Kate Middleton Love From Diana's Brother ... Praises Her 'Strength'
Kate Middleton's feelin' the love from every corner of the globe ... including from a prominent member of her own family who had a close connection to Princess Diana.
Charles Spencer -- the late Diana's brother -- posted a message of support to Kate Saturday following her bombshell cancer video announcement Friday.
The 9th Earl Spencer shared a screengrab of Kate's appearance and kept the caption short and sweet, writing, "Incredible poise and strength."
It's a pretty simple message from Princess Di's bro ... but, meaningful nonetheless. Remember, Diana was always applauded for her own poise as she went through her messy divorce from King Charles in the early 1990s.
And, Spencer even publicly compared the media scrutiny around Kate's stepping away from the spotlight to media attention around Diana before her death earlier this week -- making a more direct comparison between the two women.
Of course, Spencer isn't the only family member to send their messages of support out wide for Kate ... with the king and his wife Queen Camilla also making a public statement lauding Middleton's courage while Prince Harry & Meghan Markle even tried to reach out privately to the Princess of Wales.
Kate, of course, never got to meet Diana because the late princess was killed in a car crash several years before she started dating William.
But, she's clearly loved by the Spencer fam -- who are sending their love during this challenging time.
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Dolph Lundgren on 'Superman' Don't Know David Corenswet ... But Give Him A Chance!!!
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Dolph Lundgren's not against recasting an iconic character -- telling fans to give David Corenswet's Superman a chance ... even if he's not entirely sure who he is.
We talked to the action movie star in Los Angeles Friday, and asked him all about the DC Universe coming to an end -- 'memba, Dolph starred as King Nereus in the 'Aquaman' films -- and he says he's sad to see it go 'cause of his great time working on the flick.
DL name-drops a few of his costars from the flick before moving on to the outrage surrounding Henry Cavill being dropped as Superman for Corenswet.
Lundgren says he isn't familiar with David -- by name or reputation -- but he says fans always get up in arms when one of their fav characters ends up being played by someone else ... and they need to give the guy a chance to flex his superhero muscles.
It seems like Dolph doesn't know Corenswet's work very well -- and yet, he's very positive here, saying he's rooting for DC's newest Man of Steel ... which is pretty awesome.
That said, Dolph's very clear there's one character he doesn't want recast ... Apollo Creed, played by the late great Carl Weathers.
Lundgren -- who played Soviet boxer Ivan Drago in "Rocky IV" and fought Creed in the movie -- says no one can replace Carl. On the Superman front, though ... have it, he says.
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Menendez Brothers Murder Mansion Sells for $17M ... 28 Years After Conviction
The home where Erik and Lyle Menendez brutally murdered their parents just sold for big money ... and coincidentally, the transaction closed on a case-related anniversary.
According to the Los Angeles Times ... the mansion sold for $17 million on Wednesday just a couple months after being put on the market in December.
The home contains seven bedrooms, a pool, a tennis court, and a two-story guest house. It was purchased for $3.7 million in 2001 -- a pretty impressive ROI for the previous owner. Realtor.com reports the house sold for under its prevailing market value -- perhaps unsurprising given the grisly events that took place there.
As we said -- the sale of the house just so happened to fall exactly 28 years after the Menendez brothers were convicted of first-degree murder for killing their parents, Jose and Kitty, with a shotgun. They were convicted on March 20, 1996.
Of course, the Menendez case received a whole bunch of media attention last year after the release of the docuseries "Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed" in which a member of the band Menudo claimed Jose Menendez had raped him while he was a teen.
Erik and Lyle's attorney Mark Geragos was pushing for a new trial based on the claim ... and, though that hasn't happened yet, it definitely renewed interest in the case.
No word yet on who the buyer might be ... but, it looks like they bagged themselves one heck of a property -- with one heck of an ugly history. Good luck!
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Tiroteo en Moscú Más de 40 personas habrían muerto, 100 heridos...
Un aterrador video de un tremendo tiroteo en Rusia se ha vuelto viral en las redes y muestras algunas dramáticas escenas del ataque que ha dejado decenas de muertos y muchos más heridos.
El registro del triste incidente del viernes en el Crocus City Hall, un enorme lugar de conciertos a las afueras de Moscú, capta el sonido de los disparos que resuenan en el lugar.
Otro video muestra a gente tirándose al suelo y acurrucándose detrás de las sillas del vestíbulo mientras el sonido de los disparos reverbera por toda la sala.
