good morning, america. breaking news, the disappearance of air asia flight 8501, the plane going off the radar overnight with more than 160 on board. how could this happen again? families anxiously waiting for word, the airline's latest on the search and rescue operations happening now. the treacherous weather for the holiday trip home, millions of americans driving and flying today. who will feel the worst of it? caught on camera. the life-or-death jump. >> come on, your mama is right here. your mama said do it. come on. >> a boy trapped by the flames. his daring leap to safety to escape that raging inferno.

and against all odds. his snowmobile crashes through the ice in the alaskan wilderness, frozen to the bone. he walks 30 miles looking for help. >> my boys, my family. >> fighting off ferocious animals he says, before help finally arrives. an extraordinary, emotional story of survival this morning. good morning, everybody. let's get straight to our top story the breaking news overnight. nine months after air flight 370 disappeared, another passenger plane has vanished in the same part of the world. >> air asia 8501 was flying from indonesian city of surabaya to singapore when it disappeared from radar. air asia is also based in malaysia. the final communication from the

pilot and air traffic control came at 6:12 a.m. when the pilot asked to turn left and climb to 38,000 feet to, quote, avoid clouds. >> there were more than 160 people on board, including 17 children, one an infant. as their families desperately await word, there's a massive search and rescue effort under way right now. and abc's david kerley kicks off our team coverage from washington. david, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, dan. this jetliner has been missing for more than half a day and darkness is coming to the area where crews are looking for any sign of this aircraft. this is the air asia airbus 320 that has disappeared from radar and is missing this morning. search crews spent the day looking for any sign of the aircraft which was flying through strong weather early saturday morning. air asia, a low cost carrier serving the area, said in a statement, quote, at the present time we unfortunately have no further information regarding

the status of the passengers and crew members on board, but we will keep all partied informed as more information comes available. the majority of the 161 on board were indonesians. including 16 children and an infant. flight 8501 took off from surabaya, indonesia, headed for singapore. it ran into weather, severe thunderstorms, turbulence, with the pilot asking to turn left around some clouds and to significantly increase his altitude from 32,000 feet to 38,000 feet over the java sea, the last time the jet communicated with controllers. at least two aircraft were used by the indonesian civil aviation authority to search during the daylight hours. air asia says it is cooperating fully. the 6-year-old jet has a good safety record, as does the carrier. already air asia is running an emergency call center for family and friends. and waiting areas in singapore where the plane was supposed to land. stark contrast to the aftermath of malaysia flight 370 in what could be one of the deadliest years in aviation.

now nine months ago mh 370 still miss missing. this morning 161 possibly lost. president obama has been briefed and is monitoring the situation while families cling to hope that somehow this aircraft made it to the ground safely. with the loss of daylight, it will be a long, agonizing night for those families. the air asia magnate, a malaysian who owns part of this airline, is on his way to indonesia at this hour to try and comfort those families. dan? >> not much he can say at this point, i'm sure. thank you. let's take a closer look at the role weather may have played. as david reported, there were thunderstorms in that area and meteorologist rob marciano is tracking that. what can you tell us? >> you don't have to be an expert to look at this picture and know that that area of indonesia and malaysia is engulfed in cloud coverage. this is the time of year that's their rainy season, so this

isn't a big surprise. some of these thunderstorms can reach tops over 30,000 and 40,000 feet, so above where an airplane would be able to fly so trying to go over these thunderstorms may be a feeble attempt. potentially some turbulence in and around these clouds. you can get turbulence easily on the sides of some of those stronger thunderstorm cells, and they were probably enduring some of that as they went over the java sea. indonesia not known for having a great radar system on the ground but because they were over water the pilots certainly had to use the onboard radar to try to avoid some of that nasty weather. this is part of the intertropical convergence zone. this zone goes around the globe and fluctuates depending on the time of year. it is a difficult area of the globe to fly over, and so there's just really no way of avoiding this when you're a pilot trying to go from the south to the north or vice-versa. >> we do know of at least one infamous case of a plane going down in this zone that you're

