they aren’t scared.

When firefighter Russell Whaley arrived at a car accident, he stopped everything to make sure a small boy named Lucas wouldn’t worry as his mother had been injured in the accident.

“Firefighters wanted to check me and my daughter out first because we had the most visible damage,” mom Shana Pacheco told TODAY. “My son started getting worried and scared. He was nervous seeing me with an oxygen mask and all this stuff on me.”

“That’s part of our job. A lot of times we’re dealing with emotional needs. It’s not just putting out a fire, or putting a Band-Aid on a wound. I’m proud of our guys for doing that,” said Keith Welch, Battalion Chief of Chandler Fire, Health & Medical.

Photo by Facebook/Steffani Blair

Steffani Blair had passed by the accident, and was touched when she saw the firefighter reading to the shaken boy. In her post to Facebook, Steffani wrote:

While everyone walked away with just a few scratches, Pacheco was so impressed with the crew’s care. “Another crew member made him a little hand balloon from a glove and drew a silly face on it,” she said. “You know, that’s not part of their job.”

Are you impressed by this first responder’s quick thinking? Let us know in the comments below, and please SHARE this on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Facebook/Steffani Blair]

Most people think Christmas presents have to come in a neatly wrapped box with an elaborate bow, but this man just proved that the best gifts can’t be bought.

When 27-year-old Raquel Gomes started showing signs of kidney disease, a side effect of the genetic disorder Alport syndrome she was born with, she had to begin giving herself dialysis treatments. Every night, Raquel would hook herself up to a machine by 9 p.m., and begin the 10-hour process. Not only was the treatment exhausting, but she was forced to give up her social life and traveling.

None of this, however, scared away Raquel’s 29-year-old boyfriend Bairon Gomez. Three months into her dialysis treatments, Bairon proposed to his girlfriend with a full understanding of what ‘in sickness and in health’ really meant.

But for Bairon, his heart wasn’t enough. He knew the only way they could have a long and healthy life together was if she got a new kidney, so he decided to get tested to see if he might be a match.

“When you see her every day ­going through the same experience, dealing with the machine . . . I wanted to get tested,” Bairon said.

Turns out, he was a perfect match for his fiancé. The two underwent transplant surgeries the past October, and have been recovering just in time for Christmas.

“I’m not giving her any more gifts. That’s it,” Bairon told the New York Post. “No, I’m only kidding, I don’t look at it like that. I did it to help her get back to her normal life.”

Would you donate a kidney to a loved one like this man did? Let us know in the comments below, and please SHARE this on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: New York Post]

1-year-old Jack was born with craniosynostosis, which affects the skulls growth pattern, but dad Jonathan Moxey wasn’t about to let that hold his son back.

Luckily for Jack, his form of craniosynostosis was the most treatable type, but he was still required to wear a helmet to protect his head for about nine months until his first birthday. “We thought, this is the hand we’ve been dealt, we can take a very positive attitude about it, or we can be down about it,” Jonathan told Today. “But the last thing we wanted was for someone to feel sorry for Jack, because we were very blessed.”

When Jack first came home with his helmet, Jonathan decided to spruce it up with some paint pens, decals, and tape. In total, Jonathan has made four different helmets, inspired by R2-D2, Luke Skywalker, Biggs Darklighter and Jek Porkins, for his son as his head grew.

“I’ve always been a big Star Wars fan, and I’m definitely not a big sports fan,” Jonathan said. “We were looking for something that would be fun to do with these helmets, to kind of change the attention he would inevitably be getting.”

“Everything looks good so far. In January, he’ll meet with a full team of doctors for another check-up to make sure everything is progressing the way it should, but right now he seems to be a completely normal 16-month-old boy,” Jonathan said.

Jack has since traded in his helmet for a cozy Santa hat.

Can you believe how amazing these helmets are? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Jonathan Moxey]

A one-day old pup has a lot to learn, but this Weimaraner newborn found the perfect spot for staying cozy and warm.

In the video, this chilly puppy crawls over to her exhausted mom to get some much-needed warmth. Soon enough, however, the clever baby realizes she’s had the perfect blanket right next to her all along.

At first, the tiny pup tries huddling up next to mom to get warmed by her body heat, but realizes there’s an even better option for staying warm.

It might be her mother’s floppy ear, but it also happens to be the perfect blanket for the miniature dog. After some squirming, she finally gets into a perfect position, and settles down for a snug nap.

Watch the adorable video below to see how this inventive puppy warms up.

