Villanova has their eye on the prize, and their fans are already warming up San Antonio for when the team arrives later Friday. The Wildcats play Kansas on Saturday for a spot in the Final on Monday night.
'Nova Fans Get Jumpstart on Trip to Final Four in Texas
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Tragedy After Tragedy, NJ Town Helped Save Family
Taryn Fogg was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in January 2017. She finished chemotherapy in November and radiation this February.
On March 7, a fire destroyed the Fogg family's home.
Just this week, one of Taryn and Jared Fogg's five children, their 8-year-old son Tyler, had open-heart surgery. He is recovering, the parents said.
All of this might have broken the Fogg family if not for an avalanche of good will in their tight-knit community of Woodstown, New Jersey.
"I think everybody in our town has helped some way, somehow," Taryn Fogg said.
Take the local hairdresser, Martino Cartier. His Sewell-based charity, Friends Are By Your Side, helped Taryn Fogg through her breast cancer treatment.
Cartier is a well-known hairstylist who started the charity seven years ago to give cancer patients wigs and grant wishes to people who are terminally ill. The charity started out small, but last year Cartier said he was able to give out 2,000 wigs for free. One of them went to Taryn Fogg.
When the fire struck, Cartier jumped back into action for the Foggs. His charity now has raised more than $20,000 to help them with the fire.
"I know we changed their lives and it’s amazing to know you have an impact," Cartier said.
Along with raising money, Cartier’s charity has donated full heating and air conditioning for the Fogg’s new home, along with patio service and painting.
Another family friend, Kate Agugliaro-Mangano, has known the Foggs for six years because her horse retired at Calumet Run, a home for horses which the Foggs run at their farm. She started a GoFundMe page called "Project Rebuild" to assist the family.
Agugliaro-Mangano said she witnessed Taryn’s positivity even as she's gone through tough times with cancer and now the fire.
"She always makes sure everyone else is taken care of and puts herself last. She never lost sight of the fact that only material things were lost and everyone is safe," Agugliaro-Mangano said. "It’s that mentality that made me want to do something for her, because she’d give the shirt off her back for someone."
Agugliaro-Mangano started the page thinking it would be small, but it’s currently raised more than $7,000 for the Foggs.
"People donate every day, it’s really been a blessing to them," Agugliaro-Mangano said. "The majority are strangers, so it’s really nice to see."
One of the Foggs' sons, Austin, is a wrestler, so the local wrestling community has also gotten involved. Woodstown Youth Wrestling posted about the family on Facebook, asking for gift cards and clothing donations.
So far, the Facebook post has warranted a big response, with more than 400 shares, according to Adam Hyland, a coach for the wrestling team.
"There has been a lot of response from the team, coaches and the wrestling community at large," Hyland said.
Taryn Fogg moved to Woodstown in 2003 when she married Jared and has been in awe of the small community’s efforts.
"I am speechless and grateful," she said.
"I knew we had a good community, but I didn’t realize the outreach would be as strong," her husband said. Jared Fogg has lived in the Woodstown community for most of his life. "The community helped make this as easy as it can be."
He said the support has changed their outlook on life — and their future. They once planned retire out of the area. But after witnessing the generosity of their current community, they want to remain in Woodstown for the rest of their lives.
"I hope my kids will grow up and see the benefits of a community and want to stay here too," he said.
Photo Credit: Taryn Fogg
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North Philly Church Fire Investigation
An investigation is now underway after a family owned Church was engulfed in flames just before Easter.
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Easter, Passover Preparations in Our Region
Friday was a day full of cooking, cleaning, and preparing for the holiday weekend for most families in our region. And, of course, for some that meant a trip to the South Philadelphia Italian Market.
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NBC10 First Alert Weather: Holiday Weekend Forecast
Whether you're spending the weekend celebrating Easter or Passover or neither, you're probably curious about your weekend forecast. NBC10 meteorologist Steve Sosna has your forecast.
