When Elliot Costello and a group of other people visited Cambodia, he had an encounter with a young girl named Thea.
Little did Elliot know that this encounter would have an impact so profound on him that it would help start a movement whose goal is to end sexual abuse against children.
Namely, Thea always had nail polish on her tiny nails. One day, as she and Elliot chatted, she asked to paint one of his nails. He agreed and was happy to speak to the chatty girl, but he then learned that she was once a victim of sexual abuse.
“As she painted one of my nails, I assured her I would always keep it that way to remember her, and by extension, her suffering,” Elliot said.
This motivated Elliot to try and make positive change among men so that less and less children fall victims of sexual abuse.
That is when he came up with the movement called #PolishedMan where men put nail polish on one of their nails. That one nail represents the one in five children who will be victims of sexual violence.
Polished Man works towards ending sexual violence against children. According to the organization, “being a Polished Man means challenging violent behavior and language, both locally and globally.”
Elliot believes that since men are responsible for 96% of this type of violence against children globally, they should be catalyst for change if we are ever to see an end to the abuse of innocent children.
The goal with the painted nail isn’t just to remind people of the number of children who are abused every single day, but to serve as a conversation starter about this reality, leading to new ideas about prevention. He also hopes that people will start donating to “support educational programs and resources for child survivors of abuse,” as per APlus.
We hope that more men, including celebrities would be willing to join this movement.
Last Kiss Before Child Delivery: A Man Lost His Wife And Became a Single Dad To Quadruplets!
Carlos and Erica Morales had a terrible fairytale relationship that once took place in Phoenix, Arizona. Their romance started in 2006. They initially had some linguistic obstacles, but they rapidly overcome them because they connected right away.
Following a few setbacks, they got married in 2007 and excitedly started their family-building quest. Even though they had suffered the pain of a miscarriage, they were ecstatic to learn that Erica was expecting quadruplets.
But instead of being the happiest time in their life, it turned into heartbreak. Erica unfortunately lost suddenly shortly after giving birth to their four beautiful infants, leaving Carlos to raise their quadruplets alone while grieving greatly.
Carlos showed incredible fortitude in the face of such intense grief by naming their four children—Carlos Jr., Paisley, Tracey, and Erica—in honor of his late wife.
Although becoming a single father came with its own set of difficulties, Carlos accepted it with great commitment. He became skilled at taking care of his infants and concentrated on realizing Erica’s aspirations for the future of his kids.
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On this voyage, Carlos wasn’t traveling alone. Friends, relatives, and most of all Erica’s mother, Sondra Bridges, came together to support and love him during the difficult time of raising quadruplets.
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Carlos came upon a message on Erica’s iPad one day while sorting through her things that detailed her goals and dreams for their kids. Carlos was greatly inspired by this finding, which motivated him to work toward making those aspirations come true.
Carlos Morales’s story is one of unfathomable loss, unwavering fortitude, and a steadfast love that endures beyond even the darkest moments of sorrow.
Carlos and his quadruplets are in our thoughts and prayers. I hope they keep finding the courage and steadfast support they require on this difficult path. A moving reminder of the enduring power of love and the relationships that mold our lives is provided by their narrative.
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