slowing record holiday travel. two u.s. missionaries shot and killed in haiti. the seismic shift in college sports. the ncaa agrees to pay student athletes. first, the severe weather heading into memorial day weekend. possible tornados, damaging winds, and large hail from texas to illinois. the flood threat from washington, d.c. to philadelphia, new york to

boston. thousands of flights delayed. the tsa bracing for what could be the busiest travel day ever. 45 million americans expected to drive or fly over the holiday. trevor ault standing by. the chilling headline in haiti. two american missionaries, a husband and wife, shot and killed by gang members in port-au-prince. their murders coming after president biden and the president of kenya pledged support for a new u.n.-backed police force in haiti. selina wang with the president of kenya. breaking news concerning defense secretary lloyd austin. the pentagon revealing he's undergoing a medical procedure today, transferring his duties to a deputy. it comes months after he was secretly hospitalized for complications from prostate cancer. not even president biden had been told. the american father sentenced for bringing ammunition into turks and caicos. he was facing a possible 12-year prison sentence. what a judge decided instead, and what this signals to four other americans facing similar

charges. israeli troops recovering the bodies of three more hostages killed during the october 7th terror attack. israel believes about 100 hostages are still being held in gaza. this as the u.n. international court orders israel to immediately stop its military operation in rafah. britt clennett in tel aviv tonight. here in the u.s., a landmark decision in college sports. for the first time ever, the ncaa agreeing to pay student athletes for playing. the documentary filmmaker behind the movie "super size me" dying after his private battle with cancer. and "america strong" tonight. the pilot and pioneer. the first black woman to fly in the u.s. air force celebrating her final flight. >> whit: good evening. thanks for joining us on this friday night. i'm whit johnson in for david.

we begin with the severe storm threat heading into what is shaping up to be a record memorial day weekend. 45 million americans on alert for severe weather. nearly an equal number of people traveling. that dangerous weather stretching across the center of the country from austin, texas, to chicago. possible tornados, strong winds, and large hail. the system pushing into the northeast on monday. more than two dozen reported tornados in six states over the last 24 hours, including a tornado touching down in jackson county, oklahoma. bumper-to-bumper traffic in chicago at this hour. more than 38 million people are expected to be driving this weekend, a record high. tsa bracing for what could be the busiest travel day ever at our nation's airports. thousands of flights already delayed. we'll have the forecast in just a moment. first, abc's trevor ault leads us off. >> reporter: tonight, severe weather once again threatening the plans of millions of travelers trying to get away for

the holiday. in the past 24 hours, a relentless stretch of more than 300 storm reports from texas to maine, including over two dozen reported tornadoes. this monstrous multi-vortex ef-2 spotted southwest of oklahoma city, with winds of 120 miles an hour. but the threatening weather is not stopping people from packing airports coast to coast. >> were you expecting all of the travelers here today? >> not at 6:00 in the morning, i wasn't. >> reporter: so there are lines here at newark, but they're really moving them through. in fact, tsa says yesterday they screened nearly 2.9 million people at their checkpoints. that makes it their second-busiest day ever. united director of operations john weigant says today is expected to be their busiest day ever. >> we've been planning and planning for it for months. we've known it's going to happen and praying for good weather. >> reporter: also praying for good weather -- the 38.4 million on the roads for their holiday trip, with storms targeting major cities tonight, tomorrow,

and sunday and a flood threat for the northeast monday -- millions will be keeping their eyes on the skies. and whit, the worst of the congestion should be just about over today, but expect serious backup with those millions of drivers basically all afternoon saturday, sunday, and monday. whit? >> whit: all right, we'll brace for that, trevor, thank you. let's get right to wabc meteorologist jeff smith. and jeff, those severe storms will be on the move through memorial day? >> unfortunately, yet another multi-day severe weather outbreak on the way. starting tonight, we have severe thunderstorm watches in effect right now through 10:00 p.m. central from northeastern texas up through parts of illinois. the big concern is what's going to be happening 24 hours from now. tomorrow evening, a moderate risk issued by the spc. you never like to see red shading on the map. violent tornados possible in places like oklahoma city, tulsa, wichita. that threat will head off to the east into parts of the ohio valley during the day on sunday. not only violent tornados, could be hail in excess of four inches in diameter.