describing, can you tell us about that? >> that happened in the atlantic but this zone goes all the way around the globe. in 2009, the air france flight that was going from brazil, transatlantic, they got into rough weather as they tried to go through this intertropical convergence zone and it was pilot error that caused that plane to stall and eventually go down. that was a larger airbus, this one is a smaller one, not sure that has anything to do with it. it is certainly a difficult area of the globe to fly through. there was rough weather in this area, dan. >> mother nature can be so powerful. rob, we'll check back with you in a little bit. let's bring in our aviation expert colonel steven ganyard. rob has been talking about the weather playing a factor. are pilots trained for these moments and modern planes built to withstand it? >> they are, paula. we're looking for clues. obviously weather is something that the investigators are looking at, but this is a good airplane, it's designed to go through weather. these pilots work in these

conditions all the time. this is their backyard. again, it's baffling. maybe weather played a part but, boy, there are lots of questions here this morning. >> so many questions and i think the big one that's on all of our minds, how is it that in 2014 we are now talking about the second plane of this year simply vanishing from radar? >> dan, yeah, it's disheartening. after malaysian 370 where we said we've got to find a way to be able to keep track of airplanes, it's just not that hard, there was lots of international discussion but no consensus and nothing has essentially changed since mh 370 disappeared. it just shouldn't happen in this day and age. >> i want to talk about the search and rescue operation that's ongoing. what are the legitimate odds of actually finding this plane and any survivors? >> i think we've got pretty good radar data of where we think it at least disappeared. i've got questions about why did it just disappear at 32,000 feet? you know, if the airplane lost control there should be some

hits lower, or if they climb too high, there should be some hits there. to just disappear, it's baffling. this is a broad part of the java sea. to get rescue crews out there is not easy. the good thing is that the java sea is fairly shallow so i think we'll be able to find the wreckage, find the black box and understand what went on. >> and those efforts are happening right now. what do we know about air asia specifically and their safety history? >> no red flags there, dan. you know, it's a startup airline but it's been around for a good ten years or so. it's a low cost carrier but there's nothing to suggest that there's anything in their safety record. the a 320 is a great airplane. it's baffling. i think something that we don't

see now will probably come up as the proximate cause. >> steve ganyard, thank you for weighing in on the breaking news that's a mystery this morning. and a reminder, we will continue to cover this story all day here on abc news. you can get updates on abcnews.com and a full wrap-up this evening on "world news tonight." but we do move on to a violent incident near the white house, five people stabbed while at a birthday party at a bar eight blocks away from the white house. this morning a manhunt for a suspect who is believed to be armed and dangerous. and abc's bazi kanani is on the story. >> reporter: this is an area popular with students and normally quiet during the holidays, but this morning investigators still don't know what led to the brutal assault. the alarming crime scene at a popular hangout at the nation's capital. washington, d.c., police still looking this morning for the man who got away with a knife after stabbing five people celebrating a birthday inside mcfadden's restaurant and bar on pennsylvania avenue, eight blocks from the white house.

>> i heard a bunch of commotion outside and started to see all the cops and the emergency personnel arrive. >> reporter: the attack early saturday morning when police say a fight broke out. one witness said he jumped over the bar trying to break it up, not realizing a deadly weapon was in the middle of it. >> it got hairy, first between two people and then a bunch of people got involved and then there was blood all over the floor. >> reporter: five men stabbed in their back, legs and arms, one in his chest and kidney. all of them told police they didn't know the attacker described as a black man about 5'8", wearing a trench coat, plaid shirt and black or blue jeans. police now working to capture the armed suspect, gathering forensic evidence to help keep him from another chance to disrupt the holiday peace. all of the stabbing victims were rushed to a nearby hospital. their injuries serious but this morning police say thankfully they are all expected to recover. dan, paula?

