good morning, america. this morning, winter whiteout. a massive storm buries the west in almost two feet of snow. cars and trucks tumble off the highway. seven states under winter warnings right now. sam has all the details. alive. the 23-year-old college student finally found last night after ten days stranded in the snow. new details about how she survived, trapped in a car with only two candy bars. no coat, no blanket. what she says kept her hanging on. and overboard. the jaw-dropping moment sailors lost control of a massive barge, sending it plunging 50 feet into the sea. prince william busts a move. the royal couple breaking it down on a big night out. as details emerge on kate's homemade christmas gift for the queen.

here we are. >> yeah. lots of lights up in times square. will and kate making all the right moves, aren't they? >> they certainly are. >> they're doing great. good morning, everyone. crunch time on the campaign trail. closing in on the first votes. candidates are really swinging at each other in brand-new ads. getting a little testy, too. tempers also fraying on capitol hill, where congress and the white house, still deadlocked on that tax cut. it affects just about everyone. no deal in sight right now. it's got to get solved by new years. >> the american public, so frustrated right now by all that. and the kansas city college student, hello? hello? hello! vanished on campus. now found. but her reappearance is adding to the mystery of why she disappeared in the first place. her family is very happy she's back. but a mystery as to what happened. >> the police say she was not kidnapped. not abducted. getting to that. and remember the video we showed you yesterday. it outraged a whole lot of people. watch what this fedex guy does

right now. got a nice piece of hardware there. it outraged a lot of people. we'll tell you what fedex is saying about it. >> they're going to weigh in bigtime. let's get right over to sam who is tracking the latest on the weather right now. >> hey, robin, george. good morning, everyone. a brand-new storm developing as we speak. for the southeast today, you can see all of the rain in texas into louisiana. also into -- well, mississippi. for that area, it includes new orleans, by the way. the reason we're watching it, in yesterday's weaker rain, there was a tornado in alabama. there might be a few more popping there. that's one area of weather that's bad on the boards today. we'll show you two. one of them is all of the rain down into the southeast and the eastern coast of the nation. and also, the big snowmaker in the west. with that rain that happened yesterday, this will be the second day of heavy rain in the southeast. there was enough rain in the atlanta area. quick hit of two inches of rain. when you get the wash on the roads, it takes a few inches to move a car off the roads. we had some problems with flooding in the atlanta area. i would not be surprised to see

that two inches happen again in the atlanta area. and in denver, this is the picture of douglas county, just outside of the denver area yesterday. we'll call this the first official snowfall of the season. because winter started 10:30 central time officially there yesterday. this goes on today. it will amount to six or ten, maybe a foot of snow, possibly. our weekend meteorologist, ginger zee, is there, as the snow collects. heaviest in the next few hours? >> reporter: sam, the snow is still coming down at a pretty decent clip in denver. but there will be some breaks. it's kind of winding down. they'll get one to three inches in some locations. let me show you what we have so far. about a boot full. this is really h fluffy snow. 32 inches in the mountains, south and west of boulder. it depends where you're at. roads slick. accidents, spinoff, airports so

far not reporting any delays. overnight, the blizzard brought fresherous conditions in the home. rescue teams out in full force. it's only the first day of winner, yet, seven states from montana to oklahoma, are on went percent warning, this after the hef deadly blizzard thstranded hundreds of motors and took over a dozen lives. >> by the time we got to kansas, it was really crazy. >> reporter: snow will continue next couple hour p-it will then start to wind down leaving another one to three inches. denver is the one spot in the nation starting this. the first day of winter,

officially, feeling like it. and looking like it too. i'm happy to be here rather than the low 50s in new york. sam. we'll show you what the airport delays look like across the country. you can see denver has one or two. a little longer delay later on this afternoon. atlanta, two inches of rain, oddly, san francisco showing green on the map. it's not weather related. seems to be traffic related. that's the flan today. a quick update. remember we talked about the nor'easter that could bring snow to new england for the christmas weekend. right now, here's the latest plan. yesterday it went away. today it's back on the board. the latest information shows we can see an inch to two-inch coating in some areas in new england, not in the coastal area, we'll talk about more of this so you won't be surprised. now josh is here with the other head lines. no peace in iraq. >> h we're begin there.

14 bombs have now gone 0 off. it's the worst violence we've seen in moss. at least 63 people have been confirmed to be killed, hundreds more injured. this attack comes four days after combat troops left the country. and what could lie ahead as tensions grow between shiite and plrp sunni leaders. here at home, a college student missing for nearly a week, has turned up safe and sound. this morning, there are more questions than answers in this mysterious case. this morning, 19-year-old aisha khan is home, reunited with her family, nearly a week after she disappeared from her community college campus. >> aisha's alive. she is safe and sound. >> reporter: local stations, broke into programming. >> the 19-year-old college student has been found safe and sound. she was not abducted according to police, or held against her will. >> reporter: in a brief press conference late last night, a khan family spokesperson thanked the community. >> the family is very, very grateful for all of the people being involved. >> reporter: but no family members would speak to reporters.

and police, who just days ago told abc news, they were treating the case as an abduction, had no comment on khan's reappearance. khan went missing friday afternoon, shortly after leaving this bizarre and disturbing voicemail for her sister. >> oh, my gosh. it was so scary. my heart is like pounding. i never got this scared in my life. >> reporter: police launched a massive search and investigation. and khan's family pleaded for her safe return. >> please, pray for us. >> reporter: today, it seems their wish has come true. but with so many questions unanswered and many wondering, just where was she for the past five days? >> at this time, we're not going to be taking any questions, as we don't have the answers at this moment. >> well, police said they're not releasing any information on where aisha may or may not have been. they would only say that the case is closed and no further action will be taken. meanwhile this morning, bank of america has agreed to pay some $335 million to settle a

massive discrimination lawsuit. the bank's countrywide unit was accused of charging latinos and african-americans higher interest rates for home loans. some 200,000 borrowers could be eligible for settlement money. and the nfl is being sued this morning. four former players are charging the league with negligence and fraud. saying it downplayed the link between concussions and brain damage. just this month, browns' quarterback, colt mccoy reentered a game after taking this hit from steelers player james harrison. he was diagnosed with a concussion. the nfl says it will send a special trainer to each game to watch for such head injuries. yeah. and a sober reminder this morning of the dangers of drinking too much this holiday season. british police released this video showing an apparently intoxicated woman falling between the train and the platform. luckily, she is okay. police say, though, it's a warning to everyone, to celebrate responsibly. and finally, a collective

oops from a group of russian sailors. take a look at what happened when they were trying to hoist a massive barge on to their massive ship. the cables snapped. and the ship, back into the water. the barge went some 50 feet back into the ocean. everyone managed to get out of the way in time. no one was hurt. eventually, they did manage to get that barge safely onboard. meddling, little barge. get up here. come on. don't be shy. there's a look at the headlines. >> all right, josh. thanks. >> you bet. move on to politics now. your voice, your vote. it's down to the wire. just days to go before the first vote in iowa. the top candidates battling it out with new ads and bringing out the big guns on the campaign trail, their wives. abc's john berman is in new hampshire right now. and has the latest for us. good morning, john. >> reporter: robin, you can tell it's getting serious when they break out the wives and the buses. this is the mitt romney bus behind me.

