From fighting inside the ring to making a difference outside... a local wrestling group says they are achieving many goals through their organization.

Pure Pro Wrestling is based out of a Goodrich, Michigan barn.

"Whose barn is this?" I asked.

"This is mine, this is the family farm that I grew up on," said Joe Byrd.

The founder and head coach, Joe Byrd, started the company 15 years ago as a side hustle, primarily to help raise funds for charities.

"Around recession time in 07, I had lost my job, and I was sitting around and collecting unemployment checks and I thought to myself, I really don't want to go back into the sales world. So, what if I took a shot at this wrestling company and I started investing all my unemployment checks into wrestling shows and I never looked back," Joe said.

What started with 6 wrestlers... is now 50 strong.

"How is business?" I asked.

"We are the largest professional wrestling company in the state of Michigan. We are the only one that tours and offers family-friendly pro wrestling," Joe said.

The company supports many charities including Xceptional Heroes, and Toys 4 Tots among others. But there is more goodness to this place than meets the eye.

"Aint no time like father time," said Father Time, a wrestler at Pure Pro Wrestling.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"If I tell you that I will have to kill you. Im younger than 80, older than 70," said Father Time.

Father Time joined the company 4 years ago. A passion from his twenties that kept fading away.

"Things kept happening. Ive had 3 strokes, two bouts with cancer. I can see nothing but light in my left eye. And I can barely see you with my right eye," said Father Time.

"What motivated you to say, you know what? Im not going to let this stop me," asked Faraz.

"Anybody with a disability, we have an edge on anybody we call normal. Because when they get up they just do. But when we get up, we have to fight. And thats what Father Time does.. He gets up in the morning, and he is looking for something to overcome." said Father Time.

Penny P, the Knockout Nerd, is another unstoppable force in the ring.

"And John Cena has been your inspiration?" I asked.

"Yes, his thing of never giving up, that phrase itself kept me going," Penny said.

The 22-year-old is a sexual assault survivor.

"It started really young; I was probably 5 or 6. And I have talked about this since the court case. That court case ended in August of last year. When all that was going on, I was here. I was training, using wrestling as a therapy," Penny said.

"Words cant describe your bravery and how courageous you are. It also shows me no matter how strong a person is from the outside, you just dont know what they are going through inside," I said.

No, not a lot of people know Im a SA survivor and i got this really pretty tattoo," Penny said

But more than that, she has finally found her family here.

"Do you secretly wish at some point you can say you can't see me?" I asked.

"Oh Absolutely, but that's John Cenas trademark and I'm not going to steal it from him," Penny said.

"Going into this, did you ever think you would end up changing lives?" I asked.

"I think when you go out and do something like performance art, which is what pro wrestling is, it's so therapeutic in nature," Joe said.

To learn more about Pure Pro Wrestling and their upcoming events, as well as to join their wrestling program, head to www.pureprowrestling.net

The Paczki Day Party kicked off today with Polish treats and feasts at Eastern Market.

Thousands of people attended the one-day event, which traditionally paves the way for Fat Tuesday.

45-year-old Rodney Srodek moved to Michigan from Poland in 1985.

"I love my Polish heritage," said Rodney.

"What do you love about it?" I asked

"The family aspect, Polish music, and Polish food," Rodney replied.

Rodney is the proud owner of Srodek's, an establishment that dates back to 1981.

"My grandparents started this shop. We have two bricks and mortars... Food truck, I started probably around 11 years ago," said Rodney.

"What is your specialty?" I asked.

"Pierogi and Kiszka," Rodney said.

"What makes your food authentic?" I asked.

"My great grandmother's recipe... it's passed down," Rodney said.

And that's why hundreds of people were in Detroit's Eastern Market to dive into Polish heritage as part of the annual Paczki Day Party.

"What's the one aspect of this event that you love?" I asked an attendee.

"I believe it's the Polish Vodka, their Paczki vodka and Paczki itself." Mike said.

Husband and Wife, Mike and Anne Wyszczelski attend the event yearly to pay tribute to their Polish roots.

"What's the secret recipe for being married for 35 years?" I asked.

"Lots of Polish Vodka," said Anne.

"Polish food," said Mike.

It turns out the party's host, Detroit City Distillery's top-selling item, is derived from something Polish.

"7 years ago, Steve, the boss of the distillery, went to Hamtramck and got 6 dozen Paczki. Through that, we create Paczki Day Vodka. That started super niche. A couple of hundred bottles, and now it's expanded to thousands of bottles across the state," Ryan said.

