NameDiane Smith Age78 How long have you lived in Baytown?74 years; in 2021 I moved out of state with my daughter, my only surviving relative. She was also ready for a change. Most interesting fact about youI’m an amateur writer — short stories and novelettes, poetry … Continue readingMoving forward despite tragedy
“I come from a family of veterans, but it’s my brother’s journey that truly lit the fire in my soul. He served eight years in the Army. He was willing to sacrifice everything for what he believed in. But when he got out, he was … Continue readingShe has big heart for homeless vets
Sky Allen McSpadden proudly served in the United States Navy for nine years, based in Jacksonville, Florida. For five of those years, he was stationed aboard the USS Halyburton, a period of service that took him across the world — to places like Greece, Spain, … Continue readingMom honors Navy son’s service
“I was 23 weeks pregnant when Ari was born. She was a micro preemie, and weighed just 1 pound, 4 ounces. Because her lungs were very premature she couldn’t breathe on her own, so she was intubated. Then they did a trach, and then a … Continue readingMicro preemie has come long way in 5 years
“Buffalo Bayou Kayak Tours posted on Facebook that they were looking for guides. They wanted someone who knows stuff about nature and history. And I was like, that’s kind of up my alley. I’ve been an information buff the majority of my life. And I … Continue readingKayak tours connect people to history, nature
“I was kind of embarrassed about liking to draw when I was a teenager. I didn’t want to tell my friends, ‘Hey, when I’m not hanging out with you guys, I’m in my room drawing Disney dogs.’ I figured they’d think I was weird. “As … Continue readingPainter feels lucky to have art in her life
In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, there were many posts about pets gone missing or strays wandering into yards. Not all were of the four-legged variety. Laura Brown Anderson’s 1-year-old parrot, Clark, went on an hours-long adventure after accidentally flying out the family’s front door. … Continue readingParrot reunites with owner post-storm
“I was in my late 20s, and I was having real bad headaches, muscle problems, stiffness, and some paralysis on my left side. I ended up in the hospital. They didn’t know if it was polio or encephalitis. “It was a tough thing to go … Continue readingBowling life helps keep her young at heart
“Alicia was my fourth child, my littlest one. She was like a little porcelain doll. We pretty much centered ourselves around her. She was my kids’ pride and joy. She wanted anything, she got it. She was going to turn 2 last July. Then in … Continue readingBlessing box: ‘Her story doesn’t end here’
“I’m not a fast learner or academically gifted or as talented as other people here at Lee College. But I try very hard. “I failed a math course last semester. I tried. I even got help from a professor, but I still failed. But that … Continue readingAutism ‘isn’t going to stop me’