it is crunch time with all that. plus, candidates fighting about kitchens and even walking out of interviews. the fight for the republican nomination has dissolved into a fight about kitchens, sort of. mitt romney defending millions of dollars in negative ads supporters are running against newt gingrich. >> if you can't stand the relatively modest heat in the kitchen right now, wait until obama's hell's kitchen shows up. >> reporter: overnight, newt responded like an iron chef, challenging romney to a one-on-one debate. >> let's test this kitchen. i'm happy. i'll go in the kitchen. ask governor romney. would he like to play in the kitchen? i don't think so. >> reporter: romney is throwing the kitchen sink in this campaign. this brand-new bus in new hampshire. sandwiches for reporters. >> roast beef, italian, italian back here. >> reporter: even this new ad from ann romney. >> you really want to know how a

person will operate, look at how they've lived their life. >> reporter: in fact, as of today, campaign 2012 is raining wife, hallelujah. three wives at once in their own ads. anita perry pushing romance. >> it's an old-fashioned american story. i married my high school sweetheart. >> reporter: callista gingrich, pushing christmas. >> from our family to yours. merry christmas and happy new year. >> reporter: we can use some christmas spirit. this event, upstaged by protesters. and ron paul might need some holiday cheer, too. facing continued questions about a newsletter published in his name in the '90s, with racially incendiary language. >> i didn't write them. i didn't read them at the time. and i disavow them. >> reporter: he walked out of an interview when the questions wouldn't stop. most candidates were in iowa and new hampshire, newt gingrich was in virginia. the bad news for him, he was there because he's trying to get enough signatures to appear on the ballot there. the good news for him, he says

he did get those signatures. george? >> john, thanks. we have to check them all first. now, let's go to jon karl in washington for more on this. jon, getting a little testy out there. looks like everyone needs a break. but the one thing they don't want to talk about is what you're doing down there in washington. deadlocked on capitol hill over the payroll tax cut. these candidates want to stay as far away from that as they can. >> reporter: that's right. mitt romney was asked over and over about it yesterday. and he simply didn't want to take a position on this. newt gingrich has warned the republicans that the president has a much bigger bully pulpit and a bigger microphone with the nation on this. they should be careful on this. but he hasn't directly weighed in, either. this is something they would rather let the mess in washington stay in washington. than be out on the campaign trail on their agenda. >> you're aware that newt gingrich is warning republicans they have to find a way to clean this thing up. and the house republicans are getting a lot of that same advice from other republicans, from their colleagues in the senate. but they still seem to be holding firm. >> reporter: they are. publicly, you see them out there. the speaker of the house. he's going to be out again this morning, taking a firm line.

saying that a temporary extension of that tax cut is unacceptable. in washington, they want to negotiate a compromise. but i've got to tell you, george. i've been talking privately with top aides to those house republicans. they know they are hurting here. they know they are losing the public relations battle. they are losing it badly. they say ultimately, they cannot let that tax cut expire. they are well aware they may have to fold on this. but they're going to fight this out for several more days. >> and president obama, knowing he's getting temporary political advantage with all this after quite a difficult year. he's going to keep pressing the case. no compromise on his side, correct? >> reporter: absolutely no compromise from the democrats. they love this battle because they think the republicans are looking very badly. the one thing the president doesn't like is that he's still here and not in hawaii. he promised to stay here until it's resolved. >> the first lady and the girls went out last saturday. i'm sure he wants to get out there as soon as he can. members of congress probably want to get home, as well. bottom line, this will probably get resolved before new year's..

now, important news for ug new e who flies. rules to prevent pilot fatigue, wihengor in so many crashes. abc's chief investigative correspondent, brian ross, has been following the problem of pilots too tired to fly. >> reporter: the new pilot fatigue rules are meant to prevent accidents like this one, the crash of a colgan air commuter jet from newark to buffalo almost three years ago, in which 50 people had died. neither the pilot nor the first officer had slept in a bed the night before. they had commuted to newark from florida and washington state. yawns could be heard on the cockpit voice recorder. >> this new rule will afford pilots the opportunity to get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep before a flight. >> reporter: the rules will also reduce the number of on-duty hours for a pilot. but only from a maximum of 16 hours a day to 14 hours a day. >> i'm very distressed over these rules because they don't

go anywhere near far enough. >> reporter: critics say the new rules also fall substantially short of dealing with the problems of pilots who commute to their base, flying in from distant cities to begin their duty. younger, less well paid pilots end up sleeping in so-called crash pads, like this one abc news found near laguardia airport in new yk. or trying to grab sleep in pilot lounges where experts say the quality of sleep is badly impaired. >> these new rules do not stop the danger of commuting pilots. >> reporter: the faa says the new rules require the airlines to recognize the commuter problem. but puts the responsibility on the pipilots to certify that th are fit for duty. not good enough, for some. >> new pilots in the first part of their career, they are simply not going to tell the truth, because they know they'll get fired or sanctioned if they say yes, i'm tired. >> reporter: almost three years after this deadly crash, the national transportation safety board says, even with the new faa rules, the issue of tired pilots in the cockpit remains a serious concern.

for "good morning america," brian ross, abc news, new york. >> surprised so many feel this isn't enough. >> not enough, no. let's get back over -- now, you're over there. weather over there earlier. now, over here. all over the place. >> just to be close to you, robin. >> aw. >> you're good. you're good. and the big board. >> i'm actually awake this morning. watch this area of low pressure very carefully today. it's the second one in two days that moves through the southeast. we're a little concerned about the tornado watch that's out for louisiana. also mississippi this morning. and more flooding in the state of georgia. as this stripe of heavy rain goes right through the southeast. jackson, new orleans, atlanta, nashville, washington, d.c., even. and maybe a little heavier rain for later tonight in the new york city area. all of this, one to three inches of rain. flash flooding is really possible. and again with the tornado watch out we're a little concerned there will be strong to severe storms in the areas highlighted in red, particularly for

birmingham, montgomery, mobile, atlanta. jackson, new orleans. stay up with your local abc stations. they'll let you know exactly what's going on. this snowmaker is out of colorado into new mexico. that pretty much is the weather on the board. remember, this weekend in the northeast, be extra careful about a little snowmaker that might be traveling up.

