Israeli PM says Trump was marked for death by Iran after tearing up ‘fake agreement’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed in his first interview since Israel launched its blistering attacks on Iran that the country’s Islamic regime had pinpointed President Donald Trump as a threat to its nuclear program and actively worked to assassinate him.

“They want to kill him. He’s enemy number one. He’s a decisive leader. He never took the path that others took to try to bargain with them in a way that is weak, giving them basically a pathway to enrich uranium, which means a pathway to the bomb, padding it with billions and billions of dollars,” the prime minister told Fox News’ Bret Baier during a special Sunday edition of “Special Report.”

“He took up this fake agreement and basically tore it up. He killed Qasem Soleimani. He made it very clear, including now, ‘You cannot have a nuclear weapon, which means you cannot enrich uranium.’ He’s been very forceful, so for them, he’s enemy number one.”

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU TO SIT DOWN WITH FOX NEWS’ BRET BAIER AMID ISRAELI CONFLICT WITH IRAN

Netanyahu revealed he was also a target of the regime after a missile was fired into the bedroom window of his home. He went on to call himself Trump’s “junior partner” in threatening Iran’s ability to weaponize nuclear arms. 

Netanyahu said his country was facing an “imminent threat” of nuclear destruction and was left with no choice but to act aggressively in the “12th hour.”

“We were facing an imminent threat, a dual existential threat,” he said.

“One, the threat of Iran rushing to weaponize their enriched uranium to make atomic bombs with a specific and declared intent to destroy us. Second, a rush to increase their ballistic missile arsenal to the capacity that they would have 3,600 weapons a year…. Within three years, 10,000 ballistic missiles, each one weighing a ton, coming in at mach 6, right into our cities, as you saw today… and then in 26 years, 20,000 [missiles]. No country can sustain that, and certainly not a country the size of Israel, so we had to act.”

LIVE UPDATES: ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT

Netanyahu said, by doing so, Israel is not only protecting itself but also protecting the world.

Iran has since retaliated with a large-scale ballistic missile attack on Israeli cities, although many of the projectiles were thwarted.

Netanyahu told Fox News he believes Israel’s offensive measures have set back the Iranian nuclear program “quite a bit,” sharing his belief that negotiations with the terrorism-sponsoring regime were clearly “going nowhere.”

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He also said his country is prepared to do whatever is necessary to eliminate the nuclear and ballistic missile threat Iran poses to the world.

Netanyahu has described the operation, coined as Operation Rising Lion, as “one of the greatest military operations in history.” Addressing the Iranian people, he said they had been oppressed for 50 years by the same Islamic regime that has long threatened to destroy the State of Israel.

An encore of Netanyahu’s special interview with Bret Baier will also run at 5 PM/ET on Sunday.

Officials reveal whether Minnesota lawmaker shooting suspect could be out of country

MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota officials on Sunday evening provided an update on what they described as a “fluid” search for lawmaker shooting suspect Vance Boelter.

Boelter, 57, is accused of killing Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, early Saturday morning at their Brooklyn Park home in Minneapolis. He is also accused of shooting State Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, in their nearby Champlin home.

Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) said Sunday that law enforcement officials are still trying to locate and arrest Boelter on federal and local warrants.

“There is information that led us to do the searches…in Sibley County,” Evans said, adding later that Boelter’s vehicle and a hat that appeared to belong to the suspect were located in that area. He encouraged anyone around the Sibley County area who sees anything suspicious to contact police.

DRAMATIC PHOTOS SHOW MINNESOTA LAWMAKER’S HOME DAMAGED IN SHOOTING AS MANHNUT FOR SUSPECT CONTINUES

Evans said authorities are sifting through 400 tips and described Sunday’s search as “fluid.”

“This is a complex situation that our investigators are going to need time to sift through the information and evidence,” Evans said.

NEARBY STATE ON ALERT AS SEARCH FOR MINNESOTA LAWMAKER SHOOTER CONTINUES

Authorities have said the suspect targeted lawmakers in a planned attack, showing up at their homes wearing a police-like uniform and a mask.

