i'm a big fan of the revolution. few to help you. >> big show. >> i'm biking here. >> what about your smartphone? maybe you're smarter without it. >> it's time to go on your digital detox. >> no more iphones, no ipads. >> i'm starting to sweat. >> how would you do? >> oh, my god. >> and, life lesson -- from the superstar who's coming back big.

>> you know you make the ladies swoon, right? >> i do? >> yeah, of course you do. >> when did that start? >> "dateline" ushers in 2013. it's a new year, new you. also tonight -- >> i just went, no, no, no, no! >> they wanted another child. then came the bombshell from the fertility doctor. yes, she was pregnant, but she had been given another couple's embryos by mistake. >> what's going through your mind? >> i have a baby growing in me, it's somebody else's. what are we going to do? >> would she carry this child for another mother? even if it meant putting her own life at risk? >> i cannot believe i'm surviving this moment. >> now, the amazing new ending to this life-changing journey. >> what a beautiful outcome. >> our story has come so full circle. >> meredith vieira with

inconceivable. essed as pixels. a billion roaming photojournalists... uploading the human experience. and it is spectacular. so why would you cap that? my iphone 5 can see every point of view... every panorama, the entire gallery of humanity. i need to upload all of me. i need, no, i have the right to be unlimited. only sprint offers truly unlimited data... for iphone 5. only sprint offers truly unlimited data... why let constipation stry miralax.? mirlax works differently than other laxatives. it draws water into your colon to unblock your system naturally. don't wait to feel great. miralax.

we throw out over $500 ziploin food every year.. help save more of it with ziploc freezer bags featuring smartzip. edge to edge protection you can hear. get ziploc. and get more out of it. [ female announcer ] s.c. johnson. a family company. man: at turbotax, we know this is more than a paycheck. it's long, hard days, late nights, and missed little league games. you've worked hard to earn your money. and we think you should have the power to keep as much of it as possible. we have tax experts to answer your questions. we'll back you and support you. because a dollar here, a dollar there-- every dollar is more important when it's yours. turbotax-- the power to keep what's yours. try it free at turbotax.com.

thanks for joining us. i'm lester holt. what does did mean to be a mother? does a child's identity come from biology, from love? or from both? those are the questions that faced the two families you're about to meet. it begins with a mother longing for another child. soon, she would have an inconceivable choice to make. meredith vieira is back to share the latest on this remarkable story. >> i think you don't realize how you're going to receive really bad news until bad news comes in your direction.

>> there's a moment some of us will inevitably face in our lives. the moment when our core beliefs, our values, are put to the test. >> it was as if someone had taken a vacuum and sucked all of the oxygen out of my lungs. >> it would be an agonizing decision for carolyn and shawn savage. >> people ask, how do you immediately make that kind of decision. and we were raised to do things for other people. it's part of who we are. >> a decision that would risk carolyn's health and take an unbearable toll on them both. but they saw no other way. in their eyes, a child's life was at stake. >> has this sunk in? >> you know, i don't know that we know that it's ever going to sink in. it's a process that's going to play out for the rest of our lives. >> it all began with a simple dream. >> we knew that we would start a family right away after we got married. because we wanted kids and lots

of them. that was our plan. >> a plan that started while they were college sweethearts in the late '80s. shawn came from family of nine children, carolyn has two siblings. they decided four children would be the right number for them. but having that family, they say, would be the biggest challenge in their marriage. >> just based on my medical histo history, we knew that our fertility was actually somewhat threatened when i was pretty young. >> they settled in suburban toledo. shawn was a financial adviser, carolyn, a school teacher. and as planned, they began their family right away. their son, andrew, was born in 1994. a year after carolyn and shawn were married. >> and the first time, no problem? >> no problem. i carried him full term. so we thought we were in the clear. >> but they weren't. carolyn and shawn tried for two years, with help from fertility specialists before she became pregnant again.

then, there were complications. life-threatening ones for both carolyn and the baby. so doctors delivered their son, ryan, two months early. he weighed just three pounds. it took a month in the neo-natal intensive care unit to nurse him to health. >> and yet, you made a decision that you wanted to try yet again. >> we did, we did seek the opinions of four doctors. and all four of the physicians we spoke with said, it's probably just a medical fluke. go for it. >> but this time, it was a ten-year struggle. carolyn went through over 20 infertility treatments and had four miscarriages. finally, they turned to invitro fertilization. their own embryos were created in a lab and were transferred into carolyn. >> their daughter, mary kate was born in 2008. >> that was just such a miracle. oh, my gosh. it was, that was a huge accomplishment for us. >> and their family would have been complete with three

children instead of four. but for a promise they had made to each other. they still had five embryos left from that invitro procedure. >> shawn and i had discussed that we would give every embryo we created a chance at life. >> so almost a year after mary kate was born, carolyn and shawn decided to try for another baby. using those remaining embryos. >> we weren't getting any younger. >> you were getting close to 40. >> yeah. >> we decided as soon as we were medically cleared, that we would proceed. >> in february 2009, three embryos were transferred into carolyn. ten days later, she went for a blood test to see if she was pregnant. >> and we expected a result by about lunchtime. >> lunchtime came. any result? >> no. >> one:00? >> no. >> 2:00? >> no. >> about 3:30. >> what happened? >> i'm sitting at my desk. i received a phone call from the doctor. >> it was their fertility doctor, thinking he had called

carolyn, but he reached shawn instead. >> he made sure i was alone at the time. and that he had bad news. and but it wasn't the type of bad news that we would ever expect. >> that news sent shawn reeling. he had to tell carolyn immediately. >> this is traumatic. this is so bad, so i dropped everything and got in my car and drove home. and just thought during the drive, how am i going to do this. [ female announcer ] it's a mountain grown morning with lively colombian. it's a morning breeze smooth as black silk.

with folgers gourmet selections k-cup packs you can turn any day gourmet. new roasts, a new look... available where you buy groceries. i'm home! [ baby crying ] everything's fine. [ male announcer ] of all the things that happen on your wooden surfaces, disinfecting has to be one of them. clorox disinfecting wipes. gentle on wood. hard on germs. it's creamy, nonfat, and it turns the next person you see into john stamos for five seconds. honey! i think i'm getting burned! heh! eat. ♪ tastes pretty good, huh? ♪ best yogurt ever. yeah! [ men grunting ] open! [ male announcer ] dannon oikos berry flavors beat chobani 2 to 1 in a national taste test. oikos greek yogurt. possibly the best yogurt in the world.

[ female announcer ] no more paper coupons. no more paper lists. [ dog barking ] ♪ no more paper anything. safeway presents just for u. ♪

save more. save easier. saving more, starts now. just for u on the safeway app. abecause what you don't know can abouhurt you.ce. what if you didn't know that boxes by the curb... make you a target for thieves? or that dog bites account for a third of all home liability claims? what if you didn't know that one in seven drivers is uninsured? and that grease fires have to be smothered? the more you know, the better you can plan for whats ahead. get smarter about your insurance. ♪ we are farmers bum - pa - dum, bum - bum - bum - bum ♪ . are you okay

. february 16th, 2009. received a call from his wife's fertility doctor. he and carolyn had been waiting to learn whether she was pregnant. the doctor told him carolyn was. but there was bad news. it was someone else's embryo. >> what's your reaction, shawn? >> it barely registered. i understood what he was saying. but it did not comprehend, because it wasn't within the realm of possibility. it wasn't something that happens. >> now he had to go home and break the news to his wife. shawn didn't mince words. >> i let her know. i said the doctor called, really bad news. you're pregnant and they

transferred the wrong embryos. >> just like that. >> uh-huh. >> i didn't know any other way than to deliver it right out. >> i could not believe what he was saying. and i literally couldn't breathe. i just went -- no, no, no, no. no. no. just, that can't happen. >> what's going through your mind at that point? >> that there was clearly no way out. we had no way out. i knew that immediately. i'm pregnant, there's a baby growing in me, it's somebody else's. what are we going to do? >> the doctors spoke to carolyn later that night. >> and what does he say? >> he was calling to tell me that he was sorry. he was devastated. >> did he offer any explanation as to what happened? >> no. i didn't even ask, i didn't even ask at that point. in fact, i didn't even think,

meredith, to ask where are my embryos. he just aftered that. he said i can't believe i have to say this, but your embryos are safe. >> did he say anything about the other couple. >> they didn't know. >> they didn't know it had happened yet. they were a patient of one of his partners in the clinic. >> and their doctor, carolyn says, gave her the option of ending the pregnancy. >> i could have ceased my hormone therapy that was supporting the pregnancy. which was basically terminating. >> and if she terminated, carolyn says the doctor offered both the savages and the other couple fertility treatments at his own expense. but the savages had already made their decision. >> we can't terminate this pregnancy. >> you knew -- >> no matter what, you were going to have the baby if you could have the baby? >> yeah, after everything shawn and i had been through trying to have a baby, we knew that we had somebody's very, very wanted child.

