Running a 5,000-meter race is a tremendous feat of athleticism requiring runners to make 12 ½ laps around a 400-meter track. To be competitive in such a race takes unbelievable training, stamina, and heart. But nowhere was the heart more evident than yesterday at the Olympic games in Rio when two runners collided and decided to help each other finish instead of competing.
In the eighth lap of the women’s 5,000-meter race, New Zealand’s Nikki Hamblin was in a tight cluster of runners when she tripped and landed hard on Rio’s blue track. As she laid on her side, dazed and wondering how she fell, American runner Abbey D’Agostino, placed her hand on Hamblin’s shoulder and said, “Get up, get up! We have to finish this.” Although she had fallen in a collision with Hamblin, suffering a badly twisted knee in the process, D’Agostino got up first and was able to help her back to her feet. “That girl is the Olympic spirit right there,” Hamblin said of D’Agostino after the race had ended.
Not long after the two were back in the race and trying to catch up to the pack, the pain in D’Agostino’s knee was too much and she collapsed. But this time, Hamblin was there to grab her hand and help her back on her feet. Both women would end up finishing the race although nowhere near its winner, Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana. After the event, Hamblin saw there was more to the race than winning or losing. “Everyone wants to win, and everyone wants a medal,” she said. “But as disappointing as this experience is for myself and for Abbey, there’s so much more to this than a medal.”
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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.