Health

Dr. Anthony Fauci is set to retire from his position as one of the country's top Docs ... but will see his duties through 'til the end of the year.

The director of the NIAID broke the news Monday with a lengthy statement. He says, in part, "I am announcing today that I will be stepping down from the positions of Director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation, as well as the position of Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden."

He adds, "I will be leaving these positions in December of this year to pursue the next chapter of my career." It's unclear what Fauci plans to do next.

Fauci goes on to say what an honor it's been to serve in his role for the past 38 years, not to mention his other 15 years of service at the NIAID before he was a honcho. He's graceful in his statement, writing ... "I have worked with -- and learned from -- countless talented and dedicated people in my own laboratory, at NIAID, at NIH and beyond. To them I express my biding respect and gratitude."

Fauci's career is quite storied ... he has served under multiple presidents, including Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Dubya, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and, of course, JB.

Along the way, Dr. Fauci has helped Americans combat major viruses that have plagued society in the 20th and 21st centuries -- including instrumental research and work in regards to the Ebola and Zika viruses ... not to mention the swine flu pandemic, the bird flu scare and other widespread infectious disease occurrences that hit the world over the decades.

His contributions to HIV/AIDS research can't be overstated ... Fauci was in the trenches in the '80s, and he has said much of his work is defined by that period. Dr. Fauci helped develop treatments -- although the rollout and discussion of it all were heavily criticized at the time.

Frankly, he's been a lightning rod for years now ... often bearing the brunt of widespread outrage and condemnation when it comes to the federal government's response to health-related outbreaks. That was, perhaps, most crystalized of late ... during COVID-19 pandemic.

Many will recall ... Fauci was often battling against his own boss, DT, when it came to discussing the coronavirus -- he wanted people to be cautious and get vaccinated, while Trump usually pushed for the opposite ... making for some heated public clashes.

Still, he stayed the course through it all ... and always maintained his composure. Fauci hasn't always been right from the get-go, but he did always pivot when more information surfaced and updated his recommendations as such. That much nobody can deny.

IG model Gena Tew has hope in her fight against AIDS, regaining some of the vision she lost after her diagnosis as she pushes to stay alive.

Gena tells TMZ ... she underwent a successful procedure on her eyes Thursday in Memphis. Tew says before the surgery she was totally blind in her left eye, but she's already able to see some shapes ... with hopes her vision will continue to improve.

Tew tells us at her sickest, she dropped to a shocking 65 pounds, but is slowly putting weight back on thanks to her medication and doctors.

Gena tells us when she first got diagnosed, she didn't feel she had the fight in her to live, convinced she'd soon be dead. However, with her recent progress, she tells us she's not giving up. Gena says she's hopeful she can live a good life as long as she can stay on top of her meds and doctor visits.

You'll remember, when we first talked to Gena months ago, she told us she was hesitant in sharing her story ... but now, she wants to act as a beacon of hope for other young people fighting AIDS.

Bill Maher has a warning ... online shopping is taking a not-so-hidden toll on America ... and he makes a case that going OG shopping is better for your head and the planet.

The "Real Time" host went scorched earth on people who like to order 9 pairs of pants to find the one that fits just right ... only to return the other 8. Those boxes go somewhere ... yep, landfills, oceans ... not good.

The visual tells the story ... buy a small item, it comes in a big box. Buy 3 items ... you get 3 big boxes. When you add it up, it's kind of an environmental disaster.

And, then there's the human toll ... Americans don't leave their homes like they used to because it's easier to push a button than to start a car and drive to a mall. Thing is ... Americans have become way more isolated, and it's taking a mental toll, because we are social creatures who increasingly have stopped socializing.

Thing is ... Kanye West may have figured all of this out with his latest creation at Gap stores ... the containers in which you find his designs have attracted customers ... people who might otherwise just sit on their sofa and order away.

Easton Oliverson just crossed another huge milestone in his road to recovery ... the Little League World Series player is now walking -- just days after he suffered severe head injuries in a fall from his bunk bed.

Oliverson's family shared a video on their social media page on Friday showing the Snow Canyon Little League pitcher/outfielder standing up and walking with the help of medical personnel.

"We are at a loss for words," the family said in the caption. "There are none that seem fitting other than: God is Good. SO GOOD!🤍"

"We love our Easton so much. Thank you for loving, and supporting him with us. Keep the prayers coming- he’s getting stronger every day!"

