Japanese Swimmer Rikako Ikee Wins the Game of Life – Beats Leukemia!



Rikako Ikee is a Japanese swimmer, she has had countless victories in the past in various competitions. Due to her extraordinary achievements, it was highly expected that she will be on the top list during the Tokyo Olympics. She was considered the MVP in the 2018 Asian games.

As per Reuters, in the past, she has won 6 gold medals at the Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018. Furthermore, she won two gold medals in two relays along with two silvers. Back in 2016, she gained the sixth position in the 100-meter butterfly race in Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

However, with her champion spirit, she is back and it is after February 2019, that we are getting to see her. She looks confident and ever radiant with the short hair that she so gracefully carries.

“Not having any hair isn’t something to be embarrassed about. Rather, I’m proud of my hair as it is. I’m proud of who I am. I wanted to be myself”. – Ikee Rikako.

With so many achievements, the country had great expectations from Rikako as a home contestant in the Tokyo Olympics. Unfortunately, the swimmer got leukemia and had lost all hope to compete in the Tokyo Olympics.

Being the fighter that she is, it took her almost a year to get treated and start training again. At this point, Rikako had no idea that she would be able to compete in Tokyo and instead focused on the 2024 Olympics that are to be held in Paris

The Covid-19 pandemic changed everything and gave her a chance to compete in her home country as the event got delayed.

Speaking about her feelings she said,

“I thought I wouldn’t be able to win for a long time. But I trained hard to win. And, in the end, I came into the race telling myself I’m back. And so I feel that, even if you go through suffering and pain, your hard work will always be rewarded.”

During the Tokyo Olympic trials, Rikako won the 100-meter butterfly race with a time of 57.77 seconds making her qualify for the 4X100 medley relay races that are to come in the game. It was indeed an emotional moment when Rikako won the 100-meter, pumping her fist, she burst into tears hugging the opponent next to her. She was very happy to be there, as per sources she has lost around 18kgs during her cancer treatment.

According to the Associated Press, after the race she said,

“I was not expecting to win the 100 meters at all, and I was feeling far less confident than during the Olympic qualifiers five years ago. It’s a miracle just to be sitting here – it’s a miracle I’m alive, my diagnosis was a “big turning point in my life.”

Man Tried To Force KFC Employee To Reopen Restaurant At Gunpoint

Man attempts to rob the closed KFC, Points gun at employees in an attempt to force her to reopen the restaurant




On Sunday, August 5th, a possibly hungry 27-year-old Antonio Stevens pointed a gun at a female KFC employee in an attempt to force her to reopen the fast food eatery.

The Dover Police Department reported that at approximately 11:15 PM Stevens approached the 38-year-old female employee who was standing outside of the Kentucky Fried Chicken located at 1000 Forrest Avenue, Dover, Delaware. the employee was waiting outside for a ride home from work when she was approached by Stevens who demanded that she open the store. The female employee advised him that she did not have access to open the store.

After not being able to reopen the store, Stevens demanded her personal belongings, he pulled out his handgun and pointed it at the victim. The victim and the assailant had a brief struggle before Stevens fled without any of the employee's belongings.

The police arrived at the scene, searched the area for Stevens, they found him and took him into custody following a brief foot chase. Officers also located a mask and BB gun that were used in the incident.

Antonio Stevens was arrested and charged with attempted robbery, wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony, resisting arrest. Stevens was booked into James T. Vaughn Correctional Center and held on a bond of $6,500.

[lush]

Bride feeds wedding guests one chicken tender each at £7,000 wedding
19:07, 30 MAY 2021*

A bride-to-be has been slammed after expecting her future mother-in-law to pay for her entire hen do and wedding, before ordering just 200 chicken selects for 200 guests


The wedding had been somewhat controversial from the beginning( Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

We all know that weddings can be expensive, and anyone who has ever planned one will know that feeding guests plays a pretty big part in that.

However, one bride-to-be has come under fire for trying to scrimp and save when it comes to the dining aspect of her big day, by feeding just one chicken tender each to her 200 guests.

It comes after a friend of the groom's mother took to Reddit's wedding shaming thread to call out the bride, who it appears has caused controversy from day one, after asking her sister-in-law to be her maid of honour, then expecting her to fund her entire hen do.


The groom's mother stepped in and paid for everything (Image: Getty Images)

"The bride chose her sister-in-law as as her maid of honour, then expects her to bankroll a three-day boozy bachelorette party. The sister-in-law can’t afford that, so mother of the groom pays for the weekend. She isn’t invited but the bride's mum is," the Redditor explained.

