Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Brett James dies in plane crash

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Brett James best known for writing the Carrie Underwood song Jesus, Take the Wheel lost his life in a plane crash aged 57.

According to reports, James, along with his wife and daughter, was on a single-engine Cirrus SR22T when it went down “under unknown circumstances in a wooded area,” BBC reported.

The plane took off from an airport in Nashville and crashed near Macon County Airport.

Underwood, who Brett James worked with on some of her best-known songs, called his death “just unfathomable.”

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Their song Jesus, Take the Wheel, earned James a Grammy award. It was also nominated song of the year and marked both his and Underwood’s careers.

“Brett was the epitome of ‘cool’,” Underwood said. “My favorite songs to sing of ours are the ones that he or we wrote about Jesus because the thoughts and feelings behind them are so genuine and pure. I won’t ever sing one note of them again without thinking of him. Brett’s passing is leaving a hole in all of us that I fear won’t ever go away.”

Over the years, James worked with a number of renowned singers, including Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Bon Jovi, and Jason Aldean.

Speaking of James’ tragic passing, Aldean, who recorded The Truth, written by James, said he was “heartbroken.”

“I had nothing but love and respect for that guy and he helped change my life. Honored to have met him and worked with him. Thoughts and prayers going out to his family,” Aldean said.

Months before the tragic plane crash, James shared a photo of him and his family with the caption, “Such an amazing Father’s Day!!”

The family celebrated their daughter Meryl Maxwell Wilson’s 28th birthday just days before the crash that claimed their lives.

“Happy Birthday my Love!! How Blessed am I to be your Momma!” James’ wife Melody wrote on Instagram.

“You’re the MOST BEAUTIFUL AMAZING HUMAN inside and out! I’m humbled and grateful everyday for your shining presence in my life! God has already used you for His Kingdom in so many ways and so much more to come! No words can express what a gift you are to me and everyone that KNOWS YOU❤️😘🎂🎉”

Among those who paid tribute to the late singer-songwriter was Paul Williams, president of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), who dubbed James as “a songwriting force of nature.”

Speaking of his collaborations with James, Dierks Bentley wrote, “Our friendship and that song changed my life. I Hold On.”

Tim McGraw wrote, “So heartbroken to hear about the passing of Brett James. Brett was one of the most talented and most respected songwriters in Nashville and wrote some of my personal favorite songs I ever recorded, Telluride and Drugs or Jesus. Our family’s hearts go out to his family, friends and everyone who loved him.”

James is survived by his other children whom he shares with ex-wife Sandra Cornelius-Little.

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He called her ‘a burden’ and kicked her wheelchair — A year later he crawled back to her

When Lucia married Alejandro, she believed it was forever. Their vows to stand by each other in sickness and in health felt sacred to her, and she never imagined that she would be the only one keeping them.

That day, as she stood in her wheelchair, helpless, Alejandro said, “Lucia, I can’t do this. I can’t stay with someone who’s… disabled.”

His words hurt more than the pain she had suffered following the car crash that changed their lives forever.

One moment they were buying things for the nursery of the child she carried, and in the next, Lucia found herself covered in blood in the middle of the road, unable to move her feet.

She knew she was no longer the woman she used to be, but she had never imagined that her husband would ever leave her. Not after everything they had been through together.

“But we love each other,” Lucia said through tears.

“We loved each other,” Alejandro said. “I loved a woman who could climb mountains, build a life with me. This isn’t the life I want.”

Lucia begged him to stay, saying there was still hope her condition would change, but Alejandro wouldn’t listen.

“Hope? There’s no miracle coming. I won’t spend my life pushing a wheelchair. You’re a burden, and I won’t carry it.”

He left without looking back.

Lucia spent her days locked inside her room. She didn’t even talk to her own mother. Alejandro’s words made her feel sorry for herself. She started feeling unworthy of any form of love. But then, a photo of Alejandro with another woman in the papers changed everything.

Before the crash, Lucia worked as a computer analyst and she was excellent at what she did. Without hesitating, she decided she won’t feel sorry for herself any longer. Instead, she purchased a new computer, and dedicated her time and energy in creating a powerful algorithm capable of predicting financial market movements with astonishing accuracy.

She was aware of the importance of her programme, but she didn’t want anyone to know that she was behind it, so she decided to use a pseudonym, Lady Europa, a stock market genius whose real identity remained hidden.

After a couple of months, Lucia’s program gained the attention of every powerful company. She stared making a name for herself while Alejandro’s business collapsed.

Desperate, he decided to turn to Lady Europa for help, and she agreed to meet him in her office where she only met with special and selected clients.

