holiday and hope you have a great week ahead. good morning, america. travel nightmare. more than 3,800 flights canceled this weekend. passengers stranded and scrambling to rebook during christmas as omicron wreaks havoc on the airlines. soaring cases among pilots, flight attendants, and other critical personnel. the predictions now that more disruptions are ahead. holiday surge. covid cases climbing through the holidays. overwhelming testing sites across the country. long lines in cities everywhere. many reaching their daily capacity as new york state warns of a steep rise in pediatric hospitalizations. dr. fauci joins us on "gma." dangerous winter blast. millions on alert from the pacific northwest to the upper midwest. heavy snow and gusting winds

creating whiteout conditions. parts of major highways shut down, and snow piling so high this stop sign is nearly covered. now bitter cold setting in. our own matt gutman reporting while snowed in. celebrating a titan. archbishop desmond tutu, the nobel prize winner who stood side by side with nelson mandela to end apartheid in south africa, preaching nonviolence, a tireless advocate for peace. tributes from around the world this morning. outbreaks at sea. at least four cruise lines reporting covid cases on board. passengers isolating. ships bypassing popular stops. will the industry have to change course again? the points guy joins us live with your rights as a passenger and how you can plan ahead during the pandemic. let the returns begin. what to know before you bring back those unwanted gifts, and

how to make the most of the new bargains dropping now. where you can find some of the best post-christmas deals. ♪ good for you ♪ and will it be a good day for someone as powerball fever takes over. plus, the corgi who conquered all. >> come for the football. stay for the corgi races at halftime. >> a very good boy who scored big as we say, good morning, america. ♪ good for you, you look happy and healthy, not me if you ever cared to ask ♪ looked like a little bit of whiplash with that corgi there. >> little there. >> good morning, america. hope you had a great holiday weekend, everybody. excited to be here with mary bruce, janai norman at the desk, and this is projected to be one of the busiest travel days of the year. >> omicron surged over the holiday. many people spending their holiday weekend in long testing lines. dr. anthony fauci is standing by with the latest on the striking spread of this variant. >> and the jump in cases

impacting staffing shortages at airlines resulting in more than 3,800 flights canceled in the u.s. since christmas eve. erielle reshef is live now at newark airport, one of the hardest hit in the country. erielle, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you, janai. not such good news for travelers. as you mentioned, thousands of flights canceled over the weekend and that number expected to climb. more than 700 flights already grounded this morning. this morning the omicron variant wreaking havoc on holiday travel from coast to coast. >> it's frustrating. >> reporter: thousands of flights canceled or delayed, leaving many passengers stranded and scrambling to rebook. >> i'm hoping no more delays so we can get there. >> reporter: nearly 1,700 planes grounded on christmas eve and christmas day alone. united, delta, american, and jetblue citing staffing shortages as covid cases soar among pilots and flight attendants and other critical personnel. >> we've got to make sure that employees don't feel pressured

to come to work when they have been exposed to covid or they think they may have the symptoms. >> reporter: the airline saying winter weather in some areas is also playing a role in the chaos. the hardest hit airports -- newark, atlanta, and l.a.x. canceling hundreds of flights over christmas weekend. >> flew to l.a.x., and then as soon as we got here, we found out our flight was canceled. >> reporter: this morning, experts predicting more disruptions are on the horizon. >> if you schedule more airplanes than you have pilots for, it's a recipe for disappointment on all sides. >> reporter: and many airlines are now offering bonus pay for employees to cover some of those extra shifts to avoid these cancellations. mary? >> erielle, thank you. and of course, it's not just airlines that are feeling the strain from surging covid cases. more essential workers calling out over the holiday as omicron spreads. we're seeing a striking increase in children being hospitalized with covid. concerning news for us parents. trevor ault is live at a testing center here in new york.

trevor, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, mary. omicron really just continues to gain steam here and infections are skyrocketing in much of the country, but we're still waiting to see and gauge the full impact on our hospitals. here in new york, hospitalizations have remained relatively low, but in louisiana, they have doubled in the past week, and health experts say there does appear to be some reason to be concerned. this morning, the omicron surge piling up new cases through the holidays leading experts to warn that even if this variant proves to be more mild, its sheer transmissibility could seriously overload hospitals. testing lines in cities from every region of the country stretching blocks as the virus spreads. case loads soaring past the delta peak even as americans say they have to search relentlessly to find a test. some showing up well before sunrise. >> cvs, walgreens, all of those were booked out, and this is a last resort. i would come here at 3:00 if i had to. >> reporter: in florida where

they've broken their record high daily infection totals on back to back days, this orlando site reached its capacity and sunday crowds back out once again. >> we just got back from our plane, and everybody was coughing so we really want to see if we have covid or not. >> reporter: and in new york state, the health department has warned pediatric hospitalizations have increased fourfold saying bluntly, the risks of covid-19 for children are real. >> that is why, you know, it's so important for those that are eligible and especially children under 5 yet to get the vaccine, to be vaccinated, to cocoon them, protect them, especially as we're heading towards this surge. >> reporter: and omicron is creating staffing shortages. 19% of new york city ems workers called out on christmas. that's several times more than usual. and professional sports leagues are having to adjust as well. the nhl has now postponed every game that was scheduled to be played tonight, and the nba is now requiring every team to hold

a booster shot event for their players as 97% of players are fully vaccinated, but a third of them have not yet received a booster. whit? >> all right, trevor. thank you. joining us now is dr. anthony fauci, chief medical adviser to president biden. dr. fauci, good morning to you. it's good to have you. so we're now averaging more than 160,000 covid cases per day in the u.s. and yesterday on "this week," you said that you expect that number to keep rising. how bad do you think this might get, and when do you expect to see this omicron surge come to an end, come to a peak? >> you know, it's very difficult to predict because we have so many unvaccinated people in this country who are really quite vulnerable. even with the vaccinated people, you're going to see breakthrough infections. fortunately, what we have seen thus far is that if you are vaccinated and boosted and you do get infected with a breakthrough infection, that your infection is either generally asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.

the way it's going up now, it's going to get worse before it gets better. that's for sure. we don't expect things to turn around in a few days or a week. it likely will take much longer than that, but that's unpredictable. >> you talked about a peak somewhere in january. based on what you have seen recently, do you think that time line stands? >> that's possible. again, it all depends. each demography of a country is different. south africa went way, way up and then came back down. the uk is still going up. hopefully they'll turn around because we lag somewhat behind them temporarily, and what happens there generally happens here a couple to three weeks later. >> you noted there that omicron perhaps is less severe. does that have something to do with the fact that the variant is hitting less vulnerable populations or people have vaccinations or previous infections or can we take comfort that if we get this, it might not be as bad?

