FLORIDA — News stories, no matter how happy or tragic, always come and go. But, for the people whose lives are most directly affected, they don’t simply slip from the headlines.
Some fight to overcome extreme adversity. Others spend their time helping those most in need.
Spectrum News catches up with some of the incredible individuals who taught us all a little bit about humanity this year.
After the Storm
From the scenes of storm surge devastation in Ft. Myers to the heart-wrenching images of homes underwater in Central Florida, Hurricane Ian left an indelible mark on our state. It also brought out the best in people whose first instinct was to help others.
Dalton Outlaw was among them. The owner of a fishing charter company, she turned her boat into a makeshift ferry, waking up before the sun for weeks to take stranded families to and from Sanibel Island.
In Central Florida, it wasn’t the storm surge but the record amounts of rain from Hurricane Ian that left behind so much soaking wet damage.
Flavio Kertzman and his family recently — and finally — found a new place of their own after being forced to rely on family, friends and AirBnBs for shelter. They still face a long road to recovery, but they could easily have lost their lives. When flood water stranded them in their Kissimmee rental home, they were rescued by a local rabbi.
From a rabbi’s heroism to a bishops’ resilience, Hurricane Ian revealed the best in so many faith-driven Floridians.
In Polk County, where a historically Black church flooded for the second time in recent memory, the man who normally leads his congregation in prayer now supervises a team of restoration volunteers.
People from the town of Frostproof urged Bishop George Grace to cut his losses and sell First Hilltop Baptist, but he told them God has a different plan.
Consequences of War
Natural disasters are one thing, but man-made catastrophes are another.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, the war hit home especially hard for Gary Israel. A family attorney, he’s been fighting to help one of his former students, who is risking his life on the brutal front lines.
And Gary Israel’s efforts didn’t stop with the deployment of his legal expertise. He even turned his Central Florida home into a refuge.
In the Bay area, the war in Ukraine has turned friends into family.
When Russian troops swarmed over that country’s borders, millions of its citizens fled for their lives. Among them were Katya Levchenko, her husband, Genya and their son, Danil, made their way to the U.S.
They met up with an old friend of Katya’s, who she knew from their university days together in Kyiv. Olena Herun owns a café in Dunedin, and she didn’t hesitate to open up her heart and her home.
Counting on Community
When flames gut a business, customers don’t always stick around. That was J. Henry’s biggest fear, after a fire destroyed his iconic Parramore barbershop.
But after 30 years of keeping his neighbors looking their best, J. Henry was able to count on the loyalty of a community he and his family are proud to call home.
Scoring Support
She may spend the games on the sidelines, but Raquel Caramello is no spectator. The high school cheerleader, who has Down syndrome, inspires everyone around her — on and off the field.
So, when she wanted to attend her high school’s homecoming dance, the football team came together with a heartwarming gesture of true inclusion and acceptance.
The biggest moments in sports create lifelong memories — but it’s not just the big games and trophies.
Meeting an idol can prove simply unforgettable.
Kameryn Metcalf’s encounter with his hero, Steph Curry, was one he and his family will remember forever.
One member of the family wasn’t there to witness it, though. His memory is honored every year, as part of a longstanding Metcalf holiday tradition.
Win or lose, the competition and comradery of sports serve to inspire millions of people around the world.
So, when a local basketball player faced a life-altering challenge off the court, her team and her community had her back.
Five years after receiving a devastating diagnosis, Sabrina Scott is living her dreams.
Going Places
When her father started picking strawberries 20 years ago as a migrant worker in Plant City, Alma Hernandez De La Cruz was just a baby.
Now, she’s getting ready to graduate from college — the first member of her family to do so.
It’s a pending accomplishment that fills her with pride, even as her ongoing responsibilities around the farm keep her feet firmly planted on the ground.
While most 15-year-olds look forward to purchasing their first car, one local Boy Scout was getting ready to buy a big yellow school bus.
A year-and-a-half later, Jackson Davis’ now bright blue donation to a food bank is helping many families in need.
Flying High
2022 fueled a renewed interest in space exploration, culminating with NASA’s first mission to the moon in five decades.
Bob Sieck, the head of spacecraft processing for Apollo, was there at the very beginning.
Now, with private companies joining the adventure, Sieck exudes excitement for what’s just over the horizon.
Welcome ‘Home’
It’s big. It’s beautiful. And it welcomes every travel-weary passenger who visits Tampa International Airport.
A massive, floor-to-ceiling flamingo has quickly become the visual centerpiece of air travel in the Bay area.
The 21-foot-tall sculpture, entitled “Home,” seems to be setting into its new home quite nicely.
