Southern Minnesota woman believed to be the only known person with unnamed genetic disorder
One Fairbault, Minnesota, woman says every day is simply a "gift" as she's the only known person in the world with her unnamed genetic disorder.
"I was told that she probably wouldn't make it past a year. And she's 26 and we don't know what the future holds for us," Iris Enriquez's mother, Daisy Slack, said.
But for certain, the future will be filled with love.
Enriquez lives with chronic kidney disease, neurofibromatosis, which causes tumors to form, scoliosis and Raynaud's phenomenon, causing temporary spasms of blood vessels.
But on top of all that, she was born with three holes in her heart and has an unnamed genetic disorder, putting this Minnesotan on a global magnifying glass.
"They broke it all down and they told me that she was the only one in the world. And I said, 'How could that possibility be?" Slack said.
It's caused by a duplication in her 13th chromosome.
"She knows that she's different from other people, but that difference is a gift," Slack said.
The two peas in a pod make the best of it. Slack adds that her daughter's passions in life are to be around people, listen to music and she loves mascots and animals.
Enriquez surrounds herself with people while working at First Baptist School in Rosemount with her mom.
"Iris is more than my daughter. She's actually become a teacher to me and so many others, and actually saved my life," Slack said.
She's been that teacher since Slack had Enriquez when she was just 17.
"It forced me to grow up and get away from the things that I was doing," Slack said. "(There were times) When I wanted to quit and felt very weak and couldn't stand on my own feet, I would pray to God."
She says their faith helps them get through.
"When I see her smile... my world's okay," Slack said.
Enriquez was born at 3 pounds and 1 ounce and has the mentality of a kindergartener. She's also survived possible skin and breast cancers.
Slack says the nonprofit "Hope Kids" has been a lifeline for the two.
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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Hotel carbon monoxide alarm rule reintroduced in Congress
This story was originally published on Hotel Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Hotel Dive newsletter. U.S. Reps. Angie Craig (D-MN) and Mike Levin (D-CA) reintroduced legislation to Congress that would require carbon monoxide detectors to be installed in every hotel and short-term rental room in the country, according to an announcement Thursday. Rep. Craig previously introduced the bill, dubbed the Stay Safe Act, in 2020. In its earlier version, the Safe Stay Act was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology but did not move out of the committee. A similar law went into effect in Minnesota in August of last year, according to the announcement, though the majority of states do not require in-room carbon monoxide detectors. The American Hotel & Lodging Association has previously encouraged hotels to install carbon monoxide monitoring equipment in spaces with fuel-burning appliances and in immediately attached spaces 'at a minimum.' Craig initially introduced the Stay Safe Act in response to the hospitalization of Minnesotan Leslie Lienemann and her son, who were poisoned in a Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham in Warren, Michigan, in 2019, per The New York Times. 'My son and I suffer life-long physical and emotional effects of carbon monoxide poisoning because there was no carbon monoxide alarm in our hotel room,' Lienemann said in a statement on Craig's website. 'Carbon monoxide is undetectable without a CO alarm.' 'We have the tools to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and save lives — and we should be using them,' Craig said in a statement. The bill specifies that compliant carbon monoxide alarms must be installed 'in each sleeping or dwelling unit within each place of public accommodation affecting commerce.' Currently, only 14 states require carbon monoxide detectors in hospitality settings, according to the John Wesley Heathco Legacy Foundation, which was founded after American travelers John Heathco and Abby Lutz died of carbon monoxide poisoning at a Hyatt resort in Mexico in 2023. AHLA's Safe Stay initiative, which offers guidelines for hotels, encourages hotels to adhere to the fire and mechanical codes in their respective jurisdictions. It also says hotel staff should be familiar with their property's carbon monoxide monitoring capabilities — including the location of detectors and sounds of alarms — and be trained in emergency procedures. 'Johnny's death should never have happened, and no family should have to endure the devastation that we have had to live with for nearly two years, and that we will live with for the rest of our lives,' said John Heathco's parents, Chuck and Jill Heathco, and his sister and brother-in-law, Keri and Tyler Bliss, in a joint statement obtained by Hotel Dive. The issue of carbon monoxide poisoning made headlines earlier this year when three American tourists died in a hotel room in Belize, per NBC News. The Stay Safe Act was again referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on Thursday. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Times
