Greg Olsen's Son Rings Bell After Heart Transplant Recovery 'We're Finally Whole Again'
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Awesome update from ex-NFL star Greg Olsen -- his son, TJ, just "rang the bell" to symbolize the end of treatment after receiving a heart transplant!!!
Olsen shared footage of the special moment at the hospital in Charlotte on Wednesday, saying, "Today we 'rang the bell,' and for the first time our family whole again."
"To everyone who prayed for our little buddy and sent us words of encouragement and support ... All we can say is THANK YOU and WE 💚 YOU ALL"
As we previously reported, TJ was born with a congenital heart disease that required 3 open-heart surgeries before his 3rd birthday.
Olsen revealed late last month TJ's heart was failing ... and doctors said he would need a transplant immediately.
TJ was quickly able to find a match and underwent surgery earlier this month ... and despite all the struggles, Greg says his son remained optimistic throughout the journey.
"TJ’s positive attitude and selflessness throughout has been an inspiration to us all," he added. "Never did he feel sorry for him self or play the victim. All he did was talk about what the future held and the things he looked forward to doing."
Olsen says TJ was adamant he was going to ring that bell ... and it's truly incredible to see him do it!!!
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Shyla Walker & Landon McBroom He Tried To Take Our Daughter ... Keep Him Away From Me!!!
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Shyla Walker is getting court ordered protection from her YouTube channel co-star, Landon McBroom ... she claims her baby daddy physically abused her and tried to swipe their kid.
Shyla beelined it to court last month and got a temporary restraining order ... to keep Landon away from her and their daughter. Shyla claims Landon has a history of abuse against her.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Shyla claims Austin McBroom's brother shoved her during a May 10 argument, resulting in a visible injury, and claims 5 days later he tried to kidnap their daughter.
In the docs, Shyla claims Landon took the kid from their home and handed her over to an employee before telling the guy to take the child and get the hell outta there. Shyla claims she only got the child back when she called the cops.
Shyla says she's afraid Landon will try to kidnap their daughter again ... and she's also worried he will take the family dog, claiming he's in debt and their bulldog puppy is valuable.
The judge granted Shyla's temporary restraining order and Landon must stay 100 yards away from her and their daughter ... at least until a hearing later this month.
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Tom Burke Ex-Univ. Of Wisconsin Star Accused Of Sexually Assaulting 7-Year-Old Girl
Tom Burke -- one of the best Univ. of Wisconsin football players ever -- has been charged with a felony after he was accused of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl.
According to court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, the girl came forward to authorities in February 2021 alleging the 44-year-old was inappropriate with her on as many as 5 different occasions at her home in Minnesota.
For his part, the docs show Burke told investigators he flat-out denied the allegations ... saying he believed he was being "railroaded."
Burke, however, did confirm he was a caretaker for the girl ... according to the docs.
Officials ultimately hit Burke with a felony charge of criminal sexual conduct in wake of the girl's allegations, and issued a warrant for the former football player's arrest earlier this month.
Burke was eventually taken into custody and posed for a mug shot. He had a court hearing Monday in the case, and is due back for another hearing in early July.
If convicted, Burke is facing up to 30 years behind bars, court documents show.
Burke was a megastar for the Badgers from 1995 through 1998 -- famously logging a staggering 22 sacks in his senior season.
He was picked by the Arizona Cardinals in the 3rd round of the 1999 NFL Draft, though he only went on to play in 36 games before bouncing out of the league following the 2002 season.
Burke was just inducted into the Univ. of Wisconsin's Hall of Fame last year.
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Erica Mena to Safaree You're Stressing Me ... And Complicating My Pregnancy!!!
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Erica Mena is putting Safaree on blast ... claiming the drama he’s causing in their divorce is at least part of the reason she’s landed in the hospital during her pregnancy.
The 'Love & Hip Hop' star says her estranged husband Safaree has "failed to be involved in her care or to visit her at the hospital during her most recent stay, where she remained overnight for many days related to her pregnancy."
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In docs, obtained by TMZ, Erica claims Safaree's latest quest for shared custody of their children is only being done “in hopes of obtaining ‘good publicity’ and painting [Erica] as the instigator, while in actuality, [Erica's] the only parent ensuring the parties’ children’s safety and acting in their best interest."