i just couldn't see taking that away from another mother. i just, there's just no way. >> but even in that moment, knowing how difficult it was for you to carry a child, knowing this one was not yours, you might not get another opportunity, you had embryos that were yours, that were stored somewhere, that could be transferred. never crossed your mind that that's an option for me, termination. >> no. >> it's not even something we had to really converse about. it was just, that's who we are, we value life too much. >> and having made that decision, they still head on to a shred of hope, that this baby might become theirs after all. >> we were hoping against hope that maybe they would say -- >> you can have the baby. >> we'll leave you alone. i thought maybe, maybe. knowing that women have embryos they don't know what to do with. maybe they'll let us keep the baby. >> it didn't matter, they say, that they weren't the biological parents.

but two days after learning about the he can brio mix-up, their doctor dashed those hopes. he told them that the other couple very much wanted their baby. >> i actually experienced jealousy about a pregnancy that was occurring in my, my own body. it was -- that's insane. i kept thinking why do we have to be the ones to give this gift? why can't they give a gift? why can't their gift be the embryo. instead of us having to have a pregnancy and give a gift of a baby. but at the same time i knew that if we were in their shoes, we would be doing the same thing. so i really struggled. >> while all this was sinking in carolyn and shawn had to figure out just how to navigate this unfathomable situation. >> you know there's this other couple out there. did you feel we've got to get in touch with them? >> we felt as though we needed to set up some mode of contact. they needed to know how to get

in touch with us. >> but for now, they decided contact with the other couple would be through their attorney. >> so they don't know who you are and you don't know who they are. >> uh-huh. >> and that was all within 24 hours of learning the news. so if we were in shock. we really felt we needed to keep this private as much as possible. >> and it wasn't just the shock that made them keep this private. in the back of their minds, there were always the questions. would this pregnancy threaten carolyn's life yet again? and would it even last? >> there was a chance that there would be a miscarriage. that was a strong possibility early on. just because of our history. >> and just a month into the pregnancy, those fears nearly came to pass. carolyn began bleeding. it was caused by a blood clot which was threatening to trigger a miscarriage. the bleeding continued for four weeks. until the clot disappeared. but carolyn was far from being out of the woods. she needed daily hormone

injections just to keep the pregnancy viable. and the physical symptoms of being pregnant were hitting her hard. >> i just didn't know how i was handle all the physical challenges of a pregnancy. i had always balanced those with the idea that in the end, there was the reward of a baby. now, now, no baby and i'm still going to go through all this. adding to her stress were endless doctors appointments to monitor her progress. there were blood tests once a week. and because of her history of miscarriages, carolyn was having ultrasounds once a week as well. >> and during that time carolyn and shawn had no one but each other to lean on. worried about a miscarriage, they kept the pregnancy hidden from their family and friends. they just went about their lives pretending everything was normal. >> it was so hard.

and so not telling, we had no outlet, it was a very lonely, lonely time. >> but by three months, thanks to the watchful eye of her doctor, at least some of those fears about their secret pregnancy began to subside. >> our o.b. kind of said, okay, guys, i think this is a go. we're going 0 get a live birth out of this. >> they decided they were ready to meet the other couple. >> coming up -- who was this other family? and what were they going through? what had happened was just as inconceivable to them. when "dateline" continues. ♪ [ female announcer ] mcdonald's dollar menu just keeps getting better. introducing the all-new mouthwatering grilled onion cheddar burger, topped with melty white cheddar and caramelized onions. plus all your tasty favorites for just a dollar each. ♪ every day, as always, there's a lot to love for a little

on mcdonald's dollar menu. ♪ man: at turbotax, we know this is more than a paycheck. we know all the hammering, driving, writing, nursing, and teaching it took to earn it. so we give you the power to keep as much of your hard-earned money as possible. our customized interview covers everything from a service member's deployment, to a student's loan interest, right down to a teacher's crayons. you've worked hard to earn your money. we're here to help you keep it. turbotax-- the power to keep what's yours. try it free at turbotax.com. tyeah, its the galaxy note ii.re great. you can do two things at the same time. you can watch videos and text. hah, puppies. or you could watch the earnings report and take notes, like we're supposed to. or you can make it look like me and paul from accounting are dancing, look. or you could be doing some work and some other kinds of work. or you could draw a picture of you sitting at your desk, look. i'm mike, i'm working.

or you could get fired. and i'm boring. you know when it's all done, you can share it instantly. so... can i get it? yeah. okay either of you put together the earnings report yet? yes, me totally. 100%. what? you're fast. why don't you tackle the next quarter and um, you eat yet? polynesian? pu pu platter? yes! keep up the good work. i will keep up the good work. do more with the new samsung galaxy note ii. for a limited time get two flipcovers for the price of one. exclusively at verizon. so if ydead battery,t tire, need a tow or lock your keys in the car, geico's emergency roadside assistance is there 24/7. oh dear, i got a flat tire. hmmm. uh... yeah, can you find a take where it's a bit more dramatic on that last line, yeah? yeah i got it right here. someone help me!!! i have a flat tire!!! well it's good... good for me. what do you think?

geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. the kitchen? it's amazing. lots of unexplored surfaces and tough, greasy messes to clean. oh. wow! [ male announcer ] now scrubbing bubbles has fantastik in a heavy duty spray that easily cuts through grease or a foam that lifts and penetrates grime. so all you do is wipe. let me at that grease. [ male announcer ] scrubbing bubbles with fantastik. we work hard so you don't have to. in the kitchen. [ female announcer ] sc johnson, a family company.

in the early month of carolyn savage's pregnancy, she and her husband, shawn, decided they would not reveal who they were. or have any contact with the couple whose embryo she received. but that didn't stop carolyn from worrying about them. especially the mother-to-be. >> i just thought, these people are going to be scared enough and then i'm thinking, but maybe they're better off not knowing who we are at this point and knowing my medical history.

because that's only going to add fuel to their fear. >> now three months into the pregnancy, they were about to meet. >> those embryos, we thought about them all the time. >> the merrills are a family with young twins living in suburban detroit. two hours away from the savages. paul is an electrical engineer, shannon, a history teacher. they married in 2002 and had tried for several years to have children with no success. finally their doctor recommended invitro fertilization. the results were even better than they had hoped. >> and we're like, wow. it worked. and then we went back, i think the next week and they said we see two strong heartbeats. >> their twins were born in november 2006. by the time the girls were two, shannon and paul decided they would try to have another child, using the embryos that were frozen after their first invitro procedure. zwli made the appointment and i got the phone call. >> a call from their doctor

asking them both to come and see him that evening. this was two weeks before shannon and paul's scheduled appointment. >> tell me about that moment when you walk in the office. >> first, it was normal. and then he just had a real stressful look on his face. >> i felt like there was something, the mood changed in the room. he said, there's been a terrible incident. >> that's whey said, there's been a terrible incident? >> yes. he said your embryos have been thawed. >> we're like, whoa. >> what was the first thing that went through your mind. >> at that point it's like finding out someone died. because those are your six potential babies. >> at first, they thought some power outage had damaged the storage tanks where the embryos were kept frozen. that was, until the second bombshell came. >> then he says, they've been transferred into another woman. and my mouth just dropped to the floor at that point. i looked at him and i said, and shes -- pregnant.

and that's when i fell back and said, no. >> oh my. >> i can't even imagine practicing that news. >> i was in shock. i was silent for a while. i'm thinking, processing what he just told me. >> and the what if's. >> and i started asking questions. how did this happen? >> what did he say? >> it was human error. you have protocols in place? yes, but it was human error. >> her next question, who was carrying their child. >> he told me that she wasn't my patient. >> and most important of all -- >> is she going to terminate? and he told me, i don't know. >> so how long was it before the doctor called you back and told you the good news. >> it was two days. it was a long two days. >> there's a sense of relief for the moment. happiness. and some, some of that stress left. but then it was, okay. there's another woman, we don't know, carrying our child.

now what? >> relieved to learn that the pregnancy would continue, shannon and paul were still desperate to know who had made that decision. >> did you have a name? >> no idea. we didn't know anything about them. i desperately wanted to connect with them. >> shannon and paul's only link to the savages those first months was shannon's inbox. their attorney was sending weekly medical updates and ultrasound pictures. at first, this eased their minds. then, seeing all those sonograms only made things worse. >> after the first couple, i thought, this is really strange. you don't get ultrasounds -- >> that often. like why every week? that makes you even more nervous. >> now, that all-consuming question became even more pressing. just who had received their embryos? and why was she having so many ultrasounds? three months into pregnancy, the two couples would finally come face to face.

coming up -- >> the moment awkward moment of my entire life, probably. >> the first meeting, would there be second thoughts? and coming up later on "dateline," beginning clean in 2013. new year's advice from dr. oz. >> get moving but don't go crazy at it. >> it's not about running marathons. >> a new start for pop star usher. >> people don't get a chance to see what i do and how much of a drill sergeant i can be. and a new challenge that may change your ways. can you kiss your smartphone addiction? >> like having a panic attack? >> it's "dateline" digital detox. new year, new you. down on the t, everybody knows it's about to get real up in here. if you don't show up with kfc at my couchgate, you're not showing up. you're showing down. watching the game is awesome. watching the game with kfc, awesome-er. 8 pieces of chicken, 8 hot wings, 10 bites. game day bucket go boom.

