My First Time

My First Time: Don Landy

A big, roly-poly ball of fur turned his world upside down. Photo: Anthony Rao In Tennessee, German Shepherds are not a very popular breed and it took us several months until we finally found a breeder that had two puppies…

My First Time: Phil Stokes

Safe danger at 40 mph 100 feet off the ground. Photo: Nicole Hamel I wanted to do something that’s not necessarily jumping out of a plane, but still getting my feet off the ground to an extent. The safest route was…

My First Time: Chris Weatherman

Survival expert recalls experience appearing “Alone” on reality TV Photo: Nicole Hamel I started into survival skills in 1990 with primitive skills and medicinal, wildlife trapping and foraging, all that stuff, and just kinda kept moving up through that skill…

My First Time: Anne Rowe

Sorrento breeder will never forget night she delivered 14 puppies. Photos: Nicole Hamel My first litter of golden retriever puppies was the largest litter I have ever had. The mom, Katie, whom I’d bred, was 2-3 years old. I knew…

My First Time: Shawn Flohre

Photo: Nicole Hamel Life and death decisions at 9,000 feet: The unforgettable firsts of a flight paramedic. Losing a child I flew to the scene where an ATV had flipped over on a child who was riding it. The child…

My First Time: Tanner Long

Eustis fireman fights his first fire. Photo: Nicole Hamel The fire happened on Mother’s Day. We were just pulling back into the station from breakfast and I overheard on the radio for one of the Lake County stations near us…

My First Time: Raymond York

Fish & Wildlife Commission trapper recalls landing his first alligator. Photos: Nicole Hamel Going to trap my first nuisance alligator was exciting. I was confident going into it because I spent 10 years in the Marine Corps and served during…

My First Time: Leslie Campione

Lake County Commission chairwoman navigates a pandemic. Photo: Douglas Tyler Since the first positive case in Lake County, the COVID-19 pandemic has been my highest priority. I knew I needed to stay focused on one goal: protecting the safety of our…

My First Time: Holly Dickerson

A Lady Lake mom recalls her first (and only) skydiving adventure. It was a beautiful day in 2005, my husband was working, and I had decided to go over to DeLand to a skydiving facility with a few friends.…

My First Time: Bob Fulwider

Tattoos should be earned, says artist from House of Ink in Leesburg. When I got my first tattoo, I was 18 years old. I walked in, picked one (a cross and rose) off the wall and that was it. Now…