Comedian and actor Patton Oswalt has had quite the influence on social media over the years, but that was all about to change when he received a message from a troll.

Opening Up

Although many of us have seen Patton’s blunt side over the years, this comedian has opened up in the last few months after his wife’s sudden passing. Now, Patton has taken to social media where he often talks about dealing with depression as well as becoming a single dad in the spotlight.

Receiving A Message

It turns out that Patton might not have fans all across the internet. In fact, he was about to receive a reply to a response he had left to the President of the United States. It turned out the Twitter user was happy to have seen Patton pass away in Blade Trinity, and even started taking shots at his basketball skills.

Doing His Research

That was it. Patton soon fell down a Twitter hole as he wanted to learn everything about the person who had been so harsh. It turned out the post was from a man named Michael Beatty, but he was in a battle of his own. The Vietnam veteran was currently fighting sepsis while trying to cope with his diabetes.

Helping Him Out

Patton didn’t want the tweet to turn into a nasty fight, and instead posted something that brought many to tears. The comedian spoke how he would also be pretty annoyed if he were dealing with everything that Michael has been dealt. Instead, Patton donated $2,000 to Michael’s GoFundMe page and wanted his followers to show their appreciation, too.

Changing His Views

Thankfully, Patton’s act of kindness soon changed Michael’s life. As well as going $42,000 (and counting) over his $5,000 goal, Michael also realized how hurtful his words could have been. It seems as though the veteran was brought to tears after he received such kindness from so many people all around the world.

It seems as though sometimes kindness really can shine through, especially when Patton showed that social media is no place for conflict. Perhaps we need to start showing a little compassion for those that could be living with a host of hidden secrets?

Christie Brinkley took the modeling world by storm with her striking looks and bubbly personality. From a young age she was courted by numerous men, but many of them failed in giving Christie the fairytale ending she hoped for.

Being the adopted daughter of TV producer and writer Don Brinkley, Christie was destined for stardom from a young age. Not only was she already involved in the glamour of the media industry, but Christie also had her own ambitions to work for a career in the arts.

After Christie graduated high school, she decided to pick up and move from her home in California to go down a new path. At 18, she moved to Paris, France in order to enroll in art school and pursue her dreams of becoming an artist. Christie worked as an apprentice illustrator for the next three years in Paris, admiring and studying under some notable names and creating stunning pieces. However, her career in artistry was cut short.

In 1973, in Paris, Christie was out in a post office when American photographer Errol Sawyer randomly spotted her and scouted her for modeling. He took her test shoot pictures and and introduced her to John Casablancas of the Elite Model Managment agency in Paris. Despite high-profile model agents being mesmerized by Brinkley’s looks, she wasn’t convinced that she had that model look. She said “I was basically a surfer girl from California. I never looked like a model.”

Christie’s meeting with Elite Model Management quickly thrust her into a new world. The aspiring artist then met with top fashion photographers including Patrick Demarchelier and Mike Reinhardt who were stunned by her striking looks and immediately called Eileen Ford of Ford Models and told her of their discovery. At the prospect of a new career path, Christie returned to California and had a meeting with Eileen Ford’s affiliate Nina Blanchard, who then booked the young woman for three national ad campaigns.

1973 was quite the eventful year for Christie, as not only was she scouted by top model agents, but she also fell madly in love. While in Paris, Christie met Jean-Francois Allaux, a French artist, and the two began dating. After just a few months, the two decided to tie the knot. Brinkley was just 19-years-old at the time of her wedding and her husband stayed by her side through her rise to fame in modeling. Despite their long marriage, there were very few photos of them together.

Christie’s big break came in 1979 when she appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in the Swimsuit Issue. Not only would this job propel the budding model to new heights, but it also made wavelengths within the Sports Illustrated company. Christie’s first cover was so successful that she was asked to be the cover star for the next consecutive two years. From this, she became the first model who had landed the cover three years in a row.

Christie’s career was booming but unfortunately, the same could not be said for her marriage. Being married to Jean-Francois Allaux from such a young age was taking its toll on Brinkley and the two divorced in 1981. The young couple’s marriage was kept quiet and there was not much information about it. The only thing that people did know was that it did not produce any children.

