you can't start taking up people from other places and putting them on stage and saying look, rainbow. tes good morning, america, for our viewers in the west as we start this thursday morning together, an emotional day in court in the trial of kyle rittenhouse, the accused killer taking the stand. the teenager charged with killing two people and injuring a third testifying in his own defense, while prosecutors questioned his decision to show up at the protests armed with an ar-15. and the only person shot by kyle rittenhouse who survived joins us this morning for his first interview since testifying only on "gma." sky rocketing inflation. the biggest price surge in three decades. food prices soaring. gas prices climbing. this morning, how the president is planning to take action. and with thanksgiving just two weeks away, how you can prepare for the most expensive feast ever.

the ceo of oceanspray joins us live on the cranberry crisis. ramping up. nearly a million children ages 5 to 11 already getting the covid vaccine, days after it was authorized, and the new ruling overnight about the texas ban on mask mandates in schools. a new lawsuit in that fatal film set shooting. the film's chief of lighting, suing the production company and crew members, including alec baldwin and others, who officials say handled the gun. abc news exclusive. the assistant principal and her daughter accused of rigging the vote so she could win homecoming queen. breaking their silence. each facing up to 16 years behind bars if convicted. why they're not breaking only on "gma" this morning. ♪ i'm on top of the world ♪ on top of the world record, the man standing on top of a hot air balloon 13,000 feet in the air making history for an

amazing cause. and a night to remember in nashville. jennifer hudson bringing down the house. ♪ haaaaaaaa ♪ teaming up for an aretha franklin tribute with one of the night's biggest winners, chris stapleton. >> how about a little -- ♪ r-e-s-p-e-c-t ♪ >> country music's biggest stars together again. the emotional victories from carly pearce to t.j. osborne, and this trailblazing trio's powerful performance. ♪ i found my freedom ♪ >> we're taking you backstage at the cmas like only "gma" can and chris is saying -- >> good morning, america. it is good morning, america. michael and i are glad to have whit johnson at the desk with us. >> good to be here, thank you. >> veterans day, very special day. this morning we'll honor a very special veteran with a big surprise and i know you'll look forward to that. also, we're taking a live look at the vietnam veterans

memorial in washington, d.c., as we honor all veterans today and their families. thank you for your service and sacrifice. >> of course. we begin with the kyle rittenhouse murder trial. the accused killer took the stand in his own defense, at one point breaking down as the judge paused the trial. alex perez is in kenosha. good morning, alex. >> reporter: hey, good morning, michael. it was a high stakes move by the defense. rittenhouse was interrogated for hours. it's the first time the jury hears from him. >> call kyle rittenhouse. >> reporter: an explosive day of testimony. jurors wednesday for the first time hearing directly from kyle rittenhouse about the night he shot and killed joseph rosenbaum and anthony huber and injured gaige grosskreutz. >> you intended to kill, correct? >> i didn't intend to kill them. i intended to -- i intended to stop the people who were attacking me. >> reporter: then this moment on the witness stand, the now 18-year-old sobbing unable to talk as he describe encountering

rosenbaum who he says was chasing him. >> mr. rosenbaum was now running from my right side and i was cornered from -- in front of me with mr. ziminski and there were -- >> reporter: the judge calling for a break. rittenhouse also telling the jury that rsenbaum threatened him before the shooting. >> he said if i [ bleep ] catch you, i'm going to [ bleep ] kill you. >> reporter: through testimony the defense painted the picture of a young man who cleaned graffiti wanting to offer medical aid to people following the shooting of jacob blake. in cross examination, the prosecutor pressing rittenhouse

on his decision to go to kenosha in the first place and why he showed up with an ar-15. >> why do you need the gun when you go out there? >> i needed the gun because, if i had to protect myself because somebody attacked me. >> reporter: and playing this video in court attempting to dismantle rittenhouse's argument that he was in kenosha that night to offer medical help. >> you're not a certified emt. you're not an emt of any kind. you weren't on that night, correct? >> yes. >> so you lied to him. >> i told him i was -- i told him i was an emt but i wasn't. >> reporter: at another point the trial abruptly paused, jurors walked out. the judge furious after the prosecutor seemed to allude to evidence the judge previously ruled was inadmissable. >> you know very well that an attorney can't go into these types of areas when the judge has already ruled. >> reporter: when court resumed prosecutors playing videos of rittenhouse at the protest and attacking his claim he shot rosenbaum in self-defense.

>> joseph rosenbaum never touched you in any way during that incident, correct? >> he touched my gun. >> he didn't touch your body in any way, did he? >> no. >> reporter: and dissecting this video where rittenhouse shot grosskreutz who was also armed but didn't fire. >> he's got a pistol not aimed at you. you've got an ar-15 aimed at him. why is he more of a threat to you than you are to him? >> because he was -- he was moving at me with a gun in his hand. >> reporter: and the defense also filed a motion for a mistrial with prejudice, which means there would be no opportunity for a retrial. the judge is still considering that motion. closing arguments could begin as early as tomorrow. robin? >> all right, alex, thank you so much. we bring in our abc news legal analyst, dan abrams. there's a lot to unpack here. your reaction to rittenhouse

taking the stand? >> his attorney promised he would take the witness stand so we expected him to take the stand. people started to wonder because the case has not been going well for prosecutors so some started to question, well, maybe he doesn't need to take the stand at all. look, he didn't hurt himself. he didn't come across as arrogant. whether you believe his tears or not -- and that's the big debate. people watched that and some people say i think those were phony tears. others say i think it was real. it almost doesn't matter because it's about all the other facts of the case in conjunction with exactly what he's saying happened and, remember, the prosecution has the burden here to effectively disprove this beyond a reasonable doubt and you have to keep that in mind when evaluating what may happen here about that burden for the prosecution. >> and you say that some of the prosecution's own witnesses may have actually helped the defense. so what is this case going to hinge on and could he be acquitted? >> i think it is some of the other witnesses. for example, the witness you're going to be interviewing later in the show who was one of the

victims here, when he testified, his testimony seemed to help the defense about having a gun, seeming to point it at rittenhouse, et cetera. that helps them. the medical examiner testified that on the first shooting -- remember, there's sort of two crime scene, the first person who gets shot, then the other two. on the first one that the victim may have been reaching for according to the medical examiner the gun based on what he saw in terms of the hands, et cetera. so those are both witnesses that were potentially helpful to the defense. >> what about the fiery exchange between the judge and prosecutor? the judge really going after the prosecutor for his line of questioning. the defense then asking for a mistrial. what do you make of that back and forth? >> it was dramatic. it does seem that the prosecutor was crossing a line meaning he's talking about rittenhouse effectively invoking his right against self-incrimination, not talking, trying to use this against him, things the prosecutor shouldn't have said. the judge probably going a little bit overboard but in the

end i don't think it will make or break the case and i don't think there's going to be a mistrial. >> we'll have you back to talk about another case later in the morning. dan, thank you. >> absolutely. coming up, our exclusive interview with the only person who survived being shot by kyle rittenhouse in his first interview since he testified. he'll talk to michael in our next half hour. whit? now to those eye popping new numbers showing prices rising 6.2% over the past 12 months, the fastest rate in more than 30 years. we're covering all the angles this morning, the impact on you and your money and challenge for president biden. our chief business correspondent rebecca jarvis starts us off. rebecca, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, whit. this is really hitting americans in every aisle of the grocery store. a gallon a milk a year ago would have cost $3.38. today it is $3.66. eggs up 12% over the last year meaning what would have bought you a dozen eggs about a year ago will get you fewer than 11 today.

