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"My angel": Bondi stabbing victim's emotional reunion with her saviour

<p>A woman who was among those stabbed at Bondi Junction Westfield has finally reunited with the man who saved her life. </p> <p>Liya Barko, an international student from Argentina, was one the victims who was stabbed by Joel Cauchi on April 13 during his violent attack which killed six people and injured dozens more. </p> <p>A mystery man in a green t-shirt managed to save her life, but Barko wasn't able to track him down until now. </p> <p>"I would like to see him again, at least give him a hug," she told<em> 9News</em> on Monday.</p> <p>Barko reunited with her hero, identified as ex-military solider Wayne Tolver Banks on Tuesday, finally embracing the man who saved her life. </p> <p>"Oh my god, I remembered you were so tall," Barko said as the pair hugged. </p> <p>"I'm so happy you're alive,"  Banks replied. </p> <p>Banks recalled how during the attack Cauchi looked at him and shook his head, as if to say he wasn't going to attack him, before he stabbed Barko. </p> <p>The ex-military soldier sprung to action and quickly moved Barko into a shop to take refuge, where his wife helped him look after her.</p> <p>"I looked at you when I saw the man stab you and I said straight away to myself I've got to help you... I didn't want you to die," he told Barko. </p> <p>"Straight away I knew what I had to do to take control of the situation and the area."</p> <p>Barko also recalled how Banks' wife was there and helped her get through it when she thought she was going to die. </p> <p>"Your wife she was the person who started to shake me when I started to say 'I want to give up'...she is the one who (said to me) 'You are doing really well'," she said. </p> <p>"For me...you were the angel who just appeared at the right moment at the right place."</p> <p><em>Images: Nine</em></p>

Caring

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First pics of Molly the Magpie reunion

<p>After a heartwarming 45-day saga that captured the nation's attention, Molly the Magpie has finally returned to her Gold Coast home, reuniting with her unlikely best friend, Peggy and Ruby the Staffies.</p> <p>The news, announced by Queensland’s Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI), brought immense relief and joy to Molly's devoted followers and animal lovers across the country.</p> <p>DESI's decision to approve a specialised license for Molly's return was a pivotal moment in this remarkable journey. Independent veterinary experts deemed Molly "highly habituated", highlighting the importance of her continued care and wellbeing. The dedication of Molly's human family, Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen, in meeting the conditions outlined in the license – including refraining from commercial exploitation of the bird or its image, undergoing wildlife carer training, and engaging with DESI to ensure Molly’s ongoing care and enrichment – demonstrated their unwavering commitment to her welfare.</p> <p>Throughout Molly's absence, the nation remained captivated by her story, eagerly following updates on social media. With over 800,000 followers on Instagram, Molly and her human family became symbols of compassion and friendship, inspiring countless individuals along the way.</p> <p>"WE HAVE THE BEST NEWS 💥 MOLLY IS HOME !!!!" wrote Juliette and Reece on Instagram. "We are overwhelmed with emotion right now 😭👏. I have been visualising &amp; looking forward to this day for what feels like a lifetime 😊.  It was a very exciting reunion at the Dept this morning for us with a little cry of happiness from Molly.</p> <p>"When we arrived home the Peggy &amp; Ruby wiggly bottoms were in full force and a few excited noises from Molly.</p> <p>"We are so grateful to you our supporters, QLD Premier Steven Miles &amp; the DESI for allowing us to get our licence &amp; to be reunited with Molly again ❤️. We look forward to life settling back down to normal very soon."</p> <p>The outpouring of support and celebration upon Molly's return was overwhelming. Messages of joy flooded social media, echoing the sentiments of a nation rejoicing in Molly's homecoming. From tears of happiness on train commutes to heartfelt expressions of relief, Molly's story touched the hearts of many.</p> <p>"Oh THANK GOODNESS - SANITY has PREVAILED," wrote one folllower. "Poor little Molly must feel so relieved. I do still think it’s ridiculous you can’t do a book or a movie- I would love that and would be happy for you to make millions because you have brought so much JOY to so many. I mean it’s not like someone can grab a magpie and put it with their dogs and this happens. I’m not sure what that legality is protecting🙄🙄🙄."</p> <p>"I understand why there are rules about wildlife," posted another. "I understand why this unusual circumstance brought concern. Humans have been abusing wild animals for personal gain forever. But I do think all of the goals surrounding Molly's concerns could have been achieved without removing him from his home and upsetting everyone, most especially Molly. I hope he settles in without being disoriented. He's seen a bit more of the world now. He may want to see more of it. But I hope he always comes home. Love to all of you." </p> <p>As Molly settles back into her familiar surroundings, surrounded by the love of her family and furry friends, there is a collective sigh of relief. The journey may have been challenging, but the outcome is one of triumph and unity.</p> <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/C5xhlv9pgG5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/C5xhlv9pgG5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Peggyandmolly (@peggyandmolly)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Rod Stewart's rare, rockin' family reunion