The 12-year-old initially fractured his skull on Sunday after falling off his bed at the players' dormitory complex in Williamsport, Penn.

Things looked dire for Easton the night of the accident -- he was actually placed in a medically induced coma -- but, he's since shown a ton of progress, and appears to be on his way to a full recovery.

Dr. Dre's January 2021 brain aneurysm was a lot scarier than he initially revealed -- his family actually gathered in his hospital room to say their final goodbyes.

The legendary producer's podcast interview with Dolvett Quince continues to leak across social media and he painted the eerie picture rather vividly.

Dre recalled his initial shock seeing his family visit him at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center … after they'd been previously barred due to the then-raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Unbeknownst to Dre, doctors had told the fam there was a strong chance he wouldn't make it.

Ignorance can be bliss ... Dre says he never knew the extent of the danger he faced. Doctors woke him every hour -- for two weeks straight -- to test his vitals ... they were that concerned.

Travis Barker is the latest celeb to catch COVID -- a diagnosis that comes just two months after he was hospitalized for a serious case of pancreatitis -- but he's doing his best to keep his spirits up.

Travis broke the news on Instagram Thursday, with a caption that reads, "Covid sucks🤬 I'd rather be playing drums." He was recently on tour with his buddy MGK, and posted some BTS footage a couple days before his announcement ... so it's possible he caught the disease on the road.

Unclear when exactly Travis tested positive, we saw him out earlier this week in L.A. hitting a studio.

Of course, the diagnosis comes two months after his hospitalization. TMZ broke the story, the drummer had a colonoscopy that triggered pancreatitis in June, Travis told folks on social media he had a polyp removed in a sensitive area, which "damaged a critical pancreatic drainage tube" and led to the medical emergency.

Richard Glass may have been the last person to see Anne Heche before she careened into a house in her car ... and he's riddled with guilt because he didn't save her -- he's also furious at people on social media who are blaming him.

Richard, who owns Glass Hair in Venice, tells TMZ he can't believe people think he's the one who supplied Anne with cocaine and fentanyl ... drugs that were present in her system after the crash. Richard says he's never done drugs, and the folks accusing him are just hateful.

He also thinks a higher power may have sent Anne to his salon so he could somehow save her from death. He's clearly beating himself up for something over which he had no control, but he feels it so in his mind it's real.

Nappy Roots rapper Fish Scales is lucky to be alive after he was shot, robbed and kidnapped outside an Atlanta brewery he co-owns.

Police say two suspects first robbed a customer in the parking lot before entering Atlantucky Brewery and forcing Scales into his car at gunpoint. The robbers then drove Scales up the road to his home in a neighboring suburb where he was able to escape, but not before being shot in the leg during a struggle.

Scales, who is one-fourth of the Grammy-nominated rap group, is now resting in the hospital -- Nappy Roots put out a statement saying, "We are so thankful our brother is safe and on the road to recovery."

Police were able to recover Scales' vehicle ... but as of now, no arrests have been made.

This is AWESOME, baby!!!

Legendary college hoops announcer Dick Vitale is officially cancer free again, he announced Wednesday.

Vitale said in a series of tweets that he got the great news from his doctor following a myriad of tests this week.

"Dick u have gone from being in remission to being CANCER FREE,'" Vitale said of what his doctor told him. "Thank u to ALL of YOU that have sent me 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽"

Vitale previously beat cancer last year, but he was diagnosed with lymphoma a few months later. The 83-year-old was forced to step away from doing what he loves the most -- calling college basketball games -- while he fought it.

To complicate matters further, Vitale developed a throat condition that affected his vocal cords ... and the Hall of Famer required surgery to fix the issue.

But, Vitale made it clear Thursday the medical battles appear to now all be behind him -- and he's stoked.

"I only wish & pray that EVERYONE in the fight vs that vicious disease can receive the message I received last night from my oncologist DR Rick Brown who is the Director of Oncology at Sarasota Memorial Hospital," Vitale said.

"I will continue to follow the advice of Dr Brown & keep having a positive mental attitude with a strong faith & belief that good things will happen."

Linda Evangelista says the mental anguish she's suffered since a botched medical procedure is far greater than what she expected ... and at times feels that she hates herself.

