Goodable

In an unusual rescue effort at the Milwaukee County Zoo, staff employed a front-end loader to help Ruth, a "geriatric" African savanna elephant, get back on her feet after a tumble. On Tuesday, September 2, around 11 am, Ruth lost her footing on a log when aggressive behavior from another elephant in the herd caused her to fall onto her side. Despite her efforts to right herself, Ruth's age and position made it difficult for her to stand up unaided.

Ruth is part of the zoo’s elephant herd, all members of which are in their 40s—a stage considered geriatric for elephants. The zoo quickly implemented its protocol for lifting a downed animal. This plan includes alerting both the Milwaukee Fire Department’s Heavy Urban Rescue Team (HURT) and Dawes Rigging and Crane.

Zoo staff used a front-load vehicle to assist Ruth. One of the zoo's vehicle operators maneuvered the machine while being carefully guided by the elephant care coordinator. This assistance allowed Ruth to regain her footing and walk back into her indoor habitat.

The heartwarming moment was captured in video footage released by the zoo. In the clip, supporters can be heard cheering Ruth on with encouraging shouts like "Let’s go Ruth!" and "Come on Ruth!"

As of Wednesday, zoo officials confirmed that Ruth was doing well. Both animal care specialists and veterinary teams are monitoring her closely as she recovers from the incident.

Zoo staff at the Milwaukee County Zoo employed the use of a front-end loader to assist a “geriatric” elephant stand back up after she took a tumble on Tuesday, September 2.The Milwaukee County Zoo provided this footage and posted a photo of the African savanna elephant, named Ruth, with an update regarding the incident.According to the Wisconsin zoo, around 11 am on Tuesday, Ruth “lost her footing on a log in the outdoor habitat due to aggressive behavior from a herd-mate, and she fell on her side. Ruth remained down but continued actively trying to get back up on her own, although her age and position made that difficult.”The zoo wrote that all three members of the zoo’s elephant herd are in their 40s, which is considered geriatric.In a statement to Storyful, the zoo said when Ruth was unable to rise, the zoo began “implementing its planned protocol to lift a down animal, which includes alerting the Milwaukee Fire Department’s Heavy Urban Rescue Team (HURT) as well as Dawes Rigging and Crane.”“A front-load vehicle, operated by one of the zoo’s vehicle machine operators and carefully guided by our elephant care coordinator, provided leverage for Ruth to ultimately be able to get up on her own and walk into the indoor habitat,” the zoo wrote in the statement.As of Wednesday, Ruth was doing well and the zoo’s animal care and vet teams were expected to continue to monitor her to ensure she was recovering.In the video, people can be heard encouraging the toppled elephant, shouting, “Let’s go Ruth!” and “Come on Ruth!”

Watch Construction Equipment Help This Geriatric Zoo Elephant Stand Up After a Fall

Science Alert

Not all dietary fibers are created equal, according to new research that could reshape how we think about supplements and “fiber-enriched” foods.

A 2024 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that beta-glucan, a fiber common in oats and barley, helped mice fed a high-fat diet lose weight and control blood sugar. Other popular fibers tested — including wheat dextrin, pectin, resistant starch, and cellulose — didn’t show the same benefits, even though they altered the animals’ gut microbiomes.

“We know that fiber is important and beneficial; the problem is that there are so many different types,” said Frank Duca, a biomedical scientist at the University of Arizona. “We wanted to know what kind of fiber would be most beneficial for weight loss and improvements in glucose homeostasis so that we can inform the community, the consumer, and then also inform the agricultural industry.”

In the study, mice that received beta-glucan lost weight within 10 weeks and had significantly less body fat after 18 weeks. Their guts showed higher levels of Ileibacterium, a microbe previously linked to weight loss, and more butyrate, a compound produced when gut bacteria break down fiber. Butyrate stimulates the release of GLP-1, a hormone that regulates insulin and appetite — the same pathway targeted by drugs like Ozempic.

“Part of the benefits of consuming dietary fiber is through the release of GLP-1 and other gut peptides that regulate appetite and body weight,” Duca explained. “However, we don’t think that’s all of the effect. We think that there are other beneficial things that butyrate could be doing… such as improving gut barrier health and targeting peripheral organs like the liver.”

Despite fiber’s importance, fewer than 5 percent of Americans consume the recommended 25–30 grams per day. That gap has fueled the growth of supplements and processed foods with “invisible fiber” added. But as this study shows, lumping all fiber together misses the nuance — some types may be far more effective for weight management and blood sugar control than others.