<p>When it comes to reunions with none other than legendary rock icon Rod Stewart, this ain't your regular family get-together. Rather, it's a rare cosmic alignment of almost all his children in the same place at the same time. </p> <p>Sir Rod, at a spry 78, boasts quite the tribe, with eight kids from three different marriages and a few past flings thrown into the mix. We're talking a generational span that could give the history books a run for their money. His eldest offspring is a seasoned 59, while the youngest is just a fresh-faced 12-year-old.</p> <p>Usually, you might catch Rod gallivanting about town with a couple of his kiddos, but this time, it's a whole extravaganza! He's managed to gather almost the whole brood for a picture. And we bet he had to pull some serious strings and break out all his dad jokes just to make it happen.</p> <p>Penny Lancaster, Sir Rod's wife, was the genius behind capturing this monumental moment on their family holiday in Spain. Picture this: Rod flashing his rockstar grin, surrounded by seven of his beloved offspring and their significant others. It's a regular rock 'n' roll galaxy right there!</p> <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/CuwfTK0sClQ/?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/CuwfTK0sClQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Penny Lancaster (@penny.lancaster)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Now let's talk about the missing star – Sir Rod's eldest daughter, Sarah Streeter. She was the first to grace Rod's life when he was just a young buck of 17. A family affair, but with a twist – Sarah was adopted and didn't find out about her superstar dad until she was all grown up. But fret not; they reunited, and now she's officially part of the extended rockstar clan.</p> <p>Next up, the glam diva Kimberly Stewart, the love child from Rod's first marriage. She's followed in her mum's footsteps and delved into the world of modelling and acting – and she even had her own reality show. </p> <p>Then there's Sean Stewart, Rod's offspring from the same union. He's taken a shot at acting and reality TV too, but it seems he had a bit of a "cashing out" situation with his inheritance. Third time's the charm, they say, but maybe it's time to let go of that clothing brand, Sean!</p> <p>Now, let's meet the musical maestro, Ruby Stewart. Rod's got some good genes, and she's rocking out just like her old man. She and her musical duo, The Sisterhood Band, released an album that gave us a sweet taste of the summer vibes. And in a true "like father, like daughter" moment, they even covered one of Rod's hits together. </p> <p>But wait, there's more! Introducing Renee Stewart, Rod's child from his second marriage to Rachel Hunter. She's ditched the rockstar life for a zen path as a yoga teacher. Namaste to that!</p> <p>Liam Stewart, the ice hockey champion, slides into the scene as the brother to Renee. He's got a knack for the sport and has played with some seriously icy teams. Talk about having a cool career!</p> <p>Alastair Wallace Stewart, the oldest son of Rod and his current wife, Penny, is already working his charm in the modelling world, proving that talent runs in the family.</p> <p>And last but not least, there's Aiden Patrick Stewart, the youngest bundle of joy. He might be just 12, but he's already got a strong passion for Celtic F.C., just like dear ol' dad. </p> <p>So there you have it, folks, the epic saga of Rod Stewart and his magnificent offspring. They span decades, genres, and life adventures, making this rockstar family a force to be reckoned with. Keep on rockin' and rollin', Rod and crew!</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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“So elated”: Kathleen Folbigg’s reunion with lifelong friend following pardon

<p dir="ltr">After spending 20 years behind bars Kathleen Folbigg is starting a new chapter as a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/kathleen-folbigg-pardoned-after-20-years-behind-bars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free woman</a>, and the first person who welcomed her back was her lifelong friend, Tracy Chapman.</p> <p dir="ltr">Folbigg, 55, who was convicted of killing her three children Patrick, Sarah and Laura and the manslaughter of her firstborn Caleb between 1989 to 1999, was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/kathleen-folbigg-pardoned-after-20-years-behind-bars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pardoned</a> on Monday and released immediately.</p> <p dir="ltr">Just hours after she walked out a free woman, Folbigg was reunited with her lifelong friend in a warm embrace on Chapman’s farm in northern NSW.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I am so elated it's not funny. I am nervous and I am everything," Folbigg told <em>9News</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">With her newfound freedom, Folbigg couldn’t say what would come next.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I don't know. I need a drink of water. I don't know about anything else," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Chapman, who was an advocate for Folbigg since her conviction 20 years ago, created a “sanctuary” on the farm in case her best friend was pardoned, so she could have somewhere "peaceful, quiet,” to return to where “she's surrounded by animals".</p> <p dir="ltr">Folbigg has always maintained her innocence, and said that her children all died of natural causes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Former NSW Chief Justice Tom Bathurst KC, has submitted the new scientific evidence in an inquiry into the death of her babies, and is currently writing up a final report, which could be finished this month.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Nine News</em></p>