03-06-2025
- New York Times
Frank Ragnow gave his all to Detroit Lions in career marked by toughness through ups and downs
DETROIT — The final battle of Frank Ragnow's career was one between body and mind. It was an all-too-familiar back-and-forth, unfolding over the past few months of his final NFL offseason. Ragnow's mind had won these sparring matches up until now. But clarity, as it so often does, declared a winner. Advertisement Ragnow, 29, is retiring from the NFL. 'These past couple of months have been very trying as I've come to the realization that my football journey is ending and I'm officially retiring from the NFL,' Ragnow announced on Instagram Monday morning. 'I've tried to convince myself that I'm feeling good but I'm not and it's time to prioritize my health and my family's future. I have given this team everything I have and I thought I had more to give, but the reality is I simply don't. I have to listen to my body, and this has been one of the hardest decisions of my life. 'It was an absolute honor going to battle for you all.' As an offensive lineman, you're taught that the nagging pain you're subjected to comes secondary to the satisfaction of being there for your teammates. Ragnow has a master's degree in this subject and could teach a class on it twice a week in his newfound free time. He epitomized it more than anyone in the league, and his ability to will his body when it so often betrayed him was a hallmark of a Hall of Fame-caliber career. It defied logic. It's how a native Minnesotan endeared himself to the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan. It's what made him one of the best of his generation. And it's what makes the end of his time here in Detroit — on top of his game after just seven NFL seasons — so bittersweet. In April 2018, the Detroit Lions' war room picked up the phone and dialed a number with a Minnesota area code to deliver some good news. A young, wide-eyed center out of Arkansas was on the receiving end, surrounded by loved ones, waiting for it. Teary-eyed and at a loss for words, Ragnow answered the call from the Lions — and has continued to do so ever since. There wasn't a more respected player in this locker room than Ragnow during his time in Detroit. His status as one of the sport's best centers, accompanied by his humble demeanor and his willingness to surrender himself in ways most rational people wouldn't, helped craft a legacy that will last beyond his years. Advertisement This town holds a special place for those who give everything they have. Ragnow did that and more. 'To be an offensive lineman, you don't get much of the glory,' Ragnow said at his introductory press conference. 'You don't get much of anything else. You gotta love football.' Ragnow loved football. He wouldn't be here, starring for this version of the Detroit Lions, if he didn't. Football, unfortunately, didn't always love him back. This violent, unforgiving sport plays favorites. He was not among them. Drafted by a franchise known for its losing history, Ragnow was subjected to the culture that preceded him. It's all he knew early in his career, going 14-33-1 in his first three NFL seasons. The Lions were once a franchise where careers like Ragnow's were wasted. And yet, Ragnow went to war for an organization that had failed many of its best and brightest before him. Ragnow emerged as one of the game's elite centers. He earned four Pro Bowl nods and three second-team All-Pro honors in his seven-year career. He was one of the sport's most cerebral players, acting as a coach on the field and helping his quarterbacks and fellow linemen anticipate blitzes. He was a stout run-blocker who only allowed six sacks in seven seasons — a complete center with no holes in his game. And when he wasn't anchoring one of the league's best offensive lines, Ragnow could often be found on a boat with his brother, Jack, fishing wherever the wind took them, or putting his heart and soul into his foundation — Rags Remembered. Ragnow's father, John, died of a heart attack in 2016. He never got to see his son play in the NFL. John Ragnow was Frank's best friend, and fishing is how they bonded. Ragnow's foundation strives to help grieving children manage the loss of a parent through outdoor activities. His work earned him a Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination in 2023. Advertisement Ask about Ragnow, and you'll quickly learn how the league felt about him. 'He's one of the best centers I've ever had the privilege of playing against,' Vikings safety Harrison Smith said of Ragnow on Monday. 