Latest news with #Reggie
The Irish Sun
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Shocking tapes reveal unbreakable bond between Kray twins & how vain overreaction led to brutal machete attack
DURING their brutal 10-year reign as London's kingpin gangsters, Ronnie and Reggie Kray were known as hard men who let their fists do the talking before moving onto knives, guns and murder. But the notorious 18 The remarkable bond between the Kray twins is revealed newly unearthed tapes Credit: Getty 18 The brothers made a name for themselves mixing with London celebrities Credit: Hulton Archive - Getty 18 Family friend Maureen Flanagan remembers how the pair were always inseparable Credit: David New - The Sun The loving relationship has been revealed in remarkable, never-before-heard prison tapes that Reggie made to his twin brother from one prison to another, along with his own personal memories of their life together. The two-part Amazon documentary, Krays: London's Gangsters, also features interviews with their criminal associates, family friends and psychologists in an attempt to get under their skin and discover the men inside the monsters. In 1995, both brothers were serving a Reggie was in Maidstone Prison while Ronnie, who for years had struggled with mental health issues, was in Read More Features Always protective of his more volatile brother, Reggie recorded a message on tape for him to listen to, hoping that the sound of his voice would reassure him in his darkest moments. 'Hello, Ron,' it began. 'Reg speaking. Now, I'm very concerned for you of late but I wish to help you. You are making yourself suffer by thinking bad thoughts. You must only think of good thoughts. 'Life gets shorter and shorter as each day goes by. Try to realise what I'm telling you because here's the truth and any time you get down just play this tape again.' In another message to Ronnie, Reggie attempted to calm his increasing paranoia with the words: 'You are inflicted with an illness. You should realise that no one is talking about you. That you are paranoid. As soon as you realise you are paranoid, you should give other people the benefit of the doubt because they are not talking about you.' Most read in The Sun The close bond they shared throughout their life was stretched when they were imprisoned away from each other but Reggie attempted to ease Ronnie's anxiety with a philosophical approach: 'Life is very complex, as you know, but according to the universal laws, each one of us has a role in life. This is the path that we've all been pushed on, you know? All our paths take different ways.' Just weeks after Reggie recorded the tape to his brother, Ronnie passed away at the age of 61. Ronnie Field on his life as one of the country's most feared bank robbers Their reliance on each other was evident as babies as family friend, Maureen Flanagan, reveals. Maureen was a hairdresser for the twin's beloved mother, Violet, who she used to visit at her home in Vallance Road in Bethnal Green, East London. 'The first brother that I met was the eldest one, Charlie,' she says. 'He remarked about what gorgeous hair I had. It was all hanging down, long and blonde and looking quite glamorous, I suppose. And I said 'I'm a hairdresser' and he said, 'You wouldn't go to our home and do my mother's hair?' 'I pulled up in my white Mini and knocked at the door and this little lady came out and said, 'Hello darling. You must be Maureen. Would you like a tea, coffee? I've made a beautiful cake.' Tight upbringing 'As I was having tea and cake I noticed some photographs along the mantelpiece and I got up to have a look and one was of two boys in their boxing shorts and boxing gloves and they were absolutely identical. 'Then she started telling me about the time when they were three and they both caught diphtheria. People always talk to hairdressers! 'They were put into the 18 Maureen was hairdresser to the twins' mum Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 18 Ronnie and Reggie could do no wrong in the eyes of their mother Violet Credit: Hulton Archive - Getty 18 While in prison the twins would make toys for her Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd "So, she marched down to the hospital and said, 'I'm taking him home.' They said, 'You can't move him. This is a really dangerous situation. He might not make it through the night.' She said, 'I'm taking him home.' 'She wrapped him in a blanket, walked home and put him next to Reggie in bed and wrapped the two babies in the same blanket so they were as close as they could be. And in two days he was better. All he needed was his twin. "I think that was probably the start of their togetherness. They couldn't get away from each other and didn't want to. 