local news update. >> thank you for making us a part of why you ever morning here on "today in the bay." it is a wonderful wednesday as we take a live look at pyeongchang with the "today" show live from there. good morning, breaking overnight, the reverend billy graham, one of the country's most beloved and influential spiritual leaders has died. the iconic evangelist who counseled presidents for seven decades, passing away at the age of 99. we'll celebrate his remarkable life. ce to face, president trump set for an emotional meeting at the white house today with survivors of the florida school shooting and other victims of gun violence. >> we have to do more to protect our children. >> but will congress do more? all that, plus banner day -- team usa wins medals in bobsled and speed skating overnight. as lindsey vonn makes history, winning bronze in the downhill.

>> i kept working hard and i'm really proud of this medal. >> a tough night on the ice for american figure skaters. ♪ >> and stunning upset. the u.s. wins gold in dramatic fashion overnight, a photo fin nish the women's cross country team sprint, the first gold ever for the u.s. in that sport. proving that all that glitters really is gold. today, wednesday, february 21st, 2018. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is a special edition of "today," at the olympic games. with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb. live from pyeongchang, south korea.

>> and good morning, everybody, welcome to today on a wednesday morning. it's 7:00 notice morning on the west coast, but it's midnight here in pyeongchang, south korea. >> it is indeed. we have a lot to get to this morning. starting with the breaking news from back home. >> billy graham, the influential and admired evangelist known as the unofficial pastor of the white house, has died. he was 99 years old. here's nbc's ron mott. >> god is saying tonight -- i love you. no matter what you've done, how bad you've been, i love you. >> as a modern-day messenger of faith, few if any rivalled the reach of billy graham. >> there's a way out and it's so easy. >> throughout his life, graham preached live to more than 210 million people in 185 countries and territories. >> there's only one road to heaven. >> he was called everything from the elvis evangelism to the general motors of christianity. >> this is god's inspired word. >> born four days before the end of world war i, graham was

raised during the depression on his family's north carolina dairy farm, before he turned to saving souls, graham was a seller of brushes, one of the best the fuller brush company had ever seen. >> man is restless until he finds god. >> but god would become his greetest pitch. >> man has the will. >> ordained in 1939, he was one of the first evangelists to temper fire and brimstone with new-age tolerance. >> don't ever say it's a white-man's religion or a black man's religion. it's a world religion. >> he also embraced another revelation, mass media. first on radio, then television. >> it's the gift of god. >> graham elevated spiritual revivals from parking lot tents to satellite-beamed crusades, his reach stretched beyond the powerful. >> to the presidency of the united states. >> advising 12 presidents, including a visit with president obama in 2010. >> i love them all regardless of politics.

>> george w. bush dubbed him america's preacher. >> billy has been a long-time friend of my family. >> in 1996, graham was given the highest honor congress can bestow a civilian, the congressional gold medal. >> we are a society poised on the brink of self-destruction. >> billy graham continued preaching to the masses well into his 80s, in 2005 at the age of 86 he held what was billed his final american crusade and weakened by age, suffering from parkinson's disease and cancer, his message was unchanged. >> deep inside we need something else. and that something else can be brought about by jesus. >> in november of 2013, reverend graham celebrated his 95th birthday and reloos leased a video described as his final sermon. >> the only way to follow god is through his son, jesus christ. >> at his side for six decades of preaching the gospel was

ruth, his wife of 60 years. >> today i want to honor her and tell you how much i love her. and tell you what a wonderful woman she has been. >> but in june, 2007, the woman billy called his life partner died. >> i'm going to ask you -- >> even after her death, through his words and ministry, graham carried on. continuing to offer millions a chance for new life, all they had to do was believe. >> i hope you'll remember to remember that god loves you. >> ron mott, nbc news, new york. >> well the president reacted a short time ago. he tweeted the following, the great billy graham is dead. there was nobody like him. he will be missed by christians and all religions. a very special man. >> and speaking of the president, he is hosting the students and teachers and parents who have been directly impacted by some of the country's deadliest school shootings at the white house today.

sentiment growing for tougher gun law in the wake of the parkland, florida tragedy. two reports, beginning with nbc white house correspondent kristen welker. hey, kristen, good morning. >> hoda, good morning to you. a white house official says at least two dozen students, parents and teachers are coming to the white house to meet with the president and talk about gun violence. some of the attendees include parkland students who have written letters to the white house asking to speak directly with the president. it's being called a listening session. but these families want action. in just a few hours, president trump will host families who know the pain of gun violence firsthand. they'll be from places like sandy hook, columbine and the latest scene of school violence, parkland, florida. the face-to-face comes with the president who ran on a platform of protecting second amendment rights, now showing a new willingness to make measured changes. >> we must do more to protect our children. we have to do more. to protect our children. >> the president tweeting, whether we are republicans or

democrats, we must now focus on strengthening background checks. earlier tuesday, mr. trump asking the justice department to impose regulations banning bump stocks. devices which modify some guns allowing them to shoot hundreds of rounds per minute. he first ordered a review of the attacks after the las vegas massacre. while the move could face legal challenges, mr. trump insisting. >> we cannot merely take actions that make us feel like we are making a difference. >> meanwhile, social media is being inundated with conspiracy theories, claiming that some of the grieving students fighting for gun control are actually hired actors. some posts like this one being shared more than 100,000 times. one of the students falsely accused of being part of a hoax speaking out late tuesday. >> i am so sorry that these people have lost their faith in america. i know i certainly haven't. i was a witness to this. i'm not a crisis actor. >> meanwhile, on russia,

president trump is lashing out again after special counsel robert mueller indicted 13 russian officials for meddling in the election. tweeting today, question, if all of the russian meddling took place during the obama administration right up to january 20th, why aren't they the subject of the investigation? why didn't obama do something about the meddling? why aren't dem crimes under investigation? ask jeff sessions. mr. trump taking a jab at his own attorney general as the russia probe heats up. hoda? >> all right. kristen, a lot going on, thank you. some families impacted by the parkland shooting are at the white house, others are making their voices heard at the state capital of florida in tallahassee. nbc's kerry sanders is there with that part of the story. kerry, good morning to you. >> we're already seeing some of those students arrive here. it's estimated there may be according to police, as many as 1,000 students who arrive here. but the 100 students from marjorie stoneman douglas who

traveled to the state capital likely will not attend the rally. that's because the state representative who invited them here, fears that because this is a an open rally, they may find themselves confronting those who actually believe in gun rights and maybe even carrying weapons. she says it's probably not a good idea. because it was really only seven days ago that the students were dealing with a shooting right on their campus. to see it face to face would be emotionally disturbing. overnight, a warm welcome for the survivors of the shooting at marjory stoneman douglas high school. students on a mission, bringing their anger, grief and a tough gun control message to florida's capital. >> we're sick and tired of politicians just sitting back and saring that this is inevitable. now we need to implement the legislation and we need to carry forward change. >> they're learning that won't be easy. tuesday the florida legislature voted not to take up a bill banning assault weapons. a crushing blow to students who were there. some are urging them not to attend today's rally.

