captioned by los angeles distribution and broadcasting, inc. to life with christmas and hanukkah celebrations will capture the spirit, and it is a day of giving back. we're there as people step up and help bring smiles to others. >> they were calling steven, steven, come out, come out! and they heard him screaming and he never made it out. >> and tragedy in oakland, a man dies while trying to save his family from a fire. >> always live abc seven news starts right now.

>> good evening, merry christmas and happy hanukkah. i'm dan ashley, thank you for joining us tonight. there is a lot of joyful news to share with you on this holiday, but sadly, we're going to begin with a very sad headline on an oakland family lost a son this morning. he died trying to rescue his family from a fire. the victim was a 37 year old who was going to propose to his fiancee next week. just a terrible tragedy. as i said in oakland. here's abc seven news reporter anser hassan reporter. >> the family of steven weatherford started christmas day mourning his loss. he died trying to save his family from their burning house. >> steven was truly the best person you could ever meet. he loved his family, his friends, everybody so much. he died trying to get them out of the house and he succeeded. i loved him so much. >> lashawn tamayo was steven's girlfriend. she just learned on christmas morning that he was going to propose on new year's eve. >> i know he's looking down on us right now and i don't know what else to say. i just wish he

was here right now, his aunt eunice smith says. >> for generations, the weatherford had hosted big holiday parties like christmas at the family home. she says steven was sleeping on the couch when the fire erupted. >> he was just trying to save everybody, make sure everybody was out of the house. he may not have known that. they all went out the back and my other nephew was calling for him because they were all in the back. and they were they were calling steven, steven, come out, come out. and they heard him screaming and he never made it out. >> the oakland fire department says the cause of the fire is still unknown, but that it got a call around 6:15 a.m. of a house fire. when crews arrived on scene, they found steven's body inside. they believe he was likely overcome and disoriented by the smoke, and appeared to have died from smoke inhalation. >> he was a good person. he was a good family man, you know, so it's important that, you know, he saved his family. he saved four people in that house. he woke them up and he saved them. and he went back, i guess, because he wasn't sure if

everybody was out of the house. so, yes, he was a hero. >> mayo's mother, sandra clark, also had high praise for who would have been her soon to be son in law. >> when i met him, i said, that's the one. that's the one. yeah. and her father and i, we all just loved him so much. and he loved her so much. and i found out that he was going to propose to her. he had bought the ring, and he didn't give her a chance to give it to her. but it's in the house and we're going to find it. >> a gofundme account has been set up to help the family in oakland, anser hassan. abc seven news. >> no one was hurt, thankfully, when an apartment exploded this morning in capitola. neighbors say the fire was so intense they could feel the heat from the flames. firefighters are looking into the cause, but public works says the blast may have been caused by a natural gas leak. all right, let's turn now to the weather. and the rain held off for christmas and the first

night of hanukkah, making for a sparkling night in san francisco as you look live. but the rain is coming back. meteorologist frances dinglasan is here with your 24 hour accuweather forecast. frances. yeah. >> in fact, dan, it's coming back right now. so we will start off with live doppler seven, the satellite radar image. we already had some light rain being reported towards ukiah and in the north bay. they're going to get the light rain and scattered showers first. so some light rain moving towards cloverdale and then heading towards santa rosa in the next hour. here is the storm impact scale. it's a level one, a light storm for tomorrow. it's going to start off with scattered morning showers. we get a break during the middle of the day and then more widespread rainfall at night. it could be breezy at times. live look from sutro tower shows you the day planner for tomorrow. so 7:00 a few showers still linger, but by lunchtime mainly cloudy and dry. highs in the afternoon will be near 60 degrees for almost everybody. the north bay will start to get some rain during

