♪ believe it when you see it things comin' ♪ [ cheers and applause ] ♪ >> announcer: this is "nightline." tonight, 17-year-old michigan school shooter ethan crumbley sentenced to life

without parole. an emotional scene in court as victims' families spoke out about their lost loved ones. and maui 808. four months after the devastating wildfires, facing an unsettling holiday season. >> families are disjointed right now. i wish we could postpone christmas just a little while. >> stories from hope from within the community. and generosity from around the world. >> i just really wanted to give kids a reason to smile and have a chance to have some fun. plus, ryan seacrest. >> this is "american idol." >> show wing what he does when he's off air, revealing his passion for helping others. why is this making you as emotional as it is? and remembering actor ryan o'neal. >> announcer: "nightline" will be right back. kitchen tool? my brain. so i choose new neuriva ultra.

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good evening. thank you for joining us. in a packed courtroom today in pontiac, michigan, school shooter ethan crumbley was sentenced to life without possibility of parole. he was 15 years old when he

murdered four students and wounded seven others, including a teacher. >> reporter: madison baldwin, 17, one of four oxford high students killed in november 2021. madison's best friend, madelyn johnson was saving her seat in class. >> i waited and waited, and i finally realized that she was never coming. >> reporter: buck mere in tears, a framed photo of his son taped on the judge's desk, remembering waiting with his wife for news. >> she put her head in her hands and said, not my baby boy. >> reporter: 6-year-old tate road with kylie to school that day. she was shot in the hallway. >> i thought a balloon popped. i turned and i fell right to the ground. >> reporter: moving her hand, she felt hannah behind her. >> i kept trying to reassure her someone will come help us.

>> reporter: crumbley, who was 15 at the time of the shooting, addressing the court. >> i am a really bad person. i have done terrible things that no one should ever do. >> reporter: then sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. >> thanks to stephanie. now we move to another story. it's been four months since the community of lahaina was devastated by raging wildfires. while most americans are easing into the holiday season by shopping for gifts and planning time with loved ones, many in lahaina are still trying to heal. from around the world, people are reaching out to lend a little holiday cheer. here's becky worley with our newest segment of "maui strong 808." ♪ >> i can do that, yeah. >> reporter: here in los gatos, california, santa's workshop has

come to life. linda higgins, a self-described christmas enthusiast, has enlisted her family and friends for months sewing 900 stockings and stuffing them with small goodies. >> we have little balls to fill up, pencil sharpeners, flashlights, candy. >> reporter: who's getting these christmas treats? kids thousands of miles away on wildfire-devastated maui. >> i just really wanted to give kids a reason to smile and have a chance to have something. >> reporter: why do you think so many people have shown up for lahaina like this, like you? >> i think because we all love maui. >> reporter: in august, that massive blaze decimated lahaina and scorched surrounding communities, turning more than 2200 structures to ash, displacing thousands and killing nearly a hundred people. many like linda jumped into action to help. it's that spirit of kokua, the

hawaiian word for help that still reverberates across the island. >> to me, it's basically just being there and being supportive. >> reporter: from clothing and supplies donated from around the state -- >> it's this outpouring of support from our community. these clothes i'm wearing today are donated. >> reporter: to monetary donations from people around the world. >> a little over $160 million was raised. >> reporter: it's kokua, help, that is sustaining maui. ♪ merry christmas to you ♪ >> reporter: at this holiday tree-lighting ceremony this week, the community coming together. >> things are a little bit different this year, right, miles? one of the things we're really grateful for is all of our christmas decorations are in storage, so it's actually one of the few things that survived the fire for us.

>> reporter: after the firestorm tore through lahaina, sarah and her 6-year-old son miles with left with no home to return to. >> here we are. home sweet home. >> what was that like, going back to the house? >> just mind-blowing to witness the extensive damage that happened in such a short amount of time. >> you're like a bouncing ball, you just boing. you're resilient? >> yeah. i'm very resilient. >> reporter: sarah and miles now living temporarily on a resort property with a few christmas decorations in their room, but miles, worried santa won't be able to find him. >> you know, santa is really magical and smart. he's going to exactly where you are on christmas. >> what do you remember from last christmas?

