This New Paltz Life

James came out to his parents. Three times. Each one was different. Here is his story.

A SUNY New Paltz student remembers finding out that he was undocumented.

A mother shares the story of the baby boy she gave up for adoption.

Katelyn Cordero saw her mother as a superhero. Then one night she discovered her mother's kryptonite.

Kat Gerdes has twin brothers. Both of them have autism. Here is her family's story.

Sarah Barsotti talks to her beloved grandfather, Frank Tepedino, a retired New York City fireman, about his first career: playing major league baseball.

In high school, Brandi Sutfin shared a close bond with her three best friends. Then one of them got cancer.

Mike Solano was bullied as a kid and found an outlet in dark, violent music. Then a favorite uncle introduced him to a new band, and everything changed.

Emily and Rebecca King are sisters who grew up on a small family farm, Royal Acres, in the Hudson Valley. When Emily was 13 and Rebecca was 18, their hardworking dad suffered a massive heart attack, sending the family into crisis mode. He slowly recovered, then suffered a setback, unearthing a wound they thought had healed. The sisters sought comfort outside the family, but getting it wasn't easy.

Evan Ducker was born on July 4, 1994 with a bright red mark on the right side of his face. It hasn’t gone away, and it’s been a huge part of his life. His high school buddy, producer Anthony Sorbellini, caught up with him and has this story.

Tom Hoerup, a 20-year-old SUNY New Paltz student from Cornwall New York, dreamed of a career in the Air Force. Tom was on his way to success as an officer — until something unexpected got in his way.

Imagine packing up all your things and moving to a whole new country. Imagine trying to make friends without knowing the language. Imagine doing this alone, before you’re old enough to drink. Three SUNY New Paltz students moved to America. Angel, from Taiwan, at age 12. Matt, from Turkey, at age 17. And Kay from South Korea, at age 20. Holly Lipka reports.

This is a tale of two immigrant siblings, Olana and Constantine. Their mother came to the U.S. from Ukraine to build a better life for her family. Three years later, in the winter of 1998, she flew back to Ukraine to get her children and bring them to the land of milk and honey. Reporter Marykate Marley has the story.

When Thomas Nicholas was a freshman at SUNY New Paltz, his roommate committed suicide. Producer Kaleb Smith tells the story of how Thomas dealt with the aftermath.

Entering high school is a pivotal time in a kid’s life. You’re figuring out what you want to look like and who you want to hang out with. Growing older means you’ll take on a heavier load in your studies, extracurriculars and home life. The year Michelle Michalko entered high school, though, family troubles meant she was saddled with much more responsibility than her peers. Here’s Liz Gaschler with the story…

Letting go is hard, especially if you are the Program Director at the Family of New Paltz. Kathy Cartagena is retiring after two decades of faithful service to her community. And she doesn’t have any regrets. But she’s not sure she can forget some of her more troubled clients. Reporter Nick Tantillo spoke with her before she handed over the keys for good.