A 34-year-old man was killed in a hit-and-run crash while riding his bicycle on M-29 in Cottrellville Township last week, and investigators are still searching for the driver who fled the scene.

Thomas Israel was struck and killed during the early morning hours of Aug. 18 as he rode from his apartment complex to a nearby gas station to buy cigarettes. The St. Clair County Sheriff's Office says he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Watch Christiana Ford's video report below: Family seeks justice as search for hit-and-run driver in Cottrellville Township continues

"Just want justice. My brother didn't deserve to die like that left alone, you know," Arthur Israel, who goes by A.J., said.

A.J. had just finished having a heart-to-heart conversation with his brother before the fatal crash.

"Giving him some advice, letting him know everything happens for a reason, you just live and learn and life's not over," A.J. said.

After their conversation, Thomas Israel went home, grabbed his bike and headed out from his complex onto M-29.

"We didn't hear anything back from him, so we just assumed he went to sleep. And then eventually, I went to sleep and then I got a call and then detective shows up tells me what happened," A.J. said.

Sheriff's deputies say they have a strong lead and suspect vehicle in the case, but the driver remains at large.

"I don't know how someone could just hit someone and just leave them there. It just blows my mind, you know," A.J. said.

The tragic loss has highlighted a traffic safety problem in the township, according to Supervisor Greg Abbey.

"We have a traffic problem in our community, a lot of speeding. I think we had four or five fatal accidents since January," Abbey said.

Abbey has been advocating for a dedicated sheriff's deputy to address the issue.

"I don't want to see this happen again. It's a tragedy. We've had too many tragedies in Cottrellville," Abbey said.

Thomas Israel worked at the local Riviera Restaurant in Marine City. A.J. says he loved music, building computers and gaming.

The family remains determined to find the perpetrator.

"I don't know if he's sleeping good at night, but I'm not sleeping good. I just want answers. My dad wants answers," A.J. said.

The St. Clair County Sheriff's Office says the investigation continues and they're waiting on forensic evidence. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Silver at 810-987-1727.

There is a benefit planned for those who want to support the family on Sept. 6 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Cabana Blue. You can also donate donate online.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

A farm stand in Northville is offering much more than fresh vegetables, local honey, and handcrafted goods. Every purchase at the Living and Learning Enrichment Center's farm stand helps change lives by supporting vocational training for individuals with disabilities.

Rain or shine, year-round, Rosemary Ann Jiddou works hard to make sure the farm stand is in tip-top shape. Jiddou is the manager in training of the stand at the Living and Learning Enrichment Center in Northville.

"I'm truly honored and blessed to be on the farm stand, and everybody here knows it," Jiddou said.

Everyone helps out with everything at the farm stand, washing eggs, prepping labels, and showing the product. Olivia Jakubczak is one of the employees learning valuable skills.

"I've learned how to make honey and sell vegetables and all this," Jakubczak said.

The vegetables are harvested fresh from their farm, including tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, cucumbers, and peppers. Handcrafted pieces are made in their art shop, Baseline Studio. Eggs are from the farm's chickens.

"You can give it to a friend or put it on your fridge as a magnet," said Shannon Lovelace, a farm stand employee.

Packaging honey is done in-house, made by their farm's bees. The honey is labeled and ready to sell at the farm stand.

The farm stand serves as a place teaching real vocational job skills, development, and socialization to its members, individuals with different abilities.

"I love to be with my friends and job coaches," said Lovelace. "I love meeting new people."

It's a place where disability doesn't stop the ability to have a career and make real connections.

"It's not about sales, it's about this community and it's about love and it's about empowerment and visibility," said Alyssa Givas, farm education manager.

The farm stand is one of many programs offered by the Living and Learning Enrichment Center, a place that has been changing lives year after year.

PREVIOUS REPORT: Living and Learning Enrichment Center offers a unique approach to enriching lives. Living and Learning Enrichment Center offers a unique approach to enriching lives

"I think our goal is mostly to teach and to guide and to support, but then to let them run with it, and we get to step back and let them do their thing," Givas said.

The program is fueled by community support from patrons and volunteers like Luke Altomare, who runs the bee program with his partner, Randy.

"Previously, somebody had bees here, but it was a long time ago, and we decided to reestablish the hives," Altomare said.

They care for the bees and donate half the honey produced.

I only live a couple miles from her, and I used to drive past the property all the time, and where they had the beehives, you could see them from the road, said Altomare.

Support is something they are always looking for to keep going. An opportunity for the public to learn more comes Oct. 10, when there will be an open house for people to stop by and learn more about the program.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

A 16-year-old from Burton is sharing his story of survival after receiving a life-saving liver transplant earlier this year, hoping to raise awareness about acute liver failure in young people.

Watch Christiana Ford's video report: Burton teen's stomach ache leads to life-saving liver transplant

Nathaniel Jolly was just 15 when what seemed like a simple case of the stomach flu at a bowling match turned into a medical emergency that nearly cost him his life. Within nine days of first feeling nauseous, Jolly received a liver transplant at DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan in January.