Remember, the supermodel recently filed a lawsuit against a company called Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc. after she claimed she underwent a fat-reduction procedure called CoolSculpting which allegedly left her permanently deformed.

Linda says she was able to reach a settlement in the case, but it hasn't fixed her mental trauma, telling British Vogue, "If I had known side effects may include losing your livelihood and you'll end up so depressed that you hate yourself ... I wouldn't have taken that risk."

Linda also says the incident has affected her ability to work, "You're not going to see me in a swimsuit, that's for sure. It's going to be difficult to find jobs with things protruding from me; without retouching, or squeezing into things, or taping things or compressing or tricking."

Linda was seen bundled up in NYC back in February, shortly after she revealed she was ready to come out of hiding. She says she's grateful for the outpour of support from her family and friends, but her life will just never be the same.

Nicholas Brendon, best known for his role as Xander Harris in "Buffy The Vampire Slayer," has been hospitalized after suffering another "cardiac incident' ... this according to his manager.

His manager, Theresa Fortier, posted several IG photos of the 51-year-old actor on a stretcher being taken to the hospital via ambulance, as well as a picture of him in a wheelchair with a mask over his face.

In the social media post, his manager wrote, "Nicky sends his love and wanted me to apologize that he hasn't been going live as much lately and to give everyone an update. Nicky is doing fine now but he had to be rushed to emergency about two weeks ago because of a cardiac incident (tachycardia/arrhythmia)."

His manager went on to say that NB had a similar health scare last year after getting spinal surgery for a rare condition known as Cauda Equina, which attacks the nerve roots. She ended by saying that NB "is trying to get a little more rest and has been concentrating on medical appointments."

NB's manager is placing the blame for some of his spinal issues on being forced to sleep on a concrete floor of a jail cell following his 2021 arrest for using a false ID to try to buy prescription drugs. NB was convicted of obtaining legend drugs by using false name and sentenced to one year of probation.

Fortier reportedly said NB had to get surgery for paralysis in his genitals and legs after sleeping on the floor of the cell aggravated his already injured spine.

"He hoped to bounce back from the off-screen drama to promote his new movie, Wanton Want, but is 'devastated' with his medical woes," Fortier told the Daily Mail.

A spin down the famous slide at American Family Field on Wednesday ended up in a trip to the emergency room for Dodgers reporter David Vassegh ... who ended up breaking several bones in his body on the ride at the Brewers' ballpark.

The mishap happened just before L.A. took on Milwaukee at the stadium in Wisconsin.

Vassegh was gunnin' to check an item off his bucket list by finally going down Bernie's Chalet in center field -- but things went terribly wrong for the journalist when he came to a stop on the ride.

Video of Vassegh's slide shows he didn't finish feetfirst -- and ended up crashing into the wall with his arm and back exposed. You can see in the footage, Vassegh was in a world of pain immediately.

Turns out, he ended up breaking his arm and fracturing six ribs in the fall. But, somehow, the dude made it back to the field in a cast to get his job done!!

Dodgers announcers Joe Davis and Nomar Garciaparra laughed their asses off at the blunder -- and, to his credit, Vassegh was a good sport about it all on TV.

The guys that Vassegh covers, meanwhile, were impressed with his toughness ... with catcher Austin Barnes saying after their 2-1 win that they got the dub for the injured reporter.

"We all rallied today for you," the Dodger said.

No word if Vassegh will have to miss any further time from here to properly recover -- but get well soon!

Randy Martin, the so-called "Lone Wolf" reality TV home renovator, has died after a cancer battle.

His death was announced Wednesday on his FB page as well as by his costars from "Texas Flip N Move," the Snow Sisters, who had the same statement. It reads, "We are broken hearted over The Lone Wolf Randy Martin who passed away early this morning. Please pray for his wife and family as they navigate this difficult time. You will be missed."

Donna Snow tells TMZ ... Randy, a longtime friend/associate, died from cancer, and he was at his home when he passed, with his wife, Judy, by his side. We're told Donna visited him recently and he appeared fairly weak and in bad health.

Judy confirms Donna's account, elaborating to us that he had liver cancer and had been diagnosed in May 2022. She notes ... he was beloved by all, even strangers.

RM has been on the show pretty much since the beginning. The series started on the DIY Network in 2014, and he's had appearances on and off since Season 1. The following year, however, Martin was heavily featured as a main cast member ... which continued on through 2017.