>> all of america's weather coming into the holiday weekend, when we come back in the next half hour. robin? george? >> you don't want to know. we're going to move to more holiday cheer for the world's hottest royal couple. will and kate. created quite a buzz. they busted a move and brought back memories when they helped kids decorate holiday cookies at a homeless shelter in london. and nick watt is here to tell us about it. >> reporter: dressed down and relaxed. kate in muted mossy ralph lauren. william in -- whatever. but no coat.

his mother was patron of this charity, which helps homeless teens get back on track. william visited with his mother when he was a kid. and he's been patron since 2005. the highlights? william asked the teenager if she liked his wedding outfit. your swag was on-point replayed the teen. translation, your outfit was really nice. william got jiggy, calling it the swag dance. >> they lost princess diana. i lost my mom the same age as prince william lost his. and prince william following the legacy of his mother, it's amazing. >> reporter: and kate, making christmas treats shows she shares diana's caring touch. >> kate -- katherine made this for my 18th birthday. it's really beautiful. i'm going to cherish it. >> reporter: we see her wearing diana's jewelry, engagement ring, similar couture. and seeing her carry on diana's work. >> it's about your own future.

and no one's trying to fill my mother's shoes. and what she did is fantastic. it's about making your own future, your own destiny. and kate will do a very good job of that. >> before william and kate got married, they were concerned about parallels being drawn. since the wedding, actually, they seem to be content with this. i think kate is growing into her role. >> reporter: last night, for once, i think william stole the show. let's watch that dance again. cringe-worthy? endearing? bizarre? i think all three. now, kate is about to spend her first christmas with her royal in-laws. so, what do you buy the family that has everything? well, apparently she's made each of them a little pot of jam. that's sweet. >> that's adorable. >> very smart. >> for someone who has everything. nick, thank you. coming up, an amazing survival story. the college student trapped in a car, stranded for ten days. how she hung on for so long. and gold rush. the hidden camera investigation why you might not be getting

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sears an accident on i-880 involving a highway patrol officer is complicating the commute now. sue with is going on? >> we are going live to hd sky 7 over the scene of this accident motorcycle cop, the

officer was scene walking around on the freeway but for a time they had all lanes blocked in the northbound direction and southbound also very slow. no "sig alert" in effect at this time. we'll keep following for you. delays of about 22 minutes in both north and southbound 880 directions through union city and fremont. >> we'll keep an eye on the weather as well with

. a couple of beautiful things look out impending sunrise and winds still gusting around the bay area. santa rosa gusting to 38, fairfield 37, 21 concord everybody else hess than 15 miles per hour it did keep temperatures up overnight. good morning. still in the 50s in santa rosa, san francisco and half moon bay low 60s possibly the mid to upper 50s in the east bay valleys. 20s and 30s tonight frosty cold, rain still in the forecast, tuesday and wednesday. >> have a great day.

there she is. 22-year-old lauren weinberg. there was snow more than two feet high. the temperatures were near zero. she only had two candy bars in her car. but she survived in those harrowing conditions for days. she stayed put in her car. the forest service finally tracked her down. and we have her stunning survival story. >> no blanket. no jacket. and thinking about selling your gold jewelry for extra cash? not before you see this exclusive undercover investigation. it could mean the difference between a great deal and being taken for a ride. also, a new twist in one of the highest-profile breakups, j. lo and marc anthony. they could be headed for a custody battle for their twins. let's get to the happy

ending for the frantic search for arizona student lauren weinberg. finally found safe and alive, trapped in her car, deep snow all around. andrea canning is here. we're happy this has a happy ending. >> reporter: she is a fighter. can you imagine all that time in that car alone? and she survived. lauren weinberg, uncharacteristically missed her final exams. her parents were in anguish for days. but the 23-year-old said she had faith she would be found, with no warm coat, and almost no food, in an area accessible only by snowball. in a car alone, in freezing temperatures, lauren weinberg is recovering at this flagstaff medical center. for more than a week, she was trapped in her small toyota corolla. >> she didn't have a lot in the way of provision or warm clothing. >> reporter: the 23-year-old arizona state university student's incredible survival

story started almost two weeks ago, just as a winter storm hit northern arizona. weinberg was last seen leaving her mother's house in phoenix on the night of december 11th. she drove about four hours month, when she got stuck in snow. no one around for miles. >> she had a cell phone with her. she couldn't use it because the batteries were dead. >> reporter: for more than a week and a half, she was stranded, without a heavy coat or blanket, as another snowstorm dumped more than two feet of snow around her. she survived on just two candy bars. and for water, snow she melted in water bottles. >> she was transferred by the forest service employees to a location where our deputy accessed her with a four-wheel drive vehicle. she was driven to the flagstaff medical center. >> reporter: overnight, weinberg released this statement. there were times i was afraid. but mostly, i had faith i would

be found. but other tales don't have such happy endings. earlier this year, a 56-year-old woman was rescued after being stranded for almost two months on a desolate logging road in nevada. her husband who went searching for help is still missing. and in 2006, the kim family was stranded for nine days in the oregon wilderness. kati kim and her young daughters were rescued. her husband, james, was found dead of hyperthermia, half a mile from their car. in lauren weinberg's case, staying put was what saved her life. >> we were thankful she was with her vehicle. >> reporter: where was lauren weinberg heading that night? and why was she up in those dangerous mountains all alone? for now, her family is happy she is getting her strength and health back in the hospital. that's all that matters. >> andrea, thank you very much. now, an exclusive look at the investigation into gold scammers. the price of goal is sky-high.

more than $1,600 an ounce. many are looking to sell their jewelry and coins for cash for the holiday season. but elisabeth leamy has obtained video of an undercover investigation that shows what to watch out for. and she joins us now. hey, eli. >> reporter: george, listen. there are so many ways to sell your gold. and a six-week sting by the new york department of consumer affairs found that the price you get depends on who you ask. here's an exclusive look inside the investigation. this hidden camera investigation shows that it's seller beware. >> you guys buy used gold? >> reporter: the new york city department of consumer affairs sent an undercover inspector to see how much gold merchants would pay for these pieces of jewelry. an appraiser valued the three at $590. to calculate the correct value, merchants should separate the pieces by karat count, and then weigh them individually. at nearly half of the shops, including this one, the merchant

wears them all together. >> what's the item weigh? what's the quality of each item? that's the way a legitimate business does business. >> reporter: this merchant also tries to claim the rings are just 10 karats, when we know they're 14 and 18. >> they're 10 karats. >> 10 karats. >> reporter: the undercover investigation showed it pays to be persistent. >> i have some gold i want to sell. >> reporter: usually, the opening offer isn't the best offer. >> $210. >> reporter: that's it? >> reporter: when the undercover inspector dismisses that price, the merchant does better. >> all of it, $230. >> reporter: at another shop, the merchant starts at $250. but the secret shopper hesitates. >> it just doesn't seem like very much money. >> let me see if i can get a better price. >> reporter: the merchant raises his offer by 40 bucks, to $290. the biggest revelation of all is how much you get for your gold depends on where you go. remember, an appraiser said this

