Wake Up Q

Good Stuff: Internet Meme Kid Helps Dad Get A Kidney

You don’t know the name Sam Griner, but you probably know his FACE.  He’s an eight-year-old kid in Jacksonville, Florida, and a photo of him as a baby got turned into an Internet meme called “Success Kid” back in 2010.

It’s him sitting on a beach, looking into the camera with his fist clenched.  According to his mom, he was about to eat a handful of SAND, but it looks like he’s super proud of something he just did.

So people started reposting it with funny captions, and it’s one of the most popular Internet memes ever.

But now the Internet gets to repay him for plastering his face everywhere.  It turns out his dad Justin has been in kidney failure for a decade, and has to do four hours of dialysis three times a week.

So Sam’s mom recently started a GoFundMe page to pay for a kidney transplant . . . and Sam’s fans have donated more than $90,000 in the last week.

She also posted a link to a website where anyone willing to donate a kidney can go to see if they’re a match.  You can check it out by searching for “Justin’s Kidney Transplant” on GoFundMe.com.

 

Headlines

6 hours ago in Health & Wellness, Local

New York State Grange prepares for Third Annual Health and Wellness Fair

On Saturday, September 12th, the Third Annual Health and Wellness Fair will take place at the NYS Grange Headquarters.

11 hours ago in Community, Crime, Local

Lansing search warrant leads to drug, gun charges

On August 7, authorities executed a search warrant at 2 Village Circle in the Town of Lansing.

11 hours ago in National, Trending

How to spot the Perseid meteor shower, a summer light show that promises to dazzle

The Perseid summer light show is back — and viewing conditions are especially promising for the Northern Hemisphere. The meteor shower's peak Wednesday night into Thursday morning coincides with a total solar eclipse across Spain, Iceland and Greenland and a six-planet parade — though the best time to view the fireballs will come after totality.

11 hours ago in Sports

UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC accuse FIFA of ‘deception’ and ‘breach of trust’ over World Cup plans

UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC believe that FIFA president Gianni Infantino's recent plan to sell an interest in the World Cup was a "fundamental breach of trust" with the institutions world soccer's governing body serves.

11 hours ago in Sports

Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson sets MLB record by going 111 straight games without an error

Jacob Wilson set an MLB record for his position, playing his 111th consecutive errorless game at shortstop for the Athletics and surpassing the Baltimore Orioles' Mike Bordick, who went 110 games in 2002. Wilson last made an error on July 6, 2025, in a game against San Francisco.

12 hours ago in Sports

Olympic gold medalist Hezly Rivera rallies to capture second straight U.S. women’s gymnastics title

Hezly Rivera listened more than she talked two summers ago in Paris when she was the "wait, who?" member of the star-laden U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics team. Those days are over. Long over.