>> that's a good question, and we don't know. what we're worried about are the people who are not vaccinated because they're vulnerable to getting infected and also getting a severe outcome and that's the concern we have for those individuals. >> so still a lot of unknowns, but we have seen an increase in hospital admissions among children recently. new york city officials for example calling it a fourfold increase. what's driving that? >> that's a good question. we're seeing the same thing again. i got off the phone just a day or so -- a day and a half ago with my south african colleagues. they're seeing a bit of that too. more hospitalizations, not necessarily completely more severe disease in kids, but many more children are requiring hospitalization. so we have to keep an eye on that. that's one of the reasons why we say now that we have the capability and the authority to vaccinate children 5 to 11, that we're encouraging parents that if you have a child from 5 to 11, please get that child

vaccinated to prevent them from getting anything that even resembles a serious illness. >> the biden administration is promising 500 million at-home tests to be shipped out starting next month. you've seen the lines out here, especially in places like new york city. people waiting for hours in the freezing cold for a test. we're nearly two years into this pandemic. why is this still happening? were we not prepared for omicron? >> omicron is a very, very unusual variant in its incredible degree of spreading. in january -- as we enter january, there will be many, many, many more tests that we have. oe of the things that's caused the stress is the extraordinary demand, kind of a conflation of issues. one of concern, appropriate concern about omicron, and the other was the holiday season. a lot of people flocked to get tested. >> people need to brace for it to get worse before it gets better. dr. fauci, thank you so much for your time this morning. we appreciate it. >> thank you. >> janai, over to you. from covid now to the

weather, to that dangerous blast of winter. matt gutman is in truckee, california, where he's snowed in with his family, but making the best of it. his 13-year-old daughter his camera crew this morning. good morning, matt. >> reporter: good morning, janai. that's right. so many families like mine stranded in these mountain communities which is why my daughter is behind the camera. you can tell how much it is snowing. over an inch an hour for a very long time. i mean this is just from last night. this is probably well over a foot of snow. what i'm standing on right now should be blacktop, but underneath all of this snow is ice which is what has made these traveling conditions so incredibly treacherous over the past six days now. this morning, millions across the west hit by that dangerous winter blast, closing out the holiday weekend. weather alerts in effect all the way from the pacific coast to the great lakes.

heavy snowfall piercing temperatures, and strong winds slamming states from california to oregon to colorado. >> took about two hours to clear this. >> reporter: seattle blanketed by a rare snowfall, up to six inches sunday. just the third time the seahawks ever hosted a game in the snow. >> we're here for a snowy football game. >> reporter: shutting down roads and stranding drivers in the thick snow. >> i don't know how they're going to get them up. >> we have to turn around. >> it was awful. >> reporter: over the weekend, a 70-mile section of interstate 80 linking reno, nevada, to sacramento, closed in both directions with whiteout conditions. unrelenting snowfall here in the tahoe area since tuesday, hundreds stranded on the roads. some cars abandoned. this near record snowfall here has been so intense, so heavy, and it's basically buried trucks like this one. in fact, there's been so much snow and it has been so hard to get to some of these resorts that a lot of the ski resorts in this area just haven't opened up today.

plaster county sheriffs saying the conditions have been so brutal they temporarily called off a search for a skier who went missing saturday at a ski resort near truckee. the storm expected to continue dumping snow throughout the day in california's mountain regions. when the wind kicks up, you can see why it's called a whiteout. you almost can't see anything. not surprised all of this snow could break the all-time record for snowiest december in this part of california which is so important, critical, in fact, for california's snow pack. mary? >> matt, thank you. good luck out there. i have to say your daughter is doing a pretty good job behind the camera there. now let's turn to rob with more on this bitter cold forecast freezing coast to coast. rob, good morning. >> reporter: hey, good morning, mary. we're looking at a shift in the pattern to which a lot of the western storms are now going to make their way all the way to the east. one of which is in the upper midwest right now. a lot of action through i-94 through minnesota, and blizzard conditions in some spots there.

there you see the travel problems on the ground and in the air. there's air travel issues as well. 25 states under alerts right now from coast to coast more or less. even some blizzard warnings and record snow. icy conditions in the northeast as well with this first pulse coming through the great lakes will spread a snowy and icy mix across pennsylvania. not just today, but another pulse coming through on wednesday. so anywhere from one inch of snow to 12 inches of snow coming this week for the northeastern third of the country. we'll talk more about the snow that's coming in the northwest in just a little bit. whit, over to you. >> rob, thanks so much. we turn now to the celebration of desmond tutu, the nobel peace prize winner. he was the voice of moral courage and a long campaign to end apartheid in south africa. he died at the age of 90. senior foreign correspondent ian pannell joins us this morning. ian, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, whit. the bells are tolling this morning as a country and the world mourns and remembers a man

who transcended religion in many ways and politics with a message for all humanity. ♪ we shall overcome ♪ >> reporter: it was desmond tutu's faith that gave him the strength to tackle the racist apartheid system in south africa with a message of nonviolence. >> our march to freedom, it's unstoppable. >> reporter: tutu grew up under the oppression of segregation, violently enforced by the white minority government, but against the odds, becoming the first black anglican archbishop of capetown as south africa teetered ever closer to the brink of civil war. tutu stood shoulder to shoulder with nelson mandela on a mission to end apartheid. the campaign for economic sanctions and his lobbying for divestment picking up support around the world, including the u.s. students of major universities protested, demanding their

institutions stop investing in companies with financial ties to south africa. it helped cripple the apartheid economy and made reform inevitable. his life's work would earn him the nobel peace prize in 1984. ♪ tutu used religion to unify people of all faiths with a message of shared humanity, preaching kindness and forgiveness. even amidst the darkness of apartheid, his sermons and speeches spread a message of love, joy, and laughter. tutu sought to fight injustice in all its forms, speaking to robin roberts in 2007 on its most silent kind. >> what do you see right now as the biggest challenge that we have to overcome? >> poverty. poverty. o demeaning.umaniznd you say, hey, when are we going to

get it? we don't get it, do we? it's so obvious. we've got the capacity to feed everybody. >> reporter: his tireless advocacy for peace touching generations, transcending religion. at the age of 76, he continued to be a force, leading a mission. >> what do you hope to accomplish? >> we want to say to them what do you want to be remembered for? do you want to be remembered for someone who actually assisted in the destruction of so many people, or do you want to be leave a legacy? and i think that most human beings, you know, most human beings want to be remembered for good things. >> reporter: today, spiritual w tuor his gbal impart.

>> desmond tutu possesses that sense of generosity, that spirit of unity, that essence of humanity that south africans know simply as -- [ speaking foreign language ]. >> reporter: it's worth remembering that that pressure for change was a swell of popular opinion. many in america and britain opposed it, and he in the end brought about that much needed change. whit? >> an icon for peace. ian pannell, thank you so much. we saw that humor and laugh to go with it as well. coming up here on "gma," the new trouble at sea as cruise liners report covid outbreaks. are they back to where they started? first, though, let's go back to rob marciano with a check of the weather. rob? >> reporter: good morning, whit. let's get a look at your select cities now sponsored by intuit quick books.

