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97-year-old former cheerleader gets to cheer one last time with the squad she helped create

She even got to do a cheer stunt!

Photo credit: Canva

97-year-old cheerleader cheers with high school squad one last time

For many people reminiscing on your time in high school can bring you moments of joy. The memories seem to bee especially fond for former high school athletes and those that participated in other activities, likely due to the additional time spent with peers. This sort of nostalgia doesn't stop just because you've reached an age that most would consider well beyond their glory years.

One of the funny things about growing older is you keep waiting to feel like an adult but oftentimes you simply feel like a slightly slower version of your teenaged self. It can feel like one moment you're flying through the air from a basket toss and the next you're putting grippy things in the bottom of your tub because a slippery surface means a hip breaking hazard.

But that reality doesn't stop some people from being as active as possible for as long as they physically can, like Michigan woman Ilagene Doehring. The elderly woman is 97-years-old and when she was in high school, more than 80 years ago, she was a cheerleader at Merrill High School on a squad she helped create after noticing the school didn't have one.

Doehring tells WNEM News, “I just felt bad that Merrill High School didn’t have cheerleaders when all the other schools had them,” she said. “So, we decided to do something about it. We had a hard time finding orange material to make our uniforms. We had a lady that sewed them for us and that was it."

women in black and white tank top Photo by leah hetteberg on Unsplash

Recently Doehring was chatting with her caretakers at Candlestone Assisted Living about her days as a cheerleader and her desire to wear her old cheer uniform again when they got a brilliant idea. After hearing all about how the woman was the reason that the local high school even had cheerleaders, they reached out on social media to see if someone had an old uniform Doehring could wear one last time.

The cheer coach, Jena Glazier from Merrill High School was not only able to secure a uniform that fits the 97-year-old, but decided to go a step further. Glazier and the entire cheer team showed up to the assisted living facility to not only deliver the uniform but invite Doehring to cheer with them. The squad and Doehring were able to perform in front of the other residents in the facility. At one point, the former cheerleader got to take her high school nostalgia off the ground by being a flyer in a stunt.

will ferrell snl GIF by Saturday Night LiveGiphy

Don't worry, there were no basket tosses or heel stretches going on. It was a low stunt where the cheerleaders don't lift the flyer's feet above their chest, otherwise generally known as a "low elevator."

Her skills impressed the cheerleaders, "We had asked her if she remembered any cheers from when she was in school and we were figuring it was probably 84...85 years ago and she was right on top of it and she said yes. When we walked in the door she was already cheering before we could even start cheering she was ready to go," Glazier tells the news outlet.


But the staff at the assisted living facility are not surprised by her athleticism. According to Kati Roper, the Life and Enrichment Director at Candlestone Assisted Living, the woman can probably run faster than her and is full of spirit. Doehring taught the cheerleaders some cheers she used to do and while she admits that she was embarrassed to have all the attention on her that day, she reminded Glazier that she's the reason the cheer team exists.

“When I left, she said, ‘Without me, you wouldn’t have Merrill cheer.’ And I just thought on that, and I’m just so grateful for her because I know what it probably took to get that started, and she’s allowed me to come in after her – a foundation that she built and her and her girls, they built this program – and I get to come in behind her and mentor girls all the time because of that,” Glazier shares with WNEM.

Doehring has certainly left a legacy at her old high school and has made an impression on the current cheerleaders and everyone that gets to witness her revisit memory lane.

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Culture

Optical illusion makes looking at Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' a truly 'moving' experience

This is so trippy.

@Alex_Verbeek/Twitter, "Van Gogh's Starry Night" by Christopher S. Penn is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Watch "The Starry Night" come to life with this optical illusion.

Vincent Van Gogh's "The Starry Night" is one of the most recognizable and beloved paintings in the world. It was completed in 1889 and has been part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City since 1941. It is not up for sale, but if it were to go to auction there is a chance it could fetch as much as billion dollars.

Such a priceless work of art is perhaps a strange object for a parlor trick, but trust me when I tell you this one is worth it. Whether they are oases in the desert created by heat shimmer, an elephant with an indeterminate number of legs or straight lines that look crooked, optical illusions can throw our brains for a loop. They can also be super fun, and an optical illusion that makes the "Starry Night" painting turn into a moving picture is most definitely fun.

