America’s ‘most inbred family’ have issued an apology to the man who uncovered them.
Photographer Mark Laita discovered the Whittaker family about 20 years ago, but he didn’t start filming their lives right away.
He stayed in contact with them and went back to their home in Odd, West Virginia, to begin filming in 2020.
\The family consists of three siblings named Lorraine, Timmy, and Ray. Their parents were reportedly first cousins.
After the Whittaker family appeared on Mark Laita’s Soft White Underbelly YouTube channel, they got a lot of attention and were labeled as “the most inbred family” in the U.S.
Although Mark had a good relationship with them, he decided to end it after discovering they had been lying to him.
The family told Mark that 67-year-old Larry Whittaker had died earlier this year. Mark helped them raise money for the funeral and even gave $1,000 of his own money.
However, Larry wasn’t actually dead. When Mark found out, the family apologized for lying, but they went on to deceive him again.
The photographer, Mark Laita, gave Larry Whittaker $700 to help him take his daughter BJ to North Carolina to start a new life. But Larry didn’t do that and kept the money for himself.
Even though Mark said he wasn’t going to see the Whittakers anymore, he visited them over the summer. He filmed the visit and posted it on YouTube this month. In the video, Larry shakes Mark’s hand and apologizes for everything that happened.
“It’s been a long time,” Larry says to Mark. “I’m sorry for what they did to you, and I want to tell the world that I’m sorry.”
Mark accepts the apology and says he missed them. “I’m very good at forgiving and understanding,” Mark shared. “I’ve missed you guys, and I think my viewers have missed you too.” He even joked that the Whittakers probably missed the money they made from being on his YouTube channel.
Now that they’re on speaking terms again, Mark set up another GoFundMe for the family in late August. So far, the page has raised a little over $600 out of a $100,000 goal. The money will go toward helping the family with living expenses and taking care of their home.
Dame Maggie Smith dies aged 89 – Fans startled by her final public appearance
Dame Maggie Smith dies aged 89 – Fans startled by her final public appearance
Dame Maggie Smith, Downtown Abbey and Harry Potter star, died aged 89, her family confirms.
A two time Oscar winner and a legend of the stage and screen, Smith was regarded one of the greatest actors of her time. She started her acting career on stage at the Oxford Playhouse and went on to make a name for herself and remained under the limelight for a stunning number of years.
The news of her sudden passing was shared by her two sons, Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin.
“She died quietly this morning, Friday, September 27, in the hospital. A deeply private individual, she passed away surrounded by loved ones,” their joint statement read.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days,” it continued.
“We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time,” Smith’s sons concluded.
Throughout her long and rich career, Smith appeared in feature films such as Sister Act, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and more recently Thaddeus O’Sullivan’s The Miracle Club.
Back in 2009, Smith disclosed with the public that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She opened up about receiving treatments and filming scenes as Professor Minerva McGonagall in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at the same time.
“I used to go to treatment on my own, and nearly everybody else was with somebody,” she told Tim Teeman. “I wouldn’t have liked that. Why would you want to make anybody sit in those places?”
She had also opened up about her own mortality. “I was relieved to be the age I was because by now you feel like it’s all over anyway.
“That’s why I hated seeing young people receiving treatment [at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London]. I couldn’t bear that, it didn’t seem fair. To be honest, you feel so ghastly you wouldn’t mind dying a lot of the time.”
Smith was married twice. Her second husband, screenwriter Beverley Cross, whom she considered the great love of her life, passed away in 1998, leaving her mourning his loss until her own passing.
She wasn’t known as someone who was spotted in public often, so her last public appearance left her fans startled.
It was at the Wimbledon men’s singles final that Smith was spotted in public. Dressed elegantly, in a navy blue shirtdress with a stylish dot pattern on it accessorized with a blue jacket and black leather heels, she stunned many.
The photos of her and her stunning choice of outfit, which she had completed with a pink lipstick, received plenty of comments. “So elegant!” one person commented. “You [look] so beautiful,” another added.
Following her passing, tributes came pouring in. Prime Minister Keir Starmer was among the first to share his condolences, saying Smith “was beloved by so many for her great talent, becoming a true national treasure whose work will be cherished for generations to come.”
Hugh Bonneville, fellow Downtown Abbey co-star, said: “Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent.
“She was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances. My condolences to her boys and wider family.”
Smith’s passing represents an immense loss for the acting world. May she rest in peace.
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