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>> here is look at live doppler seven. a system pounding the bay area. the system is sliding south. the mountains getting pounded and some over in inch already of rain. because of the national -- because of that, a flood advisory has been issued. there could be minor flooding, mudslides. the winter storm storm storm sto tonight at 9:00 for the sierra. up to two feet get ready for very chilly temperatures overnight for the next few mornings. >> up next on gma, a travel nightmare as airlines canceled

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there's a broken pipe. geico. save even more when you bundle home and car insurance at geico.com. peter. peter, you're struggling to have everything you want, while the world tries to make you choose. >> welcome back to "gma." spider-man cannot be stopped. peter parker swinging into the record books taking in a whopping billion dollars worldwide. >> oh my gosh. that movie, it really can't be stopped. >> it's incredible. >> i can't wait to see it. >> much more ahead on that. first, the top headlines we're following right now. not a merry christmas for thousands of airline passengers. some 3,800 flights canceled since just christmas eve. carriers blaming the spread of omicron and staff shortages. omicron also creating an unprecedented demand for testing

and long lines nationwide. and a deep freeze, heavy snow, treacherous road conditions caused by snow coast to coast causing accidents on highways. today, blizzard conditions in minnesota and a winter weather advisory for the northeast with a deep freeze and icy conditions moving in. and there was no christmas miracle for any powerball players out there for the 34th straight time. there was no big winner bringing the jackpot up to a cool $416 million for tonight's drawing. there were $1 million winners in california, , tennessee. that's still a pretty nice christmas present. the odds of hitting all five numbers in the powerball are 1 in 292 million. so we could be waiting a little while for the next winner. >> you're saying there's a chance? >> there's a chance. i'm going to go buy a ticket today. and we've got a lot more ahead, including where you can find some of the best post-christmas sales. that's all coming right up. >> we look forward to that. first though, we turn to the new covid outbreaks on cruise ships.

some ships returning to port after being refused permission to dock at their scheduled stops. victor oquendo is live in miami with the latest. victor, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, whit. despite all the changes in protocol to make cruising safer, covid continues to make its way on board. one woman describing a recent experience as traveling in a petri dish. a holiday travel nightmare at sea. at least four cruise lines reporting covid break-outs on board. the wave fueled by omicron, passengers left isolating in shippings, now bypassing popular destinations. >> it was disgusting. nobody cared, and now i have to worry that i'm going to have covid? >> reporter: in san diego, holland america cruise ships returning to port after being n. >> we had our excursion all planned. we were waiting for an hour to get off. they kept saying, we're delayed, we're delayed and the captain finally got on and said we're

leaving in an hour. >> reporter: according to the mexican ministry of health when the vessel arrived in mexico, 21 crew members tested positive for covid. holland america responding to abc news saying, in part, no guests presented as positive. with the pervasive nature of the omicron variant, we have continued to evolve our protocols which were developed with guidance from leading health experts and in anticipation of situations like this. the same ship sailing off again on another voyage just hours after passengers disembarked. in miami, carnival freedom, a ship on an eight-day voyage returning to its port after a passenger ashley peterson described as traveling in a petri dish. >> we had a high number of covid cases on board. they're not really able to contain it being on a small ship. it's the worst kind of travel. not safe at all. >> reporter: the vessel denied entry to aruba and

to infections on board. many passengers upset with carnival over its communication. >> they didn't inform us of hardly anything. we sat there for a couple of hours, and then we found out they wouldn't let us on the destination because of so many people on the ship having covid. >> reporter: carnival telling abc news, their vigorous covid protocols account for the possibility of any positive cases on board, and that they also made announcements and communicated in writing to guests on board. the cruise industry crushed by the pandemic, shifting protocols and setting strict rules for sailing in order to prevent the spread of covid, but this current trend of outbreaks has the cdc monitoring closely. the cdc creating this color-coded chart system on its site of 108 current cruise ships operating or planning to operate in u.s. waters. green being no reported cases, and red is defined as a ship having, quote, sustained transmission of covid-19 or potential for covid-19 cases to overwhelm on board medical resource. so far we're talking about a relatively small number of

infections on board. take the royal caribbean "symphony of the seas" for example. they reported less than 1% of people testing positive. janai? >> that passenger saying traveling feels like a petri dish. it paints a picture. victor, thank you. joining us now for what travels can do if they bought a cruise ship ticket, brian kelly, the points guy. thank you for being with us to break this down. what options do passengers have if their cruise was cut short or they were denied entry to a port because of covid on the ship? >> well, unfortunately with cruising, they don't guarantee that you will hit any ports. so you aren't owed a refund. in most cases cruise lines will offer you a discount on another cruising. but, you know, if you booked through a travel agent, highly recommend asking them, and also whether you're cruising or buying airline tickets, you know, i always recommend go through your credit card company. a lot of credit cards will offer trip cancellation or trip interruption coverage.

that's if you book it using that card. if you're going to travel in 2022, make sure you're booking with a credit card that gives you that extra coverage. the cards are the ones that have the money if things go awry. >> with that in mind, if you buy a cruise ticket, what protection do you have if there's an outbreak. >> you know, unfortunately there is not a whole lot of coverage. you know, you can buy travel insurance which is evacuation coverage if you are abroad. say, you're stuck in a port and want to come home. they'll even fly you home private, but it is very expensive. as far as, you know, if you want to insure an upcoming trip, you know, the cancel for any reason travel coverage is what you are going to need to buy. it's really expensive as well, and you're generally only going to get about 75% back of your trip. so, you know, it is a gamble these days, and, you know, the cruise lines and airlines, they hold all the power. i highly recommend whenever you

book, read through the contract of carriage with the airline or the cruise line to understand what you are actually buying from them because you're not actually buying an itinerary that guarantees you to go to certain points. they have full discretion, and you've got to roll with the punches these days. >> flying home private sounded really appealing until you said that it's very expensive. let's turn now to air travel and thousands of flights were canceled this weekend. what are passengers' rights? will they get their money back or some kind of compensation? >> absolutely. if there's no compensation above your ticket, in the u.s., we don't have passenger rights laws like they have in europe. but if your flight was canceled or massively delayed, you are owed a full cash refund. don't let the airline give you a voucher unless, you know, you want it for some reason. in general, take the cash. if you incurred extra costs like spending the night at a hotel, rent a car, in general the airlines do not owe you that.

once again, go to your credit card company. if you are out of pocket, a lot of credit card companies will reimburse up to $500 per ticket if you booked using a card with this coverage, and there are a lot of people out there, so it never hurts to check. it was a bumpy weekend for travelers and we're going to continue to see this, unfortunately, with omicron spreading and staffing shortages. >> very much so, a bumpy weekend. but like you said, flights are canceled, as you said, take the cash and run. thank you so much for being here with us. whit, over to you. >> he also said roll with the punches. feel like we've had a lot of punches during this pandemic. still rolling with it. coming up next here, what to know before you try to return those unwanted holiday gifts, and where you can still find some great deals. it's time for our lowest prices of the season on the sleep number 360 smart bed. what if i sleep hot? ...or cold? no problem, the sleep number 360 smart bed is temperature balancing so you both sleep just right. and it senses your movements and automatically adjusts to keep you both effortlessly comfortable. so, you can really promise better sleep?

