By Lee DavisJim Lawrence’s professorial looks and soft-spoken manner give him the appearance of a college dean or a teacher. In fact, Lawrence has been both. But he is much more than that. The Vestavia Hills resident is a war hero – even though he disputes that description. Lawrence, a Troy native, had just graduated from The Citadel in South Carolina when he decided … [Read more...]
Through a Vet’s Eyes: WWII Vet and Broadcaster Appreciates American Village’s Mission
By Sarah Kuper If you ask Sterling Brewer where he grew up, he won't tell you about his childhood in Nashville. "I grew up in New Guinea and in Japan. At the age of 18 coming in direct contact with the dead, dying and wounded changes you," he said. Brewer was drafted into the Army the week he turned 18. He served as a surgical technician in World War II. With no previous … [Read more...]
‘That’s Your Heartbeat Out There’: Crestline Mom Wants to Make Her Son’s World Better
By Donna CorneliusThere’s a kind of hush all over Sara McDonald’s world. And she’s determined to break it.Her 11-year-old son, Jay, has Asperger’s syndrome, a disorder that’s on the higher-functioning end of the autism spectrum. The Crestline mom said it’s important for parents like her to tell it like it is – to be honest about living every minute of every day with a … [Read more...]
On Trend: Style Consultant Tracy James Helps Clients Cultivate Confidence
By Emily WilliamsTracy James never saw Chic Made Simple, her fashion consulting and styling brand, in her future as a young girl growing up in Mountain Brook. “I always had a love of fashion,” she said. “I went to a Montessori school and I remember us doing a project in kindergarten where we drew a picture of what we were most excited to do over the summer and then we … [Read more...]
WWII Vet Running Coast-to-Coast to Raise Money for Ship Restoration
By Sarah KuperAt 93 years old, WWII veteran Ernie Andrus is on the verge of breaking the record for the oldest person to run from one coast of the United States to the other. Andrus isn't running to break a record, but rather to restore a piece of WWII history. His run is an effort to raise money to help repair the USS LST 325 so it can make the trip back across the … [Read more...]