Legal

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"Love it!": Kochie’s sweet reunion with Melissa Doyle

<p dir="ltr">David Koch and Melissa Doyle were reunited in the annual Australian Fashion Week in Sydney.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 67-year-old<em> Sunrise</em> host attended the event for the first time ever, and revealed that he had felt “like an absolute fish out of water” as he reposted a selfie that he took with co-host Natalie Barr and former colleague Melissa Doyle.</p> <p dir="ltr">The trio attended the Mariam Seddiq show and sat in the front row with <em>Channel 7</em>’s personal stylist, Natalie Shehata.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nat Barr took to Instagram to share a sneak peak of the reunion.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Took Kochie to his first fashion show. The incredible Mariam Seddiq really put on an amazing night. What a woman!” she captioned the post.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Sunrise</em> co-host shared a video of Kochie looking confused and playfully admitting that “I am so out of my comfort zone, it is not funny. I don’t know what to do. I’ve just gone for a drink, that’s all I’m doing”.</p> <p dir="ltr">She also shared a selfie of the group which sparked a comment from Melissa Doyle.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You’ve taught him so much! 😍” she wrote, which Nat Barr replied to with two laughing emojis.</p> <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/CsVxUUnPkt2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/CsVxUUnPkt2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Natalie Barr (@natalie_barr7)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Kochie reposted the same selfie with the caption: “Feeling like an absolute fish out of water at @mariamseddiq runway show @ausfashionweek. Thankfully sat with some experts.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Loved the show and @mariamseddiq as a really impressive entrepreneur,” he added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many fans shared their joy at the reunion.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The ‘old’ gang 👍🫶🏻” commented one fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Great pic! You, Nat and Mel! Love it!” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Yeah the Mel Doyle ❤️” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

TV

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A mother’s love story blossoms from a family reunion 40 years in the making

<p dir="ltr">When Helen Mansfield took to social media in search of her biological mother, she could never have foreseen the good fortune she’d bring about - not only to herself, but to those she held most dear, too. </p> <p dir="ltr">It was in 2016 that Helen posted to Facebook, hoping to connect with her mother - who had given her up when Helen was only 10 days old. </p> <p dir="ltr">And a mere five hours later, someone did reach out, informing Helen that her mother was in the United Kingdom, and that her name was Glenda Joy.  </p> <p dir="ltr">Helen, on the other hand, was in Perth, Australia. She’d been adopted by a Welsh couple, but had moved to Perth after marrying an Australian - with whom she shares two daughters.</p> <p dir="ltr">Four decades of mystery had gone by, but after that stranger on Facebook had set her on the right path, things had quickly fallen into place. </p> <p dir="ltr">As Helen informed<em> 7News</em>, “straight away, we knew each other. [She] gave me a big hug and said ‘I feel I just won the lottery’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It should have marked the end of that happy chapter for Helen and Glen, but Helen’s adoptive dad, Gwyn, had other ideas. </p> <p dir="ltr">Because when Helen introduced the two - as her biological mother and her adoptive father - they immediately felt a connection, and set out on a number of adventures together, enjoying everything from the cricket to the beach, and last but certainly not least, a kiss. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I went in to Helen,” Glen recounted, “and I said ‘I’ve got something to say’. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I said ‘your dad kissed me’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Glen added that she hadn’t been expecting it, but that wasn’t a bad thing, as she’d very much “wanted it to happen”.</p> <p dir="ltr">And it was only good times from there, with the unexpected couple getting married in the United Kingdom after enjoying a commitment ceremony in Perth with Helen as their joyous celebrant.</p> <p dir="ltr">They have every intention of returning to Australia, too, for a trip packed full of celebration with Gwyn’s 80th and the upcoming birth of a great-grandchild.</p> <p dir="ltr">But at the end of the day, Helen is “just really happy it happened”, and holds hope in her heart that their story will offer encouragement to anyone else in a similar position, searching for their biological or long-lost families. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I hope that anybody else - you know, it probably won’t go this far because this is a different story - but anybody else who wants to reach out and find their birth mother,” she added, “should try and do it.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Relationships

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Touching reunion for Bruce Willis after serious diagnosis

