High school student helps set world swimming record

Indian Hill High School’s Jason Zhao helps set the world swimming record.( Indian Hill School District)

Cincinnati

An Ohio high school student helped set a world swimming record with Team USA.

According to the Indian Hill School District, student-athlete Jason Zhao was one of more than 600 swimmers from more than 100 countries competing at the 2023 World Junior Swimming Championship in Netanya, Israel.

Zhao anchored the junior world record relay in the 4x100-meter freestyle for Team USA. He swam a 48.64 to help the team set the world junior record.

“I am super honored to have the opportunity to represent the United States on the international level,” Zhao said. “A huge thank you to all my teammates, coaches, and support staff on Team USA!”

In August, Zhao also won the 2023 Summer Junior National Championship 100-meter freestyle with a time of 49.39, making him the fifth-fastest 15-16-year-old in history.

Additionally, Zhao made history as a sophomore during the Division II state swimming and diving meet. He was on both state-winning relays and broke the state record to earn an individual state champion title with a time of 4:24.01 in the 500-yard freestyle.

“We continue to be fortunate to have some of the best student-athletes not only in the country but in the world!” Indian Hill Athletic Director Brian Phelps said.

The Indian Hill Board of Education will celebrate Zhao during a regularly scheduled meeting next week.

“Jason Zhao is as good of a young man as he is a world record-setting swimmer. We continue to be proud of his accomplishments and are excited to see him perform for our AquaBraves this winter season!”

‘There are no words’: Mother of 5 dies after suffering rare childbirth complication

Family members in Oklahoma say a mother of five died following a rare childbirth complication. (GoFundMe)

A mother in Oklahoma has reportedly died following a rare childbirth complication.

According to several reports, 35-year-old Kelli Tyler died last Wednesday after giving birth to her fifth child.

Tyler’s mother, Julie Roach, shared that her daughter “suffered an amniotic embolism which is rare and usually fatal.”

The hospital team “went above and beyond to save her,” according to Roach. However, after two hours, doctors pronounced the 35-year-old deceased.

“The pain of losing my child is indescribable. There are no words,” Roach said.

Tyler leaves behind five children ages 16, 12, 11, 9 and a newborn. Her baby girl was unresponsive after being delivered but is expected to survive after receiving specialized care, according to the girl’s grandmother.

“Baby J had trauma and was sent to a nearby hospital for specialized help in order to hopefully prevent brain damage. I am happy to say she is beginning to thrive,” Roach shared. “The long-term effects will not be known for a while though.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, an amniotic fluid embolism is a dangerous and life-threatening complication that occurs during delivery or shortly after giving birth.

Amniotic fluid embolism is very difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be similar to other serious complications during childbirth. Its exact cause is unknown, and it’s very rare.

Roach has started a GoFundMe since losing her daughter to help raise money for the children the late mother left behind.

“The current and future needs for all will include items such as groceries, clothes, diapers, school needs and more,” Roach wrote. “These children are my priority. Baby J will learn about her mother. But my heart is broken for all of them. Thank you very much.”

17-year-old paralyzed after diving into shallow pool, family says

Landon Elder, 17, has reportedly been hospitalized with severe injuries after diving into a shallow pool. (GoFundMe)

Cobb County, Ga.

A Georgia teen is reportedly fighting for his life after a diving accident happened over the summer.

Landon Elder, 17, has been in the intensive care unit at the Wellstar Kennestone Hospital since July 28, according to Sharon Byrd, who has created a GoFundMe account.

Byrd says the 17-year-old is her daughter’s boyfriend and she is organizing the fundraiser on behalf of the Elder family.

She said he was severely injured after hitting his head on the bottom of a shallow pool, breaking his neck and nearly drowning.

He was taken to the hospital after the accident, but Byrd says it has left him paralyzed from the chest down.

“Landon continues to be in the ICU, he knows he is paralyzed and is very afraid and fighting every single day for his life,” Byrd wrote.

Elder has reportedly needed multiple surgeries along with going through physical therapy.

“Landon has severe lung damage and is in a fight for his life,” Byrd shared. “Landon was a healthy 17-year-old boy having fun and now his life has been changed forever in a moment.”

Last weekend, Byrd updated Elder’s recovery. She said he is still struggling with his breathing and having a hard time speaking but hospital staff were able to get him some fresh air by wheeling him outside.

