12-Year-Old Boy Nearly Died After Being Hit by a Truck Trying to Save His Dog — Now He's a Paintball Champion

Grayson Manning, competitive paintball player who nearly died trying to save his dog.Photo:Mindy McConnell Mindy McConnell Manning was unloading his gear with his mother around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 16 when his six-month old Great Dane puppy, Muffin, ran into the road at their Slidell, La., home. The boy quickly jumped into action, running into the road, when a black RAM truck struck him. His mother, Mindy McConnell, a principal at an alternative middle school in New Orleans, says she thought her son had “died on impact” when he was hit.

12-Year-Old Couldn’t Wait to Get Home and Back on the Ice. Then She and Her Mom Died in D.C. Plane Crash (Exclusive)

(L-R) Olivia Ter and Olesya Taylor.Photo:GoFundMe GoFundMe A close friend of Olesya Taylor — who was killed in theD.C. plane crashalong with her 12-year-old daughter Olivia — remembers the last phone conversation she had with Taylor shortly before the mom and daughter boarded the doomed aircraft. The pair were “so inspired” after attending the U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp in Wichita, Kan., Olga Konopelko, of Burke, Virginia, tells PEOPLE.

12-Year-Old Girl Dies After Being Struck by Rolling Car While Walking to Recess, Authorities Say

Based on preliminary information, police believe that the vehicle, which was not occupied at the time, began “rolling backward” down a hill after the driver “failed to place it completely in park.” The car rolled “approximately 75 yards” before striking the child, Kibbee said, adding that police have not shared additional information about the girl for privacy reasons. Blue and white Seattle Police Department vehicle parked on street.Getty Getty “This is obviously a tragic situation for the community here, for the schools," Kibbee said at the press conference.

12-Year-Old Girl Vanished on the Way to Birthday Party in Texas, Police Say

Alison Ramirez-Lopez.Photo:Irving Police Dept. Irving Police Dept. A 12-year-old girl has disappeared after she was heading to a birthday party in Texas, according to authorities. According to a missing persons flyer shared on its Facebook page, theIrving Police Departmentsaid Alison Ramirez-Lopez was last seen on Sunday, Feb. 9, at the 1000 block of Harlan Street. At the time of the initial announcement, the Irving Police said it was activating an AMBER (ATHENA) alert over Alison’s disappearance.

12American IdolContestants with Famous Relatives

Brian Littrell and Baylee Littrell.Photo:bayleelittrell_music/Instagram bayleelittrell_music/Instagram American Idolis a star-making machine, known forturning people off the street into huge pop icons and even Oscar winners. But for some of the people who walk through those doors to audition, they’ve already got a connection to stardom — a famous relative in their family tree.From Brian Littrell’s son Baylee Littrell, who just auditioned for season 23, to Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter Emmy Russell, find out which Idol wannabes and winners had an A-lister in their midst — and whether that was enough for them to make it to Hollywood themselves.