gold was worth $590. >> i'll give you $175. >> that's all? >> how much are you looking for? >> not $175. >> reporter: the merchant bids ranged from $175 to $450, all for the same three pieces of jewelry. >> a business can decide to offer whatever they want. the issue is whether the consumer has a sense of how to evaluate that offer. >> reporter: low-ball offers are not illegal. they're business. but you can give merchants the business right back. >> you know what? i'm going to try to get a better price. >> reporter: and if you're hoping you're sitting on a little gold mine, that's exactly what you should do, too. as you can tell, we altered the inspector's voice to protect her identity for future investigations. at this point, no violations have been issued to the stores in that undercover video that you saw. it's an ongoing investigation. the new york city department of consumer affairs also conducted another 450 inspections and issued violations to 74% of the buyers. mostly for things like missing

signage that helps customers get a fair shake and bad record keeping that can get stolen gold fall through the cracks. the gold buyers will settle and pay a fine or settle. >> get an appraiser to know what you're dealing with. >> go to a reputable jeweler. get an appraisal. it will give you a ballpark idea of the value. whoever is i buying it from you, has to leave room to profit when they sell it. >> you looked at outfit where's you mail in your jewelry. >> right. outfits like cash 4 gold is the most famous. we found the same thing. if you haggle and hold out, you will get a better deal. >> thanks very much. we have a lot of information on goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo! it's time for the weather and sam. >> good morning, everybody. not long ago, a big, heavy rainmaker moved through the houston area. overnight, big-time soaking

rain. in the last few hours, picking up more than an inch of rain. that system becomes a player for the southeast. things are getting better in houston as things go on. as that low pulls up, it becomes a big rainmaker for all of the southeast into northern new england. and behind it comes cooler, drier air. chicagoland will drop into the 30s. this is a big pocket of cold air. it drops down towards dallas. houston is a part of that. dallas, about 48 degrees by saturday. atlanta drops from 70 today to about 57 by the time we get into saturday. and that cold air makes it into kind of the mid-atlantic states by the time we get into the weekend. southwestern, strong winds pick up today. could delay your airport travel toward l.a., if you're traveling today. check with your air carrier. the santa ana winds will get

>> all of that weather was brought to you by chevron. robin? george? >> are those reindeer? >> thank you for noticing, robin. and actually, they are reindeer. >> getting in the spirit. >> come on. come on. see? see the little -- yep. it could be caribou. but i'm choosing to think of them as reindeer. >> we have a reindeer in our last half hour, i think. >> we do. >> one of santa's -- >> we're going to explain all of the fancy, snazzy things that come along. did you know they have infrared view? >> i did not. we have a lot to tell you about the custody showdown. j. lo and marc anthony in a fight over the future custody of their twins. our science teacher helped us build it. ♪

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we're back at 7:43 now. and the latest twist among the biggest celebrity splits of the year, superstar jennifer lopez and marc anthony, may be getting ready for a fight over their 3-year-old twins. bianna golodryga, our weekend anchor, is here. >> reporter: good morning, robin. in a year of high-profile divorces, arnold and maria, ashton and demi, and kim and kris, the split of jennifer lopez and marc anthony seemed to be amicable, at least where the

children were concerned. but now, the couple may be heading for a custody battle. ♪ let me introduce you >> reporter: the claws may be coming out. rumors swirling the once-amicable exes aren't anymore. >> the original agreement when they split was j. lo would have primary custody of the kids. since that all came out, marc wants joint custody. >> reporter: anthony is furious over these frolicking seaside snapshots. with j. lo's new squeeze in hawaii. >> sources close to jennifer told us, that marc is not interested in having joint custody with the kids. he's using them to get back at her because he's so angry she has moved on. >> reporter: since announcing their plans for divorce in july, jenny has been spotted around the block, with bradley cooper. and now, most recently, the backup dancer so often at her side, 24-year-old, casper smart. >> casper has an arrest for drag

racing. >> reporter: however this custody battle will play out, j. lo tells "extra," her kids will be her first priority. >> so long as they're happy and healthy, i feel like i'm doing a good job as a person. >> reporter: marc will reportedly be spending the upcoming holidays with the twins. but with the new year fast approaching, it could be a bitter 2012. >> things are going to get nasty between the two of them. >> reporter: abc news has reached out to j. lo and marc's reps. so far, there's been no comment from either camp. we wish them the best. >> absolutely. thank you very much. josh is getting ready over there for his "play of the day." going to bring it. and the special guest who took a break from santa to pay us a visit, right here in times square. ♪ ding dong ding, dong ♪ hark how the bells, sweet silver bells, all seem to say, ♪ ♪ throw cares away, christmas is here, bringing good cheer, ♪

♪ to young and old, meek and the bold, ding dong ding, dong, ♪ ♪ that is their song, with joyful ring, all caroling, ♪ ♪ one seems to hear, words of good cheer, from everywhere, ♪ ♪ filling the air, oh how they pound, raising the sound, ♪ ♪ o'er hill and dale, telling their tale, gaily they ring, ♪ ♪ while people sing, songs of good cheer, christmas is here. ♪ ♪ merry, merry, merry, merry christmas ♪ when you spend more days than not separated from your own life... when the only thing you can be sure of is migraines with 15 or more headache days a month, you're living a maybe life. and you may be living with chronic migraine. but knowing that this thing you're going through has a name, means knowing you can find treatments that are right for you. go to mychronicmigraine.com to find a headache specialist. and don't live a maybe life.

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here's "the play of the day." >> america's been nice. they're going to get a both-for

today. >> it's a bonus and the two-for. i couldn't decide. we don't have time. 59-year-old brenda, this lovely lady has never held a hockey stick in her life. she is at the car dealership earlier this day. and they're giving away a free truck at the game tonight. if you make this impossible hockey shot. >> no way. >> she enters the contest. she gets picked. one of five to get picked. >> huh-uh. >> she's 59. >> yes. >> i love that. >> we know exactly why you chose this. >> that's true. i'm not going to be shameless. let's just say, i made a very similar shot. with a little less on the line. >> look at that strength. >> yeah. >> the chances of doing that. >> here it comes. >> sorry. what? oh, i made it, too.

sorry. that's not the bo-for. this kid, look at this. it's a short in the control room. all the men around here love this morning. all the women, haven't so much. he's got a nerf gun. he's tied it to his tooth. >> oh. >> no. >> oh, my gosh. >> no way. yikes. healthy tips for the holidays, brought to you by philips sonicare. everybody wants to look their best for holiday photos. so, give the gift of a facial. which facial works best for clearer, healthier-looking skin in go to goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo! for the answer. ♪ round, round, get around, i get around ♪

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[ laughter ] ♪ [ male announcer ] for tim and richard smucker, giving a gift of their family's delicious jam always made the holidays just a little bit sweeter. we forgot to put our names on them! richard, i think they'll know who it's from. ♪ thank you boys. you're welcome. you're welcome. [ male announcer ] happy holidays from our family to yours. i love christmas!