<p>Bruce Willis has revisited the site of one of his most famous films.</p> <p>The actor's wife, Emma Heming Willis, posted a video on her Instagram account recently that showed her husband visiting Fox Plaza in Los Angeles, which was the setting for Nakatomi Plaza in his now iconic film Die Hard.</p> <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/reel/CgDlsmAj4Wv/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/reel/CgDlsmAj4Wv/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Emma Heming Willis (@emmahemingwillis)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"Nakatomi Plaza 34 years later #happymovieanniversary #diehard @20thcenturystudios," she wrote in the comments. The video is particularly significant considering that Willis' family announced the star would be "stepping away" from acting due to being diagnosed with aphasia, which is affecting his cognitive abilities.</p> <p>Aphasia is a rare language disorder that's caused by brain damage and affects communication ability.</p> <p>Heming Willis' comments were flooded with support, which showed Willis looking over Fox Plaza and included iconic snippets from the film. "My favourite movie! I love him! Happy 34 years! ❤️👏👏👏👏👏," someone wrote. Since Willis' diagnosis was revealed, Heming Willis has shared updates about his life, as well as footage and highlights from his career.</p> <p>The diagnosis has been difficult for Emma Heming Willis, who revealed Willis' battle with the rare disorder has taken a "toll" on her mental health.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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“A night of magic and music”: Julie Andrews enjoys touching ‘Sound of Music’ reunion

<p dir="ltr">Dame Julie Andrews has been awarded one of Hollywood's highest honours - bestowed on one person each year - and had a heart-warming reunion all in the same night.</p> <p dir="ltr">When the acclaimed actress received the American Film Institute's lifetime achievement award in Los Angeles on Thursday, she was surprised with a sweet rendition of 'Do Re Mi' from five of the stars who played the Von Trapp children in <em>The Sound of Music</em>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4c0365a4-7fff-eb66-55da-638e9fb1020f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Andrews went on to join Duane Chase (Kurt), Kym Karath (Gretl), Angela Cartwright (Brigitta), Debbie Turner (Marta), and Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich) in their performance which marked the first time the cast had performed together in over six decades.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Julie Andrews is surprised by her kids from THE SOUND OF MUSIC and joins them in a sing-a-long of ‘Do-Re-Mi’ to kick off the AFI Life Achievement Award presentation to her — what a beautiful moment! <a href="https://t.co/TZYT7UNPhr">pic.twitter.com/TZYT7UNPhr</a></p> <p>— Scott Feinberg (@ScottFeinberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottFeinberg/status/1535106725946093568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Only Charmian Carr, who played eldest sister Liesel and passed away in 2016, and Heather Menzies-Urich, who played Louisa and died in 2017, were missing.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prior to receiving her award, Andrews said she was “gobsmacked” to find her career was being honoured in such a way.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I didn’t know or think that it would ever come,” she said on the red carpet.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But it’s just as well, because you can’t go around expecting awards and things like that.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ca10a206-7fff-1b50-f412-1247ae730fed"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Fans took to social media to share their delight at Andrews’ award and reunion with her castmates, prompting Karath to share an update on what happened after.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Signing our SOM Family Scrapbooks together today, and talking about how magical Julie’s AFI Tribute was last night! <a href="https://twitter.com/thesom7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thesom7</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DebbieTurnerDTO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DebbieTurnerDTO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/acstudio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@acstudio</a> <a href="https://t.co/memxYDOR5V">pic.twitter.com/memxYDOR5V</a></p> <p>— Kym Karath (@KymKarath) <a href="https://twitter.com/KymKarath/status/1535362904928575488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Signing our SOM Family Scrapbooks together today, and talking about how magical Julie’s AFI Tribute was last night!” she commented on a video from the performance, sharing a behind-the-scenes look of the five Von Trapps.</p> <p dir="ltr">All five, along with Andrews, also posed for a formal portrait and shared it on social media.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So much fun last night at the 48th AFI Life Achievement Award honouring Julie Andrews,” Cartwright captioned the photo on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CepYeBdFTtc/?igshid=YTgzYjQ4ZTY%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was great being with my ‘Sound of Music’ siblings once again. A night of magic and music.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e6277b9a-7fff-3527-d2e4-ec84f8e524f8"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @angelacartwrightstudio (Instagram)</em></p>

Music

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First look at the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary reunion

