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Tag: Julie Gargotta

  • Central Florida nurse’s weight loss journey inspires daughter

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — One Apopka mother drew strength from hurdles to transform her life and show up for her daughter in ways she never imagined possible. 

    “Yes, I’m competing and lost weight. But, out of everything I’ve done, she’s my biggest success,” said Jwan Nguyen, referring to her daughter. “She’s the one who motivates me to keep going.”

    What You Need To Know

    • Jwan Nguyen battled with weight issues for years before undergoing a gastric bypass                                    

    • The nurse committed herself to the gym, losing more than 180 lbs.

    • She recently placed fourth in the “Transformation” division of Summer Shredding competition in Texas

    • Nguyen’s journey inspires her daughter, an 11-year-old competitive gymnast


    Nguyen lost more than 180 lbs, placing fourth in a recent Summer Shredding competition held in Houston, Texas, and adding another medal to her now-growing collection.

    But, it’s what she overcame to walk across the stage that serves as inspiration for her competitive gymnast daughter, Elodie.

    Nguyen lost her mother, who was often sick when she was a child, at the age of 16. For a period of time, Nguyen was homeless.

    She was also the first in her family to go to college and as an adult, battled with weight issues, and later dealt with infertility.

    “I felt like by the time I got to rescue a patient, I was the one who needed oxygen because I couldn’t make it there. I thought, ‘How can I take care of someone and save their life if I’m not taking care of myself?’” she said.

    Nguyen decided to make a change, and underwent gastric bypass surgery. And while it was the gateway to a healthier life, it was her grit and determination to hit her local Planet Fitness gym in Winter Garden — for hours each day, five to seven days per week — that propelled extensive weight loss.

    After hiring a coach, she began entering Summer Shredding competitions, entering the Transformation Division, which she explained is not about perfection, but progress.

    “I wanted to challenge myself, to see exactly what I could do with my body. I was inspired by the people on the stage like, ‘Let’s see if I can do this … pushing myself to see what I can do in the newfound body,” she said. “I spent so much of my life being unhealthy. I didn’t have the self-esteem, the self-confidence to go out and enjoy life. Thank God this has given me a newfound confidence.”

    Now, Nguyen cheers on Elodie, who competes at levels eight and nine, as the 11-year-old cheers in tandem for her mother.

    “She’s always like, ‘I’ll do my workout because even if I don’t want to do it, I’ll get better,’” said the girl, adding, “I’m proud about that because now she has more opportunities to do more things.”

    “I’m just ready to go there and kick butt, hopefully bring home the trophy,” said Nguyen. “Show my daughter and everybody else that if you want something hard enough, push hard enough, you’ll get there.”

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    Julie Gargotta

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  • Dr. Phillips senior earns international JROTC accolade

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orlando student set herself apart from the pack, earning top honors and a global distinction of a top cadet in the world.

    What You Need To Know

    • Student Mayra Feliciano is in charge of more than 300 cadets at Dr. Phillips High School

    • She found focus and discipline in the school’s JROTC program, bolstering her dream of one day flying fighter planes

    • JROTC Senior Instructor Lt. Col. Rick Proctor nominated Feliciano for the accolade

    • The senior beat out 95,000 cadets across the world to be recognized as Cadet of the Year

    “I found a lot more about myself, things I could do, the things I struggle on and what I’m good at,” said Mayra Feliciano, who is now a senior at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando. “You don’t have to go to the military after it, but it teaches a lot of discipline and a lot of other things: time management, skills for the real world.”

    Feliciano stumbled upon the JROTC program while attending a high school choice fair, curious about a “kid in a flight suit.”

    But she spent the past three years intensely focused on the program, while sprinkling in other activities — from after-school clubs to leadership development.

    She’s now a cadet colonel of the Air Force JROTC program, in charge of about 300 cadets at the school, and serves as point person for training her fellow cadets.

    JROTC senior instructor Lt. Col. Rick Proctor steadily watched Feliciano grow in her knowledge and self assurance. He decided to nominate her for the Cadet of the Year award.

    “It makes me come to tears thinking about it because I’m so happy for her and what she’s accomplished,” he said. “And that’s what this program is about. This is about Mayra Feliciano being herself. I could just see the dedication and the focus in her, and it helps knowing somebody’s like that, anybody’s like that.”

    As if edging out the competition of 95,000 cadets from the United States to Japan was not enough, Feliciano spent the summer on a $30,000 scholarship at a local flight academy, earning her private pilot’s certificate at the age of 17.

