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Navy sailor's plea for help finding his dog sparks debate when rescue family refuses to give him up

Who has the "right" to keep Archie: His original owner, or the people who cared for him for months?

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The Internet helped a man find his missing dog. But the family who rescued him didn't want to give him up.

Finding good, reliable dog sitting is difficult under normal circumstances. Who can you really trust to take care of your dog? Will they be safe? Will they be scared while you're gone? When you're a soldier in the US military deployed for months at a time, dog-care can turn into an actual nightmare very quickly.

No one knows this better than Paulo Silva, a US Navy soldier who was recently deployed on an aircraft carrier in the Middle East for eight months. While he was away, Silva trusted a relative to watch his five-year-old Golden Retriever and certified bestie, Archie.

When Silva returned home, excited to reunite with his best friend, he was shocked to find the dog gone.

dogs, golden retriever, puppy, soldier, us navy, social media, facebook, viral, heartwarming, love, familyArchie, a 5-year-old golden retriever, became the unwitting subject of a social media custody battle. Photo by Mitchell Luo on Unsplash

“A family member that was well-trusted felt they had no choice but to give away my dog,” Silva told the Asbury Park Press. “At no point was I told about it (before returning home) and I had asked time and time again about him." The relative told Silva that Archie was having trouble settling in, but the decision still came as a massive shock. Worse, Silva's relative couldn't or wouldn't provide him the contact information of the family he'd given Archie to. In interviews, Silva hasn't said much about the reasoning behind these cruel decisions. All he knew was he was scared and left scrambling.

Silva posted a desperate plea to Facebook for anyone with information to contact him. Then social media did what it always seems to do in stories like this one: it delivered.

The post went mega-viral, being shared all across different social and professional networks in the area, and before too long, Silva received tips about where he could find his dog. Not too long after that, Silva and Archie were joyously reunited.

What a perfect happy ending for this feel-good social media story, right? Well, not quite.

It's easy to root for the storybook ending, but there's another family at the other end of the story. For them, it's anything but a fairy tale.


When the tipster first reached out to Silva with Archie's whereabouts, there was one problem: the people who had taken Archie in didn't want to give him up and wouldn't respond to messages.

He had been adopted, apparently freely, by a young woman and her boyfriend when Silva's relative decided to find Archie a new home. In their minds, Archie belonged to them, fair and square, and after months of love and snuggles and care, they had bonded deeply with him. They were sorry for the situation Silva found himself in, but they weren't going to simply "roll over."

Silva then wrote an open letter to Archie's new family, pleading his case.

"This dog isn’t just a pet to me. He is my heart, my companion, and a piece of my soul that helped carry me through some of the hardest times in my life. We’ve been through everything together—before my deployment, during training, and through the toughest emotional battles. That kind of bond is irreplaceable," he wrote.

"I love this dog more than words can express—more than life itself. First, I want to say that I appreciate that you’ve cared for my dog. I have no doubt that you’re good people and that you’ve offered a safe and loving home. But I need you to know that this wasn’t supposed to happen. I was never asked, never informed, and never had the chance to speak up or say goodbye. I left for duty trusting that my dog would be waiting for me when I came home. I’m reaching out publicly not out of anger, but out of heartbreak. I am respectfully asking you to please consider returning my dog to me. I know this isn’t an easy request, and I understand that emotions may be involved on both sides—but I am pleading with you, not just as a veteran, but as someone who lost something deeply precious to them without any choice or voice in the matter."

According to the Asbury Press, Silva was considering legal action if the couple didn't return Archie.

Eventually, the woman and her boyfriend who had adopted Archie decided to return him to Silva. They were heartbroken about the decision.

Even worse, beyond just losing the dog they loved, Jamie Goldstein and her boyfriend were cast as villains in the now-viral story. They began receiving hate messages and public pressure to turn over the dog. While some people threw their support behind the couple's right to keep Archie, many more sent nasty messages and threats.