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back now with the holiday shopping season, and it was a big year. mastercard's spending pulse reporting an 8.5% jump in retail sales and all that spending does mean it's likely there will be lots of returns. an estimated $120 billion in goods will be going back to the stores. so zohreen shah is in l.a. with what you need to know if you are heading back to make one of these returns. good morning, zohreen. >> reporter: hey. good morning, mary. okay. so i'm not sure how holiday shopping went for you, but some of us have some bones to pick

with santa. i might be one of them. a lot of shoppers will be making returns too. what do you need to know? first things first, know the return windows for the items you want to give back. for amazon, apple, and macy's, you have until the end of january for most items bought around the holiday season. for walmart, it's two weeks to three months from purchase date. head to the malls early or late in the day so you don't get caught up in the midday madness. i was there yesterday. it was a total zoo. no joke. but look, you don't have to go inside to pick up a lot of items, and you don't have to go inside to return many of them either. companies like nordstrom's, best buy, and dick's sporting goods have curbside returns. it's a great pandemic option, and then of course, there are the obvious ones. keep the packages intact otherwise you might not be able to return them, and keep the gift receipts too. here's a pro tip i didn't know about until recently. hold onto those unused gift cards. if you don't want them, you could potentially sell them back online for much of its original value. mary? >> i didn't know that either. okay. so zohreen, what if you are a

little late to the game? maybe you're still looking for that perfect gift from someone or just trying to take advantage of all these post holiday sales. >> reporter: okay. so if santa was a little delayed with your loved ones, there are christmas miracles out there. at least when it comes to shopping apparel, beauty products and tech items, nordstrom's sale has started. they are offering discounts with up to 50% off with prices as low as 3 bucks for some items, and amazon is offering up to 57% off thousands of items. the airpod pro for example is now $179 down from $249. a sony 43-inch tv is $587, and hopefully you guys got or will get some great deals. there's still some time. mary? >> zohreen, thank you very much for all those great tips and deals. coming up, more return dos and don'ts including what to do if you don't have that receipt. janai? >> procrastinating has its

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your dog on sunday? how about combining the two? take a look at these corgis, racing into the end zone. this is how we combine the two. the l.a. rams and minnesota vikings, halftime show during yesterday's game, featured these adorable four-legged athletes running from the 40 yard line into touchdown territory. it may look like chaos. it absolutely is chaos. look at this. look at santa on the back of this corgi. a 5-year-old corgi named finn emerged as the winner beating out 15 other dogs for the title. he's dressed in green on the field. he won a trophy full of dog treats, and even the nfl is impressed tweeting, get finn a contract. how about the little guy with santa on his bag? >> santa wants his sleigh back. coming up, the big finale of "gma" gives back. celebrating a teenager that's an inspiration in his community. you do not want to miss this one. honestly, i thought i was getting my floors cleaned. then i learned, my mop could be loaded with bacteria.

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hey tex, can someone else get a turn? yeah, hang on, i'm about to break my own record. yeah. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty, liberty, liberty, liberty. ♪ welcome back to "gma." let's take you to the pacific >> reporter: welcome back to "gma." let's take you to the pacific northwest. normally known for its lush greenery and rain this time of year, an unusual amount of snow coming down. we had reports out of california, oregon, and washington. let's take you to portland which had about an inch of snow yesterday. that broke a daily record, and we'll get it down. that is rare, all the way down towards eugene. here's albany seeing a blanket of white. that gets you in the mood, and we have more coming down. this pattern will hold. snow and rain, mostly snow coming down i-5. coming up on "gma," the dos and don'ts of holiday returns so you can bring those unwanted gifts back guilt-free. plus, what you should do if you are exposed to covid during the holidays. and alex snodgrass will help us turn those leftovers into

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>> good morning, everyone. here is a look at traffic. >> better news with the part delay. we had a power outages but that station is reopen. trains are slowly getting back to normal. now we have several incidents on 80, both westbound and eastbound coming through the berkeley curve and through emeryville and on the eastbound a bridge, we have a stall approaching the tunnels. the weather looks like it is starting to clear. >> it is that we have already got half an inch to an edge through parts of the bay area -- n inch through parts of the bay area. look at the santa cruz mountains. a flood advisory until 9:45 or

minor flooding expected south of san francisco. watch out for mudslides and rock falls and winter storm warning has extended now to 9:00 p.m. tonight for the sierra. >> we will have another update in about 30 minutes. you can find the latest at

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good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. travel nightmare. more than 3,800 flights canceled this weekend. passengers stranded, and scrambling to rebook during christmas as omicron wreaks havoc on the airlines with staff shortages grounding flights. remembering archbishop desmond tutu, the nobel prize winner who stood side by side with nelson mandela to end apartheid in south africa. his message of nonviolennonviol tireless advocate for peace. the tributes around the world for a legend. dos and don'ts for hassle-free holiday returns. what to do if you lost those receipts, and how to not miss

return deadlines. and it's soup season. turn your holiday leftovers into sizzling soup. we'll show you how just ahead. ♪ good for you ♪ and as we get ready to wish you a happy and healthy new year, we look back at the breakout stars of 2021 as we say, good morning, america. ♪ so unaffected, i really don't care ♪ my daughters love that song. so it's easy. i thought it was out of my head. now it's right back in there. good morning, america. so great to have you with us. hope you had a great holiday weekend. good to be at the desk with janai and mary this morning. >> great kicking off the week with you guys. >> the last week of 2021. can you believe it? >> the giving spirit is not over. we have been celebrating community heroes around the country surprising amazing people, giving out $50,000 in all. >> and we are not done. this morning, we have our big finale of "gma" gives back. we'll meet this inspiring young

man who is giving his all to his neighbors, going above and beyond with the help of his lawn mower. we have an amazing, big surprise coming up. >> definitely looking forward to that. we have a lot of news to get to this morning. covid cases soaring and testing sites overwhelmed during the holiday weekend which has led to a travel mess, and airlines seeing staffing shortages resulting in 3,800 cancellations. let's go back to erielle reshef at newark airport, an airport hit especially hard with cancellations. erielle, good morning. >> reporter: good morning again to you, whit, and it is already busy here at newark airport. you mentioned thousands of flights canceled over the weekend nationwide. more than 750 already grounded this morning, and that number is going up by the hour. >> attention in the terminal. >> reporter: this morning, the omicron variant wreaking havoc on holiday travel from coast to coast. >> it's frustrating. >> reporter: thousands of flights canceled or delayed, leaving many passengers stranded and scrambling to rebook.

>> it's annoying. i'm hoping no more delays so we can get there. >> reporter: nearly 1,700 planes grounded on christmas eve and christmas day alone. united, delta, american, and jetblue citing staff shortages. covid cases soaring among pilots, flight at ttendants and other critical personnel. >> we've got to make sure employees don't feel pressured to come to work when they have been exposed to covid or they think they may have the symptoms. >> reporter: the winter weather in some areas is also playing a role in the chaos. the hardest hit airports -- newark, atlanta, and l.a.x. canceling hundreds of flights over christmas weekend. and some of the airlines are now offering bonus pay to employees to pick up those extra shifts to try to avoid some of these cancellations. whit? >> and erielle, we know plenty of people will be heading home today, people trying to navigate all of this. what are the best and worst times to hit the road? >> reporter: yeah, so for anybody trying to drive today, the best advice is to head out early.

aaa says the best time is before 1:00 p.m. the worst, between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m., and if you are flying, keep in mind, you're going to have plenty of company. at least 2 million people expected to travel each day this week. so especially in light of these cancellations, you're going to want to check your flight status before you head to the airport and head out early. >> definitely get that early start. erielle, thank you. mary? >> best of luck to those travelers today. now to the incredible life and legacy of desmond tutu. tributes are pouring in from around the world from this nobel peace prize winner who preached nonviolence. ian pannell is back with us for more on this titan of peace. ian, good morning. >> reporter: yeah, good morning, mary. that's right, bells have been tolling and prayers and tributes pouring in from around the world as people react to the death of arch bishop tutu. for many, he was a man whose message resonated and inspired millions around the world.

