ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - May 25, 2024

>>> TONIGHT, SEVERAL DEVELOPING

STORIES AS WE COME ON THE AIR.

MILLIONS NOW FACING THE THREAT

OF SEVERE WEATHER.

THE STORMS COULD IMPACT

RECORD-BREAKING HOLIDAY TRAVEL.

>>> THE SPECIAL COUNSEL IS

SEEKING A NEW GAG ORDER FOR

FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.

>>> FIRST, A DANGEROUS STORM

THREAT, MORE THAN 20 MILLION

AMERICANS IN THE PATH FOLLOWING

SEVERAL WEEKS OF DAMAGING

WEATHER.

MULTIPLE STATES IN THE CENTRAL

U.S. AT RISK FOR POSSIBLE

TORNADOS.

THAT SYSTEM WILL HEAD TOWARD THE

EAST COAST FOR MEMORIAL DAY.

THE TIMING COULDN'T BE WORSE

WITH AMERICANS ON THE MOVE THIS

HOLIDAY WEEKEND AS TSA SAYS A

RECORD NUMBER OF PASSENGERS,

NEARLY 3 MILLION, PASSED THROUGH

AIRPORT SECURITY ON FRIDAY.

OUR WEATHER TEAM TRACKING IT

ALL.

>>> SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH

SEEKING A NEW GAG ORDER AGAINST

FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.

HIS URGENT APPEAL TO THE JUDGE

IN THE DOCUMENTS CASE TO STOP

TRUMP FROM MAKING FALSE

STATEMENTS ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT

ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

SMITH SAYING THE FORMER

PRESIDENT PUT THE AGENTS IN

DANGER BY MAKING FALSE AND

MISLEADING STATEMENTS ABOUT THE

FBI SEARCH AT MAR-A-LAGO.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, THE EMOTIONAL

HOMECOMING FOR A PENNSYLVANIA

MAN ARRESTED IN TURKS AND CAICOS

AFTER AMMUNITION WAS FOUND IN

HIS LUGGAGE.

HE'S BACK HOME WITH FAMILY, HIS

SENTENCE SUSPENDED INSTEAD OF

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN 12 YEARS

BEHIND BARS.

WHAT ELSE NOW TO FOUR OTHER

AMERICANS FACING SIMILAR

CHARGES?

>>> A DEADLY RUSSIAN STRIKE ON A

SHOPPING CENTER IN EASTERN

UKRAINE, DOZENS INJURED.

MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE MAY HAVE

BEEN INSIDE WHEN THE BUILDING

WAS BOMBED.

>>> THE RELEASE OF AUDIO

RECORDINGS RACE RAISING NEW

QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY A SHERIFF'S

DEPUTY SHOT AND KILLED A US

AIRMAN IN HIS OWN APARTMENT.

>>> NICKI MINAJ ARRESTED AT THE

AIRPORT IN AMSTERDAM.

WHAT POLICE ARE NOW SAYING.

>>> OPENING WEEKEND FOR THE

TALLEST WATER SLIDE IN AMERICA,

145 FEET HIGH.

>>> AMERICA STRONG, SPEAKING

FROM THE HEART JUST 45 MINUTES

AFTER HIS FATHER'S FUNERAL, A

VALEDICTORIAN'S POWERFUL

GRADUATION MESSAGE OF HOPE.

♪♪

>>> GOOD EVENING.

I'M WHIT JOHNSON.

AS WE COME ON THE AIR TONIGHT,

MORE THAN 20 MILLION AMERICANS

ACROSS THE NATION'S HEARTLAND

ARE ON ALERT AS SEVERE STORMS

THREATEN HOLIDAY WEEKEND PLANS.

HAIL, STRONG WINDS AND

POTENTIALLY POWERFUL TORNADOS

ARE ALL POSSIBLE.

MORE SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED

THROUGH THE WEEKEND AFTER A VERY

ACTIVE WEEK.

MORE THAN 100 TORNADOS REPORTED

SINCE SUNDAY.

IT COMES DURING ONE OF THE

BUSIEST TRAVEL WEEKENDS EVER.

