DETROIT (WXYZ) — Hey, you're busy — we get it.
We know a lot happens throughout the week, and you may not catch all of our stories here at WXYZ. So we've decided to gather the most talked-about stories from the past week all in one place that you can check out during your free time over the weekend.
Have a story idea or tip? Feel free to let us know using the contact form below.
Here are the big stories from the week beginning March 10.
'Why not try to help?' Michigan State student receives kidney from fellow Spartan's mom
The most selfless thing you can do is donate your organ to a complete stranger. For Michelle Doer, that is exactly what she did for Michigan State University student Liam Clegg, who was in desperate need of a kidney.
We met Liam four months ago when he was in late-stage kidney failure, and he and his family were anxiously searching for a match to save Liam's life.
Shortly after, Liam met his donor match: Michelle Doer. Overall, he received over 180 donor applications from all over the country.
Michelle said she saw a post about Liam's urgent search for a kidney donor on Facebook and decided to send in an application.
“Really seeing Liam’s story, it was just kind of like, you know, this kid has so much life ahead of him… like why not try to help however I can," said Michelle.
Little did they know, they had a lot more in common than they thought.
Liam and Michelle don't just live in the same town, but Michelle's daughter, Ella, and Liam are both students at MSU.
“It made it even more special honestly that I was gonna be receiving this from somebody that I already have connections with and know through people," said Liam.
February 12 was the day Liam received the gift of life. He said he was relieved that the wait for a new kidney was over, and he could finally start getting back to a normal life.
“It’s definitely a hefty undertaking, I think there should be no shorting that, but you’re giving life to another person … you’re giving a life back. It’s a lot for you, but for them, you're giving the world,” said Liam.
Wyandotte mom-and-pop restaurant overwhelmed with business after heartfelt post
A mom-and-pop Italian restaurant in Wyandotte went viral on social media after a heartfelt felt Facebook post, and now business is out the door.
Debby Celia, co-owner of Gregorio's Restaurant, told 7 News Detroit there have been three record-breaking nights in a row since the post was written on Friday, March 7.
She and her husband, Greg, opened their business in 2003.
Debby Celia said she got the inspiration to write it after seeing a similar post written by a small business up north. As of this writing, her post has more than 5,200 shares
"I says look, we need help. It's been so bad during the week — three tables, four tables, six tables. It's not cutting my bills. We need help. So, I just did a simple post and I said please remember us when you go out. We're here," she explained.
She said, "Friday night and Saturday was our busiest nights we've ever had and that was incredible — ever, in 21 years."
The business was closed on Sunday and Monday as usual, so staff got a chance to recoup. But it was back to business Tuesday where they served up classic Italian dishes.
"And tonight is our busiest Tuesday night we've ever had. Beyond blessed," Debby Celia said.
She said she didn't expect the community's enormous response both online and showing up at her door.
"I've had to turn away so many tables because we can't accommodate 'em because we can't accommodate 'em, and they're like, 'Oh no. We'll be back. Ya know, we just wanna support you,'" Debby Celia said.
Troy teen with hearing loss swims through barriers, qualifies for 2025 USA Deaflympics Swim Team
For most all her life, 16-year-old Ava Pruden has had an insatiable love of swimming.
"I do remember the first meet," she told us. " I wasn’t that good of a swimmer, I was 5, but it was a lot of fun."
Ava swims next to all the other athletes at meets, she looks exactly the same, but to her, the sport sounds a bit different.
When they're hearing the starter horn, or the cheer of their family members, she's hearing near silence.
"I was born hearing, I passed my newborn hearing test, then we came back at 2 months we found out my brother and I had hearing loss," explained Ava.
She said, "There’s so many people on a team, the coaches can’t watch over everyone at once, so it’s my job to be able to speak up for myself for what I need."
Her head swim coach at Seaholm High School, Karl Hodgson told us, "It’s remarkable, I’m in awe every day."
He said that since meeting Ava, she has continued to advocate for herself, asking written instructions, and to be added to early morning swim practices.
In regards to how Ava receives practice instructions, Hodgson said "Everything is written on the board, or I have paper sheets made up in front of each lane so they can read."
Ava's mom, Julianne Pruden, told us that when Ava first started swimming she couldn't hear the starter horn like her competitors, "and she would look at everybody else when they would jump off and then she would go."
In light of this, Julianne said that they've worked to add strobe lights to signify the start of races, for those who can't hear the horn.
