Jay Glazer Opens Up About Importance Of Mental Health ... 'We Deserve To Stay Alive'

021422-jay-glazer-kal
SHINING A LIGHT ON MENTAL HEALTH
TMZSports.com

If anyone is going through it right now ... watch this clip.

Jay Glazer has an invaluable reminder for those battling mental health struggles ... telling TMZ Sports it's important for everyone to remember "we deserve to stay alive."

The Fox Sports insider let his emotions pour out last week ... saying his own personal bout with mental health is what sparked his desire to be so vocal about the topic.

"I've been on the drive for mental health because ... look at just this last week and a half," Glazer said. "Miss USA was the most beautiful woman in the world, felt lonely. Jeremy Giambi we just saw in sports. I actually just had somebody in my crew commit suicide yesterday."

"It's an epidemic because ... that's why I'm talking out so much about it. I ain't trying to villainize it, but we deserve to stay alive."

Glazer -- who's established a reputation for breaking some of the NFL's biggest stories -- details his mental health journey in his book "Unbreakable" ... and the importance of fighting through those tough times.

"I cannot say it enough -- don't just tell your friends or your family or your therapist that you need help," Glazer said. "Tell them the depth of the help that you need. We all deserve to be teammates out there, and get each other backs."

Glazer -- who also helps out via his Merging Vets and Players foundation -- says he doesn't have all the answers ... but knows he can still make a difference for those going through similar situations.

"I'm a work in progress, and I am hoping to use my own darkness and gray to lead people out of theirs."

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Supply Chain Disaster 1,100 Porsches Torched on Cargo Ship

Looks like the ship hit the fan, turning supply shortages from bad to worse.

A burning ship holding about 4,000 cars -- with 1,100 Porsches -- has been floating in the mid-Atlantic after crew members were evacuated ... according to the Portuguese Navy.

021822_cargo_ship_kal
OPEN SEA RESCUE

The ship departed from Germany on Feb. 10 and was scheduled to arrive in Rhode Island Wednesday before the fire broke out. The 22 crew was safely evacuated from the burning ship via a helicopter.

An automotive enthusiast website, The Drive, reported the ship was also carrying 189 Bentleys. There were a total of 3,965 vehicles from the Volkswagen Auto Group (which owns Porsche, VW, Audi, Bentley and brands) on board ... so all in all, it's a disaster.

Demand for vehicles like these has been insanely high, but supply has been limited because of the pandemic ... with ships stuck out near harbors all over the globe, waiting to dock.

The fire is active but under control, says the captain of the port of Horta on the Azores island of Faial. Talk about burning rubber.

Shark Attack Beachgoers Witness 15-ft Shark Kill Swimmer

021622_shark_attack2_kal
HORRIFYING ATTACK

A beach in Sydney has been temporarily closed after some folks witnessed a gruesome killing -- a 15-ft shark devouring a swimmer.

A Rep for New South Wales Police Force tells TMZ ...  cops were called about the terrifying shark attack around 4:35 PM on Wednesday.

We're told folks were fishing off the nearby shoreline, and they heard the swimmer scream in terror and saw the entire attack unfold.

As you can see in the video, a shark was still lurking around and the guy recording yelled out, "Someone just got eaten by a shark. Oh man! Oh no! That's insane." He believes it was a great white.

Police say when they arrived, they could still see human remains in the water.

As of now, they don't know details about the deceased swimmer, but police said they are investigating and might know more info later today.

For now, Little Bay Beach has been closed and cops continue to search the area.

Van Jones I Have a New Baby with My Friend ... 'Conscious Co-Parents!!!'

Van Jones is taking progressive to a new level -- the activist and CNN commentator is a proud new dad, and he and the baby's mother just might inspire a new movement in parenting.

Van tells TMZ, "After the COVID lockdown, I got clear that I wanted another kid. I discovered that my friend Noemi also wanted a baby. So, we decided to join forces and become conscious co-parents. It’s a concept that I hope more people will explore and consider."

He continues, "This month we welcomed to Earth a baby girl, whom we will raise as co-parenting partners. This is a special time for our families. I feel grateful, joyful and blessed."

Now, sources connected to Van tell us the mother's full name is Noemi Zamacona, and they've been friends -- through a shared interest in criminal justice advocacy -- for several years. In fact, we're told their decision to have a child together was literally made over a friendly meal. Ya know what they say about friends in need!

One source described Noemi and Van's current relationship this way -- "It's a very modern arrangement. They're not a couple, but they are a team that wants to raise a kid together."

Van has 2 children from his previous marriage, and we're told this is Noemi's first.

