SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Once that second-quarter layup went in and he finally had his first NBA points after a trio of misses, Bronny James could exhale and everything began to slow down.
He hardly expects to be perfect at this early stage of his professional career, and every touch and possession will provide an opportunity for growth and learning.
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) waits during a break in the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco , Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) waits during a break during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco , Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James watches the action during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) shoots past Sacramento Kings forward Jay Neagle (7) during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Sacramento Kings guard Jordan Ford, front right, dribbles past Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) shakes hands with center Colin Castleton (14) during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Sacramento Kings guard Jordan Ford (31) blocks Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) as guard Dalton Knecht (4) looks on during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James cheers after the Lakers score during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James dribbles during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James warms up before an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco , Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James warms up before an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco , Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James walks off the court before an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco , Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
He sure felt the love and support Saturday, even playing in the Bay Area ruled by Stephen Curry and the Warriors.
“The atmosphere, it was more than I expected," a grinning James said. "It's a big game for me, but I didn't know the people of Golden State would come and rep for me, so that was pretty nice to see.”
Oversized headphones on his ears and dressed in full Lakers gold as he geared up for his NBA Summer League debut Saturday, the rookie looked so much like his famous father, LeBron, it caused some at Chase Center to do a double-take.
Down to their familiar mannerisms, facial expressions and the way they run or shuffle back on defense. Bronny James took his place in the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers and his professional career was formally underway, with plenty of scouts in the building to witness it as he wore jersey No. 9 — not to be confused with his dad's former 6 uniform he sported before switching to 23.
“Every first game that I step on the next level there's always some butterflies in my stomach, but as soon as the ball tips and we go a couple times down it all goes away and I'm just playing basketball,” he said. “It's always going to be there but get through it.”
The younger James wound up 2 for 9 for four points, missing all three of his 3s, with a pair of assists, two rebounds and a steal in just under 22 minutes of court time — 21:43 to be exact — as the Lakers lost 108-94 to the Sacramento Kings.
James missed his initial two shots while playing nearly six minutes in his first action — grabbing a defensive rebound 1 minute, 20 seconds into the game then missing a 21-foot jump shot moments later. He came up short on a 26-foot 3-point try at the 4:23 mark of the opening quarter before getting a breather.
There were cheers and a warm ovation when James returned to the court at the 8:17 mark of the second quarter. He was initially whistled for his first career foul on a 3-point attempt by Sacramento's Xavier Sneed on the right wing with 7:23 remaining, and James argued briefly before the play went to replay review and was overturned. James missed a 3 off the front rim from the top of the arc at 7:04.
Then, at last, James scored his first NBA points on a driving layup 5:51 before halftime.
“Moments like that can slow the game down for you especially because I wasn't as productive as I wanted to beforehand,” he said. “... I couldn’t get the 3-ball to fall, but all the reps it’s going to come more smooth.”
James missed a pair of free throws at the 4:43 mark of the third period in his first trip to the line.
At one point during his warmup routine, the 6-foot-2 guard stood with hands on hips in a resemblant position to one of his father. And during the game, the son leaned over by the baseline 3-point corner, gripping his knees while waiting for the offensive possession to begin.
The younger James was drafted by the Lakers with the 55th overall selection in the second round out of the University of Southern California.
He will get another chance to play Sunday, when the Lakers face the Warriors, again at the Chase Center. Coach Dane Johnson plans to give James plenty of chances to acclimate and gain valuable experience in the coming days and weeks.
“Hopefully he’ll play all the games, we’ll see how it goes,” Johnson said. “We’re going to try to integrate him and get him as many reps as we can. He needs more experience playing.”
Johnson applauded James' keen court awareness, noting, “we all know he has good instincts already, so finding the consistency within those he'll build as we keep going forward in the summer league and throughout the coming season. His instincts are there, we've just got to keep building habits.”
If all goes as planned, the 19-year-old James and his dad would become the first father-son pair to play in the NBA at the same time — and on the same team no less.