The illusion, shared by Alex Verbeek on Twitter, involves two steps. First, you stare at the center of a spinning spiral image for 20 seconds, then you look at the painting. Staring at the spinning spiral isn't as easy as it sounds—it makes your eyes buggy and your brain hurt a little—but even if you don't do the full 20 seconds, you can probably get the effect.

Aim for staring at the center of the spiral for at least 10 seconds, then watch "The Starry Night" come to life before your eyes. (You have to click "play" first, by the way. The spirals need to be swirling.)

Want a larger version of the painting to try it out on? Here you go:

Van Gogh Starry Night

Vincent Van Gogh's "The Starry Night" (1889)

"Van Gogh's Starry Night" by Christopher S. Penn is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The effect doesn't last long, but phew. Our brains are so bizarre.

According to a 2009 study by Japanese researchers, motion in optical illusions is still processed in the brain the same way real motion is. So don't be surprised if the moving painting makes you feel a bit woozy, if you're prone to motion sickness.

It's hard to believe that Van Gogh's "Starry Night" could be improved upon, but here we are. Definitely a "moving" experience to share with your friends.


This article originally appeared two years ago.

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Grandkids roast their 'Papaw' on his 80th birthday by dressing up as his different 'eras'

May every grandparent get a tribute as funny and heartfelt as this.

@kkenziegreene/Instagram

Now THIS is a tribute.

It’s not easy to add just the right amount of roasting into birthday tributes, but when it works, it really works. And this one, created by the Tennessee-hailing Webb family for their “Papaw,” Bill Webb on his 80th, is a perfect example of how to honor someone while poking fun at the same time.

In a viral Instagram video, shared by Papaw’s only granddaughter Kenzie Greene, we see each of the seven grandkids dressed up just like their grandkids in seven distinct eras of his life.

According toToday, the eras (and the grandkid representing them) were as follows:

Elementary school singing quartet Papaw: Mason Greene, 14

High school football Papaw: Hutton Jones, 19

Fraternity Papaw: Kenzie Greene, 21

Beach Papaw: Jackson Greene, 22,

Wedding day Papaw: Carson Cooper, 20

Young dad Papaw: Colton Jones, 17, sporting plaid pants that Papaw assures was “the style back then”

Working engineer Papaw: Cameron Cooper, 18

Greene, the mastermind who helped bring this vision to life, told Today that the celebration didn’t end there. The group began in PaPaw’s "signature outfit” of a maroon sweatshirt and khakis, and dinner including chips with French onion dip, Vienna sausages and Golden Oreos—Papaws’ favorite snacks.

The family apparently “always goes all out” for grandparent birthdays, especially milestone ones. And doing this cute tribute was easy to commit to, since Papaw is “literally is the best grandfather ever."

As for PaPaw himself, he shared that he “was a little slow on the uptake,” but “once I caught on, it was kind of an honor — and making fun of me at the same time — so it was a neat thing to do.”

Of course, PaPaw isn’t the only one who loved this idea. Folks who’ve seen the video are absolutely in love, calling it “refreshingly” wholesome.

“The best thing I seen on the internet in years…thanks for posting this family video and letting my sanity get away from all the political nonsense I’m forced to look at on this app.”

“A well loved man, a well lived life!”

“You can’t buy a gift that made him more happier than this. Well done”

“I may not know this family personally, but this speaks volumes about love, legacy, and the strength of family bonds. What a reminder of the beauty in honoring those who paved the road before us. This is the kind of legacy that inspires us all. What a family!”

“Oh nothing. Just me crying for strangers again. This was beautiful.”

Cheers, Papaw. Here’s to many more years of being delightfully roasted by the ones who love you.

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Joy

Roger Federer shares what he ‘secretly’ loved about playing long-time rival Rafael Nadal

People are loving the tennis great's heartfelt tribute to his retiring competitor.

Photo credits: Georgio (left), Nick Step (right)

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal went head-to-head 40 times during their careers.