Y lo que es peor, a continuación se declara un gran incendio en el edificio, que es fácil de ver desde los alrededores, y según muestra el video grabado desde el exterior del edificio, las llamas parecieron arder con fuerza durante un rato. Los informes dicen se lanzaron bombas y granadas en medio de este baño de sangre.
El Servicio Federal de Seguridad de Rusia -la organización del país encargada de la seguridad interior- afirma que más de 40 personas murieron en el atentado y más de 100 resultaron heridas.
Associated Press, citando a medios de comunicación rusos, informa que varios hombres armados entraron al edificio y lanzaron explosivos, lo que provocó el incendio. Al parecer, los hombres que entraron en la sala estaban vestidos de faena y empezaron a disparar contra la multitud que asistía a ver a Picnic, un popular grupo de rock. El Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de Rusia ha calificado el atentado de terrorista.
Al parecer, algunos videos muestran hasta cuatro hombres armados disparando a quemarropa y parece que la policía detuvo al menos a un posible sospechoso, que fue visto palpando a un hombre en el video con las manos sobre un vehículo.
Por cierto, parece que EE.UU. y otras grandes potencias occidentales podrían haber previsto esto, pues habían compartido advertencias con sus ciudadanos en las últimas semanas, llamándolos a permanecer lejos de las zonas concurridas de Moscú.
Aún no está claro si este ataque fue provocado por motivos políticos, pero las autoridades estatales lo están investigando como un acto terrorista.
Moscow Shooting 40+ Reportedly Dead, 100 Injured ... Music Venue Set Ablaze
Terrifying video from a mass shooting in Russia is going viral online ... and, it paints a dramatic picture of the devastating attack that's left dozens dead and many more injured.
Footage from the chaotic scene Friday at Crocus City Hall -- a huge concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow -- captures the sound of gunshots echoing throughout the cavernous venue.
Another clip shows people hitting the floor, huddling behind chairs in the hall as the sound of gunshots reverberates around the room.
Even worse, a huge fire was ignited at the building -- easy to see from all around the venue -- and the flames themselves seemed to burn strong for a while based on video shot from outside the building. Reports say grenades and or bombs were set off in this bloodbath.
Russia’s Federal Security Service -- the country's organization in charge of domestic security -- says more than 40 people were killed in the attack and more than 100 were injured.
The Associated Press -- citing Russian news outlets -- reports several gunmen entered the building and threw explosives, causing the fire to break out. Men in fatigues reportedly entered the hall and began firing on the crowd in attendance to see Picnic, a popular rock band. Russia's foreign ministry is calling this a terroristic attack.
Some videos reportedly show as many as four gunmen shooting people at point-blank range ... and it appears police detained at least one potential suspect -- seen on video patting down a man with his hands on the side of a vehicle.
BTW ... it seems the U.S. and other major Western powers might've seen this coming -- with warnings to their citizens being issued in recent weeks to stay away from crowded areas in Moscow.
It's not yet clear if this attack was sparked by any political motives ... but, state authorities are investigating it as an act of terror.
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Riley Strain Body Found in River Near Nashville ... 2 Weeks After Vanishing
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8:30 AM PT -- Cops just held a presser and provided more details about how exactly Riley Strain was found. They say the body was discovered around 7:28 AM CT when a worker found him after removing an object from the river, after which the body surfaced.
The police say that the Medical Examiner reviewed the body and confirmed it was Riley -- they also say he still had his shirt and watch on him from the night he went missing. Nashville PD says the family was notified, and reiterates no foul play is suspected for now.
The body of Riley Strain -- the Missouri college student who went missing in Nashville 2 weeks ago -- has finally been found ... and it was recovered from a river in the area.
His corpse was discovered Friday in the Cumberland River, reportedly 8 miles away from the DT Nashville area ... where Riley had last been seen after getting separated from his group during a night of bar hopping on March 8.
Cops say there is no foul play suspected at this point, and no trauma observed either. An autopsy to determine a cause of death is pending. Unclear where exactly in the river Strain's body was found or under what circumstances ... but this marks the end of a tragic saga.
Strain first disappeared on a Friday night -- this after getting kicked out of Luke Bryan's 32 Bridge bar along Broadway ... at which point he wandered off on his own.
Surveillance footage released to the public showed Strain aimlessly wandering the streets of Nashville -- at times looking out of sorts and stumbling over. At other points in since-released footage of him from that night -- including body cam video -- Strain looked fairly coherent.
The bar says they asked Riley to leave after he started violating their conduct policies -- suggesting he was heavily intoxicated -- but also insist they did not overserve him.