Soon after her separation, Christie began a relationship with Olivier Chandon de Brailles, the air to the Moët-Chandon Champagne fortune. The two met in New York City at a Studio 54 party, promoting Christie’s new calendar. Olivier told the press that he loved his girlfriend’s beauty but “her simplicity is very important to me,” to which Brinkley interjected “He doesn’t mean simpleminded!”

By 1982, Christie had established herself as one of the best models in the business. After just seven years in the modeling industry, she already had 150 magazine covers under her belt. It was said that the models’ annual income had leaped to around $350,000 a year and having worked for fashion powerhouses including Chanel, she was showing no signs of slowing down. Moreover, Brinkley signed a contract with cosmetics brand Covergirl for a whopping 25-years, something that was unheard of at the time.

In 1983, Brinkley was given an opportunity which temporarily saw her switch from modeling to acting. Her first role was in National Lampoon’s Vacation where she played a beautiful woman who was driving around in a red Ferrari. Despite the role being far from demanding, it became a famous scene within the movie and Brinkley reprised it in the 1997 sequel Vegas Vacation. Instead of sticking with acting, Christie went back to modeling where she was most comfortable.

In 1982, Brinkley was on vacation in the Caribbean with fellow supermodel Elle Macpherson and an unknown Whitney Houston when they watched Billy Joel playing the piano. Brinkley may have only had eyes for the legendary singer but the direct eye contact was not reciprocated. Joel was interested in both Brinkley and Macpherson and said “I kind of felt like a teenager all over again”, he said regarding the models. It wasn’t until they returned home that their relationship grew.

In the same year that they met, Christie was asked to star in Billy Joel’s music video for “Uptown Girl.” The two grew increasingly close on the set and began dating. Despite Christie starring in the music video, there were rumors flying around that the song was actually penned for Elle Macpherson. Christie shut down the gossip by stating that if it was written about the supermodel, then wouldn’t she have been the one in the video?

Christie and Billy’s relationship blossomed and the two decided to take the plunge and get married. The rock star marrying the supermodel appeared to be the perfect match and the two were married in 1985 on a yacht in the Hudson River. The beautiful, intimate ceremony was attended by 175 of their family and friends. On the back of their marriage, Billy dedicated the album “An Innocent Man” to his new bride, but the title of the album would be somewhat of an insight into their future.

The same year of their wedding, Billy and Christie welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Alexa Ray Joel. Alexa was the apple of her father’s eye and he wrote the song “Goodnight, My Angel” for her. Alexa admitted that this special song is her favorite of her famous fathers. Alexa was Billy and Christie’s only child and she seemed to inherit the best qualities of both of her parents. Her striking looks and exceptional musical abilities made her destined for stardom.

Billy Joel’s battle with alcoholism and depression was underway when he married Christie in 1985, but the model had turned a blind eye to it in the hope that he would change his ways now that he had a family. Joel’s issues had begun when his first marriage to Elizabeth Weber had broken down. However, the rock star and Brinkley eventually separated.

Being married to Billy Joel seemed to boost Christie’s career, making her one of the most sought after faces in entertainment. The extensive coverage of the model resulted in her being one of three chosen models to have their own doll produced. Matchbox Toys released ‘The Real Model Collection’ in 1989, which comprised plastic doll replicas of Christie, Cheryl Tiegs and Beverly Johnson. The dolls were sold in stores around the country and led many young girls to look up to the models.

Christie’s numerous TV appearances on daytime shows in the late 80’s led producers desperate for the in demand model to sign a binding contract for a show. Finally, in 1992, Christie began her own TV series titled Living in the 90’s- With Christie Brinkley. The show was broadcast on CNN as a daily 30-minute show, using the model as a host between segments of various filmed pieces. Christie was dissatisfied with the lack of substance in the show and bailed after a short time.

In the 90’s, the majority of Christie’s roles came in the form of short appearances on TV as she was not getting enough coverage in the modeling world. Around this time, there was a shift in the industry of what was in demand and seen as the most beautiful. Ethnic diversity was in and the leading fashion houses wanted to cast models of different races in their magazines. The demand of Christie’s all-American charm was beginning to diminish.