where grieving students might be confronted by pro gun rights advocates. >> we all have to be mindful that these kids are very fresh from a terribly traumatic event. >> sam fuentes survived the rampage, barely, shot in the thigh, shrapnel lodged behind her eye. >> any farther back, i would be brain dead. >> two of her classmates died she now feels guilty she didn't care more about other mass shootings. >> i don't know how columbine wasn't enough. i don't know how sandy hook was not enough. i don't know how las vegas was not enough. i don't know how the pulse nightclub was not enough. i don't know how any of it was not enough. but now it is. >> this most recent shooting sparking a nationwide movement, even among some gun owners. to get rid of assault weapons. as planning gets under way for next month's gun control march in washington, celebrities are now lending their support. george and amal clooney say they'll be there, writing in a

statement, they are so inspired by the courage and eloquence of these young men and women. we're donating $500,000 to help pay for this groundbreaking event. oprah tweeting she'll match the donation. these inspiring young people remind me of the freedom riders of the '60s who also said, we've had enough. but there's no letting up in the grief. funerals for carmen sentra, she would have been 17 today. 14-year-old gina montaldo, a member of the marching band. and 15-year-old peter wang, his parents say he dreamed of attending west point. the military academy now admitting him posthumously, a rare honor. despite everything she's been through, sam fuentes is optimistic. >> this doesn't have to be a recurring thing. we can put an end to it. >> the 100 stoneman douglas students survivors will end their day here in tallahassee

with a two-hour meeting with florida republican governor rick scott. he has long been a supporter of gun rights. and has an a-plus rating from the nra. savannah? >> kerry sanders in tallahassee, thank you. we're going to switch gears and bring it back here to the olympics. on a busy wednesday morning. it's been an exciting day for team usa in pyeongchang, highlighted by some historic medal force our athletes. and craig is here with the very latest on all this. hey, craig. >> hey, there, savannah, hoda, call it ladies night. lindsey vonn got bronze in the signature downhill race. u.s. women won virile in bobsled, they won bronze in team skating team pursuit and in a huge surprise, america snagged its first-ever gold medal in cross country. a heart-racing finish. team usa's kikkan randall and jessica diggins grabbing gold.

the first olympic cross country medal for the united states since 1976. and the first u.s. women to medal in cross country ever. a stunning victory in the women's team sprint relay. >> down goes vonn. one last time in the olympic downhill. >> while the thrill of speed, american lindsey vonn adds to her already-legendary career. race back to the medal podium with a bronze in the women's downhill. after a devastating knee injury forced vonn to sit out in sochi, the two-time medalist has been waiting eight years for another shot at gold and glory. >> vonn takes the final jump, to the finish line. >> the 33-year-old leaving it all on the mountain. becoming the oldest female ever to medal in alpine skiing at the olympics. >> i gave it my best shot, you know. i, i tried so hard and i worked

my butt off. and i'm so proud to have competed with such amazing girls, i'm proud to have competed for my country. i'm proud to have given it my all. >> vonn finishing just behind norway's ragnild bumwinckel. afterwards, vonn and sophia goggia hugging, the competitors are also friends. from the slopes to the ice and the russian rivalry that's heating up the women's figure skating competition. 15-year-old alina zagitova going head to head with her teammate yevgenia medvedeva during the women's short skate. >> triple flip. triple toe. >> just minutes after, medvedeva broke her own world record score in the short program. zagitova setting the bar even higher. >> so difficult going off the edge. after the triple lutz -- very sol solid. >> team usa's trio, bradie

tennell, mirai nagasu not faring as well. >> the opening events have not been good for the americans. >> each falling minutes into their performances. nagasu fell on a triple axel, a week after she became the first u.s. woman to land the same jump in olympic history. and finally, in women's bobsled, american star alana myers-taylor taking home the silver, her third olympic gold medal. for her teammate lauren gibbs it was her first medal. one more highlight this morning for team usa, overnight the men's curling team defeated great britain to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2006. no surprise, medal count, norway still dominating the games. the united states is tied with the netherlands for fourth and on the schedule today, lindsey vonn and mikaela shiffrin competing in the women's alpine

combined and the slalom for the men in freestyle skiing and the men's halfpipe final and hockey and canada leading in the gold medal game for the third straight olympics. you can watch it all live later today on nbc and the nbc sports networks. savannah, hoda, we send it back to you. >> al, are you checking some crazy weather back home. >> the good news is for our friends out west, not that bad. frost and freeze warnings, as you can see, relatively dry. we have a few showers and some snowshowers making their way along the west coast. and into the pacific northwest. basically not all that bad. although in the east it's a little worse, we'll take a look at that in a second. phoenix, partly sunny, 60 degrees, 31 in denver. clouds in seattle and 38 degrees, 15 and sunny in billings, rest of the country we've got a lot of wet weather to talk about. heavy rain making its way through the mid mississippi and ohio river valley, icy conditions through texas, could be airport delays there.

record highs along the eastern seaboard with temperatures getting into the south some places getting up to about 90 places getting up to about 90 degrees. this is google home mini. it's got the google assistant in it, so it's super helpful. watch this: hey google, good morning. google voice: good morning, claire. it's 52 degrees with a chance of rain, so you might want an umbrella. oh, that's thoughtful. it'll also read you the news, look up traffic, and tell you: google voice: your first meeting is at 9:00 a.m. and you know how sometimes you're in bed and you can't get out of it until you hear that one song that: google voice: okay, playing your "get out of bed" playlist. (song from "the lion king") yeah, it can do that too. it's google home mini, and the rest of the google home family. ( ♪ )

>> and that's your latest weather. just ahead, the twists, jumps and falls that dominated the opening of the ladies figure skating competition. scott hamilton is here and he'll break it all down. >> and the gold medal match between bitter rivals, women's

