Month: July 2026

By Allie Triepke

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    BOISE BENCH, Idaho (KIVI) — As flowers, stuffed animals and handwritten messages continue to grow at a memorial on the Boise Bench, the family of 15-year-old Sterling Wolfgang Thomas hopes the community remembers him not for the crash that took his life, but for the kindness he showed everyone he met.

Sterling died Thursday night after an e-bike and motorcycle collided near the intersection of Morris Hill Road and Phillippi Street in Boise.

His uncle, Matt Thomas, said Sterling’s gentle spirit and compassion left a lasting impact on family, friends and even people who only knew him briefly.

“Everyone who knew him loved him, and he was always so nice,” Matt Thomas said. “He was just such a loving kid.”

Matt said Sterling had a habit of reminding those around him how much they meant to him.

“Anytime you’d walk in the house, you could just pass him, and he’d say, ‘Love you. Love you Matt. Love you’,” he said.

Since Sterling’s death, his family has been overwhelmed by support from the community. Friends, teachers, neighbors and classmates have reached out with stories describing the 15-year-old’s kindness and positive attitude.

One story, Matt said, perfectly captured who his nephew was.

“One lady messaged me that he was over at her house last week and he was so appreciative. She said, ‘he complimented my oatmeal.’ I’m like, who compliments oatmeal? Only Sterling would.”

Those memories have inspired a message now shared across social media and displayed at the growing memorial: “LLS,” or “Long Live Sterling.”

Matt said the phrase has taken on an even deeper meaning for him.

“A lot of the kids have been sharing LLS… it means Long Live Sterling,” he said. “I like that, but I also like LFS in the sense of ‘Live for Sterling,’ because he was so kind.”

While the family continues to grieve, Matt hopes Sterling’s death also sparks conversations about e-bike safety.

He believes communities could help prevent future tragedies by offering safety education and training for young riders.

“I do think that there should be some requirements, safety tests, approvals that the parents are required to make sure their kid passes,” Matt said. “I think it would be very, very powerful if communities would hold a Saturday training for e-bike protection and regulation.”

As the investigation into Thursday night’s crash continues, Sterling’s family says they hope his legacy will be one of kindness, compassion and love for others—qualities they say defined the way he lived every day.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Maggie Bryan

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    SUPERIOR, Colorado (KMGH) — As wildfires continue to destroy homes and displace families across Colorado, survivors who have lived through this kind of loss are stepping up to help.

Fire officials in Custer County said the Aspen Acres Fire has destroyed more than 180 structures, including at least 55 homes. The fire has grown to nearly 87,000 acres and is the state’s largest active wildfire.

Erica Solove knows the kind of pain families are going through. She lost her Sagamore neighborhood home in Superior after the Marshall Fire tore through multiple communities and destroyed her entire neighborhood in 2021. Now, she works for a national nonprofit called Extreme Weather Survivors, which aims to help disaster survivors by connecting them with free trauma resources and support.

“I think the experience of losing your home in a disaster is inherently isolating,” Solove said. “Your world and community and familiar comfortable bubble suddenly vanishes.”

She said the trauma of losing a home brings challenges many survivors never expect, like brain fog, decision fatigue and strained relationships.

“It is a really tough road to walk,” she said. “There are many people across the country who have walked a similar path, and not only that, but they want to help, they want to give back.”

Solove leads an EWS mentorship program that pairs survivors further along in their recovery with those who have just experienced a disaster. She also runs a monthly webinar, which connects families with mental health experts, many of whom are disaster survivors themselves. EWS has worked with families across the nation, including survivors of the Los Angeles wildfires in 2025.

She said the main goal of EWS is to provide a community that supports disaster survivors long after the initial tragedy happens.

“There’s this initial outpouring of donations and community support and media coverage… but then people forget. Life resumes as usual, and those survivors are left to fend for themselves, and the timeline of recovery is realistically many years,” Solove said.

Her own lifeline after the Marshall Fire was staying connected with her neighbors.

“That really was one of the only silver linings of going through this experience was seeing how neighbors can come together and build community,” she said.

EWS is not only for people who have been impacted by wildfires, but also natural disasters like hurricanes, floods and extreme heat.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Lauren Lennon

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    DENVER (KMGH) — As several wildfires burn across Colorado, one non-profit’s evacuation tool is back in the spotlight as they attempt to bring assistance to people who may need help evacuating their animals.