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back, singing "white christmas" for us in times square. traffic is snarled on i-880 after a chp officer was hit while responding to an accident. we are going now to earlier with sky 7 hd in union city northbound 880, chp motorcycle down in lanes all lanes blocked for a time that accident very bad. since it has been cleared out of lanes. slow traffic remains through union city and fremont. it is improving both directions. drive times, there you have it still slow. here's mike with your

forecast. good morning. mid to upper 50s east bay valleys low 60s for the rest of us breezy until sunset temperatures drop into the 20s and 30s tonight. >> news continues now with "good morning america."

♪ run, run rudolph [ cheers and applause ] a big crowd outside again. we're playing this because we have a special guest in the house. that is blitzen. about to get superbusy flying santa and a sleigh full of presents around to rooftops around the world. what does he have? sam? >> infrared vision. notice the aerodynamic slope. >> they're like, huh? also -- >> can i? >> yes. >> start with the news?

>> wow. >> get to the news. >> let's get to the news. we have a lot of big headlines this year. we had arab spring. we had osama bin laden get taken out. we had that nuclear meltdown in japan. kim kardashian married for 72 days. so many changes in 2011. we'll get to all of it, coming up. we have the hot, high-tech gadgets at the top of everyone's wish list. is now the best time to get them? or should you wait until after christmas, for the next generation of gadgets? we'll tell you what to get and when. that's a good one. josh, if you're finished with sam, how about the news? >> i'll sit in for sam. we're going to start with the weather. millions of americans traveling and they're bracing for delays on this first day of winter. down south, flooding and the threat of tornadoes from new orleans, all the way to

atlanta. and the bad weather will be moving into the northeast tonight and tomorrow. sam will have one or two things to talk about in just a moment. meanwhile, the other major story this morning is in iraq. 14 bombs have fgone off across the city of baghdad this morning, killing at least 63 people. it's the worst violence in month and comes just days after u.s. combat troops left the country. the republican presidential candidates are getting more personal and more negative, as the first vote in iowa draws ever-closer. newt gingrich is strongly criticizing mitt romney's negative ads. romney says that's only because gingrich can't stand the heat in the proverbial kitchen. meantime, both men along with rick perry, are employing a new tactic, featuring their wives in their newest ad campaigns. walmart has pulled a brand of infant formula from the shelves this morning after the death of a baby in missouri. the formula affected is enfamil

powdered formula in 12.5-ounce cans. the infant died after being fed. it's not clear if the formula is, in fact, to blame. walmart says it's just being cautious. this morning, police in california are analyzing this o surveillance video. they say it's the so-called geezer bandit believed to be in his 06s or 70s. look how quickly this presumably 60-year-old or 70-year-old man running. police say the geezer bandit may not be so old after all. he may be a young guy, or let's face it, gal, using a clever disguise. finally, a follow-up to that video we showed you earlier this week. it's gone viral. a fedex delivery man carelessly throwing a package which contained a computer monitor over a fence. he couldn't be bothered to get buzzed in or deliver it to the door. now, the vice president of fedex is in damage control mode. he's just released a statement online.

>> on behalf of all of us at fedex, please accept my apologies. we are determined to make this right. and i'm very pleased that we were able to meet with our customer who has accepted our apology. >> as for the delivery man, well, we're told that he is no longer working with customers. and i can tell you, the customer in question actually did everything he could to handle this internally before posting it online. >> the customer's still there. >> presumably. for now. all right. good morning, pop news. may i, george? >> they're scared. >> all right. >> policing. >> let's get right to it. piku, which means ice in green land, at a scandinavian wildlife park in denmark. his mom didn't have enough milk for him.

three full-time care givers have been assigned to make sure this little baby survives. and i say he, but they're not sure yet. he's been called he and she. he was born in just -- or she, was born at just three pounds. and gained just two pounds in the first month of life. they can get to be about 1,500 pounds. we're watching that. that's my wayward waterfowl story. my new beat. president obama, payroll tax cut may be stuck in congress. but he found a way to stimulate the economy yesterday. it was boys' day out. obama and bo, the family dog. they went to get a chew toy. and the president went to best buy and bought a bunch, including a $15 itunes card for his girls and just dance 3 for his family. have you been canceled on

recently by text message. there may be a reason for that. a new study in "the journal of business ethics" says people lie way more often when they communicate by text. before you take the easy way out, consider this. the study shows that when people are lied to via text, they are much angrier than if they are lied to in person. so, think about that before you hit send. no? okay. obviously, it's easier not to communicate face-to-face or hear a voice. so, people tend to lie more. that's now fact according to the study. >> people assume they're being lied to more. >> but people, when they find out they were lied to by text, are angrier than if they were lied to in person. >> i got you. >> there you go. there you go. and finally, may i? "private eye," "maneater," "one-on-one," when you need it,

it's now call and oetes. >> welcome to call and oates, your emergency hall and oates help line. to hear "man-eater," press three. >> it's call and oates is old-school. you dial 719-26-oates. and you choose one of four songs by the duo of the '70s and '80s. and the response is not old-school. they've been called about 500,000 times. >> really? >> yes, it's huge. >> i'm calling. 719-26-oates. >> yes. >> that's pop news. now, you may talk, sam. >> good morning, america.

tell me your name? >> courtney. >> and? >> kindle. >> and cameron. >> from where? >> delaware. >> did you see the tree? i love this tree. you guys all worked on it and put it all together. come on. thank you. thank you very much. let's get to the boards. there's some great signs. we have fast, fast. let's get to the boards. here's what's happening. we have a snowmaker going on through colorado. it drops out of colorado into new mexico today. santa fe, albuquerque, there's a live shot from earlier this morning, of all that snow piling up over the next few hours. this will be a big one. it's the first one of the winter season, ladies and gentlemen. can i be -- maybe the second or third person to welcome you to winter this morning. jackson, mobile, new orleans, montgomery, atlanta, all in line

>> we're live here in times square. lara? >> thank you, sam. here's a look at what else we have coming up on our "gma morning menu." a look back at the astounding events that have made 2011 one extraordinary year in news. also coming up, high-tech, high-priced gifts. we'll tell you what to buy and more importantly, when to buy it, to land the ultimate savings. and andrea bocelli sings "white christmas" for you, coming up on "good morning america." [ indistinct conversations ]