>> i remember having a tree. >> reporter: while they can't have a tree in their room this year, they are grateful for the gifts and kokua they have received. they've gotten cash support from the people's fund started by oprah winfrey and dwayne "the rock" johnson. >> they're giving $1200 a month. no, that doesn't cover anybody's rental payment by any extent. for us, that's our rebuild. zblrg >> reporter: they're also getting payments from other nonprofits founded in part by the hawaii community foundation. the foundation says it has received a whopping $163 million. >> i'd say a little over 95% of those funds came from people around the world. >> reporter: the foundation has only used about $35 million so far, helping provide direct financial assistance, shelter and more. micah, the president and ceo of the foundation, says that's

intentional. >> we know that federal funding and state funding will start to dry up. government dollars have a shelf life. >> reporter: but not every family impact ed by the fires hs been able to access this. nicole and her mom monica have tight finances and the tough times weigh heavy on the holiday spirit. >> the holidays are supposed to be happy and you spend with family, and families are disjointed right now. i wish we could postpone christmas just for a little while. it just makes me sad. >> reporter: though they were long-time lahaina residents, they were in transitional housing wait for a new rental to open up when the fire hit. they survived the terror of the smoke and the flames that day. but the homeless shelter and everything the family had there was destroyed. >> me and my family have moved seven times in the past 3 1/2

months. >> reporter: we last saw nicole in september when she was givenlgiven le less than 24 hours' notice to move from one hotel to another. >> panic rushing, making sure we have everything. >> i have no idea what's happening to my family. i don't know where we're going. >> reporter: because nicole and her family for in transition in that homeless shelter, there's an address discrepancy on their ids. they say getting approved for many of these direct payments has become a bureaucratic nightmare. >> they even told us at one point where we were living wasn't affected by the fire, it didn't burn. we were turned down for funds because of that. >> i've been denied for a lot of assistance. >> reporter: thankfully, they've finally found a permanent home. >> a year lease. >> how does that feel? >> amazing. absolutely amazing. >> reporter: and support from another hawaii nonprofit,

project vision. >> so they will be paying for our rent for the next six months to a year. >> wow. that's big. >> yeah. ♪ >> reporter: also big in helping this island heal, music. ♪ >> we see some of the greenery coming back, those mangled trees start to grow back. >> reporter: a maui fire department captain who fought the blaze in lahaina. and a lahaina police officer and father of five lost his home. we saw him days after the fires and vowed to get together later to sing and play music together. >> music is a prayer too. it's a reminder of the gifts i've been given, the safety i've been given. ♪

>> reporter: remember those christmas stockings from california? boxes and boxes of them arriving on maui earlier this week. >> thank you. >> reporter: then going to a school that i attended growing up here on maui, sacred hearts. linda is here too, getting to witness the fruits of her hard work and her kokua. >> to look back on it and say we brought a lot of smiles, that's all i needed. >> our thanks to becky. >> when we come back, ryan seacrest brings his talents and studio to sick children. bladder leak underwear has one job. i just want to feel protected! especially for those sudden gush moments. when your keys are in the door and your body's like, “it's happening”! if you're worried about your protection, it's not the right protection. always discreet protects like no other. with double leak guards that help prevent gushes escaping from the sides. and a rapid dry core that locks in your heaviest gush

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♪ welcome back. everyone knows ryan seacrest is the master of all ceremonies. but when he's away from all those cameras, seacrest uses his reach and resources to help six children, showbiz style. >> all i wanted to do was be a deejay on the radio. this is a great gift. >> how do you bring yourself to all of that in these crazy times? >> i look at my role with all of those opportunities and those jobs and those shows as the one that connects to people. >> reporter: ryan seacrest, now a titan in the entertainment industry, his reach undeniable. with his national radio show, "on air with ryan seacrest." >> we have miley cyrus.

