Feeling hotter for your Friday afternoonMultiple crews combat single-story structure fire in Collier County
the weather authority Feeling hotter for your Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a dry and mild Friday morning with temperatures climbing into the lower to mid-90s.
WINK NEWS Multiple crews combat single-story structure fire in Collier County Multiple fire crews are responding to a single-story structure fire in Naples.
New study may help Type-1 diabetics with their bionic pancreas More than 3 million Americans are diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes, and recent medical breakthroughs can help people manage their condition.
FORT MYERS Family and NAACP continue fighting for justice for Christopher Jordan The NAACP and Jordan’s family said this isn’t the end for them
GAINESVILLE FGCU softball players ready for NCAA Tournament debut FGCU softball players are ready to play in their first NCAA Tournament game against No. 4 Florida.
FORT MYERS Expert weighs in on ‘justified’ police shooting of Christopher Jordan We spoke with Dr. David Thomas – a forensic studies professor from FGCU and a former officer – who supports the idea of officer-involved shooting investigations going to a grand jury.
West Palm Beach 360-degree storm documentation: A closer look at Hurricane Ian’s aftermath At the Governor’s Conference exhibit hall, Dylan Faraone, Regional Director of Mosaic, showcased his work using a 360-degree camera mounted on his car to document the aftermath of major storms, including Hurricane Ian’s impact on southwest Florida.
GAINESVILLE FGCU catcher Neely Peterson returns to Gainesville for NCAA Tournament FGCU catcher Neely Peterson returns to Gainesville, where she fell in love with the sport again playing for Santa Fe College.
CAPE CORAL Do we need a federal gun database for mental illness? One family says yes One family is on a mission to create a new national gun database. It would require medical professionals to enter mental health information.
CAPE CORAL Suspect in custody after a North Fort Myers family loses everything in a fire Their investigation led them to the area of Hancock Bridge Parkway in Cape Coral. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a suspect from the Bogart Drive incident is in custody.
FORT MYERS Deadly motorcycle crash shuts down roads on Fowler and Winkler Ave. Fort Myers Police Department has confirmed that a motorcyclist has died in a crash on Fowler and Winkler Avenue on Thursday.
Sarasota How well does a diverging diamond really work? The Sarasota diverging diamond is located at Interstate 75 and University Parkway. It was put in to alleviate heavy traffic.
FORT MYERS RSW experiencing terminal expansion delay Lee County commissioners gave us an update on the RSW terminal expansion project, which is long overdue. Now we know why.
IMMOKALEE National Weather Service surveys storm damage in Immokalee The National Weather Service in Miami concluded after a survey the damage wasn’t from a tornado. It was from a downburst of straight-line wind between 60 – 70 mph.
SANIBEL Sanibel considering e-bike changes Biking is almost as common as driving on Sanibel, and the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee wants to keep that trend going.
the weather authority Feeling hotter for your Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a dry and mild Friday morning with temperatures climbing into the lower to mid-90s.
WINK NEWS Multiple crews combat single-story structure fire in Collier County Multiple fire crews are responding to a single-story structure fire in Naples.
New study may help Type-1 diabetics with their bionic pancreas More than 3 million Americans are diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes, and recent medical breakthroughs can help people manage their condition.
FORT MYERS Family and NAACP continue fighting for justice for Christopher Jordan The NAACP and Jordan’s family said this isn’t the end for them
GAINESVILLE FGCU softball players ready for NCAA Tournament debut FGCU softball players are ready to play in their first NCAA Tournament game against No. 4 Florida.
FORT MYERS Expert weighs in on ‘justified’ police shooting of Christopher Jordan We spoke with Dr. David Thomas – a forensic studies professor from FGCU and a former officer – who supports the idea of officer-involved shooting investigations going to a grand jury.
West Palm Beach 360-degree storm documentation: A closer look at Hurricane Ian’s aftermath At the Governor’s Conference exhibit hall, Dylan Faraone, Regional Director of Mosaic, showcased his work using a 360-degree camera mounted on his car to document the aftermath of major storms, including Hurricane Ian’s impact on southwest Florida.
GAINESVILLE FGCU catcher Neely Peterson returns to Gainesville for NCAA Tournament FGCU catcher Neely Peterson returns to Gainesville, where she fell in love with the sport again playing for Santa Fe College.
CAPE CORAL Do we need a federal gun database for mental illness? One family says yes One family is on a mission to create a new national gun database. It would require medical professionals to enter mental health information.
CAPE CORAL Suspect in custody after a North Fort Myers family loses everything in a fire Their investigation led them to the area of Hancock Bridge Parkway in Cape Coral. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a suspect from the Bogart Drive incident is in custody.
