'NCIS' Star Receiving Prestigious Military Honor

'NCIS' Star Receiving Prestigious Military Honor

AnNCISstar is receiving a prestigious honor during Memorial Day week 2025. ActorWilmer Valderrama, 45, star ofNCISandThat '70s Show, is being honored by the United Service Organizations (USO) on May 29 at the annual USO Gala with the distinguished USO Merit Award, the organization announced in a press release. The USO Merit Award is awarded annually to a public figure using his or her platform to interact and integrate with active-duty service members in the U.S. Armed Forces. Valderrama has been a USO Global Ambassador for years, becoming "deeply involved with the military community…and participating in various shows worldwide,"according to the USO's official website. "We are thrilled to honor USO Global Ambassador Wilmer Valderrama and the USO Service Members of the Year during our 2025 USO Gala, which is dedicated to raising awareness for our mission to strengthen the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families," said USO CEO and PresidentJ.D. Crouch IIin a statement. "Wilmer Valderrama has gone on more than 12 USO tours since 2007, delighting thousands of service members and their families across a dozen countries, becoming a USO Global Ambassador in 2021." Past recipients of the USO Merit Award include Atlanta Falcons executiveSteve Cannon, country music starCraig Morgan, comedian and former U.S. SenatorAl Franken, TV personalityJon Stewart, NFL legendPeyton Manning, andThe Bacon Brothers, the music duo comprised of actorKevin Baconand his brotherMichael Bacon. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 The USO Gala will also honor the USO Service Members of the Year. Other celebrities who will be in attendance include the Food Network'sCarla Hall, Miss America 2025Abbie Stockard, former Washington Nationals playerRyan Zimmerman, andMonte Durham, the host of TLC'sSay Yes to the Dress. There will also be performances byAmerica's Got Talentfinalists82nd Airborne Division's All-American Chorus, world-renowned saxophonistMike Phillipsand motivational speaker and combat veteranVann Morris. The USO is the leading nonprofit in the U.S. that is dedicated to caring for members of the Armed Forces and their families. 'NCIS' Star Receiving Prestigious Military Honorfirst appeared on Parade on May 23, 2025

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

May 23, 2025

'NCIS' Star Receiving Prestigious Military Honor

'NCIS' Star Receiving Prestigious Military Honor AnNCISstar is receiving a prestigious honor during Memorial Day week 2025. ActorWil...

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Carson Daly, Whose Dad Died When He Was 5, Shares Message to Sheinelle Jones' Kids After News of Her Husband Uche Ojeh's Death

Carson Daly, Whose Dad Died When He Was 5, Shares Message to Sheinelle Jones' Kids After News of Her Husband Uche Ojeh's Death

TODAY/YouTube; Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty TheTodayshow announced on May 23 that Sheinelle Jones' husband Uche Ojeh died at 45 after months of treatment for glioblastoma Jones and Ojeh share three children — Kayin, 15, and twins Clara and Uche Jr., 12 Carson Daly, whose dad died when he was 5, shared a special message for Jones and Ojeh's three kids Carson Dalyhas a message of hope for thethree childrenof hisTodayco-host Sheinelle Jones and her late husbandUche Ojeh. On Friday, May 23, the news was announced onTodaythat Ojeh had died at age 45 after several months of treatment for aggressive glioblastoma, a brain cancer. Ojeh and Jones, 47, shared son Kayin, 15, and 12-year-old twins Clara and Uche Jr. The somber news was revealed in a package on theTodayshow and the co-anchors reflected on Jones and Ojeh's "strength" and love for their kids amid the painful experience. "One thing he always talked about, he talked about those kids,"Craig Melvinsaid of Ojeh. "He loved those kids more than anything else in this world and was just so proud. He was that dad that was on the sidelines of all the soccer games. He was at all the concerts and the recitals. He was that guy." sheinelle_o/Instagram Daly, a father of four himself, reflected on the death of his own father when he was a kid. "I can't help but think of my own life in this situation," he shared. "You think so much about these young children, your heart goes out to them. My father was 46. I was 5 when my dad died. My dad was young, unexpected cancer diagnosis, passed, and I think back now 45 years later, my faith in God. I mean God has blessed me in my life, so here I am, the young kid, and I say eventually, God gave me two incredible fathers, incredible figures in my life and my life has been so fulfilling and I'm so blessed for that. So I pray for their family and the kids that they'll have that fortune as well." Daly's biological fatherJim "J.D." Dalydied when he was 5, and he also had a strong relationship with his stepfather Richard Caruso, whom he called "Pops." "I've been praying for years to my father since he died, I say, 'I know you're watching over me. I'm okay. It's okay. You're home where you're supposed to be with your heavenly father. And I'm thriving here and it's okay,' trying to take that burden off my father," Daly shared. Savannah Guthrie, whose father Charles Guthrie died of a heart attack when she was 16, added, "You can survive the loss of your father as young people, as we did." "And thrive," Melvin added. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Sheinelle Jones/Instagram Melvin also praised Jones for taking on the additional responsibility of being a caretaker for her late husband over the past few months as well as the primary caregiver for their children. "What has been remarkable, also is watching the way with which she has dealt with this — dealing with a husband who's battling cancer and three young children that she has had to rear by herself for a while now, essentially, it's just, it really is remarkable," Melvin said. "And to your point, JBH [Jenna Bush Hager], every time you'd talk to her, she still found a way to laugh about something." Jones reposted the segment to her ownInstagram accounton May 23, writing, "Thank you, for all of your love and support. ❤️" Read the original article onPeople