Erica says Safaree should worry more about her and their unborn child's health instead of trying to paint himself as a devoted father in legal docs.
As for his request to be present for the birth -- Erica says that decision should only be made by herself and her doctor.
As we reported ... Erica filed for divorce last month, and Safaree is putting up a fight over child custody.
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Michigan 6-Yr-Old Shot Severe Trauma, Needs Therapy ... Dad's in Bad Shape Too
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10:25 AM PT -- A GoFundMe has been started for Coby as his family attempts to navigate his recovery.
Coby Daniel, the 6-year-old boy in Michigan who was shot outside a neighbor's home while picking up his bike is struggling mentally to recover, and will absolutely need professional help ... according to his father.
Arnold Daniel tells TMZ ... his son is showing obvious signs of mental scars, and has not been able to sleep alone in his own bed -- something he'd been doing since he was 2.
Coby tries to sleep in his bed, but Arnold says he always ends up next to him ... and sometimes asks troubling questions like, "Why would [the alleged shooter] do that?"
As we reported, the neighbor, Ryan Le-Nguyen allegedly shot Coby in the arm after chasing him with a sledgehammer. Coby put on a brave face describing the incident to a reporter for FOX 2 Detroit -- but Arnold says his boy is utterly confused about why anyone would want to hurt him.
He says he's set up an appointment for Coby to see a therapist next week to help him make sense of everything.
Physical therapy is also on the horizon, but only after Coby's gunshot wound fully heals.
Arnold says he's taking time off from work to care for Coby, and cope with his own anxiety. He says it subsided a bit once Le-Nguyen's bond was revoked, and police took him back into custody.
As we reported, there was a massive outcry over Le-Nguyen's initial release on a $10k cash bond. His bail has since been increased to $100k.
Originally Published -- 5:45 AM PT
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'American Idol' Star Casey Bishop Screw a Summer Job ... Going On Tour $ounds Nice!!!
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"American Idol" sensation Casey Bishop may have to put her summer plans on hold ... 'cause it looks like she's on track to make a nice chunk of change if she's chosen for the live tour.
The 16-year-old high schooler from Fort Myers, FL could rake in a bunch of money if everything goes right ... starting with her being chosen for the 'AI' Live Tour.
According to her minor's contract, obtained by TMZ, Casey would make $1,750/week for her musical performances, $1,200/week for rehearsals and $500 per non-musical appearance at things like meet-and-greets. She also gets a cut of the tour merchandise profit.
'AI' Live Tours are usually 50-date tours ... so Casey could be livin' large this summer. FYI: the tour contracts are drawn up before the 'Idol' competition plays out, and everyone in the top 24 signs them.
The tour roster hasn't been announced yet, but Casey finished fourth after rocking the hell out of her performances -- she had impressive renditions of Billie Eilish and Mötley Crüe hits -- so she's got a great shot.
BTW ... had the 'AI' fan favorite won the whole thing she could have scored a sweet $250k advance on her record deal ... and made even more with sales and royalties.
In the meantime ... Casey's getting ready for her homecoming concert slated to go down June 19 at Buddha LIVE in Fort Myers. Nice warmup for her likely summer job.
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Jill Biden & Kate Middleton Nice To Meet Ya!!! Tour UK School Together
Dr. Jill Biden and Kate Middleton met for the first time ever ... and everything looked rosy, including their elegant outfits.
The First Lady and Duchess of Cambridge met Friday in Cornwall, England ... not too far from where President Biden is attending the G7 Summit. Meanwhile, Kate and Jill are focusing on education and kiddos.
Moments ago: First lady Jill Biden and the Duchess of Cambridge met for the first time in the United Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/PB1gHC3fAk
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 11, 2021 @TODAYshow
They toured the Connor Downs Academy and visited a classroom for 4- and 5-year-olds ... who were reading the book, "Greta and the Giant." Both women wore masks indoors while chatting with the kids about the book.
They later headed outside and visited some of the animals on the premises. The kids look after some rabbits there ... which explains why Jill was carrying a huge plate of carrots.
They also took part in a roundtable discussion on early childhood education. Jill, of course, has spent decades as an educator. She's currently a college professor ... so this trip and the discussion itself are, no doubt, especially meaningful to her.