'He does it the right way. I think the first time I actually had quality time with him was when I was nominated for Walter Payton Man of the Year. And so was he. I got to learn about all of the things he does off the field and the type of husband and family man that he is. 'I know that every time I had to play against him, I had to buckle my chinstrap extra tight and watch a lot of extra film. There are centers I've talked to and our offensive linemen, after playing him, would come up and ask me questions about how he would block things. …His technique and fundamentals and the way he played were acknowledged by all players on both lines of scrimmage.' For the Lions, the extent of Ragnow's value often presented itself in ways initially unbeknownst to them. In the first quarter of a December contest against the Green Bay Packers in 2020, Ragnow informed former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford that Stafford would need to make the line calls for the rest of the day. Ragnow would if he could. But he fractured his throat and could barely speak. He finished the game without missing a single snap or allowing a single pressure. 'I didn't really notice it and didn't even know it until Monday,' former Lions running backs coach Kyle Caskey said. 'He did a good job of hiding it from us.' 'Pretty crazy that he was able to finish the game with that,' Stafford said. Ragnow was notorious for downplaying the status of his injuries — sometimes admirable, other times concerning. You wouldn't know how bad things were until someone close to Ragnow offered insight on his behalf, much to his chagrin. Advertisement Late in the 2023 season, Ragnow injured his knee in a game against the New Orleans Saints. It was significant enough to require meniscus surgery that December. The Lions were on the cusp of their first division title in 30 years, and the first playoff appearance of Ragnow's career, six years in. The timing was far from ideal. So Ragnow conquered time. Ragnow missed a grand total of one game — a 28-13 loss to the Chicago Bears — before returning the following week. 'That's how Frank is,' Campbell said. 'Frank is going to will himself to play. His mind controls his body, which we talk about all the time. The good ones can do that. He's what we already know. He's a tough dude and he's mind over matter. …He is terrified of letting his teammates down. That means more to him than anything. It's just the way he is. That's why guys respect the hell out of him.' A week and a half after freaking meniscus surgery and he's playing. Dudes a certified psycho @KNARFWONGAR #ProBowlVote Ragnow#WPMOYChallenge Ragnow — Jack Ragnow (@Ragnow79) December 17, 2023 In Ragnow's final season, he felt discomfort in a game vs. the Arizona Cardinals. It was revealed shortly after the game that he had partially torn his pec. A painful injury — one that typically comes with a lengthy recovery time. Unless you're Ragnow. He again missed one game. Then let his head coach know he was ready to return in true Ragnow fashion. 'I'm walking down there to talk to our trainer and somebody punches me against the wall and I'm not even paying attention because I'm looking at our trainer,' Campbell recalled last fall. 'And I keep walking and I get punched again, and I realize it's Frank and he's trying to show me that his pec is great. So that's his way of telling me, 'Look how strong I am. It's good. It's healed.'' Advertisement 'I was just trying to demonstrate that I was OK,' Ragnow said bashfully when asked by reporters about the exchange. These kinds of stories are endless. They're what make Ragnow, Ragnow. They're why the Lions fell in love with everything he represented, and why this regime signed him to an extension before he ever played a game for them, in one of their first big moves guiding the franchise out of mediocrity. The Lions under Campbell and Brad Holmes tore the roster they inherited down to the studs. Campbell likes to refer to the holdovers from the previous regime as the 'old guard.' They hold a special place in his heart for how they helped him in the early years. He references them in postgame speeches often, and calls on those who oversaw the transformation from 3-13-1 to 15-2 to carry out his message to all newcomers. Ragnow was entrusted with the torch from Day 1, tasked with helping Campbell build one of the league's best cultures from the ground up. His final three seasons coincided with one of the most successful stretches in franchise history. The Lions aren't here without him. And they won't be the same without him. Earned it. — Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 25, 2023 'You gotta be out there for your guys,' Ragnow said months ago, when asked why he puts his body on the line week in and week out. 