<p>As 2021 marks 20 years since <em>Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone</em> hit the big screen, the cast of the iconic franchise are set to reunite in a special anniversary reunion. </p> <p><em><span>Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts </span></em><span>will see the star-studded cast reminisce about the years they brought the wizarding world to life, and the everlasting impact the franchise has had on fans around the world. </span></p> <p><span>The special will bring cast such as Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Gary Oldman, Imelda Staunton and many more back to Hogwarts for the first time since 2011, when the final film in the franchise was released. </span></p> <p><span>Notably missing from the line-up is Harry Potter writer J.K Rowling, who was not invited to the reunion due to </span>recent transphobic comments. </p> <p>In June 2020, <span>Rowling tweeted an article with the title, "Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate".</span></p> <p><span>Finding issue with the opinion </span>piece, Rowling added, <span>"'People who menstruate.' I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?"</span></p> <p>The transphobic comments prompted the star cast of the Harry Potter movies to come out against her stance, with Emma Watson writing, <span>"Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren't who they say they are." </span></p> <p><span>"I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are."</span></p> <p><em><span>Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts</span></em><span> is set to air in Australia on New Year's Day, January 1, 2022, on the Binge streaming service.</span></p> <p><span>Check out the teaser trailer below. </span></p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X2RzASP6cbA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Warner Bros - HBO Max</em></p>

TV

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The Project reunion: Hamish comes home!

<p><span>Hamish Macdonald will return to <em>The Project</em> after 18 months as the host of <em>Q+A.</em></span><br /><br /><span>The 40-year-old revealed that he would be returning to Channel 10 just 48 hours after he announced his exit from the iconic ABC current affairs program on Monday.</span><br /><br /><span>Hamish joined <em>Q+A</em> in February last year following the departure of the founding presenter, Tony Jones, who spent 12 years there.</span><br /><br /><span>Hamish will reunite with Lisa Wilkinson as co-host of <em>The Sunday Project.</em></span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842591/scott-morrison-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0a825038d88e48188b8c127941f58c76" /><br /><br /><span>"I am over the moon to be returning to 10 and thrilled about the opportunity to make great local and international content with this dynamic group of producers and presenters," Hamish said in a statement from Channel 10.</span><br /><br /><span>"It is also a total joy to be heading back to the desk with Lisa, Tommy [Little] and the people I love so much," he added.</span><br /><br /><span>Hamish previously worked for Network 10 between 2010 and 2013.</span><br /><br /><span>He rejoined in 2017 as a regular host of The Sunday Project.</span><br /><br /><span>In a statement about his leaving <em>Q+A</em> on Monday, he hinted at an “exciting new opportunity.”</span><br /><br /><span>He also indicated that he would be “working more” with the ABC “in the future”.</span></p>

TV

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Blind man's heartwarming reunion with his dog

<p>A man from Melbourne was nine years old when he suffered a brain tumour prompting him to undergo several surgeries to remove it.</p> <p>When he turned 21, the damage of the surgeries changed his life forever, permanently removing his eyesight.</p> <p>Since then, Mr Toogood has gotten through life with the help of his family, but most of all his loving sister Lisa who has guided him through the darkness.</p> <p>When his sister isn't around, Mr Toogood relies on his best friend, a cavoodle named Sam who keeps him company with unconditional love.</p> <p>"So, Matt and Sam have spent the last five years together, he doesn't leave Matt's side whenever he's home, he follows him around, inside, outside, so yeah, they're the best companions to each other," Lisa told<span> </span><em>A Current Affair.</em></p> <p>Mr Toogood and Sam were separated for months after Mr Toogood broke his ankle and was hospitalised to undergo rehabilitation.</p> <p>During his time in hospital, Sam was given to another family to be looked after.</p> <p>But, once Mr Toogood went home after hospital, the new owners of Sam refused to give him back.</p> <p>"I love my dog, and I'd love him to come back," Mr Toogood said.</p> <p>Lisa approached the family to ask for Sam back but they threatened legal action telling her, "we could drag this out, it's going to cost whoever a fortune, I know all the court systems are backed up for six to 12 months because of COVID."</p> <p>Lisa had to regretfully break the news to Mr Toogood, telling him Sam wouldn't be able to come home because the family denied he was the rightful owner, despite Sam's microchip being registered in his name.</p> <p>"To have him ring me at night, every day and say 'I miss my dog, where is he? Why would someone do this to me? He was always by my side?' It's just not fair, and it's really hard," Lisa said.</p> <p>Mr Toogood and Lisa decided to ask Anne-Marie's help, a pet detective and founder of Arthur &amp; Co, who tracked Sam down and negotiated with the family for his release.</p> <p>Richard, who is a private investigator and worked for Anne-Marie, went inside the family's house to retrieve Sam.</p> <p>After 15 minutes of negotiation, Richard emerged from the house holding Sam, ready to give him back to Mr Toogood.</p> <p>"My heart is bursting with happiness," Lisa said after seeing Sam in Richard's arms.</p> <p>Richard and Lisa took Sam to the local vet who gave him the all clear and double checked his microchip, which confirmed Mr Toogood as his owner.</p> <p>As Mr Toogood sat on his couch in Melbourne, Richard walked in with Sam in his arms and dropped the delighted dog onto his lap.</p> <p>"Are you going to sleep better tonight, now?" Lisa asked Mr Toogood.</p> <p>"Yes," Mr Toogood replied as Sam jumped up and licked his nose.</p>