A video posted by Mindy (@mwilsonphotography) on Aug 23, 2015 at 3:28pm PDT

Were you impressed by her clever thinking? Let us know in the comments below, and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Instagram/mwilsonphotography]

Polar bears are made for the harsh, freezing weather in the arctic cirlce, so it’s no surprise that these polar bears absolutely lost it when they saw their Christmas gift straight from the North Pole.

San Diego is normally too warm to snow, so the staff at the Sand Diego Zoo decided to bring 26 tons of pure snow to their polar bear exhibit in order to surprise their three polar bears—Kalluk, Tatqiq and Chinook. Once they saw their gift, the bears blissfully rolled around and wrestled with each other all morning.

The zoo’s staff hid yams, carrots, melons, and beef bones throughout all the snow to encourage the bears to slide, dig, and pounce on the snow. “Bears utilize these behaviors to help them break through ice to reach seal dens. All three bears were rescued at a young age, so they had to learn these behaviors without the help of their mothers,” zoo staff wrote in a post to their site.

“This was a special day for the polar bears, and I could tell they really loved it,” said Susan Purtell, senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo. “It was great seeing them roll around in the snow, showcasing their natural behaviors.”

Watch the entire video below to see how excited these polar bears got when they saw their snow gift.

Can you believe how much fun these incredible animals had in the snow? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: San Diego Zoo]

Elegant and magical aren’t the words you’d normally associate with skiing, but this dazzling video shows the winter sport like never before.

In the video, athletes Pep Fujas, Eric Hjorleifson, Chris Benchetler, and Daron Rahlves use LED lights to illuminate the mountain as they ski down, which shows a unique look at a rarely seen landscape.In order to produce the video, the athletes and crew pulled an all-nighter on an exposed Alaskan ridgeline. Their efforts were well worth it, however, as the result is pure magic.

The skiers wore multicolored LED light suits and backpacks, which lit up the landscape as they raced down the mountain.

“It was a weird feeling because it was simultaneous excitement and extreme anxiety over all the variables of, you know, is this going to work?” Nick Waggoner of Sweetgrass Productions said. “The whole thing felt on the brink. It was either going to be the coolest thing we’ve ever shot, or a supreme failure.”

Watch the entire video below to see the simple way these skiers turned outing into magic.

Were you dazzled by this incredible light show? Please SHARE on Facebook, and share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Harsh winter wind can be especially hard on babies‘ delicate skin, which is why it’s so important to keep them warm as the temperatures dip below freezing.

These bearded beanies let your little girl or boy dress up like vikings, lumberjacks, pirates, and even Santa Claus, all while keeping their soft little faces protected from the elements.

Take a look below at some of the cutest ways to bundle up your little one this winter.

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Would you bundle up your baby in one of these scruffy hats? Let us know in the comments below, and please SHARE with your friends on Facebook.

[Featured image credit:Facebook/ Doctor ASKY]

Jaxon Buell took the world by storm when he defied the odds and began to thrive despite doctors warning he wouldn’t survive his birth without a substantial part of his skull.

But today, Jaxon is doing great, and he even has some pictures with Santa to prove it from his trip to The Mall at Millenia in Orlando, Florida. After the fun-filled outing, Jaxon’s mom Brittany wrote in a post to Facebook: “Today, as I sit here holding my sweet Jaxon (who will periodically look up at me with a huge sigh and chirp with his cute little voice) I realize how truly blessed I am to have such an amazing family.”

Jaxon’s parents, Brandon and Brittany Buell, wrote a touching Christmas card from their little boy thanking all of his supporters and wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season.

Doctors told Brittany and Brandon that their son wouldn’t survive, but today he is thriving and even got to visit Kris Kringle.

Watch the video below to see how happy Jaxon was after meeting Santa for the first time.

Can you believe how far this little fighter has come? Let us know your thoughts, and please SHARE this amazing story on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Facebook/ Jaxon Strong]

Abandoned shelter dogs often have to spend the holiday season alone without the love of a family, but one woman is ensuring that every dog at the Greyhound Rescue Northeast Shelter gets at least one gift this year.

Jan Brown, a 52-year-old mom from Seaburn, UK, started knitting sweaters and hats for Greyhounds in 2008 for a local shelter. Since then, she decided to quit her job to knit these gentle dogs sweaters.

Jan started a business, Knitted With Love, and uses the profits from the company to supports shelters across the UK.

Since starting the project, Jan has knitted over 300 sweaters for greyhounds.

“I can’t think of anything I would rather do than knit woolly clothing for dogs,” Jan said.

“It’s really sweet seeing them in their festive Christmas jumpers and it’s giving much needed help to the rescue centres”

“I have spent over 4,000 hours knitting but it’s all worthwhile when I see them sporting their new jumpers and hats.”