A massive manhunt for Boelter began Saturday morning, after the shootings were reported, into Sunday. When asked whether the suspect might be trying to leave the country or get to Canada, police had this to say:

“We don’t have evidence that he’s intending a particular destination, but all options are open to the investigative team, and they’re exploring that right now,” Evans told reporters on Sunday, adding that authorities are unclear on how Boelter may be traveling, whether by foot, vehicle or another form of transportation.

Authorities are operating under the assumption that the suspect is still alive.

Late Sunday afternoon, the Sibley County Sheriff’s Office in Minnesota confirmed to Fox News that an alert was sent saying the suspect’s car had been found near Highway 25 and 301 Avenue in Faxon Township, Sibley County.

“I mean, we knew what it was about, so we just decided to stay indoors,” Sibley County, Minnesota, resident Nate Douglas told Fox News Digital on Sunday afternoon.

ATF OFFICIAL ‘ABSOLUTELY’ CONFIDENT SUSPECT IN MINNESOTA LAWMAKER SHOOTINGS WILL BE CAUGHT SOON

 The suspect, however, was not located, according to the alert.

The sheriff’s office warned residents to use caution and keep their doors locked.

WHO ARE THE SHOOTING VICTIMS IN THE ‘TARGETED’ ATTACKS AGAINST MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS?

A tow truck arrived in the area empty and left with a vehicle. Minnesota state authorities have not yet confirmed whether the vehicle was related to Boetler.

Democratic Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar shared a message from Hoffman’s wife on Sunday, saying the state senator was shot nine times and she eight.

“John is enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods,” Yvette wrote. “He took [nine] bullet hits. I took [eight] and we are both incredibly lucky to be alive. We are gutted and devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark. There is never a place for this kind of political hate.”

POLICE IDENTIFY SUSPECT IN SHOOTING OF MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS AND THEIR SPOUSES

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Officials said Boelter had signs in his vehicle that read “No Kings.” Cities across the United States had “No Kings” protests — expressing disapproval of the Trump administration’s ICE raids — scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Man dies after security shoots him by mistake at ‘No Kings’ rally amid rifle threat

An innocent bystander who was shot during a “No Kings” protest in Utah has died, police said Sunday. 

The victim, identified as Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, was shot during the Saturday protest, which attracted around 10,000 people, and died later that night, Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said.

“Our victim was not the intended target,” said Redd, who added that Ah Loo, 39, was just participating in the march. 

PERSON OF INTEREST IN CUSTODY AFTER SHOOTING AT ‘NO KINGS’ DEMONSTRATION IN UTAH

Redd said Ah Loo was mistakenly shot by one of two event peacekeepers in neon vests who opened fire after a suspect, identified as Arturo Gamboa, 24, ran toward the crowd with a rifle. 

They saw Gamboa pull out a rifle before raising it in a firing position before moving toward a crowd of protesters, Redd said. One of the men in the vests fired three times, striking Gamboa and the victim, who later died. 

MEMORIAL DAY MASS SHOOTING IN PHILADELPHIA LEAVES 2 DEAD, 9 INJURED

Gamboa was wounded and was allegedly found with a rifle and a gas mask in his backpack. Paramedics took Gamboa to the hospital. Detectives later booked Gamboa into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on a charge of murder.

Two SWAT medics performed life-saving care on the victim before he was taken to a hospital, where he later died, police said. 

The shooter was cooperating with investigators, police said. 

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Gamboa, who did not fire a shot, doesn’t have any criminal history, the chief said. 

Military parade lacks ‘dark malevolent energy,’ MSNBC hosts say, arguing its ‘different’

MSNBC hosts Ali Velshi and Chris Hayes appeared surprised on Saturday that the military parade event in Washington, D.C., wasn’t giving off “dark, malevolent energy,” which they said was often the case at President Donald Trump‘s rallies. 

“One thing I will say, I want to go back to you, Ali, that, again, when we talk about the sort of tension in the country, and sometimes, you know, you and I have both been at Trump rallies, those can be very tense, a kind of, I would say, like kind of a dark, malevolent energy, sometimes in them, not always, but it doesn’t seem like that’s the energy on the Mall today, which I think is a good sign, right?” Hayes asked Velshi.

The military parade on Saturday honored the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, which also coincided with Trump’s 79th birthday. However, the parade came as riots and protests continue in Los Angeles and across the country over the Trump administration’s policies. 