There were claims the bar had given a lot of booze that night -- but 32 Bridge says their records show he was only given one drink and two waters before he was booted ... at which point, the bar says his friends did not leave with him. The Tennessee ABC is investigating the overserving allegation.
Strain's friends, meanwhile, say he told them he'd meet them back at their hotel, just a few blocks away, but he never turned up later on.
Instead, it appears Strain got lost and made his way over toward the river -- where different eyewitnesses say they saw him that night ... confirmed by the fact his bank card was recently discovered near that area as well. Search crews have been scouring the river for days now and hadn't found anything ... that is, until today. No word on who found him.
Strain's family have been in Nashville since the beginning ... calling on the public's help, and putting pressure on police to bring in more resources to track him down. We'd even been told by a family spokesperson that his mother and father believed he might still be alive.
Strain was only 22.
RIP
Originally Published -- 8:01 AM PT
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Riley Strain Encuentran su cuerpo en un río cerca de Nashville...
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8:30 AM PT -- La policía acaba de dar una conferencia de prensa y proporcionó más detalles sobre cómo fue encontrado exactamente Riley. Dicen que su cuerpo fue descubierto alrededor de las 7:28 AM CT por un trabajador que remover un objeto del río y con ello provocó que el cuerpo saliera a la superficie.
La policía dice que el Médico Forense revisó el cuerpo y confirmó que era Riley. También dicen que tenía la camisa y el reloj que estaba usando la noche que desapareció. La policía de Nashville dice que la familia fue notificada y que no se sospecha de crimen violento por ahora.
El cuerpo de Riley Strain, el estudiante universitario de Missouri que desapareció en Nashville hace 2 semanas, finalmente fue encontrado y recuperado en un río cercano.
Su cadáver fue descubierto el viernes en el río Cumberland, al parecer a 8 millas de distancia del centro de Nashville donde Riley fue visto por última vez después de separarse de su grupo tras una noche de fiesta el 8 de marzo.
Los policías dicen que no se sospecha de crimen violento en este momento y tampoco se observa trauma en su cuerpo. Está pendiente una autopsia para determinar la causa de muerte. Tampoco está claro en qué parte del río fue encontrado el cuerpo de Strain exactamente o en qué circunstancias, pero esto marca el final de una saga trágica.
Strain desapareció por primera vez un viernes por la noche, después de ser expulsado del bar de Luke Bryan en Broadway, momento en el que se fue vagando por su cuenta.
Las imágenes de vigilancia que se dieron a conocer al público mostraban a Strain caminando sin rumbo por las calles de Nashville, a veces mirando al vacío y tropezándose. En otras imágenes liberadas de esa noche, Strain parecía bastante coherente.
El bar dice que le pidieron a Riley que se fuera luego de violar sus políticas de conducta, lo que sugiere que estaba muy intoxicado, aunque también insisten que no le sirvieron de más.
Hubo afirmaciones de que el bar le había dado un montón de alcohol esa noche, pero 32 Bridge (el nombre del bar) dice que sus registros muestran que solo le dieron una bebida y dos aguas antes de que fuera expulsado. Cuando le pidieron que se fuera, el bar dice que sus amigos no se fueron con él. ABC de Tennessee está investigando la alegación.
Los amigos de Strain, por su parte, dicen que les dijo que se reuniría con ellos en el hotel, que estaba a pocas cuadras de distancia, pero nunca apareció.
En su lugar, parece que Strain se perdió y se dirigió hacia el río, donde diferentes testigos lo vieron esa noche. Esto fue confirmado luego de que encontraran su tarjeta bancaria cerca de la zona también. Los equipos de búsqueda llevaban días rastreando el río y no habían encontrado nada hasta hoy. No se sabe quién lo encontró.
La familia de Strain ha estado en Nashville desde el principio pidiendo la ayuda del público, y presionando a la policía para que destine más recursos para localizarlo. Un portavoz de la familia incluso nos había dicho que su madre y su padre creían que todavía estaba vivo.
Strain solo tenía 22 años.
Que en paz descanse.
Katherine Jackson Received Over $55M Since MJ's Death ... So Claims His Estate
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Michael Jackson's mother has amassed a fortune since her son died -- to the tune of tens of millions, which is why she can pay for her own lawyers ... so claims MJ's estate.
A rep for the estate confirms to TMZ that they've filed legal docs in their ongoing dispute with Katherine Jackson over attorney's fees that she's trying to have the estate cover ... over a deal that the estate itself struck, which she's currently appealing.