'They were called 'The two ones.' Their aunties used to say, 'Where's the two ones, Violet?' It was like two people in one.' Professor Ruth Penfold-Mounce, a criminologist at the University of York, says that the boys would have attracted an instant celebrity status when they were born in the 1930s. The problem with twin that they are not encouraged to develop separately as individuals Vivienne Lewin 'At the time when they were born, it was really unusual to have identical twins who survived infancy,' she says. 'When Violet was walking down the street with her twin sons, people would have noticed. People would have stopped and stared. There was like a minor celebrity status that surrounded these boys.' Vivienne Lewin, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist explains how they would have been conditioned to have been influenced by each other. 'There are some 'The problem with twin development, where the twins themselves and twin-ship is idealised, is that they are not encouraged to develop separately as individuals. Sometimes, to the extent that they are really very entangled with each other and have difficulty leading separate lives.' This was undoubtedly the case with Reggie and Ronnie, who were born on 24 October 1933. Their father, Charlie Snr., a street-seller on the run from the police for refusing to be conscripted into the army, was largely absent during their childhood, but Violet showered them with love. 18 Both brothers were keen boxers Credit: Getty - Contributor 18 The gangsters hosted stars such as boxer Sonny Liston Credit: Hulton Archive - Getty 18 The peer Lord Boothby was another close associate of the twins Credit: Channel 4 Broadcaster and TV presenter 'Violet was often called to their school because of their fighting,' says Maureen. 'All little boys fought but they fought back to back. In other words, if Ronnie had hit a boy and the boy had hit back and got his mate to join in, Reggie would go and stand with his back to Ronnie.' Rising stars At the end of the war they took up boxing which became a big part of their teens. Both were very adept at it, particularly Ronnie, and that, along with glowing reports in the local newspaper of their success, gave them extra status in the area. It also fuelled their arrogance. Most clubs are very respectable and I don't think there's any trouble at all in them…. except occasionally Reggie In 1952, they were conscripted into National Service for two years. They turned up but Ronnie lost his temper with the CO's attitude so he punched him on the nose and they walked out and went home. Effectively, they were dishonourably discharged and ended up serving their two years in prison instead and were released when they were 20. A life of crime now lay ahead. They bought a run-down billiard hall which they built up and started a protection racket business on the side. This led to several clubs and casinos in London during the late 50s and 1960s which attracted the celebrities of the day, including 18 Maureen Flanagan speaks in the new documentary about the twins Credit: supplied 18 Ronnie and Reggie's thriving club business gave them the opportunity to blend into polite society Credit: Channel 4 18 Veteran broadcaster Fred Dinenage was the Kray's official biographer Credit: supplied The twins loved the glamour, impeccably dressed in made to measure suits, crisp white shirts and silk ties. Ronnie, in particular, idolised gangsters from Hollywood films played by the likes of Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney. Such was their fame that they were even interviewed on the BBC, in which they talked about being club owners and that a little bit of violence was sometimes justified. 'You will get the occasional drunk and sometimes they have to be slung out and that's why there are doormen,' said Reggie. 'I suppose it's like club land all over the world. I don't suppose it can be all that bad or else people wouldn't go to them, would they?' Ronnie chipped in: 'Most clubs are very respectable and I don't think there's any trouble at all in them…. except occasionally.' He took him in the toilet and slashed his face and the back of his head with a machete that he had in his overcoat Maureen With a thriving club business, they could have turned away from violence and the criminal world, but they didn't. 'They threw it all away,' says Dinenage. 'Reggie would be quite content to get dressed every evening, go to his clubs, take his money, pay his people and live a good life,' says Maureen. 