Family & Pets

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How much the Friends cast were paid for the reunion special

<p>The cast of Friends made history in the early 2000s when they negotiated salaries of US$ 1 million per episode, making them the highest paid television stars ever.</p> <p>And due to their previous success, many were left wondering how much they were paid to appear in last week's highly-anticipated reunion special.</p> <p>Reported by the Wall Street Journal, they were originally offered the same as the series, US$1 million each, but according to the publication they turned it down causing further delays to the special which had been in taels for years since the finale.</p> <p>When the reunion was announced to the public in February 2020, Variety reported the stars were being paid at least US$2.5 million each to revisit the show and their characters.</p> <p>Plus, the cast also receive close to US$20 million a year in syndication payments, according to USA Today.</p> <p>When the show began in 1994, the cast were paid $22,500 per episode. As the show's popularity exploded, the six lead actors eventually scooped a then-unprecedented deal for $1 million each per episode.</p> <p>Speaking to News Corp, Lisa Kudrow described how the salary changed her life.</p> <p>“We were the highest paid women in television,” she said.</p> <p>“That afforded me so much freedom after the show ended. Not only did I get to be part of something that was so well written and so beloved and something that sustained interest all those years later, but it also gave me a lot of creative freedom so that I could pursue other things. It was very fulfilling for me.”</p> <p>The reunion episode ended up delivering benchmark viewing around the world and Australia, where it set new records for its streaming provider.</p>

Money & Banking

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The non-Friends cast member fans claim will "ruin" the reunion

<p>Fans are not happy with the fact that James Corden is set to host the<span> </span><em>Friends<span> </span></em>reunion special that is airing later this month.</p> <p>“All these people could’ve been a part of the Friends reunion but Warner Bros chose Justin Bieber and James Corden,” one Twitter user furiously wrote alongside a picture of other guest stars from the show’s run, including Brad Pitt and Paul Rudd.</p> <p>“James Corden adding the<span> </span><em>Friends<span> </span></em>reunion to the list of things he’s ruined with his mere presence,” another added.</p> <p>“Don’t get me wrong I’ve been wanting a<span> </span><em>Friends<span> </span></em>reunion since 2004 but if someone told me James Corden would be in it I’d have told them not to bother,” read another angry tweet.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841362/friends-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/cfe24247d6a34a7fbb47bfd4425465af" /></p> <p>UK singer-songwriter Grace Petri quipped, “James Corden in the<span> </span><em>Friends</em><span> </span>reunion makes sense to me … It’s straight people’s turn to get their culture ruined.”</p> <p>Corden’s hosting of the reunion does seem off in hindsight considering the host’s<span> </span><em>Late Late Show<span> </span></em>airs on CBS, while<span> </span><em>Friends<span> </span></em>was a linchpin of rival NBC’s programming for many years.</p> <p>But Corden’s presence is hardly the least shocking bit of<span> </span><em>Friends</em><span> </span>news circulating this week.</p> <p>Matthew Perry caused mass panic after he appeared in the teaser for the reunion slurring his words.</p> <p>Perry has candidly spoken about struggling with addiction in the past, revealing he doesn’t remember filming entire seasons of the show.</p>

TV

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“Get the tissues out!“: Overwhelming reunion for couple kept apart for 215 days

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>An elderly couple who have been married for 60 years tearfully reunited at an assisted living home.</p> <p>Due to residing in the USA, the pair had been separated for 215 days, apart from a few emotional visits through a window. </p> <p>The pair are living at Rosecastle at Delaney Creek and the heartwarming reunion was uploaded to Facebook by the assisted living home.</p> <p>“We got to witness these two resident love birds see and hug each other for the first time since the pandemic,” the Rosecastle at Delany Creek’s Facebook post said.</p> <p>“Get your tissues out!”</p> <p>The post says that Joseph was in rehab after a surgery and the pandemic prevented the pair from seeing each other while Joseph recovered.</p> <p>“With just phone calls and a few window visits - they persevered,” the post said.</p> <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frosecastleatdelaneycreek%2Fvideos%2F705069423756227%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=357" width="357" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <p>The video shows Joseph's wife, Eve, sitting at a table while Joseph is being wheeled over to where she's sitting.</p> <p>“Who’s waiting for him over here?”</p> <p>“Look Miss Eve, who’s here?” the person off camera says.</p> <p>The pair embrace and start to cry, as they're overwhelmed with emotion.</p> <p>"I sure missed you," Joseph cries behind his face mask.</p> <p>"I didn't think I'd ever get over here."</p> <p>“You’re alright, I love you so much. For sixty years I’ve done something right," Eve said to try and calm him down.</p> <p>The life enrichment coordinator at Rosecastle, Clary Abreu said Eve was very excited to see her husband.</p> <p>“[Eve] was so excited that she paced probably all night and she sat out in the dining room waiting for him,” she said.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Caring