>> bazi kanani, thank you for that this morning. we turn to ron with a developing story overseas right now. >> that's right, paula. a dramatic scene in the waters between greece and italy. a ferry carrying 478 people along with hundreds of cars is on fire right now. the ferry left from a greek port city and is heading to italy. that's the ferry that you see that's on fire right now. frigid temperatures, strong winds and a rough sea are hampering rescue operations there. the blaze apparently started in a car garage below deck on that ferry. and a hero sendoff in new york city at the funeral of an nypd officer ambushed and killed by a gunman last week. 20,000 officers from around the country, dignitaries, flooded the streets of queens. to pay their last respects to rafael ramos. he was one of two officers killed while sitting in a patrol car last week. >> he represented the blue thread that holds our city

together when disorder might pull it apart. >> he was a cop for all the right reasons. >> outside the church, hundreds of officers turned their backs as a jumbo screen showed new york city's mayor eulogizing the fallen officer and protesting what some believe is the mayor's lack of support following that chokehold incident in staten island. officer ramos leaves behind a wife and two sons. and in flagstaff, arizona, a police officer killed in the line of duty on saturday, a rookie officer, fatally shot by a suspect in a domestic abuse case there. the gunman killed 24-year-old officer tyler stewart before taking his own life. stewart is the second officer in northern arizona killed in the line of duty in just the past three months. and a formal end to the 13-year u.s. war in afghanistan. u.s. and n.a.t.o. soldiers marking the day with a symbolic ceremony at their military headquarters in kabul.

more than 13,000 soldiers, most of them american, will transition now to a supporting role at the start of the new year. but u.s. military forces will continue to have a limited combat role in afghanistan as part of a counter-terrorism component. 2224 americans were killed in the war against the taliban. and a harrowing rescue is caught on camera in alabama during a huge fire at an apartment complex. a child jumping from a window to escape the raging flames. abc's michelle franzen has the details. >> reporter: a dramatic and daring rescue caught on tape as intense flames and heavy smoke poured out of this apartment complex on christmas morning. a mother's painful pleas to save her son trapped on the second floor. >> jump! we got you, come on. jump! come on, your mama right here. your mama said do it. come on!

>> reporter: neighbor kerry jackson captured the blaze and terrifying moments, yelling to the boy to jump out of the window. >> i really didn't have no emotion rushing through me. it was just like, we need him to jump. >> reporter: and then in a split second he leaps. watch again, and he's caught in the arm's of jackson's cousin. but others in the complex were not out of danger yet, including 3-year-old king glass. a firefighter rescued him. glass along with his sister and four adults were taken to a nearby hospital. officials say glass and another are in critical condition. for "good morning america," michelle franzen, abc news, new york. and finally, a north carolina mom driving her minivan with her three kids inside sees a car pulled over, a man in distress. she grabs her baseball bat and swings into action, literally. >> it broke. i cleared the glass, dropped the

bat and went in for him. >> that's why you should always carry a baseball bat in your car. >> and always drive a minivan. >> she used all of her strength to get the 80-year-old man out of the car and started performing cpr on the man until paramedics arrived. we are told he's in critical condition. she said she always stops when you see a car wreck because you never know, you might be able to rescue someone. >> it really goes to show the true character of those that drive minivans. >> and carry baseball bats. >> pawerful story. >> is that what you took from that story? >> i did. >> very personal reasons here. >> thank you. and this morning right here on abc we do have a special year-end edition of "this week" with george stephanopoulos looking at the people who became the biggest game-changers of 2014. and here's george with a power. >> good morning. we have a special edition of "this week" this holiday weekend. our game-changers of 2014, brand new interviews and insights of

the people who made their mark this year from vladimir putin to american world cup star tim howard. the people who took on ebola and the unforgettable and inspiring story of the viral video craze of this year. that's all coming up on "this week." >> looking forward to it. dan, as part of the show this morning i'm going to be interviewing one of the biggest names in sports these days, tim howard, a goalkeeper for the u.s. men's international team. his performance at the world cup made him an international icon. i'm talking about his beard right there. he's 35 years old, considering the average age of those that play in the world cup is 25, does he have another world cup left in him? is he going to retire? it's all coming up. >> the power's in the beard. >> it really is. women want to date him and men want to be him and advertisers love him. >> quite an endorsement. that's coming up on a special edition of abc's "this week." the game changers of 2014. along these lines, we have a fascinating story this morning that suggests that when it comes to analyzing people, it may actually be possible to judge a book by its cover.