'But he was a twin. He was half of another half and that other half was Violent spirals Ron's mental issues had him on heavy medication but when he didn't take it he became volatile and dangerous and had paranoid thoughts. 18 Though very different in personality the boys were inseparable their whole life Credit: Getty - Contributor 18 Ron's erratic behaviour proved the twins downfall Credit: Getty 18 Both were jailed for life in a high profile trial Credit: Prime Video 'As he was put on stronger medication, Ronnie became puffy in the face and put on a stone, which he hated,' says Maureen. 'I heard one day in the pub there was a man who said, 'Hello, Ron. How are you? You've put on a bit of timber.' Ronnie looked down at himself and said, 'Yeah, I have.' 'He walked out and got in a car, drove half a mile down the road, turned round, came back to the pub and said to the man, 'I want to talk to you for a minute.' He took him in the toilet and slashed his face and the back of his head with a machete that he had in his overcoat. 'People asked him why he did it. He was happily talking to the man. And he just replied, 'That will teach him to talk about my weight.' That's how he could change in an instant.' We finished up having knocked them all out, and they lay in front of the band and the band was still playing the music Reggie 'A memory I've got is when Ron and myself was in a dance hall in 'We saw about five fellas who came from the Stamford Hill area. Ron and I waited for them to come across and as they did so, right in front of the band, we hit them on the chin and also hit them on the heads with chairs. It was just like the cowboy days. We finished up having knocked them all out, and they lay in front of the band and the band was still playing the music.' Another memory was: 'We were sitting on bar stools. There's Ron and I, and we were drinking gin and tonics, when three fellas came into the pub and they stood behind Ron and started making detrimental remarks against Ron, and I watched him as he stepped down from the bar stool and hit one with a right hand punch. Knocked him spark out. Turned the other way and hit another one with a left hook.' Feeling invincible, they took things too far and the murder of rival gangster, Reg's new wife 18 Reggie was married to Frances Shae though she took her own life shortly after Credit: Hulton Archive - Getty 18 Their downfall came when enough witnesses agreed to speak out Credit: Getty 18 Reggie was allowed out of prison - under guard - to attend the funerals of his brothers Credit: PA:Press Association The pair bizarrely tried to get a Roy Jenkins, Home Secretary of the time, flatly refused and with Mitchell now a liability on their hands, they arranged for him to be murdered and his body disposed of. With the police now committed to putting the Krays behind bars, they offered protection for those willing to come forward, including the barmaid at the Blind Beggar who gave evidence against them in court about the murder of George Cornell. Ronnie and Reggie were firmly behind bars in 1969, having been given life sentences with a minimum of 30 years to be served. Reggie was allowed out, on compassionate grounds, to attend Ronnie's What you give out in life is returned to you give out love, love will be returned to you Reggie Kray Five years after Ronnie's death, Reggie died of cancer at the age of 66. He was buried next to his twin. Whether it was irony or that he had finally discovered the decent, sensible and happy way to live, is unclear. But Reggie commented on his 1995 tape: 'What you give out in life is returned to you. If you give out love, love will be returned to you. If you give out hatred, hatred will be returned to you.' Krays: London's Gangsters is on Amazon Prime Video now
Scottish Sun
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Shocking tapes reveal unbreakable bond between Kray twins & how vain overreaction led to brutal machete attack
DURING their brutal 10-year reign as London's kingpin gangsters, Ronnie and Reggie Kray were known as hard men who let their fists do the talking before moving onto knives, guns and murder. But the notorious pair shared an incredibly tender bond which few would have understood - until now. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 18 The remarkable bond between the Kray twins is revealed newly unearthed tapes Credit: Getty 18 The brothers made a name for themselves mixing with London celebrities Credit: Hulton Archive - Getty 18 Family friend Maureen Flanagan remembers how the pair were always inseparable Credit: David New - The Sun The loving relationship has been revealed in remarkable, never-before-heard prison tapes that Reggie made to his twin brother from one prison to another, along with his own personal memories of their life together. The two-part Amazon documentary, Krays: London's Gangsters, also features interviews with their criminal associates, family friends and psychologists in an attempt to get under their skin and discover the men inside the monsters. In 1995, both brothers were serving a life sentence for the murder of fellow gangster, Jack 'The Hat' McVitie. Reggie was in Maidstone Prison while Ronnie, who for years had struggled with mental health issues, was in Broadmoor Psychiatric Hospital. Always protective of his more volatile brother, Reggie recorded a message on tape for him to listen to, hoping that the sound of his voice would reassure him in his darkest moments. 'Hello, Ron,' it began. 'Reg speaking. Now, I'm very concerned for you of late but I wish to help you. You are making yourself suffer by thinking bad thoughts. You must only think of good thoughts. 'Life gets shorter and shorter as each day goes by. Try to realise what I'm telling you because here's the truth and any time you get down just play this tape again.' In another message to Ronnie, Reggie attempted to calm his increasing paranoia with the words: 'You are inflicted with an illness. You should realise that no one is talking about you. That you are paranoid. As soon as you realise you are paranoid, you should give other people the benefit of the doubt because they are not talking about you.' The close bond they shared throughout their life was stretched when they were imprisoned away from each other but Reggie attempted to ease Ronnie's anxiety with a philosophical approach: 'Life is very complex, as you know, but according to the universal laws, each one of us has a role in life. This is the path that we've all been pushed on, you know? All our paths take different ways.' Just weeks after Reggie recorded the tape to his brother, Ronnie passed away at the age of 61. Ronnie Field on his life as one of the country's most feared bank robbers Their reliance on each other was evident as babies as family friend, Maureen Flanagan, reveals. Maureen was a hairdresser for the twin's beloved mother, Violet, who she used to visit at her home in Vallance Road in Bethnal Green, East London. 'The first brother that I met was the eldest one, Charlie,' she says. 'He remarked about what gorgeous hair I had. It was all hanging down, long and blonde and looking quite glamorous, I suppose. And I said 'I'm a hairdresser' and he said, 'You wouldn't go to our home and do my mother's hair?' 'I pulled up in my white Mini and knocked at the door and this little lady came out and said, 'Hello darling. You must be Maureen. Would you like a tea, coffee? I've made a beautiful cake.' Tight upbringing 'As I was having tea and cake I noticed some photographs along the mantelpiece and I got up to have a look and one was of two boys in their boxing shorts and boxing gloves and they were absolutely identical. 'Then she started telling me about the time when they were three and they both caught diphtheria. People always talk to hairdressers! 'They were put into the London Hospital where Reggie got better and Violet was told she could take him home but Ronnie continued to get worse and she was told that he might not survive. 18 Maureen was hairdresser to the twins' mum Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 18 Ronnie and Reggie could do no wrong in the eyes of their mother Violet Credit: Hulton Archive - Getty 18 While in prison the twins would make toys for her Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd "So, she marched down to the hospital and said, 'I'm taking him home.' They said, 'You can't move him. This is a really dangerous situation. He might not make it through the night.' She said, 'I'm taking him home.' 'She wrapped him in a blanket, walked home and put him next to Reggie in bed and wrapped the two babies in the same blanket so they were as close as they could be. And in two days he was better. All he needed was his twin. "I think that was probably the start of their togetherness. They couldn't get away from each other and didn't want to. 'They were called 'The two ones.' Their aunties used to say, 'Where's the two ones, Violet?' It was like two people in one.' Professor Ruth Penfold-Mounce, a criminologist at the University of York, says that the boys would have attracted an instant celebrity status when they were born in the 1930s. The problem with twin that they are not encouraged to develop separately as individuals Vivienne Lewin 'At the time when they were born, it was really unusual to have identical twins who survived infancy,' she says. 