Profiles that stuck with us — for their heart, grace or surprise. These weren’t just well told. They hit something deeper. From one family-owned pizzeria to a Holocaust survivor’s living witness, these five stories reflected Homewood’s human core in ways that won’t fade with the calendar.
Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Johnny Montgomery showcases his "Ironman" license plate in Homewood, Alabama. Montgomery is an 8-time Ironman and has competed on the international stage.
“Full speed ahead: Johnny Montgomery’s life in overdrive” (by Emily Reed): From bootleg-runner roots to eight Ironman World Championships, then hard turns through loss, sobriety and service, Johnny’s story is Alabama sports and human endurance in one frame — equal parts sting and light.
Photo by Sarah Owens.
Riva Hirsch, 91, is a Holocaust survivor. She was captured by Nazis at the age of 7 and endured unimaginable horrors while in a concentration camp. After surviving the war, Riva moved to the U.S. with her husband and two children and now lives at Brookdale University Park in Homewood.
“A living testament: Riva Hirsch at 91” (by Sarah Owens): Riva survived the Nazi concentration camps as a child and has spent her life insisting the world remember. This was a riveting profile of a neighbor whose story cuts through noise and denial with the authority of a lived life.
“Class of 2025: Born into virtual, ready to zoom IRL” (by Emily Reed, with Creator Collective student contributions): These seniors were born with the iPhone, schooled through lockdown, and graduated under the shadow — and promise — of AI. Sharp voices, grounded quotes and a clear picture of how this class sees the world they’re walking into.
Photo by David Leong
Old college friends (clockwise, from left) Kelli Hewett Taylor, Mike Baswell, Tim Stephens, Chuck Evans and Kelly Council enjoy a final meal at DeVinci’s. The Homewood restaurant closed on Aug. 10 after 64 years of service.
“The Last Supper at DeVinci’s” (by Tim Stephens): A 64-year run ended Aug. 10, and the goodbye was pure Homewood — crowds, hugs, sticky tablecloths and one final Mona Lisa pizza. It read like a love letter to a room where first dates, anniversaries and post-graduation dinners stacked up across generations.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Sara B. Taylor
Samantha Dillashaw, an eighth grader at Homewood Middle School, has overcome tremendous obstacles. Diagnosed at an early age with rheumatoid arthritis, she spent most of her 5th grade school year in a wheelchair due to an extreme flare up in her ankle. Still, she stayed active in extracurricular activities, and by 6th was out of the wheelchair, and dancing her way into the Patriot Singers show choir and HMS dance team.
“Dancing through the pain: Samantha Dillashaw” (by April Coffey): An eighth-grader who spent months in a wheelchair finds her way back to show choir, the HMS Dance Team and a packed schedule. No clichés — just hard details, dry humor and the good kind of goosebumps.