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

May 23, 2025

Carson Daly, Whose Dad Died When He Was 5, Shares Message to Sheinelle Jones' Kids After News of Her Husband Uche Ojeh's Death

Carson Daly, Whose Dad Died When He Was 5, Shares Message to Sheinelle Jones' Kids After News of Her Husband Uche Ojeh's Death TODAY...

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After ALS diagnosis, Zac Brown Band member pens honest ballad for his daughters

After ALS diagnosis, Zac Brown Band member pens honest ballad for his daughters

In the three and a half years sinceJohn Driskell Hopkinswas diagnosedwith ALS, his voice has slowed a beat and he struggles with balance, often using a walking stick to navigate airports and snaking backstage hallways. But, he says with an optimistic lilt, "compared to a lot of people, I'm doing great." He wiggles his fingers on a video call from a dressing room in Cincinnati, where theZac Brown Bandwill play that night, to show "they still work." Hopkins, 54, has long circled among guitar, bass, banjo and ukulele in the group, which has adapted to any changes he's needed to make to keep his vocal or guitar parts. "I'm hoping to be out there as long as I can. Sometimes I feel like (performing) gives me more inspiration to keep going," he says. Though Hopkins' form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – also known as Lou Gehrig's disease – is progressing slowly as itattacks his upper motor neuronsthat primarily affect the brain, he is accepting of a diagnosis with a lifespan that doesn't often extend past five years. "Something could happen tomorrow and I could be paralyzed," he says. "But typically if you get to five years after diagnosis, they may say this ispresenting more like PLS(primary lateral sclerosis). But it's a non-starter in the conversation because nothing has changed. It just means a lower progression rate, which I can be grateful for." The day ofHopkins' diagnosisin December 2021 was devastating. He and Jennifer,his wife of 17 years, had plans to take their daughters Sarah Grace and twins Lily Faith and Margaret Hope, now 16 and 13, toCallaway Gardensin their Atlanta hometown to see the annual holiday lights display. After agonizing over the decision, the couple decided to "make the best of it" with their girls. But that night, Hopkins couldn't sleep, haunted by the cruel reality of his diagnosis. "I kept wondering what I could possibly say to my kids about this. You want to try to come up with this fatherly advice," he says. "They're kids. They haven't been to college or gotten married. All of these things you expect a parent to help with and be there for, it was looking like I might not be there for it." The one thought Hopkins couldn't shake was, "I love you forever," which he's turned into a song with the same title after working on it for months after his diagnosis with Zac Brown Band comrade Clay Cook. "It's tricky to think of things that haven't happened yet and try to get ahead of them because you're told your experience is going to be cut short," he says. The poignant piano ballad, which Hopkins released in May forALS Awareness Month, is a valentine to his loved ones as he speak-sings lyrics such as "I don't know how long this body will hold me/but my hope for you is you will grow old/we will be together in the ever after." The closing verse is especially heart-rending, as Hopkins uses his storyteller approach to quietly offer, "You girls and your mother/you have one another to hold and lean on/always know that." Hopkins is trying to stay busy both with music – the Zac Brown Bandhas a few dates through Juneand he continues towork on his own music, including another Christmas album – and helping others with ALS. Three years ago,he and Jenniferstarted theHop on a Cure foundationto support research to prevent and seek a cure for ALS, while also raising awareness about the disease. Hopkins moves his hands to show the regularities of his life these days – "music, family, foundation. Music, family foundation" – and says he is as involved as possible with the daily undertakings of the organization. "In the three years we've been a foundation, we've granted over $4 million in research projects. That's no small feat but nowhere close enough to what we need," he says. "We have to fund as many research projects as possible because we don't know which one is going to hit. We're learning a lot, but there is still no cure or treatment that will stop it." Despite the grim truths of his condition, Hopkins is approaching life as "slower, but business as usual." He took his daughters and "a busload of girls" toOlivia RodrigoandBillie Eilishconcerts last year in Atlanta and met up with his bandmates to catch Tool and Pearl Jam. Normalcy is a challenge, but it's become almost a self mandate. "I do need to get more rest," Hopkins admits. "But I don't want to miss out on anything." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Zac Brown Band member pens song for daughters after ALS diagnosis

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

May 23, 2025

After ALS diagnosis, Zac Brown Band member pens honest ballad for his daughters

After ALS diagnosis, Zac Brown Band member pens honest ballad for his daughters In the three and a half years sinceJohn Driskell Hopkinswas ...

