Coming up next on NewsDepth... Storms caused damage to parts of North America.

We meet a pioneer in the world of wheelchair dancing.

An 11 year old skater overcomes physical difference to compete.

And what are inflatable pants?

NewsDepth is now.

Some regions of North America were coping with dangerous weather last week.

The storms brought floods, water rescues, landslides and dangerous winds.

Hello, everyone.

I'm Gabriel Kramer.

Thank you for joining us.

Let's first stop by the East Coast, where a fierce nor'easter hit the Atlantic coast on October 13th, unleashing powerful winds, dangerous tidal flooding, and widespread travel disruptions.

A nor'easter is a storm along the East Coast of North America, characterized by strong winds.

From the Carolinas to New England.

Communities braced for impact as the storm pushed water inland and triggered emergency responses across multiple states.

Chris Dudley has more.

A powerful and dangerous nor'easter slammed Atlantic states on October 13th.

It was a cyclonic storm with northeast winds that pushed water towards the coast.

The tidal flooding is the main concern.

Authorities reported numerous water rescues in the Carolinas.

The National Weather Service said flood risks in some areas would remain for days.

I wanted to see how high the water was and it's higher than I expected already.

Delaware activated its National Guard.

Atlantic City, New Jersey saw the highest water level since Hurricane Sandy.

But the area was more secure this time around.

Thanks to millions of dollars in improvements.

Nowadays is everybody's preparing for the worst, and kind of hoping for the best, which is, I guess, the best way to prepare for it.

The nor'easter caused numerous travel issues.

FlightAware reported more than 7000 delays on October 12th.

It said airports in New York and Boston were the hardest hit that day.

The nor'easter also brought powerful winds.

Meteorologists say they topped 50mph in parts of Delaware, North Carolina, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia.

Thank you for the report, Chris.

During a big storm, people rely on the dedicated service workers to save their lives.

Firefighters, first responders, pizza delivery people.

That's right.

A pizza delivery guy in New Jersey is so dedicated to his job that he went through high water, very high water to get the pie to his customers.

He took a kayak all the way to their front door.

Jim Murdoch has the story.

Hello, Brother's.

Good.

How are you?

Anthony Diaz set out on a routine delivery call from Brother's Pizza and a Subaru Monday around lunchtime, to an address in nearby Mystic Islands.

Problem was, the way there was flooded.

Big time.

When I got up there, I saw it was about like a foot of water.

I didn't know how deep it was and I didn't want to ruin my car.

I just got it fixed.

So I decided to park and I was going to walk.

He made it all the way to the corner of Twin Lakes in Delaware Drive, in front of Jill's house.

The pizza guy was there.

He parked his car and he was wandering around, and he couldn't go any further with his car.

And I joked with him and I said, do you want to kayak the little blue one he took?

And off he went, even FaceTiming his stunned girlfriend Adriana, as neighbors snapped photos and videos of the determined delivery guy.

For Anthony, it was all just part of the job.

It was just a pie.

It was just a plain pie.

It was easy to carry.

I had put it on my lap and started started rowing.

Anthony's kayaking adventure was no small feat.

It was about a third of a mile each way, and when he reached his final destination here at the end of West Potomac Drive, the homeowner said he had no idea how bad the flooding actually was.

When he found out, he put a call in to Anthony's boss and said that employee is a keeper.

What a commitment to the pizza.

Unfortunately, dangerous weather did not just affect the East Coast.

Alaska was hit with a typhoon last week.

A typhoon is a tropical storm on the Pacific Ocean.

Typhoon Halong hit western Alaska, causing serious flooding and damage along the coast.

And two small Native American communities were hit the hardest.

About 300 people were flown out to Anchorage, and what the National Guard said was one of the biggest rescue airlifts in Alaska's recent history.

The Red cross said about 2000 people had to leave their homes because of the storm.

It has really been a Herculean effort to get, resources out to the communities, to both perform the search and rescue, but also to airlift people out of their communities that have been devastated to more safe accommodations and then get them into our larger population center here in Anchorage so we can provide them with kind of robust services.

While Alaska continues to recover from the powerful storm that forced hundreds to evacuate.