the 4 p.m. 5 p.m. hour, and then by 8 p.m, we'll have widespread rain all around the bay area. i'll let you know what the rainfall totals out, what the rainfall totals are, and how much more rain we can expect in the next few days. dan. >> okay, frances, thanks a lot. just a couple of minutes. happening now. caltrans cameras show road conditions. there currently are no chain requirements on 50 or 80. the greater lake tahoe area, though, is under a winter weather advisory. it covers areas above 6000ft with scattered rain showers expected in lower areas. well, christmas day also happens to coincide. as you know, this year with the start of hanukkah. san francisco's union square was certainly the place to be tonight, no matter what you were celebrating. so much fun. abc seven news reporter tara campbell was there with the holiday spirit in the air. >> and just like that, the menorah is lit and hanukkah has begun. crowds gathering at san francisco's union square in celebration. >> it doesn't matter what race,

religion or color you are, you could come and enjoy the celebration here in union square with us, and we welcome you with open arms. >> this is a sign of light in the world, and it's just amazing that everybody is coming here together to celebrate this holiday. >> and with the pandemic, less of a concern comes a renewed appreciation for coming together. >> i think, if anything, the last four years taught us the importance of being around other folks and engaging with other people, so it's nice. >> positas and the lighting of these candles. wednesday, coinciding with christmas day, upping the celebratory spirit at union square. >> i was surprised. i mean, it's popping. it's alive. it's come back. >> for many, it's a family affair. and for some, a first time, like three year old oliver here with his mom, dad and grandmother. >> what it look like? it's not too bad, actually. and it's not screaming away. >> a proud grandmother capturing the moment. >> it's a it's a treat. >> it's full of life. it spreads

the joy. a lot of lights. and macy's is always beautiful. the decorations. so yeah. getting a little bit of the christmas spirit. >> the christmas spirit and the start of hanukkah all in one special night in one special spot. tara campbell, abc seven news. >> well, the giving spirit on full display today in san francisco's tenderloin neighborhood. saint anthony's says it served more than 1500 meals there with the help of 60 volunteers. one saint anthony's, anthony's employee who helped cook today, says the nonprofit enabled him to kick a longtime drug addiction. >> i love to give back to a place that once gave me so much. you know, i was on the other end, and i get so much support here and so much love. it's awesome. >> so nice of him to be involved like this. kitchen staff prepared more than 1,000 pounds of lemon rosemary chicken, 900 pounds of potatoes and 1600 servings of homemade focaccia and cookies. sounds pretty good, doesn't it? well, volunteers

showing some love to people getting a free christmas day meal at glide. about 4000 meals were handed out today. the menu included ham, turkey, potatoes, trimmings and a nice serving of pumpkin pie. to top it off, this is the 61st year that glide has offered free christmas meals at its tenderloin location. this is something glide does year round. of course. ready for this? in the past year, it has served more than 650,000 meals to people in need. truly incredible. well, some last minute christmas magic helped save a holiday meal program for homebound seniors. every year, the salvation army relies on volunteers to deliver meals to seniors who can't leave their homes. this year, they had 4400 meals to deliver. big job. but they were dozens of volunteers short. and to make matters worse, thieves stole the batteries to three of their delivery trucks, if you can believe it. but a call for help was answered. volunteers stepped up and someone paid to replace those car batteries. >> this feels like a hallmark movie. it's a christmas miracle.

people came through. we got the batteries. we we've got the volunteers. they came in. we know that when we put the word out to this community in the bay area, they just step up. >> the salvation army also dealt with another setback. gunshots shattered the front door of their bayview location. fortunately, no one was hurt and that damage has been repaired. employees at a restaurant in the east bay are helping build a better bay area this christmas. they spent the day away from their families to host a gift giveaway for kids and adults who otherwise may not have had anything under the tree this morning. abc seven news reporter lena howland explains that for many families, this act of kindness made all the difference. >> they say not all heroes wear capes, and not all santas wear red suits. >> how many people in your group. >> in this case, he wears a green vest. >> this is so cool. >> johnny show just celebrated the 15th anniversary of his restaurant, rebel kitchen and libations in livermore. they