The researchers caution that much more work is needed before these results can be applied to humans. Still, the findings suggest that beta-glucan, in particular, deserves closer attention. As Elizabeth Howard, a co-author from the University of Arizona, put it, this was the first study to test multiple fibers in a single group — and only one consistently stood out.

For now, the results hint that a bowl of oats or a slice of barley bread might do more than fill you up. It could also help your gut microbes work harder in ways that benefit the whole body.

This Surprising Fiber That May Help You Lose Weight And Control Blood Sugar

The National Climate

Two coral reefs in UAE waters are showing signs of recovery after a devastating bleaching event, giving scientists hope that damaged ecosystems can bounce back if given time and protection.

A new study led by NYU Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Arabian Center for Climate and Environmental Sciences found regrowth at reefs off Sir Bu Nair island in the Arabian Gulf and Khor Fakkan on the Gulf of Oman. Both were hit hard during extreme heat in 2021, when sea temperatures reached 37°C — far hotter than levels that typically bleach reefs worldwide.

“We’re hopeful that things are going in the right direction,” said John Burt, professor of biology at NYUAD and one of the paper’s authors. “As long as conditions return to normal and we give them time to recover, they can recover.”

Burt estimates that 75 percent of corals at Sir Bu Nair and 63 percent at Khor Fakkan were lost during the 2021 bleaching, with fast-growing table corals (Acropora) almost wiped out. But surveys now suggest a 15 to 20 percent increase in live coral cover, with some table corals among those rebounding. Their survival was likely aided by cooler water flowing in from deeper areas during tidal changes.

The recovery is far from complete. More heat-tolerant coral species have taken hold, and scientists caution it may take up to a decade for reefs to fully recover. Still, the findings show that protective measures matter. Sir Bu Nair, a marine protected area, is strictly off-limits to fishing and tourism, while Khor Fakkan has added mooring buoys to prevent anchors from damaging fragile corals.

Burt praised Sharjah’s enforcement of these rules but said further steps are needed, including closer work with diving groups. Even small mistakes by novice divers — known as “fin strikes” — can kill coral tissue. Training and limiting dives in sensitive areas could reduce the pressure.

The UAE is also ramping up wider reef initiatives. Abu Dhabi has announced plans to plant millions of coral colonies, alongside research into selective breeding for heat-resistant species and “biobanking” to preserve genetic resources.

Globally, coral reefs occupy less than one percent of the seafloor but support more than a quarter of marine life. Yet more than 80 percent of reefs have experienced bleaching conditions over the past two years, according to the UN Environment Programme.

For Burt, the signs of resilience in Sharjah’s waters underline why continued protection and innovation are essential. “We can try to ensure that the next generation of corals that are restored to reefs are the most hardy available,” he said. “Watch this space.”

These Coral Reefs Are Bouncing Back From Bleach Damage — Here's How

Science Daily

Physicists in Switzerland say they’ve pushed the hunt for dark matter into uncharted territory using a new kind of detector sensitive to extremely light particles.

About 80 percent of the universe’s mass is thought to be dark matter, but scientists still don’t know what it’s made of. Most experiments have searched for particles in the mass range of known elementary particles, using detectors filled with liquid xenon. So far, none have turned up any results — suggesting dark matter doesn’t exist in that range.

Now, a team at the University of Zurich has tested a new approach. Led by Laura Baudis, Titus Neupert, Björn Penning, and Andreas Schilling, the researchers used an upgraded superconducting nanowire single-photon detector, or SNSPD, designed to register faint photons that might be produced when dark matter interacts with ordinary matter.

The device, described in a new paper, reached a sensitivity threshold of about one-tenth the mass of an electron — far below the reach of previous detectors. “This is the first time we’ve been able to search for dark matter particles in such a low mass range, made possible by a new detector technology,” Baudis said.

The detector works by briefly disrupting superconductivity. When a photon strikes the wire, it warms slightly, turning into a normal conductor for a split second. That change in resistance is recorded as a signal.

For the latest version, the team replaced nanowires with superconducting microwires to increase the area of interaction. They also built the device in a thin, flat geometry to capture directional changes. Because Earth moves through a constant “wind” of dark matter, researchers expect the apparent direction of incoming particles to shift throughout the year. A detector that can pick up such variations could help distinguish true dark matter events from background noise.

