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Real-life superheroes give young boy an epic parade

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In many ways, David Castle is a typical 8-year-old boy.

He loves superheroes, WWE, Fortnight, motorcycles, fast cars and fishing.

Eight-year-old David Castle, who has been in cancer treatment nearly a year, gives two thumbs up when he hears the sirens of the approaching parade that is heading down his street, in the Ashley Lakes community in Odessa. (Christine Holtzman)

But, unlike most boys his age, he’s been undergoing cancer treatments for the better part of a year.

Last October, he was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Wilms tumor in his right kidney.

After 46 weeks of aggressive treatment — including the removal of his right kidney, he recently was diagnosed with two new cancerous tumors in his right lung.

A ministry outreach group called Bringing the SON Light, organized a massive Halloween parade — including 250 to 350 vehicles. The ministry, based in Spring Hill, also organized a barbecue fundraiser to benefit David and his family.

Las Insportables Tampa Bay, Crystal Harley-Davidson, KW Morrow Electric Inc., were other sponsors, too.

Eight-year-old David Castle waves at the fleet of passing Pasco County Fire Rescue vehicles that kicked off the Halloween Day parade that was organized just for him. As she stands behind him, his mother, Tammy Miller, is overcome with emotion as rescue vehicles drive by.

Vehicles taking part in the parade included exotic sports cars, motorcycles, 4-by-4s and emergency vehicles from Pasco Fire Rescue, Lealman and Tarpon Springs.

They rolled by and packed David’s street, in the Ashley Lakes subdivision, in Odessa.

Many of those taking part dressed up as David’s favorite superheroes, and gave the 8-year-old gifts and cards.

Parade participants performed, too, burning their rubber tires on the asphalt to provide a smoke show for David.

The boy was obviously delighted.

A participant of the Halloween day parade for David Castle burns rubber on the pavement outside of the young boy’s Odessa home. Those taking part were encouraged to dress as superheroes and to do smoke shows — because those are some of the 8-year-old’s favorite things.

After the parade, there was a big barbecue fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting David’s family.

David’s mother, Tammy Miller, was thrilled by the outpouring of generosity for her son and her family.

It has been a challenging year, and more challenges lie ahead.

But, on Halloween, David was one happy boy — surrounded by his favorite things, in a community that clearly cares.

If you would like to help, a GoFundMe account has been set up for David and his family. Visit Go Fund Me online and search for “Help Fight the Fight for David.”

Published November 04, 2020

Dale Stutz, of St. Petersburg, receives a hug from 8-year-old David Castle. Stutz, who dressed as Thor for the Halloween event, is the president of a local chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association.
A steady stream of motorcycles, sports cars, emergency vehicles, and 4-by-4s, made their way to the Odessa community of Ashley Lakes — giving 8-year-old David Castle, a supersized Halloween parade. An estimated 250 to 300 vehicles joined in to treat the young cancer patient to a special day.
Tammy Miller — who is David Castle’s mother — can’t hide her excitement, as her son shows her one of the toys he received during the parade. The flatbed of a pickup truck was packed with toys for the 8-year-old.

Tiny dog’s barking saves family from fire

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Peanut, a tiny black Chihuahua, saved the lives of three generations of a Lutz family on June 3, when his insistent barking awakened family members at 3 a.m., alerting them to a fire in the rear of their home.

Fire ravaged the DeRolf’s family home in Lutz. Persistent barking by the family’s dog, Peanut, alerted the family to the fire. Peanut perished from smoke inhalation. (Suzanne Beauchaine/Staff Photo)
Fire ravaged the DeRolf’s family home in Lutz. Persistent barking by the family’s dog, Peanut, alerted the family to the fire. Peanut perished from smoke inhalation.
(Suzanne Beauchaine/Staff Photo)

Peanut’s barking from her crate awakened Jeff DeRolf and his 26-year-old daughter, Maria, who together started down the stairs to see why the dog was barking.

“When I was about halfway down the stairs, I heard my mother scream at the top of her lungs,” said Maria. “Our French doors leading to our back patio were engulfed in flames.”

