Category: CNN Regional

By Richard Butler

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    AURORA, Colorado (KMGH) — For families facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives, a teddy bear may seem like a small gesture. At Brent’s Place in Aurora, those bears represent comfort, kindness and a reminder that someone cares.

Brent’s Place provides medically safe housing and support services for families who travel to Colorado so a child or adult can receive life-saving medical treatment. Families stay close to hospitals while receiving housing, meals and other support at no cost.

Anna Moya and her son, Hunter Rael, are among those families.

“It’s a safe environment for Hunter to heal and grow, and feel like he’s just a normal kid and be able to meet other families and meet incredible staff here that help take care of us,” Moya said.

Hunter has spent months in Colorado undergoing treatment after receiving two heart transplants.

“The first heart transplant started in November. Then I got graft failure, and I had to get another heart in February,” Hunter said.

Moya said Brent’s Place has given her family stability during a challenging chapter.

“They help us so much here. We don’t have to worry about housing, we don’t have to worry about food, we don’t have to worry about a place to wash our laundry,” she said. “It takes a huge relief off of somebody that is going through a lot and away from home.”

Brent’s Place leaders say supporting families means more than providing a roof over their heads.

“Families that are in medical crisis really need joy infused into their treatment, and that’s what we try to do here,” said Monique McCoy, vice president of external affairs for Brent’s Place.

That philosophy is one reason Brent’s Place has partnered with Gail Nussbaum for more than a decade.

Nussbaum, a breast cancer survivor, created an annual event called “Gail’s Pay it Forward” that provides personalized stuffed animals to children staying at Brent’s Place and Ronald McDonald House.

“If I think it’s hard to go through cancer as an adult, it’s really hard to go through cancer and other medical challenges as a child,” Nussbaum siad.

For the past 13 years, she has gathered friends and volunteers at Build-A-Bear to create bears tailored to individual children. This year, nearly 200 volunteers participated.

“It brings me joy to see these kids, and that’s the joy that I live for, is helping others,” Nussbaum said.

The event is held each year around the anniversary of Nussbaum’s final chemotherapy treatment.

“This is my way of celebrating my cancer-free anniversary,” she said. “This past week was my 16-year cancer-free anniversary, and to me, I cannot think of a better way to celebrate than to give back to others.”

Nussbaum said she was diagnosed with Stage 2B breast cancer in 2009 and completed her final chemotherapy treatment on May 7, 2010. A few years later, she began asking herself how she could turn that experience into something meaningful for others.

What started with about 40 friends outfitting teddy bears has grown into an effort that delivered over 2,000 bears overall. Nussbaum purchases the bears herself, while friends and volunteers provide outfits and accessories.

Friend and fellow cancer survivor Shauna Smith said the event is about creating joy for children facing challenges similar to those she experienced when she was younger.

“I love to be able to see some joy on these kids’ faces that are going through what I went through when I was younger,” Smith said.

Smith also work together at the Shing Stars Foundation, which is a nonprofit that provides programming for children battling cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Smith said Nussbaum’s generosity extends beyond the annual bear event.

“She also wrote a children’s book based on paying it forward for people, and this is how she gives back from her own cancer experience,” Smith said.

The book, “Paisley’s Pay it Forward Adventure”, is told through the eyes of a teddy bear named Paisley, was inspired by children who received bears through Nussbaum’s program and later went on to help others themselves.

McCoy said Nussbaum’s commitment has made a lasting impact on families at Brent’s Place.

“Gail has been a longtime supporter of ours and really transformed her own cancer journey into a compassionate community action,” McCoy said.

For Nussbaum’s ongoing work, during this year’s teddy bear tea party, Denver7 surprised Nussbaum with a Denver7 Everyday Hero award. When accepting the recognition, Nussbaum quickly redirected the praise.

“You know the real heroes are the children and their families, and Brent’s Place and Ronald McDonald House,” she said.

For Nussbaum, the reward comes from seeing a child smile.

“If even for a short time, they get a moment that they get to smile and just hug something and hold it tight, I think that is worth so much,” she said.