♪ we shall overcome ♪ it was desmond tutu's faith that gave him the strength to tackle the racist apartheid system in south africa with a message of nonviolence. >> our march to freedom, it's unstoppable. >> reporter: tutu grew up under the oppression of segregation, violently enforced by the white minority government. but against the odds, becoming the first black anglican archbishop of capetown as south africa teetered closer toth to the brink of civil war. tutu stood shoulder to shoulder with nelson mandela trying to end apartheid. he sought justice in all its forms, speaking to robin roberts in 2007 on its most silent kind. >> what do you see right now as the biggest challenge that we have to overcome? >> poverty. poverty. poverty's so demeaning. it is so dehumanizing, and you

say, hey, when are we going to get it? we don't get it, do we? it's so obvious. we've got the capacity to feed everybody. >> reporter: it's worth remembering that desmond tutu, like nelson mandela, they both lobbied for the apartheid regime to divert, and other countries to divert their money from the country. those policies really played a large part in ending apartheid and bringing about black majority rule in south africa, and his message about tackling poverty and dealing with hate resonate today. guys? >> extraordinary impact. not only on south africa as you noted, but really the entire world. ian pannell, thank you so much. we appreciate it. coming up here on "gma," what you should do if someone tested positive after you spent time with them over the holiday. dr. darien sutton is here live

this morning. plus, the other great christmas tradition. all those returns, and the big question -- do you tell the gift giver you're bringing it back? and what if you lost that receipt? lori bergamotto joins us with the dos and don'ts. and cook book author alex snodgrass puts those leftovers to work for you and your family to create these delicious dishes in, get this, just 30 minutes. it's a great deal. we'll be right back. what's going on? where's regina? hi, i'm ladonna. i invest in invesco qqq, a fund that gives me access to the nasdaq-100 innovations, like real time cgi. okay... yeah... oh. don't worry i got it! become an agent of innovation with invesco qqq with ww, i lost 30 pounds

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♪ ♪ and welcome back to "gma." tomorrow we are kicking off a two-day event revealing people's half their size issue.

starting with this woman, an incredible transformation. but first, it is time for "pop news." over to janai. doing double duty today. >> a little bit of double duty. putting on this "pop news" hat. we begin this morning with the news that three menace members of the k-pop supergroup bts testing positive for covid-19. this just three weeks after the band announced their temporary hiatus from performing. their agency management has revealed the three tested positive for covid-19 after traveling back to south korea from the u.s. earlier this month. perienngilor no lly vaccinated symptoms. so that's some good ws three we learned to experience flu-like symptoms. none of the singers have had recent interaction with the other four band members, and the band's management agency says the artists' health is the top priority and they will support the singers through their recovery. and we wish them well, of course.

so many have been dealing with covid. also this morning, it's a debate that's been going on since 1988. that's a long time. is "die hard" a christmas movie or not? >> is this still a debate? i thought we settled this. >> mary, what do you think? >> i go yes. >> yes? >> yes. >> there are christmas scenes and themes throughout the movie. >> scenes and themes throughout the movie. as long as we don't have a clip of rob marciano ripping off his shirt. marlene is giving her official opinion. she told tmz she thinks the movie is not a christmas film. epding her position that even though the movie is set at christmas time, the christmas season is not an essential part of the movie plot. you buying it? >> nope. >> all right. marlene is in agreement with her son. back in 2017, bruce willis set the record straight for fans and said he doesn't think "die hard" is a christmas movie. apparently like mother like son. >> i respect their opinion, yeah.

agree to disagree. >> i respect your opinion to be wrong. finally this morning, we are counting down to new year's eve, and this year's dick clark's new year's rockin' eve is back in times square to celebrate. for the first time it will also be counting down in spanish. roselyn sanchez will be counting down with us, and she is here with us. thank you so much for being here with us this morning. what does it mean to you to host one of the new year's rockin' eve events in your hometown? >> i know. oh my god, guys. good morning. it means so much. i am so grateful and honored, you know. i remember i grew up in puerto rico, and we're celebrating 50 years of the dick clark rockin' eve extravaganza, and i remember with my family growing up and now fast forward, i get to go

back to puerto rico and host it. the first time in spanish. it's amazing, and i think it's huge for the country, for me. i'm very happy. >> and they are celebrating an hour earlier than new york city, so you'll get the first countdown of the broadcast. so what are you going to do? is there, like, an equivalent of the ball drop in new york in san juan? >> you know, i hope we have one. i'm still waiting to hear about the logistics, but it'll be amazing to have in san juan this ball dropping, and i'm just going to have a laugh and you know how excited i am to say -- [ speaking foreign language ]. i can't wait to do this in spanish. >> what about you? do you have any new year's eve traditions that you do every year? >> you know, i do. i have two lists. i write one of the things that i want to let go, experiences that i don't want back, whether it's thoughts or things that happen, and then i write a new list with the things that i want to accomplish and a lot of

affirmations. then i burn the one about the things that i want to let go, and i save the other one for the whole year, and then the 31st of that year, i read it, you know, and see if i got it all. >> i like that. >> burn the list, yeah. >> end the year and move into the new one. roselyn, we will be watching. it's going to be a big party with co-host ciara, billy porter, liza koshy, and ryan seacrest. the celebration beginning live december 31st at 8:00 p.m., 7:00 central right here on abc. i'll be ready. >> welcome a new year. >> absolutely. a new year, hopefully with less covid. rob, it is time to check weather out there. rob, you staying warm? it's not too cold. >> reporter: what's up?

yeah, good morning, guys. looking forward to new year's eve, and saying hello to 2022. looking at st. moritz. this is beautiful switzerland, and beautiful stuff. santa doing this. maybe it's after christmas eve, and maybe that's why santa is so happy. 364 days to work on the next event. here in the northeast we have some winter weather coming into pennsylvania, middle parts of new york and much of massachusetts and connecticut. first is snow and then a mix today, could see some slick roads if you are doing traveling today, and then again another pulse coming in tuesday night into wednesday. could see several inches of snow in some spots and an icy glaze on the roads, so it'll be dangerous travel at times. be careful. that's what's happening nationally. time for a loo

and now for our "gma" cover story. the omicron surge this holiday season, after so many people gathered this weekend. what should you know if you were exposed to covid, and how can parents keep their kids safe? drdarriesuon joinow.'s gre tseye been talking about these numbers here. really startling. the u.s. averaging 160,000 new cases per day, an increase of 36% over the week. if you find out you were exposed over the holiday, what should you do? >> great question. after exposure, you should get

tested about five to seven days after the day of exposure, and that's about how much time it takes for the virus to increase in the body and turn a test positive. what you do depends on your vaccination status. if you are vaccinated, you don't need to quarantine, but you should probably be wearing a mask especially during these times of high viral transmission, and if you are not vaccinated, your risk of infection is so much higher, so you should be quarantining and separating yourself away from the public for the full 14 days. >> as we've seen, finding a test is difficult, and there are different types of tests. explain the difference between the pcr test, the antigen test and which test might be better in certain situations. >> great question again. after exposure, the most accurate test is a pcr test. we have antigen tests, but those are most accurate in symptomatic patients in the couple of days after infection. >> there are quick ones to do at home.

