Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Home Blog Page 439

80 years later, Battle of the Bulge heroes remind us why we must stand up to tyrants

0

Join Fox News for access to this content

Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account – free of charge.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

On the morning of Dec. 16, 1944, German soldiers burst through the mists and snows of Belgium’s dense Ardennes Forest to attack outnumbered American soldiers in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge, Hitler’s last bid to win World War II. 

My father served in the battle – which claimed 19,000 American lives and more than 89,000 total American casualties – and I just returned from a bipartisan, official visit to the battlefield to mark its 80th anniversary and personally thank the World War II veterans who fought there. 

Our visit was a powerful reminder that appeasing tyrants never works, and that the United States must continue to stand strong against tyrants like Vladimir Putin to keep America safe.

Adolf Hitler was the leader of Nazi Germany from 1933 until his suicide in 1945. (Getty Images )

By 1944, Hitler knew that he could not win the war outright. But he believed that after years of war, the Allies were growing weary. He made a last-ditch gamble that if he drove his troops between the American and British armies, he could break our will to fight and make us abandon our allies by agreeing to allow him to keep some of the territory that he had conquered in exchange for peace.

WORLD WAR II HEROES, AGES 100 AND 98, FOUGHT IN BATTLE OF THE BULGE, NOW ARE GRAND MARSHALS OF PHILLY PARADE

My dad didn’t talk much about his service but would occasionally hint at how hard the conditions were. The Germans attacked when thick clouds prevented any Allied air cover. In sub-freezing temperatures and with insufficient gear, soldiers marched through unforgiving, dense forests and deep snowbanks. Their weapons froze and an awful condition called trench foot slowed every step. The American lines bent and nearly broke. 

But Hitler underestimated Americans’ strength, courage and spirit. Our soldiers knew that they had to see the war through to the finish to rid the world of Hitler’s tyranny and preserve freedom. The battle, and soon the war, was won.

We can hear the echoes of the Battle of the Bulge as Putin tries to push further into Ukraine, attempting to divide and exhaust those who love liberty. There are differences, but the fraught conditions that the Ukrainians face today have parallels to the conditions faced by the heroes of the Bulge. And like Hitler, Putin knows that while he can no longer win the war outright, he can still secure victory if he breaks America’s resolve to stand against him. 

TIRED OF UKRAINE? REMEMBER SOUTH VIETNAM

Some suggest that it’s in America’s interest to abandon Ukraine. They’re wrong. Even when a war is halfway across the globe it affects us, just as Hitler’s invasion of Europe affected my dad and millions like him. 

As Hitler’s strength grew in the run-up to World War II, he threatened, in 1938, to invade Czechoslovakia. Hoping to appease Hitler and contain his aggression, British and French leaders signed the Munich Agreement, surrendering Czech territory to Germany. This only emboldened Hitler though, leading him to conquer not only Czechoslovakia, but then invade nearly all of Europe before America entered the war and finally defeated him.

Tyrants like Hitler and Putin value strength and capitalize on weakness. If we abandon Ukraine now, Ukraine will likely be forced to take a deal that only emboldens Putin. Tyrants and terrorists in Iran, North Korea and China will take notice and try to exploit what will be seen as blatant American weakness. 

The better choice is to stand with our allies so that Ukraine can be in a strong position to determine its own future. Now is the time to show Putin and our adversaries across the globe that America’s resolve cannot be broken.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

The heroes of the Battle of the Bulge left us with an important lesson: Tyranny on the march is only turned back through strength, and freedom belongs to the brave — and to the wise. By the time America entered the war, Hitler had been strengthened by those who declined to confront him when he first rose to power. 

At the 80th anniversary ceremony at the Luxembourg American Cemetery, John Foy, a Battle of the Bulge veteran, reminded us that, by that point, “the freedoms we cherish came at a terrible cost.”

At that cemetery, I was honored to recognize the heroes of the Bulge by laying the Senate’s wreath as part of the commemoration ceremony. I reflected on the ways in which much has changed since 1944, and that the ranks of the living WWII veterans have grown thinner. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

It’s been 80 years since the final shots of the Battle of the Bulge rang out. It’s been decades since my dad asked me at the breakfast table, “What are you doing for freedom today?”

