now baby jackson is a a year old medical miss mystery. his parents open up about their story and the backlash they faced for their difficult decision. monica the medium. she says she's like any other college student for onene thing --- >> i talk to the dead. >> what really goes on inside a private session? despite the skepticism, what she said that made our correspondent do a double take. >> crazy! the force awakens. at halftime. >> nothing will stand in our way. >> when worlds collide in a galaxy far, far away in a hotly anticipated star wars trailer. >> it's calling to you. >> which lands in the middle of monday night football. but first -- >> just let it in.

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>> good evening. thanks for joining us. we begin with the poignant story of love and sacrifice in the face of overwhelming odds. aoung couplplearned their child will be b bn with a a debilitating medical condition and they bring him into the

now thes parents have a medical marvel on their hands. here's abc's david wright. >> reporter: for brandon and britney bule, the first serious cucueball of parenthood came the day after their 17-week ultrasound. >> these are his legs, his hands and feet are in the air like this. >> reporter: the scanhere the couple first found out they were having a baby boy. >> the ultrasound tech was acting strange. she got really quiet. when she got to his head and was measuring it, she didn't say a word. >> reporter: then the very nex day the phone rang with sobing news. >> they told me he had spina bifida bifida. >> how did you process that? >> i don't know, i didn't really process it at the time. i couldn't believe it. >> reporter: turns out that initial diagnosis was wrong but the scan showed a severe brain abnormality abnormality. their son's head was not forming operly. the brbrn almost nonoxistent. miraculously, jackson survived. he's now just over a year old.

the doctors didn't expect him to. in fact, it was the sort of pregnancy [here doctors as gently as possible mention the word "termination." "abortion" is much too charged a word. >> it wasn't until 23 weeks pregnant that it was brought up. >> the option >> that we had the option to termjnate in the state of florida until 24 eks. >> r rorter: many american families faced with that 17-week scan would not have brought this baby into the world. >> how many fingers do i see? >> reporter: jackson's parents gave him@a chance. >> where do they come from? i can't say but i betet they have come a long, long wawa >> in a way this is the essence of that debate, isn't it? >> it can be if anybody wants to get into it. but we never -- >> we don't try to take that it way. >> reporter: they did think about termination. >> i would feel terrible doing something like that.t. but if they were to tell me he was going to suffer? or he would be in pain? or my life was in jeopardy?

then my thought process might have been dierent. >> we're christian and we believe in what we believe in. but we s sll are goioi to do the best thihi for our family, for britney, and ultimaty for jackson. >> reporter: and this is jackson today. severely disabled but thriving. >> for us, this just seems normal. we don't have anoth child. this is the first one. >eporter: even just bathing him is a task that requires both parents. >> want to play with the toys? was that a yes or was that a no? >> where do you put his happiness? >> he's happy almost all the time, like any other baby. he's feeting and he's feeting and gassy so he's cranky often. >> he is is the sweetest baby. we're weissed and that's fine. >> every parent is. >> of course. >> reporter: jackson is not like most other babies. here's what his brain should look like. instead, this is jackson's brain. only a year later did neurologists at boston's children's hospital come up with

>> crohydro encephaly. >> how much of the brain is there? >> very little. >> will he be ableo talk? >> i'd be shocked. >> will he be ae to wa? >> unlikely. >> reporter: doctors are surprpsed he's made it this far. >> do you have any sense as to how long he can survive with this? >> i don't know. i don't have a crystal ball. it really depends on the medical complications. >> such a good boy. >> reporter: he's only made it this far with the help of his parents. jackson gets nutrition through a feeding tube. burping him involves removing the excess fluid directlyrom his stomach. heheometimes suffers from mild seizures. >> it's okay. even when he's really calm sometimes he'll go into a slight seizure. >> is he suffering? >> i don't think so.

and there's nothing about this that causes painner se. >> reporter: pain and suffering are not necessarily the same things. in the end, the doctors themselves say that science alone can't answer that question. >> and what i his quality of life? >> again, met him once so i dodot have a full a areciation of that. but i would ask his parents. >> can you press the buttons? >> reporter: how he' able to see the lights on his toy turtle is baffling because the cerebrum is so small as to be practically nonexistenen >> you got t t touch the button, mommy can't do it for you. i'll remind you. see the big red button? you put your hand and then you press it. like that. >> reporter: yet his parents, who spend so much time with him, are convinced their son i i in there. >> it's so cute when he gets so proud of himself. >> it is. >> he grins. >> he has a cute grin. >> it is cute. >> reporter: responding to their love and attention. >>very day wepend timimwith