    “It was pretty cool to say I was flying over the summer, while other kids were playing video games,” she said, breaking out in a grin.

    The high schooler said she’s relishing her last year at Dr. Phillips High, but she’s focused more on the future than the present. She’s dreaming of attending a school like Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, flying fighter jets in the military and helping her single mother get on better financial footing.

    “I want to help them have an easy life. I don’t want them to work until old age,” Feliciano said of her mother and grandmother. “I’m going to be 18, out in the real world, paying taxes in a year or two. I gotta find a way to sustain myself and help my family out. We have a connection. It makes it easier because we are there for each other.”

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    Julie Gargotta

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  • Despite serious diagnoses, young woman carries on crochet business

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — There are times the life we imagine for ourselves is at odds with our reality.

    But, Mei Ashton isn’t letting her reality, dealing with various health concerns — diagnoses of four rare illnesses — dim her light nor crush her endless optimism.

    “I think you should also say what good is happening to you than what bad, then you can also say, ‘This could be worse,’” she said.

    What You Need To Know

    • Doctors diagnosed Mei Ashton with gastroparesis, a delayed stomach emptying, as a teen

    • She suffered from debilitating pain, and was unable to walk across her high school graduation stage

    • Ashton leaned upon her single mother, as well as research into nutrition to tackle her illness

    • She began crocheting for comfort, but turned the pastime into a small business

    Several years ago, around the age of 15, the teenager suddenly found herself in constant great pain. When she wasn’t performing, singing on stage at places like the Dr. Phillips Center, or participating in an array of after-school activities, Ashton was enduring testing and doctors’ appointments. 

    Eventually, she was diagnosed with gastroparesis, a debilitating condition characterized by delayed emptying of the stomach and pain digesting food.

    “What was the hardest was watching her go through it and not be able to give her any answers,” said her mother, Jeannie Lee. “She suffered a lot, not being able to sleep, not being able to eat.”

    It launched Ashton, as well as her mother, on a journey of researching best practices, nutritional advice and non-surgical options — as Ashton worried about the potential risks associated with surgery. She tried holistic medicine, acupuncture, anything to relieve the pain.

    “The second I was diagnosed, I began researching what I can consume,” Ashton said. “I consume about 90 percent liquid, maybe 10 percent food. If I lose too much weight, I might risk having a feeding tube.”

    Later, all the teenager’s concerns were amplified as she was diagnosed with three other rare conditions, revolving around her arteries, connective tissue and renal veins.

    The situation was so dire that Ashton left school, opting to take online classes. Though she graduated early, she could not walk across the stage for her high school graduation.

    But everything turned around as Ashton found her own path forward.

    Behind her, a wall of memories from past trips with her mother serve as motivation to continue pushing forward. (Spectrum News/Julie Gargotta)

    She began walking after meals to stimulate digestion, honed her diet with supplements and carried her blender with her everywhere she went. She got brave, toting along the blender to foreign countries as she proudly displayed her graduation cap with a favorite quote from the movie, Mama Mia: “Life is short, the world is wide. I wanna make some memories.”

    Eventually, Ashton dropped from taking more than a dozen pills per day to zero.

    And she found a new outlet for her creativity, leaning into a hobby she picked up during the pandemic, as a way to find comfort and community: crocheting.

    “When I think of crochet, I think of relaxation, creativity. Really churns the gears in your head,” she said. 

    Ashton started selling crocheted goods at various places, from an online Etsy store to her favorite boba shop owned by a family friend. 

    She also designs patterns for crocheters around the world, with her mother explaining that more than 2,000 people in 65 countries have signed up for her daughter’s free patterns.

    “It’s like a musician that writes notes and sells music sheets,” she said. “She channeled a lot of her frustration into something good….So decided to build something out of it.”

    Locally, the teen curated a community of crocheters, teaching them her methods — for crafting and for getting through challenging times, be it teenage years or serious health concerns.

    It’s a gift, her mother described, that her daughter is capable of persevering and staying positive, even in dire situations.

    “She’s always been one to look on the bright side of things, never once seen herself as a victim. She has always wanted to one-up life,” Lee said. “She has grit that most people don’t have. It would be easier to have a feeding tube. And a lot of people don’t think she’s as sick as she is, because she makes it look so easy.”

    “A lot of people don’t realize how much one may be suffering when they don’t see, so I think by also bringing the awareness of rare diseases, people who have them feel talked about, they feel seen,” Ashton explained.