"However, the mother of the groom isn’t just paying for the bachelorette party. She also booked the church venue, paid for the venue, and paid for other assorted items, more than $10,000 (£7,000) already. The bride’s parents haven’t paid for ANYTHING. No one has even said 'thank you' to the mother of the groom."

It all sounds pretty chaotic, but things went from bad to worse when the bride called her future mother-in-law up during her hen do, to ask if she can pick up the food for the guests on the day of the wedding.

"200 people RSVPed, wedding is a week out at this point. She agreed and asked where she’s picking it up from and what it is," they continued.

"It’s 200 chicken tenders. That’s it. That’s all the food they’ve thought to order for the wedding. 200 individual chicken tenders for 200 people. Oh, and an open bar and a wedding cake."

One Reddit user questioned: "Does the groom understand what his own mother is being put thru by his bride and her family? And if he does, why is he the groom still?"

"I have a feeling that the bride pulled the little chicken tender stunt as a scheme to get the groom's mother to freak out and pay for the food without having to be asked directly," another suggested.

There's no getting away from the fact that a single chicken tender isn't exactly filling, unless you're a small child, but hey, we heard someone mention an open bar.

[johngriffen]

I sometimes get REALLY DEPRESSED reviewing the news these days.
It's always about a global pandemic threatening life as we know it,
protests around the world, stupid politicians, natural disasters,
or some other really bad story.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Welcome to The mobi weekly news magazine
IN OTHER NEWS
FRIDAY JULY 16
What is it?
Here is your chance to become an "ACE REPORTER" for our weekly news magazine.
It is your job to fine weird, funny or "good feel" stories from around the world and share them with our readers in our weekly magazine

How do you play?
Just post a story that you have come across that made you smile, laugh, feel good...
BUT NOTHING DEPRESSING

EXAMPLE POST

​Naked sunbather chases wild boar through park after it steals his laptop bag

A naked sunbather was seen chasing wild boar through a park after it stole his laptop bag.
Amusing photographs from Germany show the man running after the animal to try and claim the plastic bag back.
But the cheeky boar and its two piglets appear to be too quick for the sunbather, who can't keep up with their speedy little trotters.
As the incident unfolds, groups of friends and family sat on the grass watch on and laugh.
Heads are seen turning in surprise and amusement in the hilarious photographs.
The incident happened at Teufelssee Lake - a bathing spot in the Grunwell Forest in Berlin, Germany.

Rules:
Each Edition of IN OTHER NEWS will be open for 7 days...
You can post as many stories as you like, but you will only get paid for One Story in any 24 hour period
So in other words, you can only earn WRZ$ once a day.
Each news day will start when I post announcing it
OR at:
9:00 AM CHICAGO TIME (UTC -5)
2:00 PM GMT (UTC -0)
on those days I space out and forget to post or can't due to Real Life
Stories may be accompanied with images - but No big images, please! 800x800 pixels wide maximum
Videos are allowed, but please keep them short, and post a short summary for those that don't like to click on videos
No Duplicate stories - Where a post has been edited resulting in duplicates, then the last one in time gets disallowed.
And please limit this to reasonably family friendly stories

Reward:
Each news story posted that I feel is acceptable (must be a real story, too few words or simply a headline are not considered acceptable) will earn you 50 WRZ$
If you post multiple stories on any given day, you will only earn 50 WRZ$ for the first story of the Day
All payments will be made at THE END of the weekly news cycle.
Special Bonus - Each week I will award "The Pulitzer Prize" for the best story of the week
The weekly winner of the "The Pulitzer Prize" will receive a 100 WRZ$ bonus
It's just my personal opinion, so my judgement is final

So help bring GOOD news to the members of mobi, and join our reporting team...

IN OTHER NEWS

[ozswede]

'They're baaaaack': Two dozen goats eat their way through a New York park

Two dozen goats from a farm in a bucolic part of New York state are on a city outing - let loose in Manhattan's Riverside Park on Wednesday to munch on invasive weeds.


Goats are seen at Riverside Park in New York City

Phones out, spectators crowded around fences and counted down as the hungry black, brown and white goats were herded in a ceremonial 'Running of the Goats' to begin their task as natural weed whackers.