The heroes of the Battle of the Bulge still call to us. Their example of strength and courage still rings true. We cannot be the first generation of Americans to turn from them, retreat in the face of tyrants and fail to heed their calls. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM SEN. MAGGIE HASSAN

5 major Alzheimer’s discoveries scientists made in 2024

0

Join Fox News for access to this content

Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account – free of charge.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

With an estimated 6.9 million Americans aged 65 and older currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, the road to a cure seems long and uncertain.

But as the year comes to a close, experts are reflecting on some of the hopeful advances in diagnosis, treatment and risk management that have been made in 2024.

The Alzheimer’s Association — a Chicago-based nonprofit committed to Alzheimer’s research, care and support — shared its top five significant discoveries from the year.

DEMENTIA REPORT REVEALS ‘SHOCKING’ SIGNS AT AGE 60 THAT YOU’LL DEVELOP THE DISEASE BY AGE 80

1. Third new Alzheimer’s drug is approved

2024 saw a new drug enter the dementia landscape, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Kisunla (donanemab) in July.

This was the third new approval since 2021.

The Alzheimer’s Association — a Chicago-based nonprofit committed to Alzheimer’s research, care and support — shared its top five significant discoveries from the year. (iStock)

Kisunla, which is made by Eli Lilly, is designed to “slow progression and change the underlying course of the disease,” according to the Association’s press release.

The once-monthly injection is intended for adults with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease.

This is the first medication to target amyloid plaques — the proteins that build up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, often impairing memory and cognitive function — with evidence to support stopping therapy when amyloid plaques are removed, a company release stated.

‘HIDDEN’ FAT COULD PREDICT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE UP TO 20 YEARS BEFORE SYMPTOMS, RESEARCH FINDS

“This is real progress,” said Alzheimer’s Association President and CEO Dr. Joanne Pike in a statement shared with Fox News Digital at the time. 

“[This FDA] approval allows people more options and greater opportunity to have more time. Having multiple treatment options is the kind of advancement we’ve all been waiting for.” 

2. Blood tests could improve speed and accuracy of diagnosis

Research this year has helped move Alzheimer’s blood tests closer to being used in physicians’ offices.

Studies have shown that blood tests can achieve a higher accuracy of diagnosis, which could help fast-track patients’ access to clinical trials and treatments, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

“This is real progress.”

“Blood tests for Alzheimer’s are demonstrating in research that they could significantly improve a clinician’s accuracy and confidence, provide greater accessibility and a reason for more communication,” the same source stated.

In one study reported this year, a specific blood test was around 90% accurate in identifying Alzheimer’s in patients with cognitive symptoms seen in primary care and at specialized memory care clinics, per the Association.

3. Individuals and caregivers want more support post-diagnosis

People who are newly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers need more support in navigating the health care system.

That’s according to a 2024 Alzheimer’s Association survey, which found that 97% of dementia caregivers expressed a desire for those support systems. 

Amyloid beta

2024 saw the approval of the first medication to target amyloid plaques, the proteins that build up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and often impair memory and cognitive function. (iStock)

A majority of dementia caregivers (70%) also noted that “coordination of care is stressful.”

To help address this, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in July 2024 launched an eight-year pilot program in dementia care management, called the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) model.

DEMENTIA RISK COULD BE LINKED TO WALKING SPEED, STUDY SUGGESTS

The program aims to work with health care systems to provide supportive services to people living with dementia and their caregivers, with a focus on helping patients remain in their homes and communities, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

4. Wildfire smoke raises risk of dementia

Air pollution has been linked to an increased risk of dementia, according to 2024 research. 

The 10-year study, which was presented during the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia in July, found that wildfire smoke can be “particularly hazardous” for brain health.

Woman caregiver

A 2024 Alzheimer’s Association survey found that 97% of dementia caregivers expressed a desire for those support systems.  (iStock)

The research included more than 1.2 million people in southern California, an area that experiences frequent wildfire activity.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP      

Air pollution produced by wildfires could be more hazardous to health because it is produced at higher temperatures, contains a greater concentration of toxic chemicals, and is smaller in diameter than other sources, the Alzheimer’s Association stated. 

5. Alzheimer’s causes physical changes in the brain

In June 2024, scientists and clinicians published research that showed physical changes that happen in the brain due to Alzheimer’s disease.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“Defining diseases by the biology has long been standard in many areas of medicine — including cancer, heart disease and diabetes,” the Alzheimer’s Association wrote. 