Even though this event wrapped up today, The Distillery's Ryan Klosowski says thousands of people attend the one-day event, and every year, it gets bigger and better.

"It's just something we really look forward to every year," said Ryan.

This year, Fat Tuesday falls on March 4th, and the city of Hamtramck is all set once again to celebrate the Polish culture.

Francine Williams is the proud owner of the Williams Healthcare Training Center in Southfield.

"But you go by the name of Nurse Fran?" I asked.

"That is correct," said Fran.

A Black-owned business that trains Home Health Aides and teaches CPR, but the biggest thing that Fran takes pride in is the Center's Certified Nursing Assistant program.

"They are so essential because they are at the bedside," said Fran.

"You've been a CNA for 4 years and a registered nurse for 12 years; how did you even come to this point?" I asked.

"Working on the floor, I've seen so many adequacies with some of the CNAs. And it was due to lack of skills and lack of training," Fran said.

"Is there a shortage right now for CNAs?" I asked.

"Aside from there being a national shortage, there is a huge shortage in Michigan. It's projected that nearly 20,000 positions will open within the next few years. And that's simply due to the aging population. And the CNAs currently in the field are leaving to pursue other careers such as nursing," Fran said.

That's why Fran is on a mission: to help aspiring CNAs.

Newly enrolled in the program, 37-year-old Brittni Johnson has always wanted to be a caregiver.

"What was holding you back?" I asked.

"Being able to pay for it was a lot of it," Brittni said.

After working in the restaurant industry for 15 years, the mom of five can finally turn her dream into reality.

"How do you think this is going to change your life?" I asked.

"I think it's going to open up doors for my family to see that it's never too late to learn more about things that you are passionate about," Brittni said.

"Your family must be really proud of you," I mentioned.

"Absolutely! Cheerleading all the way," said Brittni.

"Who is your biggest fan?" I followed up with.

"My friend Jackie Spencer. Cause she came through this program, she believed in me. And I'm grateful to her for opening up this chance," Brittni said.

Brittni's friend Jackie, who also became a CNA at the Center, shared Brittni's hardship with Fran.

"I can relate with that because that's life. Not everyone is born with the funds and opportunities for what they want to do," Fran said.

Fran encouraged Brittni to apply for the Center's scholarship. As a result, the program is 100% covered by the Center.

"You know the bills don't stop... there have obviously been times in my personal life where I'm like, where do I go career-wise?" Brittni said.

As the Center continues giving back to the community, Fran says over the 2 years, the program has produced over 150 CNAs.

"My next goal is to create a licensed Licensed Practical Nurse program, which would be the next step for CNAs," said Fran.

Meanwhile, Fran and Brittni's message is simple: it's never too late to accomplish your dreams. Plus, Fran says she is willing to work with anyone who steps through the Center's door to kick start their caregiving journey.

To learn more, head to this website.

The water is 34 degrees, and it's frigid in Grosse Ile. But that didn't stop people from taking a polar plunge. Around 20 law enforcement officers and their family members took part in the annual event organized by the LUCAS Foundation.

"It signifies something that's extremely difficult that you can still come out on the other side of it," said Brian Sizemore, the foundation's co-founder.

Brian says it's all being done to raise awareness for an important cause.

"Actually, more officers are dying by suicide than they are in the line of duty," Brian said.

This hit closer to home for Brian and his family when they lost their 24-year-old son Lucas Henry Sizemore.

"He took his own life on January 9, 2024," said Brian.

A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Officer Sizemore had just completed a year at the Atlanta Police Department.

"We were shocked. We were devastated. It's, it's still painful. I mean, we, we cry every day and you know people people say that it'll get easier and it don't. And then as a parent there's guilt involved with it because we didn't know there was no indication that there was anything," Brian said.

"What was his personality like?" I asked.

"A little bit of a clown like to play. Pranks on people and Joker's grandmother, she was constantly the butt of his pranks," Brian said.

"Sounds like he was larger than life," I said.

"Yes, he was when he walked in the room, the whole room lit up, you know, it was a perfect son, his sense of humor, his smile...you know, everything that you want a son to be," said Brian.

Since Officer Sizemore's death, his parents started the Lucas Foundation. "Lucas" is short for Law Enforcement's United Crusade Against Suicide.

"It's a difficult line of work to begin with. There's a lot of stress. There's stress that officers take home. There's a lot of secondary trauma. Officers see and do things that regular people don't," said Jared Murphy, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Michigan and Ohio.

Murphy recalls when Officer Sizemore interned at HSI 3 years ago.

"Outstanding young man, bright, energetic, motivated, team player," Murphy said.

