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Chicago Weather Sunday: River Swim Canceled Amid Area Flood Warning

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Persistent rain and the threat of severe weather disrupted several major events across the Chicago area Sunday, prompting cancellations, delays and early closures.

Officials announced Sunday morning that the Chicago River Swim would be canceled because of dangerous weather conditions.

Flood warnings and watches were set to take effect Sunday evening across Lake, LaSalle and Will counties in Illinois.

The event was scheduled to begin at 6:30 a.m. Sunday and would have marked the second year of the Chicago River Swim.

Local leaders, former Olympians and recreational swimmers had planned to enter the water for this year’s race.

Organizers said the decision was made “due to weather-related safety concerns,” including the possibility of a combined sewer overflow that could compromise water quality and the threat of lightning.

“We know how much training, preparation, and heart our swimmers put into this event, and we share their disappointment,” Chicago River Swim founder Doug McConnell said. He thanked the City of Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson for their support, adding that the event will return Sept. 19, 2027. “We can’t wait to welcome our swimmers to the river once again,” he said.

The swim followed its historic 2025 debut, when organized open-water swimming returned to the Chicago River for the first time in nearly a century.

The charity event was created to support ALS research while also funding swimming lessons and water-safety education for children in underserved communities.

Despite the cancellation, the Chicago River Swim said it will fulfill its charitable commitments, including a $100,000 donation to Northwestern University for ALS research and $62,500 to the USA Swimming Foundation. That money will support swim lessons through the Chicago Park District for children in underserved communities.

After the race was called off, participants and supporters gathered at Chicago Brewhouse along the Riverwalk.

“Disappointed and relieved at the same time,” said Sheri Berliner, an open-water swimmer.

Rose Baldwin, another open-water swimmer, said she remained optimistic. “We did it two years ago when we had the first ever Chicago River Swim in Lake Michigan!” she said. “But next year. Our third time is going to be the charm.”

The charity swim has faced challenges since its 2024 inception. Organizers said overnight water testing showed the race could not safely proceed, even before lightning and the threat of a combined sewer overflow became additional concerns.

Aurora also canceled its annual Mexican Independence Day Parade because of the weather.

“The city has received multiple inches of rain in the past 48 hours,” said Jon Zagloul, a City of Aurora spokesperson. With the ground saturated and low-lying areas and drainage ditches vulnerable to flooding, officials extended the city’s flood watch several times throughout the weekend, he said.

Riot Fest was affected as well. The three-day music festival at Douglass Park ended early Saturday night because of severe weather, while Sunday’s gates opened three hours late. Hundreds of festivalgoers waited in ponchos, with Alanis Morissette and Elvis Costello still scheduled to perform.

“It’s disappointing. But we can understand why they did it. It’s definitely frustrating,” concertgoer John Ulven said.

“It’s colder than we thought, but nothing can stop us. It’s going to be great,” said fellow concertgoer Viri Ulven.

Rain continued at Soldier Field, but the Chicago Bears’ game against the Minnesota Vikings still began as scheduled at noon Sunday.

On Saturday, the Eve Fries Foundation’s Softball Clinic had to be moved inside because of rain.

That event teamed up with professional players to provide an exclusive softball clinic to around 75 girls. The free clinic hoped to not only build confidence and promote leadership, but also spark a lifelong love for the game.

Lee County first responders were evacuating Yogi Bear Campground Sunday due to rising water.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any real relief in sight.

Flooding remains a real concern with the possibility of some flood watching and warnings.

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Storms to Hit at Start of Workweek Before Cold Front Arrives

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High chance for rain lingers early this week before a late-week cold front.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Monday

By lunchtime, the sea breeze will move inland, triggering more showers and a few thunderstorms along the I-4 corridor. Storm activity will spread westward through the second half of the afternoon before weakening near sunset. High temperatures will reach the upper 80s.

Next Week

The front is expected to move across Central Florida early Thursday, bringing lower humidity and a modest cooldown by Friday and into the weekend. Temperatures could dip into the upper 60s Saturday morning.


Kemi Badenoch Vows to Scrap Tourist Tax and Boost UK Tourism

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Kemi Badenoch has promised to scrap the unpopular tourist tax as part of a Conservative plan to reignite Britain’s struggling economy.

The Tory leader said tax-free shopping would be restored for international visitors, a move she said could attract millions of tourists and inject £4billion into Britain’s high streets.

