Going viral on the internet is usually a wonderful thing, but in some cases it can be your worst nightmare.
Videos by InspireMore
Janae and LaQuint Rhodes experienced the pain of going viral for a terrible reason, but thanks to help from a local radio host their dark story turned into a blessing in disguise. It all started when the Detroit, Michigan couple threw together a modest wedding ceremony in their front yard.
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Janae and LaQuint had been planning to get married in June 2019, but finances were tight and as the date drew closer they realized they were no closer to the lavish ceremony they’d dreamed about. One day in September the pair decided on the spot that it was pointless to wait any longer; they love each other and wanted to be married, so they got to work and threw one together in just two weeks.
On September 22nd, Janae and LaQuint tied the knot in front of about 50 of their close friends and family members. The event was low-key, and guests who offered to help out were taken up on that offer and put to work for the reception. They even stayed up until 4 in the morning the night before making decorations and food for their guests, doing everything themselves in order to save money.
“But it was all worth it,”Janae said. “It was happy, it was joyous, and it was memorable. It was intimate and personal.â€
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On the big day, Janae looked beautiful in her dress and the wedding went off without too many hitches. Sadly, that same night the couple’s daughter almost drowned in a swimming pool and was put on life support, so the exhausted couple had to rush to the hospital where they spent most of their wedding night.
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It was by their daughter’s bedside, still dressed in their wedding clothes, that the couple learned that they’d become the targets of a mean-spirited internet meme.
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Someone driving by the Rhodes’s house had snapped a picture of their wedding and uploaded it to Facebook, calling it a “Detroit wedding” and criticizing its simplicity as being “ghetto.”
Janae and LaQuint were devastated and shocked that people could be so mean. All they were doing was getting married without breaking the bank, and they’d worked so hard to pull it off. They couldn’t imagine why someone would think to mock them for their efforts.
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“We were shocked and appalled,”LaQuint wondered. “Seriously? It was just unbelievable. Where do you get negativity when we were embracing love and happiness? That’s what we thought that mattered the most.â€
Thankfully, one other person who spotted the nasty meme online just so happened to have the means to do something about it. Randi Rossario is a radio personality and life coach for a popular station called Oh So Radio. The show makes a habit of helping the less fortunate members of their Detroit community, so when Randi saw people laughing at the Rhodes family she knew she had to do something to help out.
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“The life coach in me was like, ‘Let me let me help these people and let me let me see what I can do, because I know how I would feel in that situation,’”Randi explained. “It wasn’t that they needed another wedding. I thought that they deserved another wedding.â€
Harnessing the power of her own large social media following, Randi started a hashtag called #DetroitReceptionChallenge wherein she asked people to donate their goods and services to give Janae and LaQuint a dream wedding.
Before long, tons of local vendors and businesses volunteered their venues, time, and energy to create a very special day for the family. Chefs from local restaurants even stepped forward to cater the event for free.
In just three weeks the whole affair came together. Even more amazing? Someone donated a honeymoon trip to Jamaica after their second wedding!
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“They wanted to be a part of something good,”Randi said about the people who donated. “They said they’re constantly hearing negative things about Detroit, and to see something positive being done, they wanted to do their part.â€
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The couple was so grateful that it helped to take some of the sting out of being made fun of so cruelly. Now that their daughter is on the road to recovery, they are finally able to put the negative aspects of their wedding behind them and focus on the future. Janae says that she hopes their experience will encourage people to think twice before posting hurtful things online.
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“Be nicer on social media,”Janae implored. “Social media is not just social media; it’s real life too, and you’re hurting someone’s feelings in real life.â€
That’s absolutely true! While we hate that this couple had to endure such cruelty, it’s wonderful to see others step up to let the world know that’s not how we treat people. Before posting online, remember to ask yourself first if you’re being kind!
Please share this story to encourage more compassion and less negativity on social media.
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