Another disaster struck thousands of miles away in Mexico.

In the state of Hidalgo, Families are facing heartbreak and fear after torrential rains caused floods and landslides sweeping through their communities.

Communities were cut off from help, but neighbors stepped up and did everything they could to support each other.

Valeria Leon speaks to some folks about the uncertain future of their homes.

Scenes of destruction as torrential rain and heavy landslide devastates several Mexican states.

For thousands, the losses are overwhelming.

Some impossible to repair But amid the tragedy.

Solidarity rises.

In Hidalgo, the state with the highest number of people missing.

Oscar Vazquez delivers food to his neighbors.

People are very isolated.

Food is running out.

And getting it through these roads has been really difficult.

Access has just been to restore to the El Pantano community.

Situated between two hills left unstable by the rains.

Authorities have begun assessing the damage.

Having already inspected over 4000 homes, one of them belonging to the Hernandez family.

This house was completely destroyed following the intense rains across central Mexico.

With danger still looming.

Leticia Hernandez, mother of a newborn, prepares to leave He's only three months old.

Of course I'm scared, she says.

We can handle it yourself, but when you have a baby, you think about them.

In the middle of the emergency, it's mothers who carry the heaviest burden.

Maria Angelina lives with her son Fidel, who has a disability.

Honestly, it's scary, she says.

It's never rained like this before.

Thank you, Valeria.

Now a story that proves art can break barriers.

Dancer Mary Verdi-Fletcher is a pioneer in the world of wheelchair dancing.

In 1980, she founded Dancing Wheels, a physically integrated dance company located in Cleveland.

That means that dancers with disabilities and dancers without disabilities can come together on the stage.

Now it's in its 45th season.

The company continues to inspire audiences and challenge ideas about movements and inclusion.

The Dancing Wheels Company is a physically integrated dance company, so it's comprised of dancers with and without disability and using the philosophy it's for all people, of all abilities.

We have a byline under our title as the World's Center for Integrated Dance and Arts Access.

So we really want to make the arts accessible to all people.

There's a saying that it's access to the arts is a right, not a privilege.

So 40 plus years, things have changed considerably.

The idea of physically integrated dance is more known, Accessible is still an issue, not as prevalent as it was years ago.

I was born in 1955 and I had spina bifida.

You know, my mother wasn't sure what to do when I was born.

And so my grandmother said, you take her home and you do the best you can.

I always loved music and watching dance.

And I would move in my chair.

And I moved to the point where I broke the axle off the wheel.

To dance back then was the greatest acceleration in my body.

I always equate it to like flying because to dance on a stage where there's no barriers and you can take on a different persona, it really is a way of freedom that is indescribable.

Particularly for our young people growing up.

If I can do it, they can do it too.

They see ability on stage or in the class that we teach.

It's like an unspoken knowledge that they gain by just seeing.

So seeing is believing.

You don't have to say a word, because when we set foot or wheel on stage and we work together, people are seeing ability everywhere from the disabled and non-disabled dancers.

I was injured in a car accident.

Through physical therapy, I found out about Dancing Wheels and that it was possible to still move and still dance.

Came to audition.

That's where met Mary.

I wasn't born with my disability, but Mary was.

And Mary inspired me because to see someone spend so much time with a disability that they were born with, showing the world and showcasing that you can still do something and still create and still be seen.

It's been amazing, like to have a place where you feel like you belong.

A place where you feel like you can show who you truly are.

Even through adversity or even through having a disability or even just being different.

Special thanks to arts producer Dave DeOreo for sharing that Sketchbook with us.

Tying your skates might seem like a small step, but for 11 year old Holly from Nebraska, it's a symbol of strength, independence and determination.

Born without a left forearm, Holly hasn't just adapted to life on ice, she's excelled.

Now ranked among the top figure skaters in the world for her age.

She's preparing to represent the U.S.

at the World Inclusive Skating Championships at the end of the month.

Mason Kern has the story.

To be a skater, you've got to tie your skates.

I will have parents come up to me and ask, how did you get her to tie her skates?

Holly Kubicek is an 11 year old skater from Fort Calhoun who's got it down to a science.