cereal up 3.5%. fresh fruits and vegetable prices up 3%. meat in particular hit, ground beef prices up 13 1/2% and bacon prices up 20% from a year ago and this is hitting the budgets of american families and a significant way, if you look at what a family of four would have spent a year ago on that monthly food budget, $674. today it is more like $849. michael, that is up 26% from a year ago. >> that is a lot of money. rebecca, thank you so much. we go from the grocery store to the gas station. erielle reshef has the latest on gas prices. good morning, erielle. >> reporter: good morning to you, michael. it is not a pretty picture here at the gas pump. the price of gas increasing more than 6% over the last month, up over 50% in the last year.

we know that some drivers out in california spending as much as $5 a gallon but the average national price for a gallon of regular, $3.42. experts saying demand has simply outpaced supply and supply is also an issue in the car market where we know that shortage of semiconductors stemming from the pandemic that has led to a shortage of new cars on the lot. dealers are seeing their lowest inventory in decades. there's some good news in that for car owners. there's higher demand for used cars so now might be a good time to trade-in or sell your car. you could turn a profit. dealers say they expect it to last through the end of 2022. michael? >> thank you so much, erielle. and to washington now and how president biden is responding to this news of surging inflation. our chief white house correspondent cecilia vega is tracking that for us. good morning, cecilia. >> reporter: hey, robin, good morning to you. the president is calling prices sky high prices worrisome. he says they're trying to figure out how to tackle this. he is pointing to the supply chain as a major issue and factor in the crisis.

the white house is pushing its economic agenda as a strategy to fight it. on monday the president will sign that trillion dollar bipartisan infrastructure plan. he was at the port of baltimore yesterday taking a victory lap on the deal but ended up having to talk about new inflation figures. he's really making the case for congress to pass the social spending plan as a way, he says, that will help american families increase their bottom line when it comes to paying for things like child care and prescription drug prices. but democrats still haven't come to an agreement on that deal. a key moderate, joe manchin, is saying that increasing government spending could end up hurting american families even more and their bottom line. the white house is saying there is no quick fix to this right now. robin? >> all right, cecilia, as always, thank you. whit? turning now to breaking news, the former president of south africa, f.w. de klerk who helped dismantle apartheid with nelson mandela passed away at 85 after a battle with cancer. ian pannell has the latest. ian, good morning to you. >> reporter: yeah, good morning, whit. that's right, f.w. de klerk, the

last president to lead white minority rule in south africa died after a long battle with cancer. for some he's credited to help overseeing the dismantling of the apartheid system and shared the nobel peace prize with nelson mandela who was imprisoned for more than 40 years. but de klerk was a symbol of that white oppression blamed for the violence against black south africans, especially anti-apartheid activists. but it was de klerk who famously announced to south africa parliament in 1990 the release of mandela from prison after 27 long years. de klerk calling it a new south africa, mandela, of course, going on to lead the country to freedom ending years of isolation and sanctions and becoming the nation's first black president. whit? >> all right, ian, with that breaking news for us, thank you. michael? whit, now to the latest developments in the film set shooting involving alec baldwin. the film's chief of lighting filing a lawsuit against the

production company and the crew members that allegedly handled the gun including baldwin. kaylee hartung has the latest. >> i tried to save her life. >> reporter: serge svetnoy says he was standing so close to his friend halyna hutchins when she was shot on the set of "rust" that he was hit by fragments of the bullet. the chief of lighting, the first witness to the shooting now filing the first civil lawsuit against the production company and the crew members who officials say handled the gun including alec baldwin. alleging they failed to maintain a safe workplace. >> nobody should die, ever die for other people to be entertained. >> reporter: the lawsuit claiming the incident was caused by negligent acts stemming up the hierarchy including producers and baldwin saying they failed to implement industry standards for custody and control over firearms. as the investigation moves into its fourth week the district attorney confirming more live rounds were recovered from the new mexico set.

the attorney for the film's armorer saying hannah gutierrez reed is being framed. >> some defense attorneys have come up with conspiracy theories and used the word sabotage. we do not have any proof. >> do you believe sabotage is a possibility? >> no. >> reporter: the d.a. tells us it could be a couple of months before this investigation is complete and she's able to potentially pursue criminal charges, but serge svetnoy does not have to wait to seek punitive damages. robin? >> kaylee, thank you. we turn to country music's biggest night, the cma awards delivering power house performances. lara is in nashville and she was there for it all. good morning, lara. >> reporter: whoo, robin, it was so good. the country music community so happy to be together again at a major awards show with a live audience and there was much to celebrate. leading the party, first-time host luke bryan who was determined to make it a night to remember. >> we are back. >> reporter: host luke bryan

made a promise at the start of the cma awards. >> how about a little -- ♪ r-e-s-p-e-c-t ♪ >> reporter: and jennifer hudson delivered. ♪ ahhhhhhhh ♪ bringing the house down with her tribute to the queen of soul, aretha franklin's country recordings. ♪ i don't want you ♪ her partner on stage, chris stapleton. ♪ we had it so good ♪ the most nominated artist of the night almost completing a clean sweep including song of the year, single of the year, best male vocalist and for the third time album of the year. >> amazing. i don't know what to say. i'm running out of words. >> reporter: but there was plenty of gold to go around. >> to mr. luke combs. >> reporter: superstar luke combs upsetting stapleton taking home the biggest award of the night, entertainer of the year. >> i don't deserve to win it, but i'm sure as hell glad that i did. >> reporter: the brothers

osborne won best vocal duo. t.j. celebrating with a kiss for his boyfriend. osborne announced he was gay earlier this year and thanked the country music community for their support. >> it's been a crazy roller coaster of a year for us in some many ways and for you to support me it does feel like love wins tonight. thank you. >> reporter: and one of the most moving moments of the night -- ♪ i felt my freedom ♪ >> mickey guyton, brittney spencer and madeline edwards belting out their powerful song "lo "love my hair." ♪ now i'm not scared to love who i am ♪ >> i can't name a black girl who hasn't had a weird experience involving their hair or how society has seen it or how sometimes they've been treated because of it. >> someone just came up and touched her hair. >> mickey wrote that song inspired by this girl who i had the pleasure of meeting, faith, right there to hear those ladies

belt it out in her honor. you might remember faith was cruelly singled out for wearing braids in school and her teacher telling her they were a distraction to the class. mickey says that song "love my hair" is an anthem to all girls to know they are seen and loved just the way they are. an amazing moment last night, and more to come from the cma awards. we'll see you guys soon. >> beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. yep, see you in our next hour. we are following a lot of other stories this morning including our exclusive interview with the assistant principal and her daughter facing charges for allegedly rigging the votes so the teen could be homecoming queen. first, good morning, ginger. >> good morning to you all. we have to talk about thunderstorms in texas and oklahoma. yes, they came through and they brought up to two-inch hail. also tornado warnings and some damage from those potential tornadoes. we'll have more on where that's moving but first the sunny cities sponsored by invesco qqq.