“What he does in the California Classic and Summer League, it doesn’t matter if he plays well and it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t play well," LeBron James said at USA Basketball's training camp in Las Vegas. "I just want him to continue to grow, practices, film sessions, his individual workouts. You can’t take anything as far as stat wise from the California Classic and Summer League and bring it once the season starts. The only thing that matters is him getting better and stacking days.”
Bronny is NBA career scoring leader LeBron's oldest son. He survived cardiac arrest last July 24 during an informal team workout at USC and it was later determined he had a congenital heart defect. The younger James signed a four-year contract that will pay him $7.9 million.
He will remind himself along the way to stay aggressive and “believe in myself knowing I can make plays for myself and my teammates.”
“Looking at my mistakes and looking at the things I did right is really good for me,” James said. “But also just game by game growing that comfort in my playing my game, I feel like that's a big part of why I come out here and get those reps in.”
AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) waits during a break in the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco , Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) waits during a break during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco , Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James watches the action during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) shoots past Sacramento Kings forward Jay Neagle (7) during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Sacramento Kings guard Jordan Ford, front right, dribbles past Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) shakes hands with center Colin Castleton (14) during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Sacramento Kings guard Jordan Ford (31) blocks Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) as guard Dalton Knecht (4) looks on during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James cheers after the Lakers score during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James dribbles during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James warms up before an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco , Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James warms up before an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco , Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James walks off the court before an NBA summer league basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco , Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A rare frigid storm charged through Texas and the northern Gulf Coast on Tuesday, blanketing New Orleans and Houston with snow, closing highways, grounding nearly all flights and canceling school for millions of students more used to hurricane dismissals than snow days.
The storm prompted the first ever blizzard warnings for several coastal counties near the Texas-Louisiana border, and snow plows were at the ready in the Florida Panhandle. Heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain are expected around the Deep South as a blast of Arctic air plunges much of the Midwest and the eastern U.S. into a deep freeze.
Nearly 2,000 flights to, from or within the U.S. were canceled Tuesday, with about 10,000 others delayed, according to online tracker FlightAware.com. In Texas, both Houston airports suspended flight operations starting Tuesday in expectation of hazardous conditions.
Nearly every flight was cancelled at New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport, though officials said the airport itself would remain open “as long as the conditions are safe.” Most airlines plan to resume normal operations Wednesday.
The East Coast was blanketed in snow while people from the Northern Plains to the tip of Maine shivered in bitterly cold temperatures from the frigid arctic air mass that plunged temperatures well below normal. Dangerously cold wind chills were expected through Tuesday morning.
In New Orleans, 65-year-old Robert Hammock donned a beanie and rallied himself and his border collie Tillie for a snowy, frosty morning walk.
“She loves the snow,” Hammock said as Tillie sprawled happily in the slush on the sidewalk. “I’m from south Alabama, so I hate the snow.”
Winter storm warnings extended from Texas to North Carolina on Tuesday, with heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain expected to move eastward through the region into Wednesday. Meanwhile, a state of emergency was declared Monday night across at least a dozen counties in New York as heavy lake-effect snow was expected around Lake Ontario and Lake Erie through Wednesday — with 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 centimeters) possible — along with extreme cold temperatures.
Ahead of the storm, governors in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and even Florida declared states of emergency and many school systems canceled classes Tuesday. School closures were planned in some coastal communities in North and South Carolina.
It’s the first time Houston has seen snowfall since a winter storm knocked out power to millions and killed more than 200 people in 2021, according to meteorologist Hayley Adams at the National Weather Service in Houston.
Snow is rare in Texas' largest city. In February 1895, a two-day storm dropped a record 20 inches (50 centimeters) on metropolitan Houston.
Officials said one person has died from hypothermia in Georgia. Forecasters say snowfall could stretch from north Georgia, through Atlanta, and into southern portions unaccustomed to such weather.
Parts of Florida's Panhandle were already coated white Tuesday. Tallahassee, Florida’s capital, last saw snow in 2018 — just 0.1 of an inch, according to the weather service. Tallahassee's highest snowfall on record was 2.8 inches in 1958.