Denver7 shared the resource, HorseAlert, in 2024, when the website first launched and was put to use during the Stone Canyon and Alexander Mountain fires.

Those behind the website describe it as an “Uber” for equine animals including horses, donkeys and mules.

“It connects people who need to be evacuated, need help evacuating their horses, with volunteer drivers who have signed up to say: we are there, we can be there for you,” said Colorado Horse Rescue CEO, Katherine Gregory.

“It will text the closest drivers and then it will only assign enough drivers to get the number of horses that that person has,” Gregory explained.

The volunteer trailer drivers would then help transport the animals to evacuation fairgrounds in the specific area.

It was an experience Christine Anderson didn’t think she’d have.

“I think it was like 12 or 1o’clock in the morning, and I, we were kind of in shock, even though we know fire is a real probability here, it’s still very shocking to like wake to multiple calls about leaving,” Anderson recalled.

Anderson evacuated during the 2024 Quarry fire and was left trying to figure out not only how to evacuate her and her family, but also their animals.

She said she signed up for HorseAlert “on a whim,” noting she saw it on Facebook.

“I went ahead and put in my information, asking, requesting assistance, and again, that must have been one or 2 o’clock in the morning, and I had no idea, like, who’s up at that time,” she said.

Someone from Longmont eventually reached out a few hours later and helped her evacuate her two donkeys Reggie and Beau.

“If nobody came to help us, we would have to let our animals go, which is a terrible thing to have to think about,” she said.

An emotional Anderson shared how grateful she was for the help during that emergency.

“Animal control would have helped us evacuate, but we didn’t have to use them, and we didn’t have to wait to be one of the people in line for that, because this wonderful person from Longmont came and moved our animals for us and took us to the fairgrounds,” she said.

“If the fire had been more pressing, and animal control hadn’t been able to get to us. We would have had to walk away and leave our donkeys here with the gates open, or cutting the fence in certain areas, and hoping for the best,” she added.

That sense of relief is something Anderson wants people who may be in the same situation as she was two years ago to feel.

“Obviously I became very emotional about it two years later. I’m still incredibly emotional about the kindness that people just offered us during that time,” she said.

But Gregory says right now there needs to be more exposure for the resource in the areas currently impacted by wildfires to get this resource to those who may need it. The service has the most people signed up in areas across the front range like Boulder, Larimer, Jefferson and Weld County, according to Gregory.

“What we’re trying to do is get the message out to more rural communities, and especially those communities that don’t have large animal response teams that can help,” she emphasized.

Colorado Horse Rescue is calling on community members to sign up for the website to help bring relief to people in the impacted areas.

“They’re going to rely on people helping people, neighbors helping neighbors, horse people helping horse people,” she added.

The impact of helping Anderson and her animals sticks with Gregory.

“Hearing the emotion in Christine’s voice and knowing that we could provide a tool to help keep her family, her donkeys safe. It’s why we do this, it’s to keep each and every horse giving them and donkey and mule a safe solution, and keep them with their families if we can,” Gregory said.

In addition to HorseAlert, Gregory says Colorado Horse Rescue is also in contact with staff running the fairgrounds in Pueblo County to see if they can provide any resources.

Gregory says since May of 2026, 690 more horses have been registered through the website and 60 more drivers have signed up to volunteer to help transport animals.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Michael Chen

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    LAKESIDE, California (KGTV) — A Lakeside man is defying the odds after a motorcycle crash in mid-June left him with devastating injuries doctors feared he would not survive.

Matthew Harger, 20, was riding home from a family friend’s house in Campo on a Wednesday night when he crashed on Buckman Springs Road near Cameron Truck Trail. The cause of the crash remains unclear. Passing drivers discovered Harger in the middle of the road, about 15 feet from his mangled motorcycle.

Harger, who had been wearing his helmet, was airlifted to a San Diego hospital with a massive brain bleed. He suffered fractures throughout his skull, and injuries throughout his upper chest.

“Seven fractures in front of back of skull, everything in his upper chest is smashed,” his sister, Jeanette Aishman, said.

Doctors delivered a grim prognosis to the family.

“We were told to prepare for the worst, to say our goodbyes,” Aishman said.

Family members refused to give up hope, but days passed and the prognosis did not change. Then, about 4 days after the accident, with sedation dialed down following wrist surgery, a nurse gave Harger a simple instruction.