If you are interested in supporting Nussbaum with paying for forward can do so through the Gail Pays It Forward website. Nussbaum said donations help cover the cost of teddy bears and other expenses associated with the annual event.

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 Andrew Adams, KSL

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    KAMAS, Utah (KSL) — A Utah man is home this week and sharing his experience of an avalanche on a mountain in Nepal that ultimately claimed the life of his partner.

David Ashley had originally traveled to Nepal in April with his life and business partner, Shelley Johannesen, to acclimate for their climb on Makalu, the world’s fifth-highest mountain.

On May 9, the couple and their two guides, Phurba Sonam Sherpa and Tawa Sherpa*, summited Makalu and were making their descent on May 10 when trouble began to surface in the middle of snowy, windy conditions with low visibility.

“I looked up to my left, and I saw a crack starting to form, and I yelled ‘slab,’ and we all hit the deck, but the deck started moving,” Ashley said during an interview with KSL. “I just saw this white mass go across this big rock down below and disappear.”

Johannesen and Tawa Sherpa were nowhere to be seen.

“There was a red, puffy mitten of Tawa’s sitting on the rock, and that’s all I saw of them,” Ashley said. “I knew at that point their rope had broken, and somewhere down the mountain they were caught in the avalanche.”

Ashley said he and Sonam Sherpa free-climbed a section of the glacier and couldn’t see the others, so he hit an SOS button on his Garmin and notified the owners of their expedition company.

At some point, Ashley said Johannesen’s voice came over the radio.

“They were alive, they were not buried,” he recalled. “They could see the fixed lines, the main path, from where they were, so we knew at that point we could accelerate because we were still on the rocks and they were out on a flat part of the glacier with no rocks around, so we knew we hadn’t gotten to them yet, and we knew that they were alive. So, at that point, it turned into a rescue, not a search.”

Ashley said Johannesen told them neither she nor Tawa Sherpa could walk.

“She had used her ice ax and sunk it into the glacier and connected her safety and Tawa’s safety to it, because about 10 feet down from where they were was a huge cliff,” Ashley said. “(I’m) so grateful they didn’t fall off that cliff. I don’t know if we ever would have found them.”

Ashley said it appeared neither Johannesen nor Tawa Sherpa had any outward injuries. Still, Tawa Sherpa complained about severe back pain, and Johannesen had “bad internal pain from her hip up to her chest.”

According to Ashley, he reached the others at around 3:30 p.m. He said Johannesen was lying on her side. He said he began to spoon her while holding a tarp over them, and they stayed in that position for roughly 13 hours until sunrise the next day.

During that time, Ashley said wind gusts reached 70 mph, and a six-man rescue team ultimately had to turn back for their own safety.

Sonam Sherpa, meanwhile, later in the evening, climbed down to camp on his own to retrieve oxygen and water.

“We had only melted enough water for three to four hours of down climbing,” Ashley said.

Ashley said Sonam Sherpa suggested he come with him.

“It was not even a thought in my mind,” Ashley said. “I had to stay with Shelley and keep her warm and make sure she got rescued.”

Ashley said he noticed clues that Johannesen wasn’t doing well, but around midnight, he saw lights that led him to believe a rescue was on the way.

“She kept asking if I was there,” Ashley said. “I said, ‘Yes, I’m right here holding you.'”

The rescue party arrived after 2 a.m. and gave Johannesen, Ashley and Tawa Sherpa oxygen, and the group fell asleep.

Around sunrise on May 11, Ashley said something had changed. He turned emotional, describing the moment he realized Johannesen had passed away in his arms.

“You never know when someone you love is going to be gone,” Ashley said tearfully. “Don’t wait to tell them how much you love them and spend time with them. Be there for them.”

Ashley now honors Johannesen with a shrine in their home in the Kamas Valley.

He said he met Johannesen in Virginia in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic while biking and virtual racing.

He convinced Johannesen, who was originally from Oregon, to join his adventure racing team.

By late 2023, Ashley said they were both divorced, and they started dating, entering a relationship that led them to pursue their passions of adventure racing and high-altitude climbing.

“She had an adventuresome heart,” he said. “The two of us just chased those passions.”