'When Violet was walking down the street with her twin sons, people would have noticed. People would have stopped and stared. There was like a minor celebrity status that surrounded these boys.' Vivienne Lewin, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist explains how they would have been conditioned to have been influenced by each other. 'There are some misconceptions about twins,' she says. 'The most damaging one, I think, is that they are two halves of one. But the fact is, no two twins are two halves of one. Each is an absolute separate individual with an individual personality. 'The problem with twin development, where the twins themselves and twin-ship is idealised, is that they are not encouraged to develop separately as individuals. Sometimes, to the extent that they are really very entangled with each other and have difficulty leading separate lives.' This was undoubtedly the case with Reggie and Ronnie, who were born on 24 October 1933. Their father, Charlie Snr., a street-seller on the run from the police for refusing to be conscripted into the army, was largely absent during their childhood, but Violet showered them with love. 18 Both brothers were keen boxers Credit: Getty - Contributor 18 The gangsters hosted stars such as boxer Sonny Liston Credit: Hulton Archive - Getty 18 The peer Lord Boothby was another close associate of the twins Credit: Channel 4 Broadcaster and TV presenter Fred Dineage, who wrote the Krays official biography, says: 'Violet always said that her twins were special and she treated them like that. She treated them like pieces of rare bone china, really. They could do no wrong in her eyes.' 'Violet was often called to their school because of their fighting,' says Maureen. 'All little boys fought but they fought back to back. In other words, if Ronnie had hit a boy and the boy had hit back and got his mate to join in, Reggie would go and stand with his back to Ronnie.' Rising stars At the end of the war they took up boxing which became a big part of their teens. Both were very adept at it, particularly Ronnie, and that, along with glowing reports in the local newspaper of their success, gave them extra status in the area. It also fuelled their arrogance. Most clubs are very respectable and I don't think there's any trouble at all in them…. except occasionally Reggie In 1952, they were conscripted into National Service for two years. They turned up but Ronnie lost his temper with the CO's attitude so he punched him on the nose and they walked out and went home. Effectively, they were dishonourably discharged and ended up serving their two years in prison instead and were released when they were 20. A life of crime now lay ahead. They bought a run-down billiard hall which they built up and started a protection racket business on the side. This led to several clubs and casinos in London during the late 50s and 1960s which attracted the celebrities of the day, including Barbara Windsor Diana Dors, Shirley Bassey, Terence Stamp, David Bailey, Christine Keeler and even Judy Garland and World Heavyweight boxing champion Sonny Liston, when they were in town. 18 Maureen Flanagan speaks in the new documentary about the twins Credit: supplied 18 Ronnie and Reggie's thriving club business gave them the opportunity to blend into polite society Credit: Channel 4 18 Veteran broadcaster Fred Dinenage was the Kray's official biographer Credit: supplied The twins loved the glamour, impeccably dressed in made to measure suits, crisp white shirts and silk ties. Ronnie, in particular, idolised gangsters from Hollywood films played by the likes of Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney. Such was their fame that they were even interviewed on the BBC, in which they talked about being club owners and that a little bit of violence was sometimes justified. 'You will get the occasional drunk and sometimes they have to be slung out and that's why there are doormen,' said Reggie. 'I suppose it's like club land all over the world. I don't suppose it can be all that bad or else people wouldn't go to them, would they?' Ronnie chipped in: 'Most clubs are very respectable and I don't think there's any trouble at all in them…. except occasionally.' He took him in the toilet and slashed his face and the back of his head with a machete that he had in his overcoat Maureen With a thriving club business, they could have turned away from violence and the criminal world, but they didn't. 'They threw it all away,' says Dinenage. 'Reggie would be quite content to get dressed every evening, go to his clubs, take his money, pay his people and live a good life,' says Maureen. 