November 01, 2023 / By mobanmarket
ACROSS AMERICA — Software developer Kurt Gardiner was 52 when his lifestyle caught up with him.
The Hoboken, New Jersey, man knew when he woke up the morning of April 24, 2019, he’d had a stroke. His drooping right face in the mirror image before him confirmed it. He’d been drinking heavily the night before, Gardiner told Patch’s Caren Lissner. That, along with a slew of health issues that included diabetes, high blood pressure and personal tragedies, contributed to the stroke, he said.
“If I could give any advice, I would say, ‘never binge-drink like I did,’ ” he said. “But there are no do-overs in life.”
There are, however, start-overs. Gardiner had to learn to walk and climb stairs again. His gait still shows some of the effects of the stroke, “but I’m alive,” he said.
A photographer who has captured iconic Hoboken and New York City scenes with his camera, Gardiner also found a new calling. He turned the photos into coasters, which he sells at coffee shops, festivals and elsewhere around town. His ultimate goal is to sell his artwork full time. » A Patch Exclusive by Caren Lissner for Hoboken Patch
Not many people will make it to all of America’s 63 national parks in their lifetimes, but a little tumbleweed named Tripp will visit them all in a series of books by Dublin, California, elementary school teacher Christy Bray and her husband, Ed. Hiking enthusiasts, the Brays are checking off parks as they fulfill their bucket list to visit every national park, and to write a book that resonates with kids. “Once we saw the first park, Yellowstone, and the untouched beauty, it became sort of a drug for us — what can we see next and where?” Ed told Patch’s Michael Wittner. “We’ve been to about 13 of them, and our goal is to not write a book about a park until we’ve physically seen it, so we have our work cut out for us.” » A Patch Exclusive by Michael Wittner for Dublin Patch
Members of a children’s community theater group in Brick, New Jersey, are having an “it” moment after inspiring an internet meme with a promo of the upcoming production of “Finding Nemo Jr.” The video posted on TikTok shows Domenic Imnarella, who plays Nemo Jr., as he operates a puppet and sings “Where’s My Dad?” after the two become separated. The video is interactive, allowing TikTok users to choose the things they’d like help with from their own dads. “Everybody’s so happy and happy for him,” theater group president Kendra Zarilli told Patch’s Karen Wall. “He’s a great kid with a great personality.” » A Patch Exclusive by Karen Wall for Brick Patch
After a 12-year-old Dearborn, Michigan, boy was pushed off his bike by a 29-year-old man who stole it and rode away, a state representative who represents the city bought the boy new wheels. Rep. Alabas Farhat, who saw video of the assault and theft, told Patch’s Dylan Siwicki it was “tragic to see a child manhandled” and he figured that with “all these serious issues” the kid’s parents had to deal with, replacing the bike shouldn’t be among them. Also, Farhat said, it was an opportunity for him to show why Dearborn is regarded as a city where people look out for each other. » A Patch Exclusive by Dylan Siwicki for Dearborn Patch
As she fought breast cancer, Long Island’s Christina Mathieson-Segura discovered her purpose. “It’s awful, don’t get me wrong,” she told Patch’s Jerry Barmash. She shared her journey in video clips that make up the documentary film “You’ll Be OK, Too” — the title a nod to the message Mathieson-Segura yearned to hear as she fought cancer in the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. She interviewed 26 women, learning that “many women didn’t have the people resources that I had.” She hopes the film will reassure others in similar circumstances “that whatever you’re feeling, you have every right to feel” and that “there’s no prescription for how you’re supposed to deal with this.” » A Patch Exclusive by Jerry Barmash for Garden City Patch
Achunike Okafor isn’t just smart. A senior at Science Park High School in Newark, he finished with an incredible 4.625 grade point average, the highest ever in New Jersey’s largest public high school and earned himself full rides to dozens of the nation’s top colleges, including several Ivy League institutions. Okafor picked Harvard, where he plans to pursue a neuroscience degree. “I am grateful for the opportunity to attend such esteemed universities and to represent my family and community,” Okafor said. “I do not take lightly the privilege and responsibility to be among the few individuals selected for such an honor.” » By Eric Kiefer for Newark Patch
Anyone digging through mounting complaints about airlines won’t find the names of Lawryn and Joe Fellwock. The newlyweds got to go on their honeymoon because a flight attendant and other Delta Air Lines employees went beyond what was expected of them. They were already in the air and bound for San Juan, Puerto Rico, when Lawryn realized she had left her passport at home. Without it, she wouldn’t be able to board her honeymoon cruise. That’s when flight attendant Dusty Dills came up with a plan that ultimately saved the honeymoon. “The whole experience was surreal,” Lawryn said. “Joe and I were desperate to find a way to save our honeymoon and right when we thought we were out of options, Dusty offers his personal time to help us out.” She said the gesture was “the best wedding gift.” » By Anna Schier for Detroit Patch
Blossom, a heifer that police chased through Niles, Illinois, after a senior class prank went south, has been adopted into a life where no one will sell her on Craigslist, the social media site where the students bought her and a pig they brought to school for the prank, along with chickens some brought from home. Blossom was having none of it and escaped, leading police from two departments on a chase. Of the heifer’s adoption, the Hooved Animal Humane Society in Woodstock, Illinois, said on social media: “This sweet girl has truly blossomed. … Have a happy life, sweet girl, you deserve it.” » By Eric DeGrechie for Glenview Patch
Rat sightings in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, are down more than 10 percent from last year, which borough leaders say provides some evidence humans are winning in the latest skirmish in the “war on rats.” However, Patch’s Emily Rahhal reports, the battle isn’t over. “The front line of our war on rats is at the all-you-can-eat buffet of black trash bags, and thanks to hard work across this administration, we’re cutting that buffet off,” said Kathleen Corradi, director of Citywide Rodent Mitigation. » A Patch Exclusive by Emily Rahhal for Bed-Stuy Patch
In other species news, Otter 841 is still ducking authorities who have deemed the surfboard-stealing weasel off the coast of Santa Cruz, California, too aggressive to remain free. Otter 841, whose antics have catapulted her to internet fame, was spotted Thursday in the kelp forests, doing what good otters do, feeding on the sea urchins that would destroy the vital resource. » By Beth Dalbey for Santa Cruz Patch
Pods of orcas are rarely seen in Florida waters, as they seem to prefer colder waters. But there was no mistaking what a group fishing off the coast of Key Largo, and some people even put on their snorkeling gear and joined the whales in the water in a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The orcas were feeding, and at one point, one of them came out of the water with a huge piece of meat in its mouth. “This ain’t SeaWorld, folks,” one person can be heard saying on a video posted on social media by Mike Slaughter, who told a local television station, “You could smell it, it was really cool.” Be sure to click the link to see the video. » By Tiffany Razzano for Miami Patch
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