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today marks one year since the a very good morning to you. it is 7:26, i'm laura garcia. today marks one year since the damaging coyote creek flood in san jose. a little later south bay leaders will use that occasion to talk about what's being done since to prevent future flooding. last year's flood was triggered by water flow from the anderson reservoir causing coyote creek to overflow its bank. since then the santa clara valley water district has installed flood barriers meant to protect places like the rock springs neighborhood which saw some of the worst damage. some rock springs residents were unable to return their homes for months. we've got so much rain this time last year, this year, not so much. >> and we just want a fraction of that. we are going to still continue on with some dry weather for a little while. we will have a slight chance of

rain tomorrow but we are seeing the sunshine now. san francisco 45 degrees and a very cold start in the north bay with some 30s there. also 39 degrees in san jose and 30 now in morgan hill. dress in layers as you get ready to head out the door and today it's going to be another mild one. near 60 degrees in concord and in san jose, palo alto 56 degrees, 54 in oakland and in napa and today in san francisco 53 degrees with some breezy winds. let's get an update on the commute now from mike. it's kicking in, but still wintry break like in the south bay, lighter than often is the case on a wednesday. slow 280 in the middle of your screen northbound and 101 coming up past san jose international airport. here we go across the dumbarton and san mateo bridges westbound is your commute direction, holding steady with speeds pretty good. the backup at the hayward side of the san mateo bridge near the toll plaza. a great drive heading toward the maze, no major problems for the bay bridge. jammed up middle of the screen

west 580 toward the richmond-san rafael bridge. we will be back with another update in half an hour.

back now, 7:30 on a wednesday morning, february 21st, 2018, 9:30 in pyeongchang. you're looking at speed skating team pursuit going on right now. across the park from us here at olympic park. it's kind of cool these events are happening as we speak. if we turn around on the plaza, we've got this big bunch of awesome people from the usa cheer squad. [ chanting "usa, usa" ] >> there's a woman, they're fired up and ready to celebrate team usa. we'll have more from the winter olympics just ahead. first let's get you caught up on today's other headlines from

back home and around the world. high-stakes meeting at the white house, president trump set to host students and parents directly impacted by gun violence, including the recent florida tragedy. as mr. trump calls for both parties to focus on strengthening background checks. >> we must do more to protect our children. we have to do more to protect our children. breaking this morning, the reverend billy graham passes away overnight. the iconic evangelist who counseled every president since eisenhower was 99 years old. harrowing ordeal, arizona police arrest two parents on charges of child abuse after allegedly holding their four kids captive in their home without food, water or use of a bathroom. authorities only learning about it after one of the children escaped through a window and called police. peanut allergy breakthrough? a california company announces the first successful treatment

to help prevent serious allergic reactions to peanuts, giving millions of american families hope. and royal runway. britain's queen elizabeth makes a surprise appearance at london's fashion week. a first for the 91-year-old monarch. today, wednesday, february 21st, 2018. and meantime, the glamour event of the winter olympics, what everyone talks about, ladies figure skating got under way last night. natalie was there for every spin, jump and unfortunately, fall. >> yes. >> it hurt a little bit to watch that. but the night certainly belonged to the russians, they dominated, they turned in two spectacular performances after a rough start for the women in team usa. >> everyone is waiting -- for this jump. >> it was one of the most anticipated moments of the night. >> she's setting up right here. nice take-off.

>> this time american mirai nagasu came up short with the triple hax l after nailing it in last week's team competition. >> very emotional for you right now. do you think you'll give it another try for the free skate? or it right now focusing on what's next? >> super upset. but at the same time like i'm so proud of myself for going for the jumps that other people wouldn't even try. >> nagasu is currently ninth heading into tomorrow's free skate. >> shocking error. >> the other two members of team usa, bradie tennell and karen chen. >> she needs this triple-triple. >> flying into this. >> struggling with their first jumps. >> the opening elements have not been good for the americans so far today. >> i can't change it, no manager how hard i think about it i was kind of was like, oops, a mistake, let's move on. >> i very rarely make a mistake, especially in my short program.

we're all human, we all make mistakes, you have to get to get up and put it behind you. >> it was a night of russian dominance, a beautifully executed triple lutz/triple loop combination helped land 15-year-old alina zagitova at the top of the leaderboard. >> the big jumping pass. triple flip. triple toe. arm over the head. >> fellow russian yevgenia medvedeva in second after turning in her own powerhouse performance. the skaters, however, not competing under the russian flag following the country's massive doping scandal. >> canada's cakaitlyn osmond rounds out the top three, setting up a competitive race heading into the free skate. one the americans will have to crush if they hope to make the medal stand. well obviously mirai nagasu was very emotional when we were talking with her. after missing that triple axel. she says she's having a lot of fun here.

she's getting to sample the korean culture and experience. we'll see and the other skaters have planned for the free skate. >> nothing can take away what she did in the team event at that moment. >> i had to give her a big hug and console her and say you did it, girl. >> thank you. we've got to talk to scott hamilton about all of this. a gold medal winner. and the olympic network's dale figure skating show. let's start in order. bradie tennell had to skate first. it was really tough. >> like the worst place to skate. it can work for you or against you. i've never seen bradie miss, we finish with the guys and we were in a golf cart running back over to the arena. i got there and saw the replays, the first falling down on this element and it was like whoa whoa whoa, wait, no. i've never seen her miss a jump. more or less fall on a jump. >> that's not the bradie you know. >> no. it was so odd to see that happen

the way it did. so right here on this triple toe, watch the toe go in. it just seemed to get up a little bit late in the rotation. and then your body gets confused. there's no way to save it. so it was really unlucky and you know it just -- man, it was shocking. really shocking. >> let's talk about mirai nagasu for a minute. she tried the triple again. she was the first woman to do it. >> the triple axel she did in the short program. it was massively overretated. a quarter turn past. most people can't get around that jump. she was way past it. >> she was almost into quadruple area. >> she was trying to get into the fourth turn she stayed with the program the rest of the way. the triple axel brought her enough points she was able to stay above the other two americans. >> karen chen? >> just really one mistake. she as a jumping technique which is up and in. most of the people that rotate. she'll go up and in. she's open and then she pulls in. most of the people rotate on the

way up instead of up and in. so when she does that she's rotating on the way down, it's harder to stop and control the rotation. >> let's talk about the russians, they seem so far and way way better than everybody there. is there something that they're doing? >> they really are. they, i introduced myself to their coach, and she's just figured out how to advance young women quickly into being these gigantic world-beaters, when you look at these two women, it's like okay, yevgenia medvedeva, this is alina zagitova right here. she did a triple lutz/triple loop. which is really difficult and then she did this triple flip here. look at the air position, arms above the head which is extremely difficult and the flow out of it is absolutely perfect. the spins, everything else. medvedeva is a little bit different. she's more of an artist.

like she -- zagitova is more in the classics, medvedeva is more dramatic. but a terminator, she's undefeated for two years, she gets to the europeans recently and she loses to alina zagitova. and zagitova is the reigning junior world champion. that's how good she is they're both so great. anything can happen in the long program. they'll probably skate clean and it will be up to the judges to see where they reward those elements and how much extra they give on the well-performed. it will be exciting as always and beautifully skated. >> thank you, scott. >> you always get us excited. the ladies' free skate is tomorrow night. we're going to head over to mr. roker for another check of the weather. >> how you doing? let's talk about some of the heat and some of the cold we're talking and looking at as we check the jet stream. you can see it's frigid out west. a dividing line, warming in the east. the temperatures, it's 22 degrees in minneapolis. 42 in detroit.

