Tragedy struck a Colorado community as five teenage friends, all aged 17, lost their lives in a devastating cliff plunge. Their vehicle careened off a steep hill, leaving grieving families and shocked residents to face the sorrowful reality just as the new school year commences.

The heart-wrenching accident occurred as these teenagers from Grand Junction traveled along Lookout Lane late on Saturday. Investigators revealed that their vehicle abruptly veered off course, sending them tumbling down a steep slope.

According to the Mesa County Coroner’s Office, three of the victims—including the driver and a front-seat passenger—were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. However, two were not buckled in, resulting in their tragic ejection from the vehicle.

All five died from injuries sustained in the crash.

Authorities were not alerted to the wreck until approximately 7:45 a.m. Sunday, when 911 dispatchers received a report that a vehicle may have gone over the edge of a cliff, according to the Grand Junction Police Department.

Police and firefighters responding to the area discovered the wrecked vehicle along the hillside.

Speed is being investigated as a possible factor, police said. Authorities have not publicly identified the driver or said what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway.

The coroner’s office said it would not release the teenagers’ names because of its policy against publicly identifying minors.

Though the teens have been identified by families and loved ones as those in the Grand Junction community share memories and rally around those left behind.

One of the victims was Braden Taylor, 17, whose grandfather, Calvin Wilken, confirmed his death in an emotional Facebook post obtained by News Media.

“Very sad news our youngest grandson Braden 17 died in a car rollover down 5 ledges of a very steep drop off over looking the railroad tracks and the Gunnison River,” Wilken wrote.

“He was a passenger with 4 of his buddies, all deceased,” he added.

Wilken said the crash occurred just blocks from the family’s former home in a ridge-top development above the area.

A GoFundMe established for Braden’s parents said the teenager was their youngest son and that the family is now confronting unexpected funeral expenses while trying to process his death.

“Wade and Michelle are now facing the unimaginable pain of losing their youngest son while also carrying the weight of sudden funeral expenses,” the fundraiser said.

The scale of the loss has rippled across Grand Junction.

Modern Classic Motors, a local business, shared verified donation links for all five families and said the tragedy was weighing particularly heavily on the community as students returned to school.

“Our hearts are broken for the five young lives tragically lost over the weekend and for their family and friends who are left with this unimaginable loss,” the business wrote on Facebook.

“As the new school year kicks off today, we can only imagine the heaviness and sadness that is being felt throughout our schools today,” the post continued.

The four other teenagers were identified by loved ones as Tristan Tucker, Titus Gould, William Simms and Tyler Martinez, according to the Daily Mail.

Tucker had been preparing to begin his senior year of high school, get his driver’s license and experience the milestones that come with being 17, according to a fundraiser for his family cited by the outlet.

He was remembered as being “full of life, potential, and a free spirit.”

A Meal Train was also established to support Gould’s family following his death, according to the Daily Mail.

Martinez’s grandmother, Debbie Gallegos Martinez, publicly mourned her grandson after the crash.

“With a heavy heart and tears rolling down my cheek my grandson was one of this [sic] boys,” she wrote, according to the outlet.

Another family member asked people to keep all five families in their prayers, calling the tragedy “devastating and heartbreaking.”

The Grand Junction Police Department also issued an emotional message.

“Our hearts are heavy following the tragic losses this weekend,” the department wrote. “You’re our neighbors, our friends, and our family.”

“We grieve alongside our community and stand together to support one another.”

A former NFL player is making waves in a different kind of arena—the UFC octagon.

Anthony Wint, who once suited up as a linebacker for the New York Jets, has secured a UFC contract after a decisive victory against Matthew Adams on “Dana White’s Contender Series.” The bout concluded just 34 seconds into the first round, with Wint defeating Adams via TKO, unleashing a cascade of punches that left no room for doubt.

Wint’s impressive debut performance has quickly made a fan out of UFC president Dana White. Following DWCS 87, White shared that Wint is already eager to secure a spot on an upcoming fight card.

“Wint is a blast to watch. He’s been persistent, telling me, ‘I’m not leaving Las Vegas until you guys get me a fight,’ so we’re considering him for [UFC] Sacramento,” White mentioned, as reported by MMA Junkie. “I appreciate fighters who are hungry to get back in the octagon quickly.”

White further emphasized the importance of staying active after a strong showing on the Contender Series, noting it as a crucial step in capitalizing on the momentum gained from such performances.

White said he’s working to make Wint’s request a reality at UFC Fight Night 285 taking place on Aug. 22 at the Golden 1 Center in California’s capital city. 

Wint is now 7-0 in MMA fights. 

The 30-year-old played his college football at Florida International and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jets in 2018, when he played in two games before being waived the following summer. 

Wint was signed by the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats in December 2019, but the 2020 CFL season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and he opted out of his CFL contract in August of that year. 

He began his amateur MMA career in 2021. 

“I played football my whole life. Not only football, linebacker,” Wint said, per NFL.com. “So I was used to lining up against 11 people, having 11 people against me and then dissecting a whole play in 40 seconds.

“Now I just gotta dissect a man in three rounds.”

Although Amy Adams’ daughter is often described as her “mini-me,” she is now being linked to another Hollywood star.