survived through multiple shutdowns during the pandemic, and on christmas day, they're giving back to the same community that kept them afloat. >> there's a lot of people who christmas is really hard for. so this is our opportunity to maybe just give back a little bit, give them, you know, maybe 20 minutes of some christmas cheer. >> powered by community donations from schools, churches and customers, shell invited families in need for a gift giveaway. no signups, no proof of address, and no questions asked. >> i think it's kind of indicative of the times we're having right now. there's a lot of people having having tough times, not a lot under the tree. >> up until like three days ago, we didn't think we'd have a christmas for evangelina sanchez and her family. >> this made all the difference. >> it makes the kids happy. and it. you know, it just really it helps kind of liven spirits during dark times. >> her mom, evelyn, says the family had fallen on tough times over the past few years. >> being homeless ourselves and being housed, you know, after six years, there's so many people that people look at them like, you know, like they're trash or whatever it is. so this

restores everyone, i think gives them a little hope. you know, that little light. >> and the giveaway wasn't just for the kids. >> i got a corgi, but adults too. >> we think about our kids. kids come first and the fact that they said adults as well. so it's like, oh yeah, you feel like a kid again, you know? >> nakia parker is a single parent of three, but with inflation combined with life's unexpected curveballs, this was something that still made christmas possible. >> it's beautiful that people still care. and that's what we all need. someone to be able to reach out and help. and it's okay to reach out to get help. >> a tradition this santa hopes to continue to grow for years to come. >> honestly, i couldn't think of a better way to spend my christmas day. just to see the look on people's faces. >> merry christmas in livermore. lena howland, abc seven news. >> well, that should make you smile, right? so sweet. all right. we're getting a bird's eye view of monday's damage to the santa cruz wharf. drone view. drone video shows the raggedy remains of the wharf's tip. pieces of the pier continue

to wash up on beaches nearby. the state has not sought a federal disaster declaration. at least not yet. it's waiting for a damage assessment. preliminary estimates are at about $20 million, and there may be more trouble on the way. the storm off the coast is expected, expected to bring more high surf through the weekend. francis will have more on that as we continue here in a few minutes. and a warning if you bought organic eggs at costco. the food and drug administration has raised the recall of kirkland signature eggs to the highest level. that means it carries a significant risk of serious illness due to a potential salmonella contamination. the eggs have a use by date of january 5th. you can return the eggs to costco for a full refund. all right. as we continue a lot more holiday coverage for you, including christmas mass held at historic notre dame notre dame cathedral for the first time in years. and you may remember the fire that heavily damaged the post office

in boulder creek. today, there was a special delivery for one of the victims. plus a negative becomes a positive. how? today became the perfect opportunity to deliver some puppies to bay area families. all of that ♪ but my heart's of gold ♪ ♪ just one more night ♪ ♪ and i'm coming off this long and winding road ♪ ♪ i'm on my way ♪ ♪ i'm on my way ♪ ♪ home sweet home ♪ there's no place like the road home. receive a $5,500 bonus on a new 2024 audi q5 plug-in hybrid during the season of audi sales event.

pope francis called for talks to end the ukraine war. francis was criticized by ukrainian officials earlier this year when he said the country should have the courage to negotiate an end to the war with russia. the 88 year old pontiff celebrated his 12th christmas as pope this year. pope francis, calling for an end to all conflicts in places including lebanon, mozambique, haiti, venezuela and

nicaragua. another christmas tradition made a triumphant return this year. in paris, the notre dame cathedral celebrated its first mass on christmas day since that fire nearly destroyed it back in 2019. following the destruction, nearly $1 billion in donations poured in from around the world. notre dame, celebrated for masses on christmas eve. people were able to attend without a reservation. the cathedral reopened to the public on december 7th, and everyone was so amazed and relieved to see it from once again back here at home. firefighters in the south bay who saved a boy from a burning home, were reunited with him as part of an annual holiday tradition for the santa clara county fire department. abc seven news reporter zach fuentes spoke with the young survivor and his mother about that special visit. >> thank you for saving me. saving me?