TMZ has seen the paperwork ... and it lays out some financial info that, if accurate, is absolutely eye-popping.
In the filing, the estate claims there's a massive amount of cash and other benefits Katherine has received since Michael's death in 2009 ... with the executors of the estate alleging it all totals more than $55 million over the nearly 15 years.
A good chunk of that dough, the estate claims, comes in the form of a monthly allowance it says Katherine is afforded by MJ's estate, and totals more than $160k/month.
that allowance -- plus other cash payments -- amount to $33 million of the $55m total, according to the estate.
On top of that, the docs say Katherine is well taken care of by the estate ... which claims to have shelled out more than $15 million to buy and improve her luxury home, not to mention paying for her transportation and other perks -- like a private gardener, chef, and security.
The point of the estate executors laying this all out is to bolster their argument Katherine can afford to cover her own attorney's fees as she pushes forward with her appeal to fight a huge business deal the estate struck ... which she and Michael's son, Blanket, were fighting together until recently.
Unclear what exactly that deal is, but it appears to be related to the blockbuster deal the estate struck for Sony to buy half of MJ's music catalog for 9 figures.
We broke the story ... Blanket filed legal docs earlier this week that made clear he, too, felt Katherine should be covering her own attorney's fees for the appeal -- and that the estate shouldn't have to pick up the tab.
Blanket was on Katherine's side up until a judge ultimately ruled against them, and he decided it didn't make sense to go forward with an appeal of that ruling.
Blanket now says he wants out of the fight -- and that Katherine is on her own for the appeal.
We've reached out to Katherine's team ... so far, no word back.
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KATHERINE JACKSON HA RECIBIDO MÁS DE 55 MILLONES DE DÓLARES Desde la muerte de MJ
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La madre de Michael Jackson ha amasado una fortuna desde que su hijo murió. Literalmente decenas de millones... así que puede pagar sus propios abogados.
Un representante del patrimonio le confirma a TMZ que han presentado documentos legales en su disputa en curso con Katherine Jackson, sobre los honorarios del abogado que ella está tratando de que el patrimonio costee.
TMZ ha visto el papeleo, y si es exacto, es absolutamente impresionante.
En la presentación, la finca afirma que hay una enorme cantidad de dinero en efectivo y otros beneficios que Katherine ha recibido desde la muerte de Michael en 2009, con los ejecutores de la finca alegando que todo suma más de $55 millones en casi 15 años.
Una buena parte de ese dinero viene en forma de una asignación mensual de $160k.
Ese subsidio por sí solo asciende de $33 millones a los $ 55M, de acuerdo con el patrimonio.
Además de eso, los documentos dicen Katherine está bien protegida, y afirman haber desembolsado más de $15 millones para comprar y mejorar su casa de lujo, por no hablar de pagar por su transporte y otros beneficios; como un jardinero privado, chef y seguridad.
El punto es reforzar el argumento de que Katherine puede permitirse el lujo de cubrir los honorarios de su propio abogado, mientras ella sigue adelante con su apelación para luchar contra un gran negocio hizo el patrimonio... ella y el hijo de Michael, Blanket, estaban luchando juntos hasta hace poco.
No está claro cómo es exactamente este acuerdo, pero parece estar relacionado con el exitoso movimiento en el que Sony compró la mitad del catálogo de la música de Michael por un número de 9 cifras.
Publicamos la historia... Blanket presentó documentos legales a principios de esta semana que dejaron claro que también sentía que Katherine debe cubrir los honorarios de su propio abogado para la apelación, y que el patrimonio no debería pagar la cuenta.
Blanket estuvo del lado de Katherine hasta que un juez falló en su contra, y decidió que no tenía sentido seguir adelante con una apelación.
Blanket dice que quiere salirse de la pelea y que Katherine está por su cuenta para la apelación.
Nos hemos puesto en contacto con el equipo de Katherine, pero hasta ahora, no hay respuesta.
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Chiefs Parade Shooting Third Man Charged With Murder
Prosecutors have charged a third man in connection to the death of Lisa Lopez-Galvan and injuries to more than two dozen others at the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl parade last month ... with officials tracking down the suspect using surveillance footage, social media and cell phone data.
20-year-old Kansas City native Terry Young was charged with second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action for his alleged role in the tragedy ... after he was accused of pulling out a gun and firing several times during the shooting.
According to court docs, officials claim surveillance footage shows an individual brandishing a firearm during a verbal argument ... which led Young to reveal his own weapon, walk toward them, and pull the trigger.