the severe threat not as high by the time this reaches the east coast, but the flooding threat could be high north and west of new york city. whit? >> whit: jeff smith, it's great to have you tonight, we appreciate it. we move on now to the horrific attack in haiti. two american missionaries shot and killed by gang members in port-au-prince. their murders coming after president biden and the president of kenya pledged support for a plan to send a u.n.-backed police force to haiti. here's abc's selina wang. >> reporter: tonight, a deadly attack on american missionaries in haiti's capital. oklahoma-based "missions in haiti" says 23-year-old davy lloyd and his wife, 21-year-old natalie, were ambushed and killed along with the group's haitian director. the founder of the charity says he was on the phone with his son davy and daughter-in-law for hours as the horror unfolded. >> he's like, "dad, i've got to go, there's a bunch of guys coming in the yard." >> reporter: the group holed up in the house pleading for help while the gang shot all the windows out of the house. "missions in haiti" unable to

get them a police evacuation or to negotiate with the gang before losing contact. >> just wanted to take that revenge out on my son and daughter-in-law, from what i can tell. >> reporter: natalie lloyd's father, missouri state representative ben baker, saying in a facebook post, "my heart is broken in a thousand pieces. i've never felt this kind of pain." this latest ambush coming just hours after president biden hosted kenya's president at the white house, saying the u.s. will lend support to a kenyan-led security mission in haiti. >> this is a crisis that is able to be dealt with. >> reporter: late today we asked kenya's president, william ruto, about the 1,000 police officers heading to haiti. a group of missionaries, including americans, were killed in haiti last night by gangs. can the kenyan forces stop that kind of violence? >> yes. we believe we have what it takes. i think we have the best chance to deal with the gangs and to

secure haiti once and for all. >> reporter: whit, more than 1,300 americans have been evacuated from haiti ever since that country has been gripped by gang violence. but a u.s. official says that several hundred americans still remain. davy lloyd's father tells us his son was devoted to his work, and that he's wanted to be a missionary in haiti ever since he was a child. whit? >> whit: selina wang for us tonight, thank you. now to the news breaking late today about the health of defense secretary lloyd austin. the pentagon revealing he's undergoing another medical procedure. let's get right to abc's senior national correspondent terry moran. and terry, this all comes after a previous health scare that he kept secret? >> reporter: it does, whit. tonight, the pentagon is telling us secretary austin will undergo an elective and noninvasive procedure at the walter reed medical center. this is a follow-up to the bladder issue that put him in the hospital back in january following prostate cancer surgery. secretary austin has determined that since he will not be able to perform his duties during the

procedure, he will temporarily turn over those responsibilities to deputy defense secretary kathleen hicks. president biden and congress have been notified of this transfer of authority this time. of course, as you mentioned, last time they weren't informed. not even president biden. that secrecy drew widespread criticism. secretary austin ultimately apologizing to the president and the country for his lack of transparency. one more note, the pentagon telling us tonight, whit, that secretary austin's cancer prognosis remains, quote, excellent. whit? >> whit: encouraging note there. all right, terry moran, thank you. now to the american father sentenced for bringing ammunition into turks and caicos. he was facing a possible 12 years in prison. instead, he's now returning home after paying a fine. tonight, what this could mean for the other americans facing similar charges. here's abc's matt rivers. >> reporter: tonight, bryan hagerich headed home to pennsylvania as a free man, racing through the airport in turks and caicos, on his way to

finally see his two children after spending 101 days on the islands where he faced a possible 12-year prison sentence for having ammo in his luggage. >> we're on the airplane. >> reporter: a relieved hagerich and his wife ashley earlier today after a judge gave him a suspended 52-week sentence and a $6,700 fine, allowing him to go free. >> it's the best day. >> god is so good. >> yes, all of our prayers have been answered. >> reporter: hagerich pleaded guilty, saying he'd forgotten the ammo was in the bag when he went on vacation back in february. still, the crime carried a minimum of a dozen years in prison due to a strict new amendment to the island's firearms law. but the judge today finding exceptional circumstances in his case, and determining that sentence to be "unjust and disproportionate to the crime committed." tonight, hagerich and his wife say they will continue to advocate for the other four americans accused of similar charges. >> we've set some precedent today. my work, our work is not done until all of them get home. >> they're our family.