MORE THAN 38 MILLION AMERICANS

ARE EXPECTED TO DRIVE TO THEIR

DESTINATIONS OVER THIS MEMORIAL

DAY HOLIDAY.

THE TSA SCREENING OVER 3 MILLION

PASSENGERS, A SINGLE-DAY RECORD.

LET'S GET TO SOMARA THEODORE

FROM OKLAHOMA CITY TRACKING IT

ALL.

THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS NIGHT

IN SOME PLACES.

>> Reporter: THAT IS CORRECT,

WHIT.

HERE IN THE HEARTLAND THEY HAVE

BEEN DEALING WITH AN ONSLAUGHT

OF SEVERE WEATHER AND TONIGHT

THE THREAT REMAINS.

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT

FROM SOUTHERN KANSAS DOWN TO

TEXAS.

THIS IS FOR VIOLENT, LONG-TRACK

TORNADOS POSSIBLE.

OVERNIGHT, THIS THREAT SHIFTS

FURTHER EAST.

CITIES LIKE LEXINGTON,

LOUISVILLE AND NASHVILLE SHOULD

BE ON HIGH ALERT TOMORROW.

WE'RE MONITORING FOR FLASH

FLOODING RISK.

>>> MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE

KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT FORECAST

AS THEY HIT THE ROADS AND THE

SKIES IN WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN A

RECORD WEEKEND FOR HOLIDAY

TRAVEL.

JACQUELINE LEE IS AT BURBANK

AIRPORT.

>> Reporter: TONIGHT, THIS

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND ALREADY A

BLOCKBUSTER.

>> HERE IT'S A ZOO RIGHT NOW.

>> Reporter: TSA SAYS IT

SCREENED MORE THAN 2.95 MILLION

PEOPLE AT AIRPORTS ACROSS THE

COUNTRY FRIDAY, THE BUSIEST DAY

EVER IN THE AGENCY'S 22-YEAR

HISTORY.

>> VERY, VERY BUSY.

>> Reporter: NEARLY

3 MILLION AMERICANS EXPECTED TO

TRAVEL TODAY.

>> I TRY TO BE FLEXIBLE, YOU

KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE

IS MORE PRESSURE ON THE SYSTEMS,

SO YOU HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT

MORE COGNIZANT OF YOUR OPTIONS

>> Reporter: THE MONTH OF MAY,

SMASHING RECORDS FOR TSA.

FOUR OF THEIR BUSIEST DAYS

EVER HAPPENING JUST THIS MONTH.

>> WE'LL SEE SEVERAL, OVER

3 MILLION PASSENGER DAYS ACROSS

THE ENTIRE 430 AIRPORTS IN THE

UNITED STATES.

>> Reporter: THE AGENCY BEEFING

UP STAFFING THANKS TO A NEW

COMPENSATION PLAN PASSED BY

CONGRESS.

AIRLINES FLYING LARGER AIRCRAFT

THIS WEEKEND TO ACCOMMODATE

CROWDS.

BUT STILL BATTLING A NATIONWIDE

SHORTAGE OF AIR TRAFFIC

CONTROLLERS.

IN ORDER TO KEEP AIR TRAVEL ON

SCHEDULE THE FAA IS OPENING UP

AIR SPACE TYPICALLY RESERVED FOR

SPACE AND MILITARY OPERATIONS.

>>> NOW TO THE RACE FOR THE

WHITE HOUSE.

FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP DOUBLING

DOWN ON HIS FALSE CLAIMS THAT

PRESIDENT BIDEN AUTHORIZED THE

USE OF DEADLY FORCE AGAINST HIM

DURING THE FBI RAID OF

MAR-A-LAGO LAST YEAR.

SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH

SEEKING A GAG ORDER TO STOP

TRUMP FROM MAKING THOSE

STATEMENTS, SAYING THEY POSE A

RISK TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

>> Reporter: TONIGHT, JUST HOURS

AFTER SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH

ASKED FOR A GAG ORDER ON THE

FORMER PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP

AGAIN PUSHING SERIOUS

DISINFORMATION ON TRUTH SOCIAL.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CALLING

TRUMP'S WORDS DANGEROUS.