This is the Bidens' first international trip since entering the White House. POTUS and FLOTUS are slated to meet Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle on Sunday.
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NFL's Thomas Davis Sr. Car Theft Suspects Arrested ... ID'ed As Teenagers
7:53 AM PT -- 6/11 -- Cops say they've now located and arrested the two teenagers accused of ransacking Thomas Davis Sr.'s garage.
In a statement Friday, the Union County Sheriff's Office said the 17-year-old and the 15-year-old are currently in custody at a juvenile detention facility in North Carolina.
Officials added they also located a dark colored SUV that they believe the suspects used during the crime.
Cops say the vehicle had green paint on it ... believing it transferred to the SUV from the McLaren after the suspects crashed the pricey ride.
Police say they've identified the two guys who stole -- and then crashed -- Thomas Davis Sr.'s McLaren 720S supercar ... and they're just kids.
The Union County Sheriff's Office says investigators working the case believe the suspects are only 17 and 15 -- and officials are currently scrambling to take them into custody.
Despite their age, officials say both suspects "face juvenile petitions charging them with Burglary, two counts of Larceny of a Firearm, 5 counts of Breaking and Entering of a Motor Vehicle and 1 count of Motor Vehicle Theft."
As we previously reported, cops believe the guys broke into the ex-NFL star's North Carolina home early Tuesday morning, rummaged through his belongings and eventually stole the McLaren as well as two firearms.
During the getaway, cops say the men crashed the McLaren into their getaway car, rendering the McLaren inoperable.
Cops say they will not release the names of the suspects because they're juveniles ... but once in custody, the guys will "be held in a juvenile facility pending an appearance before a District Court judge."
For his part, Davis Sr. -- who retired from the NFL after the 2020 season -- said Wednesday his family is "all good" despite the disturbing situation.
Originally Published -- 6/10 6:53 AM PT
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Singer Montana Tucker H.S. Bullies Made Me Eat in Bathroom ... Inspired My New Song
Montana Tucker's dropping a new single that's all about self-confidence, but make no mistake ... she has vivid memories of bullies tearing down her confidence and forcing her into bathroom stalls.
The singer dug into her pain locker to reveal what fueled "Be Myself" ... her new single featuring Todrick Hall. The track aims to inspire self-acceptance and inclusivity ... something Montana says she works hard to convey on social media, and in real life.
On Thursday's "TMZ Live" she told us high school bullies called her MAN-tana because she was "a little bit bigger than the rest of the girls."
The bullying got so out of hand, Montana tells us she was relegated to sitting in the bathroom for lunch every day.
Her official "Be Myself" music vid -- which includes a flash mob routine in Times Square -- drops Friday, and Montana says it will also draw on some of those experiences she and Todrick had in school.
As for cyberbullying these days ... Montana told us how she deals with hate now, and she has an interesting take on people who hide behind keyboards to talk smack.
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6-Year-Old Boy Shot In Arm Alleged Shooter Back In Custody After Outcry Over Low Bond
11:20 AM PT -- 6/10 -- The angry neighbor who allegedly shot a 6-year-old boy is back in custody after a massive outcry over his initial release on a $10k cash bond.
Prosecuting attorney Eli Savit joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and told us what it took to get the alleged gunman back behind bars ... and it sounds like the justice system moved swiftly here.
Eli says the boy could have easily been killed in the incident and breaks down the argument he made Thursday in court to get bail increased to $100,000.
A 6-year-old boy was nearly killed when his neighbor allegedly opened fire as the kid picked up his bike from the sidewalk -- and the man's already sprung from jail after posting a shockingly low bond.
The incident went down over the weekend in Ypsilanti, Michigan -- about 35 miles outside Detroit -- where the boy, Coby, is lucky to be alive after the neighbor allegedly chased him with a sledgehammer, and then fired a gun, hitting him in the arm.
The neighbor, Ryan Le-Nguyen, was reportedly pissed Coby and a friend had left their bikes in front of his home's sidewalk. The boy's father, Arnold Daniel, told FOX2 when the boys returned to get the bikes ... Le-Nguyen went after Coby with the hammer.
Coby told FOX2, "He tried hitting me with a sledgehammer but that's not going to work because I'm too fast. (Then he) got a gun and BOOM shot me right here."