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what we value most, shouldn't cost more. [ music ends ] >> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc 7 news. reggie: there are several events spread around the area today honoring veterans day. we thank those of you who served. brisbane will hold a flag will raising event at 9:00 a.m. rn county holding a 9:00 so the ration of military memorials by marin center. the naval ceremony at 10:00 a.m. the uss hornet in alameda will host a special event at 11:00. petaluma full to celebration at walnut park at noon. a flyover starts at 1:00. jobina: check this out. a live look at the bay bridge toll plaza. meeting lights came on later than normal. you will not experience a slow down. lots of people off today because

of veterans day. the busiest spot is richmond-san rafael bridge. a different story for the westbound commuters. expect delays they are. expect delays they are. reggie: expect delays they are. reggie: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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easy tools on the chase mobile app. simplicity feels good. chase. make more of what's yours. mike: a couple of issues and other a gorgeous forecast. good morning. i mike nicco. in the north bay, some of that is slipping slowly to the south. it will fade away around 10:00. a lot of sunshine. temperatures running in the mid 40's to mid-50's right now. the fog is the only issue for your commute. light breeze is on the water. you will not need a coat this afternoon. mid-60's to low 70's. even warmer tomorrow on saturday and sunday. reggie: coming up next on gma, abc news exclusive.

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indeed instant match instantly delivers quality candidates matching your job description. visit indeed.com/hire ♪ who's going to save the world ♪ welcome back to "gma." amy and our fabulous crew have been on an epic journey and we can't wait to see more from their big adventure, and that's coming up in our next hour. >> yep, an incredible assignment, by the way. >> it is. >> we're looking forward to that. first the top headlines we're following right now, including that emotional day in court in the trial of kyle rittenhouse. the accused killer taking the stand testifying in his own defense after being charged with killing two people and injuring a third. while prosecutors question his decision to show up at the protest armed with an ar-15. just ahead our exclusive interview with the only person who survived being shot by

rittenhouse. also right now nearly 1 million children ages 5 to 11 have gotten the covid-19 vaccine within a week of eligibility. the white house says that represents about 3% of children in that age group. around 700,000 more children have appointments scheduled and a federal judge has also overturned texas governor greg abbott's executive order prohibiting school mask mandates saying it violates the americans with disabilities act. local school districts will able to set their own rules for the state's more than 5 million students. on a very different note, take a look at this. this is a hot air balloon with a man standing on top of it at more than 11,000 feet up in the air. that's 28-year-old remy from france breaking a world record. apparently people have been competing for this sort of thing. the hot air balloon piloted by his father and was all to raise money during a french telethon. >> now, how did he get on top of the moon? >> that is a really good question. >> how does he get off? >> that's even a better question. >> we'll get our investigative

unit to dig into that. amy is on her way to antarctica and we've got trevor ault, he's live in the heart of a cranberry bog with news about a possible shortage of the thanksgiving favorite and staple. the ceo of oceanspray joins us live with the latest coming up, robin. he looks like he's out of a commercial. >> he does. right now an abc news exclusive. former florida assistant principal and her daughter arrested for allegedly casting fake votes to help the teen win and become homecoming queen are speaking about it for the first time since being charged. will reeve joins us with that. good morning, will. >> good morning, robin. homecoming was supposed to be the biggest moment of emily grover's life and then suddenly days later she and her mother were being brought in for questioning by school investigators and then months later they were arrested. these votes were allegedly fraudulent. they're alleged to have hacked in to a computer system. they say they didn't do it.

it was the crowning moment of homecoming weekend 2020. emily grover named homecoming queen of j.m. tate high school in florida. but months later she and her mother, laura carroll, an assistant principal at a local elementary school were arrested, securi securing votes to help her win. >> we have like three different entrances and they were surrounded like we would run away or something. >> they took us in handcuffs. >> reporter: the duo breaking their silence exclusively to abc news. they're each facing up to 16 years behind bars. >> how are we at the point where you're facing felony charges? >> we don't know. >> reporter: authorities say the pair used carroll's school district login to illegally access students' accounts which contained private information like medical history and test scores in order to direct 100 votes in emily's favor, all of which the women deny.

>> when you were called in to speak to school officials what did you think it was all about? >> i had a feeling i knew what it was about when he questioned me. he didn't really question me. he just said, look, we have all these statements and we know you did it. >> what did they know that you -- >> that i rigged the election. >> what were the accusations specifically? >> that i used my mom's focus access which is the thing that the county uses for grades and information about students to get their user names and their passwords to log in their votes. >> did you do that? >> no. no. >> reporter: grover and carroll are each charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor. according to the findings of a five-month-long investigation authorities traced more than 100 fraudulent votes to carroll's phone and the family's home. >> and how do you explain that high number? >> i don't. i really don't. we do have forensics people and

have an investigator that are helping us to try to explain it. there is evidence to prove she could not possibly have done that. >> can you share what that is? >> i can't. not right now. >> you have an alibi? >> a lot of them. >> such as? >> sorry. i can't. >> we can't get into that. >> reporter: grover was suspended from school and carroll lost her job becoming outcasts in their hometown. >> can you try to describe what it feels like from being homecoming queen to not being able to trust really anyone, like that? >> that's horrible. it's horrible. >> it was very difficult to watch. to watch and to know you can't do anything about it. why don't we move far away from here and get away from everybody? but it wouldn't have ended, you know, because this was national news. >> reporter: they're now fighting the charges in court. >> you rejected a plea deal? >> uh-huh. >> why?

>> because we didn't do it. and we have evidence that proves we didn't. >> that's a big bet to make. >> but we did not do what they say we did and i'm not willing to plea out to something that i didn't do. >> i wasn't going to either. >> i asked laura how important was it that emily be homecoming queen and she said not at all. one last turn on this winding road, emily told me that when the school removed those hundreds of votes marked as fraudulent, she still had the most. she would have been homecoming queen fair and square. whit? >> will reeve for us, thank you so much. let's bring back chief legal analyst dan abrams at the desk. good to have you. this one is different. >> yeah. >> talking about rigging, changing votes for a homecoming queen election. but we're also talking about three felonies and a misdemeanor for what they're accused of doing. how surprised are you by the charges? >> first of all let's talk about what it is not. it is not a voting fraud case, right? they're not being charged for rigging the election. they're being charged for

accessing computer files, for misappropriating the ability to get into that computer system. they're overcharging here. the prosecutors are throwing the book at them in an effort, i think, to get them to plead down. the notion that somehow -- they didn't even have to try her as an adult and they did even though she was 17 at the time. they have clearly made a statement here which is, we're going to force you to admit responsibility for this and as a result we're going to throw everything at you. so far it hasn't worked. >> we heard in will's report that they will not take a deal. >> yeah. >> they say they didn't do it and are not going to take a deal. >> it's going to be a tough defense if this actually does go to trial. now, you heard will asking, right? well, what is the evidence? we'll share that with you at trial. in these kind of cases when you're talking about access to computer systems, we've gotten pretty good at tracing this stuff, right? how it works, who had access, when did they have access?

if the defense is, you know, they got it all wrong, that's tough. that's going to be tough. maybe. i mean it sounds like the defense is it couldn't have been as many votes as they say. but the notion that somehow none of this happened is going to be tough and so, you know, if you're them, you probably do want to figure out a way to avoid a trial. >> sure. all right, dan, thank you as always. >> all right. >> coming up next we have our exclusive interview with gaige grosskreutz, the only person who survived being shot by kyle rittenhouse. speaking out for the first time since testifying. trelegy for copd. [coughing] ♪ birds flyin' high, you know how i feel. ♪ ♪ breeze driftin' on by... ♪ if you've been playing down your copd,... ♪ it's a new dawn, it's a new day,... ♪ ...it's time to make a stand. start a new day with trelegy. ♪...and i'm feelin' good. ♪