"They chowed down on Japanese knotweed, they noshed on porcelain berry, they snacked on multiflora rose, they easily traversed the hard-to-reach terrain behind me and gulped down poison ivy without even giving it a second thought," said Dan Garodnick, Riverside Park Conservancy president and CEO.


People observe goats at Riverside Park in New York City

"Putting them to work in 'Goatham' is like treating them to an all-you-can-eat buffet. It's healthy for the goats and it's good for the environment. That's farm to table."

Using the goats to remove invasive species at Riverside Park is an environmentally friendly win-win - the goats get to feast on overgrown brush and Riverside Park Conservancy doesn't have to use chemicals to remove the weeds.


An informational board is seen at Riverside Park in New York City

Of the 24 goats, five will call Riverside Park home until the end of August, eating their way through two acres of the park. The public can vote for one among Buckles, Chalupa, Mallemar, Ms. Bo Peep and Skittles, to be crowned the Greatest Of All Time. The winner will be announced by the end of the summer.

"On top of how cute they are, not only can they eat a lot of their body weight, but they'll actually neutralize the seeds so they won't get replanted next year," said Larry Cihanek, son of the owner of Green Goats farm in Rhinebeck.

"And you know they'll work longer days than the landscapers."

Source

[prokroustis]

Discover the Hidden Beauty of Leros Island



Located between Patmos and Kalymnos, Leros is a stunning island in the Dodecanese. The island is relatively small and isolated, and well worth discovering.

Its position on the Aegean makes it a perfect destination for those wanting to discover more than one island at a time.

Frequent ferry routes allow you not only to reach Patmos and Kalymnos, but also the tiny Lipsi, Kos, or Rhodes.

Greek mythology tells us that Leros was the place goddess Artemis would choose for hunting, due to the quantity of wild deer there.

Unspoiled and relaxing, the island counts plenty of bays and coves for those seeking complete isolation and tranquility.

Lush green valleys mix with a dry hilly landscape, and breathtaking cliffs hang over the sea.

Leros is home to unspoiled beauty

The ancient capital of Leros, Platanos, is located against the hills, right next to the village of Agia Marina.

Platanos owes its name to an ancient plane tree dating back to 1765 there. A must-see landmark of Leros is the impressive Medieval Castle of Panteli, built during the 11th century.

Other spots that shouldn’t be missed include the Turkish baths, and the church of Agia Paraskevi, the ancient cathedral of the city.

Platanos is home to countless well-preserved neoclassical buildings that are still standing and are worth a visit.

Among them are the governor’s house and the public market, as well as the town hall and the public library.

A walk along the narrow paths allows visitors to discover many traditional Greek cafés, water fountains, and iconic windmills.

Also, the village of Lakki deserves some attention. This coastal town is nothing similar to what you would expect from any Greek harbor.

Visitors will find a well-planned settlement built in the architectural style known as Italian razionalismo, which was popular in the 1930s.

Lakki’s original name was Porto Lago and its large natural bay was the feature that attracted the Italian occupying forces at the beginning of the 20th century.

Porto Lago remains today as a tangible evidence of the Italian attempt to convert the Dodecanese into a satellite of Italy.

Over the last decade or so, the island has developed as a diving destination, attracting people eager to discover some of the many ancient shipwrecks that have been found in the surrounding sea.

Leros is also a great destination for hiking fans, beautiful trails take the visitor to special spots, such as the one that leads to the Lighthouse.

To reach the island you can choose a ferry departing from Athens. However, Leros also features an airport that allows you get to Athens, as well as other islands, in less than an hour.

[Fatima99]

Fisherman tamed monster croc which became his best friend and had human funeral

For over 20 years, a man and a crocodile enjoyed a close, seemingly impossible friendship.

Gilberto "Chito" Shedden found the fearsome beast in 1989 on the banks of Costa Rica's Reventazón River, where it was dying of a gunshot wound.

For six months, Chito nursed the mortally wounded croc back to health, feeding it some 70lb of chicken and fish every week and showing it plenty of affection.

"I kept giving him and giving him food.," he said. "At first he wouldn't eat it, but then he began to eat. I kept feeding him chicken until he started looking good. I would try to pet him so he would feel that I cared about him.

"When I would touch him, he would sometimes get a little irritated, so I kept on caressing and caressing him. And I would say, relax, relax. I want to be your friend. Behave nicely 'cause you won't be bothered anymore."



But "food wasn't enough," Chito said. "The crocodile needed my love to regain the will to live."