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Samuel Johnson's heart-wrenching family reunion

<p>Samuel Johnson has shared a sweet video with his ‘other sister’ Hilde, who he says he “lost” while “being a good brother for Connie”.</p> <p>The siblings posted a video to the Love Your Sister Facebook page to announce their involvement in the Sydney Harbour Run on July 29.</p> <p>Samuel and Hilde will run with other charity supporters while wearing rainbow ‘Connie Cottonsocks’ to raise money for cancer research.</p> <p>Since it began in 2014, Love Your Sister has raised over $8 million.</p> <p>In their video, the siblings joke around with each other about filming the announcement for the charity run.</p> <p>"I'm here to make a video," Hilde says while Samuel distractedly wipes his nose with a tissue.</p> <p>"Me too for the 'Rainbow Run,'" he eventually replies.</p> <p>"I normally do it with my brother," Hilde explains.</p> <p>"I normally do it with my sister," Samuel responds.<span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit !important;"> </span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Floveyoursister%2Fvideos%2F1826330010795339%2F&amp;show_text=1&amp;width=560" width="560" height="527" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> </p> <p>In the video, the duo light-heartedly joke around with each other with Hilde saying that she needs a rest from her brother because “he’s so intense”.</p> <p>Samuel replies by saying he doesn’t want to film a video with his sister because she’s so "joyous and infectious and more popular than me like my other sister Connie."</p> <p>"I just want one video in which I can shine," the actor adds.</p> <p>Hilde has been appearing more on the Love Your Sister social media accounts as they continue to fundraise for cancer research following Connie’s death in September 2017.</p> <p>It was Connie’s third cancer battle after being diagnosed with bone cancer at 11 and uterine cancer at 22.</p> <p>Earlier this year, Samuel confessed in an interview with <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/"><strong><u>9Honey</u></strong></a> that he had been struggling to continue to work for the charity following his sister’s death.</p> <p>"My head just hasn't been in the game," the 40-year-old said at the time.</p> <p>"There was a bunch of stuff that she left me with that I had to make sense of. Now that I don't have her to help guide this, I had to do all my homework and I had to make sure that we get this right for her.</p> <p>"I can't just bounce back from burying her and push forward blindly."</p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZGJRGHgnNb/" data-instgrm-version="9"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 33.125% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZGJRGHgnNb/" target="_blank">A post shared by Love Your Sister (@loveyoursister)</a> on Sep 16, 2017 at 1:57am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Samuel said Connie was “the brains of the operation”, while his role was “just the muscle”.</p> <p>"I was the guy that pedalled," he said, referencing one of his first fundraising campaigns from 2014 that saw him travel via unicycle around Australia.</p> <p>"And it's a very complex problem that we're trying to solve. And I wanted to get it right. It took me eight months to find a way forward and I'm confident that I'm doing what's best for her and for every other family that feels the same pain."</p> <p>The ‘Rainbow Run’ is the next fundraising event for Love Your Sister, with the Johnson siblings planning to “drench Sydney harbour with a ‘human rainbow’”.</p> <p>"It's a two-sided dream," he explained to 9Honey in June. </p> <p>"It's a chance for us to get together and use my favourite weapon against cancer which is joy and love. It's also a chance for us to just start our subtle way of calling for an end to 'cancer racism'".</p> <p>The rainbow ‘Connie Cottonsock’s aim to combat cancer racism, a term Samuel uses to explain how some cancers receive a love of attention, while others struggle for funding.</p> <p>"We've adopted the rainbow theme to say all cancers matter and that they must all be vanquished and maybe we should consider swearing away our allegiance to our particular colours."</p>

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Barry Du Bois breaks down during emotional reunion with Amanda Keller

