Rebecca King Crews Beats Tremors After Breakthrough Procedure – “I Can Write My Name Again”

USA PEOPLE – For nearly a decade, Rebecca King Crews – wife of Hollywood star Terry Crews – struggled with a mystery. Doctors kept telling her the shaking hands and numb foot were just anxiety. But she knew something was deeply wrong.

Now, at 60 years old, she’s finally sharing the truth: Rebecca has Parkinson’s disease. And in an exclusive interview with the TODAY show, she revealed a stunning comeback thanks to a brand-new, non-surgical procedure approved by the FDA just last year.

“I feel good. I’m able to write my name and my dates, and I’m able to write with my right hand for the first time in probably three years.” – Rebecca King Crews

Her nightmare began back in 2012 with numbness in her left foot during a workout. That turned into a limp. Then her trainer noticed her left arm wasn’t swinging right. One morning, while putting on lip gloss, she saw her hand shaking.

“My grandmother had tremors –Terry Crews knew exactly what that was,” Rebecca says.

But her primary doctor? He blamed over-exercising and anxiety. Even a neurologist was stumped. It took three long years and a Parkinson’s specialist to finally give her the real diagnosis in 2015.

The hardest part wasn’t the diagnosis – it was the daily humiliation. Tremors made it nearly impossible to brush her teeth, put on makeup, or even write a check.

But Rebecca refused to stop. While still searching for answers, she was writing a book, recording an album, and launching a clothing line. Her motto?

“Just keep walking. You don’t lay down and die because you got a diagnosis.”

That fighting spirit led her to a game-changing treatment: Bilateral Focused Ultrasound – a non-invasive procedure using MRI-guided sound waves to zap the exact brain areas causing movement problems. Unlike deep brain stimulation, there’s no incision, no implant, and recovery is fast.

The device, called Exablate Neuro from Insightec, was approved for one side of the brain in 2021. But last July, the FDA expanded approval to both sides – a huge leap for advanced Parkinson’s patients.

Rebecca had the procedure on March 4. The results were immediate.

• Right-hand tremor? Gone.
• Balance? Dramatically improved.
• Walking? Feels normal again.

She’s already cut back on medication. The only catch? Her left side symptoms remain – so she’s going back this September to get the left side treated.

When her husband Terry saw her write her own name for the first time in three years, he got choked up.

“She’s a superhero. She’s the rock of our lives. When they say ‘sickness and health,’ this is the battle we were designed to fight together.”

This isn’t the first health war Rebecca has won. In 2020, she had a double mastectomy after a breast cancer diagnosis. Through it all, Terry says they’ve built each other up for nearly 37 years.

Today, Rebecca still drives, plays piano, and attends acting class. She’s not waiting for a cure – she’s living fully right now. But she went public for a reason: to give others hope.

“I wanted to potentially make it more available to others, because it’s an expensive surgery, it’s not covered by insurance yet. And to give hope to people with Parkinson’s – I believe we’re going to find the cure.”

Terry echoes that optimism:

“We feel hopeful. We really feel like we are on the edge of a cure for Parkinson’s. We felt like we had to share this with the world.”

Terry Crews For millions of Americans living with Parkinson’s – or watching a loved one struggle – Rebecca’s story is more than a celebrity headline. It’s a real, tangible reason to believe that better days are coming.

Columbia University officials are accusing federal agents of lying to gain entry to a campus building early Thursday morning, leading to the dramatic detention of a popular international student with a massive social media following.

In a developing story that has ignited tensions between immigration enforcement and academic institutions, Ellie Aghayeva, a Columbia University senior attending on an international visa, was taken into custody by Department of Homeland Security agents in what university leadership is calling a “misrepresentation” of facts to gain access to the student.

The Pre-Dawn Raid

According to Columbia University’s acting president Claire Shipman, the incident unfolded around 6:30 a.m. Thursday when DHS agents arrived at a residential building on the New York City campus. Shipman alleges the agents gained entry by falsely claiming they were searching for a “missing person” – a tactic she strongly condemned in a letter to the campus community.

“Federal agents misrepresented themselves to gain entry into our residential building,” Shipman wrote, emphasizing that law enforcement must present a judicial warrant or subpoena to access non-public university spaces, not merely an administrative warrant.

Who Is Ellie Aghayeva?

Identified by both The New York Times and Columbia’s student newspaper, the Columbia Spectator, the detained student is Ellie Aghayeva, a senior with significant digital influence. Aghayeva commands over 100,000 followers on both TikTok and Instagram, making her one of the more visible international students on campus.

As news of her detention spread, Aghayeva posted on her Instagram story in the early morning hours: “DHS illegally arrested me. Please help.” The post has since circulated widely across social media platforms, drawing attention from fellow students, advocacy groups, and elected officials.

Legal Questions Mount

The circumstances surrounding Aghayeva’s detention raise serious legal questions about federal agents’ authority on university campuses. Shipman’s letter stressed that administrative warrants – which are typically issued by federal agencies themselves without judicial oversight – do not grant automatic access to university facilities.