“Correct. You’re really correct about that, Chris, and it’s something we were watching for. I’m just sort of surprised by the number of people who were at the front of the parade watching, cheering, and then would come and ask to take a selfie. This is a very different, this is a very different mood here. People seem to be going out of their way to say that they’re here to celebrate the Army’s 250th birthday,” Velshi said. 

MILITARY PARADE DRAWS PATRIOTIC AMERICANS FROM NEAR AND FAR: ‘NO BETTER TIME TO COME TO DC’

Velshi said that politicization was still present at the event, but that it wasn’t dark or tense.

“Now, there are people walking around with signs. Moments ago, while you were talking to Jen, a guy just came around and said, ‘Trump 2028!’ and I said, ‘How does that work exactly?’ and he was, like, laughing and had a big flag on him. So there’s some politicization here, but it’s not dark, it’s not tense, it’s not amped up. It’s different. It’s different from covering a Trump rally,” he continued. 

Hayes brought up “exuberant” protests across the nation in small towns and asked MSNBC host Jen Psaki about the country’s “civic culture.”

LIBERAL MEDIA MELTS DOWN OVER TRUMP’S MILITARY PARADE PLAN, CALLING IT ‘AUTHORITARIAN’

“There’s sort of a feeling of hope, I think, and this speaks to what Ali is sort of experiencing, is that the country’s civic culture and democratic culture is actually quite strong and sort of is an enormous asset that we have when we compare ourselves to other places. There genuinely is a democratic and civic culture in this country that I think, I think, most Americans still hang on to,” he said.

MSNBC’s Jen Psaki said it was “encouraging” to hear that “there is a calm and that it isn’t overly exercised among the people attending.” 

However, Psaki said the calm may shift depending on what President Trump said during his speech at the parade. 

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“People who have never participated in protests or have never seen themselves as part of an activist movement are out there today, right? They’re out there with their kids and their 98-year-old mothers, and that tells you how people feel moved in this moment. So, that is a part of our environment, that is a part of who we are as a country, and today is an example of that. And let’s certainly all hope that that continues at this event this evening,” the MSNBC host said. 

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Golfer stuns field with dramatic 64-foot putt to claim US Open victory at tough course

J.J. Spaun has powered through the tough course conditions, terrible weather and heat of competition to win the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on Sunday. 

Spaun, who turned pro in 2012 and has just one PGA Tour win under his belt, has captured his first major of his career at a course that consumed some of the game’s biggest stars. 

He did so in dramatic fashion, too, as Spaun closed the door with a birdie at the 18th, a long, winding putt from 64 feet to secure the victory. It was the longest putt made by anyone in the field over four rounds.

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Spaun shot 66-72-69-72 to finish his week as the only player under par at Oakmont. 

Oakmont was as advertised this week, with some of the game’s best like Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and more struggling to find answers for its tough greens, thick roughs, and the pouring rain that came down on Sunday certainly didn’t help matters for those vying for the championship. 

Golf’s toughest test this year, though, was tamed by Spaun on Thursday when he left as the field’s leader after 18 holes, shooting a 4-under 66. He returned on Friday and didn’t see the same results, going 2-over, but he certainly wasn’t out of it. 

After posting a 1-under on Saturday, Spaun knew he was in position to make a run at his first-ever major, but Sunday’s start wasn’t at all what he had in mind. 

FRENCH GOLFER VICTORY PEREZ MAKES HISTORY AT US OPEN WITH RARE ACE

Spaun had five bogeys in his first six holes, as he started to tumble down the leaderboard. In the past, Spaun has said he would be discouraged with this type of performance, but as he was righting his Sunday ship, a weather delay put a halt on play. 

When he returned to the course, a different Spaun emerged. The back nine was truly his, shooting par on the first two holes before birdying Hole 12 and then Hole 14 to get his round to 3-over on the day. 

At this point, multiple players were in the hunt, separated by a shot, if not tied on the leaderboard. Spaun gave one back with a bogey on 15, but he was money on Hole 17 and 18 with back-to-back birdies to seal the win. 

While his putt on 18 was nothing short of incredible, Spaun’s drive on 17 landed perfectly short of the green and it rolled up for a chance at eagle. While he missed that putt, he would bury his next one just over three feet with a chance to win on 18. 