Her pledge represents a major success for the Daily Mail’s ‘Scrap the Tourist Tax’ campaign. Mrs Badenoch confirmed that a Conservative government would reinstate VAT-free shopping for overseas visitors, after the scheme was abolished in 2021.

The commitment creates a sharp contrast with Labour, as the Government’s tax burden reaches its highest level since the Second World War and further increases are expected to be considered at the upcoming Budget.

Mrs Badenoch has also promised to abolish stamp duty, overturn the Family Farm Tax and examine options for scrapping inheritance tax. Labour, meanwhile, has introduced a levy on overnight stays, while ministers appear to be preparing the ground for additional tax rises next month.

The Conservative leader accused Andy Burnham of tolerating Britain’s ongoing decline under Labour. “I am tired of the doom and gloom that says Britain has to accept decline, tax people more and expect less,” Mrs Badenoch told the Daily Mail.

“We should be ambitious about what this country can achieve. Britain has world-famous retailers, creative designers, outstanding manufacturers and some of the finest places anywhere to eat, sleep and visit.

“Five years of effectively directing shoppers towards Paris and Milan is long enough. I am grateful to the Daily Mail for its important campaign to end this deeply unpopular tourist tax.”

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said her government would restore the VAT-free shopping initiative for visitors that was axed in 2021

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch pledged to restore VAT-free shopping for international visitors, following its abolition in 2021

Prime Minister Andy Burnham meanwhile was accused by Mrs Badenoch of accepting Britain's continuing decline under Labour

Mrs Badenoch accused Prime Minister Andy Burnham of accepting Britain’s continued decline under Labour

She added: “This policy has damaged tourism and the high street. Britain should be a magnet for visitors ready to spend, not a country that encourages them to take their money elsewhere.”

More than 500 business leaders have backed the Mail’s campaign to restore the 20 per cent refund scheme, which supporters say would encourage tourism in line with arrangements available across much of Europe and in several US states.

Leading companies including Giorgio Armani, Pernod Ricard and the owner of Westfield’s shopping centres argue that the cost of issuing refunds would be more than offset by the wider economic gains from attracting additional visitors.

Under the proposed Conservative policy, VAT refunds would initially return for qualifying visitors from outside the EU. The scheme operated before 2021, when it was scrapped by the previous Conservative government.

If evidence shows the policy generates more economic value than it costs, the party said it would extend the arrangement to EU visitors by the end of the next Parliament. That could open the door to a potential market of hundreds of millions of shoppers.

The Conservatives cited Centre for Economics and Business Research analysis suggesting that the return of tax-free shopping could bring as many as 2.35million extra visitors to the UK and generate an additional £4.1billion in spending.

The party said the benefits would extend beyond retail, helping hotels, restaurants, transport providers and the wider tourism sector while preventing billions of pounds from being spent in competing European destinations.

The announcement comes after Labour this month introduced a ‘holiday tax’ across mayoral authorities under its control. Critics say the extra charge will increase the cost of family breaks and encourage more people to holiday abroad rather than in Britain.

Business leaders, including executives from Fortnum & Mason, Paul Smith and the company behind Claridge’s hotel, welcomed Mrs Badenoch’s proposal as both “pro-growth” and “pro-jobs”.

Sir Rocco Forte, chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels, said the policy was “crying out to be reversed”, adding that Britain is the only major shopping destination in Europe that does not offer international visitors a tax refund.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive at the British Retail Consortium, said of a tax-free shopping scheme: ‘Done properly, it would boost economic growth and deliver a net benefit to the Exchequer.’

Even Labour Mayor of London Lord Khan has called on the Government to restore tax-free shopping, saying the decision to scrap it was ‘a huge mistake’.

A Labour spokesman said: ‘The Tories have pulled off a spectacular U-turn. If they think it’s such a great idea, they should explain why they scrapped it and how they’d pay for bringing it back.’

Homeless Man Arrested for Stealing Fast-Food Takeout Orders

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Robert Allen Futch, 58, was arrested after police said he took two Raising Cane’s takeout orders from the restaurant on Southwest Archer Road despite having previously received a trespass warning.

According to a Gainesville Police Department report, Futch entered the Raising Cane’s at 3343 SW Archer Road around 11:20 a.m. on September 14 and removed the orders before leaving.