is that a good idea? we're learning about how accurate they are. >> they're getting another antigen test, and that's a form of prevention. you can assume that's when you are most infectious. it helps to use it before an event, and you want to use it as close as possible, and have an understanding that it can turn positive later on. using it with other mitigation risks, masking, vent vacation, reduce your risk as much as possible. >> we have to be smart. more gatherings coming up. dr. sutton, great to see you in person. take care. mary, over to you. we all know what happens after opening up all of those presents under the tree. returning them. two out of three consumers will return at least one gift this holiday. i will confess i might be one of them. "good housekeeping" style director lori bergamotto joins us with the holiday return dos and don'ts to make this so much easier. lori, thank you for joining us. here's the deal. most of us will receive something that isn't just for us. how can we return all of those gifts without hurting the

giver's feelings? >> good morning, mary, and i'm in the same boat as you, so don't feel bad. the takeaway here is to remember that the gift giver wants you to enjoy the gift. it's the thought that counts, and to that end, you can be honest with them. polite, but honest. a recent survey actually shows that 36% of shoppers consider the return policy when they're shopping for holiday gifts. so this is not a surprise. you can be honest with them and politely, you know, let them know that you may need a different size or you need to ask for the receipt. >> speaking of the receipt, you don't always get the receipt when you receive a gift. how do you return this if you don't have one? >> exactly. you can feel free to be polite, and ask the gift giver for the receipt. be mindful if you do get a receipt to, you know, hold onto it. do not take the tags off of your clothing item because a lot of companies, a lot of retail stores, what they're doing is they're printing the receipt right onto the tag. so that will count as a receipt.

if you don't have either of those things, you can ask the gift giver for the order number because sometimes stores can track it through the e-commerce way or also if they are a loyal member to that retail store. there are so many different retail stores that have loyalty perks. you might be able to give that person's email address or phone number, and they can look up the item that way. >> you mentioned the tag. let's talk about the packaging. what if you rip open that gift? the packaging isn't pristine anymore. is that going to cost you money? >> it is, unfortunately. okay. so here's the deal. if you buy especially tech items, mary, if you got something like this, you want it to remain in the shrink wrap in the box. as pristine as you possibly can because if you have an overzealous kid perhaps that opened it up and it looks like this, you could be subject to let's say a 15% restocking fee. sometimes even more. so you do want to make sure you read that fine print and keep

things as intact as possible. >> lori, thank you so much as always for the fantastic tips for those of us heading back to the mall. the latest issue of "good housekeeping" is available now. now to the year, our annual special hosted by robin and featuring anchors and correspondents looking back at the biggest moments of the past 12 months from news to entertainment. 2021 sure had its share of ups and downs, but it'll be one that some breakout music stars will never forget. juju chang has more. ♪ got my driver's license last week ♪ >> reporter: for most of us, getting our driver's license meant breaking free, but for break of out pop star olivia rodrigo, it meant breaking records. ♪ maybe i'm too emotional ♪ >> reporter: singing about her teenage heart break, it kicked her into overdrive, and nominated her for six grammys.

including best new artist. >> this has been the most magical year of my life and it's because of you guys. thank you so much. >> reporter: it's safe to say 2021 was good for olivia rodrigo. was it -- ♪ good for you ♪ ♪ it's so typical ♪ ♪ we ain't got nothing to lose ♪ >> reporter: doja cat had us seeing stars this summer when she dropped her album "planet her" and her hit "kiss me more" because an instant earworm. >> i never thought it would be dressed as a worm while accepting an award. >> you never know what you will get with doja cat, but that's part of her allure. people are obsessed with her. >> reporter: but in 2021, the lady leading the powerhouse lady leading the powerhouse pack -- ♪ i know it ain't the stallion ♪ ♪ you know it's your girl ♪ >> reporter: "glamour" magazine's woman of the year, megan thee stallion. ♪ classic, boujie, rachet ♪

>> the fact she won a grammy with beyonce solidifies you in music history. >> if you know me, you have to know that ever since i was little, i was, like, you know what, one day, i'm going to grow up and be the rap beyonce. my mama would be, like, megan, what would beyonce do? >> no one has gone from where she started what 2 1/2 years ago, three years ago to literally the top of the world in such a, like, complete way. >> and the cma award for new artist of the year goes to -- >> jimmie allen. >> after ten years of being here, living in my car, living in a trailer, and working every job, this is amazing. >> reporter: not only has he broken through in the world of country music, but jimmie was

nominated for a grammy award for best new artist. >> i was working day in and day out to take all of my dreams and all of my ideas and make them a reality. in the midst of then being told by people that the ideas i have will never work, but here we are. and they worked. ♪ freedom was a highway ♪ >> thanks to juju for that. wwbd. what would beyonce do? that's going to be a fun special. i have a piece coming up about celebs caught in controversy from 2021. a lot to look forward to. the annual primetime special "the year" with robin roberts premiers tonight at 9:00 on abc. you can stream it next day on hulu. coming up, the "gma" gives back finale. the huge surprise for a teen who is a hero in his community.

announcer: building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc 7 news. i am julian glover. we will check in with a look at traffic. >> good morning. wet lanes of traffic and standing water. hydroplaning but low volume of cars. folks have the week off, kids are out of school and we had no metering lights on. we still have major freeway closures going up to tahoe. 80, 88 and 50 all closed in the sierra. julian:

frances: good morning. the storm level to has brought rain and snow to the bay area. satellite radar shows the system is sliding south but it brought heavy rain through the santa cruz mountains. many areas over half an inch and it continues to pound the area. the national weather service issued a flood advisory until 9:45 this morning. mudslides, around, don't drown.

julian? julian: very exciting. thank you. we will have another update in 30 minutes. the new because you have done a bunch in your community, so here's a check for $10,000. [ screams ] >> you can do a bunch more in your future. that was a good scream. oh my gosh. >> we love that. >> that, of course -- welcome back to "gma." that was one of our favorite moments from "gma" gives back. that was 6-year-old kendall, georgia's youngest certified gardener. clearly very surprised. >> very. we are wrapping up our "gma" gives back, and ending the year in a big way. we're honoring an inspirational young man, and rob is going to tell us all about him. hey, rob. >> reporter: hey, mary. it is a tribute to those who

spread cheer and good will. this segment is sponsored by honey bunches of oats and they're helping us shine a light on heroes making a difference in their communities. this morning, you're about to meet phoenix brown, a teenager from chesapeake, virginia, and you're about to meet him in just a few minutes, but first, here how he's keeping his neighborhood beautiful one lawn at a time. in chesapeake, virginia, teenager phoenix brown did what many kids do when they're bored. he found a hobby. >> at one point it was basketball. at another point he was wanting to build a computer. then it was other things. >> reporter: some of the things stuck, but not as much as this. the 13-year-old becoming a mowing pro with tips to spare. >> don't cut wet grass. don't leave debris on your lawn. make sure it looks clean so nobody is chasing after you. >> phoenix is ambitious. phoenix is confident. phoenix is a go-getter. >> reporter: but that wasn't