>> increasingly these days, experts are being called in to try to figure out if an athlete or a politician has what it takes to succeed all by studying their game face i guess. it's a real thing, and abc's sara haines is here with more on this new trend. >> i think this is so cool. it ends up that actions do speak louder than words but we're talking about your facial actions or reactions before you ever step foot on the court. >> the milwaukee bucks select jabari parker from duke university! >> reporter: turns out the milwaukee bucks didn't just select jabari parker based on his amazing college record but also his winning smile. >> there was just enough resolve and determination to him that i felt he could take the team on his shoulders if asked and he wouldn't back down from the challenge or flame out. >> reporter: dan is a facial coding researcher and was hired by the bucks to get an edge when selecting new players. >> they threw a lot of videotape at me in ten hours. the face is the only place in the body where the muscles attach right to the skin.

it is quick, realtime data. >> reporter: hill consulted on mexican president's campaign, helping him edge out his opponent, and looking ahead to our 2016 presidential election, the two undeclared front-runners. >> her risk is that she's too strong. it's goldilocks, the porridge is too hot and in jeb bush's case the risk might be the porridge is too cold. >> this smirk could send a combative signal. voters have trouble finding emotions in jeb bush's expressions could cost him supporters. similarly, the athletes' abilities are measured using the tiniest of facial cues, to pick up on huge traits. like tennis star rafael nadal's mean streak on the court. >> nadal normally shows anger and disgust. his characteristic expression is his nose wrinkle. he's a really combative guy. >> hill says he can predict

intention intentions, decisions and actions. >> he analyzed your face and said that your smile is genuine and your empathy for people is also genuine. >> i love you, mr. hill. >> did he really say that? >> it's true. >> he's spot on. >> i don't even know what what to say. >> game over. drop the mike. >> can you see this expression? look at that smile. that's because we know that rob has the weather. we're genuinely excited for the weather. >> weathermen have been accused of being good liars and i'm a horrible one. >> i was going to suggest you grow a beard. >> i can't grow a beard. i think there are small chipmunks hiding in that man's beard. a beard would be good in oklahoma, because oklahoma city has seen more snow than places like chicago and boston this year and boy did this slow traffic yesterday. about three inches in town, about a half a foot outside of town, made for a big mess there. and sliding south towards texas, wind damage outside of houston.

look at this, actually parts of buildings falling on cars from winds that were triggered by a front that's moved through that area. where is that front this morning? it's all along the gulf coast where we're going to see flooding from new orleans across mississippi and alabama. temperatures ahead of this thing will be in the 60s. behind it in houston you'll be cooler, around 44 degrees. drying out slowly but surely. drying across parts of the central u.s. if you are doing some holiday travel today, the pacific northwest will see rain but san

>> now that we know what we've always known which is sara has a sweet and empathetic face, i want that man to analyze your face, ron. >> bring it on. bring it on. >> it is so true. >> there's sincerity, right? >> sincerity -- i'm flipping through the mental thesaurus, and sincerity is not where i'm going. >> that's not one of the descriptions there. >> entertaining analysis. >> bring the guy. >> oh, i will. >> it is on. coming up on "gma," are they the modern-day romeo and juliet story? two young lovers in a forbidden romance on the run, their parents' frantic pleas this morning. plus, this is an amazing survivor story. we're going to hear from a man who managed to stay alive for three days freezing and fighting

off wild animals after his snowmobile crashed into the sea ice in alaska. and actress jennifer lawrence topping a year-end list. the big star's new big honor coming up. that was a lot of bigs. coming up. that was a lot of bigs.

sweetie, i'd love a hazelnut. mom? dad? big uncle wayne? hot chocolate. green tea. uh, decaf, cuz. wow. i'm dying for an herbal tea. the all new keurig 2.0. ♪because i love you♪ ♪[music continues]♪ ♪

[announcer] this is my business. i started it. i believe in it. i know and grow it. i live it and breathe it. i put my heart and soul... ...blood,sweat and tears into it. i run on quickbooks. that's how i own it. suffering from the flu is a really big deal. with aches, fever and chills- there's no such thing as a little flu. so why treat it like it's a little cold?

there's something that works differently than over-the-counter remedies. attack the flu virus at its source with prescription tamiflu. and call your doctor right away. tamiflu is fda approved to treat the flu in people 2 weeks and older whose flu symptoms started within the last two days. before taking tamiflu tell your doctor if you're pregnant, nursing, have serious health conditions, or take other medicines. if you develop an allergic reaction, a severe rash, or signs of unusual behavior stop taking tamiflu and call your doctor immediately. children and adolescents in particular may be at an increased risk of seizures confusion or abnormal behavior. the most common side effects are mild to moderate nausea and vomiting. ask your doctor about tamiflu and attack the flu virus at its source.