“Believe it or not, in the state of Florida we’re mobilizing snowplows,” said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The blizzard warning in effect until midday Tuesday was the first issued by the office in Lake Charles, Louisiana, according to meteorologist Donald Jones. Strong winds with heavy snow reduced visibility, and areas across the Gulf South that rarely see snow were expecting record-breaking snowfall, Jones said.
Louisiana transportation agency workers worked through the night to prepare bridges and roadways.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, already had 1.5 inches of snow coating downtown Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service — the capital city's first snowfall since 2018.
“The last time we saw snow of this magnitude was way back in 1960, and prior to that, the previous snowfall record that even stands to this day was way back in 1895,” Jones said. “By modern standards this is going to be a historic and very memorable storm.”
In suburban New Orleans, as a rare snowstorm began to cover the roads, a Harahan police officer rubbed his ungloved hands to warm them as he responded to a church security alarm. Sleet turned to snow as the sun rose, with scarcely a car on the road.
Before snow and sleet began falling Monday night, Houston Mayor John Whitmire asked residents to stay off the roads, noting that above-freezing temperatures weren't expected until Thursday.
When it last snowed in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2018 , the airport closed for four days as crews struggled to de-ice runways. In 2014, huge chunks of melting ice dropped from cables of the massive Ravenel Bridge, shattering windshields. Officials now close the bridge until the ice fully melts.
Frigid cold persisted across the eastern two-thirds of the country with multiple record lows possible through midweek, especially across the Gulf Coast and portions of the Southeast, the weather service said. Normal temperatures were only expected to return slowly by the end of the week.
Wind chills were expected to reach minus 30 to minus 50 degrees (minus 34 C to minus 46 C) at times across the Dakotas and into the Upper Midwest, posing an extreme risk of hypothermia and frostbite. Subzero wind chills were forecast from the Central Plains eastward through Wednesday night.
The weather service issued cold weather advisories across the Great Lakes region.
This latest cold snap comes from a disruption in the polar vortex, the ring of cold air usually trapped at the North Pole.
Houston’s low temperature Tuesday will be about 18 (minus 8 C), according to the weather service, which is low enough for water to freeze in pipes, expand and then cause the pipes to burst.
In Southern California, where blazes have killed at least 27 people and burned thousands of homes, dry conditions and strong Santa Ana winds remained a concern.
Associated Press writers Sarah Brumfield in Cockeysville, Maryland; Jack Brook and Sara Cline in New Orleans; Julie Walker in New York; Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Bruce Shipkowski in Toms River, New Jersey; Corey Williams in Detroit; Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida; Nadia Lathan in Austin, Texas; Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia; Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Charlotte Kramon in Atlanta; and Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed.
People walk past the 1900 Storm memorial sculpture on Seawall Blvd. during an icy winter storm on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 in Galveston, Texas. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)
Harrison County Beaches flourished with snowstorm Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 in Pass Christian, Miss. (Hunter Dawkins/The Gazebo Gazette via AP)
Ice is formed on the nose of the 1900 Storm memorial sculpture during an icy winter storm on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 in Galveston, Texas. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)
Harrison County Beaches flourished with snowstorm Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 in Pass Christian, Miss. (Hunter Dawkins/The Gazebo Gazette via AP)
People walk by the empty Cafe Du Monde restaurant in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Kristyn Tramel walks her dog Bluey with her 8-year-old son Penn in the French Quarter as they stop at the memorial for the victims of a deadly truck attack on New Year's Day in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
A person walks along snow covered Bourbon Street in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Gilmar Hernandez, left, and Cesar Santos, who spent a night at the closed George Bush Intercontinental Airport, wait for the next flight out Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
All cancelled flights are shown on the flight board at the closed George Bush Intercontinental Airport Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
An empty terminal is seen at the closed at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Braedon McCants hits Thomas Pickell with a snowball as they snowball fights at Rice University campus Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Snow falls as the memorial for the victims of a deadly truck attack on New Year's Day in the French Quarter is seen in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
A person walks to Jackson Square as snow falls in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
People take a walk in the neighborhood Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
A person stops to take a picture at Jackson Square as snow falls in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Houston skyline is visible in the background as snow covers downtown streets Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle via AP)
A person uses cross-country skis as he walks through a snow covered hill at Herman Park Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Abbie Schuh and her 8-year-old daughter Louise Delisio get covered in snow as they sled down a hill at Herman Park Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Icicles hang down from a vehicle during an icy winter storm in Galveston, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)