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back now with an abc news exclusive with gaige grosskreutz, the sole survivor shot by kyle rittenhouse, after an explosive day in court rittenhouse breaking down on the stand. grosskreutz joins us alongside his attorney kimberley motley in his first interview since his dramatic testimony in the murder trial. gaige and kimberley, thank you both for joining me. gaige, i want to start with you. you were shot in the arm by kyle rittenhouse during the protest in kenosha, wisconsin, last year while the other two men he shot that night died. with rittenhouse taking the stand, what did you think of his testimony? >> i think any time you see your would-be murderer on the stand it's emotional. >> what was your reaction to him breaking down and crying on the

stand? >> to me it seemed like a child who had just gotten caught doing something that he wasn't supposed to. more upset that he was caught and less upset about what he had done and what he had taken and the numerous lives that he affected through his actions that night. >> and, kimberly, as gaige's lawyer, what is your take on what we've seen and heard in the courtroom so far? >> well, i think that it should be recognized that, mr. rittenhouse was an active shooter and that it's important i believe that, as gaige has said, that some of his testimony was extremely inconsistent. you know, he was not, i believe, in imminent fear of danger for his own life. gaige acted and, you know, he was not threatening mr. rittenhouse. mr. rittenhouse reracked his gun

with gaige and i think that's really, really important that, you know, people need to pay attention to the inconsistent statements from the active shooter or the defendant, kyle rittenhouse. >> gaige, you testified you were injured but you testified you thought you were going to die that night. talk to me about what was going through your mind in those moments. >> i mean, there's a million things that run through your mind when somebody is pointing a rifle at you after just having murdered somebody. first and foremost, i was concerned for my safety. i never lost sight of who i am. i'm not somebody who takes a life. i've made a life out of protecting and preserving life, not taking it. >> and speaking of protection, you said you carried a gun for protection that night and that you pointed it at kyle rittenhouse. why did you point your gun at him? >> i'm all for the second

amendment, americans' right to bear arms. during cross-examination it's hard to say what you want to say. i do believe that in that photo given the right narrative, one could suggest that, yes, i was pointing my weapon at the defendant. but when you play it as a movie or look at different stills, my arm was being vaporized as i was allegedly pointing my weapon at the defendant. it's completely inconsistent with the physiology of my wound that he would have shot me while my weapon was pointed at his head. >> so here you're allowed to say whatever you feel like you need to say. so you're saying that you actually -- you weren't pointing your gun at him? is that what you're saying? >> that's absolutely what i'm saying, yes. >> gaige, what do you want people to know about the case

and what happened that night that they may not already know or think they know? >> the most important thing to remember is kyle rittenhouse was an active shooter. he murdered two men and he attempted to murder me. >> gaige, kimberley, thank you both for joining me. i really appreciate your time. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> wow. said he wasn't pointing that gun so a lot to be said for that. stay right there, everybody. we'll be right back. be right ba. that's the thing about claims, you see. they don't happen on your schedule. i mean, take a chestnut, it doesn't just say “oh, beg pardon, sir, but is now a good time for a jolly bit of window cracking?” i mean, if they did, you wouldn't need a geico claims team that's available 24/7. but, near as i can tell, chestnuts don't talk. or maybe they're just really quiet. geico. your claims team is here for you, 24/7. well, got things to do mr. chestnut, so...

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and still ahead here on and still ahead here on "gma," trevor, he's still out there standing by in that cranberry bog for us this morning. hope those waders are holding up. he'll be picking cranberries out of his toes later today. the ceo of oceanspray here on how to prepare for thanksgiving. also, don't forget, stay with us for a special surprise for a deserving hero on this veteran's day right here on "gma." we'll see you in a bit. s. new revitalift retinol night cream, the first pressed cream by l'oreal. a hygienic jar containing two derm recommended ingredients retinol + niacinamide pressed into a deep moisturizing night cream. this is genius. after 14 nights wrinkles start to be less visible and skin tone looks more even. i can keep this right? new revitalift retinol pressed cream by l'oreal paris don't stress, press, because we're worth it.

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for the year so they are looking for moisture and that most of the time at this time of year means snow and they're about to get it. there is more coming with a new storm. what that will mean for coastal washington state and portland, oregon, other people in oregon, is this atmospheric river. so they're under flood watch because that atmospheric river doing its job like a fire hose sending all that moisture right there. that ends up bringing them three to five inches falling very quickly in the next 36 to 48 hours at best. so if it hits a burn scar, we know that can cause problems. more of that snowpack building in the cascades and i'll leave in the cascades and i'll leave you with a nice look north of ♪ ♪ ♪ in the cascades and i'll leave you with a nice look north of easy tools on the chase mobile app. simplicity feels good. chase. make more of what's yours.

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announcer: building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc 7 news. reggie: good morning. we are checking in with barely any traffic. jobina: so glad to report that for everybody. a live look at the toll plaza. we hardly have anything out there. the meeting lights came on at 6:24. our only trouble spot is the richmond san rafael bridge. it is a crawl towards the toll plaza. everything else around, the bay area is moving mike. what a time to head out the door. mike: let me add-on by showing you the fog is lifting a little bit. it will be around in the usual spots. i have a gorgeous veterans day afternoon with temperatures at 68 to 72. away from the coast mid to upper 60's.

the air quality will stay clean, at least healthy through the weekend. the warmest days. reggie: coming up on gma, concerns about your thanksgiving meal with supply shortages and prices rising. the ceo of ocean spray talking

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good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. kyle rittenhouse taking the stand, the teenager charged with killing two people and injuring a third testifying in his own defense. thanksgiving trouble. with the biggest price surge in three decades, why turkey, pies, cranberries and more will be harder than ever to find this year. the ceo of ocean spray joins us live with how you can plan ahead. ♪ save the world ♪ "gma's" expedition to antarctica. amy and our intrepid crew's adventure from ship to shore. how they will navigate through the icy waters and how climate change is threatening thousands of penguins. ♪ we are warriors ♪ honoring a hero. this morning, our extraordinary veterans day surprise for a brave man who has protected lives, saved lives and is now

changing lives by dedicating his life to supporting his fellow veterans after being deployed ncasor t morning. ♪ and what a night for country music. "gma" is taking you backstage with the night's biggest winners, behind the scenes and on the red carpet. lara and jimmie allen from hosting to his huge win and the reaction after this trailblazing trio's powerful performance. ♪ i felt my freedom ♪ >> all the unforgettable moments from a night to remember in nashville and we're saying -- >> both: good morning, america. >> hey. ♪ i'm telling you -- oh, can still hear j-hud. we'll have more on that. glad you could be with us and to have whit johnson with us here.