The restaurant manager told officers that Futch is frequently seen near the business and has repeatedly taken customers’ to-go meals. The manager said the thefts had become so common that employees were warned to keep an eye out for him.

The manager reportedly said he had ordered Futch to leave the property several times, but Futch ignored those instructions and continued returning. On September 14, the manager said he again told Futch to leave after he entered the restaurant. Futch allegedly grabbed two takeout orders and left before police arrived.

Officers located Futch several blocks away, wearing clothing that matched the manager’s description. The food was found nearby and appeared to have been “eaten and rummaged through,” according to the report.

After being read his Miranda rights, Futch allegedly acknowledged taking the food and told officers he had not eaten in a week.

Police also reported that surveillance footage captured the manager directing Futch to leave before showing him taking the two to-go orders.

Court records identify Futch as homeless. He faces charges of petit theft and trespassing after warning. Records show two prior misdemeanor convictions, including one involving violence. Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered Futch released on his own recognizance.

New York Liberty Pull Starters in Third Quarter of Rout Over Tempo Led by Breanna Stewart

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TORONTO — Breanna Stewart’s standout performance in Berlin helped Team USA secure its fifth straight World Cup medal.

Since then, she has continued to look nearly impossible to stop.

Stewart was at her best Sunday, scoring a game-high 27 points in the New York Liberty’s 106-69 rout of the Toronto Tempo before sitting out the entire fourth quarter.

New York held an eight-point advantage at halftime, but Stewart turned the game into a runaway with a dominant third period.

She sank five straight shots while scoring 14 points in the quarter. Her only miss came on a desperation attempt from nearly half court as the shot clock expired.

Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu went to the bench with 2:46 remaining in the third quarter, and Jonquel Jones followed soon afterward.

After the trio helped the Liberty build a 21-point lead entering the fourth, New York’s front-line stars were rewarded for their early work. The rest of the roster finished the game, including recently signed developmental player Madison Scott, who made her season debut.

Stewart played just 22 minutes, two days after spending 38 minutes on the floor in a statement victory over the Minnesota Lynx.

Coach Chris DeMarco said the team would continue monitoring workloads. Sunday marked the opening game of a back-to-back and the second of four contests in six days, with the playoffs approaching.

Stewart led Team USA in minutes during the Berlin tournament. Leonie Fiebich also carried a heavy workload for Germany, which finished fourth.

“We understand it’s playoff time, and these games matter,” DeMarco said before the game. “Some players will play a little bit more, but we have to monitor Stew coming out of Team USA and the World Cup and how she’s feeling, and everyone else … Teamwide we’re looking at it.”

The Liberty established control from the opening tip, moving the ball effectively in the first quarter and recording eight assists on 10 made baskets.

Their offense lost its rhythm during a second-quarter stretch, however. New York missed six consecutive shots as an 8-1 Toronto run trimmed the lead to four.

The Liberty regained their momentum late in the quarter and carried an eight-point advantage into halftime.

Ionescu, who has struggled to find consistency this season while dealing with a nagging back injury, was unable to get her shot going in Toronto.

She missed all seven of her attempts in the first half.

Even without her scoring touch, Ionescu contributed in other ways, finishing with nine assists.

The Liberty remain in the fight for playoff position and now return home for two games against the Atlanta Dream. A pair of victories could lift New York as high as fourth place and secure home-court advantage in the opening round.

Trump, Iran’s President Face Dramatic UN Showdown in NYC

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President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are expected to arrive in New York this week for the U.N. General Assembly, creating what former White House officials say could be a tense and highly theatrical diplomatic encounter. The moment comes as U.S. restrictions leave Iran’s delegation with sharply limited freedom of movement amid escalating tensions across the Middle East.

Pezeshkian is scheduled to speak before the assembly on Wednesday, according to Reuters and Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency. Trump is due to address the gathering from the podium on Tuesday.

“The choreography here is going to make for a fairly dramatic moment,” Theo Wold, a former acting assistant attorney general and White House domestic policy adviser, told News Media.

Donald Trump United Nations General Assembly Speech

President Donald Trump addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, Sept. 23, 2025. (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)

Wold said the restrictions would reduce the Iranian delegation’s access to international media and limit its ability to publicly challenge the Trump administration. At the same time, he argued that allowing Iranian officials to attend the global forum was a reasonable step: They could present the issues important to Tehran before returning home.