“The nurse told him, ‘Matthew, open your eyes’… and he opened his eyes and they rolled around. He closed them again, and that was my, ‘He’s there,'” Aishman said.

For Aishman, that moment was everything.

“The miracle moment was being in that room, watching him move and open his eyes,” she said.

About a week later, surgeons removed part of Harger’s skull to reduce pressure on his brain. Within 24 hours, more encouraging signs followed.

“As soon as I came into the room, (he) lifted his arm up to give me a hug. That was beyond special,” Aishman said.

Then last Saturday, Harger laughed — a moment his sister said told her everything she needed to know.

“Hearing his humor just makes me know he’s there. It’s just a miracle that he’s even this recovered at this point, so early,” Aishman said.

His doctors have been equally surprised by the progress.

“They are as dumbfounded as we are,” Aishman said.

Harger’s long-term prognosis remains unknown, but his sister says she has no doubt about what lies ahead.

“I have full confidence he’ll be living his adventurous life again, and becoming the man he wanted to be,” Aishman said.

A Gofundme campaign has been set up to help Harger with medical and other expenses.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KGTV verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Ryan Hill

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    BUHL, Idaho (KMVT) — After a local teenager passed away due to suicide, a memorial bench was installed this week in Buhl City Park.

River Silas Martinez-Howard passed away from suicide in 2023. Brent Howard, his father, said he and his wife didn’t see it coming. Thankfully, the Jae Foundation reached out to them and helped them heal. It was during this time, Howard said he wanted to find a way to honor his son’s memory.

“I saw a article online about some friendship benches in Rexburg at an elementary school actually. And I thought maybe we could create a bench as a safe place for people who are struggling,” Howard said.

Howard said he started researching for someone to do the job. one company said they could do it for more than $11,000, but Classic Stoneworks, offered to do it for much less.

“They reached out and said they’d like to help with the bench. They asked me to buy the stone for $3,000, they would build it for free,” Howard said.

The acts of kindness didn’t stop there. A business offered to pour the concrete, while another made the graphics for the bench, both free of charge.

“None of these people would let me pay for it. They kinda donated to make it happen and the community thought it was a great idea,” Howard said.

Even the Mayor of Buhl was enthusiastic about the bench and decided to put it in the city park with the flag covering the bench donated by Threads of Honor. On July 1st, the bench was dedicated and unveiled to the public.

“It was heartwarming, it was amazing. I’m really thankful for everybody who made it happen,” Howard said.

Howard explained the bench acts as a memorial for River, as well as a place for people who are struggling internally to sit. The goal is for another person to notice, and walk over and engage with them.

“One person sits down and asks are you ok? And leads them in a direction away from suicide. Away from self-harm, then the bench is worth it,” Howard said.

Howard added this bench is a reflection of what his son was like to others around him.

“He was the kid who helped everybody. He sat with the kids who sat alone at lunch and made them feel comfortable. I’ve had so many of his friends reach out and tell me about how they were struggling and he helped them find purpose and meaning,” Howard said.

Howard hopes hundreds of people use this bench and see it as an outlet to seek help.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Austin Pollack

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    MURFREESBORO, Tennessee (WTVF) — Every Friday morning, at a McDonald’s in Murfreesboro, a husband and wife sit down for breakfast together.

John Carroll is 101 years old and a World War II veteran. His wife, Jerry Carroll, just turned 100 in June. The couple celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary on April 18.

The two are regulars at the Murfreesboro McDonald’s near the corner of Compton Road and Memorial Boulevard, where they gather with a group of friends every week.

“We have breakfast down here every Friday morning with our friends,” John said.

Their order has stayed consistent over the years.

“For breakfast we usually eat the egg McMuffin with sausage,” John said.

The Friday morning group has grown over time. They often sit in the back of the restaurant.

“We just love them,” said Christina Crisp, the location’s general manager. “They’ve been here for a long time.”

We introduced you to John back in December when he was approaching his 101st birthday. He told us the key to a long healthy life included exercise.

“Up until recently, I was coming in here sitting on the floor at 4:00 in the morning and touching my toes,” John said in 2025.

John said he’s still keeping up the routine. “Did my toe touches 200 times this morning at 4:00.”

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday this weekend, John and Jerry’s love story has stretched across nearly a third of the nation’s history.

When asked for the secret to a lasting marriage, John kept it simple.