Those screams woke up the rest of the family — Maria’s 22-year-old brother, Jeff, her 7-year-old daughter, Michelle, and a friend of Jeff’s who was spending the night. They all were able to get to the front of the house and get out safely.

Sadly, Peanut did not survive.

“My dad and brother started back into the house to get Peanut, but by then the smoke was thick and was pouring out of the house,” Maria said. “My brother actually had to hold my dad back to stop him from going back in.”

Peanut, just 6 pounds and still a puppy at a year-and-a-half, was technically her daughter’s dog, Maria said. “But, everyone loved Peanut. Her barking saved all of our lives — she is our hero.”

Seven-year-old Michelle DeRolf holds Peanut. (Photos courtesy of the DeRolf family)
Seven-year-old Michelle DeRolf holds Peanut.
(Photos courtesy of the DeRolf family)

The family escaped from the house with just the clothes on their backs.

“We were able to retrieve my grandfather’s ashes and a few pieces of clothing, but that was all,” Maria said.

That means everything else was gone — every treasure that a family of five has amassed after 30 years of living in one place.

Jeff and Carmen DeRolf moved into their two-story home at 17838 Morninghigh Drive in the Barrington subdivision before they had their children.

“This is the house that we lived in for our whole lives. It’s where we took our first steps, as well as the next generation’s,” said Maria.

A Go Fund Me Account under the DeRolf name has been established for the family to help with expenses not covered by insurance. As of June 13, more than $4,700 had been raised.

“The amount of love and support coming our way is amazing. Thank you to everyone who has donated. Whether it be money or physical items, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” Maria said.

The DeRolf family wants people to know the house had working smoke detectors.

The DeRolf family has lived in Lutz for over 30 years. Front row: Margarita Ruiz and Michelle DeRolf. Other members of the DeRolf family, in the back row, from left, are son Jeff Jr., mother Carmen, daughter Mariah, father Jeff and daughter Maria.
The DeRolf family has lived in Lutz for over 30 years. Front row: Margarita Ruiz and Michelle DeRolf. Other members of the DeRolf family, in the back row, from left, are son Jeff Jr., mother Carmen, daughter Mariah, father Jeff and daughter Maria.

“The fire started in the back of the house and the smoke detectors were more towards the front, so the dog woke us up before the smoke detectors went off,” Maria explained.

The family’s homeowner’s insurance is paying for temporary housing at the Marriott Residence Inn in Telecom Park until a rental home can be leased.

Maria said the home is a total loss, and insurance company says it will be at least a year until their home is rebuilt.

Maria said the cause of the fire has not been found, and the fire marshal has begun an investigation.

In addition to suffering the loss of his home, Jeff DeRolf is currently undergoing chemotherapy at Moffitt Cancer Center for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Maria said her father’s cancer was first diagnosed in 2008, and occurred again just six months ago.

The family gathered the day after the fire to bury Peanut — the little dog that saved them all — in their backyard, next to Duke, a German Shepard they had before Peanut.

“When the firefighters retrieved Peanut’s body, her body was not burned, and we know she died of smoke inhalation,” said Maria. “We were thankful for that.”

Here are ways you can help
Monetary donations
GoFundMe.com, Search DeRolf Family Fire Recovery

Clothing for Michelle
Girls size 8
Shoes size 2-3
Maniscalco Elementary School Uniforms
Collared shirts in white, blue, grey and maroon
Jeans, pants and skirts in white, blue, grey and maroon

Questions?
Contact Maria DeRolf at .

Those wishing to contribute clothing or other items are welcome to bring them to The Laker/Lutz News office, at 3632 Land O’Lakes Blvd., Suite 102, in Land O’ Lakes. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information, call (813) 909-2800.

Published June 15, 2016

Local history project heads to national competition

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Land O’ Lakes High School freshmen Isabella Torres and Lauren Pinero-Colon weren’t even sure if they could squeeze competing at the local History Fair into their crowded school schedule.

But, the pre-International Baccalaureate students decided to give it a shot, and even pulled an all-nighter to finish their exhibit on time.

The hard work paid off.

They came in first at the district competition and placed second at state.