    The road has not been easy. Ashton is still, at times, overcome with the same insecurities many teenagers face—and then some due to her condition. She wonders aloud what it would be like to have a relationship, go on dates, and pines for the freedom of going out to restaurants or picking up fast food with her friends.

    Yet, Ashton’s manifesting a life for herself that is not defined by her health conditions, leaning on life lessons her single mother taught her, as well as what she learned thus far about herself to propel her forward.

    “If I keep thinking, I’m never going to get better, my stomach is going to get worse.… If I say, ‘I will get better, I will heal,’ I will find a way to be better,” she said. “I think I’ll always feel slightly insecure about the fact I am different than others and have rare diseases, but then I have to find that as a superpower. I’m able to cope with it all and figure out how to live my life with it.”

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    Julie Gargotta

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  • Harbor House’s work in domestic violence stands as legacy for feminist pioneer

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    ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — What Barbara Moore pushed for in the 1970s was novel: She wanted to tackle domestic violence head-on and providing resources to save lives.

    What You Need To Know

    • Barbara Moore turned her personal pain into a pioneering fight against domestic violence in the 1970s

    • Harbor House, the predecessor of the organization founded by Moore, is now the largest domestic violence shelter in Florida

    • The legacy of Moore’s activism has empowered generations, but challenges in combating domestic violence remain

    • The future vision for Harbor House includes broader education and mentorship to stop violence before it starts

    But, according to her daughter, Moore lived by her own rulebook.

    “She was a feminist. It was her mission to get people in crisis the help they needed,” Melissa Moore said. “I’m very proud for her, very proud of her contribution.”

    Barbara founded Spouse Abuse Inc., which would go on to become Harbor House. Five decades ago, she healed from her divorce by helping others in Central Florida and championing a cause that was, at the time, progressive.

    “Most people thought that violence in the home was a private family affair and resented her for bringing it up,” Melissa said. “So it was courageous of her to call out domestic violence in the 1970s.”

    As a child, Melissa was right by her mother’s side, even meeting social activist Gloria Steinem. 

    And some things Melissa saw all those years ago still stick with her to this day. 

    “We did keep families in our home. We had a spare bedroom, to hide them,” she said. “As an adult, I look back on it and am like, ‘That was kind of crazy,’ because you can see how dangerous it is.”

    But Harbor House today is much more than a crisis hotline, which happened to be the first step Barbara took in creating Spouse Abuse Inc.

    It’s also bigger than a protected 9-acre campus — with 136 beds, it’s the largest domestic violence shelter under one roof.

    According to the nonprofit’s chief executive officer, Michelle Sperzel, Harbor House also works alongside public defenders and attorneys from the fifth floor of the Orange County courthouse to help those escaping from domestic violence situations file injunctions.

    “A lot of times, when people think of domestic violence, they think of people who need to flee,” Sperzel said. “That’s absolutely true. But it’s one part of all the puzzle pieces that need to come together.” 

    As Harbor House eyes the future and the creation of an essential “one-stop shop” for domestic violence assistance — or a family justice center — it is leaning into partnerships with law enforcement and the clerk of courts. Additionally, it is partnering up with Orange County Public Schools to teach students about healthy relationships — and the organization’s leaders hope to create a mentoring program to help stop violence before it starts.

    “All of us have continued that good work together,” Sperzel said. “People say it takes a village to raise children. It takes a community to help people navigate through a domestic violence situation.”

    Meanwhile, in the Tampa Bay area, CASA, the Citrus County Abuse Shelter, opened a family justice center in 2022 in St. Petersburg. It’s the only such center in the state of Florida at the moment, providing survivors with on-site childcare, legal advice, mental health counselors and other resources.

    Per CASA coordinators, domestic violence survivors also get matched with advocates so they can tell their story just once — and avoid being re-traumatized.

    As for the woman in Central Florida who started it all, surviving paralysis from polio as a child and later going on to obtain her master’s degree at what is now the University of Central Florida, the life of an activist was not easy. Barbara Moore died in 1991 from pancreatic cancer.

    But Melissa said what her mother she did five decades ago has her thanking her lucky stars — and her mother, Barbara — to this day. 

    “And if it weren’t for her generation’s feminist activism, I wouldn’t have been able to own my own house, gotten my own bank accounts or pursue any career that interests me,” she said.

    On the future of Harbor House, Melissa said: “Ultimately, I would like for it to be unnecessary. But we’re a long way away from that.”

    Harbor House’s 24-hour crisis hotline is 407-886-2856.