That's why the Acting special agent in charge, Murphy, is planning the foundation's next event, the 1000-mile relay run.

"The transition points from one runner handing off the baton to the next, the majority of those are going to be at police stations, at sheriff's office, at state police, and federal law enforcement agencies. And something that could draw the entire nation's attention towards this really critical issue," Murphy said.

While law enforcement officers are encouraged to take part, the September event, which covers six states, is also open to the public.

"Just to see all these people come out. Not only for the foundation but in honor of Lucas. Take part in something so challenging, something so difficult. How does that make you feel?" I asked..

"It's hard to not get emotional," Brian said.

Now, to learn more about the Lucas Foundation and the upcoming 1000-mile relay race, just head to https://www.lucascrusade.org/ or https://www.lawenforcementsunitedcrusadeagainstsuicide.com/

First responders from various law enforcement agencies carried out multiple rescue missions throughout Monday in southwest Detroit, helping over 200 people after their homes were flooded during the early morning hours due to a water main break.

VIDEO: The latest on a 54-inch water main break in SW Detroit that flooded neighborhood The latest on a 54-inch water main break in SW Detroit that flooded neighborhood

"It was one in the morning. There was water coming in through the basement, and then when we looked outside, well, the street was already flooded; it was probably waist high," said Leonardo Adame, a southwest Detroit resident.

Leonardo Adame, his sister, and his mom were some of the hundreds of people stranded in the neighborhood, with some areas flooded with freezing cold water as high as 5 feet.

"Power went out, the heat went off, you know, so we're in there it was pretty cold. We were basically just waiting for help to come and get us," said Adame.

And help did arrive. Anayelli Adame says the US Coast Guard rescued the family around 3 pm.

"Earlier we had said that we didn't need rescue. We were being stubborn, but later on, they came, and we decided that it was time for us to go," said Anayelli.

Sgt. Michael Roehrig from Wayne County Sheriff's Office tells me that 13 strike teams have been deployed from Southeast Michigan Dive Group, comprising over 65 divers assisting with rescue missions.

"This is pretty huge. It goes for several blocks in each direction, 8 blocks total, I believe is what I was told," said Sgt. Roehrig.

"Now, obviously, it is super cold. I mean, I know you and I are both bundled up. What are some of the challenges your team members are facing right now?" asked Javed.

"Well, it's ice-cold conditions, so they're walking through 2 to 4 ft of water right down the middle of the street. A foot and a half on the sidewalks, and that water is leaking into the houses. It's pretty dangerous out there, very dangerous, very slippery," said Sgt. Roehrig.

From small boats to excavators, several options were deployed to bring people to safety.

"So, how many people have you rescued since this morning?" asked Javed.

"I believe they've rescued about 200 people so far, several animals, dogs and cats, and even a chicken," said Sgt. Roehrig.

"It must be an overwhelming feeling to, you know, leave your home and then jump on a boat and then something that you probably would never have dreamt of," asked Faraz.

"Yeah, I do not, especially with my pets at home," said Anayelli.

Now, Sgt. Roehrig says rescue operations will continue for as long as it takes. Meanwhile, people are urged to keep away from the water as it is being reported to be contaminated with sewage water.

During the colder months, the annual Winter at Valade is one of the key attractions in Downtown Detroit, where people can have indoor and outdoor fun.

Melissa Behring is one of the performers set to entertain people at Robert C Valade Park. The life-long musician goes by the name of the Fairy Godmother of Music.

"It's true, I do!" said Behring.

Behring loves performing for the kids, and it turns out she has more than one way of attracting her audience.

"Some kids see my crown, and say they like it, they say that is the lady who knows what's going on, and I don't know if I really know what's going on as much as I love to do music for young people," said Behring.

"Why is this genre of music meaningful to you?" I asked.

"Because I think it's the easiest way to adapt to music like parents and children, right? So instead of a kid listening with headphones to this one thing, they're both engaged in the same experience of the musical event so to speak," Behring said.

"How does this event tie into what you're doing?" I asked.

"It's a really exciting way to look at the entire world, and, and I think music is a piece of that puzzle," Behring said.

This weekend's theme is Winter Around the World, and Detroit Riverfront Conservancy's Marc Pasco says this event helps bring the community together.

"Its cold in the winter and, there's not a great deal of opportunities to go outside and get some fresh air and celebrate as a community. So our Winter at Valade celebrations give people an opportunity to get together, celebrate winter, see each other, you know, have some fun, burn some calories, have some good food, listen to some music. So I think it's a great escape and excuse to get people outdoors," said Pasco, Director of Communications, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.

