A Husband Left His Pregnant Wife, But Then She Found A Surprise In The Oven

You know what they say about best-laid plans? Well, Amanda's life plan seemed to be going swimmingly back in 2012. At that point, she was living happily with her husband in Sydney, Australia. Excited about their future together, the couple emptied their savings to buy their dream home.

Yes, the couple's plans seemed to go off without a hitch once they bought their new home. But it didn't take long for the couple to realize that what they really wanted more than anything was a baby. So far, Amanda and her husband had overcome every obstacle. Why would trying for a baby be any different?

Unfortunately for the couple, that's when their plan came to a screeching halt. They tried for three years to have a baby but to no avail. It's a heartbreaking struggle for any couple to go through, and Amanda and her husband were no different.

Understandably, the couple's fertility struggles ended up putting a strain on their relationship. Still, they weren't about to deviate from the plan! And thankfully, they were able to focus on a creative outlet while they kept trying for a baby. Their dream home needed a lot of work if they were going to make it their family home, too!

“We’ve been renovating the house for the last two years,” Amanda told Sydney’s KIIS 1065 radio station in 2015. “We put all our money into that, and the idea was that this year would be a good year.” Amanda's hunch that it would be a good year for her was prophetic, even if it didn't seem like it at first.

You see, just when the couple was least expecting it, Amanda learned she was pregnant! Amanda was ecstatic; it seemed like everything was finally coming together for them. Unfortunately, the happy reality they were living in would be short-lived.

Yes, just before they were about to move into their dream home, Amanda's husband suddenly walked out on her. To make matters worse, Amanda's baby was due in just a few months. He left her all alone with a house to pay for and a baby on the way. Amanda was, of course, devastated.

“It’s been probably about five weeks since it all happened,” she revealed on KIIS 1065. “The biggest thing was just the shock, I guess. It wasn’t really what we’d planned or what I planned.” You can say that again! In almost the blink of an eye, Amanda and her baby's future were suddenly hanging in the balance.

Her husband’s shocking departure also left Amanda in a tough position financially. “It’s very difficult,” she said. “The thing is, we’ve been renovating the house for the last two years. We put all our money into that.” Under these trying circumstances, it would have been understandable if Amanda had put the house back on the market.

But despite the emotional turmoil and newfound financial struggles, Amanda was determined to keep her dream family home. “I have to look at other options and what I can do,” she said. “I really want to keep the place and raise my child there.” Of course, doing so is easier said than done.

Amanda had a tough road ahead of her, but thankfully, she didn't have to walk it alone. When Amanda's friend Anna heard what happened, she was heartbroken — and determined to help out however she could. Anna started to form a new life plan for Amanda, one that required an unexpected phone call.

Anna could have called anyone to help Amanda, so imagine people's surprise when she contacted radio station KIIS 1065. As it turns out, there was a good reason behind Anna's seemingly random phone call: The radio station’s breakfast show hosts, Kyle and Jackie O, often feature a “give back” section.

The “give back” segment highlights the stories of people going through tough times. The show also helps spread the word to listeners about local people who may benefit from a helping hand. And to Amanda's surprise, she found herself being interviewed by the radio hosts for this very reason!

“We would love for you to be able to have this baby and not have to worry about the financial side of things,” host Jackie explained to Amanda when she appeared on the show. She then told the mom-to-be to look at a television screen in the studio.

What happened next left Amanda speechless. Suddenly, her home appeared on the screen! The expectant mom couldn’t contain her nervous giggles as the camera proceeded to explore her home. There had to be a reason why a camera crew was strolling through her home, and she just hoped it was a good one.

All Amanda could do now was look on in amazement as the radio show delved into her private space. However, they weren’t merely prying. No, they had actually left her a number of gifts – and many of them were seriously thoughtful choices for the mom-to-be.

One of the presents was a house cleaner for the next six months so that Amanda didn’t have to tidy herself. A company also provided her with healthy ready-made meals for the coming months. And that's not all — local store, Baby Village, also gifted Amanda with an impressive haul of baby gifts.

But the generosity didn’t end there. The radio show had plotted one final surprise for Amanda, and it was hiding in the oven. So when someone opened the oven door, the mom-to-be couldn’t believe her eyes.

There, sitting inside the appliance, was a pile of cash. Jackie revealed that, in total, it amounted to a hefty AUS $10,000 – that’s around USD $7,000. Amanda immediately vowed to use the money to start chipping away at her mortgage. Just looking at the cash made Amanda emotional!

“Oh my gosh. I can’t tell you how much [this means]. It means I don’t have to move right now,” Amanda responded, tears flowing down her face as she did so. “It’s huge. I can’t thank you enough.” And Amanda wasn’t the only one impressed with the generosity of KIIS 1065.

The radio show later posted the clip of the “give back” on YouTube, and more than two million people have since watched Amanda’s surprise. We can't blame them — her reaction to the surprises was well worth the build-up! Other people couldn't help but extend their own kind messages to Amanda.

“Very generous of the sponsors. All the very best Amanda,” one viewer commented on the YouTube video. Another added, “I’m an emotional mess, but in a very good way. Faith in humanity restored and renewed.” Amanda’s situation just goes to show that you never know what’s around the corner — even if you've struggled to survive for years.