When Lucia’s wheelchair rolled into the light, his face went pale.

“Lucia…”

“Yes. The woman you once called a burden.”

Alejandro dropped to his knees, begging for forgiveness. But there was no place for forgiveness. She no longer loved him, and she still couldn’t overcome the pain his words had caused.

“If you want Lady Europa, I’ll negotiate. But Lucía, the woman you left crying in that hospital bed is gone. You don’t get her back.”

As he wept at her feet, she turned to the glowing screens. At that moment she understood that what Alejandro did to her only made her stronger and unstoppable.

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I gave part of my liver to my husband—Then learned it wasn’t for him

Daniel was everything I have ever dreamt of finding in a man. He was charming, fun, and loving, so it didn’t come as a surprise I wanted to spend my eternity with him.

Our life seemed picture perfect, but then, his battle with a fatty liver led to a devastating diagnosis — cirrhosis.

He wasn’t an alcoholic, but still, his condition progressed quickly, and by the end of the spring, he needed a life-saving transplant surgery. Without it, doctors only gave him six months to live.

We started looking for a match donor, not knowing that I was the perfect one. When I got tested and learned I could be the one saving my husband’s life, I didn’t hesitate even a bit. On the contrary, I was excited beyond words to give my husband a part of my liver.

The surgery went well but the recovery was brutal. I was hooked to machines while my body screamed from within. But I knew it was all worth it when I saw Daniel entering my room in a wheelchair, pale but alive.

Two days later, my surgeon said he needed to talk to me. I was expecting him to tell me I was finally doing fine and was ready to leave the hospital, but his words turned my world upside down.

“The liver wasn’t for him.”

I stared at him, stunned. “What do you mean?” I whispered.

He told me that there had been a last-minute change in transplant allocation; my liver had gone to another patient in critical condition, a different man, a powerful one. Daniel hadn’t received my liver at all.

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I felt like I couldn’t breathe. How was he alive? Why had he thanked me? What had I really sacrificed?

Dr. Patel explained that, by an incredible coincidence, a deceased donor liver became available that same night, and the hospital made an administrative decision to give it to Daniel instead.

“Daniel still received a transplant,” he said, “but not from you. A deceased donor liver became available that night.”

My chest tightened. “So Daniel… lied to me?”

“I can’t speak to what he knew,” Dr. Patel replied, “but you deserve full transparency, Mrs. Thompson.”

Later that day, Daniel was at my room again, and I needed to confront him.

“Daniel, whose liver did you get?”

He looked at me as though he had no idea what I was talking about. With a smile on his face, he said, “Yours, of course. Why do you ask such a strange question?”

The days that followed were excruciating, both physically and mentally.

Dr. Patel could see me struggling, so he approached one day and said, “Ask your husband about the foundation.”

That night, went through Daniel’s laptop. I’d never snoop, but something just pushed me. And that’s when I saw the emails with the Harper Foundation. It turned out my husband had planned it all and my liver was never for him. It had gone to some rich stranger.

I felt sick. Everything I thought I’d done for him… it had all been a lie.

I confronted him again, and this time, he didn’t even bother to lie but acted like I was overreacting. I felt completely used. My sacrifice, my pain, everything, it was just part of some plan for money and connections. I started digging through emails, hospital papers, talking to nurses quietly and realized it wasn’t just me. Other families had been tricked too.

The last straw was when I overheard Daniel on the phone, talking about “containing me” if I found out too much. That night, I packed a bag and left. My stitches still hurt, but I knew what I was doing.

I lost a part of my body, but I hadn’t lost myself. I promised I wouldn’t let this go. Instead, I was going to make sure people knew how I had been betrayed. Looking at my scar in the mirror, I whispered to myself, “This isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning.”

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New audio emerges of suspected Charlie Kirk assassin in online gaming footage

Following the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, the police arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

Robinson, who is being held without bail in a special housing unit at the Utah County Jail, is facing charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and committing violent crime in the presence of children.

When his friends from a chat group on Discord pointed out his resemblance to the killer depicted on the video footage released by authorities, Robinson joked that his “doppelganger” killed Kirk, adding that his look-alike was trying to “get me in trouble.”

In a now deleted and later retrieved YouTube video, Robinson could be heard laughing and joking with friends during a Minecraft livestream — a stark contrast to the confession prosecutors say he later gave about killing the Turning Point USA founder, Conservative Brief reported.

After a user misspells his online handle “Craftin,” Robinson could be heard asking, “Who put a G at the end of my name? What are you, a psychopath?” before achieving a milestone in the game.