Alzheimer's patient - brain scans

In June 2024, scientists and clinicians published research that showed physical changes that happen in the brain due to Alzheimer’s disease. (iStock)

“The new publication defines Alzheimer’s as a biological process that begins with brain changes before people exhibit memory and thinking problems.”

These brain changes were found to come ahead of the typical outward symptoms, such as memory loss, confusion, disorientation and trouble with planning or organizing.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Additional research and support resources from the Alzheimer’s Association can be found at www.alz.org.

Brooklyn homeless shelter worker stabbed to death by masked suspect

0

An employee of a Brooklyn homeless shelter was brutally stabbed outside the facility on Thursday night, say police.

The ghastly incident unfolded at a Days Inn hotel that had been converted into a shelter by the city on East New York Avenue in the Brownsville neighborhood.

NYC DAD OUTRAGED OVER PLAN TO OPEN HOMELESS SHELTER NEXT TO SON’S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Migrants arrive at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, New York on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital )

The still unnamed employee, 35, came under attack at approximately 6:20 p.m., and subsequently ran into the building for help. He was stabbed multiple times in the neck and abdomen, and was bleeding profusely in the lobby upon the arrival of medics, who transported him to Brookdale Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Emergency Medical Team of the Fire Department of New York

Emergency Medical Team of the Fire Department of New York (Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)

Police are seeking a male suspect, dressed in black, who was wearing a baseball cap and ski mask.

As of yet, there is no information on what precipitated the gruesome attack, but the area has seen multiple hotels converted into housing for the homeless, and has dealt with a fair share of violent crime in the past.

eric adams

NYC Mayor Eric Adams sits down for an interview with Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum. ((Fox News / The Story))

One neighbor stated in remarks to the New York Post that, “They turned all the hotels around here into shelters during COVID. There are four or five more around here. A lot of stabbings. A lot of trouble.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

New York City has been grappling with violent crime on its streets and public transport, a problem only exacerbated by a surge of illegal immigrants arriving without shelter. Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly expressed frustration with the federal government and argued that the city lacks the resources to care for them.

Since April of 2022, an estimated 220,000 migrants have poured into the city, with over 58,000 currently being cared for by New York City’s taxpayers, per reports from City Hall.

Human remains found washed ashore in Southern California

0

Join Fox News for access to this content

You have reached your maximum number of articles. Log in or create an account FREE of charge to continue reading.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Authorities in Southern California found additional human remains Thursday, a day after a human leg was found on a shoreline near where a capsized vessel with two fishermen washed up earlier this week.

Officers with the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department responded to a call around 8:20 a.m. on Christmas Day when someone spotted the appendage, Fox Los Angeles reported. 

On Thursday, authorities found a second human leg and a femur, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

TEEN BROTHERS MISSING AFTER WEEKEND DUCK-HUNTING EXCUSRSION GOES HORRIBLY WRONG

A resident walks next to a rocky coastline in Palos Verdes. Human remains were discovered in the coastal city this week.  (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The remains have not been identified. Palos Verdes Estates Police Capt. Aaron Belda told the newspaper that the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office will try to identify the remains that were found and determine if they are connected to the capsized boat incident that occurred Dec. 23.

WISCONSIN KAYAKER ACCUSED OF FAKING HIS OWN DEATH, FLEEING COUNTRY CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTION

The  two men went fishing aboard a small boat Monday afternoon and were reported missing the following day. 

Their boat was found overturned near a rocky shoreline in Palos Verdes Estates, the U.S. Coast Guard said. A Coast Guard search was conducted Christmas Eve but was suspended on Wednesday because of dangerous conditions, the Times reported. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Last month, a human skull and bones washed ashore in the same area where the most recent remains were found. Belda said it’s unclear if the femur recently found is connected to that case, according to the Times. 

Hochul signs bill that will charge energy firms $75B, but critics say customers will really foot the tab

0

Today New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law the Climate Change Superfund Act, which will charge oil and gas firms an estimated $75 billion over the next 25 years. The controversial measure, sponsored by Senator Liz Krueger and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz, is modeled on federal and state superfund laws, which charge firms accused of pollution.