There we go.

Some might call it stubbornness.

She just refuses to not be independent.

Holly would say otherwise.

I feel like I can be very outgoing and just fun.

I'm wearing the mic, so we have to be nice.

She does everything herself, and that's just how she was brought up.

Those traits have developed, as Holly has navigating her sport and life with a limb difference.

Holly was born without a left forearm, a reality she's using to her advantage.

Good save.

It makes me stand out more.

We don't even look at it as a disability anymore.

It's Holly.

In everything she's done, she's just found a way and adapted.

Holly's disability hasn't stopped her from breaking barriers.

She's ranked third in the world ladies free skating rankings and first for her age group.

I did not think I would get this far.

The sky's the limit for Holly and what she wants to do.

She just kind of has this attitude of like, I'm going to find a way.

It's not a question.

It's just she's going to have it happen.

And come late October, she'll compete at the World Inclusive Skating Championships in London.

It's really exciting and overwhelming because you're like I've worked so hard on this and I'm finally now getting it.

Before she takes the ice abroad in the UK, though, Now I can do all those things.

She'll lace up the skates all by herself.

Great job.

Holly.

I'm not shy to try out some winter sports myself.

I've skied.

I've been tobogganing.

Well, one winter sport that's big in my family is ice skating.

It's graceful, a great workout, and, of course, a lot of fun.

At least when I'm not falling through the ice.

Recently, we met up with a group of students who are using their love of ice skating to make a difference in the lives of others.

Gliding Stars is an organization that teaches and coaches ice skating to children with unique needs.

They even provide special adaptive skating equipment to children to make sure they can skate safely and successfully, which makes them.

This week's A-plus award winners The program pairs children with unique physical needs, with coaches and volunteers to learn to skate.

The stars we spoke with told us that the program is a lot of fun, and that it's important because the participants build strength, balance and confidence all through learning how to skate.

One volunteer that we spoke with from Incarnate Word Academy in Parma Heights, told us that it's a great way to build community and make new friends.

We were really impressed when we met Gliding Star Esther.

She nicknamed her fellow skaters the Pink Spinners.

She showed us her favorite trick on the ice.

Spinning on 1 or 2 feet.

I tried it on dry land and fell right on my back.

Aly was another Gliding Star that we got to meet.

She is a true team player and we could tell that she was having a great time.

But her favorite part of skating was seeing everyone else having so much fun.

The participants are from all over Northeast Ohio.

Every year, the participants even put on their own ice show where they show off their skating skills.

I bet that's a great show.

This week's A-plus award goes to the volunteers and skaters in Gliding Stars for overcoming challenges and putting on an exciting ice show.

Keep up the great work.

Inclusivity in sports means creating spaces where everyone, regardless of ability, background or identity, can participate, compete and enjoy the sports.

So how can we make professional wrestling more inclusive for deaf people?

A Canadian man, who is one of a few deaf professional wrestlers, has the answer.

Justin Marriott organized a team of volunteer ASL interpreters to help make wrestling matches a great experience for all fans.

ASL stands for American Sign Language, and it's the visual English language used by deaf people in the United States and Canada.

Gareth Hampshire takes us into the ring.

These are theAmerican Sign Language volunteers interpreting the slaps hits to the mat and boos from the crowd at Kaizen Pro Wrestling.

They're working with Justin Marriott, the Timberlea wrestler known as Deaf Power, to provide the service that's creating a new experience.

I really feel like there's been a lot of improvement, because I feel like I can get just as immersed in the show, and it's just as accessible for me as it is for everybody else.

I feel like I can get involved, but if they said no to having interpreters, I feel alone or left out.

Marriott made his professional debut last year and, while currently recovering from an injury, is now trying to make the events easier to follow.

For people who are deaf and hard of hearing, If the wrestlers are talking to each other inside the ring or they're shouting at each other, I don't understand what they're saying.

Also, if the announcer is introducing the next wrestler, I don't know who it is.

He's not missing anything now, with everything in and out of the ring being interpreted live.

Because wrestling is for everybody and it's, you know, I bring my kids here and this is a very inclusive place for people to come and enjoy pro wrestling.