Their passions led to a move to the Kamas Valley, where they trained, intending to climb 8,000-meter peaks.

As they operated their business, DASH Adventures, together, they also took trips to climb Mera Peak and Mt. Everest.

Ashley said Johannesen was always an athlete while being a mother who held a PhD in special education.

He said she discovered her passions relatively late in life, and he believed she would encourage others today to find what they love and do it.

“Her message was that it’s never too late to take a change in your life to pursue a passion,” Ashley said. “Don’t wait, because time is precious.”

*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited into the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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 Garna Mejia, KSL

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    WEST POINT, Utah (KSL) — A West Point neighborhood is reeling after a 71‑year‑old military veteran was killed in broad daylight on Saturday, prompting an urgent search for a maroon Honda Civic seen speeding away from the scene.

James Randell “Randy” Witten, a retired Air Force and Army veteran, was gunned down in front of his home near 2000 West and 200 North, according to the Davis County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies, who arrived around 6:25 p.m., found Witten dead on his front porch.

According to a witness who asked to remain anonymous, Witten was heading into his home after taking out the trash.

Witten and his wife of 32 years, also an Air Force veteran, had recently returned from a cross‑country trip.

“They’re just trying to enjoy their best life retiring,” said neighbor Hannah, who requested that her last name not be released out of concern for her safety. “So for someone to come and take that away from them is heartbreaking.”

Witnesses describe a violent attack Multiple neighbors, including Hannah, reported hearing gunshots on Saturday. She heard 10-15 shots and was among the first to reach Witten after the shooting.

Hannah described seeing a red car speeding away before turning onto 300 North.

“At one point, I heard (Witten’s wife) yell, ‘Somebody please tell me what’s going on,’ and I’ll never forget that,” she said. “Just the way she said it, her tone and everything, it was so traumatic.”

Witnesses told KSL that a red Honda Civic pulled up to the home before a young male suspect got out and rushed toward Witten while firing.

The anonymous witness described the shooter as having light olive skin and wearing dark clothing, a black hoodie, a ski mask and dark sunglasses. After the shooting, he returned to the vehicle, which sped away. A second suspect, believed to be the driver, was also dressed in dark clothing.

“It was kind of seeming like it was a targeted kind of incident,” Hannah said. “It wasn’t like a drive‑by or anything like that for sure.”

Vehicle images released

Deputies released four images of the gunman’s vehicle, described as a maroon Honda Civic with an orange cover over the rear license plate.

“If you do see this vehicle, please do not approach it,” said Megan Maybee with the Davis County Sheriff’s Office.

The car was last seen traveling north on 2000 West before turning east onto 300 North.

Community in shock Neighbors said the area is busy and they’ve seen traffic accidents, but not violence of this kind.

“It’s very sad to see that somebody would even think of harming somebody, let alone a vet,” Hannah said. “It’s super heartbreaking to think about.”

On Sunday, several neighbors were seen stopping by the Witten’s home to offer their condolences and drop off flowers and food. Multiple neighbors described Witten as friendly and active in volunteer work and his church community.

The Davis County Sheriff’s Office said investigators do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the community. However, they urged anyone who might see the vehicle or have information about the shooting to call deputies.

“This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” the sheriff’s office said. “Additional information will be released as it becomes available.”

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

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 Caroleina Hassett

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    WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (KSTU) — They say it takes dedication to make a difference, and for Kiera Miller, tattoos have been a way to do that.

“I love bringing people’s ideas to life. It really brings me joy, and I like to use art to give back,” said Miller, the owner of Resilient Rise Tattoo.

However, there’s a deeper story behind the ink.

“I myself spent five years homeless, and I was at the end of my rope, ready to give up, and somebody brought me a hot plate of food and reminded me I was still a person. It lit a fire in me,” she said.

Miller took that pain and founded Ink for Impact back in 2022, which started as giving away Thanksgiving meals. However, years later, she hosted her very first community donation drive, collecting clothes for those experiencing homelessness, in exchange for some free tattoos.