<p>He is battling cancer for a second time and Barry Du Bois remained defiant as he revealed it “can’t be my time” during an emotional reunion with his The Living Room co-host Amanda Keller.</p> <p>The 57-year-old hugged his friend tightly as he held back tears and confessed that he was “really angry” when he found out in October last year that after six years in remission his cancer had returned.</p> <p>“I didn't know what to expect physically. You look good,” Amanda told him while visiting him in hospital during last Friday's episode of The Living Room.</p> <p>“Since I found out about this - you were the one of the first people I told - I got really angry,” Barry replied.</p> <p>Struggling to contain his emotion, Barry added shakily but emphatically: “But this can’t be my time... it can’t be my time.”</p> <p><img width="419" height="422" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/02/24/22/49900DD200000578-5431089-Emotional_The_TV_host_and_builder_57_struggled_to_hold_back_the_-a-4_1519510380974.jpg" alt="Emotional: The TV host and builder, 57, struggled to hold back the tears as he told an emotional Amanda he was 'really angry' when he found out in October that the cancer had returned" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-4aaa462fdb7bb136"/></p> <p>“I got myself physically fit, fitter than I've been for a long time, lost a few of those kilos that I didn't need and started this race as a favourite,” he said.</p> <p>Holding Barry’s hand, Amanda replied, “'I know that just a few days ago you weren't feeling great but you feel like you've turned a little corner.”</p> <p>Barry admitted the last few days had taken their emotional toll.  </p> <p>“I got a little infection, which happens in this situation. The chemo's job is to take your white cells down to zero,' he said.</p> <p><img width="442" height="441" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/02/24/22/49900DF000000578-5431089-Sweet_Holding_Barry_s_hands_tightly_Amanda_replied_I_know_that_j-a-2_1519510380115.jpg" alt="Sweet: Holding Barry's hands tightly, Amanda replied: 'I know that just a few days ago you weren't feeling great but you feel like you've turned a little corner'" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-d002297cf2919bf7"/></p> <p>The father-of-two said the hardest part of the treatment was not seeing his twins Arabella and Bennett, both five, who started school this year. </p> <p>Amanda tearfully told of the love and support for him: “There's so much love for you Baz, everywhere I go people say, 'Give my love to Baz'.”</p> <p>She later shared a photo of their reunion on Instagram, writing: “Caught up with this beautiful man. Heart as big as Phar Lap but without that horsey smell.”</p> <p>She added: “How loved is @baz_dubois? Everywhere I go people ask how he's going.”</p> <p>Barry also posted a snap with his dear friend and wrote: “Best medicine you can get is a visit from a beautiful friend, dropped in for a visit &amp; we had a great chat.”</p>

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Beautiful reunion between original McLeod’s Daughters cast

<p><span>A </span><em><span>McLeod’s Daughters</span></em><span> reboot may be off the cards for now, but that doesn’t mean fans' love for the show has died down.</span></p> <p><span>The original four actors of the hit Aussie drama, Bridie Carter (Tess), Lisa Chappell (Claire), Aaron Jeffery (Alex) and Myles Pollard (Nick), as well as Zoe Naylor (Regan), have reunited for a fan event.</span></p> <p><span>The original four have been travelling around Bilpin, NSW, for special fan appearances with two more appearances to go on December 17th and 18th.</span></p> <p><span>The reunion brings back plenty of memories such as Claire’s devastating death and the love between Tess and Nick.</span></p> <p><span>In October, Michala Banas (Kate), Simmone Jade Mackinnon (Stevie) and Rachel Carpani (Jodi) reunited in October to meet fans of the show in South Australia.</span></p> <p><span>Two months ago, the show’s creator Posie Graeme Evans revealed the unfortunate news that a reboot of the show was no longer happening.</span></p> <p><span>"We feel that our potential new partners and ourselves turned out to see </span><em><span>McLeod's</span></em><span> very differently; and, we were concerned that the tone and substance of the sequel story might alter too much from what people love about the series – and what they expect, too. This was not something we felt we could agree to. And, also, we didn't want to let you down.</span></p> <p><span>"So, as of last week, we have respectfully declined to move forward with further negotiations," she said.</span></p> <p><span>Michala Banas is still hopeful that the characters will be revisited some time in the future.</span></p> <p><span>"It's not happening right now, but you never know," she recently told <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/tv/michala-banas-mcleods-daughters-hardest-job-43509" target="_blank"><em>TV WEEK</em></a></strong></span>.</span></p> <p><span>"I've always wondered what it would be like to get back on the horse – literally. It's awesome that people love the show to the point that they want it back."</span></p> <p><span>Scroll through the gallery above to see the happy reunion of the stars.</span></p> <p><span>Were you looking forward to the return of </span><em><span>McLeod's Daughters</span></em><span>? Let us know in the comments below.</span></p>

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