Isabella Torres, of Wesley Chapel, and Lauren Pinero-Colon, of Land O’ Lakes, are traveling to College Park, Maryland, to competed in the National History Day competition. Their exhibit, behind them, has been selected to represent the state of Florida in a display at The Smithsonian. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
Isabella Torres, of Wesley Chapel, and Lauren Pinero-Colon, of Land O’ Lakes, are traveling to College Park, Maryland, to competed in the National History Day competition. Their exhibit, behind them, has been selected to represent the state of Florida in a display at The Smithsonian.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

Soon, they’ll be traveling to College Park, Maryland, to be among more than 3,000 students from around the world competing at the Kenneth E. Behring National History Day Contest. The event is being held June 12 through June 16.

No matter how that turns out, the teenagers already have one claim to fame.

Their exhibit, “Sacagawea: Cultural Exchange Through New Encounters,” has been selected to be part of a special display.

“Every state affiliate gets to choose one project to represent the state. The state affiliate has chosen their project, and their project is going to be featured in The Smithsonian Museum,” said Jennifer O’Connor, coordinator of Pasco County’s History Fair.

Torres, of Wesley Chapel, and Pinero-Colon, of Land O’ Lakes, are the only Pasco County students who have placed at the state competition, and just the top two in the state are selected to go to the national competition, O’Connor said.

Their project examines the role that Sacagawea played in the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery Expedition.

“We thought she was kind of the star of the expedition,” Pinero-Colon said.

Historians focus on Lewis and Clark, she said, noting they “don’t really show how much of an asset she was to the expedition. We wanted to show that.

“She basically administered all of the exchanges between the Native Americans they encountered. She made it a lot easier for them to travel,” Pinero-Colon said.

“She was passed around through tribes against her will, so she knew the land very well,” she added.

Isabella Torres and Lauren Pinero-Colon conducted thorough research to create an exhibit tracing the life of Sacagawea and her contributions to Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery.
Isabella Torres and Lauren Pinero-Colon conducted thorough research to create an exhibit tracing the life of Sacagawea and her contributions to Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery.

Sacagawea’s knowledge of the land and tribal languages made her invaluable, the students said.

“She served as an interpreter,” Pinero-Colon said.

Without Sacagawea, she said, ““We think that they wouldn’t have made it to the Pacific.”

The students tell the story of the Native American woman’s contributions through an elaborate exhibit tracing her life.

“They spent a lot of time looking for primary sources, and pictures and artifacts, that they could use, so that would help them in telling their story,” O’Connor said.

What sets this project apart is the quality of the research the students have done, O’Connor said.

“I think a lot of students will fall short, in that, they spend a lot of time on secondary sources, with the Internet,” O’Connor said.

Torres and Pinero-Colon, on the other hand, found information through the Library of Congress and tracked down researchers who specifically knew about Sacagawea.

“We spent time researching and interviewing professors for it, so we could kind of cross-examine all of the research, for different points of view on it,” Pinero-Colon said.

They wanted to be sure they were thorough, and relied on credible and knowledgeable sources, Torres said.

While they’ve earned the right to compete at the national level, there’s no funding available to cover the costs, so O’Connor and the students will be traveling at their own expense. They estimate that it will cost around $3,000 to cover travel expenses and contest costs.

This is some of the details included in the exhibit created by Isabella Torres and Lauren Pinero-Colon. Their work captured second place in the state history fair.
This is some of the details included in the exhibit created by Isabella Torres and Lauren Pinero-Colon. Their work captured second place in the state history fair.

The students have set up a Go Fund Me account, in hopes of attracting some community support.

O’Connor has been involved with the district’s History Fair for nine years. “It’s always interesting to see what students will come up with,” she said.

“Most of the students learn the process of putting together the History Fair project in middle school.

“At the high school level, if they’re going to do History Fair project, they have to do it on their own. It’s not like there’s class time devoted to this. They have to do it on top of their other classes, staying after school, doing research,” O’Connor said.

The annual theme is broad enough to permit a wide range of projects, O’Connor said.

“The NHD (National History Day) theme provides a focused way to increase students’ historical understanding by developing a lens to read history, an organizational structure that helps students place information in the correct context and finally, the ability to see connections over time,” according to the organization’s website.

Contests are held each spring in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, and at international schools in Central America, China, Korea and South Asia, the website says.