While environmental groups heralded the legislation, business groups argued that it will increase the cost of doing business in the state and that consumers will ultimately bear the brunt in terms of higher energy prices.

WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO GAS PRICES IF BIDEN ISSUES NEW SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIAN ENERGY SECTOR?

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“The Climate Change Superfund Act is now law,” said Senator Krueger. “Too often over the last decade, courts have dismissed lawsuits against the oil and gas industry by saying that the issue of climate culpability should be decided by legislatures. Well, the Legislature of the State of New York – the 10th largest economy in the world – has accepted the invitation, and I hope we have made ourselves very clear: the planet’s largest climate polluters bear a unique responsibility for creating the climate crisis, and they must pay their fair share to help regular New Yorkers deal with the consequences.”

However, critics have deemed the bill impractical and contend that it will be subject to protracted legal challenges.

“What would you have them do? Not sell fuel in New York State,” said Ken Pokalsky, vice president of the New York State Business Council. 

Liz_Krueger_NY

New York State Sen. Liz Krueger, D-Manhattan. (Getty)

A group of business and industry leaders also lambasted the measure: “This legislation is bad public policy that raises significant implementation questions and constitutional concerns. Moreover, its $75 billion price tag will result in unintended consequences and increased costs for households and businesses.”

However, Gov. Hochul heralded the legislation as a victory for the state’s citizens, stating that the funds will be used for climate mitigation efforts.

“This bill would allow the state to recoup $75 billion from major polluters…For too long New Yorkers have borne the costs of the climate crisis, which is impacting every part of the state.”

The bill will result in significant assessments for both domestic and foreign energy producers, with Saudi Aramco of Saudi Arabia likely facing the largest charge at $640 million a year, while state-owned Mexican firm Pemex will be looking at a $193 million annual charge.

Lukoil gas station.

Russia’s Lukoil will likely face charges of around $100 million per year.

The assessments are based on estimated yearly CO2 emissions, measured in millions of tons of greenhouse gases.

In total, 38 firms deemed carbon polluters will be on the hook, including American oil giants Exxon and Chevron, the UK’s Shell and BP, and Brazil’s Petrobras.

Critics of the legislation have also noted the potential difficulty in collecting the stipulated assessments from foreign firms.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

The bill is also concerning consumer advocacy groups in light of its implementation in conjunction with other new measures which stand to greatly affect commuters and consumers:

“We also note this measure would come on the heels of the reinstatement of congestion pricing in New York City, and in advance of the Environmental Department’s pending `cap and invest’ rule, which combined will also impose billions of dollars in new assessments on fossil fuel usage, impacting a wide range of consumers,” stated bill opponents.

Top Canada leaders to meet with Trump aids to discuss tariffs

0

Two top Canadian ministers headed to President-elect Trump’s home in Florida on Thursday to talk about border security and trade as the incoming president’s inauguration day nears.

New Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly will be in Palm Beach, Florida on Thursday for the talks this week, Jean-Sébastien Comeau, a spokesperson for LeBlanc, told the Associated Press.

Comeau said that LeBlanc alongside Joly will meet with Tom Homan, Trump’s incoming “border czar,” after Christmas to discuss Canada’s plan to secure the border as part of a bid to avoid sweeping tariffs.

The spokesperson said LeBlanc and Joly “look forward to building on the discussions that took place when the Prime Minister met with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago last month, as well as the positive call the Ministers held with Mr. Tom Homan earlier this month.”

TRUMP SUGGESTS CANADA BECOME 51ST STATE AFTER TRUDEAU SAID TARIFF WOULD KILL ECONOMY: SOURCES

US President Donald Trump (L) talks with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the plenary session of the NATO summit at the Grove Hotel in Watford, northeast of London. (NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images)

Along with discussing border security, the Canadian leaders hope to center talks on fentanyl trafficking and “negative impacts” of Trump’s tariffs on goods.

“The Ministers intend to focus on Canada’s efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking and illegal migration and the measures outlined in Canada’s Border Plan, as well as the negative impacts that the imposition of 25% tariffs on Canadian goods would have on both Canada and the United States,” Comeau added in a statement.

Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on imports from Canada when he takes office in January unless the country reduces the flow of migrants and fentanyl into the U.S.

