ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
Theo Filus (Credit: WINK News) A little boy in Southwest Florida died only days after getting bacterial meningitis. Theo Filus was only in first grade when he contracted it, and doctors have no idea how. Pictures, drawings, and letters still lay on top of Theo’s bed. His mother can’t bear to move them. “He was autistic. He’s beautiful. He has like the innocence. He just has a love for everybody,” said Julie Silva, Theo’s mother. Silva said last week was just like any other until Theo woke up Wednesday with a fever, so she took him to a pediatrician. “He said was just a virus. And then I come home and stay with him all day. When it was like five in the afternoon, I noticed he had like some rash and his neck,” said Silva. Alarmed, Silva rushed her 7-year-old boy to the emergency room. Doctors there told her and Theo’s father, Alexandre Filus, that their son had the rare infection of bacterial meningitis, and that the infection attacked the cover of the brain. All-day Thursday, doctors and nurses worked to save Theo, but they couldn’t stop his body from failling and the rash from spreading. On Friday morning, Silva and Filus had to make a decision no parent should ever face. Keep Theo connected to tubes and machines, or let him go. “You’ll always be in my heart. For the rest of my life,” said Filus. “I love you. You are my son. He said to me, mom, you are my big sunshine. You always gonna be my sunshine. I know I don’t understand why you are here. You are still here with me. Forever. Love you so so so much,” said Silva. Theo’s time of death was 10:30 a.m. Friday. His parents will always treasure their son and his love, and can never, and will never stop asking why. Dr. Brian Thornburg from Naples has seen bacterial meningitis in one of his patients before and said it’s rare. Only five out of every 100,000 children get it. “It attacks, the brain specifically attacks the lining around the brain, and it causes swelling around the brain,” said Thornburg. Thornburg said it’s critical patients get treatment right away. “Some of these kids can pass away within hours from the initial onset of the infection,” said Thornburg. Theo’s mom has this warning for everyone. “Don’t wait for the rash. The rash is the last step. Go to the hospital and then in please ask for them to check because it’s something, when the rash comes, something they cannot go back,” said Silva. “It’s staying vigilant to the way your child to acting, taking a look at how they’re moving their head around. Are they looking at you? Are they staying engaged with you as a fever’s up?” said Thornburg. If the answers are no, the child needs to get to the doctor fast. Theo’s parents said he loved judo, the pool, and playing with his dad. He will be deeply missed.