“Treat your wife nice and try to help her all you can and work hard,” John said.

John’s 102nd birthday will be in December.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVF verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Jamal Goss

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    DEKALB COUNTY, Georgia (WUPA) — Every summer for nearly three decades, one familiar face has been waiting for children with disabilities as they arrive at FOCUS Camp Hollywood. For 27 years, Timothy Strozier has welcomed campers into his recreation class with the same goal: making sure every child feels like they belong.

During the school year, Strozier teaches exceptional education students in the DeKalb County School District. When classes end, he trades the classroom for Camp Hollywood, a FOCUS program serving children and teens with physical and developmental disabilities.

“It’s the passion,” Strozier said. “I really, really enjoy FOCUS. I enjoy working with kids with disabilities. I just enjoy seeing the smiling faces when they return.”

Camp Hollywood offers recreation, arts, cooking, theater and other activities designed so every camper can participate, regardless of ability.

“When they come into rec, I want the campers to feel welcome and to feel included,” Strozier said. “No matter what type of disability they have, whether it’s physical or whether they’re nonverbal, I try to adapt activities so everyone can feel a part of it. That’s what FOCUS is about.”

One of those returning campers is 14-year-old Olivia Frey. Frey, who has cerebral palsy, has attended Camp Hollywood since she was about 3 years old.

“It gives me an opportunity to hang out with my friends and to just do kid things,” she said.

Her favorite part is seeing many of the same campers every summer.

“It’s a lot of the same kids every year,” Frey said. “So I get to see the same kids over and over and over again. We really build strong relationships.”

Those relationships extend to Strozier.

“Mr. Tim is a familiar face,” Frey said. “I almost can’t imagine what camp would look like without Mr. Tim.”

She says one thing that sets him apart is his ability to remember every camper.

“Most of the other staff tend to rely on our name tags,” Frey said. “Him remembering your name without having to use that name tag is really important.”

Strozier says his commitment to children with disabilities is deeply personal.

“My mom is paralyzed from a stroke,” he said. “She was a fighter. She never gave up.”

He grew up watching his mother adapt to everyday challenges after suffering a stroke before he was born.

“I grew up in a home with somebody with a disability,” Strozier said. “She didn’t let anything stop her.”

Those lessons continue to shape the way he approaches every child who walks into his classroom.

“I don’t look at them as, ‘This is the disability they have,'” he said. “I treat them as a normal human being.”

As campers arrive each summer, Strozier says his mission is simple.

“I often think, if that was my child, what type of experience would I want my child to have?” he said. “I want my child to be safe. I want my child to feel welcome. That’s something I try to give to the kids.”

For Frey, that effort doesn’t go unnoticed.

“He makes sure every kid is included,” she said. “He communicates beautifully with the nonverbal campers, and he just easily adapts to every camper’s needs.”

After nearly three decades, Strozier has watched generations of campers grow from young children into adults.

“Seeing them summer after summer, seeing how they’ve grown, that’s one thing that I really enjoy,” he said.

Some still recognize him years later.

“I might be at the grocery store,” Strozier said. “‘Mr. Tim! Mr. Tim! I remember you from FOCUS.'” Those moments, he says, remind him why he keeps coming back.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Ryan Lovell

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    LEE COUNTY, Alabama (WVTM) — It’s a happy ending for one Lee County boy who was reunited with his favorite toy after losing it following a trip to the movies with his family.

Co was at a movie theater in Opelika on June 21 seeing the newest “Toy Story” movie with his friend “Woody,” but realized hours later that Woody was missing.

In a Facebook post, his mom, Sandi Langley, described her son’s emotions following the devastating discovery:

“We have a heartbroken little boy who would love to have him back,” Langley said.

But little did Co or Sandi know, Woody just went on a little adventure with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

In a heartwarming update, the sheriff’s office gave a rundown of the activities Woody had been doing with his law enforcement counterparts.

Among the many things Woody got to experience, he learned about car seat safety, which deputies said is much safer (and better) than hitching rides on car bumpers.

Woody also got the chance to go through the office’s metal detector (talk about seeing what you’re made of) and ate a lot of doughnuts, pizza and candy.

Woody also had a sit-down with Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones, who told the toy how much his disappearance upset Co and reminded him not to go on a big adventure without telling someone again.

But all is well that ends well, as Woody is back home with his favorite deputy and fellow toys.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.