Robert MacIntyre, the Scottish left-hander, was already in the clubhouse waiting intently for Spaun’s performance on his final hole of the weekend. MacIntyre’s 2-under 68 led him to a 1-over finish for the tournament. A bad hole from Spaun and the trophy could be his. 

But cameras caught the moment MacIntyre watched Spaun nail the long putt on the 18th green, and he finished second for the tournament. The rounded out top 10 are as follows:

• 3rd: Viktor Hovland (+2)
• T-4th: Cameron Young (+3)
• T-4th: Tyrrell Hatton (+3)
• T-4th: Carlos Ortiz (+3)
• T-4th: Sam Burns (+3)
• T-8th: Jon Rahm (+4)
• T-8th: Scottie Scheffler (+4)
• T-10th: Ben Griffin (+5)
• T-10th: Russell Henley (+5)
• T-10th: Adam Scott (+5)

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It was a week that tested both physical and mental fortitude, and Spaun came out the victor of the talented group. 

Spaun also completed his Father’s Day with his daughters Emerson and Violet, as well as wife Melody, with a celebration at the 18th green. 

Tourist caught crushing Swarovski chair in Italian museum’s ‘nightmare’ scenario

A tourist was caught-on-camera crushing a Swarovski crystal-encrusted chair inside a museum in Italy – then taking off.

The Palazzo Maffei in Verona took to social media to expose the tourist’s actions as he was caught sitting on the chair, causing it to collapse and fall to the ground.  

“The nightmare of every museum has become a reality, even at Palazzo Maffei,” the museum wrote in a post on their Facebook page, with the surveillance video attached.  

“What you just saw would be ridiculous if it hadn’t, unfortunately, actually happened,” a museum employee says during the video.

MELANIA TRUMP STATUE SAWED OFF AT THE ANKLES AND STOLEN IN SLOVENIA

The museum pointed out that the tourists conveniently waited for security to leave before making their move and capturing the photo.

The chair was described as being “extremely fragile.” 

“An irresponsible gesture caused serious damage to Nicola Bolla’s ‘Van Gogh’ chair, a very delicate work, entirely covered in hundreds of Swarovski crystals,” the museum said. 

ANCIENT RELIGIOUS RELICS RECOVERED AFTER CHURCH ROBBERIES NOW ON DISPLAY IN NEW EXHIBIT

The museum said they were unsure for several days if they would be able to restore the chair.

“We were truly worried it might not be possible to restore it,” the museum said. 

BRITISH MAN CONVICTED IN $6 MILLION GOLD TOILET HEIST

However, thanks to efforts by numerous individuals, the museum shared that they were able to successfully save the work of art.

“Heartfelt thanks go to the police, our security department and the restorers, whose valuable work allowed the recovery of the work,” the museum shared.

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“We share this episode not only for the record, but to start a real awareness campaign on the value of art and the respect it is due.” 

It’s unclear how much it cost to fix the art display. It is also unclear if the culprits were ever identified or if they would face any consequences.

Rand Paul reveals what Trump must do to win his vote after White House picnic drama

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., revealed what it would take for him to vote for President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” on Sunday, telling NBC “Meet The Press” host Kristen Welker that he’s not “an absolute no.”

Paul had long been an opponent of the bill, claiming it contained insufficient spending cuts and objecting to the provision that raised the debt ceiling by $5 trillion. The Kentucky senator told Welker that he liked the tax cuts contained in the bill — claiming that they could in fact raise revenue and thus help the deficit — and said he had spoken to President Trump the previous evening after the military parade. 

“I’ve let [Trump] know that I’m not an absolute ‘no,’ I can be a ‘yes.’ I like the tax cuts… I think there should be more spending cuts, but if they want my vote they’ll have to negotiate, because I don’t want a vote to raise the debt ceiling $5 trillion,” Paul said.

TRUMP CRITICIZES RAND PAUL OVER TAX BILL OPPOSITION: ‘VOTES NO ON EVERYTHING’

The “One Big Beautiful Bill” would make the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent, and includes the president’s signature campaign item “no tax on tips,” coupled with spending cuts and a large debt ceiling hike. The House version of the bill raises the debt ceiling $4 trillion while the Senate blueprint has a $5 trillion raise. Paul, a libertarian, has long opposed federal spending and raised the alarm about the United States’ increasing levels of debt.

