Texas
North Texas doctor returns from medical mission in Gaza
COPPELL — It’s been six months since the Hamas terrorist group attacked Israel on October 7 killing 1200 people and triggering an all-out war in the Gaza Strip. Since then more than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, which does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths.
Here in North Texas, emergency medicine physician Dr. Bilal Piracha has every medical supply he could ever need at his disposal.
But just last month he traveled to Gaza to help in a hospital there where some lifesaving medical supplies are nearly impossible to find.
“Many patients will die because of the lack of basic necessities and supplies,” said Piracha.
In March, Piracha, who owns America First Urgent Care in Coppell, traveled to Gaza on a volunteer medical mission with the organization Med Global.
“When I was about to go, I was talking to my cousin [who] is just starting psychiatry residency and she said that that is the thing, why we become doctors. And I said, ‘Yes that’s exactly what it is,’” said Piracha.
He and another doctor from North Texas were part of a medical mission to Gaza where according to the World Health Organization less than a third of hospitals in Gaza are functioning. Many hospitals have been damaged in airstrikes.
Twenty-four hours a day he worked in the emergency room at a hospital in Central Gaza.
“That hospital is a 200-bed hospital, [it] used to be a 200-bed hospital now there is 700 beds going around everywhere,” said Piracha.
Piracha and other doctors there would often treat patients with severe injuries on the floor of the ER, with the sounds of war not far away.
“It was like a normal thing to continuously hear the explosions going on the gunshots machine guns,” said Piracha.
He worked day in and day out saving lives while also teaching young doctors in the facility.
“The feeling that we are being of some help; at the same time the feeling of being helpless when you are not able to save the dying kids and women and young girls and boys, ” said Piracha. “But at the same time, it was pretty inspiring to see the people there. They will be like always smiling, always positive.”
He’s back in North Texas now but the people he met there are never far from his mind.
“There is a feeling of guilt,” said Piracha. “I just said goodbye and I came back to my good life and they are still suffering.”
He hopes by sharing their story he can help end their suffering.
“Stand up to save the people of Gaza, by sending your doctors your donations, but most importantly standing up to stop this war right now,” said Piracha.
ARLINGTON — North Crowley showed out on Saturday in its dazzling 50-21 victory over Austin Westlake in the 6A Division I state title game, winning the program’s second state championship and putting Fort Worth high school football on the map in front of 36,120 fans at AT&T Stadium.
Until North Crowley took the field at 7:30 p.m., there was a possibility the Dallas-Fort Worth area might boast only one state champion in 2024. Celina routed Kilgore 55-21 in the 4A Division I state championship to capture the program’s ninth state title and its first under coach Bill Elliott.
But North Texas teams came up short in the next three title games, the region’s worst showing at state since 2021, when South Oak Cliff became the first Dallas ISD school to win a recognized state championship since 1958, but Denton Guyer and Duncanville fell in the 6A state championship games.
Two-time state champion South Oak Cliff missed a last-second field goal, falling 38-35 to third-year program Richmond Randle in the 5A Division II state title game Friday night. It was SOC’s second straight loss in the state championship game.
“The future is still bright,” South Oak Cliff coach Jason Todd said. “We just gotta find out what’s going to get us over this hump.”
Smithson Valley, from the San Antonio area, topped Highland Park 32-20 as the six-time state champion faded in the second half of the 5A Division I state title game Saturday afternoon.
In the second game of the day, eight-time state champion Southlake Carroll extended its title drought to 13 years with a 24-17 loss to Austin Vandegrift in the 6A Division II game.
“It’ll happen one day. I’m excited about what the future holds,” said Carroll coach Riley Dodge, who fell to 0-2 in state title games as a coach.
The Dallas area claimed three football state champions in 2023 with Anna winning the 4A Division I state title and Duncanville and DeSoto sweeping the 6A Division I and II state championships, respectively. The southern Dallas County schools also swept the 6A state championships in 2022, when South Oak Cliff won its second straight 5A Division II state title.
But this year, the rest of Texas didn’t let the Dallas area, a high school football mecca, run the table. Teams from each of the state’s major metros — Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio —- won a title in each division of the UIL’s two highest classifications.
Even before this week’s state championship games, 2024 seemed to mark a changing of the guard. Neither Duncanville, DeSoto nor Houston-area power Galena Park North Shore made it to AT&T Stadium this year. Nor did 12-time UIL state champion Aledo, the juggernaut west of Fort Worth that had won the last two 5A Division I state championships.
But North Crowley did, after knocking off both DeSoto and Duncanville this season. North Texas might not have dominated the competition as it has in recent years, but for a third straight season, the king of 6A reigns in Dallas-Fort Worth.
“When you get to this point, there’s only one team that’s standing that’s hoisting the trophy. And fortunately for us, this year it’s us and we just happen to be from 817,” North Crowley coach Ray Gates said. “We’re elated to be able to bring that type of recognition back to our community, just to let people know that when you talk about this area, when you talk about Metroplex football, you can’t forget about us.”
On Twitter/X: @t_myah
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Quinn Ewers on making the most of his moments as a Texas Longhorn
“That’s the fun part about playing at program like this. Being able to sit back and just understand the pride and tradition that comes with playing here.”
Texas football will be without star receiver Isaiah Bond on Saturday, who was shown in street clothes prior to the Longhorns’ first-round College Football Playoff game against Clemson.
No. 5 Texas (11-2) hosts No. 12 Clemson (10-3) in the third CFP game of 2024, with quarterback Quinn Ewers needing to rely on the Longhorns’ other receivers in their opening round. Bond is dealing with an ankle injury, and was shown on the sideline with a boot during pregame warmups Saturday.
Bond suffered the injury in Texas’ loss to Georgia in the SEC championship game, putting his status into question. Bond has 532 receiving yards with six touchdowns in 12 games this season.
The first-year transfer from Alabama was one of the most sought-after transfer portal recruits in the country last offseason, ranked as the No. 4 overall player and No. 1 receiver of the cycle.
Here’s everything to know about Bond’s injury:
Isaiah Bond injury update
Bond will miss Texas’ game on Saturday against Clemson with an ankle injury, as he was shown in street clothes and with a boot on his ankle during pregame warmups.
The former five-star transfer portal recruit suffered a high-ankle sprain against Georgia in the SEC championship game on Dec. 7. Texas hopes to get back its top receiver in the next weeks of the CFP if it beats Clemson on Saturday.
What is Isaiah Bond’s injury?
Bond suffered a high-ankle sprain against Georgia in the SEC championship game.
Bond was shown with a boot on his foot ahead of Texas’ game against Clemson on Saturday.
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