Cole loves every student in Chris' classroom
You are such a sweetie,” Chris Hannah smiled as the 5-month-old pit bull scampered across the shelter floor, leapt into his lap and began licking his face. But the pup couldn’t hear Chris’ words. “He was born deaf,” the shelter worker explained, but for Chris, this wasn’t a problem—it was, in fact, the reason he and his wife, Nicole, wanted to adopt him.
Chris’ nephew, Kevin, is also deaf. So when Chris spotted the adorable pup on the shelter’s website, he and Nicole decided he’d be the perfect fit for their family.
Chris is a 23-year veteran music teacher at Dr. William Mennies Elementary School in Vineland, New Jersey, and the 600 students there include many autistic and learning-disabled pupils.
“We named the new puppy Cole, after the music teacher’s deaf little boy in Mr. Holland’s Opus,” Chris explained, and the students cheered the idea.
Chris and Cole help the world learn that everyone is special in their own way
Spreading love
Over the summer, Chris decided to get Cole certified as a therapy dog. But instead of using standard hand signals to train Cole, he used the American Sign Language his nephew had taught him.
Cole was a quick learner. Soon, Chris and Cole were volunteering at a local veterans center, and before school started, Chris asked the administrator, “Would it be okay if I brought Cole to school one day every week for the students?”
Usually, the first day of class is hectic with kids overexcited and teary over leaving their parents. But that day, there were no tears—everyone wanted to say hi to Cole and give him pets.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 23, 2024 من Woman's World.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 23, 2024 من Woman's World.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Natural relief from back pain
With so much fun to be had during the holidays, the last thing you want is to be sidelined with back pain.
"Breathing like this cured my incontinence!"
After suffering with bladder leaks following the birth of her children, Kim Vopni discovered a hack that supercharged her Kegels to strengthen her pelvic floor...and changed her life
Make it merry!
Spread joy with these too-cute treats that are a cinch to make with our simple decorating technique
Eat to fix your health hassles
A few quick 'hacks' let you enjoy every bite of your festive favorites without concerns over blood-sugar spikes, high blood pressure or painful bloating getting in the way. The best part? They couldn't be easier.
"Help me feel more joy this holiday!"
It's a fraught time of year for so many reasons, but our experts promise you can beat the holiday blues and rediscover true contentment
"This deaf pup gives hope to hundreds of kids!"
When teacher Chris Hannah adopted a deaf pit bull, he was inspired by his nephew, who is also deaf. But Chris never could have imagined how much hope and love the dog would inspire in so many others
"I'm getting invited to holiday parties with gift exchanges. I want to attend, but the cost of extra presents really adds up. How can I stay within my budget but also participate?"
Most of us can certainly relate to your situation: We’re thrilled when family and friends include us in Christmas festivities, but when these events also include Secret Santa or White Elephant gift swaps, we’re faced with having to buy presents we hadn’t budgeted for.
How to melt stubborn menopause belly fat
\"I've seen a big shift in my body since I went into perimenopause,\" shares menopause advocate Tamsen Fadal, author of How to Menopause (March 2025).
Burn fat in your sleep
By mid-December, most of us are short on time and energy-yet we'd still love to slim down a bit before Santa arrives. Is there a realistic way to make it happen? \"Yes!\" says 60 Seconds to Slim author Michelle Schoffro Cook, Ph.D., who is sharing holiday-friendly hacks proven to rev metabolism 24/7. \"That means burning more fat even as we sleep,\" she says. Readers who've tested just one or two of her hacks report shedding 1 to 2 pounds a week with no special diet. And Schoffro Cook adds that the strategies tend to soothe inflammation inside our body, which helps release water weight. The bottom line: With minimal effort, we can truly drop a pant size by Christmas Eve!
Best new holiday books
Woman's World Book Club