TRUMP TODAY POSTING THIS FALSE

CLAIM THAT, BIDEN'S D.O.J.

AUTHORIZED USE OF DEADLY FORCE

AGAINST HIM IN THE FBI RAID.

THE STATEMENT, UNTRUE.

IN FACT THE FBI'S PROCEDURES,

INCLUDED IN A NEWLY UNSEALED

COURT FILING, SAY LAW

ENFORCEMENT CANNOT ENGAGE IN

USING DEADLY FORCE UNLESS THERE

IS A REASONABLE BELIEF AN

OFFICER IS IN IMMEDIATE DANGER,

AND ARE STANDARD FOR ALL SEARCH

WARRANTS.

ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND

UNDERSCORING THE LANGUAGE WAS

NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY AND

ACTUALLY ABOUT RESTRICTING THE

USE OF FORCE.

>> THE FBI ADVISES IT AS PART OF

THE STANDARD OPERATIONS PLAN FOR

SEARCHES. AND IN FACT, IT WAS

EVEN USED IN THE CONSENSUAL

SEARCH OF PRESIDENT BIDEN'S

HOME.

>> Reporter: SMITH ARGUING

BEFORE THE JUDGE THIS WEEKEND

THAT TRUMP'S FALSE STATEMENTS

POSE A THREAT TO LAW

ENFORCEMENT.

TRUMP TONIGHT, EXPECTED TO MAKE

HIS PITCH TO VOTERS ATTENDING

THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY'S NATIONAL

CONVENTION, BUT HE COULD BE IN

FOR A RUDE AWAKENING.

>> DO WE REJECT DONALD TRUMP?

AND EVERYTHING HE STANDS FOR?

[ APPLAUSE ]

>> Reporter: ATTENDEES HERE, WHO

PRIDE THEMSELVES ON PUSHING A

LIMITED GOVERNMENT, TELLING ME

THEY DON'T SEE TRUMP AS A

LIBERTARIAN, BUT A REPUBLICAN

RIVAL.

>> THERE HASN'T BEEN A SINGLE

INTERNAL LIBERTARIAN WHO HAS

BEEN HAPPY ABOUT THE TRUMP

SPEECH.

>> Reporter: INDEPENDENT

CANDIDATE,

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., AT THE

CONVENTION YESTERDAY, BASHING

TRUMP FOR COVID LOCKDOWNS.

>> WHAT ARE OFFICIALS SAYING

ABOUT WHY TRUMP WAS INVITED?

>> Reporter: THIS IS

INTERESTING, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY

THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY WILL

NOMINATE THEIR OWN CANDIDATE FOR

PRESIDENT, BUT THE PARTY CHAIR

SAID SHE WELCOMED THE DEBATE,

THE EXPOSURE FOR HER PARTY.

THIS IS A SMALL GROUP, BUT THEY

HAVE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN

SOME KEY STATES IN THE PAST AND

THEY DEFINITELY COULD AGAIN,

ESPECIALLY IN A YEAR WHEN WE

KNOW SO MANY VOTERS ARE

FRUSTRATED WITH THE TWO MAJOR

PARTIES.

>>> TONIGHT AN AMERICAN FATHER

IS BACK HOME IN PENNSYLVANIA

THREE MONTHS AFTER OFFICIALS IN

TURKS AND CAICOS FOUND

AMMUNITION IN HIS CHECKED

LUGGAGE.

BRYAN HAGERICH'S SENTENCE

SUSPENDED.

NOW, ATTENTION TURNS TO FOUR

OTHER AMERICANS FACING SIMILAR

CHARGES AND POSSIBLE JAIL TIME.

>> Reporter: TONIGHT, AMERICAN

BRYAN HAGERICH, BACK HOME IN

PENNSYLVANIA COACHING HIS SON'S

T-BALL LEAGUE.