It doesn't look like he's been on there much since then ... but he's certainly considered part of the 'TFNM' family. As his nickname indicates, Randy wouldn't hesitate to get things done on his own -- especially when it came to the business of buying and flipping homes.

That's what the show's all about -- with the catch being they can't see the inside of the houses they buy before working on them -- and Randy wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. He was quite the personality as well, with quick wit and jokes always on hand.

Randy was 65. He leaves behind a spouse, kids and grandchildren.

Ironman athlete Brian Kozera -- who was also a police officer and cancer survivor -- has tragically died at 44 years old ... after he was involved in a terrifying bicycle crash while he was training for an upcoming competition.

Kozera -- a 16-year veteran of the Norristown Police Dept. -- passed away after he struck a car on Saturday while he was biking in Caernarvon Township, PA.

According to a crash report, obtained by TMZ Sports, at around 9:48 AM ... Brian ran a stop sign and hit the passenger side of a pickup.

Kozera, according to the docs, was thrown from his bike and ended up being caught in the car's rear wheel. Cops say he was transported to a nearby hospital, but died from the injuries he suffered in the accident.

Kozera had been training for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii in October 2022 ... according to a statement from the Norristown Fraternal Order Of Police Lodge 31.

In 2014, Kozera was diagnosed with a rare cancer called Lymphocyte-depleted Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He later beat it in 2015 -- and said his battle with the disease gave him the push to become an Ironman athlete.

Kozera was slated to compete in three more events leading up to the competition in Hawaii ... before his untimely death, according to his blog.

Brian is survived by his wife and three young daughters.

Dean Karnazes -- a famous ultramarathon athlete -- was terrifyingly attacked by a coyote during a run on a California trail this month ... and the incident was so bad, it left him with a bloody face.

The 59-year-old went into detail about the encounter in an IG video ... saying he was running in Marin Headlands when a coyote ambushed him.

"I just had something rather terrifying happen," Karnazes said. "I'm out on a 150-mile trail run and I got attacked by a coyote."

"That's a first. It knocked me over and thankfully I'm running with poles so I whacked it and it ran away."

But, Karnazes did suffer injuries ... you can see in his selfie video he had blood all over his mouth, chin and shirt.

"Not sure what I’m gonna do," he said in the clip. "I guess I gotta keep going or else it'll probably come back for me."

After the experience, Karnazes -- who has won the Badwater Ultramarathon and Vermont Trail 10 Mile Endurance Run -- advised people to stop feeding coyotes on the trail, with the hopes it'll keep the wild animals further away from runners.

"If you see someone feeding a coyote, please say something," Karnazes said.

"The local Rangers are doing the best they can, but we trail runners are out in these areas more than anyone. Thank you. It's best for everyone, coyotes included. #letwildlifebewild"

FYI, this ain't the first time Karnazes has been attacked by a wild animal -- he also said on his social media page that he's had a scary run-in with a shark in the past as well.

"I've been attacked by a shark, and now a coyote," he said. "Both incidents were terrifying."

Karnazes has competed in several running and swimming events throughout his career -- in fact, he swam across the San Francisco Bay and ran a marathon in every state in the U.S. for 50 consecutive days in 2006.

He's also a columnist for Men's Health and the author of "Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner."

Motley Crue is known for their wild antics...but things really got out of control at their Indianapolis concert Tuesday night ... a fan was lying motionless on the ground after apparently falling from the upper level.

TMZ has obtained video of people at the show gathered around the man and tending to him as the legendary '80s rock band was belting out their classic, "Looks That Kill." A witness told us there was a puddle of blood around the victim.

The Indianapolis PD says they assisted an injured person, who was "awake and breathing." Cops confirmed they were investigating whether the man was extremely intoxicated, leaned over the railing and fell from the upper level to the lower level. His condition is currently unknown.

Motley Crue was headlining a classic rock concert with Def Leppard, hitting the stage at Lucas Oil Stadium around 9:30 PM. The fan took the spill from the upper level about 45 minutes into the band's set.

People in the crowd jumped to their feet and gasped as they realized what happened. Police and paramedics arrived quickly, placed the man on a gurney and wheeled him out of the stadium.

Motley Crue seemed oblivious, completing their set and walking off stage at about 11 PM. To be fair, the band may not have gotten word about what happened. The stage was pretty far away from where the alleged accident occurred.