Triathlete, 37, Dies During Swim At NJ Lake, Authorities Say Triathlete, 37, Dies During Swim At NJ Lake, Authorities Say
Triathlete, 37, Dies During Swim At NJ Lake, Authorities Say A 37-year-old teacher and mother of four died while competing in the swimming portion of a triathlon at a North Jersey lake over the weekend, Daily Voice has learned. The incident involving 37-year-old Hannah Merlucci, of Kinnelon, happened on the morning of Saturday, July 19 at Fayson Lakes, according to Meghan Kbab, a spokeswoman for the Morris County Prosecutor's Office. Lifeguards spotted a female swimmer unresponsive in the water, swam out to her, and brought her back to shore, Knab said. CPR was immediately initiated. Emergency medical personnel arrived shortly after and transported …
‘He Died A Hero’: Former MLB Prospect Drowns Saving Strangers As Family Watches ‘He Died A Hero’: Former MLB Prospect Drowns Saving Strangers As Family Watches
‘He Died A Hero’: Former MLB Prospect Drowns Saving Strangers As Family Watches Chase Childers, a former Baltimore Orioles minor league prospect, died a hero in South Carolina after rushing into floodwaters to save a group of swimmers — sacrificing his life to protect theirs. According to Pawleys Island Police, officers received a 911 call at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, July 13, reporting “multiple swimmers in distress near Shell Road Ocean.”  One man — later identified as Childers — was missing, and a search was immediately launched by police, Midway Fire Rescue, and the US Coast Guard. At approximately 6:15 p.m., rescue teams recovered Childers' body fro…
Mom Paralyzed In NY Boat Crash Faces Setbacks As Support Grows: 'Will Continue To Fight' Mom Paralyzed In NY Boat Crash Faces Setbacks As Support Grows: 'Will Continue To Fight'
Mom Paralyzed In NY Boat Crash Faces Setbacks As Support Grows: 'Will Continue To Fight' The Long Island mother paralyzed in a Memorial Day weekend boat crash is now facing new challenges in her recovery — but her family is staying hopeful as community support pours in. Brooke Skrocki, the 28-year-old fiancée of Edward Hillkewicz, was left with life-altering spinal injuries after he piloted a speeding boat while drunk, slamming into a jetty in Hampton Bays with her, two other adults, and their two young daughters aboard, the Suffolk County DA’s Office said. While her children, ages 2 and 6, were not physically injured, Skrocki was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital an…
CT Teen Who Drowned On July 4th Had Big Dreams; Community Rallies Around Family CT Teen Who Drowned On July 4th Had Big Dreams; Community Rallies Around Family
CT Teen Who Drowned On July 4th Had Big Dreams; Community Rallies Around Family The community is rallying around the family of an 18-year-old who drowned while swimming in a Connecticut reservoir on the Fourth of July. Ángel Chumpi Rios was reported missing around 3 p.m. after entering the water at Mountain Pond, police said. Danbury firefighters found him around 5:30 p.m. and took him to an area hospital, but doctors could not save his life.  A memorial service for the Danbury teen was held Wednesday, July 9, from 2 to 9 p.m. at the Ecuadorian Civic Center at 20 West St. in Danbury. Rios' mother will return his body to Ecuador, where his father and brothers …
'We Lost Everything': Community Rallies After Fireworks Send CT Family Home Up In Flames 'We Lost Everything': Community Rallies After Fireworks Send CT Family Home Up In Flames
'We Lost Everything': Community Rallies After Fireworks Send CT Family Home Up In Flames An East Hartford family of 10 was left homeless after an errant firework sparked a fire that engulfed their home on July Fourth. But their tight-knit community is coming together to help them rebuild their lives.  Victorya Cauley, a 17-year-old preparing for college, said she was getting ready for bed around 11 p.m. when her older sister, Zaniah Cauley, rushed into her bedroom and told her their Park Avenue home was on fire. Victorya grabbed her younger brother, and they ran outside. None of them was wearing shoes, and they were dressed for bed. "All I had was my phone," Victorya…
Community Rallies Around Family Of CT Navy Vet, Father Of 4 Killed In Tragic Crash Community Rallies Around Family Of CT Navy Vet, Father Of 4 Killed In Tragic Crash
Community Rallies Around Family Of CT Navy Vet, Father Of 4 Killed In Tragic Crash Robert Jones was a man of quiet dignity and big heart, his loved ones said. Someone who was always ready with a joke, a smile, or a helping hand. Now, after the 63-year-old father of four was tragically killed in a head-on crash earlier this month in Westbrook, his family needs the same support he freely gave. “Bob was an amazing man,” said family member Shannon Smith. “He was quiet, lighthearted, and unassuming. He served his country in the Navy. He earned his master's degree without fanfare so that he could provide for his family. He was a very hard worker. Above all, he was a family man.…
Feds Join Fight To Save 175-Year-Old NJ Family Farm From Bulldozers: 'Not For Sale' Feds Join Fight To Save 175-Year-Old NJ Family Farm From Bulldozers: 'Not For Sale'