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>> how do you respond to that? >> with the sculpture garden. >> fatalities this morning. >> markets took a nosedive. >> at the construction site. >> abc news has learned that osama bin laden has been killed. navy s.e.a.l.s swooped in on four helicopters on a mansion in pakistan. >> the celebrations were spontaneous. hundreds of thousands coming out chanting usa. construction workers on the job here at ground zero. >> i know a lot of people that are happy. they're proud to be americans. >> we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al qaeda's terror, justice has been done. >> here at the university medical center, what's become an all-too familiar sight in america, makeshift memorial for the victims of yesterday's shooting. they say the gunman targeted congressman giffords. >> we want to welcome back our

wonderful colleague, congresswoman giffords. >> such an extraordinary moment in time. >> how is she doing now? >> doing well. she's still improving. >> do you think to yourself, i'll go back to congress if i get better. >> yes, yes, yes. yes. >> he shoots. go, now. >> thousands of demonstrators gathered along the nile. >> i hate you. and i hate you. >> president hosni mubarak stepping down. >> the news hit this crowd like an enormous grid. in an instant. >> today, it's my first day of life. >> they love me, the people. they love me all. >> if they do love you -- >> they will die to protect me. >> clashes right now at gadhafi's palace. >> after months on the run, moammar gadhafi is dead. >> this is it. the final american soldiers packing up right now in iraq.

>> after nearly nine years, america's war in iraq will be over. >> this marks truly the end of the mission. >> we're going home. >> i don't think there's any words to describe it. i'm superexcited. i can't wait to get out of here. >> a massive 8.9 earthquake strikes japan, triggering a gigantic tsunami. >> a house lifted up and simply dumped here on its side. >> everyone is okay? >> fears this morning of a possible nuclear meltdown. now, it's a desperate race against time. >> the largest tornado on the southwest side of joplin. >> what happened here in joplin was certainly the worst. look what these people had to live through. look at this car. you see a brick coming through the door. this is the st. john's hospital, that was once a gleaming seven-story building. >> the damage in this part of

town, complete. >> the flooding has peaked in memphis. >> the mississippi river here is supposed to crest at 48 feet. it's a number no one wants to hear. >> the winds and the rain of irene, still going through this area. >> almost impossible to comprehend the force. >> the hurricane made a landfall 40 miles south of here. >> all of the homes in this area are going to get flooded. >> george stephanopoulos here in orlando. >> we, the jury, find the defendant not guilty. >> it was swift and stunning to so many. >> for 31 days, didn't report her missing. >> new forensic findings could help overturn her conviction. >> four years after the brutal murder of british roommate, meredith kercher, it comes down to this. >> it remains tense outside the courtroom. >> you have been released. >> thank you for being there for me. >> is there a time of the day that becomes more difficult?

>> there's not a day that doesn't go by that i don't think about my son. >> we, the jury, find the defendant, guilty. >> what do you think of the verdict? >> wonderful. absolutely, justice was served. michael was watching over us. ♪ >> we have to say it's been a raucous debate so far. >> $10,000 bet? >> 9-9-9. >> have you prepared for another campaign? >> when it's time to campaign and they tap me on the shoulder, i'll be right there. >> are you can underdog now? >> absolutely. >> commerce, education and the -- what's the third one there? >> what were you thinking about? >> i told you, this bull's eye on my back has gotten bigger. >> what was your relationship exactly? was it an affair? was it fun? was it just sex? >> it was a very casual affair. >> has he given you money? >> yes, he has. >> i am suspending my presidential campaign.

>> michele bachmann, now, the front-runner. >> front-runner, rick perry. >> herman cain. >> newt gingrich. >> front-runner. >> front-runner. >> front-runner. >> there's a real question about the birth certificate. there's a real question about the -- his own citizenship. >> there is no question. he has a certificate of live birth, recognized by the state department. >> i know exactly what you're getting at. >> the facts. >> the charges of sexual assault. >> stop this. stop this. >> what do you want? >> i want justice. i want to him to go to jail. >> leann panetta said it's just a matter of time before this revolution hits iran. >> translator: does this mean the u.s. has some plan for the middle east? >> is that your fear? >> translator: no.

i have no fear. >> robyn gardner vanished at sea. >> they want to know, did you have anything to do with it? >> absolutely not. >> hot water for a new york congressman. >> it was a picture of a wiener on weiner's account. >> is that a photograph of you? >> we're trying to find out where that photograph came from. >> at the indiana state fair, everything changed with a gust of wind. the people who had come to see sugarland lost their lives. what went through your heart and your mind? >> i wept. >> this is very likely the single-best invention of life. life changes. >> he died at home, surrounded by friends and family. >> so sad to learn about the death overnight of boxing great,

joe frazier. >> we lost someone special. fitness expert, jack lalanne. >> she was one of the most popular first ladies in recent history. and in many ways, she revolutionized the job. >> oh, one more thing. >> as you wish. >> and all this time, i've been paid to say what is on my mind on television. you don't get any luckier in life than that. ♪ >> have you ever thought of what you wanted on your tombstone? >> here lies elizabeth. she hated being called liz. but she lived. ♪ >> some are saying you're bipolar. >> i'm bi-winning. >> all these rants have people thinking, charlie sheen is on

drugs. >> i am on a drug. it's called charlie sheen. the run i'm on made sinatra, flinn, jagger, all of them, just look like droopy-eyed, armless children. >> lindsay lohan is going back to jail. >> do you accept all these conditions? >> justin bieber's been socked with a sensational paternity suit. >> revealing the news that out there is a baby bump. and there's proud papa, jay-z. >> doug hutchison married courtney stoddard. their age difference set the internet ablaze. >> if they need to feel this way, that's theirs to hold. >> i keep singing "friday, friday." >> friday, friday. got to get down on friday. >> i'm going to read you some of the comments that people have been saying online. and they're not nice. i hate her voice. it's going to be stuck in my head for life. >> i think it's an

accomplishment. you know? that's the point of it. it's a catchy song. >> do you worry about your moment having passed? you want to wrap up? >> jennifer lopez and marc anthony, announcing after seven years of marriage they're splitting up. demi moore and ashton kutcher are splitting up after six years. arnold schwarzenegger and maria shriver are separating. having fathered a child with a member of the household staff. >> you may kiss your bride. >> i got divorced. >> you say you're shocked. but you were given a bit of notice. what was the game plan? >> we didn't have this big meeting to say, this is what we're going to do. >> what did you think? >> certain things happen in life. and you have to move forward. >> oprah's last day yesterday. she said good-bye to fans after 25 years. >> you and this show have been

the great love of my life. >> you're going to leave morning television, reege? >> now, i see what has had kelly ripa smiling for so many years wi with. >> which is what? >> you. >> that is hot. ♪ >> live, from london, it's "good morning america." we're here at kennington palace. we're looking directly at prince harry and prince william. she is arriving. her prince is waiting. and of course, her maid of honor, her sister, philippa. they are the duke and duchess of cambridge. >> they're waiting for the kiss. >> that's right. you are not seeing double.