enough either for phoenix. he wanted to give back to his community, and found one way he could do just that. pledging to take part in what's called the 50-yard challenge, a program through a charity organization called raising men and women lawn care where kids agree to cut 50 lawns for free for neighbors who are either veterans, disabled, elderly, or single parents. phoenix got to work fast. one yard became 20, then 30, and before he knew it, he was done. >> normally kids take a few months or even a year or so to finish the 50-yard challenge, but phoenix took it on and completed it in three weeks. >> reporter: along the way, phoenix made new friends, some een becoming like family. >> my birthday popped up. i go to the door and phoenix is there with a gift for me. just, you know, those are the special things, that giving heart that he has. absolutely, yes, i have adopted him. i sure have. >> reporter: now phoenix has created his own pledge to get

not 100 or 200, but 500 yards. >> i was, like, why not do 500? it's going to be harder, but i'm going to knock it out. >> reporter: we know at least one fan who will be cheering him on. >> miss wanda will be rooting you all the way. go, phoenix! >> reporter: exactly. go phoenix. >> well, phoenix is joining us from his home in virginia along with his parents joyce and sheldon and rodney, the founder of the raising men and women lawn care organization. good morning to all of you. thanks for joining us. phoenix, we want to start with you. so what inspired you to start cutting grass in your community like this? >> you know, good morning, america. i feel like that's the appropriate thing to say first. >> yes, it is. >> before i was cutting grass with my friends, we were trying to build a computer at the time. we were cutting it, knocking on doors, handing out fliers. that's how i found miss wanda

actually. then my dad asked, do you want to cut lawns for free? i said, sure. i had to do it for the elderly, veterans, disabled, and i said, let's do it again and again and again. i was, like, it's a fun challenge because all kids should just get up and just do it. have fun and cut grass. it's a good challenge. >> phoenix, you are incredible. there would have been a lot of kids who said, cut lawns for free? wait a minute. so, joyce and sheldon, your hearts have to be busting with pride. you have to be so proud of phoenix. what did you say when he told you he wanted to do this? >> well, we were very proud of him, and i was, like, it's going to be hot outside. it was like how are we going to make this possible? we rallied behind him, and family friends were also part of the process as well, and we made it all possible. he was very determined, and i think that just, you know, an awesome challenge like this puts smiles on people's faces and it

was amazing overall. >> and rodney, this is such an amazing organization. since you founded this, participants have cut over 12,000 lawns for free for people in need. >> yes, ma'am. >> you said phoenix is like a hero to you. i think we can certainly agree with that. but tell us what is just so special about this young man? >> well, phoenix, he's such a determined young man, and i wish i was -- i had his determination when i was his age because, you know, there's something special about this young man. there's just something special. phoenix is my hero, and just like all the other kids in the program, they're my heroes because they're leading the way and they're encouraging america to make a difference in their communities. >> so phoenix, i know you've cut a lot of lawns out there, and you have a lot of happy customers, but do you have a favorite? i'm going to put you on the spot this morning. your favorite customer? >> all right. so one of them is right here with me so i can't get in trouble. miss wanda. miss wanda was one of my best clients. i have had several, but she was

one of the best. she really was there for me. she was my first client when i was handing out the fliers, and when i started the challenge she was very supportive. i cut her lawn two times during the challenge, and when she came over for the interview, she was, like, you're so tall. how did you grow this tall? just seeing her here today with us, it's so great. so i really appreciate her, and all my clients. >> phoenix, you are so charismatic and such a good businessman too. >> thank you. >> we know you're getting ready to take this to the next level. we've heard you described as determined, as a go-getter. you're launching a 500-yard challenge with your friends next year. >> yeah. >> we've got just a little surprise for you. rob's going to help us out. rob, take it away. >> all right. >> reporter: that's right, janai. phoenix, honey bunches of oats wants to celebrate you for all you've done, for making a bunch happen in your community. so give it to him, guys. $10,000 for you.

>> oh, shoot. wow. >> reporter: that's to continue your work. you've got gasoline, you've got to sharpen those blades, you've got oil changes. there's all sorts of costs involved. >> thank you. thank you so much. i appreciate it. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you so much. i mean, like, if i could say anything -- if i could say something real quick before y'all cut me off. i know you're like hurry up. i want to say thank you to everybody who has been supportive, my parents and rodney. it's not about cutting grass. it's about giving back to your community and state, and giving back to everybody. i appreciate this. i hope we can do a lot for this, and i'll put it towards my college fund and community efforts. i appreciate everybody. thank you so much. >> phoenix, we appreciate you and your determination is infectious. thank you so much. we know it'll go a long way, and we'll be right back here on "gma" in just a moment. stay with us. >> thank you. all right, bye. "gma" gives back is sponsored by honey bunches of oats cereal.

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i started making psyc i started making psychological assessments about people according to how they drive. it really helps. like, people who won't let you in, will never let you in. they're dark, evil people. stop rolling up to their windows begging them for acceptance.

they hate you. >> very true. that was comedian aida rodriguez in her new special "fighting words." it's part standup, part travel documentary. please welcome aida. thank you for joining us, and congratulations. this is your first big special, and i have to say i love what you posted on social media. you said, i'm one of those people that rides up and down gazing at the billboards, never believing that i could ever be one of them. you say, i was right. i'm not one. i'm on five. so when you saw that billboard, i can only imagine. what was that feeling like? >> oh, man. a dream come true. you know, the billboards are a big deal in los angeles. you talk about someone who was homeless, living in a best western looking up at those billboards and never believing that i could be on one, and it was a big deal for me and my kids and we were, like, jumping up and down in the street. >> that's incredible.

you have come a long way, aida, and you use your comedy to address topics like identity, family, heritage. that's a delicate balance to strike. how do you do it, find the right balance between funny and serious? >> i have to sit down with myself before i tell the joke and ask myself, what's the intention? like, what do i want to do? do i want to bring people together, do laughter? i think that a lot of times when i sit with myself when i do that, i can find the balance. i think that so many things are divisive right now. i really want to use my comedy to promote some healing and everything that i do comes from that. >> we all need that humor. we need that healing. so the first time that you ever tried your hand at standup, you were a huge success, but then the next time, you say you completely bombed. explain the nuance challenges here. is it safe to say that comedy is not as easy as you make it look? >> no. it's not as easy as anyone makes it look. it's a -- you know, it's a

skill. it's a science. it's something you have to work at, and that first time you get on stage, the adrenaline takes over, and you're naturally funny, and, you know, doing what you do with your friends, and i think the audience gives you a pass. but that second time that i got on stage, the audience said, my pass had worn out, and yeah. >> of course, a big moment in your career was the chance to be part of robert de niro's 2016 movie "the comedian." is it true your phone's roaming charges almost got in the way of that? what's the back story here? >> i was in israel and i got a phone call from taylor hackford, and i didn't know -- i didn't know it was taylor hackford because he was casually, like, aida, it's taylor, and i need to talk to you about this movie that i'm doing, and i'm, like, taylor, my phone is roaming. can you call me back on a different phone? >> but it all worked out.