After they decided to send Archie back to his original home, Goldstein shared an emotional letter of her own on social media.


"He is the sweetest boy and everyone who has met him can attest to it. I love this dog with all my heart," she wrote. "Archie was never stolen, he was given to my boyfriend, we just loved him as our own. ... I can only imagine how Paulo felt when he came back from serving our country & didnt know where sweet Archie was. This feels like a mourning. I miss you so much already, I hope you are safe & getting all the love you deserve, baby Archie. We miss you so much."

Although the couple ultimately did the right thing, it's hard not to feel deeply for them and their loss. Their quick love for Archie was so apparent, and it's unfair that things unfolded the way they did.

As for Silva, he's incredibly grateful for the family that took Archie in and loved him for those many months.

"I do not see them as villains and you shouldn’t either," he wrote in another post. "I know their hearts were in the right place. Thank you both for loving Archie as your own. I will always be grateful for that. I will never stop showing you guys my love and support."

He even offered to arrange an "open door policy" so the couple could visit Archie any time they wanted.

While the story is full of debate and heartbreak, there is one clear winner: Archie. What a lucky pup to be so loved by two different families. If anything, the story speaks volumes about how quickly and powerfully pets can find a place in our hearts. It also ends with mutual kindness, both in the couple returning Archie and Silva handling the conflict with grace. It may not be your typical feel-good social media reunion, but it's got plenty of silver lining.

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They thought their son lived an isolated life. But when he died, friends showed up in droves.

Mats Steen's parents were shocked to learn their severely disabled son had lived a rich, independent life they knew nothing about.

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Mats Steen lived a secret life that his family only discovered after he died.

Mats Steen was only 25 years old when he passed away, his body succumbing to the genetic disease that had slowly taken his mobility since childhood. He'd lived in a wheelchair since his early teens, and by his 20s, his physical abilities had deteriorated to the point of only being able to move his fingers. He could push buttons and use a mouse, and he spent nearly all of his waking hours playing video games in his parents' basement.

His family loved him and cared for him through it all, giving him as much of a normal life as they could. But they also lamented everything they knew he'd missed out on. "Our deepest sorrow lay in the fact that he would never experience friendships, love, or to make a difference in people's lives," Mats' father shares.

Mats left behind the password to a blog he kept. Not knowing if anyone would actually read it, his parents published the news of Mats' passing in a blog post, adding their email address in case anyone wanted to reach out.

Much to their surprise, messages began pouring in from around the world—not just with condolences, but with heartfelt stories from people who called Mats their friend.

The Steens soon discovered that their son had lived a much fuller life than they'd ever imagined—one that included all the things they always wished for him.

As his online life was revealed, the family learned that Mats began his days with a routine 30-minute sprint through the forest. He frequented cafes and pubs, chatting with strangers and flirting with women. He sat by campfires having heart-to-heart conversations. He made friends and enemies. He fought heroic battles. He supported people in times of need. He gave advice that people took. He experienced his first kiss.

And he did it all as "Ibelin," his handsome, muscular avatar in the online game World of Warcraft.

- YouTubeyoutu.be

Mats' life is showcased in the documentary The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, in which his parents share the story of how they discovered their son's group of friends they didn't know he had.

People who've never played an open world roleplay game like World of Warcraft may wonder how real community can be built through it, but Mats' story proves it's possible. The friends he made through the game have shared the real influence he'd had on their real lives, from helping them with problems they were facing to empowering them to make positive changes in their relationships.

Though he never met them face-to-face, Mats' online friends say he made a significant impact on them.

A young woman Ibelin had connected with as a teenager—the one with whom he'd shared that first virtual kiss—shared that her parents had taken away her computer when they feared gaming was interfering with her studies. When she logged on at a local library, Mats gave her a letter he had written to give to her parents, encouraging them to talk with her about her gaming hobby and to work out a solution together that didn't require her to give it up completely. She printed it and gave it to them. Miraculously, it worked.