“Further technological improvements to the SNSPD could enable us to detect signals from dark matter particles with even smaller masses. We also want to deploy the system underground, where it will be better shielded from other sources of radiation,” Neupert said.

If future tests confirm signals in this lower mass range, it would force physicists to rethink how dark matter fits into cosmology. For now, the result is another step in narrowing down what dark matter can, and cannot, be.

This Breakthrough Detector Could Finally Uncover Elusive Dark Matter Particles

Black News

For more than a century, the Sherman family has only known boys. That streak is about to end.

Michael Sherman, a lieutenant with the Montgomery Fire Department in Texas, and his wife Joacquia are expecting a baby girl — the first born into the family since 1917. Surrounded by family and friends at a gender reveal, the couple shared the news that broke a 108-year run of sons.

“We are the ones bringing the baby girl into the world. Finally, after over 100 years. It’s amazing,” Michael told ABC 7 New York.

The last girl born in the family was Michael’s great-great-aunt, Orah Belle Sherman. Born in 1917, she went on to play a role in Atlanta’s civil rights movement, meeting leaders and making her own mark as a trailblazer.

Michael’s grandmother, Lydia Robertson, said the new baby will be welcomed with love and unwavering support. “I love her. No matter what path she chooses, we will be with her. She’s going to always have support here,” she said.

The baby is due in March, and the family is even exploring whether their century-long streak might qualify for a Guinness World Record. But to them, history has already been made — and the Shermans are ready to welcome their long-awaited daughter.

Texas Family Breaks 108-Year Boy Streak With First Baby Girl

BBC News

A barn owl conservationist in East Yorkshire says this year has been one of the strongest breeding seasons for the species in decades.

Robert Salter, 56, from Camerton near Hedon, has spent 35 years protecting barn owls as part of East Yorkshire Barn Owl Conservation. Alongside his day job as a bricklayer, he has installed and maintained more than 350 nest boxes across farmland and fields, checking them regularly with the support of local landowners.

“This year we’ll be putting a lot more young barn owls out there into the area, so in turn it will help sustain that viable population. That’s what it’s all about,” Salter said.

His work has already produced remarkable results. In 2025 so far, Salter has ringed 304 owlets — a huge leap compared with just 95 last year. He expects the number to reach around 325 before the season ends. Ringing allows researchers to track survival and breeding rates.

“All these young birds that are going to be going out there, pairing up, and rearing young of their own in future years. It’s a really big boost for barn owls,” he said.

Salter traces his passion back to childhood. At 21, after getting his first car, he watched a news segment about a man in Lincolnshire putting up nest boxes. “A lightbulb moment went off in my head. I thought, that’s what I’m going to do,” he recalled. What began with five boxes in his first year has now grown into hundreds.

The surge in breeding success this year is linked to booming vole populations, the main food source for barn owls. “Maybe their vole numbers were higher already coming into the start of the breeding season, so they were more resistant to the dry start of the year,” said Daniel Whitelegg, assistant conservation officer at The Barn Owl Trust.

Across most of England, the picture has been less positive. Whitelegg said breeding success nationally has been “pretty poor,” likely due to low food availability after an unusually dry spring stunted grass growth, which in turn reduced vole numbers.

Regional variations appear to have worked in East Yorkshire’s favor. While southern areas struggled, conditions in the north created better habitats for prey species, giving owls a strong start to the season.

For Salter, the work is deeply personal. “This bird has lived alongside humans since they settled in this country,” he said. “Because of that close relationship, I just feel like we owe it to barn owls to help and maintain their future populations. It’s my life.”

Barn Owl Boom: Conservationist Celebrates Second Best Breeding Season in Decades

People

A new documentary is pulling back the curtain on the festival that helped change the course of modern music. Newport & The Great Folk Dream, which premiered September 5 at the Venice International Film Festival, revisits the Newport Folk Festival’s early years through rare archival footage and new interviews with artists, organizers, and eyewitnesses.

At the center of the film is Bob Dylan’s 1965 electric set, a performance that rattled purists and sparked one of the most debated moments in music history. The 24-year-old troubadour strode onstage in a leather jacket, strapped on a Fender Stratocaster, and tore into “Maggie’s Farm” with members of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. To some in the crowd, it was betrayal. To others, it was revolution.

Festival production manager Joe Boyd recalls the symbolism of the moment. “The acoustic guitar represented virtue. It represented sitting around the campfire and everyone can sing along. Once you get an electric guitar, it’ll be louder than everybody singing. The electric guitar became a symbol of this divided folk world.”