. >> coming up, defying the odds, the man who fought off the frigid cold and wild animals before being rescued from the alaskan wilderness. he's going to tell his incredible story. what was going through his mind when he thought he was close to death. and george and amal's christmas vacation photos. we're going to show you their fun in the sun. keep it right here on "gma." just to make all of us jealous. we're right back. just to make all of us jealous. we're right back. . behold, the subway steak egg white and cheese: start your morning off right with juicy, sizzly steak stacked high with protein-packed egg whites, melty cheese and whatever else you love, like jalapeños or spinach - all on warm, toasty flatbread. subway. eat fresh.

female announcer: get beautyrest, posturepedic even tempur-pedic mattress sets at low clearance prices. save even more on floor samples, demonstrators, and closeout inventory. the year end clearance sale is on now at sleep train. ♪ your ticket to a better night's sleep ♪ @@v

this is worth $2,000 and the category is this is worth $2,000 and the category is character. matt? >> the lone ranger. >> how did he get that? >> because he's the wheel of fortune wiz. he solved it with just one letter. the day would only get better for matt. he went on to take home almost $92,000, a record payday. how about that, america? >> he deserves it. i want to hire him for some sort of job. he seems like a genius. also coming up this hour, a very different story that also involves both luck and skill. it's about a guy who survived for three days in the wilderness off alaska after his snowmobile crashed through the ice.

how he fought off animals and what he says kept him going when he thought he might die. first a young couple at the center of what some might call a romeo and juliette story. >> the forbidden lovers taking off over a week ago, their parents desperately pleading for their return so they can talk things out and abc's mara schiavocampo joins us with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. it does sound like a shakespearian love story but their families are hoping for a happy ending. the pair, just 16 and 20, have known each other since they were kids and now, it turns out, have been secretly dating for months. police believe they've disappeared together and they want them to come home. 16-year-old samantha delgado and 20-year-old fabel escalante missing for over a week. according to police possibly star-crossed lovers. samantha, a coral gables high school student, was last seen when her mother dropped her off at school. originally fearing she was kidnapped, the family and private investigator working on the case now say she ran away with escalante.

>> what we believe is they're both together, that she is okay, and they're scared. >> reporter: they met as neighbors when they were children. according to samantha's parents, their romantic relationship was forbidden due to escalante's criminal past, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. despite this, the families now standing together at a news conference friday with the shared mission of bringing their loved ones home. >> she's welcome to come home together. if they're a couple or they're just friends, to come, because their parents are worried. >> reporter: private investigator joseph carollo translating for samantha's father. >> even though he doesn't agree with the relationship, he understands now that there are other ways to handle this. >> reporter: that same plea for the safe return of the young lovers echoed by his father. >> because of the love, please come back. >> reporter: a warrant has been

issued for fabel's arrest but samantha's family say they don't want to press charges. authorities aren't certain if she went with him willingly. they just want them to come home. >> mara, thanks for that story. let's turn it over to ron for an update on our top story. including that missing air asia flight. the air search and rescue effort for that missing air asia jetliner has been suspended for the night. boats continue to search for the passenger airliner carrying 162 people. the flight originated in indonesia and was headed to singapore. the pilot asked for a change in altitude because of winter conditions. a manhunt for a man accused of stabbing five people in inside of a restaurant early saturday morning. the restaurant is located less than a mile from the white house. and former president george h.w. bush appears to be on the mend after spending a fifth night at a texas hospital. a family spokesman for the 90-year-old former president says doctors are discussing when to discharge him from the hospital. finally, a new way to get

