When a football players hear their names announced during the first round of the NFL Draft, it’s a dream come true. This week, when the Baltimore Ravens make the 16th pick, it won’t just be a great moment for the player, but for the person calling the name as well. Instead of league commissioner Roger Goodell announcing the selection, TJ Onwuanibe—a 14-year-old who was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer in 2015—will get to reveal the pick for his favorite football team.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh surprised the eighth-grader at a school assembly when he told Onwuanibe via video message that he’d get to travel to Philadelphia for Thursday’s draft to man the podium for the team.
"I heard that you asked Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic to send you to the NFL Draft, and your wish is to announce the Ravens' first pick," Harbaugh said. "Well, great news. Next week, your wish will be granted in Philadelphia at the draft. How about that!"
After the video, Ravens cheerleaders and the team’s mascot, Poe, rushed the stage as his classmates at McDonogh, a private K-12 school in Owings Mills, Maryland, cheered on a shocked Onwuanibe.
This isn’t the first time TJ has caught the attention of the media though. Last week, Baltimore’s WBAL-TV broadcast a story about how Onwuanibe, whose cancer is now in remission, organized a school-wide clothing drive to benefit terminally ill children.
“This is amazing,” Onwuanibe told WBAL after the successful clothing drive. “It helps people when you do some of the smallest things.”
Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
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We could start a rumor.
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.