Roger Federer has been retired from tennis since 2022, but his legendary status as a tennis great and as an awesome human being remains unmatched.

As his long-time rival and friend Rafael Nadal prepares to retire, Federer offered some heartfelt thoughts directly to him via social media. Always a class act, Federer's tribute is filled with respect, admiration and a little bit of humor.

Federer shared that while he himself is not very superstitious, he "secretly" loved Nadal's pre-game rituals.

"Assembling your water bottles like toy soldiers in formation, fixing your hair, adjusting your underwear... All of it with the highest intensity," he wrote. "Secretly, I kind of loved the whole thing. Because it was so unique—it was so you."

Nadal spoke about his signature, routine underwear adjustments in an interview with GQ: "I've been doing that since I was a kid, so [laughs] that's something that I cannot change. I can change many things, but this thing, no. [laughs]"

Federer shared how Nadal made him a better player and made him love the game even more than he already did. He wrote about the special memories they shared together and how Nadal was a role model for his own children.

This is what a sports rivalry should ideally look like in the end—fierce competition on the court that raises the bar for the entire sport paired with genuine love and friendship that extends far beyond the court.

Read Federer's tribute in full:

Vamos, @RafaelNadal!

As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional.

Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me—a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could. On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could just to hold my ground. You made me reimagine my game—even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge.

I’m not a very superstitious person, but you took it to the next level. Your whole process. All those rituals. Assembling your water bottles like toy soldiers in formation, fixing your hair, adjusting your underwear... All of it with the highest intensity. Secretly, I kind of loved the whole thing. Because it was so unique—it was so you. And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more.

OK, maybe not at first. After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the #1 ranking for the first time. I thought I was on top of the world. And I was—until two months later, when you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly. All that buzz I’d been hearing about you—about this amazing young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, probably going to win a major someday—it wasn’t just hype.

We were both at the start of our journey and it’s one we ended up taking together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I have to say: What an incredible run you’ve had. Including 14 French Opens—historic! You made Spain proud... you made the whole tennis world proud.

I keep thinking about the memories we’ve shared. Promoting the sport together. Playing that match on half-grass, half-clay. Breaking the all-time attendance record by playing in front of more than 50,000 fans in Cape Town, South Africa. Always cracking each other up. Wearing each other out on the court and then, sometimes, almost literally having to hold each other up during trophy ceremonies.

I’m still grateful you invited me to Mallorca to help launch the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2016. Actually, I kind of invited myself. I knew you were too polite to insist on me being there, but I didn’t want to miss it. You have always been a role model for kids around the world, and Mirka and I are so glad that our children have all trained at your academies. They had a blast and learned so much—like thousands of other young players. Although I always worried my kids would come home playing tennis as lefties.

And then there was London—the Laver Cup in 2022. My final match. It meant everything to me that you were there by my side—not as my rival but as my doubles partner. Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career.

Rafa, I know you’re focused on the last stretch of your epic career. We will talk when it’s done. For now, I just want to congratulate your family and team, who all played a massive role in your success. And I want you to know that your old friend is always cheering for you, and will be cheering just as loud for everything you do next.

Rafa that!

Best always, your fan,

Roger

In a world where competition can easily grow toxic, people love seeing two greats share such a healthy relationship.

"Find a friend who treats you like Roger treats Rafa."

"The most beautiful rivalry the sports world has ever witnessed."

"Well this is an incredible message, peRFect actually. Thanks for making me cry this early in the morning. You both are and always be THE TENNIS. Thanks. ❤️"

"The best of kindness, friendship, rivalry we’re ever seen."

"Both of you have truly touched our lives in the most incredible way. Your perseverance, discipline, kindness, and influence have made such a positive impact on us, and we are deeply grateful for everything you’ve done. You inspire us more than words can express.
By the way, I’m team Rafa but have so much respect for Federer."

"👏👏👏 Classiest athlete ever , we have been super lucky to able to watch you guys play so many years, thanx for memories boys🙏"

"Those two will never be equalled. Pure, simple and honest class. 100% of it. Chapeau to both! 🤗"

Here's to champions we can look up to celebrating one another's greatness.

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