Trump and Trudeau meeting

US President Donald Trump (R) shakes hands with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a meeting at Winfield House, London on Dec. 3, 2019. (Getty Images)

Trump has made snide remarks about Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media, referring to the ally as “Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada.”

TRUMP WEIGHS IN ON POLITICAL TURMOIL IN THE ‘GREAT STATE OF CANADA,’ TROLLS ‘GOVERNOR JUSTIN TRUDEAU’

The statement on Christmas Day came after Trump suggested to Trudeau that if tariffs on Canada would kill its economy, then perhaps Canada should become the 51st U.S. state. 

Canada's flag

Canadian flag. ( Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on Canadian imports, meanwhile, have unnerved Canada, which is highly integrated with the U.S. economy. 

About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports as well. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian – or $2.7 billion U.S. – worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Trump team for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Man arrested for disrupting Christmas church services, pouring whiskey into holy water: deputies

0

A Maryland man was arrested after he disrupted two local churches’ Christmas Eve services, including pouring whiskey into the holy water.

The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office announced that Thomas Campbell Bolling Von Goetz, 56, of Avenue, was arrested and charged with several offenses after he caused a scene during religious services and endangered citizens. 

Shortly after 5 pm on Christmas Eve, deputies said Von Goetz entered Holy Angels Catholic Church in Avenue during a Mass and approached the altar and dropped an onion in the aisle, disturbing the peace of those attending. 

Deputies said a witness followed Von Goetz as he exited the church to make sure he was leaving and saw him then assault another person by throwing tangerines at him. 

PRANKSTER ARRESTED AFTER REPORTEDLY FILMING HIMSELF SPRAYING FOOD AT WALMART: ‘RECKLESS’

A Maryland man is accused of disrupting Christmas Eve church services and disturbing parishioners.  (St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office)

Later that night, deputies said Von Goetz struck again, this time, during Midnight Mass at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Leonardtown.

Deputies said Von Goetz disrupted the service by pouring whiskey into the holy water and threatened to harm parishioners.

THIEVES STEAL 2,500 PIES IN ODD FOOD HEIST GONE WRONG: ‘SO MUCH WASTE’

BAGHDAD, IRAQ - APRIL 7: Worshippers pray at a service for Pope John Paul II on April, 7, 2005 at a Catholic church in Baghdad, Iraq. Pope John Paul II died at his residence in the Vatican on April 2, aged 84 years old. His funeral will be held in St. Peter's Square on Friday, April 8. Cardinals under the age of 80 will start the conclave on April 18, where a new Pope will be chosen. (Photo by Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images)

BAGHDAD, IRAQ – APRIL 7: Worshippers pray at a service for Pope John Paul II on April, 7, 2005 at a Catholic church in Baghdad, Iraq. Pope John Paul II died at his residence in the Vatican on April 2, aged 84 years old.  His funeral will be held in St. Peter’s Square on Friday, April 8. Cardinals under the age of 80 will start the conclave on April 18, where a new Pope will be chosen. (Photo by Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images) (2005 Getty Images)

As church attendees escorted him from the building, deputies said he attempted unsuccessfully to hit several individuals with a whiskey bottle. 

Parishioners were able to detain Von Goetz until deputies arrived.

FLORIDA MAN ARRESTED AFTER PRETENDING TO BE UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICER TO AVOID BACKGROUND CHECK

In this Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 photo, Lavon Ferrell, left front, attends Sunday Mass at Saint Mary the Virgin Catholic Church in Arlington, Texas. The conservative church became a Roman Catholic church in 1994 after it left the Episcopal Church. (AP Photo/Amy Gutierrez)

In this Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 photo, Lavon Ferrell, left front, attends Sunday Mass at Saint Mary the Virgin Catholic Church  in Arlington, Texas. The conservative church became a Roman Catholic church in 1994 after it left the Episcopal Church. (AP Photo/Amy Gutierrez)

Von Goetz was then transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation. 

On December 26, 2024, deputies said Von Goetz was arrested and charged with Second-Degree Assault, Disorderly Conduct, Defacing Religious Property, Religious Crime Against a Group, Obstructing a Religious Exercise, Threat of Mass Violence and Disturbing the Peace.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

He is currently being held at St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center, pending an appearance before a District Court Commissioner.

