Chase Smith was an elite high school swimmer, on a path to the Olympics. Sadie Mills was a star diver at a nearby school when the two met at a meet. The two started dating – Chase first making sure that Sadie knew he had battled an aggressive bone cancer – and fell madly in love.

Not long after, the monster came calling again when Chase was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given months to live. In the hospital room, moments after Chase received his devastating diagnosis, his dad put his arm around his shoulder and whispered in his ear: "I'll help you buy a ring."

Four days later, Chase married Sadie standing in the same driveway where he had given her their first kiss. They were two high school sweethearts with nothing to live for but one another and more time.

They got 11 months ... 11 beautiful, heart wrenching, sad, wonderful months.

Benbow and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Mykal McEldowney were granted access by the family to follow Chase and Sadie 11 months, chronicling their lives, love and marriage until Chase died at the age of 19 in his home with his beloved Sadie by his side.

Here is their stories.

Terry Badger III was a 13-year-old baseball phenom who was a superstar on the field but was bullied every day in the classroom. One spring afternoon, just days before his baseball season was about to begin, Terry decided the bullying was too much. In his mind, life wasn't worth living.

Terry went into his bedroom, recorded a video that named his bullies and said they were to blame for what he was about to do. Terry turned off his phone and took his life.

Benbow and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Mykal McEldowney went to the home of Terry II and Robyn Badger just days after they lost their son to suicide. The Badgers wanted to share their story in hopes of raising awareness of the effects of bullying and drawing attention to an anti-bullying bill appearing before the state legislature.

The bill required, among other things, that a school corporation prioritize the safety of a bullying victim; that the school corporation report an act of bullying to the parents of the victim and alleged perpetrator; and that it makes allowances for school transfers depending on the severity of the bullying.

After Benbow's story ran, Indiana lawmakers passed the bill and named it in the boy’s honor — TB3, Terry’s nickname.

State Rep. Vernon Smith (D-Gary) said the bill had been stuck until he brought a copy of Benbow's story on Terry Badger III to the Statehouse chambers and passed it to legislators: “I handed them a copy of Terry's story. I told them, 'Read this until the end,'” Smith said. “I think that must have been what convinced (them) to pass this bill.”

Story Links:
Baseball phenom, 13, dies by suicide. His parents say he was bullied (indystar.com)

Uncle of Terry Badger III, who died by suicide, testifies on bullying (indystar.com)

Gov. Eric Holcomb signs bullying bill after 13-yr-old dies by suicide (indystar.com)

Before suicide at 13, his dream was to play for St. Louis Cardinals (indystar.com)

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 when sports had been cancelled and the world was on hold in a collective panic, Benbow was pulled off the sports desk of her newspaper to cover the pandemic.

As the virus hit a fever pitch, with deaths increasing by the second, Benbow and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Mykal McEldowney were given exclusive access inside the COVID-19 unit at IU Health Methodist Hosptial, one of the nation's leading trauma centers in Indianapolis.

Benbow's story, titled "Slow-rolling disaster': Exclusive look inside the coronavirus units at IU Health Methodist Hospital" took readers inside the hospital, revealing the eerie unknown of a historic time in medical history.

Story Link:
Coronavirus Indiana: Go in IU Health Methodist Hospital COVID-19 units (indystar.com)