The Oscar-winning film “Forrest Gump” was released in theaters on this day in history, July 6, 1994.

An adaptation of the 1986 novel of the same name by author Winston Groom, the movie was a smash success and earned $678.2 million worldwide. 

It was the second-highest grossing film in 1994, coming in only behind “The Lion King,” says the website Box Office Mojo.

Starring Tom Hanks as the titular character, “Forrest Gump” tells of the life and times of a man “a bit on the slow side” — a man who also leads an extraordinary life amid some of history’s biggest events. 

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The film is narrated by Gump, who sits on a bench waiting for a bus. He begins to tell anyone who’s sitting next to him the story of his life, beginning with his childhood in the 1950s.

Raised in Alabama by a single mother, played by Sally Field, Gump becomes close to Jenny (played by Robin Wright), the only person who will let him sit down on the school bus. 

Teased and harassed one day at school, Gump discovers that he can run quite fast. 

His athletic skill eventually leads to scouting by the University of Alabama to play football — which sets the rest of the story in motion. 

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After college, Gump joins the Army and is sent to Vietnam to fight in the Vietnam War. 

In the Army, he befriends “Bubba,” and the two aspire to open a shrimp boating business once they return to the United States after the war. 

Hanks was awarded Best Actor, the first time someone had won back-to-back Best Actor awards since the 1930s. 

Bubba, sadly, does not make it home from Vietnam.

In the film, Gump saves the life of his commanding officer, Lieutenant Dan (played by Gary Sinise), as well as others. Gump is awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism — and becomes a ping-pong star as he recovers from his war injuries.

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At an anti-war rally, Gump runs into the now-adult Jenny and Lt. Dan — and discovers that Jenny has fallen into the hippie lifestyle of the ’70s. 

Tom Hanks, Sally Field and director Robert Zemeckis attend the “Forrest Gump” Hollywood Premiere on June 23, 1994, at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California.  (Getty Images)

Reunited with Lt. Dan, Gump fulfills his and Bubba’s dream of buying a shrimping boat, creating the “Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.” 

Both Lt. Dan and Gump become extremely wealthy after Lt. Dan invests the profits “in some fruit company” — later revealed to be Apple.  

Gump proposes marriage to Jenny, which she declines. 

In response to her rejection of him (and her disappearance, once again, from his life), Gump begins to run across the United States.

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Returning finally to Alabama after a few years, Gump discovers he is the father of Jenny’s child, Forrest Jr. — and that she is dying of an unnamed illness implied to be AIDS. 

Forrest and Jenny finally marry before her death. 

Actor Tom Hanks portrayed the titular character “Forrest Gump” in the 1994 film. He won his second Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.  (Sunset Boulevard/Getty Images)

Reviews were mixed when the film was released.

Some critics called it an “American staple” — while others called the narrative “programmed” and the film “hogwash.”

Wrote Malcolm Johnson of The Hartford Courant, “Hanks’ power as an actor makes us believe in Forrest. He also draws us into Forrest’s mind and morality system. And he sets out a singular film persona who will be watched and loved as long as people embrace movies.”

Jay Carr of The Boston Globe said, “‘Forrest Gump,’ the new Tom Hanks movie directed by Robert Zemeckis, is a one-of-a-kind treat.”

Robin Wright as Jenny and Tom Hanks as Forrest in the 1994 film “Forrest Gump,” directed by Robert Zemeckis.  (Sunset Boulevard/Getty Images)

The film received the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 67th Academy Awards in 1995, notes the Academy’s website. 

Hanks was awarded Best Actor, the first time someone had won back-to-back Best Actor awards since the 1930s, said the Academy. (In 1994, Hanks won for his role in “Philadelphia.”)

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In winning the Best Actor Oscar for “Forrest Gump,” Hanks beat out fellow nominees Morgan Freeman, Paul Newman, John Travolta and Nigel Hawthorne that year.