especially on veterans day. >> good to be here. >> getting ready to kick off the 102nd annual veterans day parade and we want to thank all veterans and their families. not just today, but every day. >> absolutely. we have a really special moment coming up later on this morning as well. we are honoring one special veteran. michael, you have a big surprise coming up for matthew ryba. combat veteran from iraq and afghanistan. >> six times deployed. >> ooh. >> yes. he's made it his mission to help fellow veterans with mental health because he thinks he's here for a radio interview. there he is. but we have something else planned for him that you don't want to miss. we're excited. excited to show you. >> that's in a little bit. first right now we begin with the kyle rittenhouse murder trial. the accused killer took the stand in his own defense. let's go back to alex there in kenosha with more. good morning, again, alex. >> reporter: hey, good morning once again, robin. it was a blockbuster day of testimony. rittenhouse spent hours on the

witness stand. >> the defense calls kyle rittenhouse. >> reporter: an explosive day of testimony, jurors wednesday for the first time hearing directly from kyle rittenhouse about the night he shot and killed joseph rosenbaum and anthony huber and injured gaige grosskreutz. >> you intended to kill, correct? >> i didn't intend to kill them. i intended to stop the people who were attacking me. >> reporter: then this moment on the witness stand, the now 18-year-old sobbing unable to talk as he described encountering rosenbaum who he says was chasing him. >> mr. rosenbaum was now running from my right side and i was cornered from in front of me with mr. ziminski and there were -- >> reporter: the judge calling for a break. in cross-examination the prosecutor pressing rittenhouse and his decision to go to

kenosha in the first place and attacking his claim he shot rosenbaum in self-defense. >> joseph rosenbaum never touched you in any way during that incident, correct? >> he touched my gun. >> he didn't touch your body in any way, did he? >> no. >> reporter: the defense intends to call three more witnesses. closing arguments could begin as early as tomorrow. robin? >> all right, alex, thank you. coming up, lara talks to the night's biggest performers and winners at the cma awards. also, take a look at our trevor ault out there on the cranberry beat. we will tell you what you need to know about supply concerns over this thanksgiving. plus, the ceo of ocean spray is with us live. we are celebrating one incredibly brave man on this veterans day. there he is on our hidden camera. he has no idea we're about to surprise him live on "gma." >> danielle, our producer is really talking him up. >> he thinks he's getting ready

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(phone ringing) ♪ ♪ ♪ (phone ringing) ♪ ♪ ♪ every home should be a haven. ikea. ♪ i'm thinking up good vibrations ♪ good vibrations on broadway here in times square. welcome back to "gma." we're very excited for tomorrow's show. a huge milestone for disney plus. we will be celebrating coast to coast from disneyland to disney world and we'll get a little help from a few stars like josh gad and will smith. plus john stamos, ellie kemper and jeff goldblum will join us live right here on "gma." >> you know it's big when there is a countdown clock. when there is a countdown clock, oh, they took it down but that's when you know.

>> we're not messing around. now to our "gma" cover story. backstage at the cma awards, lara went behind the scenes and on the red carpet getting the inside scoop from country music's biggest winners. looking all sparkly this morning is our lara spencer. good morning again, lara. >> reporter: hey, rob, you guys are on broadway. i'm also on broadway here in nashville. last night, though, i did catch up with country's biggest stars backstage including the biggest winner of the night, chris stapleton. so talented and rewarded handsomely for it but confessed to me despite his four awards it was his duet with jennifer hudson that was his personal favorite moment of the night. ♪ you are my sunshine ♪ >> my favorite part of the night was getting to play with jennifer hudson, what an awesome thing to get to do. she's just incredible. ♪ don't break it ♪

for me that's, you know, the music, it's about music. when i get to play music with people that i don't normally get to play with it's a fun thing for me. >> reporter: female vocalist of the year carly pearce in awe of hudson's performance. >> i joked with our table, well, she just showed all of us how to do it. she's just an amazing singer, amazing vocalist. she just commands the stage. >> reporter: mickey guyton, brittney spencer and madeline edrd bngingown with their performance of "love love my hair ♪ >> why are you so emotional? >> i'm emotional because i think that's the power of music. i think that's the power of art. i think that's the power of storytelling. i can't name a black girl who hasn't had a weird experience involving their hair or how society has seen it. >> reporter: first time winner

kelsea ballerini taking home two cmas for her music video and musical event for the song "half my hometown." >> is it kind of perfect to finally win for this song? >> yeah. >> about your roots. >> yeah, i mean, that's what country music is. we value like family and where we're from and what makes us who we are, you know. to me that's what country music is. it's so much less about sonically what it sounds like ♪ i wish we cld tt it's ab those days ♪ >> reporter: for multitalented jimmie allen the fan favorite started the day at the crack of dawn with us on "gma." >> we're hanging out at the preshow. >> reporter: then co-hosted the cma red carpet preshow with me. >> jimmie allen. >> reporter: what a thrill to be there for his first cma. this one for best new artist. >> first i want to thank my father who is no longer with us for introducing me to country music. >> i told myself i wouldn't get emotional but when you win

something and it's not even about winning but the people that voted, respect what you do as an artist. >> really happy to be here tonight. >> thank you so much. >> you deserve it. >> i'm done crying on abc. >> come on. >> i been crying on abc so much. abc stands for always be crying. >> reporter: jimmie referring to "dancing with the stars." he just left that show. he will be back for the finale but does say there is no doubt, robin, guys, that his dad was with him. he says his dad's favorite number was 15. his jersey number in sports and always his lucky number so imagine to be surprised when he checked in on the 15th floor and got to the cma awards seated at table 15. he was very emotional about that. truly felt his dad was with him to celebrate and celebrate he did. jimmie said he was heading out to the bowling alley with his band and family to celebrate all night long. good for him. what a guy. thanks, jimmie, for helping us

all day and all night. so proud of him, robin. sending it back. >> thank you, lara. every year when you are there you make us feel we're there with you and we appreciate that. glad you had a great time. >> thank you. now we go to thanksgiving. the holiday is just two weeks away but due to skyrocketing inflation, the traditional feast could be more expensive than ever. and that's if you can even find the ingredients. that's the problem. let's go to trevor ault with the looming cranberry sauce shortage. he is in the right spot, a cranberry bog in massachusetts. good morning, trevor. >> reporter: good morning, michael. you know, i got to tell you from where i'm standing in the center of this cranberry bog it doesn't scream supply shortage. around here at this site alone they're growing about 54 million cranberries for ocean spray. but there is a lot more to it than growing the food in order to get it onto your thanksgiving table. we've heard so much about these supply chain issues and those are already leading to shortages

with crucial thanksgiving items. take turkeys, for example, they were 60% out of stock. just a little more than half of the stock compared to the same time last year. yams, sweet potatoes, refrigerated pies are also down in stock and, yes, even cranberries already 20% out of stock. now, if you don't wait till the last minute you'll be able to find these items, but paying for them is a different issue. we have all seen rising prices in the grocery store and we haven't seen price increases like this in 30 years. so if you're looking to keep your thanksgiving bill down, the experts say it's a good idea to shop right now for the items you can. don't wait till the last minute and consider a potluck style thanksgiving. everybody brings a dish. you can spread out the cost. and, in fact, michael, i am banking on my family doing that. don't tell the ceo, but in the commercial breaks i have been stuffing my pockets with cranberries, i'll bring some for you too. >> you bringing some more me, keep on stuffing your pockets, thank you. i promise i won't tell on you.