around town. they're battery-powered skates called rocket skates. they're not as easy as they may look. you have to be coordinated to stay up on those things. you have to keep your toes off the ground and your right foot acts like a gas pedal. seems like a lot of work, especially when you're paying up to 700 bucks for the pair. >> what? and there's no actual rockets on them? >> there's no rockets. >> why are they called rocket skates? >> we're going to get an answer by the time pop news comes up. >> i would have a broken wrist. >> wait, we have to be coordinated? >> it's a requirement, yes. >> it's like kids' shoes where they lean back, it always looks like they're going to wipe out. >> with the little wheels. >> but they get around. >> yes, they do. i have yet to see someone wipe out. >> i bet the only person who can pull it off is rob. >> he is coordinated. >> i doubt it. >> only if i'm standing still.

thank you, sara. you're absolutely right about that. i can see dan harris rock is those and grabbing on the back of a city bus and rolling down broadway. >> we used to call that skitching when i was a kid. >> you could do it with snow boots, too, but we just need some snow. not awhole lot of that in the area. 54 degrees in philadelphia. in the 50s across much of the area and rain showers that push northeast. those will be increasing maybe in through tomorrow as this front pushes through. most of the heavy stuff will stay to the south. 40s in pittsburgh and 39 in cincinnati. it's chilly in vegas, 26 it feels like right now. 45 degrees the wind chill in los angeles and 36 degrees in bakersfield. holding out for snow in the mountains and cascades and oregon and washington could see up to a foot or more. they'll get down to salt lake city and colorado. here comes the cold weather. talked about the lack of snow, the mild december. things are about to change as we

wrap up the last couple of days of the month. in cheyenne, minus 15. these are actual nighttime lows. minus 9 on tuesday in denver and even chicago finally getting down to the teens. if you're traveling today clear across much of the midsection of the country. if you're heading to honolulu, looking good. >> this weather report brought to you by mazda. a snazzy vehicle and a good one to skitch behind, too. >> yes. >> don't try that at home, kids. >> wait, what is that? >> you're from michigan. >> i'm from boston. it's a term you use to sort of ride on the back of -- you're not supposed to do that. it's a good thing my son is too young to understand what we're

talking about. coming up on "gma," how did this man survive in the wild of alaska after his snowmobile crashed through the ice. how he was finally rescued, coming up. plus justin timberlake shows off a hidden talent. is there anything he can't do? that's in pop news. ice. plus justin timberlake shows off a hidden at any time. is there anything he can't do? that's in pop news. hd 5.

i'm caridee. i've had moderate to severe plaque psoriasis most my life. but that hasn't stopped me from modeling. my doctor told me about stelara®. it helps keep my skin clearer. with only 4 doses a year after 2 startes... hd 5.

r ability to fight infections and increase your risk of infections. some serious infections require hospitalization. before starting stelara®... ...your doctor should test for tuberculosis. stelara® may increase your risk of cancer. always tell your doctor if you have any sign of infection, have had cancer, or if you develop any new skin growths. do not take stelara® if you are allergic to stelara® or any of its ingredients. alert your doctor of new or worsening problems including headaches, seizures, confusion and vision problems- these may be signs of a rare, potentially fatal brain condition. serious allergic reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you or anyone in your house needs or has recently received a vaccine. in a medical study most stelara® patients saw at least 75% clearer skin... ...and the majority were rated as cleared or minimal at 12 weeks. stelara® helps keep my skin clearer. ask your doctor about stelara®.

this morning an incredible survival story. it involves this gentleman and it has even doctors amazed. >> a man survives a snowmobile accident in the alaskan wilderness. he falls through the ice and braves the bitter cold for days. this morning he is telling his story and abc's aditi roy joining us now with more on his rescue and how he's doing this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. an amazing survival story. craig johnson seemed to defy the odds. for three days he battled subzero temperatures, walking for miles in the arctic wilderness looking for help with the wolverines snapping at his heels. just when he lost all hope, help arrived. >> i think it's a miracle that i'm alive. >> reporter: this morning craig johnson shouldn't be alive, but against unfathomable odds, he is. >> i couldn't give up. i had to do it for my boys, my family.