Aviana Olea Le Gallo created a buzz this summer when she appeared with her mom at the Cape Fear premiere. Observers couldn’t help but notice her uncanny resemblance to Scarlett Johansson.

“Still trying to process why Amy Adams’ daughter looks so much like Scarlett Johansson,” tweeted the first person to spot the likeness.

Many others on social media echoed this observation.

“The resemblance is actually WILD,” commented one fan, noting the “twin energy” Aviana shares with Johansson.

‘Multiverse is leaking for sure,’ another said. ‘That’s literally a mini Scarlett Johansson with Amy Adams’ hair.’

One was initially fooled into believing she was Johansson: ‘I did think she was Scarlett,’ they wrote.

Aviana is Adams’s and only child with husband Darren Le Gallo and the couple have made an effort to shield her from the public eye for most of her childhood. 

The youngster is now considering pursuing a career in Hollywood much like her mother. 

‘I think we’ll see what she’s up for,’ Adams recently told People.

‘I know she’s interested in production as a whole, so we’ll see what avenue she decides to focus on.’

Over the last few months, Aviana has begun joining her mother at high-profile events, with her first appearance being in March at Lacoste’s show during Paris Fashion Week.

During the press tour for her film Nightb**ch in 2024, Adams shared with PEOPLE how much she loves having her daughter accompany her as well as how ‘sweet’ she is.

‘It was really great to share that with her. I just love her!’ she said of Aviana attending the film’s Toronto Film Festival premiere.

‘I get really nervous about public speaking, and she’s never been around me [in those moments]. She was like, ‘Mom, you do this all the time. You got this!’ She was supporting me, it was so sweet.’

Adams also shared that Aviana previously discouraged her from ‘wearing make-up’ on the red carpet.

‘She’s like, ‘I just want you to look like Mom, not like Amy Adams.’ And I was like, ‘You got it,”’ she recalled.

‘So there were years where I didn’t wear make-up wherever we went. I mean, I sneaked some mascara.

‘But yeah, I wouldn’t wear make-up because she wanted me to be just mom.’

She lamented that she was ‘the last person to get ready’ and ‘the least manicured at my household’, adding: ‘I think it’s been that way since she was born.’

Now, Adams shared at the time that Aviana is discouraging her from slacking off in the beauty and style department.

‘Per my daughter’s request, I’m working on an upgrade,’ she said.

‘She’s like, ‘You can’t wear workout clothes if you’re not working out, Mom. You can’t just do the leisure part of athleisure.”

Adams and her husband met in an acting class in 2001, and began dating a year later when they collaborated on the short film, Pennies.

Le Gallo proposed to the actress in 2008 and she gave birth to Aviana just two years later in 2010.

The couple had an extended engagement and said they were in no rush to get married, before exchanging vows in 2015 on a ranch just outside of Santa Barbara, California.

Adams told Allure in 2016 that the couple decided to finally get married because Aviana ‘wanted a family wedding.’

‘We always had the commitment, but now he’s stuck with me and I can really act out. I’m kidding,’ she told The Times following their nuptials.

‘The truth is, I feel a stronger sense of family, a bigger sense of permanence, which is a nice thing for me.’

She has also gushed about her husband and the love he has for their daughter, telling Marie Claire back in 2018: ‘It’s sexy to see him raising a girl and teaching her how a man should treat her in a lovely way.’

CHICAGO (WLS) — It was a day of delightful distinction for White Sox fans as they left Guaranteed Rate Field with a one-of-a-kind souvenir—a White Sox-branded papal mitre. This unique giveaway coincided with a spirited gathering during the White Sox-Reds showdown, bringing a touch of the sacred to the ballpark.

Dubbed as an unprecedented promotion, the initiative sparked excitement among supporters who proudly donned the papal headgear, a nod to the deep-rooted affinity one of the team’s legendary admirers shares with the crowd.

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“You look out. Everyone’s got the hat. That’s, like that’s family,” commented Annie McClung, a dedicated Sox enthusiast, as she surveyed the sea of mitre-wearing fans.

David Schulz articulated how the day’s cherished experience transcended the sporting arena, entering the city’s cultural narrative.

“It’s special. I mean, it’s special for the whole city of Chicago,” Schulz expressed, underlining the event’s far-reaching significance well beyond the confines of baseball.

Fans entering the stadium received the commemorative hats, with some wondering whether the pope might be following the game from abroad.

“Hopefully maybe he’ll watch the game tonight. Six hours ahead, right?” Stan Rakauskas said.

The celebration extended beyond the giveaway. The band Chitown Popes performed during the pregame festivities, while Sister Mary Jo Sobieck delivered the ceremonial first pitch. The throw veered off target, drawing a lively reaction from the crowd.

Students from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy also participated in the event. The group, which famously staged a mock papal conclave, joined White Sox players on the field before the game.

For many attendees, the holy head coverings remained the centerpiece of the night’s festivities. Fans wearing the hats exchanged “peace be with you” handshakes and highlighted the significance the pontiff holds for many in White Sox nation.

“Not only is he the first American pope. He’s our pope,” Vince Hale said.

Sue Rakauskas said the pope’s influence extends beyond baseball.

“He brings so much to hope to the south side and to Chicago,” Rakauskas said.