a city tries to cope. caffeine warning about a pure and potent form of the substance that is more popular among teens and can kill. and lucky break for the man pulled over for speeding in what turned out to be a life saving encounter.

good evening. there was encouraging news today about the condition of an american doctor infected with the ebola who returned to this country yesterday from liberia surrounded by sophisticated biocontainment measures. it's hoped the patient kent brantley and another american aide worker returning here soon will face a better chance at recovering here in the u.s. than they might in africa where an ebola outbreak killed more than 700 people. and even as medical teams race to contain the spread of the disease over there, in this age of rapid global travel, health officials here are increasing their vigilence. nbc's kate snoe w is outside th hospital where dr. brantley is being treated. >> reporter: good evening. some late news this afternoon. telling us why, perhaps, the family of dr. brantley is so encouraged and hopeful. we knew that his colleague nancy rightboll received some kind of experimental serum while in liberia against ebola.

now we're finding out that doctor as well got some kind of a at this church in ft. worth, praise for his rescue and prayers for his recovery. >> after seeing him walk into the hospital yesterday, we were certainly praising for god and looking forward to an upbeat worship. >> liberians came tout thank the country. >> we said good-bye and went to another country. >> brently's wife amber sent an e-mail to church members saying she was rejoicing over her husband's safe arrival. he still has a long way to go, she wrote, and want to ask you for your continued prayers for kent and nancy. on "meet the press," the head of the cdc said brantley's progress is encouraging. >> he seems to be improved from the reports we got earlier. ebola can be deadly. but in people who are healthy, the case fatality rates may be lower than the ones we're usually quoting. >> reporter: were you in the car

hipped the ambulance? this doctor runs the team that transported brantley, something they've been practicing for years. >> there are doctors and nurses tending to his needs. there's a very tight knit support network for lab and for environmental hazards. >> reporter: here he says they know how to contain a deadly virus. in west africa, it is more difficult. >> it can be did he difficult. >> reporter: e is often spread at funerals when bodies are most infectious. today in liberia, 21 of the latest victims were carefully buried by workers in protective gear. it comes as leaders from africa flew to washington today ahead a summit this week at the white house. the president saying precautions

are in place. >> we're making sure we're doing screening on that end as they leave the country. we'll do additional screening when we're here. >> reporter: the same screening he just went through. his peace corps stint was cut short by the threat of ebola. he landed in san african this morning. >> i was screened by the in country doctors checking a lot of our vital signs, taking our temperature. and we were all aware of the symptoms ebola. we had been well versed in them as part our training process. symptoms cdc is also looking for in people coming around the airport, they're on their way to pick up nancy rightbold and bring her here in the next couple of days. >> kate snow, thanks. >> a water emergency remains in effect tonight in and around toledo, ohio, where high levels a toxin prompt a ban on drinking the water for a second day. nbc's chief environmental correspondent ann thompson is there tonight. ann? >> reporter: good evening, lester. the algae bloom at the center of this crisis caught toledo by surprise.

one scientists says it is smaller than in previous years but its location of this algae that has residents here afraid to turn on the tap. this is no way to spend a weekend. the city of toledo for the second straight day is under a state of emergency. with no usable tap water. >> since yesterday morning, you know, the individuals are coming from all over the -- you know, all over different suburbs, cities. >> reporter: nearly a half million people in and around the city up to parts of neighboring michigan have tap water taint by a toxin from lake erie. >> i'm concerned about doing the dishes and laundry, taking a shower. >> reporter: safe water rolled into the area. the ohio national guard alone provide some 50,000 gallons of water. tonight city awaits results from tests being conducted at a lab.