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Cosby Back in Court
Bill Cosby's defense team was fighting again on Friday as the comedian is back in court ahead of his trial. Now, the defense is trying to keep out Cosby's own words.
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Villanova Prepares to Take on Kansas
The Wildcats are ready to take on Kansas in San Antonio, and they're hoping for a spot in the championship.
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Philly Zoo Wants Help Naming New Baby Hedgehog
There's a new baby animal in town, and he needs a name.
Philadelphia Zoo and their partners at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children are asking for the public's help in naming the zoo's latest youngster: a male African hedgehog.
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On the zoo's website, visitors can vote on their favorite of three possible names:
1. Dakota - Derived from the title of a Native American tribe, the name Dakota symbolizes families, communities and bloodlines.
2. Jasiri - The Swahili word for "brave," Jasiri is a tribute to the children battling illness at St. Christopher's.
3. Topher - Topher, was selected by the NICU staff at St. Christopher's to reference the hospital's name.
The soon-to-be-named hoglet will be training this summer to join the Zoo on Wheels program, a traveling interactive animal show designed for young learners.
Vote soon: Voting for the most fitting name for the little critter ends Friday at 5 p.m. The winning name will be announced next week, according to the zoo.
Photo Credit: Philadelphia Zoo
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Jude's Journey: Life Before and After Transgender Surgery
The winter sky remained blue-black as the Navas family arrived at Philadelphia’s Hahnemann University Hospital early on a cold January morning.
Jitters and excitement washed over Jude Navas as his mother, Sandy, hugged him and whispered in his ear:
“You’re blossoming into who you’re supposed to be. That’s all that matters.”
Jude was born Judy. He and his family allowed NBC10 to spend time with them before and after the college student underwent gender-affirming surgery at the Center City hospital, which has become one of the most prominent in the country for the growing surgical procedure.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
The 24-year-old from Ocean County, New Jersey, spent years pulling his curly hair back and binding his breasts. In recent years, the Stockton University senior began lifting weights to build muscle tone and disguise his chest. In September, he started taking testosterone.
But his added bulk did nothing to hide the one outward manifestation that betrayed how Jude felt on the inside.
“I’m most excited to look down and not have that there anymore,” he said.
Jude was about to undergo a bilateral mastectomy, or chest masculinization surgery. Under the care of Dr. Kathy Rumer, the region’s preeminent cosmetic surgeon specializing in transgender care, his breast tissue and milk ducts would be removed and replaced with more defined pecs, lats and serratus.
Rumer, a former NASA engineer, performed 450 gender affirming surgeries in one year alone. She performs roughly eight to 10 surgeries per week, more than any other doctor in the region.
In 2016, she switched her practice to exclusively focus on the trans community, whose needs can range from top surgery -- such as Jude’s -- to body sculpting and genital reconstruction.
To undergo any of these procedures, patients must first be diagnosed with gender dysphoria, defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a “conflict between a person’s physical or assigned gender and the gender with which he/she/they identify.”
The question of whether gender dysphoria is a medically accepted diagnosis is central to who will cover the cost of transitioning.
Insurance companies are increasingly open to deeming gender affirming surgery a medical necessity. But for people who must pay out of pocket, the cost can soar into the tens of thousands of dollars. At least one family previously told NBC10 their financial planner suggested saving the equivalent of one year of private college for their child’s transition.
Jude used her family's insurance to cover her transition, but Rumer bristles at the notion that gender affirming services are not necessary.
“It’s not elective. It’s not a choice,” she said. “These patients are born in a body they are not comfortable in. They know it from early childhood.”
Jude certainly did.
He grew up in a happy suburban home with two loving parents and a supportive older brother. In the summers, he went to the beach or swam in his family’s pool. But wearing a swimsuit around anyone other than his relatives was unthinkable.
“It would be easier for me if I felt comfortable in the body that I have,” he said.