you did see two kisses. did you all see the license plate? just wed. ♪ >> what an incredible year. i remember when we were there in london, how torn we were because the tornadoes back in alabama, across the south, where hundreds -- i know. we were so split about being there for the royal wedding. we really wanted to be back home. >> look at that, though. what a packed year. >> i know. >> so many huge, huge events. we want to thank everyone who put that together. great work by everyone on staff. thank you so much. >> and a good year. >> really good year. >> it was a good year. coming up, andrea bocelli. he's going to sing "white christmas" for all of us. he's been here in times square. we heard him a couple weeks ago. we'll hear him again this morning singing that christmas classic.

four thousand nurses have launched a one-day strike at eight bay area hospitals. they say one major sticking point is co- for health care coverage. some have said the nurses received a 2% increase over the last three years -- a 22% increase over the last three years. traffic improving. union city northbound 880 earlier chp motorcycle down. all lanes blocked for a time that is clear traffic is improving. we have muni delays trains held at embarcadero and church due to a medical emergency. they are holding those trains.

we'll follow that four. >> it is not a spare the air day.

switching to progressive could mean hundreds more in your wallet year after year. feed me! saving you money -- now, that's progressive. call or click today. check out clean air from the north it is gusty at times winds north at 20 out of napa 38 fairfield fastest winds 18 at sfo much calmer than during the overnight hours. 40s and 50s most areas, 32 in

redwood city. most of news the low 60s today. temperatures remain steady until the rain ♪ i'm dreaming for a white christmas ♪ ♪ with every christmas card i write ♪ what a lovely piece there from andrea bocelli, singing "white christmas." we'll hear the whole song coming up. we want to give a special shoutout to everyone who worked on that year in review. the list is longer than i thought. that's why it's such a great piece. >> so many working on it. we really do appreciate it. we have blitzen. he's a distinguished member of santa's reindeer team. visiting us before taking off

with santa and delivering the presents this weekend. also ahead, i hope you're watching. we have a private look into the private side of miami heat megastar, dwyane wade. he has game on the court and a big heart off of it, as a single dad raising his kids. >> d. wade. >> he's cool. we're getting closer to our goal of 1 million coats in our warm coats, warm hearts drive. when you donate your coat, take a photo of yourself and twitter it to us. >> here's jessica, from grapevine, texas. her mom sent us this photo. they were buying new coats. and jessica asked her mom if she could donate her old one. thank you for that. and this is amanda. she wanted to give back to keep those in need warm this season. as george said, send us your photo. and you may see yourself right here on "gma." in fact, there's a young girl, right now, downstairs, putting her coat in the bin. it's just wonderful how everyone

is helping out. we're going to get to a million. >> everyone counts. great. just three more days left before christmas. and our countdown to christmas. is it time to buy that gadget you've been thinking about? or should you put an i.o.u. under the tree as you wait for a better deal. there's no one better to ask than becky worley. and she's here via skype. good morning, becky. >> that tick-tock sound effect is so mean. everyone stressing out about last-minute gift purchases. if you're up to buy a big-ticket item, like an ipad, or a gaming console, like the x-box or expensive headphones, you have to watch this segment. my goal is to help you avoid buyers' remorse. tech gifts are so expensive. and that means a lot of angst. buy now or wait? is there a cheaper alternative?

tick-tock. never fear, supergeek has answers. i'm not a superhero. but i am a geek. so, let's start with the ipad. gift number one. apple is expected to sell 13 million ipad 2s this season. are they fun? yes. are they a great gift? yes. are they about to be replaced with the ipad 3? yes. the next ipad, the ipad 3, is expected to be thinner, lighter and have an eye-popping, high-resolution screen. have a better camera and maybe, come in a bunch of different colors. projected release date, spring of 2012. what about the other hot tablet? the kindle fire? it enjoyed a blazing debut. but user complaints say the tablet failed. they say the screen's too small. and the buttons and touch controls aren't as responsive as

they need to be. even worse, there's two new versions of the kindle fire coming out this spring. gift number two, gaming systems. no groundbreaking new products were introduced this year. so, the hottest item on the market is still the kinect for x-box 360. no major changes are expected in this console. there is one console that's getting a big change, the wii. it will be upgraded in 2012. it will have a tablet-based touch-screen controller and a whole, new style of game play. finally, gift number three. what's all this noise about $200, $300 headphones? strangely, teenagers have become connoisseurs of headphones, the way previous generations fawned over muscle cars. beats by dre costs 300 bucks. and oh, joy, your kid wants them. but don't worry. there are cheaper alternatives. skull candy has lots of

fashionable choices for under $30. another option, senhisser and koss, both have models under $20. there you have it. supergeek just told you everything you need to know to complete your holiday shopping and hopefully avoid buyers' remorse. don't be confused. if your teen has articulated which pair the fancy, brand-name headphones they want, you either have to pony up or manage expectations. these headphones have become the new designer jeans, lara. i'm thankful my kids won't be teenagers for another ten years. >> i'm with you. and the other ones at a lower cost are pretty happy. they may be happy. tell us about the ipad. thinking about it. confused whether the new one's coming out or not? >> everyone wants that date to be set in stone. but apple hasn't released any information. we think it's coming out in spring. but this is based on rumor and speculation. i would say hold out and wait

for it, if you can. >> good advice, as always. now we turn to sam and the weather. sam? >> with my friend, richard. we have known each other for like 20 years now. >> we met when we were teenagers. >> "born to explore" is your show on abc. a lot of fun. this time, you brought us a superstar for the season. this is blitzen. >> this is blitzen. he's not the most famous reindeer of all. >> with a little superglue. >> he has a shiny nose. >> tell me some facts on reindeer since this is our great opportunity to get him in the house. >> a lot of people, i hear the term caribou and reindeer. it's the same animal. but reindeer generally are from europe and asia. and caribou, from north america. you're looking at a male about a year and a half. the only deer that male and female, both have antlers. she'll shed his antlers soon, about this time of year. hopefully not on your show. >> we need to decorate a little

bit. we have a big flight coming up. and i noticed that the hoofs were like roof-perfect. they give you good grip. >> this particular guy up from canada, on the hudson bay, as extra wide hooves. it's an adaptation for people who have been good. >> good shingle stance posture. i want to talk about the nasa stuff. the technology on this. they can see in the dark. infrared. >> infrared vision. only mammal that does that. >> also, blitzen, can i touch the horn? that's a superslick nasa-type of material. like they put on the space -- >> on the space shuttle. nasa and the u.s. air force have done studies on flying reindeer. and they want to know why radar can't penetrate the antlers. around christmastime, they have a difficult time seeing the herds.

