🌱 Mother Of 2 Walks Again After Paralysis + SEC To Stay Through 2024

Hey, Hoover! Like many of you, the Patch staff is taking some time off for Memorial Day, so you won’t see this newsletter in your inbox for a few days. We’ll be back soon, but in the meantime, here’s what’s happening in and around town this weekend.

But first, your weekend weather:

• Saturday: Periods of sun. High: 80 Low: 56.
• Sunday: Sunshine and patchy clouds. High: 78 Low: 55.
• Monday: Beautiful with some sun. High: 79 Low: 60.

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Here are the top three stories today in Hoover:

1. A 37-year-old Hoover mother of two has defied the odds and begun to walk again unassisted after the sudden onset of autoimmune disorders that led to partial paralysis and made her wheelchair-bound beginning in 2017. Crystal Gayle Dorion went against her providers' recommendations, stopped taking prescriptions, and began to seek out alternative medical treatments, as well as intensive physical therapy, to correct her loss of mobility. Thanks to her determination and the support of her family, Dorion is now working as a health coach and has even written a book about her journey. (WVTM13 Birmingham)
2. In case you missed it: Southeastern Conference (SEC) baseball fans are feeling the local area love as the SEC Baseball Tournament is here to stay through 2024. Alabama fan Mike Wallace said, "We're here with the LSU people we met every year. We've been doing it with them for ten years now. They do the Cajun food, we do the BBQ, and then we switch up to try all the different flavors." Local businesses are also happy to see the game in town, thanks to increased revenue from hungry, thirsty, and adventure-seeking fans. (WIAT - CBS42.com)
3. Bham Now's Grace Brindley is serving up some suggestions for swimming spots this Memorial Day weekend, starting with Oak Mountain State Park's Flipside Watersports, featuring an inflatable obstacle course. Coming in at No. 2 is the Memorial Recreation Center at the Birmingham City Pool; No. 3 is Alabama Adventure and Splash Adventure; No. 4, the Birmingham Zoo's splash pad at the Children's Zoo; No. 5, Spring Valley Beach, featuring one of the largest pools in the Southeast; No. 6, Patriot Park Splash Pad and Pool; No. 7, Explore Playground & Splashpad; No. 8, Trussville Pool and Splashpad; and No. 9, Vestavia Hills Aquatic Complex. (Bham Now)

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This weekend in and around Hoover:

Saturday, May 27

• America's Largest Interactive Mystery Dinner Show At DoubleTree, Birmingham (6:00 PM)

Sunday, May 28

• The Sunday Funnies Featuring Nina Chanel At Stardome Showroom, Birmingham (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• James Spann is hitting Instagram with local photography, including this photo at the link of local parents being "tagged" by Creek View Elementary! (James Spann via Instagram)
• Spain Park High School Class of 2023 graduated yesterday – honoring some 364 graduates, admitted to 143 colleges across 32 states, with 13 valedictorians, and two U.S. Presidential Scholar candidates! (Hoover City Schools via Facebook)
• Hoover Police Department's Officer Lewis was spotted hanging out with mascot Aubie at the Met! See the photo at the link. (Hoover (AL) Police Department via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Fresh Perks Every Week (May 30)
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Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you next week for your next update.

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or practicing film photography.