[ male announcer ] start couchgating today with a kfc game day bucket for just $19.99. ♪ for just $19.99. are you flo? yes. is this the thing you gave my husband? well, yeah, yes. the "name your price" tool. you tell us the price you want to pay, and we give you a range of options to choose from. careful, though -- that kind of power can go to your head. that explains a lot. yo, buddy! i got this. gimme one, gimme one, gimme one! the power of the "name your price" tool. only from progressive.

that meeting was extremely tough to walk into. i needed to like them. i needed to be happy for their family. we needed to frame this as a gift. and that is the only way that we could figure out how to get through this. >> two couples, strangers to each other, found their lives colliding in an unimaginable set of circumstances. carolyn savage was pregnant, with shannon and paul morel's

child. yet, the two couples had never spoken, never met. they didn't even know each other's names. that all changed three months into the pregnancy. >> first trimester is over, you get word that the other couple finally ready to meet you face to face. >> uh-huh. >> were you nervous? >> nervous. excited, too. almost like going on the ultimate job that you want because you're nervous, but you're excited, because you really want that job, and you want them to like you. >> why was it important for them to like you? >> they're carrying our child, we want them to like us so they love our child. >> the setting was business-like, an attorney's office in toledo. but the purpose of the meeting couldn't have been more intimate. >> we walked in, and they were there. the most awkward moment of my entire life, probably. >> shannon spoke first and she just kind of talked from the heart. >> i said i can't tell you how grateful we are to you for what you've done.

and i said, i know this hasn't been easy. and i said, it's easy for people to say i would never abort a baby, but a lot harder to walk the walk. >> then it was carolyn and shawn's turn. they told the morel's about themselves, their family, carolyn's pre-natal care and plans for the birth. >> it was hard, it was awkward. >> the two couples met for about an hour and a half. >> they were so respectful of us at that point. they didn't want to barge into our lives. >> sitting there and talking to carolyn and shawn, what was your impression of them? >> if you were to choose someone to carry your child, it's like, that's her. until carolyn started to talk and then she started telling me all about, the struggles that they've had with pregnancies. and i'm like, oh, my gosh. i realized this is going to be difficult the whole way through. >> but at least now they would

be getting updates from carolyn, not her attorney. just a few weeks after their meeting, carolyn began emailing shannon directly. and while there was some comfort in that, shannon knew this was a high-risk pregnancy. and bad news could come at any time. >> i worry about her health and about the baby. and so it was just -- >> it was the more you know, the more you worry. >> those same worries never left carolyn and shawn as well. but in may, four months pregnant, carolyn had even more to worry about, she was showing and had to tell her family. >> carolyn, you were scared to tell at least your dad. >> oh, my gosh, he was no fan of me being pregnant in the first place, because it threatened my health with ryan and that was scary for him. >> carolyn and shawn invited her parents over to tell them she was going to have another couple's baby. carolyn held her breath, waiting for her father's reaction. >> i can tell you i've never been prouder of two people in my life than i was at that life.

>> linda and byron higgins are carolyn's parents. >> they had principles and values that guided their life and they decided to live by their values. >> their sons were told next, the news would leave them speechless. >> i can't believe it's happening to us. >> it was a big shock. they looked like they were in shock, too. >> even in their state of shock, both brothers realized how proud they were of their parents. >> they're really amazing people and i'm glad that they're my parents. >> at what point did you tell family members? >> i could afford to wait. and i waited. >> you're not the one who is pregnant. >> no, nobody knew. >> shannon and paul waited until june, five months into the pregnancy. by that time, they learned they were having a boy. and dna tests left no doubt, this was their child. >> the initial reaction from your family? >> they were excited. and they were shocked. >> and at that same time, even

in the midst of all they were going through, carolyn and shawn still hadn't given up on having their own child. so they came up with a plan. one just as astonishing as the situation they were already in. >> coming up -- another woman enters the picture. could she help the savages' dream come true? and the moment they had all waited months for is finally here. >> the idea that that baby was going to be handed to another mother? it was just unfathomable. >> when "dateline" continues. ok, what's fast? um, my mom's car and a cheetah. okay. a spaceship. a spaceship. and what's slow? my grandma's slow. would you like it better if she was fast? i bet she would like it if she was fast. hm, maybe give her some turbo boosters. tape a cheetah to her back. tape a cheetah to her back? seems like you have thought about this before. [ male announcer ] it's not complicated. faster is better. and the iphone 5 downloads fastest on at&t 4g.

♪ one pharmacist started it all: charles walgreen had a mission to help people be happy and healthy. from inventing the first chocolate malt... to creating a nonprofit pharmacy for our troops... to the first child safety caps. walgreens has been innovating for over a hundred years. and we're just getting started. with more and more ways to be well every day, here...at the corner of happy and healthy. woman: we're helping joplin, missouri, come back from a devastating tornado. man: and now we're helping the east coast recover from hurricane sandy. we're a leading global insurance company, based right here in america. we've repaid every dollar america lent us. everything, plus a profit of more than $22 billion. for the american people. thank you, america. helping people recover and rebuild -- that's what we do. now let's bring on tomorrow.

it's creamy, nonfat, and it turns the next person you see into john stamos for five seconds. honey! i think i'm getting burned! heh! eat. ♪ tastes pretty good, huh? ♪ best yogurt ever. yeah! [ men grunting ] open! [ male announcer ] dannon oikos berry flavors beat chobani 2 to 1 in a national taste test. oikos greek yogurt. possibly the best yogurt in the world. [ female announcer ] now your best accessory can be your smile. with colgate optic white toothpaste. it whitens over 2 shades more than a leading whitening toothpaste. so with colgate optic white, the only accessory you need to look fabulous is your smile. colgate optic white. whiter teeth in 1 week. now try new colgate optic white mouthwash. for a whiter smile even faster, use the whole whitening line.

whiter teeth in 5 days.

carolyn and shawn savage had been hoping for a fourth child. second and third child and we thought it would be fun for her to grow up with a buddy. it was kind of a dream. >> but right now, carolyn was pregnant with another couple's child. >> and deciding to have that baby meant she would have to go through another high-risk pregnancy. then, even worse, carolyn also learned that carrying the morels' child would cause this pregnancy to be her last.

>> it would put me well around 42 or so by the time we could attempt another pregnancy. with our own embryos. and if we tried to have another baby at 42, delivery well after i was 43, it just was considered dangerous. >> but carolyn and shawn were undeterred. they still had five embryos. and had promised each other they would use every one of them to try to have a child. and they wanted to begin trying right away. so the savages made a remarkable decision, carolyn, the accidental surrogate, would search for her own surrogate, to have that child for them. >> how did you make that decision then? >> there was a lot on our plates. an enormous amount of things to be doing. but in a way, too, it was something positive to focus on for our family. >> how long did it take you to find a surrogate? >> probably about a month. we got very lucky.