Not only was Christie struggling with the changes within her career, but her home life had taken it’s toll. Billy Joel was trying to make up for his struggles by constantly touring but his absence was causing a rift in his marriage. In 1993, Christie was informed that her husband had booked a hotel after his concert, rather than going home to her. Furthermore, Billy’s band member claimed that the married rock star was unfaithful. Billy denied the accusations.

In 1994, the marriage became too problematic and Christie and Billy announced their divorce. Despite the drama between the the exes, Christie insisted they had taken the high road when it came to divorce proceedings. She said that they “had Alexa together and we knew that was going to bind us together for life so we wanted to make our divorce work.” The two have since remained friends and never said a bad word about one another.

Christie had previously shown she could move on quickly and when her nine-year marriage came to an end, she decided to do just that. Before her divorce had been finalized, Christie began dating real estate developer Richard Taubman after they were introduced by friends. Their whirlwind romance resulted in an engagement just a couple of months later. However, their high was brought down when the two were in a helicopter crash in Colorado but both escaped without major injuries.

The new couple’s near death experience showed them how short life was and allowed them to realize how much they loved each other and decided to get married right away. In December 1994, Brinkley and Taubman were married in Telluride, Colorado, just a stone’s throw away from the location of the helicopter crash. At their wedding, attended by close friends and family, the newlyweds shocked guests by announcing that they were expecting their first child together. This would be Christie’s second child.

In 1995, Christie and Richard welcomed their son Jack Paris Taubman but unfortunately, a baby wasn’t enough to save their marriage as it completely broke down. When their son was two months old, Brinkley and Taubman called it quits after seven months of marriage. Apparently, their marriage had soured long before they split but attempted to give it another shot for the sake of their baby. In their divorce settlement, Taubman reportedly forfeited his visitation rights with Jack.

Soon after Brinkley’s divorce from her third husband, she crossed paths again with Peter Cook. Brinkley first met Cook in 1979 when they were both in the modeling industry but they were both in other relationships. Christie and now-architect Cook were reintroduced by NBC personality Jill Rappaport. The duo seemed to pick up where they left off and fell madly in love with each other. They embarked on a relationship together and became engaged in August 1996.

Cook and Brinkley’s engagement went by in a flash and they decided to marry a month later. In September, 1996 the couple were married at a ranch in Bridgehampton, New York. Brinkley was five years older than Cook and their wedding was attended by 120 guests, including ex-husband Billy Joel. She said of marrying Cook, “I finally have what I always wanted  –  a husband who is so involved in the family, who cares about it with every ounce of his being, who is there for us.”

Although Christie wasn’t booking nearly as many modeling jobs as she used to, her status in the industry had not been forgotten. In 1998, Christie landed a sought after place on a number of lists including “Top 10 Supermodels Of All Time”, as well as being noted by Playboy as an icon in her day. Christie’s career had not dried up, she had just shifted her priorities, looking after her children and being a wife to her fourth husband.

Christie became pregnant with her third child and gave birth in 1998 to a girl named Sailor Lee Brinkley Cook. Their family unit appeared so strong that Cook decided to adopted Brinkley’s son, Jack, who she had with former husband Richard Taubman. The adoption took place when Jack was four years old and Christie was finally feeling like everything was in place and she had found her happiness. Christie never expected to have her family broken up by Cook and his actions left her blindsided.

In June, 2006, Christie was giving a speech on global warming at the local high school and upon finishing, a policeman approached her. He said “That husband of yours won’t knock it off,” Christie didn’t understand at first and then the policeman bluntly stated, “He’s having an affair with my teenage daughter.” Christie said about hearing the news that she looked over at her husband who was shaking his head in denial and at that moment, she knew it was all true.

Christie filed for divorce and the bitter battle in court saw all the sordid details of the affair come out. Cook’s affair with teenager Diana Bianchi lasted over a year and throughout this time, he paid her $300,000 to keep quiet as well as showering her with numerous expensive gifts. The affair started after Peter hired Bianchi for his Hamptons architectural firm. Despite Cook being in the wrong, lawyers tried to claim the four-time married model was to blame for forcing him to stray.