Chito spent so much time with his beloved crocodile that his wife left him. Chito wasn’t bothered by that. "Another wife I could get,” he said. “Pocho was one in a million."

Eventually the animal, which Chito had nicknamed Pocho, was well enough to be returned to the wild and he released it in a river near his home.

But the following morning, Chito found his scaly friend sleeping outside his home. The croc had “made a decision” to remain with his human friend.

He began performing with the reptile for small crowds, saying: “Once the crocodile followed me home, and came to me whenever I called its name, I knew it could be trained.”



Costa Rica’s Channel 7 news broadcast a clip of Chito and Pocho together in July 2000, and after that their fame rapidly spread across the globe.

Every Sunday, for over two decades, Chito, wearing nothing but a scruffy old pair of leopard-print board shorts and a bandana, would dive into a lake near his home. Pacho would race towards him, deadly jaws wide open as if he was about to attack, only to close his mouth at the last moment and receive a kiss on the snout from his human soulmate.

Sam Van Everbroeck, a fan of the pair who would regularly watch Chito’s unique performances in the tropical town of Sarapiqui, told reporters: “It’s incredible, I come every week to see it.”



Chito would charge onlookers just $2 for the weekly shows, saying “He’s my friend. I don’t want to treat him like a slave I don’t want to exploit him.”

Not only tourists, but noted scientists and animal behaviour experts would to see Chito and Pocho splashing around in the lake.

The croc’s gentle behaviour was unprecedented. South African filmmaker Roger Horrocks, who made a documentary about Chito and Pocho, theorised that the bullet wound – caused by a farmer trying to protect his livestock – might have affected Pocho's brain and destroyed his natural predatory instincts.

Every Sunday, the spectacle attracts large crowds, including tourists from around the world and his exploits have earned Sheddon the nickname "Tarzan Tico".

'I just wanted him to feel that someone loved him,' Chito said, 'that not all humans are bad'.

Nicolas Cage says he knew his relationship with wife Riko Shibata 'could work' after discovering she keeps flying squirrels



The Actor Nicolas Cage said that he knew he could have a successful relationship with his wife, Riko Shibata, after discovering her love for unusual animals — specifically, flying squirrels.

"We met in Japan and I thought she was stunning when I met her. We had a lot in common," Cage told Entertainment Tonight at the premiere of his new film, "Pig."

"She likes animals, too, so I asked her, 'Do you have any pets?' And she said, 'Yes, I have flying squirrels.' She had two sugar gliders... I thought, 'That's it. This could work out.''"

A representative for Cage told People magazine that Cage and Shibata tied the knot earlier this year in a "very small and intimate wedding at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas." The "Pig" premiere is the first time the couple has been seen together in public since.

"I'm quite excited to take a picture with her," Cage told ET on the red carpet.
Nicolas Cage sits on the porch sharing a meal with his beloved pet pig in a still from the upcoming thriller "Pig."
Nicolas Cage in "Pig." Neon

Shibata is Cage's fifth wife. The "National Treasure" star was previously married to the actress Patricia Arquette between 1995 and 2001, and then Lisa Marie Presley — the daughter of Elvis Presley — from 2002 to 2004.

Earlier this year, Cage told Marc Coppola on his Q104.3 radio show that he and Shibata got engaged on a video call because they were separated due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"She left New York and went back to Kyoto, Japan, and I went back to Nevada, and I haven't seen her for six months," Cage said on the show.

"We're really happy together, and we're really excited to spend that time together, so I finally just said, 'Look, I wanna marry you,' and we got engaged on FaceTime."

Cage sent Shibata a black diamond engagement ring.

Earlier this week, Cage revealed that plans for him to play the infamous zookeeper Joe Exotic in an Amazon TV drama based on the popular
Netflix
docuseries "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness" have been shelved.

"I read two excellent scripts, which I did think were excellent, but I think Amazon ultimately felt that it was material that had become past tense because it took so long for it come together," Cage told Variety. "They felt at one point that it was lightning in a bottle, but that point has since faded into the distance and it's no longer relevant."

[PennySerenade]

A quality garden can bring a bit of life to any lawn, balcony, or deck... and apparently also to a coffin.

St. Catharines resident Christina Calbury used her green thumb and creative mind to create one of the most unique flower beds anyone has ever seen.



"I came across an ad on Facebook market place, someone waa selling coffins. I immediately though it would make a great flower bed," Calbury told blogTO.