>> the numbers that we're waiting for now in order to make a final evaluation as to what our next step will be, those numbers aren't in. so we have no foundation whatsoever to go forward. >> reporter: today the national wildlife federation took journalists for a boat ride on lake erie to see the source of the problem. around algae bloom that is close to the intake valve for the water's area supply. the bloom is fueled by fertilizer runoff, a problem environmentalists say won't end with this crisis. >> there is a systemic challenge that we face here in the great lakes that that can be much bigger than this one crisis. unfortunately this crisis could be the tip of the iceberg unless we begin to address it. >> reporter: tonight residents are under order to not drink, wash dishes, brush teeth or give it to their pets or boil it for use. that makes the toxin more concentrate and more harmful. ingesting it can cause vomiting, diarrhea and dizziness and can do serious damage to the liver. one more day lining up for water, no one wants to become a late summer tradition. now after what happened here, the city of chicago tested its water for the toxin. chicago's water comes from lake

michigan. the tests are in tonight and the city of chicago says there is no presence of that toxin. and its tap water remains safe to drink. lester? >> ann thompson, thanks. middle east, strong criticism by the united nations and the u.s. tonight after yet another attack near a u.n. school killed at least ten civilians. israel withdrew most of the ground forces from gaza. the palestinian death toll now quoted over 1800. 64 israeli soldiers and three civilians have died in this war. nbc's richard engel is in gaza for us tonight. richard? >> reporter: israel said from the beginning that the main mission in gaza was to destroy hamas' tunnels. now that's almost complete, israeli forces are pulling back. but it doesn't mean this war is

over. this is what israel has been doing to hamas' tunnels. in three, two, one -- israel says they blew up most of the tunnels, a labyrinth of passage ways to hide, attack and escape, even on motor cycles. it was at a tunnel where an israeli soldier was killed. had is funeral today. as he was laid to rest, israel took a major step to make sure the rest of its soldiers are safer. pulling most of the forces out of the gaza strip, tend sending relief soldiers back to israel. the withdrawal means israeli troops gathered along gaza's border will be far less vulnerable to attack. for israel, the ground war could be ending. but here in gaza, it certainly doesn't feel like the war is winding down. all day there have been rockets launched from here towards

israel. we watched them fly overhead. and there have been more israeli air strikes. >> one of the strikes caused yet another tragedy. u.n. officials say israel fired on a suspected palestinian mill -- mill tanlt on a motorcycle as he passed a u.n. school filled with 3,000 palestinians taking shelter. at least ten civilians were killed. robert turner, director of the u.n. program in gaza, is stunned israel chose to attack so close to the school. do you think israel should have wait a few more seconds, a few more minutes until he was further away? >> why? if this is a moving target, why there? why there? right at the gate of a shelter, the location of which you've been given 33 times, the last time not more than an hour before the attack. >> reporter: in the strongest

condemnation yet, the u.s. state department said it was appalled by today's shelling by the school. u.n. secretary-general called that attack near the u.n. school a moral outrage and a criminal act. lester? >> richard engel, thanks. with israel pulling forces back from gaza, we want to bring in martin fletcher in tel aviv. martin, is this a sign that thins may be winding down or it's the beginning of a new phase? >> lester, judging by israeli troop movements, it clearly is winding down. but we're going to have to see what comes next. the government said only that the army is regrouping. and these soldiers that we met on the border told us they're ready for anything, to go home or to go back in. if there is no new agreement with hamas on the cease-fire, then israel said the strategy will be deterrents. the hope that hamas will have learned its lesson they say and won't start fighting again. on top of that, israel says it could resume assassinations of hamas leaders. and at tonight's funeral, an emotional intense sharing of

grief. and the hope was that this would be last casualty of this war. there is hope for the cease-fire agreement to be work in and out cairo without israeli negotiators maybe presented to israel and accepted within a few days. but hamas said if israel with draws without an agreement, there will be a war of attrition. that means more fighting soon. lester? >> martin fletcher, thank you. a powerful and deadly earthquake struck southwest china today. it happened in a remote part of the country. 367 people were killed. more than 1800 injured. the magnitude was 6.3 but the quake was less than a mile from the surface. 12,000 buildings collapsed including at least one school. one resident said the streets were like a battlefield after a bombardment. wildfires are burning out of control tonight in at least eight states. some of the biggest and most dangerous are in the pacific northwest and northern california which declared a state of emergency. the latest tonight from nbc's miguel almangare. >> reporter: tonight in oregon, 32,000 acres of forest land up in smoke. the lightning sparked gulch fire, one of the largest in

states history the three homes destroyed, crews racing to protect nearly 300 structures with wind to its back and fuel in its path, this blaze has plenty of room to grow. >> you start to attack a fire in one direction. the wind shifts. and it creates issues for personnel on the ground. >> reporter: already the most destructive fire season in state history in neighboring washington this weekend a new fire just miles away from where 300 homes were lost. another eight now gone. in california, a state of emergency. six major wildfires are intensifying here, four grew rapidly overnight. the air national guard on stand by, ready to launch at a moment's notice. >> right now this tank is portable. it rolls in and rolls out.