100120_van_jones_kal OCTOBER 2020
THIS IS CHANGING LIVES
TMZ.com

In his statement, Van adds ... "As we create a safe and loving environment for this blessed young soul, I respectfully ask for privacy. Thank you for all the love and support.”

No word on the baby girl's name yet, but we're really wondering if either Van or Noemi plan to trademark "conscious co-parenting."

It's 2022, y'all. Just sayin' ...

Doug Emhoff Secret Service Evacuate Veep's Husband Due to H.S. Bomb Threat

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff is getting an up-close look at his Secret Service agents in crunch time -- a bomb threat in Washington D.C. forced them to whisk VP Kamala Harris' husband to safety.

Emhoff's Secret Service detail leaped into action Tuesday during his appearance at Dunbar High School in D.C. for a Black History Month event. An agent reportedly approached Doug and told him it was go time, and they went ... quickly.

Looks like DE was a pretty cool customer during the crisis.

Agents took care of rushing Emhoff out of the room ... while students and teachers were also evacuated. The White House says the building's been cleared and everyone is safe now.

It's unclear if there was a real bomb -- but the threat comes on the heels of dozens of other bomb threats at Historically Black Colleges and Universities around the country. The threats started coming in as Black History Month was beginning.

The school's principal says it will be a few hours before they can make sure the school is safe.

U.S. Navy NAVY SEAL Candidate Dies During 'Hell Week'

A Navy SEAL candidate is dead and another hospitalized during a testing period called Hell Week.

The test involved underwater demolition, survival and combat tactics ... this according to a Navy spokesperson.

Two commando candidates landed in the hospital ... one sadly died and the other is in stable condition.

The physicality of the exercises is brutal, and it's only the first phase in selecting members of the elite group.

It's the first such death since 2016, when a candidate lost consciousness after his instructor held his head underwater while the cadet struggled as he tried to swim in the training pool. The coroner ruled the cadet's death a homicide, but the Navy did not pursue charges against the instructor.

As for Friday's tragedy, it's unclear what caused the cadet's death.

No word how, if at all, the most recent death might affect SEAL training.

Timothy LeDuc Will Become 1st Openly Nonbinary U.S. Athlete ... At Winter Olympics

Figure skater Timothy LeDuc is set to become the first openly nonbinary American athlete to ever compete at the Winter Games ... but they don't want to make it a big deal about themself -- their goal is to make all queer people feel accepted in sports.

31-year-old LeDuc -- who came out as gay at 18 before opening up about being nonbinary (not exclusively identifying as male or female) in 2021 -- said when they take the ice alongside partner Ashley Cain-Gribble in Beijing this month, they hope the storyline isn't, "Timothy is the first nonbinary person to achieve this level of success in sports."

Instead, the 2-time national champ wants to use this opportunity to show all members of the LGBTQ+ community there is a place for them in competitive sport.

"We’ve always been here, we have always been a part of sports. We just haven’t always been able to be open," LeDuc said, according to the AP.

In fact, Adam Rippon became the first openly gay American skater to earn podium while competing at the Olympics in Pyeongchang in 2018 ... but former American stars like Brian Boitano and Johnny Weir did not come out until after their competing days.

The Games have seen a rise in LGBTQ+ athletes recently -- Canadian soccer player Quinn was the first openly transgender and nonbinary Olympian to medal in Tokyo ... New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard became the first transgender athlete to compete.

LeDuc says it hasn't been easy identifying their gender ... but luckily, they had a strong support group to help along the way.

"It’s been a really long journey for me, embracing my gender," they added.

"I’ve had some amazing people in my life help me through that journey."

Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse Surreal Scene as Cars Plummet to Ground

A bridge completely collapsed in Pittsburgh Friday, sending cars plummeting to the earth below ... and it happened hours before President Biden was set to travel to that city to talk infrastructure.

It's unclear what caused the bridge to buckle, but it was snowing heavily. The entire span of the bridge collapsed -- a major artery linking various parts of the city.

The scene is surreal ... a bus landed into a ravine below -- fortunately, there were only 2 passengers and a driver on board, and none were seriously injured.

The Lt. Governor says there appear to be no fatalities, but at least 10 people were injured.  A slew of ambulances showed up and 3 people were taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

The collapse caused a natural gas leak and as a precaution, people in nearby homes were evacuated. They were able to contain the leak.

So, by some miracle, everyone survived the collapse, but Biden's infrastructure pitch will be interesting.

Cardi B 'She's an Angel!!!' Fire Victim's Family Praises Her Donation

Cardi B's announcement she's covering funeral costs for all the victims of the historically deadly Bronx apartment fire has one man -- who lost 5 relatives -- calling Cardi an "angel."

Haji Dukuray's niece was killed in the blaze, along with her husband and 3 children ... and Cardi is making sure he doesn't have to worry about finding the money to bury 5 family members.