Wrestling is so character driven that it's a different challenge for the volunteers than, for example, interpreting in a healthcare setting.

Catching all of just like the sound cues of like, like a body hitting the mat or, or like a really loud slap, making sure that that is what the audience is getting out of it.

But it's also fun to be part of an event that brings so much entertainment.

One of the one of the wrestlers here, Sebby, running around with the bubble gun and like, screaming like a little goblin, capturing that is, so, so enjoyable.

Marriott believes the interpreting team are breaking new ground in wrestling, and because it's hard to find funding for such services, he's grateful they're doing it without being paid.

But to support the deaf community.

Thank you.

Gareth.

And that brings us to our poll for the week.

We'd like you to assess the current efforts to make sports more inclusive.

Do you think sports are inclusive?

Jump over to our poll page to vote.

You could choose between.

Yes.

I think sports are very inclusive or no.

Sports need to be more inclusive.

Last week we visited a public library in Wisconsin that is welcoming new visitors thanks to a TikTok that went viral.

And we wanted to know, how often do you visit your public library?

Almost 31% of you said you visit the library sporadically.

I do too, I go to the library a few times a year.

26% of you said you haven't been yet, but plan to visit soon.

About 18% of you said you go to the library every month.

15 reported visiting the library every week, and another 10% of you said you stop in every day.

Thank you all for voting.

What's that?

This just in.

NewsHound has a story for us.

Let's march on over to Petting Zoo to see what he has today.

Hey!

NewsHound.

Looks like you're taking a nice walk.

What story do you have for us this week?

Oh, awesome.

Looks like you found a story about a nonprofit that offers free service dogs to veterans and first responders.

A nonprofit is an organization that operates to better their community through charity, and is funded by donations from company donors.

Inside this training room in Pungo, service dogs are prepping for a mission Are you able to sit?

It's a very, very well trained dog.

It's a skill dog.

But remember, on the other end of the leash is the person Mutts with a Mission says it's one of only four.

Where's the phone?

Assistance Dogs International accredited programs in Virginia, training dogs for veterans, first responders, and law enforcement to help with mobility issues.

So we start the puppies at eight weeks, We.. It takes us about two years to train.

Cost us about $60,000 for our service dogs.

To learn more about how this nonprofit service dog training helps those in need.

Click the petting zoo thumbnail at the bottom of this episode page.

Thanks for the story, NewsHound.

Now onto more business.

From his bedroom at his grandparents house.

19 year old Malachi Larsen is building a sneaker empire.

One pair at a time.

What started as a side hustle with Christmas money at age 15 has grown into Pacific Kicks, a thriving business with more than a quarter million dollars in sales.

Now, with his younger brother by his side and a business degree in progress, he's lacing up for even bigger dreams.

Eric Wilkinson has the details.

Malachi Larsen is launching his sneaker empire from this bedroom in his grandparents house.

These are...they're Cactus Plant Flea Market Nike shoes, a business that is gaining plenty of traction.

A self-described sneakerhead, Malachi started his business, Pacific Kicks, when he was a sophomore in high school, just 15 years old.

Using Christmas money to buy an assortment of shoes online.

But a lot of the shoes were not my size, and so that kind of forced me to to sell them.

And I made a little bit of money doing so and realized, hey, maybe I can make a business out of this.

Now 19, he's done just that.

And then some.

I've done 250,000 sales roughly over the course of four years.

That includes this pair of Louis Vuitton Air Force 1s.

I won't disclose the amount they sold for, but it was, over a four figure number.

It was high for a figure number.

Hardly child's play.

And even more impressive when you realize Malachi went into the foster care system when he was 13.

Since then, he's been awarded a $5,000 Youth Entrepreneur of the Year scholarship and continues to grow his business.

Now living with his grandparents while he pursues a business degree, Malachi credits his success to his challenging upbringing.

Maturing at a younger age and having to kind of discipline myself, teach myself pretty much everything I know, to be honest.

While Malachi is the sole proprietor of Pacific Kicks, his right hand man is his younger brother Josiah, doing the packaging and pictures.