we have k-pop sensation bts in the studio. matthew mcconaughey. >> reporter: hosting "american idol". >> we have an amazing show with wall-to-wall music for you tonight. >> reporter: and "dick clark's new year's rockin' eve." it's radio where he got his start as a kid. >> i think about the american top 40. i listened to casey lawns. i thought that would be cool to count backwards one day from 40 to number one coast to coast. >> reporter: now he's got that golden voice introducing hits on the air waves and turning his passion into purpose with his nonprofit the ryan seacrest foundation. ryan and his sister meredith gave me a

e seacrest studio. >> welcome to the studio. >> what a good host. >> wow. this is it. this is our 14th studio. >> who's teaching them how to do things like this? >> my sister teaches them everything. >> it's all me. no. we have studio managers that run the studio. they are helping the kids learn how to use the buttons, get on air, create shows. this is supposed to be that safe space for them. >> reporter: the ryan seacrest foundation is a family affair. >> we talked about it together after a visit i had over a decade ago at one of the hospitals. it gives us a chance to do something great and see each other and stay close. it's probably the most joy all of us have ever had. >> i think if you're going to work with your sibling, this is the way to work together. i can handle this. >> reporter: this is the 14th state of the art broadcast studio the foundation has opened in children's hospitals around

the country. >> we never thought we'd build 14. that kind of happened where it snowballed, starting in atlanta, then philadelphia. it just went from there. >> when you see children at any of the seacrest studios, they're going through a hard time, right? >> you feel the weight of what's happening. you look over and see it on a mom or dad's face. i get emotional talking about it. when they're going through something tough with their kids, you just want to focus on helping them forget about it for a second. >> why is this making you as mo emotional as it is? >> we've gotten to know families and the kids. i had a kid say to my, i'm very excited, it's going to be a great christmas, i got approved to get new lungs. >> reporter: patients finding refuge in the studio. >> it was awesome how much support and connection that i

got from this. it's just been a great opportunity. they really made it feel like a great place to be. >> hello, this is payson from seacrest studios. i just want to make your day better. >> look out. here he comes. >> reporter: just one of the many patients who will benefit from the addition to the hospital. >> having a seacrest studio here gives us a lot of opportunities. it's an opportunity for kids to connect with each other. this notion of connecting through broadcast inside the hospital is an extraordinary gift to these kids. >> reporter: and even between philanthropic work and his many roles, seacrest still somehow finding time for one more job, as the new host of "wheel of fortune". >> so excited. >> tell me everything. >> i grew up watching it. i'm such a fan. pat sajak is a legend.

vannah white is unbelievable. she is a national treasure. i'm so happy she's going to be there with me. that game is loved, that show, that franchise is part of people's lives. >> a lot of the jobs you currently have, you've been passed the torch to be sort of the keeper of these american institutions. does that feel like an honor, like pressure, both? >> it's an incredible honor, and it is pressure too. the institution or the people or places or people i've looked up to and watched and admired, i have made some sort of a career about stepping into places that have existed and trying to carry them into the next generation and next chapter. it's fun work. i do take that responsibility seriously. >> do you take a second to realize how far you've come? >> i never had it, so every day i feel like i have to make it again. i feel like i have to prove a little bit every single time. i feel like i have to earn the audience, i have to earn that connection with people.

i want to prove that i deserve to be in these roles. ♪ >> our thanks to will. when we return, remembering "paper moon" star, actor ryan o'neal. somedays, i cover up because of my moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. now i feel free to bare my skin, thanks to skyrizi. ♪(uplifting music)♪ ♪nothing is everything♪ i'm celebrating my clearer skin... my way. with skyrizi, 3 out of 4 people achieved 90% clearer skin at 4 months. in another study, most people had 90% clearer skin, even at 5 years. and skyrizi is just 4 doses a year, after 2 starter doses. serious allergic reactions and an increased risk of infections or a lower ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms, had a vaccine, or plan to. thanks to clearer skin with skyrizi -

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♪ finally tonight, remembering actor ryan o'neal. he kalt catapulted to fame i '70s, captivating audiences in "love story" earning him an oscar nomination. later, o'neal costarred in "paper moon" with 9-year-old daughter tatum. she won an oscar for her role. there was also his high-profile romance with farrah fawcett for 20 years. by her side when she died in 2009. today, he passed away peacefully at the age of 82.