then 73 in roanroanoke. and 77 in knoxville. tomorrow and thursday, look at the temperatures, they start to drop down from minneapolis to boston. pittsburgh, roanoke still warm and knoxville and heading into friday, that cool air really takes hold. it stays warm down to the south. but boy, we're going to see temperatures get back to normal. everybody feels pretty good about what's going on right now. but we will be back to our normal winter temperatures before long. record highs along the east good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. it's a mostly clear sky as we get a live look outside in san jose. also very chilly as you get ready to head out the door. we have had temperatures mostly in the 30s and low who 40s. we are up to 54 degrees in oakland and napa, 58 degrees in san jose and in santa rosa expect a high of 55 degrees. over the next few days, rain, spotty showers in the forecast for tomorrow, but drying out for

the weekend an more rain early next week. >> and that is your latest weather. >> all right, al. thank you so much. much more ahead today, including, can a medal-winning olympian teach us how to ski? if you think you know the answer, you're probably right. >> it looks worse looking at the video. and the controversial olympian making some waves for looking a lot like the rest of us on the slope. we'll talk to us about that live. and we'll hear from the u.s. women's hockey team as they get set for tonight's gold medal game against rival, canada, right after this. ♪ ♪ ♪ (vo) you can pass down a subaru forester.

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athlete to watch." it's the entire team to keep your eye on. >> lots of athletes to watch. the u.s. hockey team taking on canada in tonight's gold medal game. kate is going to get us so excited for this. >> reporter: i'm so pumped up for this, savannah and hoda. a u.s. women's hockey team has not beaten canada at the olympics in 20 years. but this is a new team. this is a new day. and they are very confident this is their year for gold. >> go, usa. >> reporter: it's game day for team usa and canada, the two women's hockey heavyweights and the stakes couldn't be higher. >> skate hard. >> yeah. >> think they can do it. >> reporter: overnight, the u.s. women were on the ice for one last practice before the gold medal game. how do you psych yourselves up for this is it? this is it? >> there's no psyching up needed. this is the right group. we have put ourselves in a position to win a gold medal. we're really excited. >> we've looked forward to this

our whole lives. i'm looking forward to playing with 22 girls that i love so much. >> lee stecklein played in sochi. >> i think we've been getting better every game. >> of the 23 u.s. players, 13 are new to the olympic team. the strategy, a bit different. teamwork, never give up the puck and let anyone score. last spring, they banded together, threatening to boy kocot if they weren't paid the same as male players. and they roomed together to build team trust. >> it's a new day. >> reporter: last week, when the u.s. lost to canada in a preliminary round, it wasn't the friendliest game. canada took that game 2-1, and has won gold at the last four olympics. >> i hope canada takes it. >> reporter: and they are sounding confident, too. >> we have a great team.

we respect them a lot. but obviously, when the time is on the ice, it's a battle out there. >> reporter: i don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but can you picture standing on the podium? >> we pictured it our whole lives. >> reporter: look at you. how old are you? >> i'm thinking maybe 6 or so. >> reporter: they know a lot of little girls will be watching tonight. >> a lot of it is for setting up the future, too. and giving our country something to be proud of and to rally behind and giving young girls something to look up to. we take pride in that. >> reporter: the last time the u.s. beat canada in 1998, these players were the kids. you remember when the u.s. last won. >> 100%. a memory as clear in my eyes. i'm sure these guys remember it, as well. that lit the fire in all of us. from that day forward, we wanted to win a gold medal for our country. >> reporter: they admit, there are some nerves ahead of this game. they're elite athletes.

they know how to handle stress. this is such a hot ticket. there are some tickets still available for about $230. >> wow. >> we have tickets. we're going. >> i don't know anyone more pumped than kate. this is going to be big. you can watch the gold medal game later on live on nbc sports network. coming up, the soundtrack of these games. we're going to explore the kpop craze. first, these messages. ♪

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good wednesday morning, right now it's 7:56. this is a chilly start but we do have some sunshine as we take a look across the bay area and a live look outside in san jose. our temperatures have been in the 30s and some low 40s for parts of the inner bay and the coast. we're only down to 31 degrees now in morgan hill, fairfield 37 degrees in livermore. mid 30s for the north bay. we are going to make it into the mid 50s which will still cooler than normal for the end of february, but i think we will take it with that sunshine. we will be up to 58 in san jose, 56 in palo alto and 53 degrees in san francisco. over the next few days we will be tracking more rain. we had some spotty light showers out there earlier this morning, all of that has since cleared out and we will have an all dry day, but tomorrow some rain will be possible especially during the afternoon and i will be tracking that for you right here. let's get an update on the commute from mike. not bad. this is wednesday's commute looking really good, typical

pattern here. slowing there over in san mateo as the folks made their way over the san mateo bridge. look, 92 actually lightning up across the high-rise. farther south slow coming off the dumbarton bridge, that's the later commute and holds with that pattern coming back fob. let's look at the live shot by ikea. both directions are slow. folks funneling down through the one willow off ramp, still working on the interchange there. happening now, president trump is getting ready to sit down with some of the survivors of last week's school shooting in florida. he's calling it a listening session and it's happening at the white house. the president is searching for possible solutions to better protect children from gun violence in schools. and while we were all sleeping u.s. athletes a half a world away were busy acquiring more olympics hardware. that includes an unprecedented gold medal in cross-country skiing. on our twitter feed the details behind america's newly minted medalists. another local news update coming soon.

i am extremely proud of jackie, gaby and stephanie. we worked with pg&e to save energy because we wanted to help the school. they would put these signs on the door to let the teacher know you didn't cut off the light.

the teachers, they would call us the energy patrol. so they would be like, here they come, turn off your lights! those three young ladies were teaching the whole school about energy efficiency. we actually saved $50,000. and that's just one school, two semesters, three girls. together, we're building a better california. ♪ when seeds we sow ♪ give free their fruit ♪ to hands below ♪ as thank you for ♪ the chance to grow pick your free yogurt at chobani.com pick your free yogurt when my vehicle i wwas hit by an ied.r in iraq i looked down and i knew i was out of the fight. but playing for team usa has been a second chance to represent my country. i get to show my children and the world that, yeah, i might have been knocked down, but i'm up, and i'm honored to be able to represent the flag. comcast is grateful to all who have served our country, and we're proud to bring the 2018 olympic

and paralympic winter games home to everyone. it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, face-to-face. president trump set to meet with families and victims of gun violence today. >> we have to do more to protect our children. >> as students step up, calling for change. but will it be enough? we're live on capitol hill. plus, slow and steady. how how did this american competing for hungary make it to the olympics with this performance? the fascinating story that has the internet fuming. and and ski anchors. >> yes, we're in. we did it.