“Hitting rock bottom really opened my eyes,” Miller said. “There are a lot of programs that try to help the homeless, but people don’t understand when you are at the end of your rope, when you have nothing left, you feel like the world has forgotten you, you feel like you could just disappear tomorrow when nobody would care. I know how that feels, and if I can prevent just one more person from feeling that pain, that’s worth it to me.”

Miller also has Impact Weeks, where she takes her tattoo earnings and donates every penny towards these events, trying to make a difference in a world that needs more empathy.

“We, as a human race, have forgotten our humanity… just because somebody is a little less fortunate than you does not mean that they need to be looked down upon,” she said. “There’s enough hate in the world. We don’t need any more of it.”

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 Marc Monroy

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    TUCSON, Arizona (KGUN) — Hikers from across the country completed a 75-mile walk through the Sonoran Desert’s borderlands, arriving at Kennedy Park on Tucson’s southwest side to mark the end of a journey aimed at raising awareness of migrant deaths.

At Kennedy Park, food and music offered a way to celebrate the end of the long journey. The Spanish word “presente,” translating to “present” in English, served as a symbol that those who have died along the borderlands are still with us in spirit.

Matthew Bridges drove in from Oakland, California, to take part in the walk.

“We’re here because we want to remember those who have died in the desert and those that the desert has taken because they are seeking a better life in this country,” Bridges said.

“We walk to remember them,” Bridges said.

After walking from the Sasabe border to Kennedy Park, Bridges said his perspective on the border changed.

“We saw military jets flying over head and we saw surveillance infrastructure,” Bridges said.

Despite favorable weather throughout the week, Bridges said participants still felt the exhaustion many migrants experience making the same walk.

“Still many in our group struggled with heat exhaustion and dehydration,” Bridges said.

Jamie Wilson reflected on the community’s mission and why the Migrant Trail group began its work 23 years ago.

“We walk as a community to avenge these deaths,” Wilson said.

“I wish to send a prayer to the families of these folks who perished in our borderlands,” Wilson said.

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

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By Chantaye Imani

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    BAKERSFIELD, California (KERO) — At just 16 years old, Samuel Carranza is graduating near the top of his class with a 4.0 GPA, college credits, and a clear vision for his future all through online education.

For Samuel, the road to success wasn’t always easy.

His school day begins at home, where online learning at IQ Academy in Los Angeles became the foundation of his academic achievements. But just a few years ago, he found himself struggling in school and unsure of what the future might hold.

“When I was in middle school, I was actually failing all my classes because ever since COVID, I’ve been online,” Carranza said.

Rather than allowing those challenges to define him, Samuel decided to set a goal for himself.

“It’s been a goal I’ve had since 9th grade,” he said. “It’s something me and my family talked about, and I was like, ‘I want a goal,’ and my goal was to graduate maybe a year early or two years early.”

Determined to make that happen, Carranza took advantage of online coursework, dual-enrollment opportunities, and a flexible learning schedule that allowed him to move ahead academically while still pursuing his interests outside the classroom.

“I feel like when you’re online, you have dedicated time to do hobbies and study what you like,” he said.

That dedication paid off.

Samuel is now graduating with a 4.0 GPA, earning college credits, and finishing among the top students in his class an accomplishment that once seemed out of reach.

His hard work has not gone unnoticed by those around him.

“He has grown academically,” said Spanish teacher John Molina. “He is respectful, dependable, and consistently motivated.”

While graduation marks a major milestone, Samuel is already looking ahead to his next chapter.

Inspired by a childhood fascination with firefighting and a desire to serve others, he is preparing for a future career as a firefighter.

“I used to watch this show called Fireman Sam. I really loved it,” Carranza said. “It always interested me. I love the trucks, and I really love helping out the community. I feel like it’s something I’d be good at.”

When asked what advice he would give to other young people, Samuel’s message was simple:

“Work hard, stay in school, and if you can believe, you can achieve.”

As graduation season continues, Samuel hopes his journey serves as a reminder that setbacks do not have to determine someone’s future. Through determination, hard work, and a willingness to embrace new opportunities, he has transformed academic struggles into success — and he’s just getting started.

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.