Amanda now has the tools she needs to stay afloat in the early days of motherhood, but another mother wasn't so lucky. In fact, this particular woman went from a happy young mom to a woman fighting to save her family from violence. Cheryl Treadway was a 25-year-old mother of three lived with her boyfriend Ethan Nickerson in Florida, where the family enjoyed life under the warm sun nearly all year round. Cheryl loved Ethan, but it was her kids who truly kept her going.

Any parent would be proud to raise three beautiful sons like these. They were well-behaved and absolutely adored Cheryl. While they also loved their father, Ethan sadly struggled with drug addiction, which caused occasional outbursts and dangerously irrational behavior. Cheryl was always fearful that, at some point, the kids would find themselves stuck in the middle of a violent incident — and sure enough, that's what happened.

Cheryl knew Ethan loved his children more than anything. But he was in the throes of a serious drug problem, and the substances completely took his ability to process reality in a calm and rational way. One spring afternoon, Cheryl and Ethan got into a particularly heated argument while he was under the influence.

Thankfully, the heated incident began while the children were at school. As the argument grew more intense, Ethan snatched Cheryl's phone out of her hand. His eyes were filled with inebriated rage, and Cheryl feared for her safety. Then, he grabbed a knife from the kitchen. Cheryl now knew the situation was life-threatening, and she needed to find a way out.

Cheryl felt relief that her children weren't there to see their father brandishing a knife at their mom. But the school day was ending and she was going to have to pick them up soon. Ethan knew full-well that if he let her take the drive alone she might seek help, or run. So he hopped right in the car with her.

What followed was the most uncomfortable trip of Cheryl's life. She stared out at the road in a daze while Ethan sat next to her, glaring violently at her face. She wanted to cry out to passing cars, but she knew Ethan was ready to lash out at a moment's notice. The couple arrived to the school, picked up the kids, and returned home. The kids had no idea what was unfolding, but Cheryl soon started plotting their escape.

First, she worked with what she knew: her kids were hungry after a full day at school. Cheryl saw this as her opportunity to reach out to someone outside of the home. And there was one place in particular she knew the kids loved...

Like most children, her kids loved pizza. They were regular customers at Pizza Hut, so Ethan didn't find it odd when Cheryl suggested they order their usual meal. Ethan, however, kept a close watch on Cheryl as she ordered the food, ensuring she didn't pull a fast one and call somebody for help.

As Cheryl finished their order, the kids were still completely oblivious to the tension in the house. But she knew that Ethan could change that at any moment. The mother anxiously waited for the restaurant to receive her order and send a delivery driver to the house.

Their local Pizza Hut was one of the busiest restaurants in town. But Cheryl was a regular, so the workers recognized her name. They knew to put extra care into ensuring her pizza was perfect. But then, they came to a sudden halt when they noticed something alarming on the order ticket.

Every ticket had an area where customers could write special requests. Usually, these wishes went along the lines of: "extra pepperoni please" or "pizza well done." But Cheryl's ticket was a little different and was something workers could not ignore. She had written, "Please help. Get 911 to me. 911hostage help."

On shift was Candy Hamilton, the branch manager with 28 years of Pizza Hut experience under her belt. When shown the ticket, she didn't hesitate to act. She knew Cheryl well – and this was no prank. Immediately, she phoned the authorities and gave them the address. Hamilton only hoped she had acted before something horrific happened.

Cheryl's anxiety was through the roof. Would the Pizza Hut employees pay attention to the words she wrote? Would they think it was a prank? It seemed like a lifetime passed as she and Ethan sat in silence. Suddenly, a horde of police vehicles pulled up out front. Ethan hadn't spotted them yet – and Cheryl knew once he did, he might physically hurt any one of them.

The police, having no idea what kind of situation they were walking into, couldn't just barge into the home. But, they knew there was the possibility of kids involved based on what the Pizza Hut manager told them about the family, so their tactics required extreme precision. Suddenly, Cheryl burst out of the home in a frenzy.

Cheryl flung open the front door of her home and sprinted towards the police cruisers with her youngest child in her arms. In her frenetic state, she figured the youngest of her sons was the most helpless. Since she could only take one with her, she grabbed him and fled to the officers.

The first officer Cheryl reached was Lt. Ludden, and he immediately knew by her demeanor that the situation the unit was about to enter was dire. He did his best to calm the mother and ask for details. Once he learned there were still two children inside along with an armed man on drugs, he took immediate action. There was absolutely no time to spare.

Fortunately, Lt. Ludden had been in similar situations many times throughout his career. He knew exactly how to deal with circumstances that required de-escalating in order to avoid a potentially lethal outcome. Cheryl stood by with a horrified look on her face as police spoke with Ethan. Then, 20 minutes later, a miracle happened.

Ethan not only put down the knife he was swinging around recklessly, but he actually walked out to the police units and gave himself up. It was the best possible outcome for everyone involved. Cheryl and her kids, although quite shaken by everything, were finally safe. The incredible series of events was soon picked up by the news.

Ethan's face was quickly plastered all over the news, and Candy Hamilton of Pizza Hut was recognized for her quick thinking. In food service, things only stay calm for so long, and that day everyone was grateful for Candy's quick response. She stepped up in the most heroic way, and now a young family of three now have her to thank for their safety.