Stepheny Price is writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected]

Retired NFL kicker Martin Gramatica shares heart-wrenching details about ‘abusive father’

0

During his decade-long NFL career, Martin Gramatica kicked for four different teams.

Gramatica last appeared in an NFL game in 2008, the second year of his two-year stint with the New Orleans Saints. 

Now 49, Gramatica opened up about his past during a sitdown with TMZ to discuss his memoir, “Beyond The Uprights: The Intimate Memoir Of Martin Gramatica.”

Gramatica opened up about what he experienced during his childhood, particularly the tense relationship he had with his father.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Retired kicker Martin Gramatica of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers watches pregame ceremonies during a game against the San Francisco 49ers Dec. 15, 2013, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. (Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images))

The Super Bowl-winning kicker described his father as “abusive”

“I had a very abusive father that I speak about,’ Gramatica told the outlet.

C.J. STROUD RESPONDS TO FANS BOOING DURING TEXANS’ DEMORALIZING LOSS: ‘PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINIONS’

But he stressed he didn’t talk or write about his past, seeking sympathy. 

“I want to make sure people don’t read the book and say, ‘Feel sorry for me,’ because everything that I lived, it made me a better person and made me a better father,” Gramatica said.

Martin Gramatica runs out of the tunnel

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Martin Gramatica runs out of the tunnel before a game against the Cleveland Browns at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., Aug. 29, 2015. (Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)

Gramatica said his father provided an example of the type of relationship he did not want to have with his own children.

“It made me know what not to do with my kids. I want to make sure that if somebody reads the book and realizes, ‘I need to break this,’ and I want somebody to realize it sooner than when I did. I didn’t realize how bad it was until I had my first son when Nico was born.”

Nico Gramatica is a placekicker for the South Florida Bulls.

Martin Gramatica kicks during an NFL game

Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Martin Gramatica follows through on a first-quarter, 24-yard field goal Aug. 23, 2003, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. (Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Martin’s challenging relationship with his father led to an agreement between Martin and his siblings.

“I love that kid so much that you’re thinking, ‘How can I ever do what my father did to me?’ So, that’s what I feel. I talked to my brothers, and we made a pact. We got to break this,” Martin noted.

“We haven’t spoken [to our dad] since because we just don’t want that type of abuse around our families. I have three kids. My brother Santiago has two kids. So, we don’t want that around our kids. That’s what the book’s about.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Gramatica kicked for Kansas State before making the leap to the NFL in 1999. He spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning the Super Bowl with the Bucs in 2002. 

He ended his professional football career with a 76.4% career field goal percentage.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

WWE star CM Punk rips Bears’ leadership amid team’s disappointing season

0

Phillip Brooks, better known by his WWE ring name, CM Punk, is not happy with the state of his hometown NFL team.

Punk, who was born in Chicago, aired some of his grievances with the Bears during a guest appearance on Netflix’s NFL coverage Christmas Day.

“Nothing’s going to change until the McCaskeys sell the team. I said it,” Punk said in reference to the family that inherited ownership of the Bears from team founder George Halas several decades ago. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

CM Punk enters the Hell in the Cell ring to face Drew McIntyre during “Monday Night RAW” at Ford Center Sept. 30, 2024, in Evansville, Ind. (WWE/Getty Images)

“We’re live on Netflix, I don’t care. I’ve been there. Oh, Lovie Smith is going to change the Bears. Oh, Trubisky is going to change the Bears. Then, we trade up and we lose [Patrick] Mahomes.”

ROOKIE QB CALEB WILLIAMS IS FRUSTRATED WITH LOSING, AND SO ARE BEARS FANS

While quarterback Mitch Trubisky finished his four-year run in Chicago with more than 10,000 passing yards, his tenure was viewed as a disappointment.

General view of a Bears helmet

A Chicago Bears helmet during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 22, 2024. (Denny Medley/USA Today Sports)

“We’re going to just walk off the set and let you rant,” pregame show co-host Devin McCourty said.

“Mahomes right now. No, he’d be on the Bears. Sorry,” Punk responded. 

Trubisky was the second overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, when the Kansas City Chiefs used the tenth overall selection for Mahomes. In April, the Bears had the draft’s first overall pick after trading the 2023 top pick to the Carolina Panthers. This year, the Bears kept the pick and selected USC Trojans standout Caleb Williams.