>> letter name is jennifer. she was a nursing student, 30 years old, and had been a surrogate once before. she and carolyn corresponded for several weeks and finally met in june. carolyn was five months pregnant. >> the first thing she said when she sat down is, well, as you can see, i'm pregnant. but, and there was a long pause, and she said, it's not mine. and that's usually what i say to people. as a surrogate. so i was kind of confused. and she went on to tell me the story. >> after hearing that story, jennifer made her decision. she would become their surrogate. >> i had to do it for carolyn and shawn. >> now that she had her own surrogate, carolyn wanted to be involved in jennifer's doctor's appointments. >> a light bulb went off and i thought, that's probably what shannon is thinking about this. and what's even worse for shannon, is that she doesn't feel like she can call me and say, hey, can i come meet your doctor?

and that's when i thought, okay. i need to step out of my own comfort zone here and reach out to her. >> so she invited shannon to an ultrasound appointment. while they had been speaking on the phone and emailing, they had only seen each other once before. >> that had to be a hard appointment for you. >> yeah. it was another one of those, those moments that the situation brought to our lives where we feel like this can't be happening. >> we go in, sit down, it's already feeling weird, anyway, i'm trying not to stare at her belly. and then shawn walks in and i'm like, oh, my gosh. what am i doing here. >> you felt like you were intruding on a personal level? >> i could have left and not looked rude about it, i would have. >> was it hard emotionally? >> it was a reminder, you are carrying my child, this is odd. i'm grateful that you are. >> the ultrasound technician knew this was shannon's child.

so she focused her attention on shannon as she explained the sonogram. carolyn was numb with disbelief. >> count autumn the fingers, count all the toes. oh, look, he has hair, we can see the hair. >> what else was she to do? shas why shannon was there. and we invited shannon to be there. i'm saying i cannot believe i'm surviving this moment without just falling completely apart. >> through all of this, carolyn and shawn had one bright spot, the possibility of still having a child from their own embryos. in late august, they finally received some good news. their surrogate was pregnant. >> it was just such a huge relief. i felt like our world had been tilted and then kind of went center. and to me, that was the way things were supposed to have been. at that moment. and we were very, very happy. >> happy, but overwhelmed.

at seven and a half months, carolyn and her doctor became concerned that she was once again facing life-threatening problems in her pregnancy. first, she developed a problem with her liver. which could potentially harm the baby. and then, her doctor found that her blood pressure was rising, to a dangerous level. >> there was a lot of anxiety building in us, are we going to be able to get this baby further. is our baby okay? it was absurd. it was absurd. >> september 24th, 2009, carolyn's blood pressure had spiked. she was eight months pregnant. her doctor concerned for her health and the baby's, had no choice but to deliver. >> the whole pregnancy was like walking a plank. and september 24th, we jumped. >> they had talked about, thought about, even cried about this day for months. >> the idea that that baby was going to be rolled out of the

delivery room and handed to another mother? i just, it was just unfathomable. >> now, it had finally come. carolyn was in the o.r. being prepped for a c-section. shannon and paul anxiously waited in a separate room nearby. >> i was worried about carolyn, i was worried about the baby, too. and i couldn't do anything about it. and we were just waiting, it was horrible. >> and then just the reality of it all. >> knowing you're not going to hear those first cries and see the baby and just experience it. so -- that was hard. but we just kept focusing on we're going to have this child. >> at 3:18 in the afternoon, a baby boy named logan morel cried for the first time. >> i was so happy when i heard him. i mean he had a serious set of lungs on him. and he came out kicking, screaming, very feisty. >> he was four weeks premature, but there were no complications.

logan was a healthy, five-pound baby. >> it was a very joyful moment. and they wrapped him up and they brought him to me. he was pink and breathing and crying and i was smiling from ear to ear. just, yeah. so happy. >> but for you, carolyn, as a mom, as someone who so wanted a fourth baby, knowing this was your last opportunity -- >> none of that mattered at the moment. what mattered was that he came out and he was healthy. so what i wanted and my loss didn't matter at that moment. what mattered was his health and his safe arrival and that was a slam-dunk for us. it was big. huge accomplishment. >> with the delivery behind them, carolyn and shawn now had to face every emotion, every heartbreak they knew would come next. while carolyn remained in the o.r., shawn would bring logan to shannon and paul. >> it was the most unnatural

thing you can do as a person. i mean -- being in the delivery room and then moments later, handing a child over, when you're all about family, just shouldn't have to do it. but we had to do it. so we had to, we had to get through it. and we had to celebrate it. he was beautiful. and that's what we did. >> oh, my goodness, you're a cutie-pie. >> just a half an hour after logan was born. shawn handed him to his parents. >> it was the most exciting moment of my life. that moment, i don't think anything could ever compare to it, ever. >> everyone started crying. >> there he is, right there. i could touch him. >> and the first moment of bonding. >> do you remember what shawn was doing? >> he started crying, too. >> tears coming down.

>> i kept thinking, hopefully they know, it's like how you let someone know how much you appreciate what they did. >> it was almost like a split screen. where you had you know, your own personal loss that you had to deal with, but at the same time, there was a celebration and so, i had to figure out a way of going from that complete, utter despair and loss, and suffering, to inviting this gift into it and to balance those two. >> shawn left and you two were alone with the baby. >> yeah, yeah. >> what was that like for you? >> it was just a serene moment at that point. knowing that wow. it's going to work out. >> we were just so grateful. we felt so lucky. >> the next day, carolyn and shawn signed papers giving custody of logan to shannon and paul. and later that day, before they went home, the morels brought

loegle back to the savages. carolyn and shawn spent time alone with the baby boy they would have loved to call their son. >> he had his little head tucked under my chin. he was snuggled up, asleep. and that to me was the way you should feel after a baby is born. and when that gets taken away. it was like he, he grabbed a piece of my heart and just left with it. >> leaving you with what? >> wow. >> i think leaving us knowing that we did the right thing. that he was healthy. it was kind of a sad moment. i think that's when the loss kind of crashed on us and we knew we needed to kind of move forward from there. >> they were moving forward. their own baby was on the way, and helped ease the loss of logan. just a week later, they would have to face yet another crisis. could they pull through this crisis as well?

when we come back, a storybook ending to the story like no other. >> our story has come so full circle. and coming up in our next hour -- a new start to the new year. we'll raise a glass to that, dr. oz gets us back to the basics. small, little moves that make you a little healthier add up very dramatically. >> want to stay lean in 2013? find out how al does it. >> it's not the losing of the weight, it's the keeping the weight off. >> watch out for this guy. pop star usher is poised for a very big year. >> am i excited? yeah, of course. >> and, step away from that smartphone. >> i have 31 missed messages right now. >> we challenge you to a digital detox. no posts, no pics, no texts, no tweets. >> what? >> could you give up technology? o.m.g.! >> i'm starting to sweat. >> i have to put on seven layers of deodorant. >> it's a new year, new you. can find on a map.

but the ones you can find in your heart. because inspiration doesn't favor those who sit still. it dances with the daring and rewards the courageous with ideas. ideas that inspire. ideas that take you places you never imagined. ideas big enough to make the heart skip a beat and, in some cases, maybe two. toyota. let's go places.

knowing their own baby was on the way had softened the pain for carolyn and shawn over losing logan. but just one week after his birth, their dream of a fourth child was shattered by a phone

call. >> and i picked it up and it was my surrogate on the other line. sobbing. i mean -- couldn't, she was hysterical, couldn't breathe and i knew immediately. >> two and a half months into the pregnancy, jennifer, their surrogate, had miscarried. the news left carolyn and shawn numb. in their minds, they had lost two babies in eight days. >> i couldn't breathe, all the oxygen out of my lungs and i know i fell to my knees and kind of looking up at the heavens, going seriously. have we not done enough? this, too? >> did a part of you, shawn, wish you hadn't even started that process? >> no. i don't have any regrets about doing it. it didn't matter when it would have happened. it just would have slammed us as hard. >> both couples have reached a settlement with the clinic.

as part of theirs, carolyn and shawn insisted on learning how the mistake was made. >> the mix-up had started with the name. >> shannon had not started her name at the time of her original ivf. >> at the time shannon's embryos were created, she was still using her maiden name, which happened to be savage. that meant the sheet of paper identifying her embryos had the name shannon savage. >> and that sheet was used to pull the embryos. >> still, a happy, healthy, very loved baby boy was the result. a little boy named logan savage morel. named in part as a tribute to the couple who took care of him before he came into this world. >> put your arm in. >> and when he's old enough, shannon would like logan to thank the woman who gave him life. >> i think he should. he should, because he should say thank you on his own. >> what are you going to tell logan when he's old enough about

his birth and about these people that were part of his life, that will be a part of his life, obviously. >> i think that there's a part that of me that realizes that she protected him for nine months. and i just want him to think my birth was a blessing. and you know, i need to go out and do good things here. there were people that did good things for me before i even made it to this world. >> what role do you think that carolyn and shawn are going to play in logan's life. >> i always want him to know them. and that we'll get together, maybe a couple of times a year. >> and true to her word, that has happened. >> every time we get to see logan, it does just reassure us that we are going to get to know him. and that he's going to get to know us. and that was a huge part of our fear during the pregnancy, is that somehow he was just going to be whisked away and we were going to be left with a lifetime of wondering about this child. >> while the savages once saw

logan as a gift they gave to shannon and paul, with the passage of time, they now see logan's life was a gift do them. >> he's very clearly loved and adored by everybody in his life. and that's been very rewarding to us. and who gets to do that? i mean, we were kind of given a very unique experience and as difficult as it was, i think we're grateful for it. so the loss has been replaced with more of a gratitude that we've been able to walk this journey together. and give this child a chance at life with his family. >> where's mary kate? >> still, through all these years, carolyn and shawn never gave up hope of adding to their own family. just four months after logan's birth with, jennifer as their surrogate, they tried again in a different clinic. using their two remaining frozen embryos. jennifer did not become pregnant.