him, e ery day we play with him, every day we say i love you. >> a hundred million times. >> a little exaggeration. but probably over 100 times every single day, no exaggeration. >> can you sit up like a big boy? we cl him by his name, we say mommy's here, daddy's here, we love you so much, we're proud of you, you're so strong, you're so smart. he hears that every day from us. maybe i'm bias but i believe that positive reinforcement and talking to him and loving him -- >> that was a big yawn, buy. >> i think he's responding to that v vy well. >> reporter: not only that, they feel he loves them back. >> i love you! >> reporter: they hear him saying so in videos such as this one. >> i love you. >> i le you! >> reporter: even ifthers may not hear it, these p parents feel it. britney and brandon also hear from the naysayers. whenever they post jackson's photos and videos online, people write the most terrible things. >> and we can't fathom what kind of people would, one, think somethininlike that about ann innocent cld, especially one with special needs. and two, actually hit the send

button. >> he's a lucky boy. you guys seem like great parents. >> we try. >> we are trying hard. >>eporter: jkson is lucky. because ma parents would not have given him t tt chance. it hasn't been easy. a lot of his treatments, including that trip to boston, are not covered by insurance. they've had to resort to a % gofundme campaign which is covering most of their bills for w. >> everyecision that we have ever made for him have been about his happiness, his comfort, no matter what that meant and no matter what the cost. >> i feel like jackson's doing so well and can teach the medical world so much. >> and we realize that jackson's fe has purpos whether you areeaith b bed or whether you just are scientific and want to see more about dicine, learn more about the human brain. and at the same time we realize the reality of jackson. that we're -- wre probably going to ouive hihi there is a a excellent chance of that. we're just trying to give him the best life possible. >> knowing it might be a short one.

>> we realize that. so every day is precious. reporter: ordinary people struggling with an extraordinary burden. d doing itith love. i'm dadad wright for "nightline" in taveras, florida. up next, the millennial medium who says she serves up life-changing, eye-opening, mind-blowi experiences. for a price. speaking of mind-bending, universal delight for "star wars" fans with a brand spanking new trailer for "the force awakens." i miss out olife's little moments. so i talked to my doctor and he prescribed latuda. there are many forms of depression. latuda is fda approved to wreat bipolar depression, which is different from other types of depression. ininlinical studies, once-a-day latuda was proven effective for many people struggling with bipolar depression.

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sure plenty of college students pursue extracurriculars, like acapella or the student newspaper. the one you're about to meet claims to have a a talent many find hard to believe. her life she says punctuated by urgent messages from the dead. tonight she explains her so-called third eye to abc's abbie boudreau,nd things get personal. >> hey, guys, hi. > i can connenect to those who have crossed over. >> reporter: 21-year-old monica says she can talk to the dead and it doesn't matter where she and is what she's doing. at a party. during a tutoring session. >> shehe showed me a lock of hair. did you keep a lock of her hair? >> reporter: monica says when the dead have a message, they can be very pushy. >> you need to give a message to mydaughter, please, please! i've been waiting for her to coco. >> you've b bn waiting. that's'sso, so sweet. >> reporter: now monica is the

show "monica the medium" chronicleing her life as a college student at penn state with her career as a medium >> a lot of people think of mediums ananthey don't imagine someone who looks like you. >> i've had so many people my age that said to me, i would have never have been open to seeing a medium. they're very grateful for the fact that i'm somebody out there who does this, and i am just like them.. >> except? >> excxct i talk to the dede, yeah. exactly. >> how can you best describe this. >> the best way i can explain it is sometimes i just know things. it comes out of my mouth. where did that come from? >> reporter: she refers to a third eye which allows her to pepeeive messages from the dead. >> this third eye what exactly -- >> it's like seeing it in your mind versus seeing it outside yourself. i see it in my head. hear it in my -- in my thought's voice. a flh of an image or a movie playing in your head, that's whwh's happening to me. >> reporter: she regularly sees clients but won't disclose how much she charges.

on this day we're about to witness monica at work with her clients, latrice colsls-jones, whose husband died almost 20 years ago, and their daughter. >> he was murdered. >> he was ripped away from you ys. >> uh-huh. >> and i fee robbed. >> reporter: they hope to speak with him through a reaeang with momoca. >> are you guys excited? >> reporter: she begins the reading. >> the only thing i know is you lost your husband, correct? this will be your dad, correct? we will get started.@ >> reporter: minutes later she says she feels something. >> there's so many people. there's a line of people and people. >> reporter: monica says grandpa is here. >> i don't know why i all of a sudden -- i am having some issues in the ches lung area, having a bit of a hard time catching my breath here. somemeing's making me cough. like i can't catch my breath. >> he had lung cancer. >> he had lung cancer and i can't catch my breath.