Caleb Williams sits on bench

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams sits on the bench in the closing minutes of a game.  (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Williams has struggled at times this season. 

The Bears enter Thursday night’s game against the Seattle Seahawks with a 4-11 record. The Bears have already been eliminated from playoff contention and parted ways with coach Matt Eberflus last month.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

But Punk, a self-proclaimed “Chicago sports fan,” suggested the franchise’s shortcomings should fall at the feet of the team’s leadership. 

“I’m a Chicago sports fan,” Punk said. “And, ladies and gentlemen, it doesn’t get any lower than that right now.”

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Mother of Oxford High School shooter requests to be released from prison

0

Jennifer Crumbley, the convicted mother of the Oxford school shooter, requested that a judge release her from prison, maintaining it would be “grossly unfair and unjust” to keep her locked up during her ongoing appeals process.

The request to be released came after Crumbley was convicted on four counts of involuntary manslaughter for the shooting son, Ethan, carried out on Nov. 30, 2021. The shooting at Oxford High School killed Tate Myre, 16; Justin Shilling, 16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and injured seven others. Her husband, James Crumbley, was later convicted on the same charges.

Crumbley’s attorney, Michael Deszi, filed a motion in the Oakland County Circuit Court on Thursday, arguing that Crumbley is not a “flight risk” and “poses no danger to the public.”

“This case has been bungled starting with the prosecution’s overreaching charge of involuntary manslaughter of a parent for the intentional criminal acts of her son who was charged and treated as an adult in the eyes of the law,” Deszi wrote in the court filing. 

JENNIFER CRUMBLEY TRIAL: MICHIGAN JURY FINDS SCHOOL SHOOTER’S MOM GUILTY OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER

Ethan Robert Crumbley, 15, charged with first-degree murder in a high school shooting, poses in a jail booking photograph taken at the Oakland County Jail in Pontiac, Michigan. (Oakland County Sheriff)

Deszi argued that Crumbley should not have to be locked up until her case reaches the Michigan Supreme Court.

“… It would be grossly unfair and unjust to keep Mrs. Crumbley locked up for years while this matter proceeds slowly — likely for years — before the appellate courts,” Dezsi wrote, noting she has already been locked up for more than three years.

MICHIGAN SCHOOL SHOOTER’S MOTHER JENNIFER CRUMBLEY CALLED SON AN ‘OOPSIE BABY,’ WITNESS SAYS

“Given the overtly tenuous nature of these charges, the prosecution should not reap the reward of a lengthy unlawful incarceration before the Michigan Supreme Court can hear and decide this case,” he said.

Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of Ethan Crumbley, a teenager accused of killing four students in a shooting at Oxford High School, appear in court.

James and Jennifer Crumbley appear in court, Rochester Hills, Michigan, Feb. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

In a statement on Thursday, Oakland County’s Chief Assistant Prosecutor David Williams said Jennifer Crumbley needed to stay locked up due to her actions – not the actions of her then-15-year-old son.

“Jennifer Crumbley was tried by a jury of her peers for her own actions and inactions leading to the shooting at Oxford High School — not for the actions of her son,” he said.

MICHIGAN MOM ON TRIAL FOR SON’S DEADLY SHOOTING MASSACRE RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT PARENT CULPABILITY IN SHOOTINGS

“A jury of 12 individuals listened to testimony and reviewed countless pieces of evidence before they unanimously found her guilty as charged, and she was sentenced by the judge accordingly,” he said. “This was an egregious set of facts that resulted in a conviction along with a 10-15-year prison sentence.”

A vigil for the victims of the Oxford High School shooting

Four students were killed, and seven others injured on November 30, when student Ethan Crumbley opened fire at Oxford High School. (Scott Olson)

The Crumbley parents made history as the first parents to be convicted for a mass shooting committed by tha mass shooting eir child.

Jennifer was sentenced to serve between 10 and 15 years in prison after an Oakland County courtroom heard evidence arguing the now-46-year-old neglected her son’s cries for help over the years leading up to the shooting. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

She and James also showed up at Oxford High on the same day Ethan shot people in the hallways to discuss violent images the then-15-year-old drew on a worksheet in class with school administrators, but they left and went back to work shortly afterward. 

Earlier this month, Jennifer Crumbley asked the court to overturn her conviction or grant her a new trial.

Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.