    For anyone in need of help in the Tampa Bay area, CASA’s 24-hour hotline is 727-895-4912. Outside Pinellas County, the number is 800-500-1119.

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    Julie Gargotta

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  • Goodwill Scholar shares secrets to success

    Goodwill Scholar shares secrets to success

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — No matter who you are, at some point in your life, you are faced with obstacles.

    For one Central Florida man, that hurdle came in the form of a language barrier — and a lack of confidence in himself.

    But when Ismael Hernandez leaned into his new position at Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, the roadblocks began to melt away.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Ismael Hernandez moved from Puerto Rico in 2018

    •  He lacked confidence in his English language skills — and in himself — but found his way to Goodwill

    •  The organization built his confidence, and eventually, Hernandez earned promotions

    • He’s now taking advantage of the Goodwill Scholars program and going back to school


    “I was able to gain trust upon myself and change my mindset,” he said.

    Hernandez started at Goodwill in January 2020. The now production team leader for the Lake Nona store oversees textile productions in the warehouse.

    But four years ago, he could’ve never imagined himself leading a team, especially concerned about his English language skills.

    “Since Goodwill was my first job, it was little bit impossible in my thinking at that time I could be a leader in management,” he said. “English not being my first language, it was a little bit difficult at the beginning. I didn’t learn English until my elementary and middle school in Puerto Rico.”

    Over time working at the store, Hernandez said that his confidence — and vocabulary — grew. He took on new roles and opportunities.

    More recently, he embraced a new challenge: returning to school to gain a bachelor’s degree in business and organizational leadership — on the organization’s dime.

    “For a lot of our students who are getting their degrees, their associate, bachelor’s, master’s, we’re paying for their school, and many of them are going through debt-free,” said Danika Hansen, speaking of the Goodwill Scholars program.

    Hansen, the prosperity planner team lead, said the program is open to all part-time and full-time Goodwill employees, with the organization footing up to $5,250 per calendar year for any trade or collegiate program.

    For Hernandez, connecting with Goodwill Scholars was a life-changing experience.

    “He wanted to go back to school so he could get a better job in the future,” Hansen said. “He started going to Valencia to get his bachelor’s degree. It’s helped him with his education and experience in the store, being able to move up, but also his confidence in knowing what he wants to do with his life.”

    For the man who once suffered from a lack of confidence, the shift in even his own perspective was a welcome surprise that is now paying dividends. He hopes to graduate in December 2025.

    “Knowing that I can do more than what I’m thinking I was able to accomplish … always see the big picture and always try new things,” he said. “Always believe in yourself … and push yourself to the next level.”

    Per the organization, 176 Goodwill Scholars across the six-county Central Florida region have been served with some sort of scholarship assistance.

     

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    Julie Gargotta

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  • Polk County teen sets his sights on ambitious goal: Diving in Antarctica

    Polk County teen sets his sights on ambitious goal: Diving in Antarctica

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    John Humphrey is preparing for the trip of a lifetime: diving and doing scientific research in the coldest place in the world, Antarctica.

    What You Need To Know

    •  A local 15-year-old is pursuing a wide range of interests, from diving to flying planes

    •  John Humphrey’s latest goal is diving in the coldest place on Earth

    • He will be part of a team conducting scientific research while in Antarctica
    • Humphreys’ larger life goal is to one day become an astronaut

    “He’s impressive to watch,” Humphreys’ mother, Nicole, said. “It’s awesome, but it’s quite a journey. With every success, there’s trial and error, frustration, let downs. The other side is to watch him go through it and keep such an amazing attitude.”

    Humphreys has been filling his schedule in a variety of ways, committing to more than most — from 4H to volunteer work. Other days, the 15-year-old tackles other high-octane pursuits, like flying his first solo flight at the age of 14, diving to work on coral restoration projects, or rappelling down walls at Flaming Arrow Boy Scout camp, where he also serves as a counselor.

    His mother said that she realized from a young age her son was serious about his goals, and it would require a commitment on her part that included homeschooling and focusing on experiential learning in order to aid him in his pursuits.

    Humphreys received an invitation this past fall, which stopped Nicole in her tracks. Instead of diving with the SCUBAnauts in Lake Denton outside of Sebring as part of his work to become a MasterNaut, her son’s invitation was to dive with a team this February in Antartica, where he would learn about climate change.

    The team’s scientific research would be shared with universities, potentially even NASA, with the dive live-steamed back to classrooms throughout the state. Humphreys would also be the youngest on board — and one of the youngest ever on such an expedition, which commemorates the 150 years since the HMS Challenger crossed the southern polar circle.