>> i'm a skier! >> hoda and i enlist the help of olympic medalist gus kenworthy and it goes about as as well as you think. >> i pizzaed and nothing happened. >> today, wednesday, february 21st, 2018. >> hi, we're from south korea, we love you. go team usa. >> hey, mom and dad in uniontown, pennsylvania, go team usa! >> good morning, shenandoah university in winchester, pennsylvania, we'll be home next week, can't wait to see everybody. >> i want to say, give a shout-out to mom and dad. go team usa! >> good morning, everybody. welcome back to "today." thank you so much for joining us. it's 8:00 in the morning but it is ten:00 tonight here in pyeongchang.

you want to see two ladies who made history? >> yes, i do. >> jessie diggins and kikkan randall are here live, just back from their gold medal winning race. i can't talk because i'm so excited. >> we are. talk about a photo finish. this happened, they made history, they just came off the course waiting for us, a we will have a conversation live. we are busting, we are busting for you. >> they are amazing, i love the glitter on the cheeks. they are gold. we'll talk to hthem in a minute. we start in washington. the president declaring more must be done to protect america's children calling for new regulations and stronger background checks for gun purchases and talking to parents and children directly impacted by gun violence. hallie jackson has more from washington. good morning.

>> reporter: hey, savannah, good morning to you. about two dozen teachers and parents and white house officials will be here to talk to president trump to ask him to take action even as he asks his own department of justice to do the same. today, the gun debate takes center stage at the white house. talking to those affected by school shootings at these schools after calling for a ban on bump stocks that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire faster. >> we must do more to protect our children, we have to do more to protect our children. >> reporter: the president is asking the department of justice to outlaw regulations of bump stocks. >> i expect these regulations will be finalized, jeff, very soon. >> reporter: the president tweeting support for strengthening background checks saying whether we are republican

or democrat, a white house officials tells nbc news today's listening session will also include students from the most recent school shooting in florida who have written asking to meet with the president directly, another example just how involved some of those survivors have become. >> stay strong and keep the message. >> reporter: students by the bus-load, traveling to florida's capitol to meet with lawmakers. >> this is the first time i've seen students survive a shooting and directly after demand change. it should have happened a long time ago but taking kids to do this. >> reporter: across the state, students walking out of class demanding safety from gun violence. some of those same students may march in washington next month advocating for safer gun law, celebrities bike george clooney

and oprah and steven spi spielb saying they will donate. today, two democrats will demand a public report from the trump administration to learn more about how russia may be trying to interfere in the 2018 mid-terms after friday's indictment of 13 russians accused of interfering with 2016. those charges, part of a special counsel investigation the president has called a hoax. >> it's very clear russia meddled in the election, also very clear it didn't have an impact on the election. >> reporter: the doj has been careful to limit its conclusions only to the allegation is in friday's indictment. there's news out of the vice president's world and your world at the olympics, the "washington post" reporting mike pence was supposed to meet secretly with north korean delegates there in pyeongchang but that meeting was derailed when north korea pulled out just hours before it was supposed to happen. >> worlds colliding.

thank you so much. turning back to the winter olympics it has been a busy successful day for team usa. craig is covering it all. >> good to see you. the beginning of the morning, lindsey vonn was back on the medal stand at what was likely her last olympic downhill run. that was the story we were all talking about. then, came the surprising gold medal in an unexpected sport. a dramatic finish in women's cross country skiing, the u.s. squad and the medal the first in women's cross country history. >> we knew if we skied smart and did our jobs, good things can happen. >> i gave it everything i had because when you have a teammate you really love and care about waiting for you at the finish,

you are never going to give up. >> skiing star lindsey vonn hoping to add to her olympic legacy. >> down goes vonn one last time. >> she has to be aggressive. >> the gold medalist skiing with poise and purpose. >> can she bring it back? >> it's been smooth so far. >> aiming for another medal stand. >> vonn take the final jump to the finish line. >> the 33-year-old snagging bronze becoming the oldest alpine skier to win an olympic medal. competing in memory of her late grandfather. >> i kept working hard and i'm really proud of this medal and i know he is, too. >> reporter: and emotional vonn sharing a hug with the gold medalist goggia. >> i love what i do.

my body probably can't take another four years. i'm proud to have competed for my country and proud to have given it my all. >> reporter: on the ice, a highly anticipated women's figure skating showdown setting the stage for a stirring finale. russian medal favorites delivering record setting performances in the short program. carving up the ice with style and substance. the skating superstars finishing in the top two stops, leaving a trio of americans plenty of work to do. >> wow. >> bradie tennell, nagasu and chen all struggling to stay on their skates, looking to bounce back in the free skating portion. >> we're all human and make mistakes. you have to get up and put it behind you. >> reporter: in women's bobsled, american star elana meyers

taylor taking home the silver. for lauren gibbs, it was her first medal. be proud of what w this tournament. we battled to the and some more good news this morning for america, guys. team usa just moments ago winning a speed skating medal. here's some video of them just crossing the line. they win the bronze in the women's team pursuit. here they are holding the american flag as well. that affect the medal count. norway still atop the board but united states tied for fourth. lindsey vonn and mikaela shiffrin competing in the combined. team hockey and team usa and team canada meeting in that gold medal game for the third

straight olympics. you can watch it all live later tonight on nbc and the nbc sports network as well. >> so much good stuff, craig, thank you. just ahead this morning, the american women behind that historic cross country gold medal. they're fresh off the course and they're with us live. >> they are. plus the freestyle sker who's turning heads with her no frills performance. she'll be with us live as well. >> then, olympians in the making or not? hoda and i try to learn to ski and get help from silver medalist gus kenworthy. >> and then a special performance from the cutest choir you will ever see! >> first, these messages. it's time for the 'ultimate sleep number event' on the only bed that adjusts on both sides to your ideal comfort, your sleep number setting. and snoring? does your bed do that?

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wish we got money back on gym memberships. get money back hilarious. with claim-free rewards. switching to allstate is worth it. we're back with our olympic heroes of the morning. >> that's right. in a dramatic photo finish, team usa's kikkan randall and jessie diggins won gold in a sport that no american has won gold in before, men or women. we're going to talk to the ladies in a moment. first, how they ended up on top of the medal stand. >> reporter: in a stunning

nail-biter, kikkan randall and jessie diggins made history. randall is the only olympic mother here. and diggins competing in her second games, winning the first-ever women's gold medal for team usa in cross-country skiing. the pair nabbing the top spot in the team event. in the final stretch of the race, team usa had fallen into third place. but not for very long, chasing down their opponents with grit and determination. diggins sprinted to the end, first overtaking norway. then, crossing the finish line with just 0.19 seconds ahead of sweden, collapsing on to the ground, winning america's first-ever medal in ladies cross-country. >> i looked over at the scoreboard and saw united states number one. i let out a big scream and tackled jessie. and she said, did we just win the olympics? yeah. >> reporter: an unexpected and

historic victory that has shaken up this olympic games. >> and jessie and kikkan are with us now. ladies, we were watching this in our newsroom earlier. people were screaming, shouting. we could not believe you did it. it was amazing. how did it feel? >> amazing. amazing. it is still sinking in. we always hope to create that kind of reaction for cross-country skiing. it makes us feel so good to hear you're excited. >> we were pumped. we were watching this, jessie, as you were -- there was a point when it was neck and neck. you were a little behind. you were a little ahead. tell us what was going on through that last push where you gave it everything you got and hit that finish line. >> yeah. we skied a smart and conservative semifinal. and in the final, lap one was a little more on the conservative side. lap two, i was like, there's too many people around.