joining us from boston is the president and ceo of ocean spray, tom hayes. mr. hayes, thank you so much for joining us. the first question that everybody is asking, will we be able to serve ocean spray cranberry sauce on thanksgiving? >> absolutely you will be. first, let me say to all of our veterans, i want to add to the gratitude, happy veterans day and so thankful for all the contributions of all veterans and, you know, certainly those within ocean spray. ocean spray has had supply chain challenges. the whole industry has. i did hear what trevor said. we will continue to do our best to keep supplies going and supplies on shelves but we've had to be resilient. we're owned by 700 family farms and they continue to do everything they have for 90 years to keep the supply flowing, but it has been a challenge whether it's steel cans and making supply chain adjustments, we've had to do it and this year has been difficult, of course. >> let's talk about prices. prices have already gone up. do you forecast being able to

keep the price us steady or do you predict they'll increase even more. >> you know, michael, we are unfortunately going to have to take pricing, we have in a lot of our products, and that's a reality. we have a lot of costs going up. all ingredients, transportation is something that is continuing to affect us as a company and we do have to pass those on. remember, they're family farms so have to make sure they have a livelihood too and haven't taken pricing in ten years at ocean spray. so we're doing our best to keep costs down, but we have to take pricing and are looking forward to still having a great season. >> and what is your recommendation for people like myself who are concerned if we're going to go to the store and it's going to be a bare cranberry sauce shelf? >> well, look, this is our super bowl at ocean spray, right? i mean we right now are working day in and day out all night in a lot of cases to deliver products to the market. so my advice is to be absolutely

flexible. there's a big debate out there, whether jellied, whole or fresh cranberries, you know, what do you have? i say be flexible. plan early and make sure you get to the grocery store. it will be a happy thanksgiving but you have to demonstrate moo more flexibility than you have in the past. >> mr. hayes, thank you so much and thank you for your message to the veterans as well, i'm sure they appreciate it even more than we do. >> of course. >> all right, thank you. whit? >> i saved my jellied cranberry sauce from last year so we're good. expedition to antarctica. amy robach and our intrepid team have endured treacherous travel and now are a few hours away from the first landfall on an island in the antarctica and amy is standing above the waves right now on something called the penguin door. amy, what a trip. tell us about it. >> reporter: yeah, this is incredible. i am actually standing out in

tropical storm force winds, gusts up to 82 miles an hour, hurricane force wind. this is antarctic weather for sure. i'm standing on this gang plank. this is where passengers will disembark the ship and be able to stand on frozen ocean and hopefully sea penguins, that's part of the big reason we're here and you see that behind me, that is half moon island. it's the first land mass we've seen in days. in just a few short hours we'll finally make our first landfall on the south shetland islands, just miles from antarctica. chinstrap penguins, the island's ambassadors. >> before you see the penguins you will know they're there from the sound. >> reporter: the species gathering in the thousands is threatened by climate change which is reducing their food sources. in some areas, their population may have fallen by half. >> the biggest impacts of climate change on penguin species in antarctica, really

any species in antarctica are the impacts that we see on the sea ice and also on the antarctic. >> reporter: how we get from ship to shore is its own adventure. enter the zodiacs. these small vessels will shepherd us through the icy waters and on to land. stored below deck near the base camp of the ship is where all of our equipment is located. after boarding the zodiacs whales and seals could also make their presence known. and as we cross the drake passage, we travel with one passenger who is an antarctic legend leading over a 3,000-mile trek across the ice. >> it took us 30 days to cross these ice shelves and also in the last 30 years a number of other ice shelves have broken off. >> reporter: now he is returning to antarctica with two young filmmakers who made a documentary about his life. >> i grew up taking pictures of

national geographic with will's expeditions. >> reporter: as a warming climate has impacted the continent making a similar journey for steger impossible. >> these remote areas are interconnected through the rest of the world. so we know it's real, but we really have to get together here for solutions and adaptations. >> reporter: we should mention the captain of this ship granted us special permission to be out here. i'm tethered and have a life jacket so being safe and wanted to give you this perspective just seven feet off the ocean and we're going to head on those zodiac boats to that island right behind me and it's going to be wicked weather we're told but we're up for anything at this point because we want to see, we're hoping we'll see chinstrap penguins. they're the tiniest and we hear the feistiest of the crew. back to you. >> wow. we are glad you're strapped in. safety first. just incredible images and great story. amy, thank you so much to you

and the team out there. let's head over to ginger and i know you've been following all of this closely. >> oh, absolutely, whit. we were just looking at the sea ice lost in the antarctic. 149 gigatons on average each year. the trend is significantly down so i know she will bring more of that. i have to talk about what's happening in our country. that is the severe storms that blew through with a front behind it. we have our first blizzard warnings for parts of the northern plains for the season. that storm will bring heavy rains, though, all through the northeast tonight through early to mike: good morning on this veterans day. a little bit of fog but i promise you

♪ it's the time now for "deals & steals" and tory helping us to kick off the holiday season with great products 50% off. you can check them out by pointing your cell phone camera at that qr code on your screen. time is of the essence. >> let's show this one off first. look at this. this is from collage, a sherpa blanket. you can upload a single photo or several. you can take it from facebook, your computer, your phone. you're not letting go. >> no, i'm not. >> we made one for michael too or make your holiday cards. these are amazing. they all start at $20 and free shipping from collage. >> they feel so good. >> they do. >> okay. this is a little stocking stuffer. >> you know this one. you pierce the cork, pop it and push the button. there you go. no pulling, tugging, no broken cork. easiest way to get to your wine, amazing stocking stuffer. our deal, $14.

>> this makes you have salon quality hair at home. >> from ken paves, victoria beckham raved about this. it is seven times the ions of a typical drier. it dries faster, less frizz or no frizz when you use this one. it makes even fine hair look smooth and thick and luxurious. the dryer is lightweight but powerful. this cordless iron. no strings attached to this so you get 30 minutes of heat time. you can pop it in your purse. take it with you anywhere you go. petula has one in her shopping cart. everything is slashed in half starting at $74. >> the holiday season and doing this segment as quickly as we can could cause a little stress so what do you have? >> from spa sciences their brand-new massage device. it is small but powerful. six speeds on this little baby and then tucks into a very simple travel case for storage or on the go and it's very budget friendly because with our

deal it is $30. >> that's a great deal. oh, this is going to be all the rage. >> it is. so typically advent calendars are chocolate or skin care. sterling forever decided to take it up a couple notches. 24 different things for your ears, so mostly earrings but also some ear cuffs, ear crawlers in there. these are so gorgeous. everything is sterling silver. this is a splurge for one person or it's an amazing gift if you want to do for a group. it's so special. it's beautifully constructed as well. i'm giving away the price but when you think about it, it's about $10 per day. so the deal, 249, free shipping. it's a big one. it's a splurge again for one person or a group. >> okay. >> you get a lot. >> a lot of gifts within this. >> this is very popular. >> tonies, you might have remembered from last week, erielle's segment. it won "good housekeeping" toy of the year. what's great, it takes storytelling up a notch with

these little creatures on top. you pop them on here, the storytelling begins. there is all kinds of play time, nature sounds, just an amazing assortment you will get from this company. $15 to $50 our assortment and, wait, wait, there's more. >> wait. okay, what is more? >> we have our digital deals holiday guide. it is launching today and we've got more than 30 different -- i mean look at that display, leslie outdid herself. more than 30 different brands all at least 50% off. so we're trying to help you stretch your dollar. that's what we do with this and you can do it with those. >> you're the best at doing that we partnered with them on these deals. get them by heading to our website. up next our incredible veterans day surprise. thank you, tory. come on back. ♪ all through the night ♪ ♪ all through the night ♪

>> building a better bay area. moving forward. finding solutions. this is abc 7 news. >> good morning everyone. checking in on a look at traffic. >> it is pretty clear out there. veterans day a lot of people are off. we did have an earlier issue. emeryville before west macarthur boulevard. there is minor slowdown. things are moving at the limit t in both directions.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

deposit, plan and pay with easy tools from chase. simplicity feels good. chase. make more of what's yours. >> hey bay area. live with kelly and ryan is coming up. who's out but talks about her broadway show. >> some good news. the fog is starting to lift. still very thick around santa rosa half mile. a little bit of fog. it's a little cooler when you step outside this morning. still in the mid 40's. look at the temperatures this afternoon. warmer than average by two to five degrees. temperatures climb this weekend.

not quite as sunny as today and tomorrow. a little bit cooler next week. >> we will have another u ♪ 'cause we are warriors we'll fight for our lives ♪ ♪ soldiers ♪ warriors. welcome back to "gma" on this veterans day and we're going to honor the men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to make sure that we can be and live safely. >> absolutely, and we've been waiting for this all morning. looking forward to this here right now. we are about to surprise one incredible veteran who's dedicated his life to helping fellow veterans with their mental health and michael is up there. hi will walk us through it. michael, what's going on? >> you know what, matthew ryba is behind this door. he thinks he's here to do a radio interview and has no idea what is about to happen. are you guys ready? let's go in and see matthew. >> hey, matthew.

