FGCU softball senior balances EMT training and Regional playHomes For Our Troops grants veteran new home
PUNTA GORDA The Weather Authority helps you prepare for the hurricane season at the 2024 Charlotte County Hurricane Expo With hurricane season less than two weeks away, it’s important to start preparing.
GAINESVILLE FGCU softball senior balances EMT training and Regional play Ahead of NCAA Regional play, FGCU senior outfielder Riley Oakes started EMT training as she works toward being a trauma surgeon.
PUNTA GORDA Homes For Our Troops grants veteran new home Through all the cheers and a community-wide escort, it’s a ‘welcome to your forever home for army sergeant veteran Brandon Rethmel and his family.
ALVA Three dead in triple drowning near the Franklin Lock in Olga The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is responding to a scene of a water rescue where three people were recovered.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Beat the Heat: Stay safe during extreme weather The Weather Authority has issued a heat advisory for portions of South, Southeast, and Southwest Florida from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.
FORT MYERS Leaders discuss possibility of shutting down Caloosahatchee Bridge Should residents endure two years of partial lane closures, or fully shut the Caloosahatchee bridge down for 10 weeks?
GAINESVILLE FGCU softball parents cherish NCAA Tournament experience The parents of the FGCU softball team are relishing seeing their daughters play in the NCAA Tournament.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The Weather Authority: Hot, hot, hot Heat advisory in place for Saturday until 8 p.m.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers teen finds dead body in bed of his truck A 16-year-old in Fort Myers drove to school, drove home, drove to the barbershop and back home again. Then, he noticed a swarm of flies in the back of his truck.
Scottie Scheffler facing felony charges; local attorney reacts The attorney we spoke with told us that, at a minimum, we’d spend the night in jail before having our first appearance and getting bail.
GAINESVILLE FGCU softball falls to No. 4 Florida in NCAA Tournament The FGCU softball team couldn’t keep up with the No. 4 Florida Gators as the Eagles drop their first Regional game 6-0 to the Gators.
Summer Safety: Swim safety tips to know before the summer The pool is warming up to be the hot spot for kids and families this summer. It’s now also the number one leading cause of drowning deaths for children ages 1-4 in the state.
FORT MYERS BEACH ‘The Whale’ restaurant to break ground on new building The Whale is a place that has shown great strength and determination.
COLLIER COUNTY Endangered Florida panther deaths surpass 2023 total in 5 months It’s taken wildlife officials just over five and a half months to report finding more dead endangered Florida panthers than in all of 2023.
FORT MYERS FMPD honors 7 officers and 2 K-9s who died in the line of duty dating back to 1930 Nine lives were given, and all nine will remain remembered. A lifetime of gratitude for the fallen officers.
PUNTA GORDA The Weather Authority helps you prepare for the hurricane season at the 2024 Charlotte County Hurricane Expo With hurricane season less than two weeks away, it’s important to start preparing.
GAINESVILLE FGCU softball senior balances EMT training and Regional play Ahead of NCAA Regional play, FGCU senior outfielder Riley Oakes started EMT training as she works toward being a trauma surgeon.
PUNTA GORDA Homes For Our Troops grants veteran new home Through all the cheers and a community-wide escort, it’s a ‘welcome to your forever home for army sergeant veteran Brandon Rethmel and his family.
ALVA Three dead in triple drowning near the Franklin Lock in Olga The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is responding to a scene of a water rescue where three people were recovered.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Beat the Heat: Stay safe during extreme weather The Weather Authority has issued a heat advisory for portions of South, Southeast, and Southwest Florida from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.
FORT MYERS Leaders discuss possibility of shutting down Caloosahatchee Bridge Should residents endure two years of partial lane closures, or fully shut the Caloosahatchee bridge down for 10 weeks?
GAINESVILLE FGCU softball parents cherish NCAA Tournament experience The parents of the FGCU softball team are relishing seeing their daughters play in the NCAA Tournament.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The Weather Authority: Hot, hot, hot Heat advisory in place for Saturday until 8 p.m.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers teen finds dead body in bed of his truck A 16-year-old in Fort Myers drove to school, drove home, drove to the barbershop and back home again. Then, he noticed a swarm of flies in the back of his truck.
Scottie Scheffler facing felony charges; local attorney reacts The attorney we spoke with told us that, at a minimum, we’d spend the night in jail before having our first appearance and getting bail.
GAINESVILLE FGCU softball falls to No. 4 Florida in NCAA Tournament The FGCU softball team couldn’t keep up with the No. 4 Florida Gators as the Eagles drop their first Regional game 6-0 to the Gators.
Summer Safety: Swim safety tips to know before the summer The pool is warming up to be the hot spot for kids and families this summer. It’s now also the number one leading cause of drowning deaths for children ages 1-4 in the state.
FORT MYERS BEACH ‘The Whale’ restaurant to break ground on new building The Whale is a place that has shown great strength and determination.
COLLIER COUNTY Endangered Florida panther deaths surpass 2023 total in 5 months It’s taken wildlife officials just over five and a half months to report finding more dead endangered Florida panthers than in all of 2023.
FORT MYERS FMPD honors 7 officers and 2 K-9s who died in the line of duty dating back to 1930 Nine lives were given, and all nine will remain remembered. A lifetime of gratitude for the fallen officers.
Photo via CNN. (CNN) Fifteen-year-old Amari Hall went from open-heart surgery one week to a full-on dance party the next. The Capitol Heights, Maryland, teenager was born with a heart defect and needed a heart transplant. Amari, still hooked up to several tubes and cords, surprised his family when he busted a move right from his hospital bed. It was only six days after his lifesaving surgery, his family said. “All his life he has been a fighter,” his mom, Juaquinna Hall, said. “He remained positive throughout it all.” The back story Amari was born with a congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. He had three corrective heart surgeries by age 2. “He missed a lot of his childhood milestones,” his mom said. For 13 years, those surgeries held, and Amari functioned well with his repaired heart. But that changed toward the end of last year, when a visit to the cardiologist confirmed Amari’s heart had started to fail. It was a visit to the doctor his family will never forget, not only because of the diagnosis but also because of Amari’s strength. “He looked at me, and he said, ‘What are you afraid of? It’s my time,'” his mom said. “‘I need to have this done.'” In December, Amari was admitted to University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, where he waited for a transplant. There were many long days. Amari missed his friends and going to school, his mom said. Worse, the LeBron James fan was sad to have to leave his high school basketball team. The transplant Fast forward three months to March, when doctors told Amari and his family they had found a heart. After further examination, doctors learned the heart wasn’t a match. The family was devastated and terrified there wouldn’t be another heart. But the very next day, doctors said it again: They’d found a match. “(I said) ‘Please don’t tell my son,'” Hall said. “I was afraid that it wouldn’t happen.” It did happen though. Twenty-four hours later, as he was wheeled into the operating room, Amari still wasn’t shaken. “He made the nurses pray for him,” his aunt, Charawn Hunter, said. “He’s really strong in his faith.” The video Within a week of having the surgery, Amari was back to his “cheery self,” his aunt said. “We put the music on and he started dancing,” Hunter said. As he danced while lying in bed, soon the nurses who had been caring for him joined in. His family clapped and cheered him on, celebrating the moment with Amari. His aunt posted the video to Facebook. News stations picked it up and it had been viewed more than 6 million times as of Monday afternoon. She said she wanted to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation, especially in the African-American community. Without this heart, she doesn’t know where Amari would be. “Organ donation is so important,” Hunter said. “I think that a lot of people are scared of organ donation.” Amari was released from the hospital in mid-May, and his doctors are hopeful he can return to school in the fall.