>> reporter: with hundreds of additional firefighters hired across the region, governors from california, oregon, and washington have asked congress for more money and resources for the forest service. in the air and on the ground a desperate fire fight across the west tonight. a season just heating up. nbc news, los angeles. when nbc "nightly news" continues on this sunday, a teen's parents speak out after his sudden death. tonight the new warning about a potent and potentially dangerous form of caffeine. later, a father's simple request to preserve his daughter's memory leads to an outpouring of kindness. what super poligrip does for me is it keeps the food out.

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and it was uncomfortable. [ male announcer ] just a few dabs is clinically proven to seal out more food particles. [ corrine ] super poligrip is part of my life now. we're back with a troubling trend involving caffeine, including the growing use a pure powder form. taking too much of it can have deadly consequences as it did for one young man whose family is now speaking out. our report tonight from john yang. that is the one that morgan took for his graduation invitation. >> reporter: this summer dennis and kate steiner thought they'd be getting their son logan ready for college. instead, they're mourning his death.

>> he had a smile to kill for. he could drag anyone out of a bad mood. >> reporter: logan, a straight a student, wrestler, senior prom king died suddenly three days before graduation. later, a plastic bag with a white powder was found in his house, pure, concentrated caffeine. when you found out that was caffeine in the bag, what was your reaction? >> that couldn't have killed him. >> reporter: an autopsy found he had 23 times as much caffeine in his system as a typical coffee or cola drinker, enough to kill him. pure caffeine is stoeld as a dietary speed limit to boost alertness and athletic performance. it appears to be most popular with young men. >> they think i use caffeine all

the time. you know, i'm tolerant to this. >> reporter: pure caffeine is not regulated. a teaspoon is the equivalent of 25 cups of coffee. it could include irregular heartbeat, muscle spasms and kidney failure. dozens of web sites sell it for as little as $12 for 100 grams. one site suggests users should have only a 16th of a teaspoon at a time and no more than three servings a day. that retailer both supplements says it has taken steps to educate our consumers on the dangers of overdosing. >> this particular stuff being as lethal as it is needs to be banned completely. >> reporter: there is also growing scrutiny of caffeinated energy drinks like these. annual sales nearly $10 billion. since 2007, emergency room visits relate to them have doubled. for now, they take comfort and strength from the message on logan's twitter profile, cherish the seconds, everything happens for a reason. >> we need to educate our parents and children need to be educated. >> it's a start. >> yes, it is.

>> reporter: working to make something positive come from their son's death so no other family goes through this. john yang, nbc news, cleveland. when we come back, caught on camera. for one man why being pulled over for speeding may have been the best thing that ever happened. hat ever happened. [ female announcer ] it's simple physics... a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. celebrex can be taken with or without food. and it's not a narcotic. you and your doctor should balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen and meloxicam

have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, like celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions, or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. . . , or had an asthma attack, hives, other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history. and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. when folks think about wthey think salmon and energy. but the energy bp produces up here test. test. test test test engineering and innovation jobs. advanced safety systems & technology.

shipping and manufacturing. across the united states, bp supports more than a quarter million jobs. when we set up operation in one part of the country, people in other parts go to work. that's not a coincidence. it's one more part of our commitment to america. some spectacular scenes from mt. aetna in sicily. at times it sent fiery ash and lava 600 feet. it is one of the most active volcanoes rarely disappointing scientists and thousands of tourists each year. getting pulled over by the police isn't usually a cause for celebration. but it was for a man in new england who was speeding and ended up escaping death. the whole thing was recorded on video released this past week. we get details tonight from ron

mott. >> reporter: the way to get ice cream, 84-year-old knew immediately he was busted for speeding. >> i saw the cruiser up on the side of the road there. and i said, too late. no sense slowing down now. >> what he didn't know couldn't possibly know was that getting pulled over would be a lifesaver. >> let me see your license. >> all i can tell you is i took my license out of the wallet, after that, i know nothing. >> reporter: for the officer, dash cam rolling, it was just another stop. >> i went back to my car. i started to run checks. and write out the warning card and i heard some screaming. >> call 911. >> the screaming was from his wife, janet and not because he was going too fast. he was dying. his heart had stopped.