“There are so many dogs that won’t be re-homed this Christmas so for many of them it’s the only gift they will get”

Greyhounds have very thin fur, which leaves them feeling cold in the winter. Jan’s sweaters help them stay warm while out walking in the bitter cold.

What do you think of Jan’s work? Please SHARE with your friends on Facebook, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

[Featured image credit: www.knittedwithlove.co.uk]

Grandparents may not always be up on the latest technology, but their grandkids will always be around to show them what they’re missing out on.

While on a family vacation to Hawaii for Christmas, this family decided to show their 88-year-old grandma named Marie what virtual reality was by trying on the Google Cardboard VR for the first time. In between her adorable screams, Marie only manages to say ‘Oh my goodness.’

Shocked by how realistic the Virtual Reality roller coaster is, Marie can’t contain her giggles and squeals.

But after her family tells her to look around, Marie starts to get overwhelmed by how real it all looks, and her grandson has to hold her hand to remind her that the roller coaster isn’t real.

Watch the hysterical video below to see this grandma’s reaction to a virtual reality roller coaster.

Can you believe how shocked this grandma was? Let us know in the comments below, and please SHARE this on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Mark Nutt]

While the death of any loved one is incredibly painful, nothing is as bad as having to bury your child. When Lisa Freeman found out her son Marine Captian Matthew C. Freeman died while serving in Afghanistan in 2009, she decided the best way to cope with her own grief was to help others struggling with theirs.

After Matthew passed away, Lisa started the Matthew Bears project, which turns the uniforms of fallen soldiers into cuddly teddy bears for the families who were grieving from the loss of their loved one. “I don’t know about big, but I think I’m making a difference,” Lisa said.

The Matthew Bears project is way for Lisa to both help others with their loss and also honor her son by making something positive out of a tragic situation.

Once Lisa recieves the service member’s unifrom, which can be sent from any family who has lost a loved one in service, she starts turning the uniform into a beautiful teddy bear, and sends it back to the family free of charge.

“He’s loving that something good is happening out of something so tragic,” Freeman told CNN.

Watch the video below to see Lisa Freeman present Matthew Bears to a fallen soldier’s family.

Were you moved by this mom’s incredible idea for honoring fallen soldiers? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: The Matthew Freeman Project]

Life is full of ‘firsts‘, but some are definitely more memorable than others, and we have a feeling this baby boy will always remember the first time he discovered bacon.

In the video, a baby boy named Easton sits with his family eating breakfast on Christmas morning when they decide to let him try a piece of bacon. Almost instantly, he falls in love with the flavorful food, and his reaction is priceless.

At first, Easton was a little unsure of the new food, but with the encouragement of his family, he decided to try a bite.

In seconds, Easton’s eyes lit up as his taste buds processed the new flavor, and he couldn’t get enough of the breakfast staple.

Watch the entire video below to see his incredible reaction.

Do you love bacon as much as this animated baby? Let us know in the comments below, and please SHARE this on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Tyler Beach]

While driving on a bridge over an icy river, this deaf man noticed something alarming and knew he had to help if he could.

From the road, this good samaritan spotted a fawn that had wandered out onto the ice, and had fallen into the icy waters. The man quickly jumped to action and grabbed a rope to pull the helpless animal out and back to safety. Immediately after, he took a video of the scene and signed with one hand to explain what had just happened.

According to a family friend who translated the sign language, the man said: “I was driving along when I see this deer struggling to survive. I felt obligated to help her, so I pulled over, trekked through the woods, and crawled out onto the ice. I used a rope to pull her out. I am so glad she is safe. Now we need to find her mom.”

While he managed to save the deer from the icy water, the traumatized animal was still in shock and appeared to be resting before going to find mom.

Watch the entire video below with subtitles to see how this man saved the helpless deer.

Were you amazed that this man went so far out of his way to help the animal? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this amazing story on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Vimeo/cj ]

When a good samaritan found a tiny squirrel twitching on the side of the road, she knew she had to save him. Instead of leaving it to die, the woman brought him home, named him Mitten, and began nursing him back to health.

The squirrel was most likely hit by a car and was showing signs of bad head trauma. But the couple had previously saved another squirrel, and were able to get him to drink through a syringe.

“We reached out to a wildlife rehabilitator, who gave us some medicine to give him to help with the head trauma. Now, after 6 days on the medicine, He’s doing a lot better.” Mitten can now hold food on his own and can walk a bit better, but still needs help drinking and often keeps his head to the side.

“We are still caring for him, though he will likely never be able to be released again. He may not be able to live a wild life, but if he continues to recover, we can help him live a good life.”