REUNITED WITH FAMILY AFTER A

TURKS AND CAICOS JUDGE GRANTED

HIM SUSPENDED SENTENCE.

BELIEVING A 12-YEAR JAIL

SENTENCE FOR CARRYING AMMO WAS,

"ARBITRARY AND DISPROPORTIONATE

TO THE CRIME COMMITTED."

>> I FEEL LIKE THE WEIGHT OF THE

WORLD HAS BEEN LIFTED OFF MY

SHOULDERS.

NOW, THE FOCUS SHIFTING TO THE

FOUR REMAINING AMERICANS FACED

WITH SIMILAR CHARGES.

>> I'M EQUALLY AS EXCITED FOR

THEM TO GET HOME.

WE'RE OPTIMISTIC.

OUR CASES ARE ALL VERY SIMILAR,

BUT THEY DO HAVE SOME

DIFFERENCES, BUT HOPEFULLY A

PRECEDENT WAS SET TODAY.

>> Reporter: THE OTHER

4 AMERICANS, SHARITTA GRIER,

TYLER WENRICH, RYAN WATSON,

MICHAEL LEE EVANS, ALL ALSO

FACED WITH A MANDATORY MINIMUM

12-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE.

AFTER SEVERAL LAWMAKERS MET WITH

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PLEADING

FOR LENIENCY, OVERNIGHT MAKING

ANOTHER PUSH.

>> WE NEED TO WORK RELENTLESSLY

TO BRING THE OTHER THREE

AMERICANS HOME.

>> Reporter: THE NEXT AMERICAN

TO FACE SENTENCING WILL BE TYLER

WENRICH TUESDAY MORNING.

A LOT OF EYES WILL BE ON THAT

SENTENCING.

>>> OVERSEAS TO THE WAR IN

UKRAINE, THIS VIDEO SHOWING A

DEADLY STRIKE ON A LARGE

SHOPPING COMPLEX IN KHARKIV.

OFFICIALS SAY AS MANY AS 200

PEOPLE MAY HAVE BEEN INSIDE AT

THE TIME.

PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY APPEALING

TONIGHT FOR MORE AIR DEFENSE

WEAPONS TO PROTECT THE CITY.

>> Reporter: TONIGHT, A MASSIVE

INFERNO SWALLOWING A BUSTLING

HOME IMPROVEMENT SUPERMARKET IN

KHARKIV.

UKRAINE BLAMING A RUSSIAN

STRIKE.

AT LEAST 6 PEOPLE KILLED, AND

40 INJURED, LOCAL OFFICIALS SAY.

WARNING THE TOLL MAY WELL RISE.

SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE

CAPTURING THE STRIKE.

THE GARDENING SEASON HAS JUST

STARTED, THIS MAN SAYS, THERE

WERE MANY, MANY PEOPLE INSIDE.

AS MANY AS 200 SHOPPERS,

ACCORDING TO PRESIDENT

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY.

PLEADING TO WESTERN LEADERS ONCE

AGAIN FOR SUFFICIENT AIR

DEFENSES."

THE U.S. PASSED A

61-BILLION-DOLLAR AID PACKAGE TO

UKRAINE LAST MONTH.

ANOTHER SEPARATE STRIKE ON

CENTRAL KHARKIV TODAY ALSO

INJURING 20 PEOPLE.

RELENTLESS STRIKES NOW HITTING

KHARKIV ALMOST DAILY AS THE WAR

INTENSIFIES WITH RUSSIA'S MAJOR

NEW OFFENSIVE NORTHEAST OF THE

CITY.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS NOW

REPORTEDLY DEBATING WHETHER TO

FINALLY ALLOW UKRAINE TO USE

U.S.-SUPPLIED WEAPONS TO HIT

TARGETS INSIDE RUSSIA, SOMETHING

UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS ARE PLEADING

FOR.

>>> HUNDREDS ARE FEARED DEAD

AFTER A LANDSLIDE IN THE

MOUNTAINS OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA IN

THE SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC.

SURVIVORS USING THEIR HANDS TO

SEARCH THROUGH DEBRIS.