>> reporter: on december 15th, the 38-year-old alaskan native was on his way to visit family for the holidays. halfway through his 80-mile trek through remote alaska in pitch dark, his snow machine suddenly plunging through the ice. >> everything just happened so fast. when i fell through the ice and the snow machine sank, i jumped back onto the ice and i was crawling. >> reporter: his fall into piercing cold sea water, puncturing his lung and throat trekking 30 miles on foot desperately searching for help. >> that's when i heard the wolverine behind me on the ice just playing with me. >> after warning shots failed to keep the ferocious animal at bay, johnson used a stick to defend himself, until he stumbled on this wooden box, fewer than four feet in length.

it became his shelter from the cold and the wolverine. days passed, johnson was reported missing and several rescue helicopters flew over and passed him. >> that third night when they passed by me, i lost all hope and i laid back down in that box i was in and i just felt like that was an open grave for me. >> reporter: after three days, a desperate and determined search team led by johnson's cousin, clifford benson, was closing in. benson says the wind and snow all but erased any sign of johnson's tracks or shelter until -- >> i've never heard a yell like that. i've never heard someone yell like that in my life. >> if clifford didn't find me, that was going to be my last night, i knew it. they were going to bring me home in a body bag. >> reporter: this helicopter rushing johnson to the nearest hospital where he is still battling frostbite and recovering from his injuries. surviving the seemingly unsurvivable, all thanks to his cousin who says they are alaska tough.

another strange twist to this story. johnson says his will to survive was especially strong because his father died when he fell through the ice and drowned in 1998. johnson is incredibly grateful he's alive to see his two young sons. dan and paula? >> he is tough. >> wow. aditi roy, thank you for that. he survived it and what a story he can tell. he needs to write a book. they're probably going to make a movie out of it. >> you have big dreams. >> i do have big dreams, but wow, trekking 30 miles through the snow. >> great for him and his kids. coming up on "good morning america," on vacation, we promised with george and amal clooney. we have their pictures from mexico. actually, sara has the pictures. you actually went to mexico, right? >> they invited me. it wasn't weird. >> it's all ahead on pop news. pictures. >> they invited me. it wasn't weird. >> it's al . >> it's all ahead on pop news. at. >> it's all ahead on pop news. . >> it's all ahead on pop news.

al. >> it's all ahead on pop news. l. >> it's all ahead on pop news. we just don't treat you as a loan number. we wanna make sure that we help you out. we're people just like them. ya know, and we know that they have jobs, they have kids, they have soccer. their home is where their heart is. so we wanna make sure that we take care of them. call quicken loans today for a mortgage experience that's engineered to amaze! when heartburn comes creeping up on you... fight back with relief so smooth... ...it's fast. tums smoothies starts dissolving the instant it touches your tongue ...and neutralizes stomach acid at the source. ♪ tum, tum tum tum...♪ smoothies! only from tums. ♪ (vo) love does not come first. first comes...nice meeting you. first comes...getting everything right. first comes...getting it a little wrong.

love does not come first. first comes like. you've been part of this family for as long as i can remember. and you just mean so much to all of us. the holidays wouldn't be the same without your crescent rolls. we got you a little something. we got you jeans. it's about time. pipin' hot pillsbury crescent rolls. make your holidays pop! hey mom, can i have a hot chocolate? ho ho ho... we'll all have hot cocoa! ma'am, need a strong pot of joe. the all new keurig 2.0.

@@v

this is really neat for a drum. >> i asked for a house band and all i got was ron and rob. let's get started here. in case you had any doubts about jennifer lawrence's mega star status, i'm going to put them to rest. according to forbes, she takes top honors as the biggest money maker of the year. between mocking jay and the x men movies, her movies made $1.4 billion this year. and remember she's 24 years old. what were you doing? chris pratt came in second with $1.2 billion thanks to guardians of the galaxy and the lego movie. scarlett johansson came in third with $1.8 billion, mostly from captain america.

the superhero movies are big. >> they do great. >> with a b.? >> with a b., yes. who would you see no matter what? for me i would go to a will ferrell movie. he's my boy. >> for me, jennifer lawrence falls in that category. >> julia roberts. >> for me amy adams. she's fantastic. >> we're out of time now. >> no, i want to hear. >> i don't discriminate. >> bette midler. >> or barbra streisand. nothing like a good musical. and the honeymoon isn't over for george and amal clooney. it wasn't a white christmas for them but doesn't look like they're complaining. check out these pictures of the couple looking gorgeous ridiculously so, as always in los cabos, mexico. george mugging for the camera. he saw me taking that shot. i actually didn't take that. amal with a chic straw hat and coverup at the bar there. they're beautiful. enough already, please. >> if you do say so.