we love them. and we can't wait till they're reunited with their families. >> we're all in this together. >> reporter: the big question, what happens to the other cases and sentences involving the other four americans charged with similar things in turks and caicos? does this ruling set a precedent? meanwhile, the turks and caicos government saying that justice has been served in this case, as the law intended. whit? >> whit: matt rivers, thank you. now to more breaking news tonight. louisiana's governor signing a controversial bill reclassifying two abortion pills as controlled and dangerous substances. opponents say the new classification will make it harder to prescribe the pills. but supporters say it will protect pregnant women from coerced abortions. possessing the drugs without a prescription could lead to possible jail time. now to a ground-breaking moment sure to redefine college sports. for the first time ever, the ncaa agreeing to allow schools to directly pay student athletes for playing. here's abc's stephanie ramos. >> reporter: tonight, for the first time, the ncaa agreeing to

let student athletes get paid for playing, reaching a landmark revenue-sharing deal with the five largest athletic conferences that could profoundly change the college sports landscape. under the proposed agreement, division-i athletes could receive payments as early as next year with the ncaa allocating roughly $20 million annually for schools to distribute among athletes. it also includes a $2.8 billion settlement in damages open to any division-i athlete who played as far back as 2016 to be paid out over the next decade. it was just in 2021 that the ncaa first allowed athletes to earn money by selling their name, image, and likeness rights to advertisers. >> the biggest charade in college sports for a number of years has been pretending like these are amateurs. the people that run the ncaa

have tried to pretend it was something else, and today it finally caught up to them. >> reporter: this proposed agreement still needs to be approved by a federal judge in california, whit. >> whit: still a lot of questions about what this means going forward. stephanie, thank you. tonight, israeli troops have recovered the bodies of three more hostages from gaza. the victims killed during the october 7th terror attack. israel believes about 100 living hostages are still being held in gaza. this comes as the u.n. international court ordered israel today to immediately stop its military operation in rafah. abc's britt clennett reports from tel aviv. >> reporter: tonight, the idf announcing it conducted a night-time raid to recover the bodies of three hostages taken by hamas on october 7th. special forces acting on israeli intelligence to locate the bodies of michel nisenbaum, orion hernandez radoux, and hanan yablonka. israeli officials say all three were killed during the attack, their bodies then taken to gaza. it comes as the top u.n. court today ordered israel to

immediately cease all military operations in rafah, citing imminent danger to civilians. >> the court is not convinced that the evacuation efforts and related measures that israel affirms to have undertaken are sufficient. >> reporter: strikes reported in rafah today as that u.n. court met. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu's government today flatly rejecting that court ruling, saying in a statement, "israel has not and will not carry out military activity in the rafah area that creates conditions that could lead to the destruction of the palestinian civilian population." whit, despite its ruling, that u.n. court has no real way to enforce its order and said having to rely on governments using tools like targeted sanctions or arms embargoes. whit? >> whit: britt clennett in tel aviv, thank you. today we learned documentary filmmaker morgan spurlock has died following a battle can

cancer. "super size me" consuming only fast food from mcdonald's for 30 days. he also made headlines opening up about his personal battles. here's abc's steve osunsami. >> is fast food really that bad for you? i mean, what would happen if i eat nothing but mcdonald's for 30 days straight? >> reporter: he's the award-winning documentary filmmaker who spent much of his career helping americans live healthier and longer. but tonight, the family of morgan spurlock is announcing that cancer has tragically cut his life short, and that he died in new york surrounded by friends and loved ones. he's best known for his classic tongue in cheek in the 2004 film "super size me" -- >> would you like to super size it today? >> oh, yes i would! >> reporter: -- where he gained more than 20 pounds after a 30-day diet of fast food. >> you saw these numbers, right? these numbers are absolutely outrageous. >> reporter: the film was celebrated as a wake-up call to worldwide consumers of burgers and french fries. he was nominated for an oscar, and at the same time, fast food

chains started removing super-size portions from their menus. he helped to get fast food consumers noticing the power of words like "crispy." >> "fried" is kind of gone from the fast food vernacular. everything is "crispy" because it doesn't sound bad for you. fried is bad. but crispy is nice, kind of crunchy. >> reporter: in 2019, he spoke to "nightline" as he was opening a new chicken chain, about getting sober, dealing with manic depression, and taking accountability for past sexual misconduct that nearly derailed his own career. he even shared how he settled a case with a former assistant. >> i'm excited to see who this filmmaker is now that comes out of this process, versus the one who was there before. >> reporter: his family says his films still play in health classes in high schools across the country. morgan spurlock was 53 years old. whit? >> whit: steve osunsami, our thanks to you tonight. a somber day in uvalde, texas. the community marking two years since the deadly mass shooting at robb elementary school. families are spending the day at the cemetery and gathering with

others, paying tribute to the 19 children and two teachers killed that day. president biden sending a letter to the community hoping they find comfort in reflecting on the memories of the victims and saying more must be done to prevent mass shootings in america. when we come back tonight, eight people hospitalized after a terrifying air boat crash in florida. tonight, travis kelce responding to teammate harrison butker's controversial comments, next. it's... the ug. tween milestones like this may start at age 9. hpv vaccination—a type of cancer prevention against certain hpv-related cancers, can start then too. for most, hpv clears on its own. but for others, it can cause certain cancers later in life. you're welcome! now, as the “dad cab”, it's my cue to help protect them. embrace this phase. help protect them in the next. ask their doctor today about hpv vaccination. (husband) we just want to have enough money for retirement. (wife) and travel to visit our helgrandchildren. in the next. (fisher investments) i understand.