>> it did. and i got back -- sorry. >> go ahead. >> i said, when i landed and i turned my phone on, that was the first phone call that i had. we laughed about it, and, you know, the rest is history. i love you, taylor. >> it's a good story. on a more serious note, though, you're a divorced mom, and you have two adult children. obviously the three of you have been through some tough times together. what do you hope moms in particular take away from your story? as you said, homeless looking up at the billboards, and you're out here grinding, making your dreams come true. >> well, i've always believed that children are observational learners, and on of the things that they walk away with in this particular situation is that they never saw me give up, and even in moments, you know, they have very distinct personalities. my kids each show up in a different way.

i thought about quitting. i told my son. he said, if you quit, my hero dies. i told my daughter, and she said, you made us go through all of this for nothing? you are not allowed to quit. those are my -- those are my heroes. but you know what? they know that i believe in something, and i think mothers are precious. we are sacrificial lambs. we give up so much. i believe that if i honored my children that god would honor me, and, you know, i just encourage moms to dream and to believe, and they need to be championed all the time. >> you are certainly setting an amazing example. thank you for joining us, and congratulations. "fighting words" is streaming now on hbo max. rob, back over to you. >> reporter: all right, mary. speaking of fighting, this is a fight going on tonight. you better believe it. ba ba ba ba. it's monday night football. the dolphins take on the saints. playoff implications and it's happening in new orleans.

the action starts tonight at 8:00 eastern on espn, of course. all right. let's talk about the weather, in new orleans, at the dome stadium of course, in the big easy. 78 degrees there, and places like nashville and cincinnati, 70 degrees there. that's in the way of the storm heading to the east. that's a check of what's ha still coming up here on "gma," alex snodgrass turns your christmas leftovers you can cook in just 30 minutes. don't want to miss that. christmas leftovers into a meal you can cook in just 30 minutes. don't want to

welc welcome back, and we are back now with how to make those christmas leftovers into the

gift that keeps on giving. we are joined by alex snodgrass, author of "the comfortable kitchen." she has a soup recipe to show us, and this is great because it's for the busy family. it only takes 30 minutes to make. welcome to alex. so excited to have you here this monday morning. this recipe was inspired by one of your favorite childhood dishes. tell us about that. >> yes. good morning, janai. i'm so excited to be here, and this is inspired -- i grew up eating at olive garden, and i was obsessed with their soup. this is my dairy-free and gluten-free rendition. i'm not sure if you have had it before. >> oh, alex, whit is so excited. >> i was a waiter at the olive garden by the way. i said this smells like that. i was a waiter there. i am down with that. all right. >> i can't wait to hear what you think. >> i'm sure yours is much better. although theirs is fine too. you say this soup is great to freeze, and you can prepare it

on busy weeknights. how do we get started in making it? >> yeah. so i've already gotten started making it and all i've done is sauteed up some onions and garlic and browned up some hot italian sausage, and if you have pickier palates, you can go mild as well. from there i'm going to add in my thickener. this is going to thicken up the soup and it's air root flour. this is how i keep it gluten free. i'll sprinkle that in. >> you mentioned this dairy and gluten-free. what type of potatoes are the best to use here? what are you using? >> so i'm going to be using russet potatoes today. i find those are the best. they kind of keep that mellow flavor. they're super neutral, and then they soak up all the delicious flavors from the sausage, and everything else in the soup.

so i'm from -- after this -- after i added that gluten-free flour, i'm going to add in my broth and stir that in. then again, if you don't want to keep it gluten-free, you could just use all-purpose flour or even corn starch here. whatever you have on hand and whatever your heart desires. >> you mentioned this dairy free. if you are craving dairy, what can you substitute in. >> i'll be using this dairy-free creamer. it's a combination of coconut milk and almond milk. it's a good and neutral flavor. you can use an unsweetened coconut milk, but if you want a little dairy, you could use heavy creamer or even half and half. i've got that in there, and i'm going to put my kale in. got to get the greens in there. then again with that dairy comment that you just made, you could add in some parmesan cheese right here, but what i'm going to do to keep it dairy-free, and you don't have to do this. this is nutritional yeast. this will give it that cheese

flavor without adding dairy. i'll add in a tablespoon of that. >> aside from endless bread sticks and salad, how do you finish this off? you can show us the final product. i understand you have other dishes as well with you. >> yeah. so i finish this off with everyone's favorite protein, a little sprinkle of bacon, and then after that, a little garnish of parsley and all of this is totally unnecessary aside from the bacon, but it just kind of makes it more beautiful and honestly it's just so delicious as is it doesn't matter. i have other items too that are in my cook book that are wonderful. i've got these seven-ingredient almond butter cookies. they're a take on peanut butter cookies. you just need one bowl and a sheet pan. it takes about eight minutes. they're so delicious, and such a fun treat. i had one for breakfast, and then over here, another super cozy dish. i have a paleo pot pie.

this is made grain free and also dairy free. my book has options if you're craving dairy. it works for everybody. this is super delicious as well. >> this is great for someone looking to eat healthier in the new year. that's one of my 2022 intentions, and nutritional yeast, great for moms looking to beef up their milk supply. alex, you're a genius. thank you so much for joining us. >> thank you. >> "the comfortable kitchen" is available tomorrow, and you can get this recipe on our website at goodmorningamerica.com. stay with us. stay with us. we'll be right back. this holiday season, we want to enjoy the gift of being together. for peace of mind, take the first step in knowing. because it might just be a cold, but you want to be confident. the binaxnow covid-19 antigen self test has the same technology used by doctors and detects multiple variants. so in just 15 minutes, you can test, know, and go. available in stores and online. ♪

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hey. hey. make sure you don't miss the primetime special "the year" with robin roberts. it's tonight at 9:00 right here on abc. you can stream it tomorrow on hulu. thanks for watching this morning. rning. ♪ ♪ ♪ wow, we're crunching tons of polygons here! what's going on? where's regina? hi, i'm ladonna. i invest in invesco qqq, a fund that gives me access to the nasdaq-100 innovations,

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announcer: building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc 7 news. julian: good morning and happy monday. i am julian glover. let's check in with sue hall. sue: still wet and we have standing water in the roads. we will talk to frances about the weather but we had an earlier power outages with bart. that is cleared up but limited service. you can see all the green so be cautious of standing water and solo spinouts. frances: i wanted to start with this beautiful shot of san francisco because a storm level two is over the north bay. it does continue to bring lots of rain, especially south of the san mateo bridge. snow up through lake mendocino county. flood advisory until 9:45 for south of san francisco. be careful.

winter storm warning until 9:00 tonight. julian: thank you. time for live with kelly and ryan. ryan. we will be back at 11:00. deja vu: it's live with kelly and ryan. today, actor turned author, kal penn. and from the series queens, naturi naughton. plus, we're whipping up a flavorful festive dish you'll want to serve this new year's eve. all next on live. and now here are kelly ripa and ryan seacrest. ♪ n-n-n-no, no, no, no place i rather be ♪ ♪ n-n-n-no, no, no, no place i rather be ♪ [applause] hi, deja. taking it back. where do you want it? doing arts and crafts? -oh, we're gonna play-- you know what? -we are? you've played house. we're gonna play michael's arts and crafts store today. arts and crafts. it's called arts and crafts. we're gonna play one of my favorite holiday-- arts and crafts gifts. welcome to your monday, december 27th, everybody. nice to see you.