>> he was unresponsive. i checked for a pulse. he didn't have one. at which time i pulled him out the vehicle and began doing chest compressions. >> sir? >> reporter: but the compressions weren't working, backup arrived armed with a defibrillator. >> they said you were a goner and you were lucky because the policeman was an emt. he knew just what to do. >> reporter: from a radar gun to cpr, all in a day's work for officer herrington. >> we don't have many of these, certainly not in law enforcement. it's very difficult sometimes to quantify, you know, the difference we make. every once in a while something like this happens and it feels good. >> it was quite an ordeal. >> reporter: as for speeding, he was 50 mile over the hour, gavin was let off with just a warning. >> i think i'll frame it. >> reporter: and a beating heart. >> we got a pulse back. >> thank you. >> reporter: ron mott, nbc news. and one more item from the police tonight, this one

involving a slow speed chase, very slow. a 150 pound tortoise was picked up by police in suburban los angeles after trying to make a run -- well, a walk for it. the police department found itself in not so hot pursuit and captured the animal. turns out it's name is dirk. he's been -- since then, he's been returned to his family that owns him and the case is now closed. up next, the father who simply wanted a nice picture remember his daughter and got so much more. e remember his daughter and got so much more. looks like we're about to board. mm-hmm. i'm just comparing car insurance rates at progressive.com. is that where they show the other guys' rates, too? mm-hmm. cool. yeah. hi. final boarding call for flight 294. [ bells ring on sign ] [ vehicle beeping ] who's ready for the garlic festival?

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finally, we have a story about acts of kindness in our digital age, strangers stepping up to help a father remember his grieving father. heant wanted a picture he could cherish. erica hill on the remarkable response. >> reporter: hers is the face that launched 100 images to replace the only one her parents ever saw. born with a liver tumor, sophia lived just six weeks. heart broken, her father nathan turned to the social networking site reddit asking if someone could remove the tubes from this photo. he could never get a picture of her without the apparatus doctors used to try to save her. on her computer screen in florida, laura tap saw the plea from the ohio father. >> and i knew nothing about him. i thought well i can help this man.

>> reporter: a new graphic design student and a grandmother. >> look at that little chubby cheeks. >> reporter: she drew on both experiences to complete her portrait of sophia. >> i have a granddaughter and a grandson and i have wonderful pictures. i could only hope that everyone gets a picture like that to have and to hold and to cherish. >> reporter: tap envisions sophia surround by pink. others saw her outside under a blue sky. near a green field or in a nursery. snuggled in a blanket. awe retouching the photo to try to brush aside if only for a moment her parents' pain. tyler smith has a following on

reddit for his quirky reimagining. yet there was something about sophia and about her father's plea smith couldn't resist. >> actually replied a couple times saying how he showed his wife and made her cry. that push me to keep working at it and to try to make it better. >> reporter: amazed by the response, he posted a thank you note writing "all i want was a nice picture. what i received was a lot of love and support from a bunch of strangers." >> there's a lot of caring people out there. i'm proud and honored to be a part of that, actually. >> reporter: creating a unique baby album no one will ever forget. erica hill, nbc news, new york. and that's nbc "nightly news" for this sunday. brian williams will be here tomorrow. i'm lester holt reporting from new york for all of us here at nbc news. good night. here at here at nbc news. nbc news. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

for the american doctor infected with the deadly, bola virus. the dire situation plaguing california. why the governor called in the national guard. but first, levi's stadium leaders are playing monday morning quarterback on the day after opening night. what went well, and what didn't. good evening, everyone. peggy is off tonight. it's the day after the first event at the new levi's stadium, and you might say there's some monday morning quarterbacking going on. tens of thousands flocked to the earthquakes game, putting virtually every aspect of the new facility and the city of santa clara to the test.