EFFORTS TO REACH THE REGION HAVE

BEEN HAMPERED BY ROUGH TERRAIN

AND DAMAGED ROADS.

RESIDENTS ARE WITHOUT FOOD AND

WATER.

PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS THE U.S.

STANDS READY TO ASSIST WITH

RESCUE EFFORTS IF REQUESTED.

>>> NEW DETAILS ABOUT THE

DEPUTY-INVOLVED SHOOTING OF A US

AIRMAN IN HIS OWN APARTMENT.

MAJOR QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT HOW

THIS ENCOUNTER TURNED DEADLY IN

JUST A MATTER OF SECONDS.

>> Reporter: TONIGHT, WE'RE

HEARING FOR THE FIRST TIME THE

CONCERNED CALL THAT LED TO THE

CONFRONTATION BETWEEN A

SHERIFF'S DEPUTY AND US AIRMAN

ROBERT FORTSON.

THE NON-EMERGENCY CALL COMING

FROM AN EMPLOYEE AT THE

APARTMENT COMPLEX WHERE FORTSON

LIVED, SAYING ANOTHER EMPLOYEE

OVERHEARD A DOMESTIC DISPUTE.

>> THE APARTMENT NUMBER IS 1401.

>> Reporter: IT'S THE SAME UNIT

SEEN IN THIS BODY CAMERA VIDEO

SHOWING THE MOMENT DEPUTIES

ARRIVE AT FORTSON'S DOOR.

>> SHERIFF'S OFFICE, OPEN THE

DOOR!

>> FORTSON OPENS UP.

YOU CAN SEE HE'S HOLDING A GUN,

BUT IT'S POINTED DOWN.

WITHIN SECONDS THE DEPUTY FIRES

SEVERAL ROUNDS STRIKING FORTSON

IN THE CHEST AND ARM.

HE LATER DIED IN THE HOSPITAL.

MAJOR QUESTIONS REMAIN

UNANSWERED.

THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS NOT

IDENTIFIED THE DEPUTY INVOLVED.

THE INCIDENT REPORT THEY

RELEASED A HEAVILY REDACTED.

HIS FAMILY CLAIMS HE WAS ALONE

IN THE APARTMENT, HIS GIRLFRIEND

SAYING THEY WERE ON A FACETIME

CALL DISCUSSING WEEKEND PLANS

THE MOMENT AUTHORITIES KNOCKED

ON THE DOOR.

THE FAMILY NOW DEMANDING

JUSTICE.

>> TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT MY SON.

I KNOW MY SON DID NOT DO

ANYTHING TO YOU GUYS.

>> Reporter: TONIGHT THE FLORIDA

DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IS

INVESTIGATING.

THEY'LL TURN OVER THEIR FINDINGS

TO THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

>>> NEWS DEVELOPING LATE TODAY

OUT OF AMSTERDAM WHERE AMERICAN

RAPPER AND SINGER NICKI MINAJ

WAS ARRESTED AT THE AIRPORT.

SHE TWEETED THAT DUTCH POLICE

TOLD HER THEY'D FOUND MARIJUANA

IN HER BAGS.

MINAJ POSTED THE ENCOUNTER ON

INSTAGRAM LIVE.

>> WE WILL BRING YOU TO THE

POLICE STATION.

>> FOR WHAT?

>> BECAUSE YOU ARE CARRYING

DRUGS.

>> I'M NOT CARRYING DRUGS.

>> MINAJ WAS FINED AND RELEASED

FROM CUSTODY, BUT HER CONCERT IN

ENGLAND HAD TO BE POSTPONED.

>>> MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND SALES

ARE IN FULL SWING, BUT AS CREDIT

CARD BORROWING REACHES RECORD

HIGHS SERVICES LIKE BUY NOW/PAY

LATER ARE GROWING IN POPULARITY.

>> Reporter: TONIGHT, IT'S ONE

OF THE BUSIEST SHOPPING WEEKENDS

OF THE YEAR.

RETAIL SALES STALLED LAST MONTH,

AS STILL-HIGH INFLATION AND

INTEREST RATES CURB SPENDING.

SHOPPERS HUNTING FOR BARGAINS

THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND ARE

EXPECTED TO PUT MOST OF THOSE

PURCHASES ON CREDIT CARDS.

OTHERS WILL TURN TO BUY NOW, PAY

LATER.

>> IT'S LIKE YOU TRICK YOURSELF,

RIGHT?

IT'S NOT A $200 PURCHASE

ANYMORE.

IT'S 4 EASY PAYMENTS OF

50 BUCKS.

>> Reporter: ONE-IN-FIVE

SHOPPERS HAVE NOW USED BUY NOW,

PAY LATER SERVICES, OFTEN

INTEREST-FREE, REGARDLESS OF

THEIR CREDIT HISTORY.

BUT NEW RULES TONIGHT FROM THE

CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION

BUREAU, MEANT TO PROTECT

CONSUMERS AND TREAT THESE LOANS

MORE LIKE CREDIT CARDS.

>> IT'S BECOME TOO BIG TO

IGNORE.

>> Reporter: FEDERAL REGULATORS

CRACKING DOWN ON LENDERS, WHO

WILL NOW BE REQUIRED TO PAUSE

PAYMENTS WHILE THEY INVESTIGATE

A DISPUTED CHARGE, GIVE REFUNDS

FOR RETURNS OR CANCELED

SERVICES, AND PROVIDE PERIODIC

BILLING STATEMENTS.

BUT SOME SAY THE RULES DON'T GO

FAR ENOUGH, SINCE THESE

COMPANIES ARE NOT REQUIRED TO

REPORT YOUR PAYMENT HISTORY TO

CREDIT BUREAUS.

EXPERTS SAY THAT COULD ENCOURAGE

OVERSPENDING AND BE A HIDDEN

SOURCE OF RISK TO LENDERS.

AT A TIME WHEN CREDIT CARD

BORROWING IS NEAR A RECORD HIGH

OF OVER $1.1 TRILLION, AND LATE

PAYMENTS ARE ON THE RISE.

THE NEW BUY NOW, PAY LATER RULES

GO INTO EFFECT IN AUGUST.

STILL, EXPERTS SAY CONSUMERS

NEED TO REMAIN CAUTIOUS.

DEPENDING ON THE LENDER AND

LENGTH OF THE LOAN, A LATE OR

MISSED PAYMENT COULD CARRY FEES

AND AN INTEREST RATE OF MORE

THAN 30%.

>>> STILL AHEAD,

STORY OF A YOUNG PGA GOLFER WHO

DIED THE DAY AFTER A TOURNAMENT.

SIGN OF PROGRESS IN BALTIMORE

AS CRUISE SHIPS RETURN TO THE HARBOR.

>>> NEXT TONIGHT, SAD NEWS.

PGA GOLFER GRAYSON MURRAY DIED

THIS MORNING.

HE WITHDREW FROM A TOURNAMENT IN

FT. WORTH, TEXAS, CITING AN

ILLNESS.

NO WORD ON A CAUSE OF DEATH.

MURRAY HAD DEALT WITH ALCOHOL

AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN THE

PAST.

IN JANUARY HE WON THE SONY OPEN

IN HAWAII, HIS SECOND TOURNAMENT

WIN.

GRAYSON MURRAY WAS JUST 30 YEARS

OLD.

>>> CRUSE SHIPS HAVE RETURNED TO

THE PORT OF BALTIMORE FOR THE

FIRST TIME SINCE THE KEY BRIDGE

DISASTER.

A ROYAL CARIBBEAN SHIP SETTING

SAIL TODAY, A CARNIVAL CRUSE

SHIP DEPARTS TOMORROW.

CREWS HAVE OPENED A

400-FOOT-WIDE CHANNEL OF ONE-WAY

TRAFFIC FOR THE LARGEST VESSELS.

THEY HOPE TO REOPEN THE FULL

CHANNEL EARLY NEXT MONTH.

>>> WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL

SHOW YOU THE TALLEST WATER SLIDE

IN THE COUNTRY.