"We bought one, put it in the backyard, filled it with flowers and loved it! So we bought a second one for the front lawn, filled it with flowers and love it just as much!"

While the creative flowerbed led to many people stopping to take photos and praising the unique design, at least one neighbour didn't approve.

Calbury and her partner received a letter from the city stating they receiving a complaint and that the flowerbed was in fact a waste bylaw infraction.



Not wanting to lose their new garden piece, the two set up a petition that raised nearly 200 signatures and fought against the complaint, ultimately winning and getting to keep their newest lawn decoration.

Despite the victory, it's unlikely that future renovations and garden designs involve extensive coffin use.

"We have other ideas for landscaping and flowers but nothing more will be added as far as coffins go. We added the coffins because we like them not to make anyone upset," Calbury explained.

Restoration work wipes smile off the face of Dutch vegetable seller

Fri 16 Jul 2021 06.00 BST

At some point in the last 400 years a painting restorer probably decided the Dutch vegetable seller was far too glum and should be smiling. Now it has been put right and she is once again enigmatic.

English Heritage revealed the results on Friday of a two-year conservation project to reveal the true glory of a mysterious, unsigned painting that has been in its stores for more than 60 years.

The restoration work not only reveals the rogue addition of an upturned smile, but also a jarring strip of dirty sky added to make the canvas square rather than rectangular.

Technical analysis and research also dates it to just before the Dutch Golden Age, much earlier than previously thought, making it highly likely that the painting is linked to the important 16th-century still-life painter Joachim Beuckelaer.

The results of the project were a revelation, said Alice Tate-Harte, English Heritage’s collections conservator. “The smile is such a change. She looks a lot more confronting I think, more serious.”

It looked like a Beuckelaer painting, though thankfully not one of his creepier ones, said Tate-Harte. “In some of his paintings, there’s a group of figures and you get a slightly lecherous man leering and thank goodness we don’t have that.”

The painting has gone on display at Audley End for the first time in 60 years and in the way it was originally conceived for the first time in centuries.

The conservation work was a joy for Tate-Hart and her colleagues. “It has been a great project to work on,” she said. “We’ve really enjoyed it, it has kept us sane during Covid.”

[goldie0608]

Hundreds offer to donate cars to mechanic who fixes them for those in need



A few weeks ago, CBS News profiled a South Carolina mechanic who fixes old cars and donates them to rural families without a ride. The response to the story was astounding: People have offered to donate nearly 800 cars to the cause.

"My phone started exploding from all over the place," mechanic Eliot Middleton told CBS News.

"Whatever glowing feeling is inside me, it just transferred from that TV screen and went inside them," he said, describing the response as "soul-soothing."

As CBS News previously reported, Middleton's yard is a cemetery of used cars. He gives the clunkers new life, to help those in South Carolina's low country.

"There's no public transportation," Middleton told CBS News in June. "There's no Ubers, there's no taxis or nothing like that."

Some of the recipients of the fixed cars are single moms, jobs seekers and older folks with doctor's appointments. Last Christmas, he gave a 2004 Suzuki to single mom Jessica Litchfield — who described his work as "a lifesaver."

"Some folks don't believe it," Middleton said. "It's like, 'No, that's not my car.'"

When asked if it gives him a buzz to help those in need, Middleton said, "It's beyond anything in this world."

Middleton's sister is helping organize the overwhelming response to his good deeds — which also includes more than $100,000 in cash donations.

When asked if he ever could have imagined such a response, Middleton said "never in this lifetime."

To donate a vehicle or money, send an email to [email protected]. To submit the story of someone who deserves a vehicle, email [email protected].

[mrvictor]

Man Gives His Terminally-Ill Dog One Last Walk Up Their Beloved Mountain in a Wheelbarrow



These touching pictures show a man taking his dying pet dog up his favourite mountain on one last walk—in a wheelbarrow.

Ten-year-old Monty enjoyed exploring hills and walks all over Wales with his owner Carlos Fresco.



The pair have visited the Brecon Beacons many times over the years, and have even summited the three peaks.

But after becoming aware the labradoodle wasn’t very well, Carlos decided to return to the beacons, staying with friends in Brecon, so they could share one last journey together.

Carlos and Monty travelled up to the peak of Pen y Fan—where many walkers stopped to say hello and meet Monty, who was helped to the top with the aid of a wheelbarrow.



Monty passed away on June 21 after an 18-month battle with leukaemia.

