Connect with us

Dallas, TX

‘Longest six days of my life’: Kiwis stranded in US airport without food, clothing

Published

on

‘Longest six days of my life’: Kiwis stranded in US airport without food, clothing


Still image taken from video of stranded passengers waiting for help in Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas, United States, on Saturday, 11 January, 2025. Photo / Carina Fischer

“Everyone went crazy in the plane. It was bonkers. Everyone was yelling, and at the end, the pilot made the announcement and everyone started chanting ‘new crew, new crew’,” Ruhlman.

“I have to go to work. I’m obviously not going to be able to work on Monday. I was supposed to arrive in Auckland on Friday morning,” Ruhlman said.

Carina Fischer, of Remuera, described the scene in the terminal as “a nightmare”.

AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.

Fischer said: “Everyone is crying. Kids are screaming.”

Advertisement

She said a relative had helped her buy a hotel room, but she had been washing her clothes in the sink and drying them with a hairdryer.

She was also worried about her child who has ADHD, saying he was without his medication as well.

She claimed American Airlines was “not helpful, not helpful at all”.

Ruhlman echoed that sentiment: “They literally don’t care that they ruined people’s holidays and so many plans – and sanity.”

She said a group of passengers were planning to write to the airline’s chief executive asking for compensation.

Advertisement

“I’m so tired and still in my same clothes as Wednesday. It’s Monday …”

American Airlines was approached for comment on Saturday, but had yet to respond by Monday morning.

The flight, American Airlines 55, was due to leave the US on Wednesday, but after several false starts, the passengers were still waiting in the terminal on Saturday morning. Photo / Carina Fischer
The flight, American Airlines 55, was due to leave the US on Wednesday, but after several false starts, the passengers were still waiting in the terminal on Saturday morning. Photo / Carina Fischer

Another passenger, Sarah Botwright was due to be in New Zealand for a holiday to see her friend, said she had to be home in Ohio and she would likely have to cancel her whole trip to Godzone.

“My luggage will be going to New Zealand regardless of whether I go or not, though,” she said.

AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.

“It’s just insane,” she said of the situation.

Local daily paper the Dallas Morning News reported more than 600 flights to and from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field had been cancelled as of 5pm Friday (12pm, Saturday, NZ).

Advertisement

More than 800 flights were also delayed. American Airlines flights were the most impacted by the delays, the Dallas Morning News said.

The paper said the delays were due to a snowstorm in North Texas on Thursday which left a dumping of snow and icy conditions.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.

Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.



Source link

Advertisement

Dallas, TX

Friends are rallying for Ruby Gonzalez’s family after the crash

Published

on

Friends are rallying for Ruby Gonzalez’s family after the crash


A young mother is dead and her husband remains hospitalized after Dallas police said the couple was hit and killed by a wrong-way driver along US-75 early Monday.

“She’s been that person connecting everybody. She can get this whole group together,” said Samantha Cosio.

Amanda Martinez, Evelyn Duarte and Samantha Cosio said 30-year-old Ruby Gonzalez was the glue of their friend group.

“Ruby had this energy where we just all gravitated towards her,” said Cosio.

Advertisement

They say it’s hard to comprehend that someone who loved life is suddenly gone.

“It’s just a nightmare,” said Evelyn Duarte.

Dallas police said Gonzalez and her husband were driving in the southbound lanes of North Central Expressway near Royal Lane, when they were hit head on by a wrong-way driver just after one a.m. Monday.

The wrong-way driver and Gonzalez were killed.

Friends say her husband, Kevin, remains in critical condition in the ICU.

Advertisement

Her parents have taken over caring for their three children.

“She was always with her children. She lived for them, and now I’m so, so worried about them. I’m praying so hard that Kevin will make it and he’ll be ok, but they’ll never have what they had with Ruby being gone,” said Amanda Martinez.

The couple’s youngest is just two months old.

“He’ll never get to know how beautiful and how much of a light that she was,” she said.

Friends have started an online fundraiser for the family. They say Gonzalez gave them each other.

Advertisement

Now they’re stepping in to fill the gaping hole she leaves behind, while trying to live life a little more like Ruby.

“She taught me how to live and you know, take the trip, wear the dress, put the heels on, you know, enjoy your life while you can, take the pictures now,” said Martinez.

Police say the wrong-way driver died at the scene. The medical examiner identified him as 23-year-old Christopher Ourfalian.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Dallas, TX

Ranking the top 10 players on the Cowboys’ 2026 roster: #8 Tyler Booker

Published

on

Ranking the top 10 players on the Cowboys’ 2026 roster: #8 Tyler Booker


Just a little over a week stands between the Dallas Cowboys and the start of 2026 OTAs. While the offseason has not fully come to an end, Dallas and the other 31 NFL franchises have made almost all of the significant moves they will make before the start of training camp.