>> you don't -- >> of course, they're beautiful. it's george. i'm jealous of george. not for his wife, just his whole life. >> you don't have anything to be jealous about. >> he landed a smart one. >> my wife is twice as smart. >> and my dad will kick your dad's butt. >> justin timberlake is a guy who really can do it all. he sings, acts, dances, and now, paula, get ready for this, he bakes. >> what? >> check out this instagram picture of justin getting cozy with his kitchenaid, telling fans he was the one doing the baking the other day. >> looks like he's resting. >> i got to tell you, there's nothing hotter. >> she has to be impressed with him or she was just hungry when he was cooking for her. there are no pictures of how his concoction actually turned out. >> it's the effort. >> it's the effort. other actors showing off their kitchen skills, jesse tyler ferguson with candy cane cookies, i love that guy, and

kristin chenoweth with this impressive display. one thing i'm actually missing is the cooking gene. dogs may be man's best friend but when it comes to belting out a tune, all bets are off. check out norman who can't stand his owner's rendition of the 12 days of christmas. ♪ four calling birds, three french hens two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree ♪ ♪ five golden rings ♪ >> cutest part there i don't think he's trying to stop it. i think he's harmonizing. >> whatever is happening there -- >> adorable. >> completely adorable. thank you for pop news. we'll be right back with more "gma." keep it here. here on "gma." lly big deal. with aches, fever and chills- there's no such thing as a little flu.

so why treat it like it's a little cold? there's something that works differently than over-the-counter remedies. attack the flu virus at its source with prescription tamiflu. and call your doctor right away. tamiflu is fda approved to treat the flu in people 2 weeks and older whose flu symptoms started within the last two days. before taking tamiflu tell your doctor if you're pregnant, nursing, have serious health conditions, or take other medicines. if you develop an allergic reaction, a severe rash, or signs of unusual behavior stop taking tamiflu and call your doctor immediately. children and adolescents in particular may be at an increased risk of seizures confusion or abnormal behavior. the most common side effects are mild to moderate nausea and vomiting. ask your doctor about tamiflu and attack the flu virus at its source.

ring ring!... progresso! it's ok that your soup tastes like my homemade. it's our slow simmered vegetables and tender white meat chicken. apology accepted. i'm watching you soup people. make it progresso or make it yourself grandma is so happy to be here for your very first christmas. i hear you're quite the expert at waking people up in the morning. let me show you how grandma does it. ♪ ♪ you're

daddy made this when he was a little boy. ♪ ♪ this is your dad in my house where he had his first christmas. thanks for making the coffee. well look who's up. i'm really glad you're here, mom. me too. ♪ ♪ look who's here!

thanks for watching abc news. we've had a very weird morning. lots of stuff going on on air and off air. we promise to clean it up next week. >> happy new year. and off air. we promise to clean up next week. .

i love this new sirachi burger. it's siracha. sluracha? no. si-rah-chah. siriracha. no. watch how i say it. si-rah-cha.

that's not helping. bam! that's jack's new spicy sriracha burger comin' in all hot and melty with jalapeños and bacon! but the best part? it's not just sriracha sauce it's creamy sri-rah... slur-rah cha... whatever it's called, it's awesome sauce.

special edition of abc's "this week," game changers. >> well iowa, we did it, we did it! >> the twists and surprises. >> tim howard is there. >> the people who made their mark in 2014. we're inside the fight against ebola. how these heros beat the odds. the new high stakes drama. has vladimir putin reignited the cold war. after a tough year for the nfl, has soccer now become america's game? and the powerful emotional story behind the year's biggest viral video. one hour of new, exclusive interviews and insights. the game changers of 2014. from abc news, a special edition