I make him do the boring stuff.

The two hope to follow in each other's footsteps once Malachi finishes college and open their own store.

A good fit like a perfectly broken in pair of shoes.

Step.

Definitely tons of opportunities that have came out of this endeavor.

More to come.

Thanks, Eric.

More on small businesses.

What if a pair of pants could soften the blow from a fall?

A company in Quebec has created what it calls smart pants.

These pants are equipped with an airbag and sensors that track a person's movement.

With the airbag inflating in the event of a fall.

John Ngala shows us how the special trousers work Our goal, of course, is to reduce injuries caused by falls.

That's like the catch all goal.

My personal goal is to save at least one life, right?

The garment is called air secure.

The way the technology works is once this membrane is zipped into the pants.

The part that detects when you're about to fall triggers this cartridge that then inflates.

And fills this whole membrane here.

And this wraps around you on your waist.

And you are cushioned when you hit the ground.

So something like this.

It's funny because, you know, you're sure if you fall, your ... you have protection.

So it was a great feeling to know that.

This expert says 50-60% of his patients come in because of falls.

He says it's too early to know if the product will help decrease hospital visits among seniors.

You know, I don't think we have the data on the inflatable hip protectors yet.

I can tell you that there's some data on the hip protectors that are used, in nursing homes that have been shown to be some, decreased rate of fractures.

But Hawkes says he's optimistic.

So I'm actually quite excited.

To see how AI can help our, aging population.

I think there is a lot of potential there.

And I'm quite intrigued by the opportunities that await us in terms of falls prevention.

The goal is to reduce the fear of falling and get people back, you know, mobile, which is super important to keep that independence as you age.

Bolduc says the product is being piloted and that with the help of investors, the pants are expected to hit the market next year.

Now, that's what I would call smarty pants.

For our write-to-us this week, we want to hear your ideas for practical clothing.

Tell us your detailed descriptions and how you came up with this idea.

And if you draw up a prototype, we might be able to share it on our next episode.

Students can use our inbox form online, or send us an email to newsdepth@ideastream.org.

Last week, we learned about a farm in Wisconsin that tests advanced technology like AI powered milking robots, crop monitoring drones, and semi-autonomous tractors.

We asked you to tell us your ideas for other uses for AI.

Let's dive into those answers.

McKenna from Dodge Intermediate School in Twinsburg said: We can use AI to improve schools and learning systems.

We can also use AI to improve business.

Great idea.

Thank you.

McKenna.

Adrienne from Botkins Elementary in Botkins said: We can use AI to go to school when we're sick.

There is a robot connected to your computer.

The eyes would show you what's going on, and you can type a word.

And the robot knows if it is spelled for you in the question.

Also, you can make it to do certain movements.

That's a great way to improve attendance.

Good job Adrienne!

Harland from Columbus Gifted Academy in Columbus said: I have two ideas why AI would be good.

One, it could help with the environment/ecosystem by using it to help with the animals and plants.

Two, it would be helpful to have AI give us help on our homework.

Because my parents don't know much about my homework.

Those are two amazing ideas.

Thank you.

Harland.

Abigail from Copley Middle School in Copley said: We can use AI in so many ways.

We can use it to help kids with their homework or adults with their bills.

We can also use robots so they can be our butlers or maids.

Great thoughts.

Good job Abigail.

Daniel from Hayes Elementary in Lakewood said: I think people should not use AI to replace all jobs that some people enjoy, but instead use it to make everyday activities easier.

like using it to make friendly factories or something, to teleport an object from one place to another place I love that idea.

Thank you.

Daniel.

Thanks, as always, for writing.

And that's it for today's show.

We'll be back next week with more news and more stories.

In the meantime, stay connected.

We love to hear from you and there are plenty of ways for you to stay in touch with us.

You can write to us at 1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.

Our zip code here 44115.

You can email us at newsdepth@ideastream.org.

Plus you can catch all of our special segments on YouTube.

Hit subscribe if you're old enough so you don't miss out on any of our new videos.

Thank you for joining us.

I'm Gabriel Kramer.

See you next week.

NewsDepth is made possible by a grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.