011922_haji_dukuray_kal_1
CROWN THE ANGEL
TMZ.com

Haji, who used to drive 200 miles from his Delaware home to see his niece and her family in the Bronx, tells TMZ ... Cardi is an angel and his family can't thank her enough for what she's done.

He says it's a huge help to his family to not bear the financial burden ... and he's sending Cardi blessings for stepping up to help so many people she's never met.

As we reported, the inferno engulfed a 19-story apartment building in the Bronx earlier this month, killing 9 adults and 8 children -- the city's deadliest fire in more than 3 decades.

Cardi, a Bronx native, vowed to cover funeral expenses and worked with NYC Mayor Eric Adams' office to make it happen.

Haji says he got word of Cardi's gift from Mayor Adams' people -- and had no idea, initially, the rapper was their benefactor.

011922-cardi-b-kal
MORE WORK TO BE DONE
@iamcardib / Instagram

Remember, Fat Joe is helping rally celebs for relief efforts, and he told us most of the people living in the building were immigrants who lost everything in the blaze.

011922_jim_jones_kal
DOIN' IT FOR THE PEOPLE
TMZ.com

We got Jim Jones at Impact Zone Gym in New Jersey and asked him about Cardi's gesture ... and he praised her too, saying he would expect nothing less.

Cardi's also highlighting others who've stepped up to help the victims' families ... shouting out Joe and several NYC radio stations.

WV Reporter Hit By Car On Live TV ... Gets Back Up and keeps Reporting!!!

012022_wsaz_reporter_kal
STRUCK ON LIVE TV
WSAZ

A reporter in West Virginia just earned some extra stripes ... because she got hit by a car during a live shot and didn't miss a beat!!!

It all went down Wednesday night, when WSAZ-TV reporter Tori Yorgey had started to report from the field when you see a car come from behind and strike her. Her body kind of lunges forward out of frame and she screams, "Oh my god! I just got hit by a car, but I’m OK."

Ever the trooper ... Tori hops back up, moves her camera and sluffs it off ... “That’s live TV for you. It’s all good." Tori said that wasn't the first time she had been hit either. It happened in college as well.

As for the driver who hit her, she apologizes during the live shot, and Tori is unbelievably gracious ... "Ma’am, you are so sweet, and you are OK."

This is 2022, so social media was looking for someone to drag, and they went after the anchor for not having what they felt was an appropriately horrified reaction. He defended himself in a tweet, saying he could only hear Tori and didn't see the actual impact. He says she was taken to a hospital as a precautionary measure.

And, get this ... this was her last week at the station. She's moving on to Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh drivers ... stay in your lanes!!!.

Tonga Shirtless Olympic Flagbearer Starts GoFund to Help After Volcano

A Tongan athlete is about to be known to the world for more than his greased-up chest and chiseled abs -- starting a GoFundMe to help the people of his country devastated by a volcano.

Pita Taufatofua, an athlete in taekwondo and cross-country skiing has raised about $400,000 in just 4 days. His fundraising page reads, "In preparation and through the recovery efforts we are seeking your donations to help our island Kingdom. My Father, the Governor of Haapai is on Tongatapu." Taufatofua says he has not heard from his dad since the eruption.

012022_pita_taufatofua_kal
TSUNAMI SUPPORT
BBC

Taufatofua was on BBC's Newsday, telling anchors the money raised will be used for clean drinking water, and rebuilding hospitals and schools ... among other things.

The Olympian first rose to fame at the games in 2016 joining the opening festivities without a shirt and sporting an oiled-up chest ... he has competed in 3 Olympics.

Scientists say the underwater explosion of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption on Saturday appears to be the largest on Earth in 3 decades.

Tonga is home to 170 islands and a population of around 100,000 ... Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni says a "volcanic mushroom plume" has covered each island since Saturday's blast.

While the death toll has remained low in Tonga, with just 3 as of Wednesday, the devastation is widespread and unprecedented, with all structures on some islands totally wiped out by the volcano and tsunami that followed.

MLK Original Draft Pages From Book ... Selling for $225k!!!

Until recently, you probably couldn't get your hands on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s handwritten draft of his book, but now things have changed ... if you have $225,000 that is!

That's right. Draft pages from the civil rights icon's book "Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story” are up for sale on momentsintime.com. They'd previously been a part of a private collection.

The book was first published back in 1958 when Dr. King was 29, and the handwritten pages are from chapter 3. Dr. King writes about the significance of the emerging civil rights moment, chronicling how Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white person in Montgomery, Alabama back in '55.

In the handwritten draft, King writes about the bus boycott ... the first large-scale protest against segregation. King wrote, "After a series of telephone calls back and forth ... they agreed that the Negroes should boycott the buses."