had he also been a smoker? >> yes. >> reperter: finally the man they were hoping f monica says is present. >> your dad and your husband, ey know each other in spirit because they're hanging out. they're pals. they're right next to each other, which is really cool. he says to me, i wasn't always perfect, though. even tugh we shared such a great love, i wasn't always the perfect husband. do you understand that? and i made a lot of poor decisions and mistakes. he takes some responsibility in sometimes hanging with the wrong crowd. i do feel like - i hear gunshots. was heurdered? >> uh-huh. >> okay. he wants to acknowledge, though, that it's like, i was young, i wasn't thinking straight, i should have been smarter and i wish that i could go back and change things. he keeps saying, m love, my love, my ve. you guys are not alone soo never question or doubt he's still with you. i'm going to let spirit back up. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. give me a hug. >> thank you. >> okay.

at what --%what is it that you're actually seeing or hearing? >> when lalaice's father iss coming through, and the grandfather, he's talking about sickness and health issues, i started coughing and couldn't breathe. that's when i'm physically feelg something. i was hearing, oh, also a smoker. l these things are coming through at the s se time. >> can you come around if that's okay? so we're at eye level? >> reporter: monica says it wasn't until high school that she started to connect with the dead. >> i thought i might be crazy. i thought for a while maybe i had a brain tumor something. like thehe was something wrongng with me. but then as it started happening more and more i realized, i'm not crazy, i don't have schizophrenia, this isn't made up, this is real, this is happening. >> reporter: her parents were skeptical at first, especially her r tholic mother. >> when you werere born, i didn't have in my wish list, i want one of my daughters to bece a medium. this was like a shock to me. i don't know, who talks to the dead?

but she's come longg way from when she first found out about what i do. >> so what was she doing? >> reporter: this is a line of work routinely met with skepticism, for good reason. % >> she got ih a c accident right in front of our house. >> what do you sayo people who just think, this is not, this cannot be real. >> i am the first to admit that it is something that is hard to wrap your brain around, that this is even possible or that it cahappen. if i wasn't the one doinghis on a day-to-day basis, connecting to spirit, i would be a huge skeptic. >> reporter: online critics have called her a fraud and a con artist. >> did you lose your mom? >> reporter: mediums are often criticized for emotionally and finaially taking advantage of the grieving. >> i'm t t first one to admit that thehe are a lot of p pple who call themselves a medium or gifted and they are frauds or they are con artists, liars, fakes, after people's money, taking advantage. and that's really sad because, you know, that puts the genui

get dumped i in t tt category. >> reporter: for now monica is taking a break from college to focus on what she calls her gift. >> do you see yourself doing this forever? >> i'll be doing this till the day i die. there's no qstion about that. >> reporter: and as we wrapped our interview, monica tells me i d some unexpected visitors coming through. >> there is a grand mother that's trying to step through. now, is dad's mom on the other side for you? who's the m.a.r.? is she mary? okay, good. mary! she yelled. mary! >> reporter: monica told me my late grandma and grandpa were together enjoying a treat. >> they're drinking milk shakes and eatingike ice cream sundaes. >> they ran a dairy queen, that's crazy! are you serious? that's amazing. >> that got me chills. >> reporter: even though a lot of this information can be readilfound online, she did tell me some very personal things that i'm still not sure

how she could have known. >> do you feel like it's a situation where you were chose someone. >> i'm just this regular girl who happens to have this gift. i do feel like it was part of my life plan. it's my purpose in thiss lifetime to be doing thihi work. >> reporter: for "nightline," i'm abbie boudreau in los angeles. >> "monica the medium" airs tuesday nights on abc family at 8: p.m. eastern. he force awakening tonight with a crash landing. "star wars""ans dissecting every second of the brand-new trailer. i'm billy, and i quit smoking with chantix. i don't know that i can put into words how happy was when i quit. it's'sike losing some baggage, i don't have to carry it around with me anymore. chantix made it possible for me to quit smoking. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. chantix definitely helped redu my urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility,gitation, depresesd mood and suicidalalhoughts

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tt2watv#@64 bt@qv9h tt2watv#@64 "a@qf5, tt2watv#@64 bm@qm> tt4watv#@64 " dztq ly4 tt4watv#@64 " entq > reporter: a long time ago in a halftime show far far away came the longest look yet at the eagerly awakens "star wars crashes the force awakens." >> i was raised to do one thing. >> reporter: storm troopers, light slabers, the millennium falcon teasing what looks to be an action-packed trip to the dark said. it's 30 years after "return of the jedi" and brings back carrie fisher and harrison ford as han solo.

with new characters portrayed by actress daisy ridley. ex-wing fighter pilot getting plenty of face time. and adam driver speaking out here as this movie's bad guy. >> finish what you started. >> reporter: still no glimpse of luke skywalker, hero of the original trilogy. absent fm the movie's poster released sundnd, leading some fans to worry. j.j. abrams directed "the force awakens," the seventh installment in the tar wars" series, and there's been a steady buildup for anticipation about any details of the movie.e. preorder tickets are a ailable for sale with sites of some online vendors already crashing under the demand. some theaters will be hosting marathon screenings of every film in the series. leading up to the movie's debut december 18th.

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