>> how are we doing? michael strahan. >> yes, i know who you are. how are you, my friend? >> welcome. i know you think you're here to do a radio interview. you're actually live on "good morning america." >> oh, look at that. what a surprise. >> we have something special for you. >> okay. >> so come with me, my friend. >> i'm going to go with mike. >> he's going to come with me. so we're so honored. everybody is here to support >> hey, thank you. >> we're here to support you. we're honored to share your story with the whole country this morning. you're such a brave person. you spent ten years in the marines. you're a decorated combat veteran. six tours in iraq and afghanistan as well. and come on, give it up for matthew. [ cheers ] that's right. but when you came home your service didn't stop there. you dedicated your life to giving back to your fellow veterans. >> that's correct. >> especially when it comes to mental health which is something that so many struggle with when

they come back from being on the battle field. you protected lives. you saved lives and now you're changing lives as well. so we're so proud of you. > thank you. >> that's what this is about. we're so proud of you. we want to celebrate you because you deserve this on this veterans day, my friend. >> all right. >> are you surprised? >> i'm a little surprised. >> let's look at this screen right here and we'll show everybody your story right now. check it out. ♪ >> reporter: it's hard to capture the spirit of veteran matt ryba in just one word. >> a loyal friend. >> honest. >> charismatic. >> trustworthy. empathetic. >> sincere. >> he's such a good dude. >> reporter: the 38-year-old spent ten years in the marine corps infantry. as a decorated veteran of the iraq and afghanistan war with six career deployments known as rybs to close friends. >> he's wholly selfless. >> he is one of those guys you can always rely on. if i told him i needed something

he'd be on a plane right now to come help me. >> reporter: after leaving the service, ryba went on to earn degrees in psychology and philosophy and is making it his mission to help other veterans dealing with ptsd as an out reach coordinator for the new york presbyterian military wellness center. >> there's a lot of stigma that can be associated with ptsd, either physical or emotional wounds. any time that you're able to speak to a fellow veteran who has shared experiences and a similar background it breaks down all those barriers. >> he has connected hundreds of veterans and service members with services out in the community. ♪ >> reporter: these days, ryba wears many hats as husband to wife julie, dad to a 1-year-old daughter and a beloved friend and colleague to many who all applaud his dedication to veteran advocacy. >> matt has definitely found a passion in what he's doing.

he's very committed. i think it drives him knowing he can connect with these men and women on a very personal level. >> the fact that he has decided to use his skills and his experience to keep helping veterans just kind of shows what a solid man he is. i mean he's really one of the best. >> when i walked into the room -- you're pretty unflappable but during that piece you said, wow. you patted your heart and how did you find these people? we have our ways of course. how do you feel right now? >> i usually think i'm pretty in tune with what's going on around me but you guys pulled a quick one and this means the world to me. i appreciate it. >> those are fellow veterans, a lot of your colleagues and friends but we have one more special guest we'll bring out right now. we have your wife. come on out, julie. [ applause ] >> love you. >> and, julie, this was hard to pull off because you said matthew can be a little bit like a private investigator.

>> yeah. matt definitely picks up on all of the, you know, subtle changes in a plan or any little details. so we had to be so careful in questions that i asked and what our plan was going to be and who i spoke to. >> we had to be secretive. we secretly have a message from one of your favorite football players. >> okay. >> take a look at this. >> matthew, what's up? it's rob gronkowski. i want to thank you for your military service and for all you do now in your community. we have a very special surprise. can't wait for "gma" to share it with you. let's go. >> let's go. >> the gronk, man, rob gronkowski. got his backpack on getting ready to catch passes from tom brady at work. we love your story so much and planet fitness, they were so inspired about your support and they want to support your mental health mission.

so they are donating $25,000 to new york city veterans alliance and there you go right there. $25,000 check. >> that's fantastic. >> for everything that you do. that wasn't some confetti. that was a confetti dump. matthew, julie, thank you so much and my father is a veteran and so i understand how important mental health is and for you continue to serve and help those who help us live the life we live every day, enough can't be said about your work. >> thank you. >> absolute pleasure. robin, back to you. >> michael, whit and i enjoyed seeing that. >> i like the confetti dump at the end. extra special. coming up, the er doctor who happens to be my neighbor who turned to writing to help cope with the stressful job and now he is a published author. can't wait to share his story next.

you know, during this time you know, during this time many of us have connected with our neighbors or met them for the first time. that's how i met dr. dave mucci. he's an e.r. doctor and shared that the emotional impact of the pandemic has been taking its toll until he found a way to cope through writing. it's not about medicine.

dr. mucci has written a ya adventure fantasy novel. it is terrific. i took a stroll on down the street to talk to my neighbor about it. ♪ >> reporter: dr. dave mucci thought he'd seen it all working as an emergency room physician for nearly 40 years but nothing could prepare him for the horrors of the covid-19 pandemic. >> let me go back to march 2020. >> yeah. >> what do you remember most? >> the fear. the terrible fear. we would have patients come in and three hours later they'd be on a ventilator. three hours after that they'd pass away. >> reporter: for dr. mucci the impact of the pandemic took an emotional toll. >> a patient would come in. they would be put in an isolation room, a mask would be put on them. you lose that personal touch. it's stripped away our humanity. emergency room physicians are supposed to be strong.

the patients, the family members, they turn to us to give them strength. there's that interaction that was gone. >> reporter: there was also the anxiety of bringing the infectious disease home to his family. so for six months dr. mucci self-quarantined and found solace in putting pen to paper. >> what was that time like? >> it was a time for reflection. i turned inward and i let my iagination go and that's when i started writing this book. at first what started off to be therapy turned into a passion and then it turned into fun. >> reporter: dr. mucci writing a new book called "ignatius and the swords of nostaw." a fantasy world filled with magical creatures centered around an unlikely hero. >> tell us about iggy.

>> iggy is a 15-year-old boy who appears ready to enter his first few days of high school, but what he's really not ready for is for dealing with mythical creatures, dark magic, these are in his dreams but all of a sudden it's his reality. he is back in medieval times and all he wants to do is get home. >> can you tell people the significance of my pendant? >> that is the pendant that iggy's mother passed on to him, the stone is a magical stone and as the books go on, you'll find out more about this stone. >> reporter: and with big dreams for a multiple book series dr. mucci is embracing his new title as author. >> what advice do you have to people who have this dream but don't know if they can realize it as you have?