The split had been coming. The Beatles’ arrival in America in 1964 accelerated a generational shift, with teens leaving acoustic singalongs behind to chase garage-band dreams. Even Dylan, once seen as the heir apparent to lead folk into a new era, swapped his denim shirts for Mod fashion and began writing surreal, poetic lyrics rather than protest anthems.

By the time Dylan arrived at Newport in July 1965, folk insiders were already uneasy. Judy Collins remembers organizers clashing over what counted as “folk.” Alan Lomax, a festival co-founder, dismissed the Butterfield Blues Band onstage as a group that “need[ed] all of this fancy hardware to play the blues.” Their manager, Albert Grossman, exploded at the insult and ended up wrestling Lomax on the ground.

Dylan doubled down, inviting Butterfield members Mike Bloomfield, Jerome Arnold, and Sam Lay to join his set. It was his first live electric performance, and the reaction was explosive. Folk icon Pete Seeger, distressed at the distorted sound, was overheard yelling to turn it down. Years later, Seeger clarified he never wielded an axe, though his angry remark about cutting the cables helped fuel the legend.

Boos can be heard on the archival footage, but so can the sound of something new. Loudon Wainwright III, then a teenager in the crowd, puts it bluntly in the film: “There was some sanctimony about folk music. Well that night, Dylan f---ed with it.”

The fallout was immediate and lasting. What began as scandal came to be seen as transformation, with Dylan’s electric set reimagining folk tradition and opening the door for rock ’n’ roll to be recognized as a form of modern folk expression. The shift rippled outward, influencing bands like the Byrds and reshaping popular music for decades.

For filmmaker Robert Gordon, the power of the story lies not only in Dylan’s gamble but in the way Newport embodied a larger cultural collision between tradition and change. Between 1963 and 1966, the festival hosted Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Howlin’ Wolf, Pete Seeger, and Judy Collins, creating a crossroads where voices of conscience met rising counterculture.

“Newport helped me hear the old music and make it relevant for the time that I was living in,” musician Taj Mahal says in the film. Joan Baez frames it more simply: “The counterculture became part of culture.”

Even Seeger, once painted as the villain of the “axe” myth, later embraced the broader meaning. “If you think of it, ‘Is all of this folk music?’ Yeah! This country is full of all kinds of different folks. That’s the wonderful thing about this country — so many different kinds of folks.”

Nearly 60 years on, the echoes of that July night remain. Newport & The Great Folk Dream shows how a seaside festival set the stage for everything from Woodstock to Coachella, proving that sometimes the loudest act of rebellion can come from plugging in.

The Night Bob Dylan Changed Music Forever: New Documentary Reveals Untold Stories

Gizmodo

Scientists in Australia say a new experimental drug could one day help erase scars that until now have been permanent.

In a small study, researchers at Fiona Stanley Hospital and the University of Western Australia tested a cream developed by the company Syntara, formerly Pharmaxis. The drug, called SNT-6302, targets enzymes known as lysyl oxidases, which are responsible for the stiff, tightly bound collagen that makes up scar tissue. By inhibiting these enzymes, the treatment may allow scarred skin to remodel and more closely resemble unscarred tissue.

The phase I trial involved 50 volunteers, all with mature scars that were no longer inflamed or itchy. Eight participants applied the drug daily, while the rest were randomly assigned to receive either SNT-6302 or a placebo cream three times a week for three months. The trial’s main purpose was to test safety, and no serious side effects were reported. The most common reaction was mild to moderate skin irritation, which led six people to stop treatment.

Early results showed encouraging signs. The treatment reduced lysyl oxidase activity by 66 percent and appeared to lower collagen and protein production in scar tissue. Imaging tests also found an increase in tiny blood vessels, suggesting the skin was remodeling itself in a healthier way.

The findings, published in Science Translational Medicine, are still preliminary. Researchers stress that larger phase II trials will be needed to confirm whether the cream can reliably reduce scars. For now, though, the drug has cleared its first safety hurdle and provided evidence that the underlying mechanism works as intended.

Scars form after deeper injuries when collagen fibers knit together too tightly. They may fade but rarely disappear, and severe scarring can alter appearance or restrict movement. Current options such as surgery or laser treatment can improve scars but do not fully erase them. If SNT-6302 continues to show promise, it could become one of the first non-invasive treatments capable of tackling scars that were once thought to be permanent.