Now, you can have a piece of history in the palm of your hands ... well, if you have a few hundred thousand to spare.

Fat Joe Celeb Pals Help Bronx Fire Victims ... Much More Aid Needed

011222-fat-joe-kal
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
TMZ.com

Fat Joe says his famous friends are chipping in to make sure victims of that historically deadly Bronx apartment fire aren't left out in the cold -- but adds it's gonna take more than celebrities to get the job done.

Joey Crack joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and told us what inspired him to team up with NYC Mayor Eric Adams to help survivors and those who lost loved ones and property in the deadly blaze.

011222-bronx-fire-kal
THE TRAGIC INCIDENT
FOX 5

As we reported ... the inferno engulfed a 19-story apartment building in the Bronx, killing 17 people -- including 8 children -- the city's deadliest fire in more than 30 years.

Fat Joe says most of the people living in the building are immigrants, and they're now homeless amid freezing cold winter temps. He's used his contacts to help jumpstart fundraising, shouting out donations they've already received from Jay-Z, DJ Khaled, LL Cool J, Nas and former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey ... among others.

It's the first big crisis for Adams, who took office on Jan. 1, and Fat Joe tells us why the new mayor can cut through political red tape to make a difference here.

He also explains how regular folks can help out too -- fatjoe.me/donatebronx -- and says 100 percent of donations go toward hotel rooms, new homes and funerals.

Breakthrough Heart Surgery Give the Man A Pig Heart ... In Order to Save His Life!!

For the first time ever, surgeons transplanted a heart from a genetically modified pig into a human patient, in order to save his life ... If all goes well, this could be the start of life-saving treatment for many patients in dire need.

57-year-old David Bennett received a heart like no other ... He was ineligible for a human transplant and, while doctors couldn't guarantee the transplant would work, the surgery was a matter of life or death, so he rolled the dice.

“It was either die or do this transplant. I want to live. I know it’s a shot in the dark, but it’s my last choice,” he said before undergoing the 7-hour surgery Friday at a Baltimore hospital.

The FDA had approved the operation for emergency use, since David had no other options.

Though it's still unclear if the transplant will actually take, he seems to be doing well days after the surgery... And, docs at the University of Maryland Medical Center say his transplant showed a heart from a genetically modified animal can work inside a human body without immediate rejection.

That's great news, because in the past such transplants failed because the patient's body would reject the animal organ. Now, Maryland surgeons used the heart from a pig that had received gene-editing ... to thwart rejection.

With so many patients needing organs, and so few to go around ... this could be a huge breakthrough.

TV News Prank Conspiracy Theorist Hurls Coffee into Camera Hilarious Reaction by Anchor

010721_peter_mcindoe_kal_v2
COFFEE CONSPIRACY
WGN-TV

A Gen-Z'er went all Linda Blair on a Chicago morning show Thursday ... except instead of green slime, a mouthful of java propelled into his camera lens, horrifying a TV anchor.

It went down on WGN in Chicago, where a dude named Peter McIndoe was yakking about his conspiracy theory that birds don't really exist ... rather, the fair-feathered friends are actually drone replicas -- all part of an effort by the U.S. government to keep eyes on us.

As Peter dutifully answers the anchor's questions, he takes a swig of something from his coffee mug and then just hurls into the cam. The anchor is flummoxed ... and it's hysterical.

We're calling BS on this ... but that doesn't make it unfunny.

BTW ... Peter's grassy knoll theory has landed with his fellow Gen-Z'ers ... hundreds of thousands of them are wearing "Birds Aren't Real" t-shirts. They infiltrate various rallies.

Way to mug for the camera, Peter!

Rep. Adam Kinzinger If Trump Rigs 2024 Election and Wins ... Democracy Won't Survive

010622_adam_kinzinger_kal
THE UNDERLYING THREAT
TMZ.com

Rep. Adam Kinzinger says there's something that's not being talked about much, but it looms as one of the biggest threats to our country ... if Donald Trump steals the 2024 Presidential election, it could well be the end of democracy in America.

The Republican Congressman from Illinois joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday ... and we asked him about the GOP's full-court press to install lawmakers in critical states where the party could potentially certify an election for a candidate who actually lost at the ballot box.

Kinzinger says the scariest thing leading up to the insurrection was GOP memos exploring legal technicalities for states to certify elections how they see fit ... regardless of how citizens voted.

Rep. Kinzinger says he's trying to pass election reform, but Congress has so far come up short ... and given what he's watching in his own party, he tells us he's worried about the state of our elections moving forward.

He's also got an interesting story of an averted disaster during the insurrection ... and tells voters how they can strengthen election integrity with some simple acts.