that's why at fisher investments we start by getting to know each other. so i can learn about your family, lifestyle, goals and needs, allowing us to tailor your portfolio. (wife) what about commission-based products? (fisher investments) we don't sell those. we're a fiduciary, obligated to act in your best interest. (husband) so how do your management fees work? (fisher investments) we have a transparent fee, structured so we do better when you do better. at fisher investments, we're clearly different. can neuriva support your brain health? mary, janet, hey!! (thinking: eddie, no frasier, frank... frank?) fred! how are you?! fred... fuel up to 7 brain health indicators, including your memory. join the neuriva brain health challenge. if you're looking for a medicare supplement insurance plan that's smart now... i'm 65. and really smart later i'm 70-ish. consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan from unitedhealthcare. with this type of plan, you'll know upfront about how much your care costs. which makes planning your financial future easier. so call unitedhealthcare today

to learn more about the only plans of their kind with the aarp name. and set yourself and your future self up with an aarp medicare supplement plan from unitedhealthcare. (noel) did you know it's possible to have a heart attack at age 36? i didn't. here's a tip. if you smoke, it's totally possible. that's what happened to me. (announcer) you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now. i brought in ensure max protein with 30 grams of protein! those who tried me felt more energy in just two weeks. -ugh. -here, i'll take that. woo hoo! ensure max protein, 30 grams protein, 1 gram sugar, 25 vitamins and minerals. and a new fiber blend with a prebiotic. (♪) >> whit: next tonight, at least

eight people were injured following an air boat crash in kissimmee, florida. authorities say ten people were on the boat when it hit a sandbar. all the crew and passengers have been accounted for. the u.s. coast guard is now investigating. when we come back, travis kelce reacting to his teammate's controversial commencement address, and an aviation trailblazer takes her final flight. accelerate growth, predict trends, you need to begin with trust. introducing watsonx governance. helping you govern any ai, as data, models, and policies change, so you can scale it responsibly. let's create ai that begins with trust, with watsonx governance. ibm. let's create. hi, i'm greg. i live in bloomington, illinois. i'm not an actor. i'm just a regular person. some people say, "why should i take prevagen? i don't have a problem with my memory."

memory loss is, is not something that occurs overnight. i started noticing subtle lapses in memory. i want people to know that prevagen has worked for me. it's helped my memory. it's helped my cognitive qualities. give it a try. i want it to help you just like it has helped me. prevagen. at stores everywhere without a prescription. summer's on its way... and wayfair's big memorial day clearance is here now! it's the talk of the town. right now through may 28th, get up to 70% off everything home. save on finds for indoors and out. plus, score surprise flash deals that'll make your day. and get it all with fast shipping straight to your door. save up to 70% off wayfair's memorial day clearance now through may 28th, and kickstart your summer with savings! ♪ wayfair every style, every home ♪ if you have wet amd, you never want to lose sight of the things you love. some things should stand the test of time.

long lasting eylea hd could significantly improve your vision and can help you go up to 4 months between treatments. if you have an eye infection, eye pain or redness, or allergies to eylea hd, don't use. eye injections like eyla hd may cause eye infection, separation of the retina, or rare but severe swelling of blood vessels in the eye. an increase in eye pressure has been seen. there's an uncommon risk of heart attack or stroke associated with blood clots. the most common side effects were blurred vision, cataract, corneal injury, and eye floaters. and there's still so much to see. if you are on eylea or a similar type of treatment, ask your retina specialist about eylea hd today, for the potential for fewer injections. some people just know there's a better way to do things. like bundling your home and auto insurance with allstate.