    “He has really gone to a whole other level with this,” Nicole said. “Because he’s 15, there are only certain courses he can take, age restrictions, you have to be 18 to do certain things, but the knowledge is amazing. He has learned so much in these last couple of months.”

    As he considered the proposal to join the expedition, Humphreys quickly realized the price tag — $60,000 — would pose a significant hurdle.

    But instead of being discouraged by the cost, Humphreys’ mother said he began feverishly applying for grants, awards, contests and the family also set up a GoFundMe account.

    “She was like, ‘Man, how is that going to happen?’ It seems so expensive, especially when I put the budget together,” Humphreys said with a smile. “I told her if 6,000 people donate $10 dollars, I’m done there.”

    For now, Humphreys continues to prepare for the scientific expedition, diving in chilly waters, like those of Buffalo, N.Y., and learning about new gear, which will be his shield against the sub-zero temperatures of Antarctica.

    “I think the moment I become deterred is the moment things become not possible … for me, failure is just not an option,” he said. “Doing a lot of extreme things I do, scuba diving, flying, it gives you the mindset that failure is not an option.”

    GoFundMe.com, or any other third-party online fundraiser, is not managed by Spectrum Bay News 9 or Spectrum News 13. For more information on how GoFundMe works and its rules, visit http://www.gofundme.com/safety.

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    Julie Gargotta

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  • Catching up with Floridians whose stories inspired us in 2023

    Catching up with Floridians whose stories inspired us in 2023

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    FLORIDA — As we reach the holiday season’s peak and look back at a year that brought happy times for many people but major struggles for even more, the stories of those who found the strength to overcome adversity often make the most inspiring impression.

    Spectrum News catches up with some of the incredible individuals who taught us all a little bit about the best of humanity in 2023.

    Storm devastation reveals strength of spirit

    When Category 4 Hurricane Idalia stormed Florida’s Big Bend, it sent destructive storm surge into the Tampa Bay area and left parts of Central Florida flooded.

    The floors of Beatrice Hall’s Rubonia home buckled and collapsed, but the great grandmother stood tall. She made fast friends with David Couzens, when he generously brought her a new refrigerator.

    Days later, when a fall landed Hall in the hospital for 60 days, Couzens and a friend got to work, making her home safe to live in once again.

    Some parts of hurricane recovery occur pretty rapidly, and areas that avoid a storm’s most destructive effects can sometimes slip from the headlines even fasterIn Orlo Vista, it didn’t take long for the waist-high flood waters to recede from Willie Wright Jr.’s family home on Hope Circle, but he’s been working to repair all the damage for more than a year.

    Help from neighbors and kindhearted strangers meant the world in the beginning. Now, Wright’s mission to move his father back into the home he built decades ago fuels his determination to complete the massive task at hand.

    Life’s obstacles provide unique perspectives

    At 15 years old, Jasmine Zipperer found herself in the foster care system. When she aged out and faced the prospect of figuring life out all alone, she found a place to call home — and a family to help her prepare for the opportunities and responsibilities of adulthood.

    It’s all because of a former NFL player, who was adopted by a loving family when he was just a week old. Jeff Faine says he always felt an obligation to share his blessings and give back. So he and his wife opened Faine House for 18-23-year-olds on the verge of homelessness.

    When James McCallum was born with a large, bulging birthmark on his neck and back, his parents didn’t know how it would affect him. But after three surgeries and numerous trips to his doctor in Chicago, the two-year-old continues to inspire with his simply effortless smiles.

    The painful process may not yet be over, but the McCallum family is certainly looking to the future. James’ mom, Kaitlyn, is pregnant.

    She shared the moment of concern they made their way through, wondering if their second child would face the same struggles as their first. Then, they realized — they would just have to follow James’ example.

    At this time last year, Janet Thompson had just undergone surgery for stage 1 pancreatic cancer and was scheduled to start chemotherapy right after Christmas. 

    The treatment took an expectedly harsher toll than she expected, but Thompson fought her way to ringing the cancer-free bell.

    With her follow-up scans since then all giving her a clean bill of health, she’s back in the holiday spirit at her home in Titusville and grateful for life’s simply joys — like gathering with family in the kitchen to decorate Christmas cookies.

    Culture fuels entrepreneurial purpose

    Floridians are from everywhere, and that natural diversity of culture has cooked up a wide range of culinary options in small towns and big cities across the state.