when there's too many people, that's when poles get broken or crashes happen. on the second lap, i started to string out a little bit to tire out some of the more pure sprinters. yeah. on the final lap, i gave it everything i had. on the hill, we had the two girls with me. downhill was my strength. if i could get the draft and get the slingshot, i wanted to come down that hill in third and have high speed coming out of it. it was a tactical move and it was a little risky for sure. we came really wide on that last corner. i had to dodge some poles that were swinging up by my face. but then, you know, i felt like a coiled spring that just came loose on that last 100 meters. i had so much energy. i am in the best shape of my life in this olympics. and the team events bring out the best in me. when you have someone you care about so much waiting for you at the finish, you're never going to give up, ever.

so, the last 100 meters, i dug really, really deep. >> you did. jessie, you came up big. you were so cute on the podium. we were watching at the end of the event. you were jumping up and down. you have contagious energy. and talk about this partnership. you and kikkan at the end of the finish line, i mean, it was so moving to watch. you could see there's two partners who just made history together. >> it was so, so cool to do this as a team. the team events bring out the best in both of us. it means the most to win the first medal as a team. you know, there's so many strong women on this team that could have been skiing these legs. we were just honored to be able to represent team usa out there. you know, we always said, any medal we get is going to be a team medal because it took so many people working so hard to give us the shot. we have this amazing team of wax

techs and coaches that have been skiing their faces off, testing the best wax, and all of our teammates pushing us hard in training. it's so cool that it came in a team event. the whole team was out there screaming, pounding on the boards. we heard them out there. >> kikkan, you are unique in so many an adorable baby, the only mom on the u.s. team. what does it mean to you and what does it mean to your little boy? >> i wish i had him here with me right now. he's back with his grandparents in north america. this team event, this race in particular, it really motivated me to go for one more olympics. it pushed me through my comeback after having my son. it's been so fun, this family on this team, has been helping me raise breck. it's just so cool. i hope it gives a lot of inspiration to all of the moms out there that you can come back to being active and physical and

stronger than you've ever been. >> you made us stand up and cheer. we're so happy for you and proud of you. also, love the glitter and the pink hair. >> we're so into you. >> we're so into it. thank you and congratulations. >> oh. >> thanks so much. we're going to head over to al for a quick check of the weather. >> all right, guys, we look at what's happening out there. we're seeing a wide area of showers and thunderstorms. also, frozen precip stretching from central texas to the upper midwest. heavy thunderstorms and flooding is a problem all along this line, as well. and we've got temperatures that are in the teens and 20s back through the plains. 80s and 90s through the gulf coast. 70s in the mid-atlantic states. record highs along the eastern united states today. heavy rain with flooding making its way through the that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. it's nice and sunny as you step

out the door but very chilly out there. here is a live look outside in san jose. 30s across the parts of the bay area. we're at 47 in san francisco, still in the 30s in parts of the north bay. our highs this afternoon are heading into the low to mid-50s for the coast to san francisco over toward oakland, upper 50s for the interior valley. 58 degrees today in san jose. >> and that's your latest weather. savannah? >> all right, al, thank you. we have breaking news from back home this morning. the iconic evangelist, the reverend billy graham, has tied at the age of 99. that's according to church sources. nbc's lester holt has a look back at his remarkable life. >> i accept his revelation of himself by faith. you have to come by faith in christ. that's the way to god, through jesus. >> reporter: for more than half a century, billy graham brought his message of christian faith

to followers around the world. hundreds of millions of them, more than any preacher in history. >> i believe that we americans have a choice to make. god has sent me out as a warrior. on the five continents to preach the gospel. and i must contend until i'm given the signal to stop. >> reporter: william franklin graham jr. grew up on a dairy farm in a religious family. he dreamed of being a baseball player. but heartbroken after a breakup, he turned to religion. >> i said yes to jesus christ. >> reporter: graham found his calling and in 1949, got his big break, preaching at a tent revival in los angeles. >> jesus christ, the son of god, has an answer to every problem you face. >> reporter: newspaper tycoon william randolph hearst took notice and hold his editors to promote graham. it made graham a national figure

and taught him the power of modern media. >> we are using television and radio and the press, to unify the fact that christ can transform human lives. >> reporter: he was a strident beginner. >> i'm telling you what the bible says. >> reporter: but graham learned how to touch people's hearts. >> when you go home tonight, you don't go alone. christ goes with you. he loves you. when i look in that camera, i think i'm talking to one person. >> reporter: he took his message of salvation across the country, around the world, in hundreds of crusades to nearly every country on earth. ♪ jesus loves me >> reporter: reaching millions one soul at a time. >> i don't want them to follow me. i'm a tool in the hands of god to proclaim a message of good news. >> reporter: his sanctuary was his north carolina mountain home, with his wife, ruth, and their five children. but his work often called him

away. >> and i think america is in for the judgment of god unless we turn around and change our way of living. >> reporter: billy graham wasn't perfect. slow to embrace civil rights, quick to support the vietnam war. but he had integrity and his ministry was untouched by scandal. he forged relationships with presidents throughout his career, mutually beneficial alliances that made him the closest thing this country has ever had to a national pastor. >> oh, god, we consecrate richard milhous nixon. >> god bless president and mrs. reagan. >> reporter: graham was close to richard nixon, too close he later acknowledged, after the revelations of watergate, he learned his lesson. >> i'm staying out of partisan politics from now on, period. >> reporter: years later, white house tapes surfaced on which graham was heard with nixon

making anti-semitic remarks. a misstep that he apologized. america turned to billy graham for comfort in times of tragedy. from the assassination of president kennedy -- >> the president is in eternity tonight. >> reporter: to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. >> why does god allow evil like this to take place? >> reporter: in later years, slowed by parkinson's disease, he turned over his ministry to his son, franklin. at the dedication of his library in 2007, three presidents paid tribute. >> i feel like i've been attending my own funeral. [ laughter ] >> reporter: billy graham often said he did not fear death but welcomed it because he would finally be in the presence of god. >> i would like to be remembered as a person who was faithful to god. faithful to my call and did it with integrity and with love.