yeah, she knows. and some people... don't. like... come on. yikes! ughh... no. you know, there's a better way. save time and money by bundling your home and auto with allstate. you're in good hands with allstate. >> whit: to the index now. travis kelce responding to those controversial comments by his kansas city chiefs teammate harrison butker, a chiefs kicker under fire for his commencement speech at benedictine college, telling women graduates their most important title should be homemaker. kelce says he doesn't agree with just about any of butker's views but cherishes him as a teammate. a new blood test to screen for colon cancer is one step closer to fda approval. an fda panel green lighting the test saying benefits outweigh the risks. health experts caution that

colonoscopies are still the best method for detection, but they are invasive and require anesthesia and time off of work. when we come back, "america strong." the pioneering aviator soaring to unprecedented heights. so this is better. even this. dupixent is an add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma that's not for sudden breathing problems. dupixent can cause allergic reactions that can be severe. tell your doctor right away if you have rash, chest pain, worsening shortness of breath, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor about new or worsening joint aches and pain or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines including steroids, without talking to your doctor. ask your specialist about dupixent. (traffic noises) (♪) the road to opportunity. is often the road overlooked. (♪) at enterprise mobility, we guide companies to unique solutions, from our team of mobility experts.

because we believe the more ways we all have to move forward. the further we'll all go. pain means pause on the things you love, but... green... means... go! ♪ cool the pain with biofreeze. and keep on going. biofreeze. green means go. not flossing well? then add the whoa! of listerine to your routine. new science shows

listerine is 5x more effective than floss at reducing plaque above the gumline. for a cleaner, healthier mouth. ahhhhh. listerine. feel the whoa! shingles. some describe it as an intense burning sensation. or an unbearable itch. this painful blistering rash could also disrupt your work and time with family. shingles could also lead to long—term, debilitating nerve pain that can last for months or even years. if you're over 50, the virus that causes shingles is likely already inside of you. (♪) and as you age, your risk of developing shingles increases. (♪) don't wait. ask your doctor or pharmacist about shingles today. shopify helps you sell at every stage of your business. so you can sell it online, take it in person and go big. like a million orders big. whatever the stage, businesses that grow grow with shopify. nature's bounty hair growth. help grow thicker, fuller hair

with just one capsule a day of advanced hair complex. conquer hair thinning... ...and fall in love with your hair all over again. only from nature's bounty. finally tonight, "america strong." the trailblazing pilot after soaring above the clouds for decades taking her final commercial flight. captain teresa claiborne receiving cheers from colleagues and loved ones. >> i get it, thank you, thank you all. >> congratulations, >> reporter: an emotional reunion after piloting her final commercial flight. a trailblazer selected as the first black female pilot by the u.s. air force. >> seven years on active duty,

13 years in the reserves. when i graduated from pilot training, i did not know that i was the first until about two weeks prior to graduation. >> reporter: among the first hired by united airlines 34 years ago. along the way, serving as a mentor to other women of color eager to follow the same path. >> diversity is important. and we have a saying. if they can see it, they can be it. if little black girls don't know they can be pilots, guess what? that's not something they're going to choose. that's an opportunity we give them. >> reporter: captain claiborne's final 6 1/2-hour flight for united was from lisbon, portugal, to newark liberty international airport on a boeing 787 dreamliner. over her entire career as a pilot, she logged 23,000 flight hours. tonight reflecting on her legacy and impact on future generations. >> when i see my legacy in action, when i see these young women who are now flying for an airline that were not flying for an airline when i first met them, it's phenomenal. i'm tickled. i'm retired.

everything doesn't stop. i mean, i still have a lot of work to do. >> whit: and still opening doors for so many. what a story. thanks so much for watching tonight. i'm whit johnson in new york. i'll see you on "gma" in the morning. have a great night. and it's off to a really rough start on the roads. we're live tracking the worst of the traffic and looking for some relief. not a healthy sign an infestation has abruptly shut down a san francisco walgreens. plus the future of fires. we're looking ahead a quarter of a century in the latest abc seven originals bay area 2050 always live abc seven news starts right now. >> oh, it's been tough traffic all day and this has been the

worst spot. it remains that way. the bay bridge toll plaza where people trying to start a holiday weekend, they're going to have to be very patient. i'm kristen sze good evening. >> i'm dan ashley, thanks for joining us. traffic backed up for hours all day long all over the bay area. in fact, it's an even worse than usual start to a three day getaway weekend. >> abc seven news reporter zach fuentes is live tracking the worst spots for us. zach. >> yeah, the bay bridge has been a mess all day long, as we saw from that live shot getting from pleasant hill into the city to took one of our coworkers 2.5 hours this afternoon. and of course, they're not alone. a big rig carrying oranges caught fire near treasure island around nine this morning. the chp thinks the rear brakes may have started the fire. it took hours for crews to clean up what was left of the truck, and all of those oranges there on the road, the driver and that was not injured. and in the south bay tonight, a deadly crash as part of 101 shut down. one southbound lane of 101 is closed just north of blossom hill road after a head on crash between a big rig and a honda sedan that was going the w