Detectives were able to identify Young by scouring his social media profiles and YouTube videos ... which showed him wearing the same green and yellow teddy bear backpack he allegedly had during the parade.
Detectives also obtained search warrants for two other suspects' cell phones ... and discovered a group chat in which a number believed to be Young's sent a text that read "I dropped dat n**** first shot."
Officials got access to Young's Facebook, as well ... and they say it featured videos of him with firearms and other suspects in the shooting.
Young was arrested on Wednesday ... and prosecutors requested he be held on $1 million cash bond.
As we previously reported, Lyndell Mays, Dominic Miller and two juveniles have also been hit with charges stemming from the shooting.
Officials now believe all the shooters involved in the incident are in custody ... although more charges are expected to come at a later date.
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Aryna Sabalenka Mourns Konstantin Koltsov's Passing ... Confirms Split Before Death
Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka is breaking her silence on Konstantin Koltsov's passing ... calling it "an unthinkable tragedy" -- while confirming the two had split prior to his death.
Sabalenka -- who dated the former NHL player from 2021 until recently -- penned a heartfelt message on her Instagram page Wednesday evening ... two days after Koltsov had died in Miami.
"Konstantin's death is an unthinkable tragedy," she wrote, "and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken."
"Please respect my privacy and his family's privacy during this difficult time."
It's unclear when Sabalenka and Koltsov officially called things off ... but she had just posted a collage of photos and videos of them together for his birthday last April.
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Sabalenka is still expected to compete in this weekend's Miami Open in the wake of the tragedy, although she reportedly will not speak to media members throughout the event. She's slated to play her first match at the tournament on Friday.
As we reported, Koltsov -- an ex-Pittsburgh Penguins first-round pick -- was found dead at around 12:39 AM on Monday at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort. Cops suspect he died by suicide ... saying in a statement that no foul play was apparent.
An investigation, however, remains ongoing.
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'Christmas With the Kranks' Star M. Emmet Walsh Dead at 88
M. Emmet Walsh -- who was memorably in "Christmas With the Kranks" and "Blade Runner," among several other films -- has died ... TMZ has confirmed.
The actor's manager, Sandy Joseph, tells us Walsh passed away at a hospital in Vermont Tuesday as a result of cardiac arrest. No word on what exactly landed him in the hospital, or what sort of ailment he might've been battling.
Walsh was a veteran in Hollywood, and one of the most prolific character actors in the biz -- having racked up a whopping 233 acting credits to his name, with roles dating back to the '60s, playing Jason Randall on an episode of "The Doctors."
Since then, he'd starred in countless well-known films and TV shows spanning decades.
In addition to his work on 'CWTK' -- where he played Tim Allen's cranky neighbor and archenemy, Walt Scheel -- Walsh has acted in flicks like "Ordinary People," "The Jerk," "Fletch," "Blood Simple," "A Time to Kill," "Romeo + Juliet," "Wild Wild West," and many, many more.
His TV work is equally impressive ... Walsh had worked on TV series like "Starsky and Hutch," "Baretta," "The Rockford Files," "The Sandy Duncan Show," "East of Eden," "Little House on the Prairie," "The Twilight Zone," "Unsub," "The Flash," "Home Improvement," "The X-Files," "NYPD Blue," "Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot," "Damages," "Adventure Time" and others.
Walsh is survived by his nieces and nephews. He was 88.
RIP
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KALEY CUOCO ANUNCIA LA MUERTE DE SU PERRO...
Kaley Cuoco está de luto por una pérdida en su familia..., ya que anunció la muerte de Blue, su querido perro.
La actriz compartió la triste noticia el miércoles, diciendo que estaba muy triste por la pérdida. Explicó que la pérdida de Blue fue aún más triste porque era el tercer perro que ha tenido que sacrificar el último año.
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Recordemos que Kaley anunció el fallecimiento de King el mes pasado, menos de un año después de que su cachorro rescatado -Dump Truck- muriera el pasado mes de mayo.
Mientras Kaley está claramente desconsolada por Blue, dice que también está particularmente triste por su pareja, Tom Pelphrey, que es el dueño original del perro.
Según Kaley, les tomó algún tiempo a Blue y a ella estar completamente cómodos el uno con el otro, naturalmente, él aún extrañaba a Tom.
Sin embargo, "Después de algún tiempo, Blue finalmente se dio cuenta de que éramos una familia y que estábamos todos juntos. Algo cambió. Era increíble. Protector conmigo y con el resto de nuestros cachorros, siempre en guardia. Me sentía tan segura sola en casa con él y cuando alguien venía a la puerta le ponía la correa a Blue y hacía que se sentara a mi lado".