As you can see from the video ... the kids, understandably, panicked and fled when they heard the gunshot. You can hear Coby wailing in agony while another kid's screaming "Coby got shot!!!"
Coby's father said the bullet went through his son's arm, but doctors told him had it been an inch in either direction it likely would have killed Coby.
Le-Nguyen, who's reportedly beefed with the family over bicycles in the past, was arrested and charged with assault with intent to murder. He posted a $10k bond on Tuesday ... prompting Coby's angry father to ask how the bond could be so low after Le-Nguyen allegedly tried to kill his son.
Even prosecutors say they requested a $100k bond, but were shocked the judge gave Le-Nguyen $10k cash bond. Prosecutors have since filed an emergency motion to cancel the bond.
As for Coby ... he's home and thankfully expected to make a full recovery.
Originally Published -- 6/9 1:36 PM PT
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NFL's Greg Olsen Shares Incredible Video Son Telling Siblings He's Getting Heart Transplant
Stop what you're doing. Get some tissues ready.
This video of Greg Olsen's 8-year-old son, TJ, telling his brother and sister that doctors found a heart donor for him will reduce you to tears in less than 15 seconds.
The ex-NFL star says the footage was taken exactly 1 week ago -- when the family was notified that a donor heart had become available for TJ.
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"1 week ago, we were notified that we received an offer for a heart transplant," Olsen said ... "A special angel donor, somewhere, allowed Tj to share the news himself w/ Tate and Talbot."
FYI, TJ was born with a serious heart condition -- and underwent 3 open-heart surgeries before his 3rd birthday. Doctors recently advised the family his heart was in trouble and he needed a transplant, stat.
So, when Greg and his wife, Kara, got the news on Thursday, they let TJ inform his siblings -- and the reaction is pure love and joy.
"You know how I need a heart transplant?" TJ asks ... "and they've been trying to find one? Today, this morning -- they found one!"
The 3 kids hug and cheer and smile -- it's amazing. You can hear a voice off-camera remind the Olsens, "Just be gentle with him!"
TJ is over the moon as he tells his brother and sister the surgery will likely happen the next day (which it ultimately did).
And then, he drops even more good news -- "I got a covid test and it came back negative!"
Of course, TJ did undergo the procedure on Friday and doctors say it was a success. A few days later, TJ posted a video thanking everyone for their support.
Greg and his family say they do not know the identity of the heart donor -- but they are "forever grateful" to that person.
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San Diego Padres Fan Makes Absurd 1-Hand Catch ... With Baby In Arm!!!
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Forget Fernando Tatis ... the best play of the Padres game Wednesday was made by a fan in the stands -- with a woman making a ridiculous catch on a foul ball all while holding her baby!!!
The wild moment went down in the sixth inning of the Padres' game against the Cubs in San Diego ... when Chicago pinch hitter Jake Marisnick lifted a foul ball into the seats.
This may be the @MLB fan catch of the 2021 season so far. Watch this @Padres fan catch a foul ball, which bounced off the upper deck façade, WITH A BABY IN HER ARMS! pic.twitter.com/iy5Z0EGD4o
— Billy Krumb (@ClubhouseCancer) June 9, 2021 @ClubhouseCancer
As the cowhide clanked around the stadium ... it took a wicked hop into the lower deck -- where SuperMom made an absurd play on the baseball!!
Check out the footage from Petco Park ... she reached back with her right hand to make the stab -- not even once putting her baby in danger!!
Everyone at the park went crazy ... and even the game's announcers had to show some love, with one saying on-air, "That's a nice grab."
Baby fine, awesome memory AND a great souvenir? Great day at the ballpark to us!
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Young Ricky in 'Boyz N The Hood' 'Memba Him?!
California native Donovan McCrary was only 12 years old when he played the young athletic version of Ricky -- who's college football dreamz are cut short after being murdered by gang members his senior year of high school -- in the 1991 drama "Boyz n the Hood."
DM shared the big screen with some A-list actors including Ice Cube as the gang-affiliated friend, Doughboy, Morris Chestnut as the grown-up version of Ricky ... and of course Cuba Gooding Jr. and Laurence Fishburne as the father and son duo, Tre and Furious.
Fun fact: Donovan's older brother is Darius McCrary who is best known as Eddie Winslow in the TGIF classic "Family Matters."
More 'Memba Thems!