Carlos said: “I knew Monty was dying as his cancer had returned. He was diagnosed 18 months ago and responded very well to chemotherapy.



“But unfortunately his leukaemia returned eight weeks ago and he declined very rapidly. He loved hill walks and we improvised and took him on trips around your wonderful beacons. Although he was weak he enjoyed all the fuss and attention received by so many well wishers.

“In fact total strangers asked if they could share in pushing Monty on his last journey—and many total strangers shed a tear as we all love dearly our little four-legged friends.

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/man-giv ... ow-photos/

This 'extreme treehouse' at Red River Gorge is mounted to the side of a cliff



Maybe that sounds like an extreme idea, but it's a reality at Red River Gorge in Kentucky.

Created by a group called the Canopy Crew, this new structure is known as "Cliff Dweller," and it is literally bolted to a sandstone cliff line.

It includes two structures. One that houses a kitchen, bathroom and bed. Then, up a spiral staircase, you'll find the master bedroom with a massive window to soak in the views.

You can even get on top of the master bedroom, where there is a rooftop deck, and touch the stone shelf from which it hangs.

If this sound like your kind of retreat, be warned, getting there is no easy task.

To get to the initial building, you have to take a massive floating staircase — 177 steps to be exact. So pack light.

The builders actually recommend packing in backpacks instead of suitcases for ease.

So to sum up the amenities, there are two queen beds, so it sleeps four people. It is heated and cooled, has an electric range stove and a mini-fridge.

As for pricing, depending on the dates, it could be between $775 and $1,000 per day.

If cliff hanging isn't your thing, the Canopy Crew is behind other unique lodging options at the gorge, including another WLKY has reported on: Dome Town.

This area has three glammed-out domes for rent, and if you need the space, you can rent them all together. There are a lot of stairs to get up to this place, too.

https://www.wlky.com/article/this-extre ... f/36955111

Homeless Man With No Arms Stabs Tourist

Homeless street painter stabs tourist from Chicago with scissors using his feet



On Tuesday, July 10th, 46-year-old armless street painter Jonathan Dale Crenshaw was arrested after he grabbed a pair of scissors with his feet and launched himself towards 22-year-old Cesar Coronado and stabbed him with the instrument.

The arrest report stated that the incident occurred on the 1600 block of Collins Avenue, Miami, Florida. Coronado was walking with his friend Cindy Barrientos, 22, both from Chicago were visiting Miami Beach. Crenshaw claimed he was lying down on the street when Coronado allegedly punched him in the head.

Crenshaw stated in self-defense grabbed a pair of scissors with his feet and stabbed Coronado twice inflicting a stab wound on his left arm leaving him bleeding on the ground. Crenshaw placed the scissors back into his waistband and quickly fled the scene.

The police were informed of the situation and found Crenshaw on the 200 block of Lincoln Road, nearby to the scene of the crime.

Paramedics took Coronado to Mount Sinai Medical Center to treat his non-life-threatening wounds.

Jonathan Dale Crenshaw was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. He is being held at Miami-Dade Corrections with a $7,500 bond

Meet Truffles, the special kitty who wears glasses to help kids feel better about wearing theirs

Nearly four years ago, Danielle Crull rescued a stray kitten from a forest in Pennsylvania.


Now, that spunky kitty is changing hundreds of lives by helping children with eye problems feel more confident about wearing glasses and eye patches.

Truffles, now famous for her glamorous glasses -- which range from sparkling purple ones to her favorite green pair -- works alongside her mom, an optician.

Crull runs her own practice, A Child's Eyes, in Mechanicsburg, where her primary focus is infants, toddlers and children in elementary school.

When kids come in -- many with severe eye problems that require multiple surgeries, medications and treatments -- they are often terrified of anything coming near their eyes.

That's when Truffles comes to the rescue.

"She is literally magical with little kids," Crull told CNN. "It takes me at least half an hour to try and get to know them so they realize I'm not something to be afraid of, and Truffles will come strutting out from the back as if she knows exactly when I need her help."

Truffles hops right up next to the child and tilts her head up so Crull can put on a pair of glasses. The mood changes instantly, says Crull. Tears turn into smiles, and suddenly those glasses don't look so scary anymore.

"The story that happens over and over is a little one is crying and she comes out and I put glasses on her, and they immediately stop crying and laugh and put their own glasses on," Crull said. "It happens countless times, and it's just as sweet every single time."