As Washington remains paralyzed by partisanship, one act of private generosity has jolted the nation awake. After weeks of unpaid service, U.S. troops suddenly learned their salaries would continue — thanks to an anonymous $130 million donation. Soon, whispers began: the mystery benefactor was none other than Timothy Mellon, the secretive billionaire heir whose fortune stretches back to America’s industrial age. Neither Mellon nor the White House confirmed it, but the news spread like wildfire, igniting both praise and outrage across the country.
To some, the gesture is pure patriotism — a reminder that individual action can still rise above political paralysis. To others, it exposes a dangerous reality: that billionaires now step in where government fails. Yet for thousands of military families facing empty bank accounts, ideology mattered less than relief. In a divided America, one man’s gift has reignited a moral question — who truly serves when leaders stand still?
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Missing Vermont College Student Lia Smith Has Been Confirmed Dead, Medical Examiner Releases Her Manner of DeathMissing Middlebury College student Lia Smith has officially been confirmed dead. Smith, 21, was reported missing by her father on Sunday, Oct. 19, two days after she was last seen on campus. A body was discovered near the college by Vermont State Police on Thursday, Oct. 23, and an autopsy has now confirmed that it is that of Smith, per a press release from the Vermont Police Department (VPD) shared on Friday, Oct. 24. The Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Smith died by suicide, per the release. PEOPLE reached out to both the VPD and the Medical Examiner’s Office for comment on Saturday, Oct. 25, but did not receive an immediate response. Middlebury College president Ian Baucom announced the news to the campus community in a statement on Facebook on Saturday, sharing that he had spoken to Smith’s family and expressed his “heartbreak” to them. Lia Smith. Middlebury Police Department “As president, and far more as a fellow parent, I ache for them. This is a profound loss that nobody should have to endure,” he continued. “As we mourn, I want to express my deep appreciation for the efforts of our Student Affairs staff who have been offering such compassionate support to Lia’s family, friends and students across our community. We will continue to support them in every way possible,” Baucom said. He noted that Smith, who was from Woodside, Calif., was a “remarkable person.” “She was a diver on our Women’s Swimming and Diving team, a member of our Chess and Japanese clubs, and an articulate advocate of transgender rights. Her academic interests were broad, and she was pursuing a double major in computer science and statistics. She was a gift to us, and we are so grateful that she was — and will always remain — a member of our Middlebury family,” he added. Members of the Vermont State Police and Rescue Team found Smith’s body in Cornwall, Vt., near the college’s organic farm, the Middlebury Police Department said in a statement. Middlebury students had joined authorities in the search for Smith, per MyNBC5. “We’re a really small community,” senior Lucy Schembre told the local news outlet during the search efforts. “Even if you don’t know someone personally, you definitely know somebody who knows them, and you’ve definitely seen them around. It’s very jarring for somebody who’s supposed to be here, to not be here.” If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. Missing Middlebury College student Lia Smith has officially been confirmed dead. Smith, 21, was reported missing by her father on Sunday, Oct. 19, two days after she was last seen on campus. A body was discovered near the college by Vermont State Police on Thursday, Oct. 23, and an autopsy has now confirmed that it is that of Smith, per a press release from the Vermont Police Department (VPD) shared on Friday, Oct. 24. The Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Smith died by suicide, per the release. PEOPLE reached out to both the VPD and the Medical Examiner’s Office for comment on Saturday, Oct. 25, but did not receive an immediate response. Middlebury College president Ian Baucom announced the news to the campus community in a statement on Facebook on Saturday, sharing that he had spoken to Smith’s family and expressed his “heartbreak” to them. Lia Smith. Middlebury Police Department “As president, and far more as a fellow parent, I ache for them. This is a profound loss that nobody should have to endure,” he continued. “As we mourn, I want to express my deep appreciation for the efforts of our Student Affairs staff who have been offering such compassionate support to Lia’s family, friends and students across our community. We will continue to support them in every way possible,” Baucom said. He noted that Smith, who was from Woodside, Calif., was a “remarkable person.” “She was a diver on our Women’s Swimming and Diving team, a member of our Chess and Japanese clubs, and an articulate advocate of transgender rights. Her academic interests were broad, and she was pursuing a double major in computer science and statistics. She was a gift to us, and we are so grateful that she was — and will always remain — a member of our Middlebury family,” he added. Members of the Vermont State Police and Rescue Team found Smith’s body in Cornwall, Vt., near the college’s organic farm, the Middlebury Police Department said in a statement. Middlebury students had joined authorities in the search for Smith, per MyNBC5. “We’re a really small community,” senior Lucy Schembre told the local news outlet during the search efforts. “Even if you don’t know someone personally, you definitely know somebody who knows them, and you’ve definitely seen them around. It’s very jarring for somebody who’s supposed to be here, to not be here.” If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.