>> the only reason they can't realize it is because they're putting barriers on themselves. do it. write. the only thing that is stopping you from doing it is you. >> i adore my sweet neighbor, dr. mucci. he actually wrote two books before this one, publishing them himself. admits that they weren't very good. so he kept at it. he took some writing courses, went to seminars, worked with an editor. he kept writing and writing and now this and it's available on amazon and it is a beautiful read. so during the pandemic we did a neighborhood zoom just to check in on everyone and he mentioned that he was an e.r. doctor. if he could help anybody in the neighborhood and then he just happened to mention also, i'm writing a book. i was like if you ever get it published i'll have you on "gma." i thought, oh, isn't that cute, he's writing a book. >> he was like, hey, robin,

remember that zoom call? >> it is so good and you can just -- his heart. >> you can see his passion for medicine and for connecting with people and he's doing it through medicine and now he's doing it through his book. >> that he is. that his. ginger? >> that generosity, robin. it gets you but it worked. thank you for inviting him on. now i want to take you all to san diego. a sunrise in san diego looking gorgeous but i got a couple of things for southern california. unfortunately that's not where a lot of the drought relief has been showing up. more than 37% of california is still in the highest level of drought. more than 80% is still in that second highest level and then we've got this. hot and dry conditions, the santa anas starting to kick up. san diego goes to 90 by friday. that will come with wind too. so fire danger amped up. now to a special abc news

investigation into the 2017 ambush of american soldiers in the african country of niger, an event that led to the deaths of four americans. ian pannell has been covering this story since the very beginning and joins us live with more. ian, good morning. >> reporter: yeah, good morning, whit, that's right. this film has been years of digging into why these four were killed back in october 2017. we look at the decisions made and the mistakes and i can tell you after a lengthy pentagon investigation, no senior officer has been held accountable for tis and to this day the families are left asking why. >> my dad called me. he was like, hey, baby, where you at because the army people are at the house for you? i said, what? we get there, they tell me sergeant la david johnson's whereabouts is unknown. i didn't hear anything else until my casualty assistance officer came to my home october

6th and he told me, sergeant johnson went from missing in action to kia. everybody went bananas. i was screaming and crying. >> reporter: four families get the dreaded knock on the door in october of 2017. as they start to search for answers, they realize they've been told different things and something doesn't add up. >> we asked why did these four men lose their lives, and no one would give us an answer. >> everybody was just saying anything because they know that mission went horribly wrong. >> reporter: the pentagon eventually released a 268-page heavily redacted report. we spent three years unredacting their findings. >> the pentagon investigation found the team's commanders, two captains, mischaracterized the initial mission. >> the investigation was an attempt to protect senior leaders in their careers. >> the army let me down.

let me son down and then they lied about it. >> i'm angry, and i'm still angry. >> reporter: i have to say this film really captures that raw emotion of these families. each one of them opens up about the long road they've had to travel. we get some real answers for them. a reminder that "3212 unredacted" is streaming now on hulu. >> powerful moments. ian pannell, thank you. coming un, the incredible story behind this moment at the cmas.

♪ i see trees of green ♪ ♪ red roses too ♪ ♪ i see them bloom for me and you ♪

(music) ♪ so i think to myself ♪ ♪ oh what a wonderful world ♪ happy thursday and welcome back to "gma." we have a touching story here. after a devastating accident last year, one inspiring young country fan recovered with a little help from one of her country music heroes. this segment is sponsored by chevrolet and last night that amazing thriver got the surprise of a lifetime at the cma awards.

♪ >> reporter: the cmas was a night to remember, especially for 18-year-old sarah frei. >> this moment means so much to me being here. it's just an amazing feeling. ♪ >> reporter: in 2020 sarah was fighting to survive after a life-changing accident leaving her a double amputee. ♪ no, there ain't nothing like home ♪ >> reporter: the song "home sweet" by russell dickerson giving inspiration to sarah during her recovery. >> from the moment i heard it, i was like in love with it. >> reporter: putting together a dance to the song, the posted video going viral and drawing the attention of russell dickerson. >> i sent it to my wife. i sent it to my whole team and i was just like, whatever -- however i can be involved in this story, i would love to be. ♪ wherever the wind blows wherever this life goes ♪

>> reporter: inspired by sarah's story, our sponsor, chevrolet, stepped in with the help of the superstar to fulfill one of her biggest dreams. >> hey, sarah. >> oh. >> how are you? i know one of the first things you wanted to do was be able to drive and so we -- we teamed up with chevrolet and we are giving you a 2021 chevy traverse. >> oh, my gosh. ♪ a piece of heaven ♪ >> reporter: the gift a uniquely outfitted vehicle with specialized controls giving sarah more space, style and added safety. >> oh, my gosh. >> reporter: now a little more than a year after that tragic accident, another call from the singer. >> it's me again. >> reporter: and another big surprise. >> chevy wants to fly you to the cma awards with me on the red carpet. you and me on the red carpet. how does that sound?

♪ i got some famous friends ♪ >> reporter: "gma" was right there for the once in a lifetime experience picking the perfect dress, getting the glam treatment and finally the red carpet in-person reunion. >> sarah is going to be joining me on the big stage tonight for the cma awards. >> no. >> reporter: the two on stage with a message to honor music educators. >> we are honored to be joined tonight by 30 great music educators who are being recognized for going above and beyond for their students and communities. >> reporter: you could say it's a night sarah will never forget. ♪ >> she has one of the best surprise faces. >> awesome. >> great story. >> sarah is a college freshman out at utah state. so her next goal to become a teacher where we're sure she'll continue to inspire every one of her students. >> perfect example and there's more and there's more. again, great story. >> we're not done either. we'll be right back.

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got to say what a wonderful veterans day surpris veterans day surprise. >> so great. >> matthew ryba. >> and just a few balloons. >> and a little confetti. >> that confetti machine was something else. tomorrow on "gma," much more from amy's adventure to antarctica. to meet the penguins that moment

we were talking about. >> cannot wait for it. also tomorrow we are celebrating a huge milestone for disney plus. we will be coast to coast from disneyland. i'll be there to disney world. jeff goldblum, ellie kemper, john stamos. you got to do it. you got to do it. the classic hollywood story. we meet the hero, the all-new nissan frontier. hero faces seemingly impossible challenge. ♪ tension builds... ♪ the plot twist.

♪ the hero prevails. in hollywood, this would be the end. but our here, we are just getting started. introducing the all-new nissan frontier.

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>> building a better bay area. moving forward. finding solutions. this is abc 7 news. >> good morning everyone. here's a check on traffic. >> we are going to start with a live look at the san mateo bridge. in the westbound direction at the mid span we have a report of a crash. it's not looking like they're are slowdowns or injuries at the moment. very clear traffic. this is usually a rough spot but a lot of people are off because of veterans day. >> fog lifting just about everywhere. santa rosa is going to be the last spot. 72 along with fairfield. most of us to around 68 to 71. warmer weather is on the way.

>> time for it live with kelly and ryan. we will be back at 11:00 for mid-day li >> announcer: it's "live with kelly and ryan!" today, film, television, and broadway star, uzo aduba. plus, the live studio is heating up as we continue our "fall into wellness week." and we give a veteran the surprise of a lifetime and our good news story of the day. plus, podcaster and author ali wentworth returns for another day of cohosting. all next on "live!" ♪ ♪ [cheers and applause] and now, here are ryan seacrest and ali wentworth! [cheers and applause] ♪ ♪ >> ryan: come on in. the crowd loves you right now. morning! >> ali: thank y.