“Forrest Gump” also won Oscars for Best Directing, Film Editing, Visual Effects, and Writing–Screenplay based on material previously produced or published. 

A 17-year-old boy who had been missing from Flint, Michigan, since May has been located after he randomly appeared on a live-streamed video Wednesday.

Troy Coleman, who was last seen leaving his house in Flint and possibly boarding a public bus in late May, spooked popular Twitch streamers FaZe Lacy and Clix when he came up to the streamers while they were recording a live video at an outdoor table at a Miami restaurant.

“Bro, are you good?” a man in the video can be heard asking Coleman, who wanders around the outdoor tables talking to people throughout the course of FaZe Lacy’s live-streamed video.

Coleman was wearing a neon-green bathing suit and did not appear to have any other belongings with him besides a sweatshirt.

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Dozens of people watching the live video left real-time comments when Coleman entered the scene, calling him a “crackhead” and a drunk. 

Afterward, FaZe Lacy shared an email on X from Trent Coleman, who identified himself as Coleman’s brother.

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“Hello my name is Trent [C]oleman and my missing little brother from [M]ichigan was on Clix and [L]acy’s stream in Miami, he was wearing green shorts and they were making fun of him, he is not on drugs he is scizhophrenic and 17 years old if someone can contact me about this [I] would be so thankful he has been missing for 3 months and this case was put on homicide in [M]icigan,” the email states.

FaZe Lacy noted in a post on X that he “wasn’t sure” whether he should make the email public but was “hoping somehow this helps [Coleman] be found for his family.”

The streamer said in another post that Coleman had mentioned the hotel where he was staying on the live recording.

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“We got into contact with his brother and told him what hotel he said he was staying at on stream. He has been found and placed in a holding cell in Miami until he gets transferred back to Michigan with his family,” FaZe Lacy wrotebo on X. “The power of the internet is insane thank you guys.”

On Thursday, the Flint Township Police Department announced that Coleman had been “found safe in Miami,” adding that Michigan police were working with Miami authorities “to arrange his safe return to Michigan to be with his family.”

Four people and one suspect are dead after a shooting in Kentucky early Saturday, the Florence Police Department says. 

The shooting took place at around 2:50 a.m. at a home on Ridgecrest Drive, located in the city of Florence, in northern Kentucky, Florence Police Chief Jeff Mallery said at a press briefing Saturday. 

A 21st birthday party was taking place at a residence there which suddenly turned deadly, Mallery said. 

Police were called to the scene after receiving calls about an active shooter and when they arrived they still heard shots being fired, he said.

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They found at least four people dead at the scene and others injured.

The suspect, identified by Mallery as 20-year-old Chase Garvey, fled the scene southbound in a vehicle, sparking a police chase, but it crashed into a ditch on Dale Heimbrock Way near Hicks Pike after Garvey shot himself.

He was found by police with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The four deceased victims were all adults and named as Delaney Eary, 19, Hayden Rybicki, 20, Melissa Parrett, 44, and Shane Miller, 20.

The party was being held at Parrett’s home for her 21-year-old child, according to the chief.

Garvey was not invited to the party, but did know those celebrating, a visibly shaken Chief Mallery explained.

“We’ve never dealt with this before and now it’s going on through the nation, but this is the first time we’ve had a mass shooting in Florence, so yeah, it’s very emotional.”

“We train on this, hoping it would never happen, but unfortunately, we’ve been touched like so many departments and cities,” Mallery said.

A motive for the shooting is unclear. 

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The other three victims were transported to a local hospital and currently listed as critical but stable, Mallery said. He said they are expected to make a full recovery.

Florence Police Department tells Fox 19 that there is currently no threat to the public.

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Ridgecrest Drive is about 15 miles southwest of Cincinnati, Ohio.

A Google Earth image of Ridgecrest Drive, Florence, Kentucky, where the shooting took place. (Google Earth)