>> justin houston and his mom, holly nelson, have a lot to be grateful for this holiday season. after this fire destroyed their home. it happened earlier this month. their home, set just above the brookdale post office in the santa cruz mountains. it happened while the family was asleep. some of them made it out quickly, but ralston was still inside. >> i was terrified, i didn't know what to do. >> holly and her fiance were frantic outside. her fiance busted a window trying to get ralston out, injuring himself in the process, each second agonizing. >> any mom's like worst fear is something like that happening. like i never, ever experienced that. i don't ever, ever wish that for anybody, especially if you have kids. >> holly says it was a ben lomond firefighter who saved ralston's life. >> nick burgess is the firefighter that pulled him out and i just wanted to tell him, thank you so much. >> that gratitude extended to all local firefighters, including the santa clara county fire department, who delivered

toys to ralston and other patients at santa clara valley medical center. youth patients who can't make it home for the holidays. >> the support that we got from the community and from from everyone, and now the firefighters is just overwhelming, so amazing. we're just so grateful for everything like christmas. >> ariel, the firefighters are just as thrilled by the special day. >> very heartwarming. you know, it's definitely a little emotional, but and we're just very excited that we can do this for these children today. >> ralston is still recovering from burns and smoke inhalation. the family is without a home and will be staying in a local hotel. still, ralston and holly are grateful that the rest of their loved ones who escaped the fire are out of the hospital, and ralston is excited about joining them. >> i really feel like there was somebody watching over him that night in san jose. >> zach fuentes, abc seven news. >> what a nice moment today. the humane society of silicon valley borrowed a page from santa playbook and delivered some very special gifts on christmas day.

gifts with big floppy ears. volunteers delivered real life puppies to several families. the. the special christmas day delivery comes as the milpitas animal shelter was forced to close after a fire damaged part of the building last week. the animals are being adopted right out of foster homes. >> connecting fosters directly with adopters so that the dogs go from one home to the other and never go back to the shelter. on top of that program, we also had our christmas day delivery special. >> rebuilding the animal shelter can take more than a year in the meantime. adoption fees are waived at humane society silicon valley in an effort to find permanent homes for all of the animals that had to be evacuated. all right, take a look now at a holiday tradition that celebrates history. people reenacted george washington's 1776 christmas night river crossing of the delaware river from pennsylvania into new jersey. it was a pivotal moment, of course, in the revolutionary war. as you can see, they go all

out full fig, right? full costumes. the reenactment just north of philadelphia, draws a big crowd every year. that's a neat tradition. makes you imagine how cold it must have been to cross the delaware back then. >> yeah. back then. and with that wardrobe, too? yeah. >> exactly. right. francis is back with our forecast. beautiful day around here, but a little chilly, a little chilly, and we got a nice break. >> perfect timing with christmas and the start of hanukkah for the break in the rainfall. but it already has returned to the north bay. here's a look at live doppler seven. and we already had some light rain in ukiah, cloverdale, and in santa rosa, but it's still pretty from sutro tower. looking out toward san francisco, you can see the salesforce tower and city hall lit in blue for the start of hanukkah, and san francisco is currently 51. oakland 52, san jose is also 51, and we're seeing some upper 40s in hayward, redwood city, and half moon bay. and it's also looking gorgeous at the holiday lights on the embarcadero buildings in

the north bay. it's a little bit cooler in petaluma and napa. 46 degrees for you there. santa rosa 48, fairfield livermore at 47, concord at 50 degrees. so here's how it plays out. we're going to see showers move into the north bay first during the overnight hours. and then we'll slide through during the morning hours thursday morning. what you'll notice by 8:00 mostly dry. we can't rule out some showers popping up throughout the day, but from thursday eight until 5 p.m, with most of us being dry, the rain will start to return to the north bay and then the moderate rainfall moves through late thursday night into early friday morning. so temperatures and actually rainfall estimates generally less than a third of an inch. if you are at napa or south, we could see a little bit higher amounts in parts of the north bay, like santa rosa near 4/10 of an inch and ukiah 7/10 of an inch, and also some higher amounts in the north bay

