Hilary Shenfeld - Journalist

15/07/2025

The floodwaters that brought historic death and devastation to the Texas Hill Country have receded. Left behind are a tangled mess of ruined neighborhoods and campgrounds, scores of bodies and plenty of difficult questions. Some of my reporting here:

The floodwaters that brought historic death and devastation to the Texas Hill Country have receded. Left behind are a tangled mess of ruined neighborhoods and campgrounds, scores of bodies and plenty of difficult questions

15/07/2025

Before Camp Mystic experienced catastrophic flooding on July 4, Executive Director Richard “Dick” Eastland appears to have been aware that the National Weather Service was warning of danger and he worked to get his campers to safety — though questions continue about whether better warnings and preparation were needed. My story:

When Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls nestled in Texas Hill Country, experienced catastrophic flooding on July 4, Executive Director Richard “Dick” Eastland worked to get his campers to safety

12/07/2025

The Eastland family is focusing on the families of Camp Mystic campers and counselors who died during the devastating July 4 flooding in Texas, while also mourning the loss of patriarch Dick Eastland, owner of Camp Mystic, who died while trying to save campers. My story:

The family of Dick and Tweety Eastland, the owners of Camp Mystic, where at least 27 died during the devastating Texas floods, is focusing on helping the families of campers and counselors while trying to process their own grief.

06/07/2025

Sad to report on the death of Dick Eastland, owner of Camp Mystic, which was overwhelmed with flood waters in Texas.

Richard "Dick" Eastland, the owner of Camp Mystic, the girls' camp on the Guadalupe River which was hit by flooding in Texas on the Fourth of July — killing some of the campers and leaving others missing — is among those who have died

17/05/2025

So fun that Pope Leo, the former Robert Prevost, grew up in the Chicago area. Got a chance to do some reporting on this historic moment for this week's PEOPLE magazine.

01/05/2025

The Chatham, Ill. woman who drove into a camp building, killing 4 girls and injuring 6 others, may have suffered a medical emergency prior to the crash. My story:

The driver of an SUV that crashed into an after-school camp building in downstate Illinois, killing four and injuring six others, did not have any alcohol or drugs in her system and may have suffered a medical emergency prior to the crash, police say

05/01/2025

Indianapolis police officer Kelly Chappell tells me that in 19 years on the force, this was the first time she saved a newborn baby's life. Chappell ran into the home of a woman who had unexpectedly given birth to a preemie who wasn't breathing, and immediately started CPR.

Indianapolis police officer Kelly Chappell received an award from her department after performing lifesaving CPR on a premature baby who wasn't breathing moments after being born to a woman who didn't even know she was pregnant.

24/12/2024

Pride group is working to make the holidays a little less lonely for LGBTQ people. My story:

The Pinta Pride Project, which was founded in 2022, went from sending 2,100 letters to members of the LGBTQ+ community who struggled during the holiday its first year to more than 35,000 letters this year.

20/12/2024

College student Kenzie Scanlon tells me she had a very traumatic childhood but she managed to overcome her dire surroundings with a little help from Angel Tree donors. Now she gives back to others.

For Kenzie Scanlon, ringing in the holidays wasn't always a joyous time — and after having been of her community's annual Angel Tree program, in which teachers, students and parents raise money to buy gifts for about 200 deserving kids, she's paying it forward.

02/11/2024

I'm so excited for these kids who just got surprise tickets to see Taylor Swift! What a nice bit of happiness for them after all they've been through. It was really heartwarming to hear how thrilled they were. My story:

Brilea Southard, 15, was among 16 pediatric patients at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis who were surprised with tickets to see Taylor Swift's Eras Tour show in the Indiana capital this weekend.

16/10/2024

Garbage collector forms adorable friendship with 3-year-old boy John Coleman and changes his schedule around to make sure the tot can still visit the truck after the boy started school. My story:

Every week, John Coleman, 3, counts down the days until he can see garbage collector Craig Hodges — and when it came time for him to start preschool, the boy's mom tells PEOPLE that that Hodges went the extra mile so John wouldn't miss out on his favorite day of the week.

06/10/2024

2-Time Cancer Survivor Dalton Cummins, 24, Becomes Nurse at Same Hospital Where He Was a Patient. My story:

Nurse Dalton Cummins can truly relate to his oncology patients at Riley Hospital for Children. After all, he was once a patient there himself, battling two different forms of cancer and coming close to death more than once.