Another woman had been having a hard time connecting with her autistic son as a young adult. When she talked with Ibelin about her struggles, he suggested that she and her son start gaming together and connect in that way first. Eventually, that connection via the virtual world led to warmer in-person interactions between them—and a life-changing shift in their relationship.

"I don't think he was aware of the impact that he had done to a lot of people," the mother shared.

Mats interacted with the same online friends as Ibelin for years, going through the kinds of ups and downs all friendships experience. He kept his physical condition a secret until close to the end of his life, when he finally opened up to another player who convinced him to share his reality with the others. Some traveled from other countries to attend his funeral, with one of them speaking on the group's behalf and a few of them serving as pallbearers. Those who knew Ibelin also held a memorial in-game at his virtual gravesite—a tradition that has spread beyond just his own guild.

Typically, we think of someone escaping the real world and spending hours a day playing video games as unhealthy, but for Mats, it was a lifeline. As Ibelin, Mats was able to have a level of independence and a rich social life that simply wasn't possible for him in the offline world—an uniquely modern phenomenon that technology and human creativity have made possible.

Mats' impact on his online community was real, and 10 years after his passing his impact is spreading even further.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the genetic disease that Mats lived with and ultimately died from, affects 300,000 boys worldwide. It only affects males and it has no cure. But CureDuchenne, a global nonprofit dedicated to funding and finding a cure, partnered with video game company Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft in Mats' honor from the end of 2024 until January 7, 2025. During that window, World of Warcraft players could purchase a limited-edition pet fox named Reven ("fox" in Norwegian). The Reven Pack, which includes a transmog backpack and Reven’s Comfy Carrier, costs $20, with 100% of the purchase price being donated to CureDuchenne.

The Reven Pack on World of Warcraft—100% of purchase cost goes to the CureDuchenne foundation.World of Warcraft/CureDuchenne

“Mats Steen lived a life in World of Warcraft that he couldn’t in the real world as he fought Duchenne muscular dystrophy alongside his incredible family, who I’m proud to have met and fallen in love with,” said Holly Longdale, executive producer of World of Warcraft. “Working with CureDuchenne for our Charity Pet Program, in honor of Mats’ memory, allows us to harness the power of our phenomenal global community to bring meaningful impact to so many lives.”

In February 2025, CureDuchenne announced that The Reven Pack raised over two million dollars in support. Later in the month, Debra and Hawken Miller of Cure Duchenne spoke with ViceVice and shared how The Reven Pack helped raise valuable awareness about Duchenne in addition to funds. For those interested in updates, the site keeps donors and supporters current on all developments in Duchenne research news.

Mats life was truly impactful in many ways and to many people. His love, kindness, and friendship touched lives and his legacy continues to help those struggling with this rare disease. According to the site, since the inception of CureDuchenne, life expectancy for those with the disease has increased by a decade and over fifty million dollars have been raised for research, education, and care.

You can learn more about Mats' story in the award-winning documentary, The Remarkable Life of Ibelin on Netflix.

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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Boomer and Gen X Americans share the money advice that got them through tough economic times

"Perseverance. One of our best traits."

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Boomers and Gen Xers share financial advice for making it through hard economic times.

Surviving hard economic times builds grit and character, and almost every generation has had to deal with difficult financial challenges. Two generations who are especially equipped to offer their wisdom about weathering through tough times, though, are Boomers and Gen Xers.

In a Reddit forum, member @Fit_Trifle2469 posed the question to followers: "Dear Boomers and Gen X: What got you through tough economic times?"

They followed up with more explanation behind the prompt. "Millennial here (33). I wanted to reach out and hear from those of you who’ve lived through major recessions, such as 2000 and 2008," they wrote. "I'm really interested in your perspective — not just for myself, but for others who might stumble across this thread someday when times get rough again."