unwilling to give up, carolyn and shawn created a new embryo in yet another clinic, which was transferred into jennifer. still, no success. >> does any part of you think that this need for another baby is trying to fill a void left by logan? >> sure. >> yeah, i mean that it's a way of fulfilling the what if's. what if mary kate had a little brother, little sister closer in age. what if things had worked out differently. >> but there's something to be said about you have three healthy children. >> yes, absolutely. and we've had that discussion many, many times. so we're very blessed. we're very thankful. >> and soon, the savages would have even more to be thankful for. >> it is amazing to me that our story has come so full circle. and i'm so grateful for where we came out right now. >> after those two attempts to have another child, carolyn was ready to give up. but shawn and jennifer, their surrogate, urged her to give

invitro fertilization one more try. >> the doctor fixed a few things up and whatever he did seemed 0 work because we really knocked it out of the park in his words. >> carolyn and shawn learned that not just one, but two babies were on the way. jennifer was pregnant with twins. >> we were soup excited at first. and then you know, within a few minutes, then the doubts starts to come in you start to worry. >> but the third time was the charm. august 11th, 2011, reagan and isabella savage were born. >> they have brought incredible joy. they're two little miracles. and there's no doubt that it's helped us in our personal healing process as well. >> the girls are more than a year old now. as they grow up, carolyn and shawn plan to tell them just how they came into this world. >> our approach at this point is just to be as open and honest as

we can, so it seems normal. what i don't want is to have some big sit-down reveal moment with them. i want them to to just know that jennifer carried them, they're very lucky, they're very loved. >> and they promise to have jennifer be part of their twins' lives. >> she loves them very much and she and her family are just one more piece of their extra wide circle of love. >> just as carolyn and shawn are part of logan's. two families, one dream. that has come true for both. >> the outcome with logan for paul and shannon and isabelle and reagan for us, what a beautiful outcome of what could have been a blow that you don't recover from. and so, we are very fortunate that we've gone full circle. >> carolyn and shawn savage

share more about their story on our website, at datelinenbc.com. turning to the new year, whether you want to lose weight, get more exercise or make new friends, we have lots of suggestions for you. for starters, is technology taking over your life? it may be time for a digital detox. so we challenged four 20-something roommates to live without electronic devices for almost two weeks. we're talking no smartphone. no facebook, no twitter. no gps. can they do it? could you? here's natalie morales. i'm @rosalienina. i send out 300 text messages all day. >> i am always, this is exactly what i'm doing. >> i'm @kendallclinger. i have 31 missed text messages right now and that's not checking my phone for 45

minutes. >> i'm on mine 18 hours, 19 hours a day. >> meet kathy mae, rosalie, laura and kendall. four 20-something roommates living in hermosa beach, california, who say they're addicted to their smartphones. >> can you hear me now? >> is there anything interesting happening? >> wow, this is a very special thing. >> this is what an average sunday brunch looks like for them. >> i don't know why i sent that. >> four girls, four phones and one very fractured conversation. >> anything interesting happening? >> why does he get so -- >> that text the other day. >> will you be in the same room and be texting each other. >> yeah. >> easier to say it through text than just say it across the room. >> sometimes you can't say things. >> when was the last time you guys were really just alone. no phones, no internet, no friends? >> maybe in the shower.

>> who is the most addicted, then? >> see everybody points the finger. >> they grew up this way, tweeting, liking, pinning, sharing, hash tagging and texting. a plugged-in life is all they've ever known. but recently, the roommates started wondering if they were digitally overloaded with being plugged in 24/7, really a good thing? >> sometimes i'm talking to rosalie and she won't even be looking at me, she will just be staring at her screen. >> i can sit there and try to have a conversation with laura and she'll have no idea that i'm even in the room. >> we challenged them to a digital detox, two weeks without smartphones, facebook, twitter, instagram or google. no digital communication, period. >> maybe our relationships will go to new places being able to actually talk and look at each other while talking. a whole new concept. >> it's an experience we might all learn something from. >> it's normal now to be on the

phone essentially all the time. >> sherry turkle, a professor at m.i.t. has been studying how we relate to technology for 30 years. she says people who feel dependant on their smart phones should consider going on a digital diet. >> these habits of paying more attention to our phones than we pay to each other can be broken on a digital diet. and we make healthier choices. >> the roommates agreed to the detox, thinking of it as more of vacation than a challenge. >> i think i'm going to be fine. >> it will be a breeze. >> it will be nice to have a break. >> it will maybe be a little retreat for us. >> the more they talked about it, the less confident they sounded. >> i think the first day i'm going to freak out the most for sure. >> oh, my god, stop, i've got anxiety. >> we kept the start date a surprise. so when it was finally time to pull the plug on their digital lives, i broke the news to them the only way i was certain they

would see it -- >> hi, girls, it's natalie morales. >> i tweeted at them. >> it's time to go on your digital detox. >> where is that coming from? >> no! >> that means none of these, no more iphones, no ipads. >> i'm starting to sweat. >> i had to put on seven layers of deowed rant. >> no digital communication, period. can you do did? i'll check in with you in two weeks. >> two weeks! >> before taking their phones away. we laid out the ground rules, email and internet could be used on computers for work only. we gave them talk-only cell phones for work and emergencies. >> what's this? >> what is this? >> roommates had three minutes to jot down important information from their smartphones. cassy, laura and kendall scrolled feverishly. >> rosalie seemed to be the most anxious about letting go of her phone and spent her last few

minutes on social media. >> did you check us in? >> you should check us in here one last time. >> one last time? we're not dying. >> kind of, socially. >> dying a slow social death. >> she posted one last picture for the masses before going off the grid. >> dlen we locked their devices away in this suitcase. >> do you want me to say a prayer for you? >> i don't know what else. >> bye! >> take care of my devices, please. >> no phone. >> for the first time in their adult lives, they headed off to work completely and totally alone. >> i don't know what to do with my hand. i typically would have my phone here. or even here. do what they're made for, driving, ten and two. >> i can't be in traffic without my phone. it's like i abandoned it. >> even though texting and driving is illegal in california, not to mention dangerous.

cassie admits she does it all the time. but today with no phone in hand. she decided to jot down her to do list the old-fashioned way, on paper. >> this is way more unsafe than texting. >> after just eight hours without social media, rosalie complained of physical side effects. >> i think i actually have a headache, i kind of feel like i'm going to puke right now. i kind of felt like i was actually having withdrawals. i know it's crazy. >> rosalie has a headache from not being on facebook? >> she does. >> she's so dramatic. >> at the end of their first phone-free day, the roommates met up with a friend who was stunned they were actually going through with it. >> you're not allowed to use your phone? >> yeah, right, or internet, nothing. >> email? >> no. >> detoxing created some practical problems, too. no phones meant no digital news. >> these will keep us updated with the world, right? >> got a nice selection. >> some us, some people.

>> no cell phone to use as an alarm clock. and no google maps. >> all right. i'm going to guide you from -- >> we rode along as the roommates made their way to runnion canyon. >> do you know where you're going? >> do them, using a paper map was the same as driving blind. >> oh, my god. >> i don't know how to navigate. >> i'm sweating, i'm pretty sure we're lost. >> how would they navigate their way through this one and would they survive the rest of the detox? coming up -- >> i think we should take this squiggly line. >> our digitally challenged foursome and a half gaits without gps. >> excuse me -- >> what else will they learn from their online detox? >> why am i tweeting these things? >> i tweet the most random things. >> when "dateline" continues. in their products. evs but sc johnson isn't just a company. we're a family who cares about yours.

that's why we're working to share all of our ingredients, right down to the fragrances and dyes. so with products like windex, you know what you're bringing into your home. going beyond the industry standard -- that's the family standard. ♪ are full of flavor and under 550 calories each? i'll believe it when i taste it. i believe it! i can dig it! [ male announcer ] ok, a bit of an overreaction, but... uh oh...what now? ♪ ah, the old great taste, under 500 calories flash mob bit. eesh. the new zesty roma chicken & shrimp and roasted garlic sirloin. big flavor, under 550 calories. starting at just $9.99. see you tomorrow. and late night for half-price apps. ♪ doing it with a cold, just not going to happen.

vicks dayquil -- powerful non-drowsy 6-symptom cold & flu relief. ♪ no matter what city you're playing tomorrow. [ coughs ] [ male announcer ] you can't let a cold keep you up tonight. ♪ vicks nyquil -- powerful nighttime 6-symptom cold & flu relief. ♪ 6-symptom cold & flu relief. but don't just listen to me. listen to these happy progressive customers. i plugged in snapshot, and 30 days later, i was saving big on car insurance.

with snapshot, i knew what i could save before i switched to progressive. the better i drive, the more i save. i wish our company had something this cool. you're not filming this, are you? aw! camera shy. snapshot from progressive. test-drive snapshot before you switch. visit progressive.com today. one pharmacist started it all: charles walgreen had a mission to help people be happy and healthy. from inventing the first chocolate malt... to creating a nonprofit pharmacy for our troops... to the first child safety caps. walgreens has been innovating for over a hundred years. and we're just getting started. with more and more ways to be well every day, here...at the corner of happy and healthy.