Dallas’ roster looks significantly different from what it did at this time last year, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. With that thought in mind, today we continue our series ranking the top 10 players on the Cowboys roster for the 2026 season.

2025 Recap: It’s no secret the Cowboys love drafting talented offensive linemen in the first round. Dallas stayed true to this pattern in 2025, using another premium selection to once again upgrade the unit.

As we all know, the Cowboys decided on Tyler Booker out of Alabama. The selection came with a bit of a mixed reaction. Some believed Dallas was investing too much premium capital in the offensive line with other positions of need, but others were thrilled about Booker’s NFL projection and what he could add to the Cowboys’ offense.

Advertisement

Flash forward a year, and those who were excited about the Booker pick are looking very right. The Alabama product had a fantastic rookie year, starting 14 games and looking like the next potential star at right guard. Booker finished the year with the seventh-highest (76.8) run blocking grade in the league, and his 72.0 overall offensive grade was just a little over one point behind Pro-Bowler Tyler Smith (73.5).

Booker was a force to be reckoned with in the run game and made a clear impact on Dallas’ ability to run the ball to the right side. While pass protection was not as strong as his work in the run game, Booker was nothing close to a liability. The rookie allowed only three sacks and went five of the final six games of the regular season without being called for a penalty.

2026 Preview: After such a great start to his NFL career, expectations are sky high for Booker in year two. With Tyler Smith already locked up long-term, the Cowboys could be looking at having the best guard duo in the league in the coming years.

It’s hard to believe, but Booker is still only just 22-years-old. As he matures both physically and mentally, he is likely only going to sharpen his craft and become an even better player than he was during his rookie year.

The Cowboys have plenty of talent on their roster, but Booker is more than deserving of the eighth spot in these rankings. It’s not easy for rookie offensive linemen to come in and seamlessly transition to playing at the next level, but that is exactly what Booker did. He made the Cowboys look very smart for selecting him 12th overall, and if he can stay healthy, he should have no problem making his first Pro Bowl and potentially All-Pro team this upcoming season.

Advertisement

Prediction: Tyler Booker builds upon his impressive rookie year, starting all 17 regular-season games and making his first Pro Bowl.



Source link

Continue Reading

Dallas, TX

Dallas felon arrested after allegedly shooting 14-year-old inside vacant Pleasant Grove home

Published

on

Dallas felon arrested after allegedly shooting 14-year-old inside vacant Pleasant Grove home


A 14-year-old who lives in Pleasant Grove is at a children’s hospital recovering after he was struck by a shotgun round.

The injured teen was shot about a quarter mile away from his home. Police say the teenager ran while bleeding in his home, where his family called 911 frantic to get him to a hospital.

Advertisement

Felon arrested after teen shot in Pleasant Grove

What we know:

66-year-ikd Victor Burnett is facing multiple aggravated assault charges and also unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. 

Advertisement

It’s the latest in a lengthy arrest history for Burnett in Dallas County.

Burnett is accused of shooting two teens who were inside a vacant home in Pleasant Grove on Tuesday evening around 7pm.

Police say a 14-year-old boy was struck and ran back home on Godfrey Avenue. His 15-year-old friend took off in a different direction across the family’s front porch, and was caught on RING video.

Advertisement

Witness photo and flock cameras lead to suspect

Dig deeper:

A second call to police came in from a witness, stating they saw Burnett with a shotgun getting into a green Dodge pick-up truck parked in the grass field.

Advertisement

This witness is key in the investigation, taking a picture of Burnett’s license plate before he took off.

Flagged by a flock camera just a few miles away, Burnett was then taken into custody of Jim Miller Road.

Suspect claims teens were trespassing

Advertisement

What they’re saying:

According to Burnett’s arrest warrant affidavit, he told police, “juveniles were constantly breaking into vacant/unoccupied new-built homes.”

The 15-year-old, who was not shot, admitted to police they were inside the vacant house and said, “Burnett entered the home, and then they heard a gunshot.”

Advertisement

Thats when “they together jumped out of one of the windows of the bedrooms and ran together and that is when his friend was shot.”

Relationship with Victor Burnett

What’s next:

Advertisement

FOX 4 checked out the vacant home on Thursday and multiple windows were damaged, one clearly with a bullet marker from police. 

Also, outside the new build, cameras and a sign that says ‘No Trespassing’, in the middle of construction, are being built by Robbie Hale Homes. The builder told FOX 4 over the phone on Thursday, that Burnett isn’t employed at the company, but confirmed he has been contracted out to mow lawns or provide security.

Advertisement

The suspect, Victor Burnet, was brought back to police headquarters. A quick search by police, and they learned he’d been convicted of sexual assault and therefore is not permitted by law to own a firearm. 

Police say they found a shotgun and a stolen pistol in his truck.

The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 4’s Peyton Yager.

Advertisement

Crime and Public SafetyPleasant Grove



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending