Girl born without a face finds 'sister' across the world

A Texas family that has a daughter with Treacher-Collins syndrome was inspired to adopt a Ukrainian orphan with the same condition, along with three of her siblings. VPC

TYLER, Texas – By the age of six, Danica Wetmore had only ever lived inside a Ukrainian orphanage.

In all that time, Thom and Tami Wetmore were the only ones who ever visited her.

"It's just, you felt it in your heart. We knew, as soon as I saw her. I knew, in my spirit, 'Go get your daughter,'" Tami Wetmore said. "That's exactly what I felt is, 'Go get your daughter.'"

Danica was born with Treacher-Collins syndrome, resulting in deafness and bones missing from her face. Because of her challenges, the Wetmores were told, the chances were, she'd be turned out of the orphanage when she got older to live on the streets.

Six years later, she's happy, loved, and safe with her family.

"She's quirky. Extremely inquisitive. Very artistic," Thom Wetmore said. "[She] Loves drawing, painting, expressing herself."

At this point, perhaps you're wondering what would inspired a family to open their hearts to a girl with serious medical concerns from the other side of the world.

The answer is their daughter, Juliana. She was born into the family six years before Danica showed up.

She, too, has Treacher-Collins syndrome, but a much more severe case. Along with deafness, she was born without 40 percent of the bones in her face.

"You forget that there's anything different about her after she's sitting there for five minutes," Thom said.

Juliana has endured 45 surgeries for her face, but her body and her brain have always been perfectly healthy.

Her spirit is always bright.

"Pure love. She loves everybody. She doesn't judge anybody. She doesn't see anybody as different," Thom said. "She just takes everybody as the same."

"My favorite thing to do is watch movies. Watch TV. Play on the computer. Play with my sisters," Juliana said, talking like a typical 12-year-old.

"Whatever you first think of somebody when you see them on the outside, that's not what they are on the inside," Thom said.

What is Juliana on the inside?

She's the girl whose strength inspired her parents to find room in their hearts for Danica -— to understand the challenges ahead better than most.

"She had been in an orphanage for six-and-a-half years and no one had visited her," Tami said. "Nobody had ever inquired about her."

"We were the first and only ones," Thom added.

And the Wetmores' love didn't stop with Danica. After her, they still had more room in their hearts to adopt three siblings who desperately needed a home.

See Marine's reaction when he meets puppy named after him

WASHINGTON -- Meet Bunce. He's a puppy training for big things. Some day he will be a military service dog and assist a wounded warrior. WUSA reporterAndrea McCarren will raise and train him for the next two years, before he's teamed with a veteran.

One month ago, the puppy was known as Mr. Light Blue, one of seven in Warrior Canine Connection's Semper Fi litter. Then, he became Bunce and it's quite a name to live up to.

Marine Corporal Justin Bunce and the puppy named in his honor had an immediate connection. Justin will now help train Bunce for another wounded warrior. So both Bunces have an important mission ahead.

"Just being around little angels like this guy, I am so honored to have him named after me," said Justin Bunce.

Bunce, the puppy, was born at Warrior Canine Connection in Brookville, Maryland. Not only will he help with physical tasks, he'll make an impact in ways that medicine, surgery, and traditional therapy cannot.

Added Justin, "Especially a puppy, it's just unconditional love, unconditional trust."

Justin was severely wounded in Iraq in 2004 and is now fighting to recover what he lost, battling to become the best he can be.

"You're not fighting for a cause, for your country, for your family. You're not even fighting for yourself. You're fighting for your brothers beside you. It's a bond thicker than blood," said Justin.

After Iraq, Justin was further injured in a car accident. He suffered a seizure while driving to meet fellow Marines coming home from their deployment.

"We would all die for our country. Most of all, die for each other," he said.

Justin's body may be slightly broken. His intellect, sense of humor and compassion are all intact. Life skills trainer Katie Gorman nominated Justin to have a puppy named after him.