'But he was a twin. He was half of another half and that other half was Ronnie Kray.' Violent spirals Ron's mental issues had him on heavy medication but when he didn't take it he became volatile and dangerous and had paranoid thoughts. 18 Though very different in personality the boys were inseparable their whole life Credit: Getty - Contributor 18 Ron's erratic behaviour proved the twins downfall Credit: Getty 18 Both were jailed for life in a high profile trial Credit: Prime Video 'As he was put on stronger medication, Ronnie became puffy in the face and put on a stone, which he hated,' says Maureen. 'I heard one day in the pub there was a man who said, 'Hello, Ron. How are you? You've put on a bit of timber.' Ronnie looked down at himself and said, 'Yeah, I have.' 'He walked out and got in a car, drove half a mile down the road, turned round, came back to the pub and said to the man, 'I want to talk to you for a minute.' He took him in the toilet and slashed his face and the back of his head with a machete that he had in his overcoat. 'People asked him why he did it. He was happily talking to the man. And he just replied, 'That will teach him to talk about my weight.' That's how he could change in an instant.' We finished up having knocked them all out, and they lay in front of the band and the band was still playing the music Reggie Reggie recorded his memories of life with Ronnie in his tapes made in 1995, relishing their violent episodes. 'A memory I've got is when Ron and myself was in a dance hall in Tottenham,' he said. 'We saw about five fellas who came from the Stamford Hill area. Ron and I waited for them to come across and as they did so, right in front of the band, we hit them on the chin and also hit them on the heads with chairs. It was just like the cowboy days. We finished up having knocked them all out, and they lay in front of the band and the band was still playing the music.' Another memory was: 'We were sitting on bar stools. There's Ron and I, and we were drinking gin and tonics, when three fellas came into the pub and they stood behind Ron and started making detrimental remarks against Ron, and I watched him as he stepped down from the bar stool and hit one with a right hand punch. Knocked him spark out. Turned the other way and hit another one with a left hook.' Feeling invincible, they took things too far and the murder of rival gangster, George Cornell in The Blind Beggar Pub, was the beginning of their downfall. Ronnie walked in and shot him between the eyes in front of a handful of drinkers and a traumatised barmaid. But they were all too scared to say anything to police. Reg's new wife Frances – who Ronnie jealously resented for coming between him and his brother – had recently taken her own life by taking an overdose. He was not thinking straight and was increasingly being led along by Ronnie into his crazy and dangerous exploits. 18 Reggie was married to Frances Shae though she took her own life shortly after Credit: Hulton Archive - Getty 18 Their downfall came when enough witnesses agreed to speak out Credit: Getty 18 Reggie was allowed out of prison - under guard - to attend the funerals of his brothers Credit: PA:Press Association The pair bizarrely tried to get a friend of Ronnie's, Frank 'The Mad Axeman' Mitchell, a release date from prison. They helped him escape and hid him away, telling him to write to the Home Secretary saying 'If you give me a date for my release I will give myself up.' Roy Jenkins, Home Secretary of the time, flatly refused and with Mitchell now a liability on their hands, they arranged for him to be murdered and his body disposed of. Jack 'The Hat' McVitie was next to be brutally stabbed to death by Reggie after he was paid but failed to carry out the task of killing their business manager, Leslie Payne, for talking to police after being concerned by the twins increasing violence. With the police now committed to putting the Krays behind bars, they offered protection for those willing to come forward, including the barmaid at the Blind Beggar who gave evidence against them in court about the murder of George Cornell. Ronnie and Reggie were firmly behind bars in 1969, having been given life sentences with a minimum of 30 years to be served. Reggie was allowed out, on compassionate grounds, to attend Ronnie's funeral in March 1995, where crowds lined the streets. Amongst the floral tributes was one from Reggie – flowers that spelt out 'To the other half of me' – and a wreath from Barbara Windsor. What you give out in life is returned to you give out love, love will be returned to you Reggie Kray Five years after Ronnie's death, Reggie died of cancer at the age of 66. He was buried next to his twin. Whether it was irony or that he had finally discovered the decent, sensible and happy way to live, is unclear. But Reggie commented on his 1995 tape: 'What you give out in life is returned to you. If you give out love, love will be returned to you. If you give out hatred, hatred will be returned to you.' Krays: London's Gangsters is on Amazon Prime Video now