    An Orlando restaurant is serving up Filipino food that feeds a growing sense of community and is turning its small bungalow-style building into somewhat of a cultural center.

    Milosz Gasior doesn’t speak much — but he doesn’t have to. The 2023 Gibbs High School graduate has developed a remarkable talent for talking with 88 black and white keys that, his mother hopes, will open doors to a bright and successful future.

    Gasior has autism and is mostly non-verbal.

    With prospects for holding down a job after graduation unlikely to manifest, he was connected with a professional musician who has since gotten him several paid piano gigs. 

    Good people find cool ways to help

    Reasons for helping others vary as much as the ways people go about doing it.

    For Brian Farr, a family tragedy moved him to put smiles on the faces of some incredible children — and keep them safe.

    His daughter, Maddie, died three years ago. She had White-Sutton syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder, that caused her many difficulties in life. But every Friday night, they would head to the pool for swimming lessons, loving every minute of it.

    Farr created a foundation in his daughter’s name to help special needs children learn swimming safety.

    Now, Maddie’s legacy and love of the water lives on through other kids.

    At 10-years-old, Greshaun Dabrezil has already made quite a name for himself.

    You can call him “Cooler Boy.” It’s a moniker he both relishes and counts on to continue his mission, which is as simple as it is successful.

    Dabrezil is a decorated gymnast and certainly understands the importance of hydration. So when he noticed the people who spend hot days on street corners, he decided to help.

    For a while now, he has been handing out free bottles of water and leaving coolers at bus stops around Orlando. Each one has a straightforward sign on the handle. And Dabrezil isn’t finished. He hopes to partner with Lynx to put coolers on buses, too. 

    Sports can facilitate healing

    On a sports field, the prospect of injury always lingers. But when an athlete gets badly hurt away from the game, sport can drive them down the road toward recovery. 

    Mona Rodriguez was a professional soccer player, and fitness has always been paramount. She was riding her motorcycle to the gym, when a driver making a turn didn’t see her. 

    Rodriguez woke up in the hospital with multiple major injuries — but her spirit never shattered.

    Now, she lives by a simple mantra, and she’s using soccer to regain her mobility.

    When a player suffers a personal loss, teammates often help heal the invisible wounds. 

    Bella Rodrigues was a flag football star at Robinson High School, where she helped lead the team to their 7th-straight championship her senior year. She did that while dealing with the loss of her father, who died of cancer during the season.

    The Knights, and the rest of the school, rallied around her.

    Now, even though she’s in college, Rodrigues loves to return and just enjoy a grueling workout with her family.

    Faith inspires grand transformations

    From barber to YouTube star, life looks a lot different for Travis Settineri these days.

    He spent 18 years cutting hair for a living, but decided to take a leap of faith. He put a longtime passion for filming to use and started a channel focused on spreading kindness around Plant City and Lakeland.

    A year-and-a-half later, he’s introducing his almost 4 million subscribers to the many different people he meets and helps with food, finances and shelter.

    The massive following has given him the financial freedom to expand and focus all his time on making a difference.

    When a group of teenage boys dove into Spring Bayou in January on a quest to retrieve the Epiphany cross, they continued a 118-year Tarpon Springs tradition. 

    George Stamas surfaced victorious, and he says, as promised by his Greek Orthodox faith, the cross brought him numerous blessings over the last year. 

    He led his high school football team to a 9-1 season, and his coach says he’s made a number of positive changes in his life. 

    Stamas’ family is no stranger to the Epiphany cross. His cousin retrieved it a few years back, and his great grandfather did the same 85 years go.

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    Curtis McCloud

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  • Cool down at Gatorland’s Central Florida splash park

    Cool down at Gatorland’s Central Florida splash park

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — As the temps heat up, one Central Florida splash park is advertising itself as the place to cool down.

    “A splash park in Central Florida? I don’t know how you go to a theme park without a place to cool off,” said Gatorland President and CEO Mark McHugh.

    He showed Spectrum News new water features, like a massive dumping barrel.

    Elsewhere at Gator Gully Splash, he pointed out coconut palm sprayers, frogs that flood and well-placed Adirondack chairs to let the adults lean back.

    “Get a cold beverage from our Gator Gully general store and let the kids run off that energy off,” McHugh said.

    The 110-acre park started as a roadside attraction and is about stirring up memories of old Florida while showering guests with new experiences.

    Now through the end of March, Florida residents get half-off a single day admission ticket to Gatorland. The splash park is included in the price of admission.

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    Julie Gargotta

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