Earlier this month, 38-year-old British man Ben Hooper walked into the waves on a beach in Dakar, Senegal. Donning a wetsuit designed to be invisible to sharks, Hooper set out to accomplish something no human has before: swimming across the Atlantic Ocean.
Hooper plans to swim up to 10 hours each day, resting on a support boat at night, to complete the nearly 2,000-mile journey from West Africa to Brazil. He is currently 18 days into the trek, which is raising money for homelessness prevention, orphan protections, cancer care, and for Hooper’s son, who suffers from a kidney disease. Guinness World Records is monitoring the effort.
You can track Hooper’s progress on his website, but we highly recommend following along on his Facebook page, where he posts daily updates that read like tortured sailor poems. Swimming across the Atlantic sounds excruciating.
[Also see: Atlantic swim a brutal challenge for the body]
Hooper started with more straightforward dispatches, seemingly written by someone else. But by Day Five, Hooper took the account’s reins and began blessing the world with staccato meanderings about Captain Nigel, food rations, weather conditions, and colorful descriptions of the “angry sea.”
On Day Six, Hooper swam past an oil drilling platform, which he called a “scary monster!” and expressed his desire for “Scooby snax.”
On Day Nine, Hooper battled a live moth infestation in his left ear, which prompted him to ask the philosophical question, “What aversions do Atlantic moths have against right ears?”
One can only imagine what Leif Erikson might’ve tweeted during his 11th-century journey from Greenland to Canada.
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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.