this isn't it. then we're just giving up and going home. >> it might not seem like the end of the world, driving from hermosa beach to runyon canyon in the hollywood hills, but these four friends were in the middle of a digital detox and they had no gps to guide them. >> i think we should take this squiggly line. >> so they did something virtually no one does these days -- >> excuse me?

could you tell me how we get to runyon canyon? >> i can't remember how we the last time we stopped for directions but we got a great bouquet of flowers. >> rosalie was about to get the most difficult detox challenge yet. waiting for a friend at a restaurant with no phone, no friend and no e-company from the twitteratti, to make things harder for her, we told the friend to show up an hour late. >> i'm kind of getting like really nervous and maybe having a panic attack? i don't know what's happening. >> with no phone to tap away on, she used a napkin as her twitter feed. >> can i tweet on a napkin? i hate my life. thanks "dateline." >> so uncomfortable being alone, she moved to the bar and did something she says she never does. >> i'm waiting for a friend. >> she struck up a conversation

with people she didn't know. >> it's crazy. >> moments later, the bartender asked for her number, she didn't have her phone, of course, so he gave her his number instead. >> oh, my god. >> i'm like, so happy to see you right now. >> by the time her friend showed up, rosalie had gone from near panic attack to her first detox breakthrough. >> i kechbtly would not have happened if i had had my phone. because i could have kept myself occupied. i'm kind of happy right now. having a good time. >> but back at the house, there had been long days and nights with no access to social media. and the roommates were getting on each other's nerves. kathy says usually when she's annoyed, she'll fire off an angry text without thinking. but now, another breakthrough, she realized digital venting wasn't the best way to handle conflicts. >> it's so easy to use your phone as like a way of like expressing yourself. but sometimes i need to relax on

expressing myself a little bit and let myself think it over. >> but as the days wore on, the desire to e-connect only got stronger. >> i underestimated how bad it would be. >> i seriously ten times wanted to log on to facebook. ten times. >> it's frustrating that i feel like i have no idea what's going on in the world. >> we saw jack osbourne, i totally wanted to tweet about it. >> i had an urge. >> all of them missed their digital lives. they came up with an idea. a brick-and-mortar version of facebook. >> post-it is and polaroids were surrogates for instagram. the wal may have started out as a substitute for social media. but it gave rosalie an entirely new perspective about all that online sharing. >> while we were writing on the post-it is tweets, i was like

realizing that there were things that i didn't want to write on post-it is and i was like, if i don't want to write this on a post-it. why am i tweeting these things? i tweet the most random things. >> the girls had survived almost two weeks without their smartphones. and at their final unplugged brunch, rings, dings and distractions were replaced with actual human interaction. >> my mind is more clear. >> really? i think so, too. >> i'm forced to like think more. it sounds really stupid, but -- >> and for kathy, a major turn. she no longer needed all of those digital updates. online ignorance led to real-life bliss. >> right now like according to me, nobody went out, so -- i didn't miss out on anything fun. and now i feel well-rested. >> from the very beginning, it was all about talking like this and looking up and down and all about what's online.

and now there seems to be more of a conversation. >> we definitely i think got closer. we talk to each other. it wasn't anybody else involved. it wasn't like the entire world on you know, our phones. >> the quality of your lives has improved in that sense? >> definitely. we're a little less of a dysfunctional family now. >> experts say loss of sleep and the constant urge to reach for your phone in the car or even in the midst of a conversation are all common signs of over-dependence on your smartphone. so if you're wondering if going on a digital diet should be on your list of new year's resolutions, professor sherry turkle of m.i.t. says you don't have to go cold turkey. she says a healthy digital diet might start with creating a device-free zone in your home. a place for no texting, just talking. >> we've substituted connection for conversation. and now it's time to set it right. because there are things we say to each other when we talk to

each other without the interruption of our phones, that need to be said. >> when you get your phone back, do you think you're going to go back to the old ways? >> i feel like i went through rehab and finally accepting, i kind of like it. i mean ideally, i would preserve something, you know, but i know how easy it is and we're all addicted to our phones. like, i don't know. >> kathy predicted she and her roommates would all relapse the moment they got their phones back. and she was right. >> you're like fanning yourself. >> what's going on here? >> i don't even -- >> usc did win. >> invitation. >> oh my gosh. >> facebook? >> oh, my god. >> friend request. >> emails. >> how many of you actually thought about cheating. >> it would have been really easy. >> but we didn't. >> oh, my god. >> already, the rings and dings had derailed our conversation. i realized there was only one way to get it back on track.

>> turn them off. >> oh, what? >> i can't have a conversation, a real conversation with you guys looking at your phones. >> real. >> off. >> off. >> off. >> so the overall effect that the detox had on you? >> i was less distracted. >> i think everybody should have to experience this. because everybody is addicted to their phones. >> what would you all tweet right now, if you were to tweet? >> we're back. coming up -- why al roker lost all that weight. >> he said look, i'm not going to be here for your kids. and you've got to be here for your kids. >> and, how he keeps it off. >> and later -- dr. oz on making and more importantly keeping those new year's resolutions. >> a lot of folks think they're hokey. but they actually do work. >> when new year, new you continues. .

this is another! ta-daa! try charmin ultra strong. it cleans so well and you can use up to four times less than the leading value brand. oh! there it is. thanks son. hey! [ female announcer ] charmin ultra strong has a duraclean texture that can help you get clean while still using less. and it's four times stronger versus the leading value brand. charmin ultra strong helps keep you and your underwear clean. we all go. why not enjoy the go with charmin ultra strong? man: at turbotax, we know this is more than a paycheck. it's long, hard days, late nights, and missed little league games. you've worked hard to earn your money. and we think you should have the power to keep as much of it as possible. we have tax experts to answer your questions. we'll back you and support you. because a dollar here, a dollar there-- every dollar is more important when it's yours. turbotax-- the power to keep what's yours. try it free at turbotax.com. all the plastic water bottles we use in a year can add up.

how's the run? but 300 of them can be replaced with just one brita filter. it was good. thanks. brita. filter for good. i got your campbell's chunky soup. mom? who's mom? i'm the giants mascot. the giants don't have a mascot! ohhh! eat up! new jammin jerk chicken soup has tasty pieces of chicken with rice and beans. hmmm. for giant hunger! thanks mom! see ya! whoaa...oops! mom? i'm ok. grandma? hi sweetie! she operates the head. [ male announcer ] campbell's chunky soup. it fills you up right. to make peanut butter so deliciously creamy. ♪ it can even be a game changer. that's why choosy moms and dads choose jif.

♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] take the special k challenge. lose up to six pounds in two weeks. with the cereal you love... and so much more. what will you gain when you lose? and so much more. ...so as you can see, geico's customer satisfaction is at 97%. mmmm tasty. and cut! very good. people are always asking me how we make these geico adverts. so we're taking you behind the scenes. this coffee cup, for example, is computer animated. it's not real. geico's customer satisfaction is quite real though. this computer-animated coffee tastes dreadful. geico. 15 minutes could save you 15 % or more on car insurance. someone get me a latte will ya, please? nicest on the block,

but is it the healthiest? stock your fridge with fruits and veggies, vacuum at least twice a week, and if you have your own elevator, replace it with stairs. the jones' will want to keep up with you the more you know. if there's a poster boy for the new you, it may be our own al roker. who dropped more than 100 pounds

and 20 suit sizes after gastric bypass surgery ten years ago. but as al and many others know, losing weight can be the easy part. the hard part is keeping it off. al shared his secrets and one of his most embarrassing moments with nbc's chief medical correspondent, dr. nancy snyderman. >> it's 4:30 a.m. on a soggy monday. and al roker is already getting in his first workout of the day. a two-mile bike ride to the office. >> i'm biking here. >> and welcome to "wake up with al." >> before he even starts his job at "the today show," al is hosting "wake up with al" on the weather channel. but it's a job you wouldn't know it, he's moving nonstop. >> when do i go to commercial? >> it's hard to believe when you see him today, but this is what

al roker used to look like. the fat, jolly weatherman. he weighed over 300 pounds and add m.i.t.s he once ate krispy kreme donuts by the dozens. but after years of trying to lose weight and undergoing gastric bypass surgery, al roker has finally shed the fat guy image. >> stop it some more. >> in his new book, "never goin' back" he reveals how he manages to keep the weight off and his new passion for health and fitness. >> how much do you weigh today? >> today, i think i'm 208. >> and what's your highest. >> highest? 340. >> what's your lowest? >> about 188. >> do you feel good? >> i feel great. >> al says it was a conversation with his father, al roker senior that inspired him to lose the weight in 2001, his father was dying of lung cancer. sitting by his hospital bed, al made his dad a promise.