Kaley continuó añadiendo que Blue era increíblemente paciente y gentil con su pequeña hija Matilda, que nació el año pasado.
No es ningún secreto que Kaley es una amante de los animales, ya que ha rescatado a varios perros a lo largo de los años, y también posee algunos caballos.
Blue era claramente un favorito de la familia, Kaley y Tom una vez usaron suéteres de Navidad con la cara del cachorro un año.
Buen chico, Blue. Muy buen chico.
Kaley Cuoco Announces Her Dog's Death ... You're My Boy, Blue!!!
Kaley Cuoco is mourning a loss in her family ... as she announced the death of her beloved dog, Blue.
The actress shared the sad news Wednesday, saying she was in tears over the loss. As Kaley explained, Blue's loss was even more upsetting because he was the third dog she's had to put down in the last year.
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Remember, Kaley announced the passing of King last month -- less than a year after her rescue pup Dump Truck died last May.
While Kaley's clearly heartbroken over Blue, she says she's also particularly sad for her partner, Tom Pelphrey ... who's the dog's original owner.
According to Kaley, it took some time for Blue and her to grow comfortable with one another -- naturally, he favored Tom over her.
However, "After some time Blue finally realized we were a family and we were all sticking together. Something changed. He was amazing. Protective of me and the rest of our pup crew, always on guard. I felt so safe home alone with him and when anyone came to the door I would put Blue on the leash and have him sit right next to me."
Kaley went on to add that Blue was incredibly patient and gentle with their young daughter Matilda, who was born last year.
It's no secret Kaley is an animal lover, having rescued several dogs over the years, and she also owns a few horses.
But, Blue was clearly a family favorite, with Kaley and Tom wearing the pup on Christmas sweaters one year.
Good boy, Blue. Very good boy.
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Ex-NHLer Chris Simon Died By Suicide ... Family Believes He Suffered From CTE
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Ex-NHL player Chris Simon's family is revealing the tragic details surrounding his sudden passing ... confirming the 52-year-old took his own life, and they believe it was the result of CTE.
The former enforcer's loved ones released a statement via his former agent Paul Theofanous on Wednesday ... saying they saw Simon show strong signs of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a brain disease caused from concussions and traumatic head injuries.
"The family strongly believes and witnessed firsthand, that Chris struggled immensely from CTE which unfortunately resulted in his death," the statement read.
"We are grieving with the loss of our son, brother, father, partner, teammate and friend," the family continued. "The entire Wawa community is sharing in our grief. We will not be releasing any further details at this time and ask for privacy during this very difficult time. We appreciate everyone who shares in our tragic loss."
As we previously reported, the hockey community was devastated by the news ... and an outpour of tributes came out in honor of the 15-year NHL vet.
The NHL Alumni Association addressed the loss ... saying, "Chris was never afraid to stand up for his teammates, and played a key role in the dressing room. He was a beloved friend, father, brother, and son."
Chris won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 ... and played for several other teams, including the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames and New York Islanders.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
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Ex-Capitals' Chris Simon NHL Enforcer Dead At 52 Years Old ... Stanley Cup Champ
Longtime NHL player Chris Simon -- known as one of the most ferocious and scary athletes on the ice -- has died at 52.
Simon played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League, including stops with the Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, and New York Islanders where he was a feared enforcer, racking up over 100 fights and nearly 2k penalty minutes throughout his decade and a half career.
The NHL Alumni Association broke the news of Simon's death on Tuesday, saying ... "Chris was never afraid to stand up for his teammates, and played a key role in the dressing room. He was a beloved friend, father, brother, and son."
Simon's pro hockey career started in 1990 when the Philadelphia Flyers selected the Canadian native with the 25th overall pick in the NHL Draft.
CS won a Stanley Cup title with the Avalanche in 1996.
Chris also played in the Ontario Hockey League and eventually joined the Kontinental Hockey League before retiring in 2013.
Hearing early reports that former NHL player Chris Simon has passed away at the age of 52 😔
— Missin Curfew (@MissinCurfew) March 19, 2024 @MissinCurfew
One of the toughest players ever to play the game 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/dKO8leLeyu
Simon was most known for being a dog on the ice ... and having the backs of his teammates. In fact, he was suspended eight times during his NHL career for a total of 65 games.
Unfortunately, Simon's death comes just hours after news of Konstantin Koltsov's passing ... a suspected suicide.
He was 52.
RIP