mountains. and then with this storm, the northwest swell also increases. as dan mentioned earlier, a high surf advisory, in effect starting at 10:00 tomorrow, continuing to 4 p.m. sunday so we could see waves up to 30ft. once again, not great news for the santa cruz wharf, and this does create hazardous swimming and surfing conditions. be careful at the beaches. of course, that also means snow in the sierra. so there's a winter weather advisory until noon. if you're driving tomorrow, be prepared for hazardous conditions. we could see up to ten inches of snow above 6000ft. overnight lows will be in the 40s tonight, and then tomorrow's highs will be generally near 60 degrees. some upper 50s in san francisco and oakland and then mild in san jose at 63 degrees tomorrow. here's the accuweather seven day forecast. so for the start of kwanzaa, we'll have those little showers in the morning. they have already started rain in the evening, a

wet and breezy start friday, but then a decent break on saturday. scattered showers, mainly in the north bay and then sunday more rain and then finally sunshine. drier weather. although it will be chilly for new year's eve, so definitely grab a jacket if you are heading out. >> all right. quite a pattern. yeah, thanks. >> looking forward to the change. yeah.

go fifth grader this christmas. her name is balwani and her drawing won the san francisco sheriff holiday card contest. her drawing featured a snow globe with the sheriff's logo and several san francisco landmarks. kids from schools all over the city took part in this contest. sheriff paul miyamoto visited iolani at her school last week to award her the winning prize. nice job. all right. today was certainly a christmas gift for sports fans. sports director larry beil is here. larry. >> dan. oh, man. we got a treat steph versus lebron. plus two nfl games trying to steal some nba thunder. >> i love the nfl but christmas is our day. >> absolutely. but who would own the night. curry or james. this game went down to the wire. sports

merry christmas, santa and the nba season filmmaker gave us steph versus lebron on christmas day. yes. who knows how many more of these we're going to get with two aging superstars. got

to enjoy every single minute steph and lebron. big pre-game hug. they got super tight at the olympics jonathan kuminga balling his way to the basket. get off me with authority. posterizing two lakers. that's going to be a problem jc with 14 points. high flier steph averaging only 15 points on christmas day. ready to play in this one though. on the drive. flips it up flips it in. never seen this before. draymond green the double arm lock. pulls down two. lakers is like a hulk hogan move. late fourth quarter lebron james for three. he had 31. lakers were up by eight. warriors down four 12 seconds left steph off balance from the corner. are you serious. are we going to get a christmas miracle at shefs. then with nine seconds left dubs down three steph gets free. he's way out. splash. he had 38. still needing a stop though austin reaves just blows by andrew wiggins with a second left. reaves a triple double 2410 and ten steph one last heave a prayer that won't go. lakers 115 113. the dubs have

dropped 11 of the last 14. >> yeah morale is down but it's not in the sense of the players not liking each other. we all love being around each other and being here, but we had a little meeting and talk today and we're at the point where it's this can go one way or this can go the other. and so we got to figure this thing out and we will 70 sixers and celtics. >> good luck there. joel embiid this is really strange. twisted his ankle and got tangled up in a rope during warm ups. the big man played anyway though and he had 27 points. tyrese maxey star of the game 33 points and 12 boards recovering with that almost lost dribble there 70 sixers win 118 114 spurs and knicks karl anthony towns come get some wemby pushed victor wembanyama out of the way. wemby went for 42 points on six threes, 18 boards and four blocks himself, but mickael bridges put his stamp on this

game with 41 for the knicks, who win 117, 114. nfl action chiefs and steelers boyfriend arriving patrick mahomes threw for 320 yards, three touchdowns, 12 yards here to travis kelce, who has the most td catches in chiefs history. netflix gave him some cool jackets and kc clinches the number one seed in the afc 2910. sports on abc seven. sponsored

live and on demand through the abc seven bay area connected tv app. it's available for apple tv, google tv, amazon fire tv and roku. download the app now and you can start streaming. all right, that is this edition of abc seven news on this christmas night and first night of hanukkah. happy abruptly split. handrails dangling towards the ocean. a new storm system is fueling the high surf, dumping heavy rain from washington state down to northern california and up to three feet of snow from the cascades down to the sierra and east to the rocky mountains north of salt lake city. this avalanche buried a snowmobiler after carrying him 150 yards.