Students create historical projects in one of five categories: documentary, exhibit, paper, performance or website.

Torres said she and Pinero-Colon wanted to compete because they believed it could help them in their college applications.

Plus, Torres added: “We just wanted to do something different. We don’t really participate in sports. We’re academic people. We wanted to apply knowledge and make something cool out of it.”

As it turns out, they did.

State History Fair winners from Pasco
Forty-six Pasco County Schools students competed at the 2016 Florida National History Day competition in Tallahassee in May.
Lauren Pinero-Colon and Isabella Torres won second place in the Senior Group Exhibit and earned them a right to compete at the national level.
Other Pasco winners were:

  • Akshaya Venkata, Land O’ Lakes High School: Economic Freedom Award, Senior Individual Website – Comparative Advantage of the Potosi Silver Mines
  • Jacqueline Cupo, Ariella Meier and Emerson Parks, Pasco Middle School: Third place, Junior Group Documentary – Hurricane Andrew and the Encounter with Florida
  • Shelton Ried, Paul R. Smith Middle School: Spirit of 45 Award, Junior Individual Documentary – Nazi Invasion of Florida
  • Pierce Thomas, Paul R. Smith Middle School: Third Place, Junior Individual Performance – Marco Polo and the Silk Road
  • Hannah Mayer, River Ridge Middle School: Outstanding County Award, Junior Individual Exhibit – Jeff Corwin Gone Wild
  • Ronak Argawal, Charles S. Rushe Middle School: Mayflower Scholarship, Junior Paper – James Cook

Published June 1, 2016

Superintendent calls social media appeals ‘problematic’

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Concerns raised about a Go Fund Me site during a recent Pasco County School Board meeting prompted Superintendent Kurt Browning to voice concerns over how appeals for help are posted by teachers on social media sites.

The issue came up when Amy Bracewell, a parent who lives in Northwood, told school board members that a posting on a Go Fund Me site was seeking funds to purchase materials for students at Denham Oaks Elementary.

Superintendent Kurt Browning said social media appeals can create a false impression about district’s efforts.
Superintendent Kurt Browning said social media appeals can create a false impression about district’s efforts.

The posting said that 42 percent of the students in the school’s first-grade have reading deficiencies and need additional materials.

Bracewell lives in Northwood, a community in Wesley Chapel, which has been reassigned to attend Denham Oaks Elementary, in Lutz, next school year.

She and other parents objected to their children being moved from their Wesley Chapel community to attend a school in Lutz, with a lower academic rating.

“Considering that I have a kindergartner starting in the fall, I find it extremely disturbing to find a Go Fund Me page set up for the first-graders of Denham Oaks Elementary School,” she told board members.

Browning said he became aware of the Go Fund Me site the evening before the Dec. 15 school board meeting.

The superintendent said the post “was somewhat troubling to me, because it made it sound that we, as a district, were not providing the level of materials to those schools. That is just not the case.

“We provide the materials at every one of our schools that support our students in learning to read and learning to read on grade level,” Browning said.

“They wanted additional materials and were asking for contributions to pay for those additional materials,” he said.

He also asked teachers and other staff members to be careful when they are making social media appeals to be sure they accurately convey the nature of the request.

“The whole Go Fund Me pages and the Donor Choose pages, in my opinion, are incredibly problematic for this district,” he said. “They’re problematic as a whole.”

Sometimes requests are made for materials that are not compatible with district needs, he said. For instance, “iPad minis will not support many of the things that we do in classrooms,” he said.

Browning also noted, it’s impossible for the district to monitor all of the requests that are posted on social media.

With 87 schools in the district, he said, “We just don’t have the resources to do that.”

So, he urged caution in the postings, noting the message they send doesn’t just affect one school, but reflects on the entire district.

Published December 30, 2015

Reaching out to help a friend

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They are unlikely friends.

She is 63 and he is 24.

She lives in New Tampa, and he lives in Roatan, Honduras.

But Sally Hillman and William Brown-Santos have a friendship that transcends their ages and backgrounds, and now, Hillman is trying to help her friend.

Hillman and her husband, Dave, met Brown-Santos about seven years ago when the couple was taking a shore excursion off a cruise ship at the port of Roatan, Honduras.

