In an ever-changing and sometimes chaotic news cycle, there are some stories that capture a moment or a person that compels us. These stories, sometimes called human interest stories, remind us of both ordinary and remarkable people who were especially brave or particularly interesting.
This year, the Deseret News published a bevy of human interest stories that captivated our readers, who wanted to know more about Liz Cheney as well as a mysterious mogul whose name appears on buildings up and down I-15.
Here are the most-read human interest stories from 2022.
America’s most remarkable kid died in Newcastle, Utah — his legacy never will
Daryl Gibson told the remarkable story of Kevin Cooper, who went by Cole Summers online. By the time he was 14, Cooper had a 350-acre farm with plans to expand, a social media following, was writing guest essays for well-known blogs and so much more. He had already published his autobiography and had big plans to transform the West at the time of his tragic death.
The world’s smartest man lived in the Salt Lake City library and memorized every verse of Latter-day Saint scripture
Christian Sagers chronicled the story of Kim Peek, a savant with 15 different areas of expertise. He lived in Murray, but was a regular at the Salt Lake City library. Throughout his lifetime, it’s believed that Peek memorized around 12,000 books.
The agony of Liz Cheney
Cheney made headlines throughout 2022 as one of the most prominent conservative voices in opposition to Donald Trump. Michael Mooney wrote a profile of Cheney and described how she became a prominent politician. He indicated that she lost favor with the state she represented as a result of her speaking out against Trump. He forecasted, “So the real battle between Liz Cheney and the powers of MAGA country might actually take place in 2024.”
Scott O’Neil’s next mountain
Samuel Benson wrote about how former NBA executive Scott O’Neil became the coach of his daughter’s high school basketball team. Benson spoke with O’Neil and traced his time in the NBA. He concluded the article, “But now, both he and they are in the right spot — ‘all the fun and all the action,’ he says, smiling, ‘happens on the way up.’”
Who is the real Brenda Wright Lafferty? What we miss when we don’t ask
When the FX show “Under the Banner of Heaven” premiered, Hanna Seariac spent time interviewing family members of one of the victims — Brenda Wright Lafferty. She found out what she was like with her friends and families, sketching out the person she was. She included pictures from Brenda Wright’s childhood and concluded, “She had friends and family. She learned and grew and loved and left a legacy worth remembering — not because of how she died, but because of the life she lived.”
Flying high with Utah’s most mysterious mogul
If you’ve driven on I-15, you’ve likely seen his name — Brandon Fugal. Utah’s mogul who owns a large amount of the Utah skyline along with the mysterious Skinwalker Ranch took Meg Walter for a ride in his helicopter. Walter interviewed Fugal about his life and described how he managed to become one of Utah’s wealthiest men.
The startling case of Ridge Alkonis
Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis received a three-year prison statement in Japan when a Japanese judge said that he fell asleep at his wheel. His family believed what happened is different— they said that he likely blacked out. Tad Walch interviewed the family to learn more about Alkonis’ case and illustrated how many people are calling for his release.
Jeff Flake’s last stand
Former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake beat Deseret National executive editor Hal Boyd in squash while the two talked international politics. Flake, who is the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, discussed the war in Ukraine and how Turkey relates to that. Boyd wrote, “Others might have simply lost faith in the American project after experiencing such violence and personal threats. But the Flakes are pounding the pavement in Turkey — true believers in the United States of America and the cause of democracy.”
Noah Feldman’s march against the current
Benson wrote a profile of Noah Feldman, a Harvard legal scholar, who took an academic and personal interest in Latter-day Saints. Feldman considers himself somewhere in “the mushy middle” politically, but takes morality seriously. Benson highlighted areas where Feldman took strong moral positions and also argued them on constitutional grounds.