>> he said, look, i'm not going to be here for your kids. and you've got to be here for your kids. so i want you to promise me you're going to lose weight. >> take a deep breath for me. >> after years of failing at diets, al underwent gastric bypass surgery to reduce the size of his stomach. he made a video diary of his experience. >> i was expecting to be a lot, i mean really a lot worse. but i'm not, not in a lot of pain. >> gastric bypass is major surgery that reroutes the digestic system. with a smaller stomach, you feel fo full sooner and the path to digest is shorter. eat too much or eat the wrong foods and there can be consequences. al said he learned that lesson the hard way. one month after the surgery while visiting the white house. >> when you have a bypass, your bowel has been reconstructed. you think you're pretty safe.

i probably went off, and ate something i wasn't supposed to. and as i'm walking to the press room, i think i got to pass a little gas here, i'm walking by myself, who's going to know. only a little something extra came out. >> you pooped in your pants. >> i pooped in my pants, not horribly, but i knew. >> which is a common side effect of the surgery. >> i was panicking, i got to the rest room in the press room, threw out the underwear, went commando. >> what did that tell you? >> it told me i've got to be very vigilant as to what i eat. >> one year after the surgery, al had lost over 100 pounds and dropped 20 suit sizes. but five years ago, when his mother was sick in the hospital, his old habits came creeping back. al turned to junk food to cope with the pain. he gained 40 pounds. >> one thing you really drive

home is that surgery is not the be-all and end-all. >> no, it is a means. it is just another tool in the tool box to lose weight. you can eat through a bypass. >> and you have. >> i've done it i'm living proof. i was lucky. i was able to put on the brakes and found something that help immediate get back on track. but, yeah, you can eat through it. >> when that happened, were you embarrassed to go back and see the doctor? were you fearful? >> i was disgusted. i was angry with myself. that i had, it's like, i've been given this opportunity and i had taken it and now i've squandered it in my mind. >> here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> it was from that moment on that al changed his diet for good. >> he went on a 28-day detox plan cutting out caffeine. alcohol, sugar, dairy and gluten. he lost 28 pounds in the first 28 days. >> i think the problem for most people, it was not the losing of the weight.

i think most people can lose the weight. it's the keeping the weight off. maintaining was a killer. >> so how does he do it? al began a workout routine called the slow method. exercise for 30 minutes, three times a week. strength training creates more lean body mass, which in turn burns more calories. >> she's always so happy. >> al changed his diet to only whole, unprocessed foods, high in protein and low in carbs. protein shakes made with almond milk and berries for breakfast and lunch. it sounds basically, you needed discipline and rules around a very specific part of your life. >> that's what i do best. i don't want to do points, i don't want to do that. just tell me what i've got to eat. >> now he's burning calories any way he can. at his production company office, he use as treadmill desk. he stuck to his new routine for the past four years and says, he's never going back.

>> i was there. and i went back. and i hated it. i didn't like the way i felt. and i know what i have to do now to keep that from happening again. >> he has another reason to keep his promise, his family. but al's wife, abc news correspondent debra roberts, says she's still worries. >> i worry that he's going to slide off and you know, fall into this routine again of eating whatever is fast, whatever is quick. because i know he still does notice the quarter-pounders and the french fries at mcdonald's. i know it's still something that just, it's out there. >> but it's clear that while the battle was al's to fight, deborah did play a role in motivating her husband. in his book, al writes that after losing the weight, quote, he no longer had to beg my wife for sex. >> i just wanted to feel more attracted to him. and as he would put on weight, then there were times when he lost weight. when early on in our marriage

and i was so much more attracted to him physically because let's be honest, there was a physical attraction for all of us when there's somebody that you're interested in. >> did you feel sexier when you're skinnier? >> sure, oh gosh, yes. >> were you bet anywhere bed? >> well, better is a relative term. you know. i mean -- >> you're always good, honey. >> the new, slimmer al has enjoyed experiences the heavier version could never have imagined. like completing the new york city marathon in 2010. and on the air, alongside matt lauer, he's tried some unusual olympic sports. made his way down a zip line. and even this famous lift with ryan gosling on the plaza. but back at home is where al gets his real motivation. his children. >> i think he sees himself as

the same person, just slimmer. >> hey, beautiful. >> al's daughter, leila was just three years old when he underwent the weight loss surgery. now 14, she doesn't really remember the heavier version of her father. >> i think it just show as lot of determination, if anything. >> is fat a pejorative term. >> i don't think so, i think it's an adjective. you're fat. there's all of these movements, people say i'm fat but i'm in good shape. i'm healthy. no, not really, you're not. >> for americans who are out there and are fat, and they frankly have been on every diet and they're looking to you for an answer, what do they need to know? >> they need to know that it's their journey. they can't do this because of somebody on tv. they can't do this because their wife or their mother wants them to lose weight. they have to get to a point where something clicks and they say, i want this for me. i want to get my life together. coming up -- >> you have liquid gold.

>> dr. oz's recipe for health. but how does it taste? >> there we go. >> all right. >> now be honest. and later -- new year, new voice. pop superstar usher joins the show. and opens up about the love fest with the other celebrity judges. sort of. >> we really do get along. and then, we don't. >> when "dateline" continues. n. you can do two things at the same time. you can watch videos and text. or you could watch the earnings report and take notes, like we're supposed to. so... can i get it? yeah. okay either of you put together the earnings report? yes, me totally. why don't you tackle the next quarter while we go to lunch. pu pu platter? yup! keep up the good work. i will keep up the good work. do more with the new samsung galaxy note ii. for a limited time get two flipcovers for the price of one. exclusively at verizon. a squeeze at the neck of the bottle releases a light mist of fresh cotton and italian mandarin

that eliminates odors and fills the air with long-lasting fragrance. glade expressions fragrance mist. glade expressions why let constipation stry miralax.? mirlax works differently than other laxatives. it draws water into your colon to unblock your system naturally. don't wait to feel great. miralax.

easy to make new year's resolutions before the clock strikes midnight. much harder to keep them when the alarm rings the next morning. so here to help us make the right resolutions and follow through, is dr. oz. what do you think about new year's resolutions? >> i'm a big fan about new year's resolutions. a lot of folks think they're hokey. but half the time, roughly, you'll still be doing the resolution by summer. so they actually do work. >> as we turn the calendar to 2013, we dropped in on dr. mehmet oz, the heart surgeon whose unique blend of scientific spiritual and health advice has made the "dr. oz show" an award-winning success. >> capturing your body's biggest complaints. >> the key to making resolutions work, says dr. oz, is to make

them as specific and realistic as possible. >> the challenge for a lot of folks is they make these grand resolutions, which that begets misery because you're not going to be able to fulfill them. >> what should you resolve to do in 2013? his first suggestion is to get more of something i myself of a often sorely lacking. >> my 2012 resolution was to get more sleep. and you know, i haven't done a good job at it. how detrimental is lack of sleep? >> that's the most underappreciated health tool we have is sleep. sleep is the main way we regenerate growth hormone in our body. it gives us vitality especially as we age. why throw away a naturally occurring hormone that keeps you young, thoughtful and powerful. >> after a good night's sleep, it's important to fuel up, says dr. oz, resolve to eat protein in the morning. have some protein for breakfast, egg is my favorite choice, inexpensive, so darn good for you.

>> we've been hearing cholesterol, cholesterol. it always comes back to eggs. >> can i blow your mind? >> yes. >> there's very, very weak linkages between the cholesterol in our diet and the cholesterol in our blood so please, let me shout from the mountaintops today, eggs are a great source of inexpensive protein. >> dr. oz's next resolution, confirms what your mother has been saying all along -- you've got to eat your vegetables. >> i would make sure half my plate at every meal i eat is full of vegetables. >> half your plate? >> half the plate. if you can eat that much and do that before you have the junk food, you'll automatically lose weight. >> is there a particular vegetable you like? >> i love dark, leafy green vegetab vegetables. but if you want to hit a home run, broccoli. >> dr. oz gets much of his vegetable servings these days through his signature green drink. a cocktail of fruit, vegetables and herbs which he promised me tasted better than it looked. >> it's 11 ingredients total. it's pretty simple to do.