"Once we were going down to the OR, I was like I might not come out of this," Jolly said.

The rising high school junior remembers the bowling match that changed everything.

"We were there for just a regular match. I think we were going against Atherton," Jolly said. "I just went to the bathroom. So I come back, I'm like, I don't feel good again, so I went back. That time I threw up. And my mom was like, Alright, we're going home."

Web extra: Nathaniel Jolly speaks after liver transplant Web extra: Nathaniel Jolly speaks after liver transplant

But by the time he got home, Nathaniel was quickly getting worse. His mother, Angel Jolly, noticed something alarming.

"I looked up and I saw that he was jaundice yellow," Angel Jolly said.

She immediately took him to the nearest emergency room in Flint, where doctors decided he needed to be transported to DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit.

"It was so overwhelming with doctors coming in and out the first couple days, I didn't know if my head could take any more, to be honest. It was freaky, scary," Angel Jolly said.

Extended interview: Mom talks about teen son needing liver transplant Extended interview: Mom talks about teen son needing liver transplant

The situation escalated rapidly. Sunday was the first time she heard the words "liver transplant." By Thursday, Nathaniel was on the donor transplant list, and by Friday, there was a match.

Dr. Najeeb Zoubi, a pediatric gastroenterologist and transplant hepatologist, explained that Nathaniel had acute liver failure.

"We think that maybe a virus of unknown name might have attacked the liver, and then when it attacks it, the liver gets destroyed, but we call it acute liver failure because it gets destroyed very fast. Within a couple of weeks, the liver can die," Zoubi said.

"In some cases, the liver cannot regenerate on its own, which was the situation with Nathaniel, and therefore we had to resort to liver transplantation as a life-saving measure for him," Zoubi said.

The close call left a lasting impression on the teenager.

"I was like, wow. If I had just not thought about it. I wouldn't have made it," Nathaniel Jolly said.

His mother, Angel Jolly, got emotional recalling the situation.

"To even think about it is scary, to watch your kid go through that," Angel Jolly said.

Zoubi says Nathaniel's situation is very uncommon, especially for someone so young, which is why it was important for him to share his story.

"Just because it happened to me, I guess just to make awareness about it," Nathaniel Jolly said.

The family also wanted to express gratitude to the medical team and the donor who saved his life.

"I do appreciate that more than anything because if it wasn't for people like them, he wouldn't be here," Angel Jolly said.

Nathaniel has a message for others based on his experience.

"Don't take life for granted. I know people hear that a lot, but don't. Seriously, spend time with people you love, make those memories," Nathaniel Jolly said.

Now recovered, he's back to bowling and preparing for the new school year. He is also attending DMC's transplant picnic on Friday to connect with other young people who have had similar experiences.

"I'm grateful for it, I am," Nathaniel Jolly said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

It may be a small town, but business is booming in Northville. In the past six weeks, four businesses have opened their doors in downtown with two more set to open this fall.

Watch Christiana's full story in the video below

Northville experiencing small business boom with new openings

Im really surprised. Im originally from here but havent been back in a while," said Corrine Khan, who was visiting from Chicago.

Its a different downtown Northville than Khan grew up in.

It was really fun to see something selling Detroit paraphernalia. Very trendy, I think for Northville," she said.

She was one of many shoppers drawn into "game day for the girls," visiting Kiloh + Co.s first-ever brick-and-mortar store.

Amanda, our owner, was always looking for cute game day apparel, and it started out as a fun litte hobby, and it turned out into this growing brand that we have today," said Lauren Sinclair, store associate at Kiloh + Co.

Sinclair says its now bustling in person with foot traffic.

The community is great. Theres new developments coming around, and then theres all these businesses and the community is so welcoming," she said.

Its one of four stores opening downtown within just six weeks.

It started with Villa Norte opening here in June. Just around the corner, Kiloh + Co. opened in July. This week, Gazelle Sports opened up and Peace, Love and Little Donuts just opened.

I think we have more foot traffic here than weve had at our old space in three days than wed have in a week, so its just been great for us," said Patrick Whinnery, store manager of Gazelle Sports.

After a decade at Northville Park Place, Gazelle Sports decided to get in on the action downtown.

Its just kind of in our DNA to be in those downtown spaces, small town. Its really what we go for," said Whinnery.

Kathy and Frank Isgrows love for the community theyve lived in for twenty years inspired the opening of Peace, Love and Little Donuts.

Have somewhere fun where we could spread a little sweetness and a fun little concept to just bring to Northville," said Kathy Isgrow. We have about 50 to 60 different toppings, combination of toppings, all the way from a cinnamon sugar donut to something that is covered in Oreos and a gummy worm

The interest is a sign for Kate Knight with the Downtown Development Authority of economic growth for the city.

It's a sign that small business is thriving here. We're attracting small businesses, they attract each other. It's really a symbiotic relationship, but it's a ... sign of economic development, health. The vibrancy of Northville is ... tried and true. It's historic. We've really invested in our public space and in return, it makes a really ... an appetizing experience for retailers and small businesses, said Knight.

A city open for business with two more businesses set to open here this fall.

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