Revolutionary Cream Promises to Erase Scars Forever

Talker News

For the first time in nearly a decade, a Chilean flamingo chick has hatched at Edinburgh Zoo, marking a major milestone for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) breeding program.

The chick arrived on September 4, 2025, and is already thriving under the watchful eyes of its parents and keepers.

“We have been caring for this flock for years and to see a chick hatching and being taken care of by its parents is just incredible,” said Lorna Hughes, birds and primates team leader at Edinburgh Zoo. “It is still early, but the chick is looking stronger every day so we are hopeful they will grow nice and healthy.”

Flamingo chicks grow rapidly, doubling in weight within days, and the zoo is already seeing the new arrival getting bigger. Staff are now hoping for more hatchlings, with several eggs still in incubation.

To increase the likelihood of successful hatching, the zoo temporarily removes the eggs from the nest and incubates them under controlled conditions. During this period, adult flamingos are given dummy eggs so they can continue their natural behaviors uninterrupted. Once the chicks begin to pip—that is, break through the shell—they’re returned to the parents to complete the hatching process.

The Chilean flamingo (*Phoenicopterus chilensis*) is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, facing ongoing pressures from habitat loss due to mining, water diversion, pollution, and human disturbances such as unregulated tourism and egg collection.

This chick now becomes the youngest member of the zoo’s flamingo flock, joining a group that includes some remarkably long-lived individuals. The oldest residents—Shrimpy, Louis, and Rio—are believed to have hatched in 1961, making them over 60 years old.

With luck and continued careful monitoring, the newest member of the flock could one day join that long legacy.

Flamingo Chick Hatches at Zoo for First Time in Nearly a Decade

If you've been scrolling through sports TikTok recently, you might have come across a viral phenomenon that's left many scratching their heads. It all starts with someone hitting a three-pointer and yelling "6-7," which is echoed back by the entire bench. If you're not in on the joke, it's possible you’ve aged out of this youthful trend.

The term "6-7" has its roots in a tribute to Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball. Standing at 2 meters tall, Ball's height is part of his appeal and swagger. The phrase has become shorthand for moments of athletic audacity or even mundane achievements that deserve celebration. It's like an inside joke among those who are "in the know."

The videos embodying the 6-7 meme are often low-quality clips that spread quickly online. The power of 6-7 lies not in polished production but in how fast it can be shared and consumed across social media platforms.

What makes 6-7 so appealing is its simplicity—just two numbers that don't require deep understanding to enjoy. Its origins trace back to Skrilla's drill rap track "Doot Doot," where "6-7" refers to Chicago’s 67th Street. This lyric was adapted on TikTok, connecting it to Ball’s height with comments like, “He literally moves like somebody that’s 1.85 meters, except he’s 2 meters.”

From there, TikTok algorithms took over, making 6-7 synonymous with LaMelo himself—a player whose impact resonates more on screens than in game standings.

Memes have always thrived in the NBA; think Michael Jordan's crying face or Nick Young's confused grin. But 6-7 goes beyond LaMelo Ball. It applies whenever a player unexpectedly does something impressive or humorous. For example, Ben Simmons shocking fans by dunking instead of passing or Zion Williamson focusing on health by eating a salad—these moments get labeled as “6-7.”

The phrase serves as an ironic nod; it suggests something ordinary should be celebrated as extraordinary. In true American style, logic takes a backseat to sheer aura.

During the Little League World Series, when a coach tried using the phrase only to hear a kid retort with “Oh my gosh, be quiet,” it highlighted how meme culture is youth-dominated; adults chiming in often miss the mark.

Memes don’t appear from thin air—they’re deeply rooted in cultural traditions. According to Legacy Russell's book "Black Meme," Black culture has long been circulated online detached from original contexts. The same happened with 6-7; what began as flexing by a Black artist referencing his neighborhood turned into internet lore recycled for broader use.

Sports memes thrive because they feel exclusive until suddenly everyone gets them—but once everyone understands them too well they risk losing their edge entirely.

A few sports memes transcend initial bursts: “Dame Time” and Steph Curry’s “Night Night” survived due to specific players and memorable gestures backing them up consistently over time.

As for 6-7? While not everyone analyzes pick-and-roll strategies like experts do during games involving LaMelo Ball himself—anyone can shout those numbers after witnessing an impressive pass across court lines easily enough!

How NBA Star Lamelo Ball Accidentally Sparked the Tiktok '6-7' Meme

Cleveland Browns fans are known for their passion, but two superfans just took their devotion to another level: they got married in the Muni Lot.