'I'm gonna do whatever I can to be out there. It ain't gonna be comfortable sometimes, I ain't gonna be pretty but I just care about these guys too much to not give it my all for them.' Words like that from Ragnow take on a different meaning given the context of Monday's news. He wanted nothing more than to bring a championship to this city, and how poetic would it have been for him to accomplish it, after all he's been through. The Lions have had conversations with Ragnow each of the past few offseasons about how long he wanted to keep going, how much he wanted to suffer and subject his body to new, gruesome injuries. But the decision, in the end, ultimately wasn't up to him. Advertisement This offseason, Ragnow tried to once again will his mind. To conquer time. He told reporters during locker room clean-out day that he was healthier than he's ever been — a silver lining after an abrupt playoff loss at the hands of the Washington Commanders, ironically, in part, due to injuries other than Ragnow's for once. Even so, Ragnow felt the weight of this one more than others. He tried his best, more soft-spoken than normal that day, to explain his thoughts fresh after a loss like that. Perhaps deep down, Ragnow knew his body was finally beating his mind. 'It was feeling special,' Ragnow said of the Lions' season in the locker room that day, 'And it's frustrating now because it's over.' Ragnow's remarkable NFL career is now over. He can rest. He can fish. He can enjoy life with his wife Lucy, their young son and the daughter they're expecting this fall. He can run his foundation and continue to make his father proud. The day after he was drafted, Ragnow said offensive linemen don't get much of the glory. But the truth is, he deserves every bit of it for what he gave to this franchise. He deserves to be discussed among the greats who've worn Honolulu Blue. He deserves to walk away with his head high and his body intact. And as the NFL moves forward without him, Ragnow deserves to be remembered as one of the toughest to ever go to battle.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Yahoo
The Breathing Hack That Enhances Focus and Lowers Cortisol Fast
We're a society constantly on the move, and it's wearing us down. Between early morning commutes, nonstop Slack pings, and never-ending to-do lists, most guys are running on fumes. Sure, you might squeeze in a game or catch a few minutes of your favorite show, but real downtime? Practically nonexistent. That's where breathwork comes in. Yeah, we know—sitting down to 'just breathe' sounds like some crunchy wellness trend. But here's the thing: It actually works. Straightforward breathing techniques can lower stress and dial in your focus. There are tons of ways to lower stress, but one technique stands out for its surprisingly powerful, almost instant calming effect. Alternate nostril breathing, also known as Nadi Shodhana, is exactly what it sounds like: You breathe in through one nostril while closing the other, then switch sides. It might seem simple, but this practice does wonders for calming your nervous system and restoring start, block your right nostril and inhale, then block the left and unblock the right, and exhale. Inhale through the right and then block the right and exhale from left. Keep repeating for 5-10 minutes (with 10 minutes being the most optimal amount of time to achieve nervous system balance). "I always recommend trying to tune in to yourself and feel what that balance means to you. Mark at what minute you feel best, seeing as everyone is different," says MJ Renshaw, a breathwork facilitator and the founder of The Being Method. Becoming more accustomed to that alert and calm feeling can teach your body how to arrive there faster and more often. Each nostril connects to the opposite side of your brain. The left hemisphere handles language and logic, while the right takes care of creativity and spatial awareness. Some studies suggest that alternate nostril breathing may help stimulate both sides of the brain, leading to better balance between analytical and creative thinking, while also calming your nervous system in the process. "Your right nostril will stimulate the left hemisphere and create sympathetic nervous system activity, while the left nostril will stimulate the right hemisphere and parasympathetic nervous system activity," says Renshaw. "Each hemisphere is responsible for a different way of thinking. Balancing both allows you to be focused and productive, but also use creativity to solve problems and have access to new ideas."Because alternate nostril breathing helps to create more balance in the nervous system, your body produces less cortisol and can function in a more parasympathetic state. When your body is in what Renshaw refers to as a "rest and digest mode," it can help you function better. "This is when your body will absorb nutrients best, digest with ease, and also do any healing your body needs, for example, detoxing or getting rid of old cells," she adds. "This state is vital for healing and maintaining a healthy body, but it's missing in a lot of people's lives because chronic stress is so common." The Breathing Hack That Enhances Focus and Lowers Cortisol Fast first appeared on Men's Journal on May 23, 2025