Forbes has reached out to DHS for official comment on the allegations, but the agency has not yet responded to requests for clarification about the operation or the legal basis for the detention.

Political Leaders Respond

The incident has already drawn sharp criticism from New York City political leaders. New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, joined by Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu, both Columbia College alumni, issued a joint statement defending immigrant communities and criticizing federal enforcement tactics.

“ICE has no place in our schools and universities. These activities do not make our city or country safer, but rather drive mistrust and danger,” Menin and Abreu said. “As Columbia College alumni, our hearts are with the community there, and we have been in contact with the University to offer our assistance.”

The statement reflects growing tensions between local governments and federal immigration authorities, particularly in sanctuary cities like New York that limit cooperation with immigration enforcement.

Campus Climate Concerns

The detention comes at a particularly sensitive time for Columbia University, which has been at the center of national debates about campus protests, free speech, and international student rights. International students make up a significant portion of Columbia’s student body, contributing both to the university’s academic excellence and its cultural diversity.

For many international students watching this case unfold, the incident raises concerns about their own vulnerability to federal enforcement actions. University officials have not indicated whether Aghayeva had any prior immigration issues or what specific allegations led to her detention.

What Happens Next

Legal experts suggest the case could become a flashpoint in ongoing debates about immigration enforcement on college campuses. The distinction between administrative warrants and judicial warrants – central to Columbia’s criticism of the operation – may become a key legal battleground.

Immigration advocates are likely to rally around Aghayeva’s case, given her social media prominence and the allegations of federal misrepresentation. Meanwhile, DHS may face pressure to explain both the basis for the detention and the tactics used to access the building.

For now, Aghayeva remains in federal custody, her Instagram post serving as a digital cry for help that has reached hundreds of thousands of followers and counting. The university has not indicated what legal support it may offer the detained student, though Shipman’s strong public statement suggests Columbia will not remain silent on the matter.

As this story continues to develop, it underscores the increasingly fraught relationship between federal immigration enforcement and American higher education – with a popular international student’s future hanging in the balance.

2026 Tax Season in Chaos: Government Shutdown Puts Your Refund at Risk

Where’s My Refund? 2026 Government Shutdown Puts Tax Returns in Limbo

As millions of Americans ask “Where’s my refund?”, a looming government shutdown threatens to throw the 2026 tax season into disarray. With the IRS already processing returns, the ongoing political standoff in Washington could mean significant delays for your money.

We’re now on day three of a partial government shutdown, and the stakes for taxpayers are getting real. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), along with key departments like Homeland Security and Treasury, is operating without full funding. This means skeleton crews, potential closures, and a whole lot of uncertainty for folks counting on their refunds.

How Your Tax Refund Gets Hit

Let’s cut to the chase: if you’re waiting for money, this shutdown is bad news. The IRS has already warned that a shutdown could lead to reduced staff and major processing delays. While the agency will accept electronic returns, the behind-the-scenes work of reviewing and issuing refunds could slow to a crawl.

• Refund Timelines at Risk: The earliest possible release of refunds is already pushed to February 15 for those claiming certain credits. A prolonged shutdown could extend that wait much longer.
• Paper Returns Take a Back Seat: If you mail your taxes, expect even longer delays. Processing paper returns is labor-intensive and likely to be deprioritized.
• Help Desks Go Quiet: Need to call the IRS with a question? Phone and in-person services are expected to face severe disruptions, leaving taxpayers in the dark.

The #1 Action to Take Right Now

In the face of this mess, experts have one clear piece of advice: File electronically and file early. This is your best defense against shutdown delays. E-filing gets your return directly into the system, so it’s in line for processing the moment full operations resume. The earlier you file, the better your chances of avoiding the backlog.

According to a recent Intuit Credit Karma survey, 54% of taxpayers plan to file early this year. They’ve got the right idea. Stay updated on the IRS status by checking the official IRS.gov website for alerts.

Why Did the Government Shut Down? A Homeland Security Standoff

So, why is this happening? The core of the shutdown battle is funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, are refusing to approve full-year funding without major policy changes.

This political crisis was triggered by the tragic killings of two American citizens, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good and 37-year-old Alex Pretti, by federal agents in Minneapolis in January. In response, Democrats are demanding new “guardrails” and accountability measures for immigration officers, including an end to “roving patrols,” independent investigations, and mandatory body cameras.

As USA TODAY reported, these demands have created a stalemate. A key procedural vote on January 29 failed 55-45, highlighting the deep divide. Until a compromise is reached, the shutdown—and the tax refund headache—continues.

What’s Next? A Race Against the Clock

The House of Representatives returned to Washington on Monday, February 2, in an attempt to break the logjam. House Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed hope of passing a funding package for all agencies except DHS by Tuesday, February 3, allowing for two more weeks of negotiations.

However, Johnson has also warned, “We may inevitably be in a short shutdown situation.” This shutdown comes less than two months after the longest in U.S. history (43 days in late 2025), raising fears that this deadlock could also drag on.

For taxpayers, the message is clear: don’t wait. File your taxes now, manage your expectations for a delayed refund, and keep a close eye on Washington. Your financial planning may depend on it.