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
NBA veteran Max Strus returns to Stagg to recognize comeback of Oak Forest athlete
Max Strus was choked up. While giving a speech Thursday to end his fourth youth basketball camp at his alma mater, Stagg High School in Palos Hills, the NBA sharpshooter thanked his parents, John and Debra, and joked they were the reason he turned out 'perfect.' But when it came to thanking his 'role models,' his older sister, Maggie Sommer, and older brother, Marty Strus, his voice cracked, and he took a few seconds to compose himself. That show of emotion from the Cleveland Cavaliers guard was just the warmup of an even bigger outburst of emotions from the Castillo family. Oak Forest High School sophomore Paityn Castillo won the inaugural Gary Strong Award from the Max Strus Family Foundation for her fight with Guillain-Barré syndrome, which she suffered in October right after the volleyball season. The foundation, created in January, named the award after Gary Wimmer, the father of foundation official Jake Wimmer. Gary had a four-year battle with cancer before he died in August. Castillo faced paralysis and couldn't breathe on her own, so she needed a ventilator. She spent 98 days in a hospital and was told she might not walk again or get feeling back in her feet. Now, not only is she walking, she is learning to drive, participated at Oak Forest's volleyball camp, tried out and made the Lions South 16 club team and is jump serving. 'I have a new perspective on things,' Castillo said. 'I don't take things for granted and I appreciate the little things in life.' Strus said Castillo is the type of person the foundation wants to help. 'We want to find ways to help different communities, whether that's home around the South Side of Chicago, in Miami where I lived for three years or Cleveland now,' he said. 'These are places near and dear to my heart.' Castillo's story was shared in a five-minute video shown in the Stagg main gym in front of hundreds of campers and their parents. It showed some of the therapy she had to go through. Her father, Reggie, mother, Sandy, and sister, Kamryn, were on hand for the award and to receive a surprise $10,000 check from the foundation. There was plenty of emotion, especially with Reggie, who was crying when he addressed the crowd, and said he wasn't ashamed to be crying. 'I guarantee there weren't many dry eyes today,' Reggie said after the ceremony. Reggie said he was also touched because, between 2003 and 2023, he was an athletic trainer at Stagg and knows the Strus and Wimmer families well. Paityn started to walk in February and, given the severity of what she went through, her family was stunned with her 'It's been crazy,' Kamryn . 'It's hard to believe.' 'It's a miracle — it really is,' Reggie said. Sandy echoed that and said the family has ridden an emotional rollercoaster since October. 'It was hard watching the awful moments with her,' Sandy said. 'But watching her battle and work really, really hard is a highlight. She pushes so hard. When the ventilator went away, it was awesome.' Meanwhile, Strus is not only proud of his camps' philanthropy — raising more than $100,000 for the Andrew Weishar Foundation — he looks forward to being with the young basketball players who are trying to learn the sport. One camp official said Strus is the only player in the NBA who runs a camp and is there for all four days. Whether that's true, the fact is Strus is hands on at the camps and is not just lending his name to the project. In the past, he brought in some NBA chums, including Gabe Vincent. This year, Cavaliers Coach Kenny Atkinson came in for a session. Strus also takes photos with the campers and had some fun Thursday outside the school, handing out Peppo's Subs orders in a truck to campers and parents. When he started the camp, Strus talked about how special it was because he and Marty attended summer camps at the school. Four years, and one foundation, later, it's still special to him. 'I've seen a lot of new faces this year and some faces of those who have been here all four years,' he said. 'The campers and their parents make it all possible and I appreciate that. 'And we want to come back again next year.'