People take a walk in the neighborhood Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Abel Allen, in a Spider-Man suit, and Angel Tircuit walk on a snow covered bridge in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Cars travel on a snow covered highway Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Lesley Martin and her 4-year-old daughter Layla Richardson walk on a snow covered street in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Snow covers Canal Street in downtown New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
A car is covered with snow Tuesday morning, Jan. 21, 2025, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
A couple take a walk at sunrise near the icy Oak Street Beach along the shore of Lake Michigan on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Chicago, as the weather service issued cold weather advisories across the Great Lakes region. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)
Harahan police respond to a building security alarm during a rare snowstorm in Harahan, La., a suburb of New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
A billboard advertises for a heating and air conditioning company Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in St. Joseph, Mich., as bitterly cold temperatures in the single digits are expected over the new few days throughout Michigan. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP)
Employee Ola Williams unwraps one of the last pallets of salt inside a Home Depot, as people prepare for a rare and historic snowstorm in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
A customer looks for pipe insulation where the shelves are now empty inside a Home Depot, as people prepare for a rare and historic snowstorm in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Blowing and drifting snow batter ice fishing huts along the shipping canal near the Emma Jean Hull Flats Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Benton Harbor, Mich. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP)
Crews clear sidewalks from blowing and drifting snow Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Harbor Village in Benton Harbor, Mich. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP)
William Amaya sells firewood Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Houston, ahead of a winter storm predicted to dump several inches of snow in Southeast Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Passengers wait to check-in for their flights at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Houston, ahead of a winter storm that is expected to bring several inches of snow and will close both of Houston's airports on Tuesday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip))
Vehicles pass a sign displaying Winter storm related operations Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Houston, ahead of predicted several inches of snow and possibly ice in Southeast Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip
Friends and family enjoy a fun morning tubing down the hill behind Sherwood Heights Elementary School Auburn, Maine, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal via AP)
William Amaya sells firewood out of his pickup truck Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Houston, ahead of a winter storm predicted to dump several inches of snow in Southeast Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Snow is cleared as the first half ends of an NFL football NFC divisional playoff game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Ice builds up along the shore of Lake Michigan before the sunrise Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Chicago as the weather service issued cold weather advisories across the Great Lakes region as high temperatures in many places were expected only to rise into the single digits Monday and Tuesday. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)
A pedestrian crosses as a pickup truck equipped with a snow plow waits at the traffic signal after a winter storm plunged daytime high temperatures into the single digits and left up to six inches of snow in its wake Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Passengers check-in for their flights at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Houston, ahead of a winter storm that will close both of Houston's airports Tuesday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip))
Passengers wait to check-in for their flights at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Houston, ahead of a winter storm that is expected to bring several inches of snow and will close both of Houston's airports on Tuesday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip))
Kyle Foss holds his son Kasen as they slide behind Sherwood Heights Elementary School in Auburn, Maine, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, with their family and friends. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal via AP)
Vehicles pass a sign displaying Winter storm related operations Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Houston, ahead of predicted several inches of snow and possibly ice in Southeast Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
A person stands on ice at Oak Street Beach along the shore of Lake Michigan to take pictures before the sunrise Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Chicago, as the weather service issued cold weather advisories across the Great Lakes region as high temperatures in many places were expected only to rise into the single digits Monday and Tuesday. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)
A motorist clears snow from a utility vehicle after a winter storm plunged daytime high temperatures into the single digits and left up to six inches of snow in its wake Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Hailee Morin holds her child, Guide Monday morning as they zip down the hill behind Sherwood Heights Elementary School Auburn, Maine, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, with their family and friends. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal via AP)
A cyclist navigates 13th Avenue after a winter storm plunged daytime high temperatures into the single digits and left up to six inches of snow in its wake Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Kristina Foss holds onto her daughter Kayleigh as they plow through snow at the bottom of the hill behind Sherwood Heights Elementary School Auburn, Maine, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, with family and friends. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal via AP)