Barack Obama Cancel Culture is Dangerous But My Daughters' Generation Gets It
Barack Obama says flatly ... cancel culture has become a dangerous weapon in America, but he sees a silver lining.
Obama talked about what he calls the dangers of demanding human perfection during an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. His take ... "At least in conversations with my daughter, I think that a lot of the dangers of cancel culture and we're just going to be condemning people all the time, at least among my daughters they will acknowledge sometimes among their peer group or in college campuses you'll see folks going overboard."
As for Sasha and Malia, he adds, "But they have a pretty good sense of look, we don't want, we don't expect everybody to be perfect."
That said, he went on to say cancel culture has its place when there is cruelty or discrimination, and he believes young people are leading the charge to correct such injustices.
Obama tells Cooper ... his daughters and their peers don't simply accept stuff like the criminal justice system being tainted by racism or people being discriminated against based on their sexual orientation -- they know it's wrong and are trying to change it.
As you may recall ... Obama's slammed cancel culture before, back in 2019, but he referred to it as "woke" culture and made it clear he doesn't believe it equates to activism.
Sounds like he thinks folks -- especially the younger ones -- understand this today.
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Nelk Boys Donate $100K for Reward in Road Rage Killing ... Police Arrest 2 Suspects
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3:54 PM PT -- We've obtained the mug shots for Eriz and Lee ... cops say they followed the two out of a restaurant before making the arrest.
YouTube stars Kyle Forgeard and Steve Deleonardis added 6 figures to the reward in a fatal freeway shooting case in California ... and soon after, cops arrested 2 suspects.
Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... the Nelk Boys recently donated over $100,000 to boost the reward for info on what police are calling a road rage killing -- one that left a young boy dead.
6-year-old Aiden Leos was shot and killed May 21 on the 55 Freeway in Orange, CA while on his way to kindergarten with his mother ... and we're told the Nelk Boys felt heartbroken for the single mom and wanted to help find her son's killer.
Our sources say the Nelk Boys, who live in Orange County, hit up the District Attorney expressing a desire to raise the reward for information on the case ... donating $100,000 along with their partner John Shahidi on May 30 as the reward swelled last week to at least $500k.
Reward for 6-year-old Aiden’s killer is now Half a Million Dollars
— OCDA Todd Spitzer (@OCDAToddSpitzer) June 4, 2021 @OCDAToddSpitzer
Suspect vehicle: 18/19 White Volkswagen Golf Sportswagen with non-tinted windows & sunroof
Last seen 91 E at McKinley in Riverside after shooting Aiden on 55 N @ Chapman in Orange May 21
Tips: 800-Tell-CHP pic.twitter.com/CXYEOLEQqh
By Sunday, the California Highway Patrol said they had arrested 2 suspects, 24-year-old Marcus Anthony Eriz and 23-year-old Wynne Lee, near where the shooting happened. The CHP says the pair are expected to be charged with murder.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the reward is for the arrest and conviction of the young boy's killer, so it will be a while before any reward or part of the reward is paid out.
We're told law enforcement is still investigating.
Originally Published -- 12:18 PM PT
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Safaree to Erica Mena Keep the House, But ... Don't Take the Kids Away From Me!!!
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Safaree's down to let Erica Mena have exclusive use of the home they share but he does NOT want her to have primary custody of their children.
The "Love & Hip Hop" star just threw down the gauntlet in his response to Erica's custody request in their divorce. According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Safaree says he wants joint legal custody, meaning he wants a say in parenting decisions for their infant daughter, Safire, and their second baby due next month.
What's more ... Safaree says he wants consistent and uninterrupted parenting and visitation with his kids. He says this is in the best interest of the kids.
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As far as Erica's request to have exclusive use to the home they currently share ... Safaree seems open to it if he can be removed from any liability involving the property through a refinancing of the mortgage ... and assuming he gets his cut of any equity in the property.
Safaree also wants to maintain exclusive possession of their individual vehicles, and be allowed to maintain all personal property acquired during the marriage individually. As far as alimony goes ... he wants the court to deny her any, and he wants the court to determine any child support obligations for them.
As we reported ... Erica filed for divorce in May, just a few months shy of their 2-year anniversary. She wanted primary custody of the kids, but Safaree's not giving that up without a fight.