there's nine of them, as you know, coming from the north. >> absolutely amazing that he's able to be here hanging out and then having to make the difficult trip just hours from now. i saw him get into the aerodynamic stance. it's the coolest thing ever. >> that's right. i don't know if we should do it live, on air. if he took a little bit of a run -- >> he could make it over the top of the building. i think we should save that. >> i think so. >> let him conserve his strength for the big trip. blitzen, so cool. richard, nice to have you here. this is what we have going on today. a quick look at our holiday lights. give me an aw for bloomfield, new jersey. that's the cutest twitter picture all year long. a quick look at the big board. there's santa ana winds in the southwest today. snowmaker

>> blitzen? richard, "born to explore," saturdays on abc. >> he's looking at you, knowing you've been nice. >> i have been nice. i ride the line. but this year, i would say nice. all that weather was brought to you -- all that weather was brought to you by jcpenney. lara? >> not so sure about that, sam. coming up, andrea

time, now, for "bringing america back," our special abc news series, about americans who are fighting to improve the lives of others. i guess he's the most unlikely mr. mom, nba superstar, dwyane wade. he turns out to be even more valuable off the court as a devoted father. juju chang got to hang out with d. wade during the lockout. >> we goofed around a little. i shot it myself. >> got the hoodie on.

>> got the hoodie on. but off the court, we had a serious conversation because he's a serious guy. dwyane wade is a single dad who says dads need to step up. he often speaks out against the epidemic of broken homes. a jaw-dropping 72% of african-american kids are being raised by a single parent, mostly mom. president obama even appointed wade to a white house parenting initiative. but the nba standout doesn't just talk about fatherhood. he listens. >> drives on marion. trying to draw contact. typical shot from wade. >> reporter: miami heat's megastar, dwyane wade, is itching to get back to work. i'll bet you are. raring to go. >> i'm raring to go. that's my christmas present. i can't wait. >> reporter: but the end of the six-month nba lockout is also bittersweet because wade is also a single dad, raising two sons and a nephew, who made all that free time count. >> to wake up in the morning. we'd go do something together. we would do bowling, basketball. whatever they wanted to do, we'd do it. and just had fun.

>> reporter: behind the multimillion-dollar brands and those superhuman athletics is a doting dad. one who brings surprise birthday cupcakes for his younger son, zion. do you do drop-off? >> when i first went down, i was the only dad doing it. they called me mr. mom for a while. >> reporter: that's so cute. mr. mom says his parents instincts were shaped growing up on chicago's notorious south side. he was sent to go live with dad after mom got addicted to drugs and wound up homeless. >> i wouldn't going to make those mistakes. i was going to make sure i did different. >> reporter: it's part of why today, dwayne lives kind of wholesome. no drinking. no drugs. no tattoos. what are the d. wade house rules? >> you come out of the house. you put your shoes away. wash your face. brush your teeth. >> reporter: and wade never wanted to be a deadbeat dad, despite a bruising custody

battle with his high school sweetheart. not many fathers fight for custody. what made you do that? >> i wasn't going to let nothing stand in my way of letting them know that i'm here. i'm not going nowhere. i'm going to be your dad. i'm always going to be your dad. and i'm going to fight. christmas is here. and go see mommy here. >> reporter: he's determined to let his kids know that despite the divorce, they have two, loving parents. >> no matter what kind of relationship me and my ex-wife have, my kids love her. and you know, their days are better when they talk to her. seven, six. >> reporter: wade is known for his relentless workouts. tell the truth. you're totally intimidated by me, right? >> i'm totally intimidated by you. >> reporter: and he wouldn't let me off the hook, either. >> that was nice. >> reporter: look at that. i got my first nba assist. he taught me how to dunk in just a few minutes. well, kind of. on the court, i asked the most sensitive question, about the dream team that was supposed to go all the way. >> wade pulls back. puts up a three. >> reporter: instead, imploding in the closing moments of the championship game. >> that should do it for the dallas mavericks.

>> i had to get out of bed and i didn't want to. i wanted to stay in bed, for like a week. >> reporter: until some unlikely cheerleaders pulled him out of his funk. >> they kept knocking. they kept coming. i got to get up. at that point, i realized, life goes on. >> reporter: dwyane wade will be the first to tell you, he's a lucky guy. not because of his life on the court. but because of who's waiting for him when he gets off. come on. well, dwayne gives a lot of credit to the people around him who helped him from falling through the cracks. his grandmother, his sister, his father, his college football coach at marquette. but one of the most beautiful parts of his story is the forgiveness and redemption he found with his mom. she is now a pastor in chicago. and we'll tell you about the most remarkable gift he gave her tonight. >> that story, his mom -- i know. we'll see more on "nightline." thanks so much, juju. you can see all of her report on "nightline." and the nba tips off its season right here on abc, christmas day. 2:30 p.m. eastern. two great games.

the heat face the mavs. a rematch of last season's finals. and followed by bulls against the lakers. coming up, the great andrea bocelli.

andrea bocelli. a couple weeks back, he song from his new cd, "andrea bocelli concerto, one night in central park." now, he brings us another one from his album, "white christmas."

♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas ♪ ♪ just like the ones i used to know ♪ ♪ where the treetops glisten ♪ ♪ and children listen to hear sleigh bells ♪ ♪ in the snow [ singing in foreign language ] ♪ [ singing in foreign language ]

♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas ♪ ♪ just like the ones i used to know ♪ ♪ where the treetops glisten and children listen ♪ ♪ to hear sleigh bells in the snow ♪ ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas ♪ ♪ with every christmas card i write ♪

♪ may your days be merry and bright ♪ ♪ and may all your christmases ♪ ♪ and may all your christmases ♪ ♪ and may all your christmas christmases be white ♪

♪ santa claus is coming to town ♪ and down the stretch we come. the final countdown to christmas. we'll be back tomorrow with that. >> i'm not ready yet. i have a little more shopping. >> bring it on. >> see you tomorrow. have a great day. abababababababb

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you can see

sunshine pretty warm today. >> yeah temperatures started warm this morning because of the winds. we'll be above average in most areas with low 60s even mid to upper 50s in the east bay valleys. tonight dry air will cool everybody inland below freezing. a lot of frost around the bay shoreline out to the coast in san francisco 44°. slightly cooler tomorrow, warming trend saturday and sunday, cooler next week with a chance of rain tuesday and wednesday. light holiday forecast, bay bridge live, upper left, 80 and san rafael and here 680, all looking good. here's a quick look at drive ti