Pasco says the wholesome family event has something for everyone.

"This year we had two themed weekends with the Winter Blade. We had a fire and ice festival that brought like 10,000 people out to the riverfront. Today is our, our second of the themed weekends. It's a winter around the world, so kids can go sledding. They can go snowshoeing, and we have drinks, food trucks, and things like that for the adults," Pasco said.

Other activities include Mardi Gras and Lunar New Year celebrations, along with kids' activities and, of course, live music.

"When kids surround you, and they're listening to your music, and they're, you know, they're looking at the fairy godmother of music, being inspired. How does that make you feel?" asked Javed.

"Oh, I walk on water then. It is like that's heavenly. So I like the long-term plan, which is just to keep spreading more goodness and joy and happiness," said Behring.

To learn more about Winter at Valade and events on the riverfront... head to https://detroitriverfront.org/

On Michigan Avenue, Unburger is picking up steam for its Un-original food. The co-owner, Christopher Oliver, says everything on the menu is 100% plant-based.

"I want Unburger to be the McDonalds of the vegan world. I want to be all across the nation, all around the globe," Oliver said.

Once a meat lover, Oliver dove into the world of a plant-based diet after a health scare.

"Cancer, diabetes, just in general a wreck," Oliver said.

Now, the 60-year-old says his health is in a good place.

"I feel 20," said Oliver.

While sales from here have helped fatten up his wallet.

"I think I danced a jig every time I went home," Oliver said

The business wasn't always the same, especially during the pandemic.

"I really thought it was over," Oliver said.

The Lapeer native first launched the concept in 2018 as Unbruger Grill.

"Why did people tell you that Dearborn would be a bad choice?" I asked him

"That Dearborn was predominately Muslim, everyone told me that you will just never survive there. You just won't get the support you need. But I found it to be the absolute opposite," Oliver said.

During the struggle days, Oliver says the community rallied behind his business and looked for ways to assist.

"I was talking to a customer. And he said 'if there was anything I could do to help you, what would it be?' And I said, 'find me some investors', joking, I had never imagined that guy was going to reach out to Karl," Oliver said.

Karl Makky, Moe Abdallah, and Tony Duhnai are the ones who came to Chris's rescue.

"Is it important for you guys to showcase that it's more than business?" I asked.

"Here in Dearborn, it's a tight-knit community; people love supporting each other. Any time there is a new business, everybody comes and supports you. And that's the culture that we have around here," Moe said.

"You guys could have easily, bought this place out, why did you decide to keep Chris?" I asked.

"Because Chris was a unique part of it for us, and we felt like Chris' story was so touching to us, we felt we got to build of this," Karl said.

And that's why, for Oliver, this isn't a partnership; it's a fellowship.

"And that's been our motto from the beginning," Oliver said.

"What does that even mean?" I asked.

"It means we are more than partners. We are connected in our heart," Oliver said.

According to Good Food institute, the U.S. retail market for plant-based foods is worth $8.1 billion. Plus, with a fresh new look and fellowship, Unburger is hitting new levels of growth.

"You have to have passion, especially when it comes to food, and sometimes egos get in the way, but one thing about our group is there is no egos," Moe said.

To learn more about Unburger, head to the link below.

https://unburgergrill.com/

In honor of Black History Month, the Michigan-based Goldfish Foundation held a swim meet on Saturday at Seaholm High School. The goal of the meet was to promote diversity and raise awareness for parents to enroll children into life-saving swim lessons.

Metro Detroit's first-ever dual swim meet, the MAROON Cup, was held in Birmingham, featuring Seaholm High School versus U-D Jesuit. Among the young athletes, in attendance was also a four-time Olympic medalist and the first African American swimmer to hold a world record, Cullen Jones.

"What I have been able to become for young swimmers ... it's a gift every day," said Jones.

At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Jones set the world record for the freestyle relay team. In total, Jones has 13 U.S. medals, including seven golds at major international competitions, making him a role model for many, including Kaden Patterson.

"I'd be able to learn from his experiences being a Black man in a mostly white sport and from there, I'd be able to take what he learned as he got older and apply them right now," said Kaden.

The 14-year-old is part of the University of Detroit Jesuit High School swim team.

"I mean even in this meet, how many kids of color do you see?" asked Faraz Javed, 7 News Detroit reporter.

"Not many, even on our team right now, it's only about five or six in total, and it's the same with many teams throughout this league YMCA, USA and that's something that just needs to change," said Kaden.