Jude came out as a lesbian to his parents in high school. They weren’t exactly shocked, already having an out gay son. Jude’s father, Luis, joked that the older boy “broke them in” with the news.
Despite a commonality, Jude did not confide in his brother about being trans. That came much later.
“We struggled separately,” Dan Navas said.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
While Jude’s family fully supported his transition, many others are not as lucky.
In a 2015 report by the National Center for Transgender Equality, 40 percent of trans adults said they had attempted suicide in their lifetime. More than 90 percent did so before the age of 25.
Trans youth, in particular, are at higher risk of depression, abuse, homelessness and addiction than even their gay or lesbian contemporaries.
Medical experts point to the minority stress theory, which posits that people who experience societal discrimination frequently internalize the trauma. It can manifest through mental health problems and lead to emotional, and physical, wounds.
“I couldn’t even begin to mistreat [Jude] or disown my kids,” Jude’s father, Luis Navas, said.
“What matters to me, always, is my child’s character,” his wife, Sandy, added. “Are they good people? Are they kind, compassionate, loving?”
For their youngest child, life as Jude is slowly becoming normal. After his top surgery and several weeks of recovery, Jude returned to school and will graduate this May. Then, he and his girlfriend plan to relocate to California.
"Anybody I meet won’t know any different,” he said, “and that just seems so nice."
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Holiday Weekend at the Shore
Plenty of people are heading to the beach this weekend for the holiday. Whether you're going for pizza, ice cream, or just to spend some time with family, the weather is finally cooperating.
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Celebrating Passover, Easter in One Weekend
This weekend will be a holy one in our region and across the world as Passover and Easter celebrations kick off.
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Villanova Students Rush to San Antonio
As the Wildcats prepare to take on Kansas, plenty of Villanova students are making their way to Texas to support their team.
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Final Four Showdown in San Antonio
The Final Four showdown is just over one day away, and Villanova fans in our region are hoping for a big win.
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NBC10 Responds: Tips to Avoid Tax Scams
Electronic scams are nothing new, but NBC10 Responds reporter Harry Hairston has some tips to keep you safe from tax scams.
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FOUND: Police Locate 12-Year-Old Girl Missing Since Thursday
Police say they have located a 12-year-old girl who had been missing since Thursday.
The girl was found safe in Philadelphia, police said.
NBC10 is no longer using her name since she is no longer missing.
Police had said she may be with a 21-year-old Gulfport, Florida man, but they did not mention him in a short statement Friday night.
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Serving 8,000 Meals at Philadelphia's 'Easter Outreach'
In North Philadelphia, volunteers are working to make sure that 8,000 families get holiday meals thanks to the "Easter Outreach" event. The event began in 2010 after one of Philadelphia's zip codes was named the hungriest zip code in all of North America.
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Save a Pet this Easter Season
Guthrie Cunningham and Mr. Yip from ACCT Philly discussed Easter events at the shelter. There is a monster milers run will volunteers will take the dogs on a run to exercise, plus show off the adorable, adoptable pets and an Easter themed adoption event where you choose an easter egg with a prize inside. The prizes include waived adoption fees, free pet food, ACCT swag and more. NBC10 is committed to clearing the shelters.
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Cracking Down on Distracted Drivers
Some New Jersey communities are cracking down, big-time, on distracted driving in April. Getting one of these tickets could cost you as much as $800 – plus the suspension of your license.
Photo Credit: NBC 5 News
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79-Year-Old Pushed into River in New Jersey
A 79-year-old fisherman had to be pulled from the water at the Riverfront Promenade in Burlington, New Jersey after someone pushed him in. Police are looking for a man in a tan coat who witnesses said had been “yelling at the river.”
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7 Villanova Fans; 1,700 Miles; 1 RV, With Fridge
For true Villanova fans, including Alla, Hartigan, Fill, Dolla Bill, Gatorade, Nicky and Monty, no journey is too far to see their team in the NCAA's Final Four. (Though food poisoning can seriously slow down the fun.)
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