While he’s still recovering, Mitten has made an adorable home out of the couple’s Christmas tree.

Would you have rescued this adorable squirrel? Let us know in the comments, and please SHARE this on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Reddit/carefree_dude]

Being a puppy can be exciting with all the new, sights, sounds, and smells. However, sometimes all the excitement can be a bit overwhelming.

When this litter of Lab puppies got brought outside, they couldn’t wait to explore their new stomping grounds, but once they were set free, the excitement was too much and they all peed themselves at the exact same time.

The litter of precious Labrador Retriever pups were eager to get out of the blue bin, and a few almost managed to jump out.

As soon as the bin tipped over, every single one ran out, and started peeing at the exact same time.

Watch the entire video below to see the adorable moment these Lab puppies decide to go to the bathroom all at once.

Were you amazed by how in sync these puppies were? Let us know in the comments, and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Youtube/AFV]

It’s a firefighter’s job to keep us safe, but these firemen from the Moraga-Orinda Fire District in California went above and beyond to help a young cancer patient and her family.

Last June, 6-year-old Finley Brown was diagnosed with kidney cancer, and over the several months of treatment, she’s touched the hearts of her doctors and even her local firemen. In honor of her final chemotherapy treatment, the firemen decided to surprise Finley by giving her a ride in a fire truck to Oakland’s UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.

“I’d never seen someone with such a big smile going to the hospital. I was having just as much fun as she was,” firefighter Lucas Lambert told Today.

“Finley caught our eye initially because she didn’t have any hair, and then because she started talking to us — this little girl had a ton of confidence. She wasn’t shy at all. She introduced both her little brother and babysitter to us and had no problems asking questions,” Lambert said. “And then she went on to tell us her story and started showing off her scars and telling us what she had been through in the past month or so.”

Since that first meeting at a local festival, Lambert and the other firemen were inspired by Finley, and got to know her family. The fire house started a fundraiser so they could go to Disney after Finley recovered, and when it finally came time for her last chemotherapy treatment, the firemen had one last surprise up their sleeves.

Watch the video below to see how excited Finley was to get a ride in a firetruck on her way to her last chemo treatment.

Were you moved by these incredible firemen and strong little girl? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this amazing story on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: A.J. Brown]

Puppies have a seemingly endless supply of energy. While it was cute at first, this dad definitely needs some time to rest up. Only problem is that someone forgot to tell this pup it was nap time, not play time.

In the video, the newborn Maremma/Great Pyrenees mix pup named Zina tries her very best to get her exasperated dad to play with her. Unfortunately for her, dad has no problem saying no to his persistent daughter.

Watch the entire video below to see Zina try her hardest to get dad to play with her.

Can you believe this dad was able to say no to his adorable pup? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Rumble/Brooke]

When drivers saw this man standing on the side of the road holding a cardboard sign, they assumed he was homeless and begging for money. However, the people who pulled over to help the man got a wonderful surprise.

Instead, this mystery man held up a sign that read ‘Smile, I’ll give you a buck.’ For hours, this man stood on the side of the road handing out money for nothing more than a smile.

The man told strangers his name was ‘Carl Ramsey’ but it turns out Carl Ramsey was actually a friend of the mystery man who passed away in high school from a farming accident.

“I am not Carl Ramsey, but today I represent his spirit. Carl was my friend in high school. The guy was a very loving, caring, young boy with an infectious laugh… As the years have passed, my imagination has tried to envision what his life would have been like,” the man said in a letter to local news station KMGH. “Today you have seen a small glimpse of Carl Ramsey. In this gesture of giving others a buck for a smile, his amazing spirit lives on.”

The drivers who took the time to stop by assumed the man was asking for money, but when they realized he was trying to give it to them, they were stunned by his kindness.

Watch the video below to see everyone’s shocked reactions when they realize this man is giving away money, not asking for it.

Were you moved by this man’s random act of kindness? Let us know in the comments below, and please SHARE this amazing story on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: abcnews.go.com]

Despite her miniature stature, this baby pig has a giant appetite, and when she can’t have seconds, she throws an adorably dramatic temper tantrum.

In the video, Ginger the precious miniature pig is set on finding more food despite just finishing up her own dinner. Eventually, she finds some tasty dog food, but can’t hold back her tears as her little legs are too short to reach the bowl.

Watch the entire video below to see this adorable baby pig adorably try and fail to steal some dog food.

Can you believe how upset this tiny pig got just because she couldn’t have seconds? Let us know in the comments below, and please SHARE this on Facebook.

[Featured image credit: Rumble/ danielleshepardson]