Double or nothing: the fight’s not over for one COVID-19 survivor

Plus, we wrap up the Anywhere but Toronto series, Raptors free-agent targets and Baryshnikov recalls his fateful defection [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. Today’s the main event around the Village — the Pride Parade itself. [Check the Star’s interactive Pride map for more details on what’s happening today](. And here’s the latest on everything else. MUST READS Steve Russell/Toronto Star Health [COVID-19 ravaged his body. Despite a life-saving transplant, this health-care worker is once again fighting to survive]( Edwin Ng wasn’t expected to live. During the deadly B.1.1.7 variant wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the personal support worker became one of the sickest patients in Ontario — and a symbol of the inadequate wages and unsafe conditions many health-care workers face. Three years later, Ng’s transplanted lungs are beginning to fail, Amy Dempsey Raven reports. Still relentlessly positive, [the beloved family man will try to beat the odds one more time](. Supplied Anywhere but toronto [They left Toronto for the Alberta advantage — big skies and low taxes. They found much more]( Nearly 50,000 Ontarians relocated to Alberta between July 1, 2022 and 2023, according to Statistics Canada. Several recent movers tell Omar Mosleh the main draws were affordable housing, the absence of a provincial sales tax and a sense of safer, friendlier community. Despite a few costly drawbacks, [they ultimately have no regrets about leaving Toronto in the rearview](. R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star Anywhere but Toronto [While thousands flee Toronto, others choose to stay, many feeling they don’t really have a choice]( Despite the ongoing exodus, there are many reasons why some Torontonians stay. One woman tells Manuela Vega she fears losing the diverse culture of her Scarborough neighbourhood. For another, missing out on the career opportunities Toronto brings is too steep a price. And for others, the actual cost of relocating just isn’t in the budget. [In a certain sense, the choice to stay has already been made for them](. Dylan Buell/Getty Images Sports [The Raptors have a long history of free-agency airballs. Here are five realistic players the team should target]( Toronto has long failed to land big-ticket NBA free agents — and the vets they have lured in recent years, from DeMarre Carroll to Aron Baynes, have left much to be desired. In any case, the Raptors won’t go star-hunting at this stage in their rebuild, Doug Smith writes. [However, there are still a few notable free agents the team should take a gamble on](. Lance McMillan/Toronto Star file photo PERSONAL FINANCE [With inflation squeezing us all to the brink, here’s what to do if rent suddenly becomes unaffordable]( As June comes to an end, many renters will be cutting a cheque to their landlord in the next few days. But what happens when your ability to cover your rent is pushed beyond its limit? Lesley-Anne Scorgie offers [several helpful suggestions, from short-term bandaids to long-term solutions, to help get your monthly budget on track](. UP CLOSE Erin Combs It was half a century ago that Mikhail Baryshnikov defected from the Soviet Union, sprinting from the stage door of what’s now Meridian Hall, writes Michael Crabb. Recalling the damp, Toronto evening “like a film noir,” [the ballet icon’s decision changed the dance world forever](. Check THIS Susan Kao/Toronto Star illustration What better way to experience a summer weekend in Ontario than a day trip to a fruit or vegetable festival, writes Jessica Huras. With standouts like the Blenheim Cherryfest, Perth Garlic Festival and Watermelon Fest Straffordville, [there’s something for every palate on our interactive map](. Thanks for reading. Do not adjust your inboxes: First Up is off tomorrow for Canada Day but I’ll be back bright and early on July 2. You can reach the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_215908). See you back here Tuesday. If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](