>> the reverend billy graham, passed away at 99. we're back with much more on a wednesday morning. but first, your local news. - there's a common thread i see every time i'm in the field. while this was burning, you were saving other homes. neighbors helping neighbors and strangers alike.

- this is what america's about. - sometimes it's nice to see all the good that's out there. bringing folks out, we have seen it in community after community. today marks one year since the damaging coyote cr good morning. it's 8:26. i'm marcus washington. today marks one year since the damaging coyote creek flood in san jose. a little later south bay leaders will use the occasion to talk about what's been done since then to prevent flooding. last year's flood was triggered by the water flow from anderson reservoir, causing the nearby coyote creek to overflow its banks. since then the santa clara water district has installed new flood areas meant to protect areas like the rock springs neighborhood, whose residents were unable to return to their homes for months. traffic is lighter today. >> yes, i have some friends in san carlos who are off this week. speeds are not so bad.

we're looking over here where a couple of spots, 580 and 880 moving up through oakland, a typical area. live out there by the coliseum, things are jammed up before high street. by the time you get downtown, it's looking pretty good compared to the normal drive. the bay bridge toll plaza, we see the fast track lanes are filled in. all morning the left approach has been a little bit lighter, even lighter now that the morning is winding down. fast track is backed up, maybe pay cash and let there a little faster. >> always keep a little cash in your car. more news coming up in the next half hour. even if no one in your home smokes, secondhand smoke can be closer than you think. secondhand smoke from a neighbor's apartment can enter

your home through air vents, through light fixtures and even through cracks in the walls and the floors. secondhand smoke is toxic. especially to children. protect your family. visit tobaccofreeca.com.

he forged relationships with presidents throughout his ca ♪re we are back now. 8:30 on a wednesday morning. look at this. a host of team usa athletes. we have skiers, skaters, hockey players. they are all in the house. these are winners, baby. >> yes. >> do you know who else is here? >> keir simmons has been checking out everything. >> when you think of k-pop you think of the crazy dance. >> gangnam style. >> it's slick, smooth and well put together. >> just like keir. ♪ >> reporter: we all know this guy but there is more to k-pop than psy.

these days stars like bts are somehowing up in the u.s. appearing on talk shows. >> nice to meet you. i'm the leader of the crew. >> reporter: even performing at the american music awards. then there are stars like temin. they call him k-pop's michael jackson. k-pop expert stacy gets us an exclusive backstage pass. ♪ >> that's the fan chant. so they repeat the last word he said. in one of the sentences he says a word that means beautiful. they say in response, beautiful. >> reporter: you're beautiful, too. >> yeah. >> reporter: how do you become a k-pop star? >> you can audition. that's one way. one way is street casting when you are found on the street. >> i could be headed home from

school and, boom, there i am, a k-pop star. >> right. maybe not you. >> reporter: backstage we get to chat with teman. you have the looks. you can dance, sing. feels good, right? >> yeah. temen has been a superstar for a decade. last year he toured america with his group shiny. >> reporter: american fans screamed. >> yeah. >> reporter: you can see why american girls would scream. >> oh. >> reporter: k-pop stars breaking through in the u.s. include d-dragon, girls generation, boa, and xo.

last year bts debuted at number 7 on the billboard 200. k-pop choreographer yeung bay. >> i can tell if someone is a good dancer in five or ten seconds, she says. oh, dear. ♪ >> reporter: in south korea the right image is everything. no wonder some people here are obsessed with cosmetic surgery. let me show you something. on this floor, this floor, this floor, and on they are all for plastic surgery. dr. kim? dr. kim is one of seoul's top cosmetic surgeons. he says parents often give their kids cosmetic surgery as a graduation present. people come in and say i want to look like temen.

>> yeah. many people. a very handsome face. >> reporter: for $10,000, he says, i could have this. >> before, after. >> reporter: there is a certain k-pop look to it. >> yes. >> reporter: you learn a lot about korea through k-pop -- its fantasies and fears. most of all you learn this country makes great music. ♪ i might need a few more lessons before i can dance like that. >> really good. >> mr. roker, you have a check of the weather. >> first of all, we are looking at a lot of wet weather making its way into the mid mississippi river valley. you can see the olympic that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. it's still a chilly start for the bay area this morning. and it's going to be a day still cooler than normal, reaching up to 58 degrees in san jose, 54 in oakland and in san francisco.

53 degrees. 54 today in napa. then as we go into the day tomorrow, there will abe chance of some spotty showers moving through, especially for the afternoon. san francisco up to 51 degrees. and an all-dry weekend. still very chilly with some breezy winds. we'll be tracking a better chance of rain early next week. >> announcer: today's medal count is sponsored by hershey's gold. taste the gold. >> we want to get you caught up on where the official medal count stands now. norway's dominance rolls on. they are in the top spot. but team usa moving up the list. guys? >> yes, we are. al, thanks so much. now to today's olympic start. we are surrounded by the best skiers in the world. so obviously savannah and i fit right in. >> well, not exactly. the reality is, hoda, you have skied once in your life. >> once. >> i have never skied. we decided to try it.

we enlisted the help of olympic medalist gus kenworthy. one of us may or may not have gotten a special boost down the mountain. take a look. you ready to hit the slopes? >> wait a second. i'm a little nervous. if that's our slope. they call that the bunny slope? >> that's not the bunny slope. that's a fierce bunny. like a mean bunny. a bunny with hair on his chest. we started off our ski adventure with a little light cardio. let's go, bunny slope. after all, we weren't going to be exerting ourselves too much. were we? i wish we had some help, like a really good teacher. >> anyone who could help us. >> i know. it's not like we need, like, an olympic skier to teach us. >> but wouldn't that be nice? >> oh, i know. just somebody to help guide a little bit. >> anybody. >> we don't need an olympic skier. >> we don't need a pro. >> hi, savannah. hi, hoda.