Last weekend, just hours before the Browns opened their season against the Cincinnati Bengals, DeSiree “First Lady” Wheeler, 50, and Charles “Brown Spider” Bevel Jr., 57, exchanged vows under the shadow of a rented RV near the tailgate lot’s entrance. Wheeler wore a white sundress, veil, and her trademark Chuck Taylors painted with a Browns helmet. Bevel wore white pants, a vest embroidered with a spider, and his signature Spiderman sunglasses.

For them, the Muni Lot wasn’t just a backdrop. “The Browns Twitter community really has given a sense of extended family,” Wheeler said. “These folks have really become family to all of us, and we all really support each other and stay connected.”

Both were empty nesters and long-time Browns fans when they found each other. Bevel, a psychiatric nurse, earned the nickname “Spiderman” from colleagues for always wearing superhero shirts to put patients at ease. In 2019, he took the persona to a Browns game in New Jersey, launching a tradition that grew into his “Brown Spider” identity. Wheeler, who works in leadership consulting, embraced the Browns after marrying a Sandusky man at 19. “I got rid of him but kept the team,” she joked.

Despite attending many of the same games, they only connected years later, first through social media and then at away games in Kansas City and Miami. Their bond grew through tailgates and road trips, eventually turning into a relationship.

Football quickly became a framework for their marriage. They start each season by predicting the Browns’ record together, plan their year around the NFL schedule, and even use off-field controversies or coaching drama as springboards for conversations about family, leadership, and values. “It really always gives us something to connect on and something to come back to together,” Wheeler said.

Their wedding, like their fandom, didn’t go smoothly at first. Rain poured all morning, drenching the lot and forcing friends and family to dry chairs with paper towels. But as Wheeler walked to the altar holding a brown-and-white bouquet, the sun broke through. Surrounded by about 100 invited guests and hundreds of tailgaters, Bevel shouted his vows with a cheer: “I do, I do, let’s go!”

The crowd barked along, true to the Browns’ Dawg Pound tradition. For Wheeler and Bevel, it was more than just a ceremony. It was the payoff after years of heartbreak and hope, in football and in life, and a reminder that for some fans, the Browns really are family.

Cleveland Browns fans are known for their passion, but two superfans just took their devotion to another level: they got married in the Muni Lot.On September 7, just hours before the Browns opened their season against the Cincinnati Bengals, DeSiree “First Lady” Wheeler, 50, and Charles “Brown Spider” Bevel Jr., 57, exchanged vows under the shadow of a rented RV near the tailgate lot’s entrance. Wheeler wore a white sundress, veil, and her trademark Chuck Taylors painted with a Browns helmet. Bevel wore white pants, a vest embroidered with a spider, and his signature Spiderman sunglasses.For them, the Muni Lot wasn’t just a backdrop. “The Browns Twitter community really has given a sense of extended family,” Wheeler said. “These folks have really become family to all of us, and we all really support each other and stay connected.”Both were empty nesters and long-time Browns fans when they found each other. Bevel, a psychiatric nurse, earned the nickname “Spiderman” from colleagues for always wearing superhero shirts to put patients at ease. In 2019, he took the persona to a Browns game in New Jersey, launching a tradition that grew into his “Brown Spider” identity. Wheeler, who works in leadership consulting, embraced the Browns after marrying a Sandusky man at 19. “I got rid of him but kept the team,” she joked.Despite attending many of the same games, they only connected years later, first through social media and then at away games in Kansas City and Miami. Their bond grew through tailgates and road trips, eventually turning into a relationship.Football quickly became a framework for their marriage. They start each season by predicting the Browns’ record together, plan their year around the NFL schedule, and even use off-field controversies or coaching drama as springboards for conversations about family, leadership, and values. “It really always gives us something to connect on and something to come back to together,” Wheeler said.Their wedding, like their fandom, didn’t go smoothly at first. Rain poured all morning, drenching the lot and forcing friends and family to dry chairs with paper towels. But as Wheeler walked to the altar holding a brown-and-white bouquet, the sun broke through. Surrounded by about 100 invited guests and hundreds of tailgaters, Bevel shouted his vows with a cheer: “I do, I do, let’s go!”






The crowd barked along, true to the Browns’ Dawg Pound tradition. For Wheeler and Bevel, it was more than just a ceremony. It was the payoff after years of heartbreak and hope, in football and in life, and a reminder that for some fans, the Browns really are family.

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