During Project MKUltra (1953-1973), the CIA conducted and funded experiments on unwitting subjects, including U.S. military personnel, using LSD, hypnosis, electroshock, and sensory deprivation to develop mind control techniques for interrogation. Collaborations with the Army Chemical Corps at Edgewood Arsenal dosed soldiers with hallucinogens like LSD and BZ to test behavioral modification and incapacitants. These non-consensual tests caused lasting harm, as revealed in 1970s congressional investigations.
For nine months, my wife, Brooklyn, carried our baby boy. And for nine months, we lived in a place between hope and heartbreak.
Early in the pregnancy, we learned something was terribly wrong. Around the three- to four-month mark, doctors told us our son had severe hydrocephalus — fluid building so rapidly in his brain that it pushed everything aside. They used to call it “water on the brain,” but the simplicity of the name didn’t soften the reality.
We were eventually referred to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where some of the best fetal specialists in the country met with us. And they gave us the kind of news no parent is ever prepared to hear.
His condition was so severe, so extreme, that they stopped measuring. There was no point, they said. The MRI images were devastating. We were told there was a greater than 90% chance our son would either:
• Die shortly after birth, or
• Survive with such profound cognitive impairment that life — real life — would not be possible.
We sat through meetings no parent should ever sit through. Conversations about breathing tubes. About how long to try. About the moment we might have to make the decision to let him go.
Brooklyn moved to Cincinnati to be close to the hospital. I drove back and forth — working, caring for our daughters Sophie and Lily, and trying to keep our home standing while our world felt like it was falling apart.
Then came July 8th.
Just 15 minutes before Brooklyn’s C-section, we sat with doctors again and discussed when — not if — we might have to remove life support and let our son go to heaven.
I don’t have words for that kind of pain.
And then — Charlie Edward Schnarr entered this world crying.
A strong, loud, defiant cry.
The most beautiful sound I have ever heard.
He stayed in the NICU until yesterday… and now we are home. Together. Holding him. Loving him. Watching him breathe. Watching him live.
He has mild ventricular enlargement we will keep an eye on — but otherwise?
He is thriving. Eating. Wiggling. Yawning. Gripping our fingers. Looking around at a world that was never supposed to be his.
The doctors have no explanation. They said his brain somehow cleared the blockage on its own — something none of them have seen in a case this severe. The word that kept echoing through the NICU from seasoned nurses and top specialists was the same:
“Miracle.”
“Divine intervention.”
They said it. Not us.
We know thousands of people — family, friends, coworkers, strangers — were praying for our son. I believe with everything in me that God heard those prayers. That He placed His hand on Charlie. That He said, not this one.
I will spend the rest of my life thanking Him.
To every person who prayed for us — every text, every message, every whispered intention — thank you. You carried us when we were too exhausted to carry ourselves.
Prayer is real.
God is real.
And miracles… they still happen.
With a full and grateful heart,
—Nick
Meet 17-year-old Nikola Knight, a young man who gave his life to save his family and neighbors
I want everyone to know his name
When a house fire broke out in North Fort Myers on Nov 5th, Nikola didn’t freeze.
He didn’t look for a way out.
He ran straight into the flames to make sure his family and neighbors survived.
He banged on doors, woke people up, and pulled them to safety.
Because of him, people who would have died… are still alive today.
But while he was helping, the fire caught onto him.
He was rushed to the hospital…
and despite everything the doctors tried —
he passed away from his injuries.
He didn’t spend his last moments thinking about himself.
He spent them saving someone else’s life.
That’s a kind of courage this world doesn’t see often.
That’s love.
That’s sacrifice.
That’s a hero.
Please keep his family close in your prayers.
They didn’t just lose a son.
They lost a light.
Lord, we ask You to surround this family with Your comfort.
Hold them through every wave of grief.
Give them strength when they feel weak,
and peace when the pain feels too heavy to carry.
Let Nikola’s bravery live on in every heart he touched.
Amen.
A personal update - Less than 2lbs away from my 200lb weight-loss milestone 🙏
Let’s look back on the trip and look ahead into the near future 😁
#weightlossjourney
“He was scheduled to die at 4 PM today but fate had other plans.
Today, November 6, 2025, I adopted an old dog who had been waiting in the shelter for over a year. He was on the euthanasia list; forgotten, unwanted, and marked to be put down this evening.
When I first saw him, he didn’t bark or wag his tail. He just sat quietly, as if he already knew his time was up. But when our eyes met, something inside me whispered, “Not today.”
I signed the papers and taking him home. And the moment we stepped outside, he lifted his head and wagged his tail for the first time. That tiny wag said everything; thank you for seeing me, thank you for saving me.
Tonight, instead of spending his last moments in a cold cage, he will be curled up on a warm bed, safe and loved.
Maybe I didn’t change the whole world today but for him, I changed his world.
He’s an old soul, gentle and wise. It would mean so much if you could suggest some “old” names for him in the comments.
Let’s give this boy the love and name he truly deserves.”
Credit: Barbara Rodda
Hello, I’m a Possum.
Probably, you don't know it, but I’m not here to cause any trouble. Actually, I’m here to help. Every night, I can eat lots of ticks, along with insects that spread disease.
I also keep snake numbers in check, even the venomous ones. My body is tough enough to survive Rattlesnake or Coral Snake bites, and yes, I even eat venomous snakes like they’re just another meal.
What’s more, my blood carries something special. Scientists have used it to develop treatments for snake bites that save lives. Without animals like me, there would be more pests, more Snakes, and fewer cures for people.
So if you see me, please don’t hurt me. Let me raise my babies. I’m just out here doing my part to make the world a little safer for everyone.