Cape Coral man speaks on helping apprehend 13-year-old gunslingerNaples Cars on Fifth event fuels $2M for local charity efforts
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man speaks on helping apprehend 13-year-old gunslinger The man who helped apprehend a 13-year-old gunslinger spoke on the incident.
NAPLES Naples Cars on Fifth event fuels $2M for local charity efforts For over two decades, car enthusiasts in Southwest Florida have gathered on Fifth Avenue in Naples.
MARCO ISLAND Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island set to reopen Collier County announced the reopening of the Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Animal Shelter to host Puppy Bowl 3 ahead of big game Ahead of the big game on Sunday, Cape Coral Animal Shelter will be featuring its very own Puppy Bowl III.
FORT MYERS From the ballpark to the beach: the Minnesota Twins are back for Spring Training 1700 miles later the Twins truck is here and the team from Minnesota is ready to spend the next six weeks here in Fort Myers.
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man speaks on helping apprehend 13-year-old gunslinger The man who helped apprehend a 13-year-old gunslinger spoke on the incident.
NAPLES Naples Cars on Fifth event fuels $2M for local charity efforts For over two decades, car enthusiasts in Southwest Florida have gathered on Fifth Avenue in Naples.
MARCO ISLAND Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island set to reopen Collier County announced the reopening of the Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Animal Shelter to host Puppy Bowl 3 ahead of big game Ahead of the big game on Sunday, Cape Coral Animal Shelter will be featuring its very own Puppy Bowl III.
FORT MYERS From the ballpark to the beach: the Minnesota Twins are back for Spring Training 1700 miles later the Twins truck is here and the team from Minnesota is ready to spend the next six weeks here in Fort Myers.
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
Every day, ICU nurse Ashlee Schwartz arrives at work at Mercy Hospital in Arkansas and immediately checks their COVID-19 stats. She said the cases had surged in the summer – and most of the patients were unvaccinated. One August day, a patient stood out to Schwartz – Emily Robison, who was just 22 years old. Emily Robison and her husband, Eric, were not vaccinated when she was admitted to the hospital, Eric told CBS News. Courtesy of Eric Robison. “I literally got up from my chair and walked over to her room,” Schwartz told CBS News. “And I had just talked to her nurse and was like, ‘What is her story?’ And I learned she was 28 weeks pregnant.” The CDC says battling COVID-19 while pregnant can lead to severe complications. They urge all people over the age of 12 to get vaccinated – including pregnant women. Robison’s husband, Eric Robison, told CBS News neither of them were vaccinated when his wife was admitted to the hospital. Knowing Robison’s condition, Schwartz was concerned for her and her baby, who would be named Carmen. “I knew that, more than likely, Carmen, their little girl, would be home well before Emily would be,” Schwartz said. “All I could image was, if Emily could truly overcome COVID, and she made it home and she just walks into her house and she doesn’t have much of anything for this little girl, and she just looks around and just says to herself, ‘Why couldn’t have someone helped me?’ So, I literally just felt called to make sure Emily had what she needed,” she said. Schwartz said she later met Eric, who is 23, and he said they didn’t have much for their baby, except for clothes. He also didn’t know what a baby registry was, Schwartz said. “I happened to just walk down the hall and I saw Eric sitting in this chair, just staring into Emily’s room. I just all of a sudden thought to myself, ‘This could be me,'” she said. “And you know, it’s the truth with COVID, I mean any patient’s story that’s in our ICU could very well become our own story. I mean, I could be the one laying in the bed. Or I could be the one sitting in Eric’s chair.” After meeting Eric, Schwartz was compelled to help the couple. So she wrote in a private Facebook group for fellow nurses, asking if anyone would be interested in chipping in for a baby registry. She made two registries – or lists of specific gifts for expecting couples and their babies. When nearly everything was bought off those registries, she made a third. The story spread on social media and on the local news. In less than two weeks, strangers had sent the Robisons hundreds of baby gifts. “I got to do the fun part. I got to do the registry and be like, ‘Oh, I’d want this and I would want this.’ But then, it’s the community and it’s the nation that’s coming together and just gifting this little girl,” Schwartz said. She had a vision of Robison going home to be surprised by the gifts. But that didn’t happen. Robison died on September 20, but her daughter was born via emergency C-section at 29 weeks. Born at 2 pounds 9 ounces, Carmen is still in the NICU. But Eric said she should be able to come home in seven days. Baby Carmen was born at 29 weeks. Unfortunately, her mother died following a long battle with COVID-19. Courtesy of Eric Robison. While Eric still has to deal with Emily’s death, he doesn’t have to worry about filling Carmen’s room with things she needs – thanks to Schwartz’s outreach. “Emily was a tremendous spirit, the kind that could lift you up no matter the mood,” he told CBS News. “And Carmen will know all of those who have donated and helped during this process, I promise.” Schwartz said she never expected the story to touch so many hearts. “Especially when you’re an ICU nurse, life can just become so depressing, the reality of this virus. When you walk through those doors, it’s just a whole different life,” she said. “But I tell you, this registry and just seeing these people come together for this little baby, it has just brought my life so much joy.” The nurse said this story is not just about paying it forward, but about how serious the virus can be. Eric said he decided to get vaccinated, receiving his first dose on Tuesday.