Christie’s eldest daughter Alexa testified in the case and told the jury how her step father would constantly criticize both her and mother, using physical force. The couple had an iron clad prenup put in place but they settled with Christie giving Cook $2.1 million in exchange for sole custody of their children and the retention of 18 disputed properties in the Hamptons. The rest of the details of the divorce were kept private but it was finalized after a long battle in October, 2008.

On the back of her mother going through a bitter divorce battle, Alexa Ray Joel stepped out into the limelight to launch her own career. She released her EP in 2006 followed by a number of singles on independent record labels. Alexa also teamed up with father Billy to perform at numerous benefits in 2008 and also at a Barack Obama fundraiser. Critics were impressed with Alexa’s musical genre and the depth in her music which they thought was about a “bad breakup.”

December, 2009 saw Alexa’s life go down a path that was reminiscent of her father’s. Alexa was taken to hospital after taking “several pills” but after assessment, a toxicologist confirmed that the drug had “no active ingredient.” The young singer later admitted “I wasn’t trying to kill myself. I was panicked. I was not thinking clearly at all. I was in so much pain and I just wanted to numb it. The intent was to calm me down because I was having a panic attack.”

In 2012, Christie finally made a comeback that revived her career of which she had taken a hiatus from due to personal issues. Christie had finally put her bad relationships behind her and focused on her career. Brinkley was offered a guest role on sitcom Parks and Recreation, playing the wife of Jerry Gergich, played by Jim O’Heir. Christie’s performance on the show was a hit and she was invited back to star in a couple more episodes of the popular sitcom.

Following her role on Parks and Recreation, Christie went back onto Broadway, reprising her role of Roxie Hart in the hit musical Chicago. Brinkley performed in the show for several weeks in April 2012. Christie recalled that the show gave her opportunities she never dreamed of having. She said  “One of the highlights of my life was looking out there, taking a bow, and seeing my parents looking up with their eyes glistening and being so proud of me.”

After a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, Don Brinkley passed away in July 2012. Christie was devastated at the passing of her father, they were incredibly close and he supported her the whole way through her career. Christie said that her father was the one who encouraged her to venture out of modeling and show off her singing and dancing skills on Broadway. Don was able to hang on long enough to see his daughter perform before his illness got the better of him.

Being in the public eye, Christie’s bitter divorce to Peter Cook was highly publicized. Christie admitted that other women had reached out to her going through similar situations. She gave links to support websites where women could share their experiences and said “My inbox is full of letters from women like me who were married to a narcissist.” She continued, “You are not alone, you are not crazy, and someday you will start to whisper thank you to the darkness.”

Christie has been a vegetarian since she was 13-years-old and has often spoken out about the unethical treatment of animals, specifically against imprisoned animals in circuses which are captured and beaten. She has worked with animal rights organisation PETA and her passion led her to convince her whole family to go vegetarian too. In 2013, she won the Pet Hero Award-Humanitarian of the Year from the Pet Philanthropy Circle for her advocacy for animals, the environment and wildlife.

Christie took a long time out of the dating scene to focus on herself and her family but in 2015, she found herself falling again. When Brinkley first met singer John Mellencamp, she almost immediately assumed they were total opposites and wouldn’t work. However, after getting to know him, she said “But then we talked and realized that we do have a lot of shared interests.” The two were able to bond over their children, adding that it was nice to date someone her age.

Christie looked to have met her match in John but unfortunately, the couple called it quits after a year of dating. Tabloids began reporting that they split due to Mellencamp’s “redneck ways” but Christie was quick to write a whole post defending her ex and explaining how important it was to stand up for others. The couple remained friends after their split and when asked about a reconciliation, Christie said,”You never know, good friendship is the basis for everything, right?”

In 2017, after a lot of persuasion, Christie agreed to pose alongside her two daughters in a Sports Illustrated swimsuit shoot. Christie proved that she’s still a star and said of her decision to pose at 63, “When I turned 30, I was like, ‘This is the last time I’m posing in a bathing suit!’ When this issue comes out, I’ll be 63. I thought, ‘Those days are over.’ But to get to do it with my girls, I thought, ‘One last go!”