"Justin is such a fascinating person and the qualities he has—the compassion, the strength, the bravery, I could go on. I thought if those traits could carry on to a dog, it would turn into one heck of a service dog for somebody," said Katie Gorman, Justin's Life Skills Trainer.

4-year-old on a bike ride saves family from house fire

BOISE, Idaho - Rosie Moran is an honorary firefighter, thanks to her quick-thinking heroics. She recently spotted a home in her neighborhood on fire and got help, possibly saving the lives of those inside.

Did we mention Rosie just turned four years old in May?

"We were just doing our usual stroll around the block and I was with both girls," said Rosie's dad, Sean. "She was cruising along a little bit further ahead and she came speeding back to me."

Rosie told her dad that a neighbor's home was on fire.

"I noticed there was black smoke," Sean said. "I jogged up and followed Rosie and she took me to this house, and sure enough I looked around the corner and the side of the house was all on fire.

"I was able to yell in, 'Hey, your house is on fire!'"

Ernie Ortiz, his wife and daughters were inside. They had no idea their home was burning.

Both dads jumped into action. Sean grabbed a garden hose and started spraying down the flames, while Ernie went to get his wife and daughter out of the home.

"[Ernie] ran to get his wife and his daughter who were taking a bath in the bathroom right next to where that fire was, it was sharing the same wall," Sean said.

Firefighters arrived on scene, and after extinguishing the flames, were surprised to find out it was a 4-year-old who first noticed the fire.

"They were super proud of her," Sean said. "In fact, one of the ladies handed her a little badge, a junior firefighter badge, honorary member. That made her day."

Ernie said he thinks the fire started when oily rags from staining a deck had spontaneously combusted in a garbage can on the side of the house.

Sean says Rosie was in the right place at the right time.

"Five minutes earlier or five minutes later it would have been a totally different story," he said. "It could have easily gotten pretty big."

Pointing to his own daughter, Ernie thanked Rosie for being so alert. "You see this little girl right here, you saved her! I want to thank you very much."

It was a special moment for both families.

"She is a real hero," Ernie said.

He's madly in love with the woman who can't remember him

OLD BRIDGE, N.J. -- Pat Testa sleeps on a twin bed, surrounded by photographs of smiling relatives. His wife watches over him from their wedding portrait. Every day, his first thought is of her. His space in his assisted-living home was nearly silent, except for the occasional shuffle of another aged resident passing in the hall. Pat, 95, wears a hearing aid and bifocals. His voice is brittle, and he needs help getting dressed. But while his body is fading, his mind is still bright. Seated in his red power chair at a table in a common area, he recalled his life with his wife precisely.

He was 16, an usher at the Embassy movie theater in Newark in 1937. She was 17, and a regular customer. He helped his future wife find her seat. She asked him out on a date.

Pat married Carmela — Millie to him — at 2 p.m. on April 16, 1939. Seventy-six years ago.

They rented a Cadillac from an undertaker. They were married at St. Lucy's Church. They took a wedding photograph looking like movie stars: Millie in her white dress, holding calla lilies. Pat in a black tuxedo, a white bow tie, hair slicked back.

Pat and Millie's life together began in an apartment in Newark for $15 a month, steps from where they worked. Their family grew with two daughters, born on March 26, 1940 and Feb. 18, 1941.

Pat said there were fights and times Millie asked for a divorce, but they stayed together.

Suddenly, Pat looked up and grinned with 95-year-old teeth.

"Ohhhh," he beamed. "This is my pretty wife. You see that? She's still a beautiful woman."

Taking small steps, Millie slowly moved to a seat next to him. They kissed.

On their 76th wedding anniversary, Millie knew Pat was her husband.

Many times she doesn't.

To watch Millie and Pat's heartwarming connection, watch the video above.

To read more about their life together and their love that has remained solid despite Millie's Alzheimer's, click below.