Boomers and Gen Xers who have been through difficult financial times and hardships opened up to share their wisdom. These are some of their best pieces of advice for tough economic times.

penny pinch, save, money advice, saving, count moneyMoney Management GIF by Robert E BlackmonGiphy

"When I graduated HS in 1981, unemployment was 10 percent and mortgages were 17 percent. Inflation was 8 percent. I had no job and couldn't find one. That's when my step-father threw me out. I was going to be homeless so I joined the Army. It was one day at a time, one foot in front of the other and I marched on. What else can you do? Eventually things got better. Much, much better." —@Distwalker

"Perseverance. One of our best traits." —@SharonWit

"Downsize everything ......phone...phone plan.... car.... cook food at home .....pack a lunch for work....debt consolidation and make that one payment........no credit card usage..... entertainment was checking out free library books and reading them......thrift store shopping......trade/barter services and items on craigslist." —@Express-Rutabega-105

meal prep, prep meals, food prep, cheap meals, food savingsGIF by NRDCGiphy

"Don’t waste any food - plan meals accordingly so as not to waste anything, buy discounted meat, bread, fruit and veg. All meat gets cut up for meals so it can last longer - nobody gets a steak for themselves, one cheap, marinated steak cut into strips and added to rice and veggies for 3-4 meals. Eggs (they’re still cheap where I live) and a 50lb bag of potatoes are your new best friends unless you like pasta then you are much easier to feed. Get condiment packets from restaurants -my partner made an order and forgot to grab ketchup etc. I don’t miss being poor but I can still feed the fam relatively well on a very, very tight budget." —@drivingthelittles

"Living as cheap as possible out of sheer spite."—@OldLadyMorgendorffer

"I'll be adding to this list with edits as my brain dump continues:

  1. Everyone will lie to your face brazenly about layoffs - don't believe anyone when they say things are fine. The more they say everything is fine, the worse it actually is.
  2. Understand when your industry is getting f@cked and start developing alternatives or fallback options early, not AFTER you get laid off. (Software engineers right now should have realized a year ago at least their industry was getting screwed, as a specific example)
  3. Know the impact of systemic shifts (outsourcing and drive to the internet previously, AI now) and how you can counteract those as best possible, move to a role that isn't as likely to be clobbered as hard.
  4. Learn to cook healthy meals on the cheap - take out is $, but so is eating like sh!t. You can cook en-masse on Sunday and freeze for the week, but work on a plan to move to "high efficiency meal planning".
  5. Reduce your systemic expenses - if you've had "lifestyle creep" ratchet that crap back before you are in the crosshairs financially.
  6. Do your planned maintenance of stuff - now now now, later is NOT going to be better. If it's due, get it done." —@GreatResetBet

rolling stones, cant always get what you want, mick jagger, rolling stones gif, jaggerthe rolling stones GIFGiphy

"Live within your means. Avoid debt. Don’t worry about keeping up with the Jones. Focus on your partner. We in our mid 60s, lived through tough times and even though we didn’t have the income to support it, put both their children through private high school at their request. Money was tight, but there’s a lot of ways to enjoy life that don’t include having a lot of money. Remember the line from the Rolling Stones: 'you can’t always get what you want, but if you try, sometimes, you get what you need'." —@ethanrotman
"Save during the good times. During the ‘08 crash, we had several friends who lost their homes to foreclosure. These were all hardworking people. We had been very good about saving and living below our means. The rainy day fund helped tremendously. They say, pay yourself first. I know it can be difficult but even 50/week will grow over time." —@joysheart

potluck, potluck dinner, potlucks, potluck meal, potluck mealsPot Luck GIF by PartifulGiphy

"Do everything to keep a job, when the recession hits if you at least have a job you can pay the bills. Stop buying things except for food and must haves. Do you really need a lot of cleaning supplies? Makeup? Clothes? Dinner out? No. Cook your own food, learn to enjoy the outdoors, have pot luck dinners with friends." —@eatmore-plants
"It's honestly just lowering expectations and cutting out all but necessary expenses and shopping sales. We're still in our starter home because of the housing collapse. We were underwater for years and then the kids started school. It's about appreciating the little things." —@whatevertoad

grit, understanding, hard work, perspective, resilientRobert Redford Yes GIF by GritTVGiphy