They had visited a park to see the monkeys and parrots, and Brown-Santos was their tour guide.

Hillman felt an instant connection.

“He was so pleasant, and knowledgeable and funny,” she said.

Sally Hillman and William Brown-Santos pose behind Hillman’s New Tampa residence. Hillman is trying to help Brown-Santos find treatment to restore as much movement as possible to his right arm and hand. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Sally Hillman and William Brown-Santos pose behind Hillman’s New Tampa residence. Hillman is trying to help Brown-Santos find treatment to restore as much movement as possible to his right arm and hand.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

At the end of the tour, Hillman approached Brown-Santos to let him know she would like to stay in touch. He gave her his contact information, but since he’s in the habit of shortening his last name to Brown, the letter she sent didn’t reach him.

About six months later, Hillman and her husband made the same cruise, this time taking the trip with her son and his friend.

While there, she overheard Brown-Santos’ voice, and they reconnected. This time, the connection stuck.

They began corresponding, then texting and sending messages via Facebook.

A couple of years later, Hillman went to Honduras again, this time with her daughter. They had the chance to spend time with Brown-Santos’ family.

All along, Hillman felt that Brown-Santos had been put in her life for a reason.

Then, on Feb. 9, she received a frantic call from Brown-Santos’ mother.

He had been driving his motorcycle at a high rate of speed, had skirted around a car parked on a curb, and ran head-on into a motorcyclist.

At the scene, he was choking on his own blood, until a friend intervened.

Brown-Santos’ injuries are severe.

He still can’t move his right arm and can barely move the first three fingers in his right hand. He lives with excruciating pain.

Hillman felt compelled to help.

She reached out to Dr. Michael Craven, a long-time chiropractor in Land O’ Lakes, where she used to live and who had treated her in the past.

She said she knew Craven to be a good man.

Craven said she talked to his wife and asked her if he would help, as a humanitarian, Christian gesture.

Craven agreed to help.

“When you see something in the community that touches your heart, and you have the opportunity to reach out and do something about it, that’s pretty much why we got involved,” Craven said.

So, Hillman set out to bring Brown-Santos to the United States.

That turned out to be much more complicated than expected. It took six months for Brown-Santos to get a visa.

He arrived on Aug. 18.

The next day, they went to see Craven.

After examining Brown-Santos, the chiropractor knew that there wasn’t a simple treatment plan for the injuries.

“It was just discouraging from that moment,” Hillman said.

Craven ordered an MRI from Rose Radiology, who discounted the rate for the case, and Craven picked up the rest of the expense, Hillman said.

They got the MRI results. The result was a torn labrum. It’s called a SLAP lesion, which stands for superior labrum, anterior, posterior.

Next, they went to Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

“I told them the whole story,” Hillman said.

They examined Brown-Santos and consulted with the orthopedic surgeon on call.

Hillman and Brown-Santos did a follow-up appointment with the orthopedic surgeon.

“He’s fearful that this is permanent. He’s referred us to a neurologist,
Hillman said.

That news hit her hard.

“I’m crying in the doctor’s office,” Hillman said. “I didn’t walk away with an optimistic view. That’s why I cried.”

The appointment with the neurologist, which was Sept. 25, involved another test to find out the extent of the damage.

“That will help to determine how severe the injuries are, and what possible steps could be taken,” Hillman said.

If surgery is required, Craven hopes an orthopedic surgeon will step forward to volunteer to handle the case. He doesn’t think a Go Fund Me account will raise a sufficient amount to cover those costs.
Brown-Santos is grateful for the help he’s received so far, and he’s prepared to face any outcome.

“It’s a blessing. It’s the first time in life somebody tried to do something nice for me,” Brown-Santos said.

“If I can get better, I’ll be the happiest man in the world. If not, that’s God’s plan, and I just have to live with that. I really truly believe in God. So, I’m just going to keep praying and have faith that everything can work for the good.

“If he doesn’t heal me, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t love me.

“I’m going to just leave it in God’s hands,” Brown-Santos said.

Want to help? Go to William’s Recovery Fund at GoFundMe.com/mj3g9k7h.

Published September 30, 2015