According to court documents, Robinson left a message to his transgender roommate Lance Twiggs, whom he was also romantically involved with, that he did the killing in order to “protect him,” the publication writes.

Investigators uncovered a disturbing online footprint tied to Robinson, linking him to furry-themed pornography, the game Furry Shades of Gay, and the username “craftin247,” which he used across gaming and adult sites, including FurAffinity.

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Former classmates recalled him being called a “psychopath” in old gaming clips and noted his fixation with explicit, niche content. Authorities say his escalating online behavior, mixed with toxic gaming circles, may have shaped the mindset that led to Charlie Kirk’s murder that ignited nationwide outrage, fueling debates over youth radicalization, extremist behavior, and discussions around “transgender” issues.

Robinson’s online activity has heightened scrutiny of social media, gaming communities, and how content is moderated.

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Neuroscientist explains why Charlie Kirk raised his arms after being fatally shot

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Charlie Kirk was killed while hosting a debate at Utah Valley University.

The Turning Point USA co-founder and commentator was speaking before a large crowd when he was shot in the neck on Wednesday, September 10. 

Disturbing footage from the scene shows Kirk flinching in his seat as the crowd of around 3,000 people erupted in panic. Many who were there have since recounted the terrifying moment.

“We all dropped to the ground, and I want to say we sat like that for about 30 to 45 seconds, and then everyone around us got up and started running,” Emma Pitts, a reporter for Deseret News who attended the debate in Utah, told the BBC.

Authorities made an arrest regarding Kirk’s killing.

The alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old from Utah, shot Kirk from a rooftop about 200 yards from where he was speaking.

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People reports that “Robinson faces single counts of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, and violent offense in the presence of a child, along with two counts each of obstruction of justice and witness tampering.”

According to the publication, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced at a press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 16 that prosecutors will seek the death penalty.

Right after the targeted attack, disturbing videos of the father of two’s killing appeared on social media, many of them uncensored, showing blood pouring from the gunshot wound.

They show Charlie Kirk spreading his arms before dropping the mic and collapsing, and neuropsychologist Derek Van Schaik explained why his body reacted that way.

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“Many have speculated his arms moving upward towards his chest is due to a phenomenon known in forensic science as decorticate posturing,” he explained on YouTube recently. “However, that’s unlikely.”

Van Schaik explained the posture happens when “higher brain areas like the cerebral hemispheres are badly damaged,” which “cuts off voluntary motor control.”

“An immediate loss of blood to the brain does not typically result in immediate decorticate posturing,” he went on to reveal, however. “Instead, loss of blood to the brain would have led to rapid unconsciousness and flaccid collapse.

“Therefore, his arms instantly moving up like that after being hit was apparently due to an instant involuntary defensive reflex.”

Comparing the movement to how someone might react instinctively when scared, Van Schaik added that Kirk probably didn’t realize he was about to die when he responded like that.

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“When someone suffers a catastrophic wound to the neck that destroys a carotid artery and jugular vein, the mind only has a fleeting window to possibly register what happened,” he began.

“However, in Charlie’s case, and after analyzing the footage with a digital timer, he was conscious for no more than four tenths of a second after impact. Far too fast for his brain to even register what had happened to him.”

According to Van Schaik, the right-wing activist experienced “no panic, no dread” in his final moments.

“Only an abrupt blackout,” Van Schaik continued. “It was neurologically impossible for him to psychologically realise anything was wrong at all.”

Since Kirk lost consciousness very quickly, his brain had no time to perceive the pain.

“He absolutely did not know he was shot,” the neuroscientist concluded.

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I dressed as a homeless man and visited my own supermarket to see who deserved my inheritance – and then…

Throughout my life of ninety years, I’ve seen it and experienced it all. What started as a small corner shop in my youth turned into an empire, with my wife and I owning supermarkets all over the country.

However, after my wife died, I felt like I needed to retire and spend the rest of my days enjoying the time I had left.

But there was one thing. Someone needed to inherit my business and my money, and since my wife and I didn’t have children, I was hesitant whether to leave my fortune to some of my cousins’ children, my lawyers maybe, or even the board of directors.

And then it hit me. My assets and everything I had built needed to end up in the hands of a right person, so I made it my mission to figure out who could that person be.

One day, I dressed as a homeless person and visited some of my supermarkets. In each of them, I was kicked out by the managers and treated with utmost disrespect.

And then, just as I lost hope, Lewis Carter, a junior administrator, quietly took me to the staff lounge, and offered me coffee and a sandwich. He genuinely cared, and I saw kindness in his eyes and his actions.

That was all it took—I changed my will that night.