“Congress is awful with money, so you should give them a more restrictive credit line, not a more expansive one,” Paul said.

Paul acknowledged the debt ceiling needed to be raised, but said he felt it should be raised in three-month increments, so Congress could continue talking about the debt. He said that in order for him to vote for the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” the debt ceiling provisions would have to be voted on separately.

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Trump has criticized Paul’s opposition in voting for the bill, claiming he was “playing into the hands of Democrats.”

“If Senator Rand Paul votes against our Great, Big, Beautiful Bill, he is voting for, along with the Radical Left Democrats, a 68% Tax Increase and, perhaps even more importantly, a first time ever default on U.S. Debt. “Rand will be playing right into the hands of the Democrats, and the GREAT people of Kentucky will never forgive him! The GROWTH we are experiencing, plus some cost cutting later on, will solve ALL problems. America will be greater than ever before!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

Paul said he and the president are trying to get their conversations to a “better place” after a recent blowup regarding a White House picnic. The senator claimed that he was uninvited to the picnic, which all Democratic and Republican lawmakers were invited to, in retaliation for his opposition to the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Paul slammed the move as “incredibly petty.”

“The level of immaturity is beyond words,” Paul told reporters Friday.

Shortly after, Trump took to his social media website Truth Social to say that Paul was “of course” invited to the picnic, and proclaimed him the “toughest vote in the history of the senate.”

“Of course Senator Rand Paul and his beautiful wife and family are invited to the BIG White House Party tonight. He’s the toughest vote in the history of the U.S. Senate, but why wouldn’t he be? Besides, it gives me more time to get his Vote on the Great, Big, Beautiful Bill, one of the greatest and most important pieces of legislation ever put before our Senators & Congressmen/women. It will help to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! I look forward to seeing Rand. The Party will be Great!” Trump posted.

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Paul also came out against censuring Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Ca., after he was handcuffed and forcibly removed from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference Thursday. Padilla interrupted Noem’s press conference, rushed the stage and attempted to ask her a question as federal agents attempted to push him out of the room. The senator was subsequently removed from the room and handcuffed.

Meghan Markle shares rare Father’s Day video of Prince Harry with their children

Meghan Markle gave royal watchers a glimpse into her life as a mother of two while honoring her husband on Father’s Day.

Markle, 43, stood behind the camera to capture moments of her family for memories to share with her followers of Prince Harry being “the best” dad to their two babies.

“Happy Father’s Day to our favorite guy,” the Duchess of Sussex captioned a short video featuring rare moments of their family.

PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE EXCLUDED FROM TROOPING THE COLOUR AS ROYALS PREPARE TO SHOW UNITED FRONT: EXPERT

Markle showed Prince Harry cradling his kids with a “Happy Father’s Day” banner strung up in the courtyard. 

Her video featured intimate family occasions and included footage from when their children were newborns to recent tropical retreats.

KATE MIDDLETON STANDS FIRM WITH PRINCE WILLIAM AS DOORS ‘SHUT’ ON PRINCE HARRY: EXPERT

The Duke of Sussex ran alongside Prince Archie as he rode a bike without training wheels as Jason Mraz’s “Have It All” played in the background. 

Prince Harry, 40, and the “As Ever” brand founder have been fiercely protective of their children, son Prince Archie, 6, and daughter Princess Lilibet, 4. 

The couple have only released a handful of approved images of their children over the years after stepping down from senior royal responsibilities and moving to California in 2020, nearly two years after they married at Windsor Castle.

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On Sunday, King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s royal family Instagram account honored dad’s everywhere with a carousel of throwback photos, including their own fathers.

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“To all Dads everywhere, we wish you a happy Father’s Day today,” they wrote.

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The tribute comes amid a continued royal rift between Prince Harry and his brother and father. Royal experts have told Fox News Digital that brother Prince William and Harry are not on speaking terms. Sources close to Harry previously told People magazine that Harry’s father, King Charles, won’t respond to Harry’s phone calls or letters.

