(WSVN) - There were plenty of events during 2021 that brought “Hope and Inspiration” into the lives of people across South Florida, and 7News was there to capture many of them. 7’s Kevin Ozebek takes a look at some of our brightest moments of the year.
Kevin Ozebek: “I’ve got to tell you, to see this in person, it’s amazing. Look at the structure of that leaf!”
Many people stuck inside because of COVID turned to house plants for company.
That growing demand for plants turned into a booming business for Enid Offolter and her website NSE Tropicals.
Enid grows and sells some of the rarest — and priciest — plants in the world from her Broward County backyard.
Enid Offolter: “I used to grow everything much bigger, but everyone wants stuff yesterday.”
Being stuck at home didn’t stop Dennys Gonzalez from becoming a model employee. He used his time away from his job at Miami International Airport to build a massive model airport of his own.
Dennys Gonzalez: “I think it’s a really cool way to showcase to kids how many things you could do when you grow up.”
He hopes to donate his model to an organization to teach kids about aviation.
Brady Farrar, ballet dancer: “I really love the rush of going on stage and being nervous, especially if it’s a huge stage.”
When Brady Farrar was a kid, he dreamed of being a world-class ballet dancer. In May, the 16-year-old rising star won the highest honor at an international ballet scholarship contest.
He also received scholarship offers from top ballet schools.
Dr. Richard Raid, Barn Owl Program: “They hiss like a snake at this stage.”
We learned these hissing mad baby owls are providing a crucial service to South Florida farmers.
They are part of the University of Florida’s Barn Owl Program.
The owls live in nesting boxes installed on farms across the Everglades agricultural area. The owls then hunt rodents that damage crops.
Dr. Kroum Demetrov: “Give me a good smile, big smile. Beautiful!”
It took two South Florida doctors 12 hours to give Sade Gurley something to smile about. She lost her front teeth at 22 due to chronic gum infections and a fear of the dentist.
Drs. Yenile Pinto and Kroum Demetrov heard her story and offered to help — for free. Using cutting edge technology, they gave Sade a brand-new smile.
Sade Gurley: “Being able to just smile with confidence means so much more to me now.”
A South Florida doctor teamed up with a few colleagues to help COVID relief efforts in India.
Dr. Alka Singh (on Zoom call): “I’m glad to see you better. I can’t imagine what you went through.”
When Dr. Alka Singh saw the devastation the virus caused in her home country, she knew she had to help.
She and other Indian-American doctors in South Florida formed an online COVID group. Patients in india could speak with a doctor in South Florida for free.
Dr. Sheela Shah: “It is such a phenomenal feeling to know that we can touch our people in our motherland, and help them in time of need and crisis.”
Nico Norena, founder, The Succulent Bite: “White sugar, vanilla.”
A South Florida foodie turned his passion into a succulent success.
7News went in the kitchen with Nico Norena, star of the wildly popular social media site The Succulent Bite.
Nico recently won an award for being one of the top 100 influencers in the world. Big businesses are now looking to work with him.
Nico Norena: “We create partnerships, and we create campaigns that align with these brands, marketing strategies to showcase a product or an event that revolve that specific brand.”
Nico has a lot on the menu for 2022. He’s taking The Succulent Bite from your phones to your kitchen. A book is in the works, and Nico says he has a sweet plan to bring even more Succulent Bite to homes across the country.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.