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Ex-Philadelphia officer convicted of manslaughter, not murder, in traffic stop shooting

Ex-Philadelphia officer convicted of manslaughter, not murder, in traffic stop shooting

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A former Philadelphia police officer whoshot and killed a motoristduring a traffic stop has been acquitted of murder charges by a jury that did convict him of voluntary manslaughter and related counts. Mark Dial could face up to six years in prison when he's sentenced in July. The verdict came Thursday afternoon after the jury had deliberated for nearly three days. The charges against Dial stemmed from an August 2023 traffic stop involving Eddie Irizarry, 27, who Dial fatally shot as he sat in his car. Police body camera footage showed Irizarry holding a knife near his right leg as police approached, and another officer yelled "knife" as they got near the vehicle. During the trial, Dial's attorneys disputed those assertions, saying the other officer yelled "Gun!" They also argued the seven-inch knife Irizarry was holding resembled a gun, saying Dial acted lawfully and in self-defense. Following the verdict, Dial's attorneys said they were glad he was acquitted of murder but disappointed he was convicted of anything. Besides the voluntary manslaughter count, Dial also was convicted of reckless endangerment and possessing an instrument of crime. Prosecutors declined comment. The verdict culminates a series of legaltwists and turnsin the case, which has seen the charges filed, thrown out, refiled and later reduced.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

May 23, 2025

Ex-Philadelphia officer convicted of manslaughter, not murder, in traffic stop shooting

Ex-Philadelphia officer convicted of manslaughter, not murder, in traffic stop shooting PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A former Philadelphia police off...

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All baby chicks stranded on postal service truck have now been adopted, shelter says

All baby chicks stranded on postal service truck have now been adopted, shelter says

Thousands of baby chicks that were stuck in a U.S. Postal Service truck for dayshave been adopted, according to the Delaware animal shelter that helped rescue them. "Every single one went to a 'no kill' home, including private individuals and rescue farms," wrote theFirst State Animal Center and SPCAin Camden, about 5 miles southwest of Dover. According to the shelter, staff have spent the past three weeks caring for the chicks and screening them for adoption. The shelter reported that there were quail, geese, and chicks, all of which were left in the postal service vehicle with no food, water, or temperature control. There wereabout 10,000 birds altogether, originally shipped from south-central Pennsylvania hatcheryFreedom Ranger Hatcheryaround April 29. Because the birds have yolk in their abdomens, they are equipped to survive for days, said Stephen Horst, owner of Fifth Day Farm, which is under the same ownership of the hatchery. However, the birds ended up on the postal service truck for longer than intended. The Delaware Department of Agriculture, who helped with the rescue, said the birds were bound for multiple states in the U.S. but were "misdirected" and ended up in Delaware. By the time the shelter got involved in the birds' care, shelter employees said many had died. Still, there was an"amazing" number of survivors. Adoptions began on May 13. John Parana, executive director of the animal center, said on May 20 that in order to adopt the birds, individuals had to agree to the center's "no kill" policy. "We praise these workers, our adopters, donors and supporters," the shelter wrote in its most recent update. "We are still asking for donations to help recoup the revenue loss from other shelter operations, materials, feed and overtime paid out for the past 3 weeks." The birds were shipped around April 29, then on May 2, someone from the postal service's Delaware Processing and Distribution Center called the state's department of agriculture about "an undeliverable box of baby birds." The Department of Agriculture's Poultry and Animal Health then stepped in and transferred the chicks to the First State Animal Center and SPCA. According to the postal service, the agency has "established processes and procedures for the safe handling of these shipments." "We have been working with hatcheries for more than 100 years to safely transport mail-order chicks," the agency said in a statement to USA TODAY on May 20. When packages are properly packaged and labeled, the live animal parcels receive "special handling," and hatcheries and farms are required to make sure all packaging requirements are met, the postal service continued. One requirement the hatcheries must meet is dropping poultry off to the postal service within 24 hours of hatching. "We are aware that there are unfortunate rare instances where loss of life occurs with this type of shipment, including the recent May incident after which birds were sent to Delaware for rescue and delivered to a shelter within an hour," the postal service said. "We are working directly with the hatcheries, other carriers involved, logistics partners, and our processing and delivery operations experts to prevent these incidents in the future." More news:2-legged dog gets new lease on life, wheelchair in New York after losing legs in India Freedom Ranger Hatchery released a statement and said the shipment's misdirection was due to a postal service error. "This loss has compounding effects with the many small family farms across America that were counting on these birds for their summer grow out schedules," the hatchery wrote. "We have not gotten any clear answers from the post office about this situation. We are unsure if we will receive any compensation for the loss." Horst, from Fifth Day Farm, previously said the birds are typically delivered within two days. "I don't know how they ended up where they did, but I do know that we're asking questions too," he told USA TODAY. He added that since the incident, the company has shipped birds with no issues. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia–the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Baby chicks abandoned on USPS truck are now all adopted

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

May 23, 2025

All baby chicks stranded on postal service truck have now been adopted, shelter says

All baby chicks stranded on postal service truck have now been adopted, shelter says Thousands of baby chicks that were stuck in a U.S. Post...

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