when you're done, you have liquid gold. all right, a glass for you. >> here we go. >> all right. >> now be honest -- >> no lie, it's good. >> i think i saw a smile on his face. >> you did. >> this is incredible. >> exercise is one of the most common resolutions. but dr. oz adds a surprising twist. you don't have to resolve to be an ironman, he says, all you need is 30 minutes of rigorous activity a day and it doesn't even have to be all at once. >> get moving, but don't go crazy at it. >> if you look at societies where folks live a long time. it's not about running marathons, it's about half an hour of rigorous activity a day. you can go on a brisk walk, walk the stairs. park a little further from the mall. but incorporate half an hour of activity every single day. once you get past an hour, there's not a measurable big benefit. whatever you resolve to do, says dr. oz, in order to make it stick, you've got to find

someone to watch over you. >> not only do we hold each other accountable, we're there to be support systems. so the ability to help each other out when we're down is absolutely essential for whatever you want to do in 20 13. find your friends that you can rely on and who can help you out as well, it's a team. >> some might be surprised to learn what isn't one of dr. oz's recommended resolutions. taking weight loss supplements. even some products he's made famous by covering on his show. >> the health food stores are full of supplements. you talk about some of them on the show. and suddenly, they can't keep them on the shelf. raspberry ketones. green coffee bean extract. >> you know about your effect. >> the oz effect. >> i'm very cautious about what happens when we talk about products on the show. >> you mentioned green coffee bean extract there had been medical trials that showed that it seemed to work when taken correctly. sit back and think, how long are you going to take green coffee

bean extract, you're not going to take it all your life, it's a crutch. >> sometimes people hear what they want to hear. sometimes what they hear from you is magic bullet, take this and you're good to go. >> i try to feel cautious. i feel badly when it happens. >> dr. oz plans to spend the entire month of january discussing weight loss on his show. beware of any miracle breakthrough product using his name. >> i get this email today, i know it's not from you, but there it is, you know, the number one miracle in a bottle to burn fat. dr. oz, raspberry ultradrops. >> perfect example. this company, i don't know who they are i try to make it clear, if you see my picture or name next to a product that's being sold to you, they're lying to you. i would never endorse a product. >> what dr. oz will endorse is the idea that getting back to the basics will help us lay the foundation for a healthier new year. that means plenty of sleep. protein for breakfast, mostly vegetables at every meal. and 30 minutes a day of rigorous

exercise, but ultimately, he says, our top resolutions should be to take personal responsibility for our health. in 2013. >> true health is going to be found not in the hospital wings and not in doctor's offices, it's going to be found in your home like my house right here, my kitchen, my bedroom. that's where true health will be won. small little maneuvers that make you a little healthier, add up dramatically over time. coming up, if 2012 wasn't your best year, believe it or not, he can relate. >> anything that may appear is tumultuous hard, will surely become a great life lesson. see how pop star usher is turning it around in 2013. when "dateline" continues.

man: at turbotax, we know this is more than a paycheck. it represents all the time you've spent helping those around you. so when it comes to taxes, we're here to help you. that's why we have cpas, enrolled agents, and tax attorneys to answer your questions-- helping you get deductions for uniforms, union dues, and even the miles you drive for a job interview. you deserve to keep more of your hard-earned money. and we're here to help make that happen. turbotax-- the power to keep what's yours. try it free at turbotax.com. oh hi, yes. wow you really went all out on the decorations, huh? yeah, but i'm so slow taking them down after all the fatty holiday food. but that's normal. what do you mean that's normal? it doesn't have to be. to me normal means feeling good inside. not slow. try some activia.

activia helps with occasional irregularity when eaten three times a day. keep a video diary and let me know about your new normal.

in our homes, our minds. we can share every second in data dressed as pixels. a billion roaming photojournalists... uploading the human experience. and it is spectacular. so why would you cap that? my iphone 5 can see every point of view... every panorama, the entire gallery of humanity. i need to upload all of me. i need, no, i have the right to be unlimited. only sprint offers truly unlimited data... for iphone 5.

if you're looking for some up a notch this year. look no further than music mogul usher.

after a tough 2012, he's and oh yeah, there's a little acting gig with de niro. here's andrea canning. >> you know you make the ladies swoon, right? >> i do? >> yeah, of course you do. >> when did that start? >> we caught up with usher the 34-year-old superstar, last weekend before his concert in cancun, mexico. and he was in a playful mood, trying to teach us his nickname. >> say usher, baby. >> usher, baby. how is that? >> then we watched him pop and lock his way through his number one number one hits like "yeah." ♪ ♪ >> i would call you confident. what do you call yourself?

>> i think i'm just having fun. yeah. i allow myself to be inspired by the good and bad things that happen, you know. >> do you feel good, though, coming into 2013? >> i feel great, actually. i feel more comfortable than i ever have. i'm loving it, this is what it's all about. >> he ma i feel great now, but only after some tough times. with seven grammys on his shelf and 44 million records sold, usher appeared to have it all. but then, a few years ago, things took a turn. >> i think it's fair to say you've had a challenging couple of years. you've had a lot of things. >> maybe a few. >> first, his music sales began to dip. then came the youtube moment in berlin two years ago. usher couldn't sing. >> and walked off the stage to boos. he later called it an emotional breakdown. he and his wife had divorced and were fighting over custody of their two young sons.

it was all taking a heavy toll. >> that is absolutely not true. >> the bitter battle played out in court last summer under the media's glare. then even more heartache, his former step-son kyle was killed in a jetski accident. how did usher get through it all? >> i really can't get too caught up into what people may think. what i do know is that you know, i've had some hard times, you turn them into positives. what you learn is to hang on. hang on, hang in and have hope is really you know, kind of my mantra for the moment. you know, anything that may appear as i guess tumultuous, bad, you know, hard. you know will surely become a great life lesson. >> usher wouldn't be sidelined. now in 2013, he's got new music. an upcoming movie, and a big new gig on "the voice."

filling in for cee lo green. >> are you excited? >> am i excited? of course, behind the scenes people don't get a chance to see what i do and how much of a drill sergeant i can be at times. >> we got a preview of him in action. >> if you want your ass kissed constantly, you should be on blake's team. but if you want the truth -- you should be on my team. >> touche. >> i took a shotgun, you guys get back. >> he a and fellow newcomer shakira have already begun making music, with blake shelton and adam levine. >> you guys obviously aren't taking yourselves that seriously. you're having fun. is it fun? >> oh, my god. it's so much fun. that commercial i think shows a glimpse, only a snippet of what you really get when we're all in action. >> you all looked like you really clicked. >> man, we really do get along. and then we don't. you know, the point is, to battle, you know, for the talent. >> why did i turn? i turned because you were special.

>> who knows, we may find a new superstar voice. >> usher knows a thing or two about competition shows. he won "star search" when he was 13. >> three and a half stars. usher! >> and he's always had an eye for talent himself. after all, this is the man who helped usher in bieber fever. signing justin bieber to his record label. >> how proud are you of him now? >> every aspect of it i think i'm more excitesed about the future of it. >> two years ago justin and his mentor rocked the grammys with usher's hit, kws o.m.g." bringing down the house with their dance moves. >> i'm always about the next step, encouraging him to continue to study and understand you know, the icons are just legendary artists who have come before him and what they did. >> it may be your lucky day. >> it's advice usher heeds in his own career.

he's played small parts in movies like "killers" with ashton kutcher and katherine heigl. >> but now he's preparing for his biggest role yet as boxing legend "sugar ray leonard" in the upcoming film "hands of stone" with robert de niro. >> acting opposite robert de niro is definitely a step in the right direction. >> that's not bad, right? >> were you a boxer at all? or are just now learning it? >> i've always been pretty nice with my hands. and quick on my feet. but that wasn't really one of my skill sets or actually things that i went after. i have to save the face for something else, you know what i mean? >> the confident crooner can reduce girls to screams when he takes his shirt off on stage. but for this role, he's getting in the best shape of his life. >> can we see the work in progress? >> for the show, right? >> are you going to be shirtless? >> well i mean, you know. >> because then i'll definitely

be there. >> well i don't know how your husband will feel about that. >> but the best thing about the new year for usher after that bitter court battle is his boys usher v and navid get to live with him. they joined dad for his working vacation in mexico and he tweeted out photos. >> it's clear that you love them. how does it feel going forward now with these boys and just being free to just be their dad? >> you know i love my boys. and i really do have the greatest fun ever with them. you know when i'm able to relax and just enjoy them. got a plan. you know and that is, to allow them to be the greatest men that they can be. but they're four and five. i have some time. >> his new video, "climax" captures how he's feeling these days. >> where did that name come from, by the way? >> i used "climax" the word, to depict a relationship when you reach that place.

i think we all have in some way approached that door, do you walk through it? do you run from it? ♪ ♪ >> now as 2013 begins, usher has walked through that door to a brand new place, and he's not looking back. >> so seven grammys already and now you're up for another one for "climax." it never ends with you. >> i don't think this is a bad year, right. >> no. >> movie, world tour. potential of scoring the world's next greatest talent. i mean that's pretty, that's a great sprint for 2013. this is definitely one of those -- >> the climax? >> you know what, we're definitely headed toward a climax for the moment. ♪ ♪ >> and a reminder, that "the today show" continues its series of new year, new you reports all this week. that's all for this it