"She’s never given up," said Julianne. "There are times when she’s frustrated and I say, 'don’t worry, keep going, keep swimming as they say.'"
Date night + kids: Utica restaurant offering on-site child care while couples dine downstairs
A metro Detroit restaurant owner saw the need for parents to spend time together — and came up with a solution.
Host Utica has started offering something called Parents Night Out, an initiative where on specific nights they offer child care on their second floor while parents enjoy a date night, or solo dining, on their first floor.
"I originally thought about it and then I Googled, ‘is anybody else doing this?’ I only could find some restaurants in California that offer it," said Michael Ivkov, owner of Host Utica.
The restaurant has been open for a little over two years, but most recently people have been driving in from all over to visit thanks to the new initiative.
Parents Night Out or "PNO" happens on the second floor of Host on Tuesday through Thursday nights.
What is it? Restaurant on-site child care!
"So it’s $8 for the first hour and a half. If you want to stay longer, you can, we just charge an extra $3 for every half hour," he said.
The child care is open for children who can sit up on their own, up to the age of 12.
Parents must call a day in advance to make their reservation.
While their children are here, Michael says CPR-certified child care professionals will be watching them and parents can have food sent up if they like.
Road projects happening this year in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne Counties
The weather is getting warmer all across Metro Detroit, which means orange barrel season is here. On top of the I-696 closure, there are major road construction projects you need to know about.
The eastbound lanes of 12 Mile will be shutting down between Middlebelt and Inkster sometime in mid-April and lasting through July.
For those thinking they’ll go up to 13 Mile using Orchard Lake, you’ll hit orange barrels on Orchard Lake as well. It will only have one lane open in both directions, from June to November, between I-696 and 13 Mile Road.
In Macomb County, work on 10 Mile begins next Tuesday, the 18th, and lasts to November; between Lorraine and Ryan Road, in both Warren and Center Line. Eventually the road will close at the railroad tracks for 35 days for reconstruction.
Work continues on Garfield this year. Northbound traffic will be maintained on the southbound side. Southbound traffic will be detoured to Utica Road. The road will close sometime around Fraser School District’s spring break.
In Wayne County, work on Oakwood continues between Beech Street and Rotunda in Dearborn.
Work is underway to rebuild the Denton Bridge in Van Buren Township. That’s expected to open to traffic at the end of this year.
Family of 1892 shipwreck survivor shares their story after wreckage is discovered
After the wreckage of the Western Reserve was found 132 later, the family of the lone survivor is sharing their story.
For Frank Baxter of Algonac, being around water has long been important to his family. That includes his grandfather Harry W. Stewart, a wheelsman, who was the only person to survive the wreck of the Western Reserve. The ship sank in Lake Superior in 1892 and killed 27 people.
"It's hard for me to imagine this young man, what he went through relative to the shipwreck and then go back to sailing the rest of his life and becoming a captain," Baxter said.
For years, Baxter was among those hoping that the wreckage would one day be found.
"I have thought for the last few years that it's very likely at some point in time with the new technology," Baxter said.
Now, that hope has become reality.
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society said the sunken ship was first found in Lake Superior using Marine Sonic Technology side-scan sonar.
Annie Dennis said in recent years, she and her grandfather, Baxter, have bonded uncovering their family's history.
"I had a childhood interest in the Western Reserve. It's something that our family has been really curious about — this story — and what happened to the ship after all this time," Dennis said.
After seeing video of the ship underwater, Dennis said the tragedy of the wreck isn't lost on her family, but they are thankful for Harry W. Stewart.
Ypsilanti high school students to compete in NASA global culinary competition
A group of high school students from Ypsilanti are getting a chance to compete in a global competition involving NASA.
Lincoln High School student Brooklyn Rupert is a part of a culinary arts program for students at Lincoln and Ypsilanti High Schools. She and three other students are in the top 10 globally for a culinary competition put on by NASA HUNCH.
“I was on the team that went last year. We placed fifth in the world. I hope we get to place first or at least top three this year, so I’m coming back with a lot of steam,” she says.
To win the competition, students have to create a dish that astronauts can eat while in space. This year’s theme was pasta, so the girls chose to make Cajun fettuccine pasta.
“We had to figure out how to make pasta nutritionally safe because the astronauts can’t have much salt… or calories either,” said Ypsilanti High School student Eliie Madigan. “So what we’ve done here is use a combination of sodium flour for lower calories and bread flour because the gluten is what holds the pasta together.”