FORT MYERS Deadly motorcycle crash shuts down roads on Fowler and Winkler Ave. Fort Myers Police Department has confirmed that a motorcyclist has died in a crash on Fowler and Winkler Avenue on Thursday.
Sarasota How well does a diverging diamond really work? The Sarasota diverging diamond is located at Interstate 75 and University Parkway. It was put in to alleviate heavy traffic.
FORT MYERS RSW experiencing terminal expansion delay Lee County commissioners gave us an update on the RSW terminal expansion project, which is long overdue. Now we know why.
IMMOKALEE National Weather Service surveys storm damage in Immokalee The National Weather Service in Miami concluded after a survey the damage wasn’t from a tornado. It was from a downburst of straight-line wind between 60 – 70 mph.
SANIBEL Sanibel considering e-bike changes Biking is almost as common as driving on Sanibel, and the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee wants to keep that trend going.
Brant and Tanya Ireland, center (CREDIT: CBS News) Military service can challenge both service people and their families. When it comes to Special Forces, these soldiers have some of the highest divorce rates in the military and some of the highest injury and suicide rates. For Brant and Tanya Ireland, an injury almost derailed their love story until a charity that works to keep military families together stepped in. The pair first met in 2002. Just a year later, he joined the U.S. Army’s Special Forces. Brant deployed to Afghanistan more than half a dozen times, while Tanya, a pediatric trauma nurse, cared for their two young daughters. In 2013, Brant was on an overnight raid in northeastern Afghanistan when he went over a steep drop-off while carrying over 150 pounds of gear. Brant was medically evacuated from the accident site. The injury was followed by 20 surgeries and hundreds of hours of rehabilitation, with Tanya at his side. “Frustration and bitterness set in with me, because I saw somebody that I love starting to fail,” Tanya said. “I think mentally, spiritually, and that kind of infiltrated us as a couple.” Brant spent two years working to salvage his leg, but it became impossible to continue on. “The two years of limb salvage … I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy, not just for what I went through, but what our daughters went through,” he said. “It became more and more apparent that in order to get back to where I wanted to be and where I wanted us to be as a family, that amputation became a no-brainer.” Brant’s leg was surgically amputated in June 2015. Even as he healed, it seemed like his marriage never would. Brant said it was as if the two were living “entirely different lives,” even as they shared a home. “I vowed to love him, but I can’t say I really liked him much at that time,” Tanya recalled. “I mean, it was tough.” Just in the nick of time, the pair learned about Operation Healing Forces, a charity started by Gary Merkel. The charity serves injured Special Forces veterans and their spouses. Merkel has sent more than 1,100 special operators and their partners on retreats designed to mend relationships damaged by the call of duty. Donors loan Merkel their vacation homes, and retreat leads help partners come back to each other. “We have employed retreat leads. Most of them are retired Rangers that have been through the same thing as the couples and the soldiers,” Merkel said. “It’s just very rewarding for us.” In 2016, the Irelands spent a week on Merkel’s yacht with four other couples. The trip to the British Virgin Islands “refreshed” the couple’s souls and their marriage, Tanya said. “It connected us with other individuals, and that’s something special,” she said. “When you can just sit in a room quietly and not have to rehash everything, and still have that sensation of ‘We know what you went through?'” “It was an opportunity where we just really felt so appreciated,” Brant said. “You look at these great Americans who are living in absolute, you know, the American dream – they don’t have to do any of that. But we felt, wow, ‘They are really appreciative of the sacrifice we’ve made.'” Bolstered by that experience, the Irelands have continued to rebuild. Brant has regained his confidence through adaptive sports, winning more than two dozen gold medals at competitions like the Warrior and Invictus Games. “I remember having that competitive spirit, and I remember that being a big part of who I was, and that’s the first part of myself that I recognized in a long time,” Brant said. Tanya, who has transitioned to a career in real estate, said that it’s like the couple has had a “role reversal.” “I kind of call him ‘Mr. Mom,'” she said. “He runs with the girls and practices and (takes them to) travel ball and it’s pretty special.” Now, the couple is approaching their 20th anniversary with a renewed commitment to each other and the hopes that their story can be an inspiration for other families that might be struggling. “We’re just so proud to have been part of just a small piece of history,” Tanya said. “We realize it’s a really hard lifestyle, but it’s probably one of the most rewarding.” “Through American history, there’s always been men and women who served and sacrificed selflessly,” said Brant. “Just to be in that same community or group is an honor.”