>>> TO THE INDEX NOW.

A NEW BRONZE STATUE OF BASEBALL

PIONEER JACKIE ROBINSON IS ON

ITS WAY TO WICHITA, KANSAS, TO

REPLACE THE ONE THAT WAS STOLEN

IN JANUARY AND DESTROYED.

THE REPLACEMENT PAID FOR BY

DONATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC AND

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.

ROBINSON, OF COURSE, BROKE

BASEBALL'S COLOR BARRIER.

ONE PERSON HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO

THE THEFT.

POLICE SAY RACISM WAS NOT A

FACTOR.

THE THIEVES WANTED TO SELL THE

BRONZE FOR SCRAP.

>>> OPENING THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND

THE TALLEST WATER SLIDE IN THE

U.S. IN WISCONSIN.

IT COST $8 MILLION TO BUILD AND

FEATURES FIVE SPIRALING SLIDES,

THE HIGHEST OF WHICH TOWERED 145

FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.

GOOD LUCK.

>>> WHEN WE COME BACK, A

VALEDICTORIAN FIGHTS THROUGH HIS

PAIN IN A HEARTFELT SPEECH.

>>> FINALLY TONIGHT, AMERICA

STRONG.

THE VALEDICTORIAN WHO SUMMONED

HIS STRENGTH AT THE MOST

DIFFICULT MOMENT.

WHEN HE WALKED ONTO THE STAGE TO

DELIVER HIS GRADUATION SPEECH --

>> HELLO TO ALL THE GRADUATES,

FAMILIES AND STAFF.

>> -- FEW IN THE AUDIENCE KNEW

ABOUT THE PAIN IN HIS HEART.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW IF I COULD GIVE

MY SPEECH.

>> THE VALEDICTORIAN AT EARLY

COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL IN

CARROLLTON, TEXAS, HAD AN

IMPORTANT MESSAGE.

>> AT THE BEGINNING OF THE

SPRING SEMESTER, MY FAMILY GOT

THE NEWS THAT HIS FATHER HAD

CANCER.

MY FATHER DIED YESTERDAY AND I

ATTENDED HIS FUNERAL TODAY RIGHT

BEFORE GRADUATION.

THAT'S WHY MY SHOES ARE MUDDY

AND MY ARMS ARE SHAKING.

>> DELIVERING THE SPEECH JUST 45

MINUTES AFTER BURYING HIS FATHER

WHO PASSED AWAY AFTER A BATTLE

WITH PANCREATIC CANCER.

SOMETHING HE MOSTLY KEPT PRIVATE

UNTIL NOW.

>> MY DAD WAS A HARD WORKING

GUY.

HE ALWAYS DID EVERYTHING HE

COULD TO PROVIDE FOR US.

>> STANDING TALL ON THAT STAGE

TO HONOR HIS FATHER, AN

IMMIGRANT FROM BOSNIA, WHO AT

ONE TIME DELIVERED PIZZA TO HELP

THE FAMILY GET BY.

>> I LOOKED IN THE AUDIENCE AND

I SAW PEOPLE WHO WERE TOUCHED BY

WHAT I WAS SAYING.

SUDDENLY I DIDN'T FEEL SO ALONE.

THAT'S WHEN I KNEW I COULD GET

THROUGH IT.

>> ENDING WITH THIS HEARTFELT

MESSAGE ABOUT PERSEVERANCE AND

LOVE.

>> I'M GOING TO GO TO COLLEGE

AND SPEND EVERY HOUR OF EVERY

DAY WORKING AS HARD AS I CAN TO

ACHIEVE MY GOALS, BECAUSE THAT'S

WHAT HE WANTED.

I'M GOING TO DO IT FOR HIM.

I WANT YOU ALL TO LOOK TO YOUR

LOVED ONES AND SAY YOU WOULD DO

THE SAME.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

>> WOW.

YOUR FATHER WOULD HAVE BEEN

PROUD AND WE ARE TOO.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING

TONIGHT.

I'M WHIT JOHNSON IN NEW YORK.