The United Nations gathering takes place as Trump considers whether to launch additional strikes against Iran during a conflict that has continued for nearly seven months. Tehran, for its part, has outlined seven conditions for negotiations with Washington, according to Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei.

Iran also issued a warning Sunday about any major new assault by the United States or its allies, saying it had received information that preparations for such an operation were underway, Reuters reported.

The State Department approved visas earlier this week for members of Iran’s delegation, including Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. However, once in Manhattan, the officials will face strict limits on where they can travel and what activities they can undertake.

Under a 1947 agreement governing the United Nations, the United States, as host country, is generally required to facilitate the arrival and movement of foreign representatives traveling to U.N. headquarters—even when those officials come from nations viewed as adversaries.

“While ordinary Iranians endure brutal repression, water and electricity shortages, and soaring inflation, the regime’s officials want to go on shopping sprees in New York. Not on our watch,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott wrote on X.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 24, 2025.

Pezeshkian accused the U.S. of a “grave betrayal” at the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 24, 2025, in New York City. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

Wold said Washington’s obligations extend to facilitating the delegation’s diplomatic work, not providing unrestricted access to the city.

“Here, the delegation will be restricted to their accommodation in New York City and the U.N. headquarters there in Manhattan,” Wold said.

He described the policy as a message that Iranian officials could take part in formal U.N. business but would not be free to shop for items such as appliances or vehicles across the New York region.

Wold said the restrictions reflect Washington’s view that some Iranian officials use visits to the U.N. as opportunities to purchase household goods and luxury products, including Rolex watches. This time, he said, they will not be allowed to embark on shopping trips or dine freely at high-end Manhattan restaurants.

He added that the limits also apply to major retailers such as Sam’s Club, Walmart and Costco. According to Wold, the State Department specifically instructed those membership-based chains not to conduct business with Iranian visitors and to notify officials if such transactions are attempted.

President of Iran at UN

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian walks to meet with France’s President Emmanuel Macron during the General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City on Sept. 24, 2025. (Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images)

Even with those constraints, Wold said the General Assembly provides the Trump administration with a long-sought platform: a large international audience and an Iranian delegation that will be present and unable to easily leave the U.S. message unanswered. He said Washington can use the setting to explain why it took action against Iran’s government.

Iranian state media reported on Sept. 19 that Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said New York offered the delegation “absolutely no charm.”

As reported by Mehr News Agency, Baghaei accused the United States of using every available measure to obstruct Iran’s participation. He maintained that attending the U.N. General Assembly is a legal entitlement for Iran—not a privilege granted by Washington.

Wold went on to criticize the U.N. for hosting state representatives hostile to American interests while raising security concerns.

“It’s going to be one of those things that’s fairly perplexing to most Americans,” Wold said. “How is it that the representatives of what we have long identified as a hostile regime, but now one that we’re actually engaged in combat operations against, one that has killed American service members, why is it that their diplomats get to come to the United Nations and exchange niceties with other kleptocrats or some of their other allies on the international scene?”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (L) shakes hands with the United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, left, shakes hands with the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the General Assembly on Sept. 25, 2025, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Wold also added that the United Nations wants to “lecture us about international climate change or the need to trans children, but the other is happy to sort of serve as a forum for obvious violators of human rights and obvious regimes that are contrary to any number of internationally agreed-upon protocols.”

Amid the hostility between Washington and Tehran, Wold said the gathering could also provide an opening for diplomacy. Trump is also slated to hold bilateral and sideline meetings with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to discuss regional security and the Strait of Hormuz.

“There’s the hope that there’ll be an opportunity for real discussion,” Wold said of UNGA. “Everyone’s hope, especially from State Department leadership, is that there’ll be an opportunity to have a fulsome, sort of meaningful discussion with the Iranians, freed from some of the theatrics the Iranians have engaged in.

“There’s a hope that there’ll be an opportunity for closed-door private discussions between the United States and Iranians and really try to hammer out some kind of agreement about what a cessation of hostilities will look like.”

Wold expressed confidence in Washington’s posture heading into the summit.

“The president is best equipped for these moments. This is really where he sort of shines as a natural leader,” he said. “He’s not one to bend or to break. It’s a precarious time for President Trump, but I have no doubt at all that he’ll rise to the moment.”

Sisters Drown Together at Sea as Police Find No Evidence of Crime

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A police investigation into the deaths of three sisters who drowned in the sea off Brighton has found no evidence of criminal involvement.

Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, died in what Sussex Police described as a tragic incident on May 13. Their father remembered the three women as “beautiful lights”.

Sussex Police said the sisters entered the water together and confirmed investigators had found no indication that another person was involved in their deaths.

The women were born in Luton and had been sharing a home in Greenford, north-west London. They were found fully clothed in the English Channel at about 5.45am.

At the time of their deaths, Jane worked as a senior accountant, Christina was employed as a junior accountant and Rebecca was an HR administrator.

Rebecca was swept onto the beach near Brighton’s Black Rock car park on May 13. A paramedic pronounced her dead at the scene.

Sisters Jane, Christina and Rebecca died after entering the water together in Brighton (pictured in a digitally enhanced image provided by their family)

Sisters Jane, Christina and Rebecca died after entering the water together in Brighton (pictured in a digitally enhanced image provided by their family)

Father Joseph Jacobson (second from left) with his daughters (left to right) Jane Adetoro, Christina Walters, and Rebecca Walters. A police investigation concluded today there was no evidence of criminality in their deaths

Father Joseph Jacobson (second from left) with his daughters (left to right) Jane Adetoro, Christina Walters, and Rebecca Walters. Police have concluded there was no evidence of criminality in their deaths

The bodies of Jane and Christina were later located at sea and recovered by an RNLI crew.

An inquest was opened on May 29, while post-mortem examinations carried out that month confirmed that all three sisters died from drowning.

As part of the investigation, officers established that the sisters had travelled by taxi to Madeira Drive, arriving at about 10.20pm on Tuesday, May 12.

When they were found roughly seven hours later, all three were wearing ordinary day-to-day clothing. Investigators found no evidence that they had visited nightclubs or businesses in the area before their deaths.

In a statement issued on Sunday evening, Sussex Police said the evidence indicated that the sisters entered the sea close to the location where their bodies were subsequently discovered and drowned.

The force said the inquest by HM Coroner would examine where the women had been before their deaths and what may have prompted them to enter the water. Police said they would not comment further at this stage.

Rebecca was washed onto the shore but declared dead by a paramedic, while Jane and Christina's bodies were then found at sea by the RNLI and brought to shore

Rebecca was carried onto the shore and pronounced dead by a paramedic, while Jane and Christina were found at sea by the RNLI and brought back to land

Chief Superintendent Adam Hays said officers had been aware from the beginning of the complex investigation that the deaths had prompted widespread speculation and left the public seeking answers.

He said the central focus had been establishing the truth for Jane, Rebecca and Christina’s family, who were facing an “unthinkable tragedy and loss”.

Chief Supt Hays said the inquiry had been extensive and had taken into account concerns raised by Black communities about the deaths of Black people in or near bodies of water. Investigators also sought to understand the sisters’ lives and the circumstances that may have led to them being found on the beach.

He confirmed that the investigation had now concluded, unless new information emerges.

Chief Supt Hays added that the sisters’ deaths had prompted a national wave of grief and thanked everyone who came forward to assist the police inquiry.

‘We will now support the coronial process and ask that the sisters’ family continue to be given privacy to come to terms with their loss.’ 

Jane, Christina and Rebecca left behind a surviving sister, Lillian, who made a poignant tribute at her siblings’ joint funeral in June by writing: ‘We were four, and now I am one.’ 

At a sombre service in north-west London, their father, Joseph Jacobson, said: ‘You were more than my daughters: you were my joy, my strength and the beautiful light that filled my life with love. 

‘No words can truly describe the pain of losing three daughters in the prime of their lives. 

‘There are moments when it feels unbearable, but I hold tightly to the memories we shared, the love we knew and the bond that nothing can ever take away.’ 

Recalling each of their most treasured traits, he continued:  ‘Jane, I will never forget your strength. Tina, your kindness touched so many lives. Becky, your warmth and joyful spirit brought happiness wherever you went. 

‘Though I can no longer see you, I carry you in my heart every day.’

Relatives previously revealed the sisters’ mother, Janice, had died by drowning in Birmingham 16 years ago. 

Speaking at the funeral on behalf of the family, their cousin, Natalie Walters-Daniel, said: ‘Your lives will never be forgotten, and your memory will live on forever.

‘Together they accomplished so much.

‘They pursued their education, they built careers, they created lives that reflected the values their parents instilled in them,’ the BBC reported.