"The things that get you through tough times emotionally are your social network, keeping perspective, and your own personal grit. The things that get you through tough times financially are things like keeping your living expenses relatively low, living below your means, putting money away for hard times, and keeping up your job skills and professional networks." —@Shot-Artichoke-4106
"We got hit hard in both recessions and it was really hard to rebound because we were young and not well-established. We made it through by living as frugally as possible and avoiding 'lifestyle creep.' Also, one thing we got in a habit of doing was every year when we got our income tax refund (back when we still got refunds), we’d pay our car insurance in full for the year, put some in the kids’ college accounts, and put the rest in our house down payment fund." —@Mammoth-Ad-4806
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Server accepts huge tip from a 'creepy' man, making her coworker angry. Was she right?

"Don’t spill your business to others. Your money is your money."

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A customer and a server at a restaurant.

A 27-year-old female server disagreed with a coworker over whether she should accept a large tip from a customer who flirted with her. This raised a good question: If someone wants to give you a large tip, should the reason why matter? Even if it’s because the man thought she was “pretty”?

After all, if a man is throwing around his money, he has to have some hope that she’ll be impressed enough to go out with him or that she’d be willing to make another financial arrangement. But in the same scenario, he also runs the considerable risk that the woman will pocket the cash and have nothing to do with him, which is what she did.

The woman shared her story on Reddit to see if commenters thought she was in the wrong for accepting the large tip. “I (27f) am a waitress. Friday night, I served this table. It was a middle-aged woman and a very handsome middle-aged man. A guy I would have gone out with if he wasn't so creepy. He had made sure to mention that the woman he was dining with was his sister. After the meal, he gave me a $500 (US dollar) tip,” the woman wrote.

tip, bill, restaurant, server, waitress, bill, gratuityA credit card and a bill.via Canva/Photos

“The tip was almost twice the price of the meal,” she continued. “He told me the tip was because I was so pretty. After work, I told a fellow waitress (32f), and she was angry. She told me it was a stupid decision to accept that. She said I made it seem like behavior like that is acceptable by accepting it. I probably would never accept a tip like that under those circumstances again. Am I [in the wrong]?”

The good news for the server was that the commenters overwhelmingly supported her decision, but with a caveat. She should take this opportunity to learn that, in the future, she should be quiet about the money she makes at work, especially when talking to her coworkers.

“It’s not like you asked for the big tip or agreed to do anything for it. If he’s wealthy and wants to leave a big tip, all the better for you. You did nothing wrong here,” the most popular commenter wrote. Other commenters felt that the coworker was simply jealous.

server, waitress, restaurant, tip, service, smile, brunette womanA smiling server.via Canva/Photos

“As a former server, [you’re not wrong]. This was never about her principles; it was about her being upset you got a huge tip and she didn't. Your fellow servers care about their money, so you don't need to tell them about yours. Bragging about your huge tips is a good way to make enemies or get robbed after work when one of the shady ones sends a text to their friend or partner and has them waiting by your car outside," the commenter wrote. "Never talk about how much you made in tips. No one needs that information but you, the IRS, and your boss. I guarantee she would have kept the tip herself if she had been the one serving him.”

When talking about tips at work, many commentators said keep it to yourself because you’re only going to make people jealous, and in the worst-case scenario, jealous coworkers could put you in grave danger. “Don’t spill your business to others. Your money is your money,” a commenter wrote.

woman, laptop at night, popcorn, woman smiling laptop, late night snack, A woman eating popcorn while looking at her laptop.via Canva/Photos

Ultimately, most people are okay with the server accepting the large tip because nothing was attached to it. She was free to pursue a relationship with the man and chose not to, which was smart because he seemed like a creep. For the rest of us, the story is also a great reminder to keep your business to yourself. There isn’t much to gain from discussing your money with coworkers.

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