Feds Join Fight To Save 175-Year-Old NJ Family Farm From Bulldozers: 'Not For Sale' The federal government is joining the fight to assist a New Jersey farm that has been a fixture off the Turnpike for more than a century.  A 175-year-old family farm in Cranbury (Middlesex County) is now at the center of a high-stakes legal and political showdown after the township began the process of seizing the land for a housing development, triggering a wave of public outrage, national media attention, and direct intervention from the Trump administration. The farm, located at 1234 South River Road, has been in the Henry family for over 150 years.  It’s widely known throughout the com…
Twin Girls Killed In NY Tornado That Claimed Third Victim Remembered For 'Enthusiasm, Laughter' Twin Girls Killed In NY Tornado That Claimed Third Victim Remembered For 'Enthusiasm, Laughter'
Twin Girls Killed In NY Tornado That Claimed Third Victim Remembered For 'Enthusiasm, Laughter' A small hamlet in upstate New York is reeling after a rare tornado killed six-year-old twin sisters and also claimed the life of a 50-year-old woman. The powerful EF-1 twister touched down in Oneida County, in the town of Kirkland, at around 4 a.m. Sunday, June 22, according to the National Weather Service. Deputies responded to reports of damage across the county following severe weather. Among the hardest hit areas was the hamlet of Clark Mills, where peak winds reached 105 miles per hour, as Daily Voice reported. Emergency crews were first called to a residence on Milstream Court, where…
CT Community Rallies After Infant Dies, Mother Hospitalized in Mysterious Disappearance CT Community Rallies After Infant Dies, Mother Hospitalized in Mysterious Disappearance
CT Community Rallies After Infant Dies, Mother Hospitalized in Mysterious Disappearance A tight-knit Connecticut town is coming together to support a grieving family after a 1-month-old baby died and his mother was seriously injured following a mysterious disappearance. Sadie Fleming, 27, vanished from her home in Washington, Connecticut, with her 1-month-old son, Hudson, sometime between midnight and 7 a.m. on Sunday, June 8, according to police. Authorities issued a Silver Alert in hopes of locating the pair. Original: 1-Month-Old Dies After Disappearing With Mother Several hours later, search teams located them in a remote wooded area and rushed them to a nearby hospital. …
Dad Of 2 From Connecticut Critically Burned In Worksite Fire: Support Pouring In For Recovery Dad Of 2 From Connecticut Critically Burned In Worksite Fire: Support Pouring In For Recovery
Dad Of 2 From Connecticut Critically Burned In Worksite Fire: Support Pouring In For Recovery A devastating fire at a Hudson Valley, NY excavation company has left a young father of two in critical condition, prompting a wave of community support. The fire broke out just before noon on Tuesday, June 17, at Boyce Excavating in the Orange County hamlet of Slate Hill, according to the Slate Hill Fire Department.   Responding crews arrived to find a vehicle on fire near a building and a man suffering from serious burns. Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames and searched the structure for additional hazards. The victim, later identified as Pine Bush resident and Vernon, …
'An Amazing Man': CT Community Rallies Around Family Of Man Killed In Freak Workplace Accident 'An Amazing Man': CT Community Rallies Around Family Of Man Killed In Freak Workplace Accident
'An Amazing Man': CT Community Rallies Around Family Of Man Killed In Freak Workplace Accident A Connecticut community is rallying around the family of a 60-year-old man who was killed last week in a freak accident while working on a sewer pipe.  Michael Dirocco, of Norwich, was working at a home on Hamilton Court in Norwich around 6:15 p.m. on Friday, June 13, authorities said. He was working for a private company to dig the trench that stretched 90 feet and was five feet wide and deep when it suddenly collapsed onto him, authorities said.  It was meant to connect the home to the city's sewer line.  Paramedics rushed him to an area hospital, but doctors were unable t…
Connecticut Senator Stranded In Iraq Amid Middle East Chaos Returns: 'Grateful To Be Home' Connecticut Senator Stranded In Iraq Amid Middle East Chaos Returns: 'Grateful To Be Home'
Connecticut Senator Stranded In Iraq Amid Middle East Chaos Returns: 'Grateful To Be Home' A Connecticut Senator is back in the US after being stuck for days in Iraq amid the ongoing tensions and attacks in the Middle East. Sen. Saud Anwar, who represents the state's 3rd District, confirmed that he safely returned to Boston Logan Airport on Saturday, June 14, days after posting a video about the airline shutdown in the region. "Feeling incredibly blessed to be back home in the United States," Anwar posted on Facebook. "A heartfelt thank you to everyone who reached out through emails, texts, voice messages, social media, and your prayers.  "Your love and support have truly lifted…