I Blocked My Friend After Her Repeated Texts Asking for a Favor

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A grieving 23-year-old woman has described her friend as “tone deaf” after receiving a series of texts asking her to do a “quick” favour, even though she had just revealed that her cousin had died.

The messages came from a friend who suspected her boyfriend might be cheating after noticing an unfamiliar number repeatedly appearing on his smartwatch.

“Girl, do you think you can call this number for me? I’m wearing my boyfriend’s watch and this number keeps popping up on WhatsApp,” the friend wrote.

“It has a contact name, but it says a man’s name and the way they’re talking sounds like it’s a girl, so I just wanna see who it is.

“You think you can do it and find out who it is?”

The request caught the woman off guard. She had just lost a family member and was with relatives awaiting the collection of her cousin’s body.

“Hi girl… Uhh yikes, I would, but my cousin just died and my family and I are all here waiting for her body to be picked up. Sorry,” she replied.

Her friend expressed shock and responded: “OMG, I’m so sorry for your loss.”

A grieving woman has told of how her 'tone deaf' friend sent her texts demanding she do her a 'quick' favour - despite being told that her cousin had just died

A grieving woman described her friend as “tone deaf” after being asked to do a “quick” favour despite revealing that her cousin had just died

The woman thanked her friend for the condolences before politely asking how she was doing.

Rather than offering further sympathy, however, her friend immediately returned to the issue and asked: “But can you call just for like 10 seconds and tell me who it sounds like? Please, it’ll be quick.”

Reluctantly, the woman agreed: “OK, I guess.”

A short time later, she confirmed: “The person who answered was a female.”

Her friend appeared to become increasingly anxious, asking: “Ughh bro, do you know who it was or who it sounded like?”

The woman replied: “Girl, IDK (I don’t know). I hung up right away, plus your man and I don’t have any mutuals, so I wouldn’t know. Sorry, but I’ll talk to you later.”

Her friend then asked another favour: “Can you check if they have a pic on WhatsApp?”

The grieving woman answered: “I can’t, sorry.”

Still, her friend continued to press her, writing: “Please, real quick, or LMK (let me know) when you can.”

The messages did not stop there.

“I just called, but they didn’t pick up,” her friend continued.

‘What did she say when she picked up??’

The text caught the woman off guard as she had just lost a family member. She ended up blocking her friend after these final text messages

The text caught the woman off guard as she had just lost a family member. She ended up blocking her friend after these final text messages

The woman shared the awkward text exchange, explaining that she ended up blocking her friend after these final text messages.

‘Texts speak for themselves,’ she said.

‘This happened a while ago when we were 23, but I randomly remembered it and wanted to share because I’m pretty sure this is a unique experience.

‘I know I shouldn’t have called. If it was today I would’ve blocked automatically after the fourth text she sent.’

As she was grieving the loss of her cousin, she ended up blocking her friend on everything, including her email address, work number and even her mum.

Sharing more context about her cousin’s condition, she explained: ‘My cousin was on hospice. She had an energy surge the day prior so we should’ve known, but we thought it was a good sign.’

Join the discussion

How should you handle friends who ignore your grief for their own drama?

Speaking about her now-former friend, she said they shared a mutual friend who eventually had to cut her off because she only ever contacted her when she needed a favour.

‘She basically would do the same to me,’ she said.

‘When we first started getting close, she wanted me to cyber stalk her ex to the point where I had to give her the passwords to my social media so she could leave me alone. Mind you we are all adults.

‘Needless to say the friendship was very short lived. I gave her three chances. I let her step all over me – that’s on me. But she is a little bonkers. I’ve never met anyone like her in my life.’

She asked the internet whether she was ‘overreacting’ after blocking her friend.

Her post was met with more than 150 comments, with one suggesting: ‘She really pulled out a “damn that’s crazy… Anyways” on you. Ditch her ASAP.’

‘The “damn that’s crazy… anyway” energy would’ve been bad enough on its own, but immediately pivoting back to trying to identify a random woman’s voice while you were dealing with a family emergency is another level of tone-deaf. Blocking her was the right call,’ another shared.

‘”Sorry for your loss BUT” means your feelings and emotions are being shoved aside for theirs. She needs to keep her toxic relationship to themselves,’ one revealed.

‘Exactly, that “sorry for your loss, BUT” came with a bulldozer attached. Grief is not the time to demand customer support from the person grieving,’ another added.