That's why the foundation's ambassador, Jones, aims to promote swimming among the youth.

According to the CDC, Black children are nearly eight times more likely to drown.

"And you could have been part of that statistic," said Faraz.

"Yes..." replied Jones.

Jones was 5 years old when he nearly drowned at a water park.

"I ended up being underwater for more than 30 seconds, they say a child can have brain damage being underwater for more than 30. They had to pull me out, fully resuscitate me, but my parents were like 'OK never again, we're getting in the swim lesson,'" said Jones.

Hearing such horror stories encouraged Natalie Jones-Brown to enroll her son Kaden into a swim program when he was 5.

"Water safety should be the top priority so that your kid is confident in the water and safe, and then like with Kaden, that became his passion, and then we just kept going," said Brown.

Kaden says swimming has made him a better person and grateful for his mom.

"It's made me realize all the things my mom has done for me. 'Cause it's not just me waking up early in the morning at 5 a.m. She's there waking me up, [to] take me to practice," said Kaden.

Meanwhile, the founder of The Goldfish Foundation, Chris McCuiston, aims to introduce swim programs to underserved communities, overcoming any roadblocks.

"Potentially financial, some of it has to do with the location. Some of them may be awareness, probably ... a stigma out there that we just don't learn to swim, I need to change that, because everyone needs to learn regardless," said McCuiston.

To learn more about the foundation, click here.

As technology evolves, more people have access to the internet, and children are potentially at a greater risk than ever of being exploited online.

Dave Alley, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations - Detroit (HSI), and he's working to take down those who are child predators.

Alley is a father of four from St. Clair. He says in 2014, the National Center for Missing Children sent about 1 million leads regarding child sexual abuse. By 2023, that number jumped to approximately 35.9 million.

"The greatest thing I do every day is being a father. I love my job. I love what I do, but being a father is the most important thing to me," Alley told me.

"Has that been the motivation for your current job?" I asked.

"Very much. All kids deserve to grow up happy and healthy with a positive childhood," he said.

Alley joined HSI 17 years ago. For the last 10 years, he has been investigating crimes against children.

"In these 10 years, what has changed?" I asked.

"We are seeing more and more tips coming in, cases coming in. We are inundated with victims, with offenders. There is just so much more access to both the internet and two materials," he said.

The State Department defines child exploitation as victims under the age of 18 used in a sexual act, including pornography, sex trafficking, and sextortion, among others. Alley examines evidence from these heinous crimes as part of his investigation to get to the perpetrators.

"Every time you see it, it's horrific to a degree. But the first time is absolutely a shock. We have a number of programs to help take care of agents who have to work these kinds of cases," he said.

Last year, HSI alone investigated nationally close to 7,000 child exploitation cases, which led to the arrest of nearly 5,000 suspects, of which 121 cases came from Michigan with 64 of those from the metro Detroit area.

"What is the commonality behind these predators?" I asked.

"We see professionals, we see people who are living in moms basement. We see it all across every age, race, and socioeconomic status; the commonality that I would say is a sexual interest in children," he said.

Throughout his career, Alley has arrested over a hundred predators.

"Every time I make an arrest, every time a lead that I sent out results in an arrest, I write the name of my offender on a poker chip and put it in this jar," he said.

There is a color system. Green offenders are from difficult cases, and blue chips are if he has arrested you twice, and the two red chips are for two of the worst offenders Alley said he's ever arrested in Michigan.

"One was a hands-on offender committing a violent act against numerous children he had access to. The other is a sextortionist who had dozens and dozens of victims across the world, threatening them with physical harm if they didnt produce videos that he was interested in," he said.

The first red poker chip is for 60-year-old Michael Pierce from Lake Orion, who was sentenced to 90 years in federal prison. Meanwhile, 34-year-old Colin Martin from Center Line was sentenced to 40 years also in a federal prison. Both pled guilty.

"Does anything shock you now?" I asked.

"Probably every six months I see something and say, 'That its! The worst thing Ill ever see.' And then six months will go by and Ill say, 'OK well thats it. Thats the worst thing I will ever see.' So I dont know if theres an upper limit. I make it a point to when I put a name in the jar right that my wifes around, my kids are around and they can see that the quantification of the good that Im trying to do," he said.

As the investigation continues for numerous other cases, Dave says there is only so much law enforcement can do.

"Where do you think parents are making a mistake?" I asked.

"I think by and large it's the lack of knowing what their kids are doing on their devices. And its not lazy parenting, its not bad parenting, its the lack of knowledge of what a particular app may do, that particular app may be safe or not," he said.