The Best Hampton, North Hampton Stories of 2013

'Biggest Ever' Event Gives Wounded Vets 'Involving' New Opportunity

It was great to see this story, which is a piece about the annual Wounded Warriors Hit the Beach event at North Beach in Hampton, crack to most-read list on Monday.

The event is always inspiring and really great thanks to the participants' stories and the sheer number of volunteers who help out, but this year was extra special because it was the largest ever and featured one of the single best moments of Hit the Beach's six-year run. 

I dare you to watch the video and not tear up a little as Greg Major pumps his fists in the air after he's carried by a crowd of people and rides a wave for the first time. 

Firefighters, Store Step Up to Save Hampton Girl's Christmas

Had I waited a little while to compile that most-read stories list, this amazing one would have cracked the top 13. Regardless, the fact that this one has well over 300 Facebook shares — more than most of the year's top crime stories — in just one week is a pretty good indicator this one's a biggie.

I had a ton of fun writing this story about Hampton Firefighter Buck Frost and his toy bank cohorts teaming up with a group of Home Depot employees to bring a North Hampton family to kiddie pool-sized tears of holiday joy.

Heroes Honored For Brave Rescue at Hampton Beach [VIDEO]

A casual trip to Hampton Beach turned into a day that two Milford High School alumni will never forget, as Andrew Myers and Molly Mendola entered the chilly April waters to save swimmers pulled out by a strong rip tide.

Hampton Beach Named One of Nation's Best

The praise kept coming in 2013 for New Hampshire's multi-time "five-star" beach, as it earned a spot in Weather.com's "Top 6" beaches in country.

Local Brain Injury Survivor Nears Return to 'Normalcy'

The determination of Myla Gott is inspiring by itself, even when you don't take into account all of the massive strides she's made in the four short years since suffering a traumatic brain injury during a car accident. The North Hampton woman easily makes this roundup because her recovery, and the many community members who continue to help make it possible, still strikes a strong chord in the area.

Burned Teen Thanks Firefighters for Rescue, $2K Donation

This year was a big one for local firefighters, as there were many instances where their good deeds were front and center in the news. A story about Hampton firefighters helping a teen who was badly burned while trying to save his home during a fire resonated through the community, culminating in a great — and rare — face-to-face thank you in the story and video linked above.

And that brings us to...

Slain Chief's Heroic Spirit Far From a 'Forgotten Thing'

Emergency responders from a variety backgrounds and towns were honored with special awards this year in memory of the late Michael Maloney, the North Hampton native and Greenland police chief gunned down in April 2012.

Among the individuals honored at the inaugural Night of Heroes were Hampton firefighters Jed Carpentier and Kyle Jameson — who were recognized for a daring water rescue — and Hampton Fire Prevention Officer Scott Steele. The night was filled with plenty of moving stories about selflessness and dedication, which is what Maloney brought to his communities every day of his life and career.



Other big and positive news this year included the historic completion of Hampton's new-and-improved fire stations, the highly-anticipated completion of the North Hampton State Beach bathhouse replacement, Hampton's 375th anniversary celebration, and big progress on North Hampton's municipal complex project.

Other big, not-as-happy stories of the year included the ongoing discussions and controversy about building height on Hampton Beach, proposed trash collection changes in the town of Hampton, and the impact the Boston Marathon bombing had on local runners.

I could include many other human interest and creative pieces of which I'm particularly proud on this list, although I believe these stand out as the best of the year for a variety of reasons.

Which is your favorite, and are there any stories that you think deserve to be on this list? Tell me in the comments below to help me bid farewell to another great year.



[Editor's note: Some of the dates on the articles above are wrong, particularly anything listed with a June date or earlier (articles may have a timestamp indicating a publication date anywhere from two weeks to three months later than it's actual date of publication). Some of the stories may also be missing videos or hyperlinks. This is all due to our site reformatting. I apologize for this.]