When I returned to the store in a suit, everyone suddenly acted like I was royalty. Lewis just gave me a little nod when he recognized me.

Later I found out he had a criminal record from when he was young. When I asked about it, he told me everything and said prison taught him respect.

When my family learned I changed my will, they were fuming. My niece even threatened to sue Lewis, calling him a conman and a thief. But I had made my mind, it was him who was getting everything.

But, to my surprise, Lewis didn’t want my money. Instead, he suggested that we started a foundation that would help people with a past who needed a second chance in life.

In no time, we founded the Hutchins Foundation for Human Dignity, and within a year, we opened food banks, hired former prisoners, gave grants to vets, and offered scholarships.

When I handed Lewis the papers, he said, “Character is who you are when no one’s looking. You saw me for who I am. I won’t waste this.”

I was at ease knowing my hard work and all the money I earned throughout my life ended in the right hands.

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Stray dog refuses to let go of her favorite stuffed toy

Nikki, a German Shepherd, used to walk the streets of Detroit, Michigan, with her owner, but as days passed by, the neighbors spotted her all by herself, with just a stuffed toy she wouldn’t let go of.

Sadly, her owner died, and she was now left all by herself.

Nikki carried her stuffed toy around dutifully, and it was a heartbreaking sight.

“Typically, a dog who’s a stray wouldn’t hold on to a stuffie. They wouldn’t put anything in their mouths, they would just look for food,” Gail Montgomery, cofounder and director of Almost Home Animal Rescue League, told The Dodo. “But this was her security.”

Almost Home Animal Rescue League

The lonely pup wandered the neighborhood for weeks, hoping to find a forever home. Neighbors gave her food and water as they searched for a rescue, finally reaching South Lyon Murphy Lost Animal Recovery.

Following several frustrating days of failed attempts, the rescue team succeeded, but even on the way to safety, Nikki clutched her treasured toy as if it were her lifeline.

Almost Home Animal Rescue League

“She felt like that was her comfort and her security,” Montgomery said. “It’s like she thinks that’s her binky.”

Not long after her rescue, Nikki walked into Almost Home Animal Rescue League with her worn stuffie. Both she and her toy needed care, and the team was determined to help.

While vets tended to Nikki, staff mended her cherished toy.

“It was extremely dirty and a total mess with rips in it and stuff like that,” Montgomery said. “We washed it, sewed it up and we gave it back to her.”

Almost Home Animal Rescue League

Once they shared Nikki’s story on the social media, people started sending a bunch of plush toys to the shelter.

“Everybody’s sending stuffies to her now,” Montgomery said. “We’ve got, like, a million of them!

“This dog is the sweetest dog you’ll ever meet in your life, and I’ve been doing this for 23 years,” Montgomery said. “There’s just something about her. I love her so much.”

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It didn’t take long before Nikki went into foster care. While she’s still undergoing medical treatments, her foster parents and caregivers are certain she will soon find a loving home.

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How Melania reacted to King Charles’ ‘cheeky’ joke

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were invited by King Charles to visit Britain, which marked their second visit of the country.

Upon touching the British soil, the couple were greeted by The Prince and Princess of Wales before meeting the king and the queen.

The visit was marked by a number of noteworthy moments, among them Camilla’s side-eye at Kate joining her conversation with Melania, and the king cracking a joke with Melania that many found rather amusing.

Truth is, many are aware of the humorous side of King Charles, and him making a witty comment upon greeting Melania became a much-discussed topic in the last couple of days.

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According to forensic lipreader Nicola Hickling, who spoke to Metro, Donald Trump opened with a formal greeting—“How are you doing, it’s a pleasure, Your Majesty. Thank you for inviting me.” King Charles then turned to the first lady and said jokingly, “I do hope the wind doesn’t blow away your hat.”

Melania’s response was a genuine, hearty laugh.

The first lady’s fashion statements have always been bold, and they often incorporated hats — which she clearly loves.

She wore a similar black hat at her husband’s Inauguration Day in January, and just like at that point, this time, her hat sparked debate.

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Stylist and Vogue contributor Marian Kwei is certain it was no accident that she selected that particular wide-brimmed hat for her meeting with King Charles and the other senior members of the Royal Family.

“The wide-brimmed hat that hides her face points to an attitude where she wants all eyes to be on her husband and his agenda while they are here,” Marian Kwei told the BBC.

The visit unfolded with full ceremonial grandeur. The king hosted the president for a review of a Guard of Honour representing three regiments of the Household Division in Windsor’s Quadrangle, after which the presidential couple laid a wreath at Queen Elizabeth II’s grave before ending the day with a lavish banquet at Windsor Castle.

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