After the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from their responsibilities in 2020, the couple aired grievances with Prince Harry’s family in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s tell-all 2023 memoir, “Spare,” filled with private details and embarrassing revelations about the House of Windsor, made things worse.

In the book, the Duke of Sussex claimed he and William begged their father, who at the time was the Prince of Wales, not to marry Camilla. Charles and Camilla were in a relationship for decades, even while Charles was married to Harry and William’s mother, the late Princess Diana.

Harry also wrote in his book that from the very beginning of his relationship with Meghan Markle, his family was skeptical of the American actress, as was the British press. 

After Harry tried to set the tone and released a statement condemning tabloid coverage of their relationship, William allegedly grew furious with his brother. When Markle and Harry were given the Duke and Duchess of Sussex title, everything boiled over and William reportedly became physically violent toward Harry.

In May, Harry told the BBC he’s ready to reconcile with his family but that the patriarch won’t speak with him.

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Nebraska teen’s miraculous recovery journey after father’s tough love moment in rehab

For many young girls, their father is the childhood hero who carries their bike, puts the Band-Aid on their injuries, and – in my case – caught me when I fell off the horse. 

But when I was 15, Dad did a lot more than clean a scraped knee. On my way to softball practice, I was in a head-on collision that left me with a traumatic brain injury and in a coma for more than two weeks. 

I didn’t know it at the time, but my father, who is a first responder for our county, was on the scene. 

He stabilized my neck as the emergency team extracted me from the car and lifted me into the ambulance. For many fathers, that might be the most heroic and most difficult thing they do for a child.

A FATHER’S DAY PLEA: MY CHILD HAS BECOME A NUMBER IN HAMAS’ HELL

But a few months after the accident, Dad did something even harder: he told me that there was a bigger hero in my life – God – and that my recovery was between me and Him. 

In rural Nebraska, where I live, most 15-year-olds are learning how to drive, stressing over geometry and working on their family farms. That year, however, I was in a brain trauma rehabilitation facility, learning how to walk, identify colors and eat properly.

It was the hardest thing I’d ever done, especially as someone who had played softball, raised horses and coached Special Olympian barrel racers. Now I needed help for things as basic as brushing my teeth, getting dressed and going to the bathroom. 

One day, I was done with it all. Discouraged, exhausted and resigned to a helpless existence, I told the therapist to take me back to my room at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital. There was Dad, once again my biggest supporter, who literally had saved my life.

BUILDING YOUR ADVENTURE: CIA VETERAN SHARES AN INSPIRING STORY ABOUT COURAGE WITH GRADUATES

Only this time, he wasn’t the hero. “I can’t make you walk,” he said. “This is a conversation you need to have with God.”

I was floored, but Dad was right. I was stuck in my own misery and had never taken my circumstances to my  Father. Part of it was pride. I had been the one who was competitive and took care of others. Now I was totally dependent on others. 

In total humility, I stared at the ceiling of my rehab room, and I asked God for help. The next day, I was ready to try again and to try and stand for the first time.

Almost three years after that conversation, I don’t know why God allowed me to be in that accident. But I’ve come to realize that my story isn’t about me – but about what it can do for others. 

AMERICA IS REDISCOVERING ITS SOUL AND REVIVING THE SACRED

For example, I was ticked when I found out that 98,000 people on my Caring Bridge page saw images of me on a hospital bed. But I’ve also heard from some of those people directly that seeing my struggle gave them hope and increased their faith. 

I went to prom this spring with a young man named Carson, a friend I made at Madonna. He was in an accident like mine and is confined to a wheelchair. While his body is still struggling, it’s clear that his light is very much alive. What he needs more than anything as he continues on his recovery is to feel a real connection with other people, especially those his age.

And this summer, I’ll be going to New Orleans with 20,000 teenagers, young adults and supportive adults for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Youth Gathering. 

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My story won’t be plastered on the screens, but it’ll certainly come up in conversation, especially since I attended the last Gathering just months before my accident. Answering “What have you been up to?” could help kids recovering from their own traumas, impacted by family abuse, or simply stuck in the mental health challenges common in my generation. 

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On Father’s Day, I’m eternally grateful that I get to spend yet another one with my dad, the man who held me as a baby and also when I was being loaded into an ambulance. And I’m even more grateful to the Heavenly Father, who is still the other hero by my side.