Edinburgh Live
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
ITV This Morning's Josie Gibson addresses 'mum guilt' and shares family struggle
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Josie Gibson has candidly shared her struggles with "mum guilt" as she juggles her demanding career with motherhood. This Morning presenter Josie, 40, shares son Reggie with her ex-partner Terry Bond. The Bristol-born star confesses that her hectic work life often leaves her feeling like she's not spending enough quality time with Reggie. Josie admits to moments of self-reproach, believing at times she has worked "too much". In an interview with MyWeekly magazine, Josie revealed that she has "sacrificed" precious moments with Reggie for the sake of her career but now feels she has achieved "much more of a balance". However, she can't help but feel it's "sad" that she has missed out on time with her son. She said: "I often suffer from mum guilt. I beat myself up that I'm not with Reggie all the time because you never get that time back with your kid. "There was a point where I worked a lot - far too much - but I needed to get where I wanted to be, and I sacrificed time with him and that was really sad. These days, I have much more of a balance." (Image: INSTAGRAM/JOSIEGIBSON) Television has been a significant part of Josie's journey as a mother, with memorable moments such as finding out she was expecting a boy during an episode of Loose Women. Reggie has even accompanied her on set at This Morning occasionally. Josie explains these on-set visits are sometimes due to being "let down by babysitters". Having become a regular face on This Morning in 2023, after four years as a relief presenter, Josie continues to navigate the challenges of balancing her professional and personal life. Josie's rise to television fame kicked off with her Big Brother victory in 2010, and she confesses that since then, her life has been "a fluke". (Image: Josie Gibson Instagram) Starting from humble beginnings "cleaning shoes", Josie now rubs shoulders with A-listers like Jennifer Aniston and calls presenting This Morning her "dream job". Her adventures on the show have seen her scaling buildings as Spider-Man and jetting off to Lapland. She equates hosting the popular programme to "winning the lottery" and, having celebrated her 40th birthday in January, Josie has embraced a fresh perspective on life, choosing to "throw caution to the wind". Reaching this age milestone prompted her to realise time was precious, spurring her to seize every opportunity. Josie's philosophy is simple: "My motto is to grab life with both hands and enjoy the space that you're in." Beyond her role on This Morning, Josie's TV career spans 15 years with appearances on The Masked Singer, Cooking with the Stars, and competing in The Jump back in 2017. Josie finished in fourth place on I'm a Me Out of Here! in 2023. The series was won by former Made in Chelsea star Sam Thompson.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
DDG vs Reggie (Lil Rodney Son) drama explained: All about the viral controversy between the two rappers
Image via @PontiacMadeDDG & @girlhefunny_1/X The internet's latest Twitch-tainment war is between none other than DDG and Reggie, aka Lil Rodney Son. What started as a casual reaction to a DDG album has spiraled into a full-blown back-and-forth involving music, relationships, fatherhood, and even the loss of family members. And yes, it's messy. Here's everything you need to know! It All Started With a Reaction Clip Reggie was doing what most streamers do: reacting to viral content. During a Twitch stream, he saw a TikTok clip of DDG discussing how people were faking support for his music. Apparently, DDG felt Reggie was throwing shade, calling his album mid, even though he'd previously praised it. DDG clapped back on his own stream, saying: 'You just listened to my old said it was hard, bro. Like, stop faking, bro.' He even told Reggie to 'watch full clips' before speaking on his name. Reggie Fires Back — And He's Not Holding Back Reggie wasn't here to play either. He doubled down saying he never said the whole album was good , just that maybe 'one or two tracks were decent.' He also called DDG out for being too pressed about a relationship situation that had nothing to do with him. His words? 'You're a grown a** man, bro. Like, why are you even worried about another man's relationship?' And then came the spice: 'Sometimes you got to mind your business.' Reggie Brings Up DDG's Family And It Gets Real Personal Just when we thought this might stay music-related, Reggie brought up DDG's son, Halo, and his relationship with Halle Bailey. In a now-viral moment, Reggie said: 'Where your son at, n***a?' He mocked DDG for being involved in Twitch drama while having father duties. He even said DDG would have to 'live with this s**t for the rest of your life.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Beachfront Living in Mumbai at Sunteck Beach Residences Sunteck Realty Learn More Undo At this point, it was no longer about music — it was about life choices, family, and deep personal stuff. DDG Goes Nuclear From Italy DDG wasn't about to let that slide. From an IRL Twitch stream in Italy, he launched a brutal response with the title: 'REGGIE DAD GONE.' He told his viewers: 'I've lost all respect for that little a** boy… You bring my family into it, I'll bring yours into it.' Yeah, he went scorched earth. The gloves were off. No limits. Reggie Responds (Again), But Chooses Restraint Despite being furious, Reggie said he wouldn't go as far as dissing the dead. 'Mentally, you gotta protect your peace, gang.' He also called out DDG for using his late father as a background on stream, calling it 'lame' and 'unnecessary.' In an era where clout is currency, this feud blurred lines. What started as a music reaction ended up dragging in kids, dead parents, and real-life wounds. And while some fans are calling it 'content,' others think it went too far. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