“Landon got to go see the sky the other day and that was awesome for him. He also started a little bit of physical therapy,” Byrd shared.

According to Byrd, the 17-year-old unfortunately still has no feeling from his chest down but the family is remaining positive.

“Hopefully, that will change soon! I know our God is awesome and can work miracles,” Byrd wrote.

Loved ones have thanked everyone for the support the family has already received while Elder continues his recovery.

“We love him, and I know you do too!” Byrd shared. “Thank you so much for donating to help with the many medical expenses this family is going to have.”

Video shows officer pulling man from burning truck before it explodes on interstate

Salisbury police released a video showing one of its officers rescuing a truck driver from a burning vehicle. (Source: Salisbury Police Department)

Salisbury, N.C.

An officer in North Carolina is being praised for his heroic actions.

According to the Salisbury Police Department, Lt. Corey Brooks rescued a truck driver from a burning tractor-trailer on Interstate 85 on Aug. 8.

This week, the department shared a video that was captured from the scene that evening.

Police said Brooks was responding after hours to a separate incident that night when he observed a truck hit the retaining wall and catch fire.

Brooks stopped and ran to the truck’s cab, where he found the driver, Michael Williams, unconscious.

He immediately called the incident in over his police radio but did not wait for assistance before springing into action.

Brooks pulled the man from the burning truck with the help of another driver before the truck’s cabin could be seen exploding.

As first responders arrived, the truck driver started to gain consciousness. He was then transported to the Wake Forest Baptist Hospital.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

Brooks has been a part of the Salisbury Police Department since 2001.

Mother of 4 warns other parents after finding twins suffocated in toy chest

A mother in Florida is spreading awareness after she says her twins were found suffocated in a toy chest. (Sadie Myers | Facebook)

Jacksonville, Fla.

A Florida mother says she is sharing her tragic story of losing her twins in hopes of helping other parents.

Sadie Myers said her 4-year-old twins recently suffocated in a toy chest while they slept.

“Not many will know the pain of losing two children at the same time and losing them in a way that makes no sense,” Myers shared.

According to Myers, last Friday night, the twins and her other two children were put to bed by their father, Don Starr.

She said at some point during the overnight hours, the twins woke each other up and started playing.

According to the mother, this was nothing unusual, as they usually woke up and played with one another before falling back asleep amongst their toys.

But this time, they fell asleep in their toy chest.

“They decided to snuggle up and go back to sleep in their cedar toy chest that we use to store all their stuffed animals,” Myers shared. “They pulled out all but a couple of stuffed animals. I guess they left some to keep it comfy in there, then they laid inside from head to toe with one arm each over.”

However, during their sleep, one of them must have moved or kicked during a dream, causing the lid of the old wooden cedar chest to close, Myers said.

According to Myers, the wooden toy chest closed on them and made it airtight and unfortunately soundproof.

“As they slept, all snuggled up together, they slowly ran out of oxygen within a couple of hours and passed away. They never even knew it was happening. There was no sudden gasp for air, it was a very slow transition from sleep to passing on,” she shared.

Myers said they discovered the twins’ bodies when she woke up the next morning while getting ready for work.

She said the family got worried when the twins were not in their beds.

“We all immediately started panicking, yelling for them, turning the house upside down, then Axton [one of her other children] yelled, “Mommy I found them! They are so silly just sleeping in the toy box,’” Myers said.

But the mother of four said she could tell something wasn’t right, “and within a few seconds quickly realized it was already too late.”

Myers said the twins’ death doesn’t make sense to her right now, but she hopes in some way her story can help other parents from experiencing the same tragedy.

“I hope knowing this helps in some way, and I hope if you have a toy box like this that you destroy it immediately!!!” the mother shared.

Myers’ sister has started a GoFundMe on behalf of the family.

“My beautiful sister and her wonderful husband were devastated a few days ago by the unexpected, incomprehensible loss of both of their beautiful 4-year-old twins in a tragic accident,” Deanna Myers wrote.

She added, “Please help me raise whatever it takes for these two amazing parents and their two remaining children to be able to grieve together without worrying about going back to work right away or stressing about coming up with money to pay bills or final expenses.”

The Myers family has thanked everyone for the support they have already received.

“I want to thank EVERYONE for your kind words and for all the support and donations given. You all have no idea what it means to me and my family to know there are so many people out there that care so deeply,” Sadie Myers shared in an update this week.