>> gus kenworthy. >> gus is here? >> how are you guys? >> this is weird he just popped up. >> if you're not busy, we were thinking about the bunny slope. >> i'm not busy at all. >> really? >> do we look the part? are we going to blend? >> you do. i walked up and i was like, damn, some ski bunnies. >> that's what we're going for. the first step of our journey, getting fitted with ski boots. >> these are the boots that were pulled for you. one of these is bigger than mine. >> that's not necessary. these are mine. i'm fine with it. these are 27s. >> i'm not judging. >> and that first step almost became our last. >> is it supposed to hurt? >> kind of. >> i guess we can't go skiing. >> i can't get my foot in the boot, either. >> it does contort. >> i got it. i got it. i got one boot in. >> that's because your boot is so big. does anybody have a shoehorn like they have at stride-rite?

is numbness part of it? >> numbness, tingling. it's like a strut. >> apparently before learning to ski -- you have to learn the proper ski swagger. ♪ >> yes. yes. >> do i have it? >> you have it. >> totally normal. nothing to see here. >> we were nailing it and we hadn't hit the slopes yet. putting on our skis seemed like a piece of cake. >> yes. we're in. >> hello. >> we did it. >> i'm a skier. it had to be all downhill from here. >> you're doing great. >> come on, savannah. >> i'm on your trail. now, i can't stop. and it was. my second fall and i haven't gotten to the chairlift. i actually feel scared. >> you do? >> yeah. >> you're going to be fine. >> as they say, the climb is the best part of the journey. >> whoa. oh, my god.

this is kind of nice. >> or in this case, the chairlift. look at that person, they fell. i'll see you down there. and the top of the run was about what we expected. >> i can't get up. help me up. thank you. >> get up. >> the pizza, you push your heels apart. >> then, we learned something called the pizza. i need to practice my pizza. wedging your skis like a piece of pizza to control your speed. go, hoda. and while hoda's pizza was looking delicious -- what am i doing? >> you're going to jump on my back. >> like a real piggyback? >> gus made the executive decision that my pizza needed a special delivery to the bottom of the hill. >> yeah, hoda. >> a bunny hill worth the climb and adventure worth the trip. >> okay. please describe what that felt

like -- going skiing backwards. >> i just want to say that gus, our olympic medalist, says that hoda has a lot of talent. and he thinks you should stick with it. >> okay. all right. >> he did not say that to me. he actually -- i got the piggyback ride and it was awesome. >> he did a 360 with you on his back. >> i know. i was there. >> what was the sensation? >> it was like the sensation of standing on the alpine slopes. and it was fast and exhilarating. and i got it. i understood why. >> i would ski if somebody would do that. >> i know. that was amazing. i don't -- we really fell -- i fell three times before the chair lift. >> and i couldn't get off the chairlift. other than that, we were stars. >> you looked good. >> i dug it a little. >> did you apres-ski afterwards? >> we didn't have time. tonight, we will. straight ahead -- slow and steady. the athlete courting a little bit of controversy just by being here at the winter olympics.

she's going to share her story. she's going to share her story. first this, is "today" on nbc. fire fighting is a very dangerous profession. we have one to two fires a day and when you respond together and you put your lives on the line, you do have to surround yourself with experts. and for us the expert in gas and electric is pg&e.

we run about 2,500/2,800 fire calls a year and on almost every one of those calls pg&e is responding to that call as well. and so when we show up to a fire and pg&e shows up with us it makes a tremendous team during a moment of crisis. i rely on them, the firefighters in this department rely on them, and so we have to practice safety everyday. utilizing pg&e's talent and expertise in that area trains our firefighters on the gas or electric aspect of a fire and when we have an emergency situation we are going to be much more skilled and prepared to mitigate that emergency for all concerned. the things we do every single day that puts ourselves in harm's way, and to have a partner that is so skilled at what they do is indispensable, and i couldn't ask for a better partner.

♪ we are back in pyeongchang with an olympian everybody is talking about. >> indeed. that's because by most accounts she's an average skier. so, how did she qualify for the winter olympics? we're going to talk to her in a moment. but first, stephanie gosk has her story. hey, steph. >> reporter: good morning. we spoke to athletes in pyeongchang who know their chances of winning a medal are slim to none. and most of them tell us they're happy to be here. american elizabeth swaney, who skied in the halfpipe for hungary takes the idea to a whole other level. elizabeth swaney started her qualifying run with a fist-pump. a hop to shake off the nerves and a drop into the halfpipe. up for the first jump, not much there. the second, same thing.

in fact, swaney didn't do a single trick until the end. a little move called the alley-oops. her competitors flipping and spinning down the pipe. what happened to her? did she panic? was she hurt? nope. this was her plan all along. >> i tried really, really hard to make it here. and i'm so grateful to be representing freestyle skiing and hungary, especially. >> reporter: reaction online to her last place finish was swift and in some cases not very kind. the worst performance in history. another, worst olympian ever. i love her. some called her a hero, some called her a fraud. if she thought it was a joke, she didn't let on. >> i was the first freestyle athlete from hungary to make it to the olympics. i just wanted to make hungary proud. >> reporter: the 33-year-old is actually american, a graduate of berkeley and harvard. she was eligible for the team because her grandparents are hungarian. to qualify for the olympics, she

competed in 13 world cup races with few women halfpipers. all she had to do was stay on her feet. swaney dreams big. like the time she was 19 years old and ran for governor in california, against arnold schwarzenegger. for her first stab at the olympics, she chose, of all things, skeleton, racing for her mother's birthplace, venezuela. after that failed, swaney tried her luck at freestyle skiing. she started to get some hate online. do you think she deserves it? >> not really anyone deserves hate online. that's not really fair. >> reporter: gus kenworthy competes for the u.s. >> it's frustrating for people who put their blood, sweat, and tears into it and narrowly missed qualifying but from a much more competitive country. whereas someone from a country that doesn't have much competition in the sport is able to walk on. >> reporter: swaney may have walked in under the wire. the rules are changing, making

it harder to qualify. and it's also worth pointing out that there's a rich history of olympians that aren't contenders, whether it's the jamaican bobsled team or the tongan competing in cross-country. but she's getting more hate than they did. guys? let's figure it out. liz is here in olympic park. >> good morning. >> good to see you. >> this is quite the dust-up. did you expect this reaction when you set out to compete today? >> i'll answer that question. first, i want to give a shoutout to my amazing female competitors that competed yesterday in finals. 11 amazing women. and i was inspired to watch them and congratulated the medalist. i want to encourage you to watch the men in finals in about 15 hours or so. >> they will be great. >> tell us about your thoughts. you knew you were going up against people that were doing crazy flips and turns. when you stepped up there, you knew what you were going to be

doing, did you feel like, this is all i have? or did you feel comfortable with your performance? >> i actually always try to give my best in the halfpipe. i did three tricks my second run, two on the left wall, one on the right wall and the 360 at the end. it's strange to hear i did one strike or zero tricks and tried to get some grabs. not there on the first few hits. just tried to ski my best. i was trying to work on my skiing. i do front flips and backflips into the water. you saw a glimpse of that into the video. 720 rotations and 540s on the water ramps, as well. the goal is to incorporate those on the halfpipe. i'm not comfortable landing the water tricks on snow yet. i'm trying to cross that bridge. >> this is the olympics. and the other competitors are skiing at an incredible level.

do you understand why there's a bit of a backlash or people are thinking, what's this all about? >> right. i can understand where people are coming from. at the same time, i'm always trying to do my best. i did a 360 in my run. i would love to do more. i would love to do a higher 360, 540, 720 eventually. and i never had a plan to do the run i did. i wanted to do more than that. it wasn't a strategy. i always tried to give it my all. >> you have an interesting life. you competed in the olympics. you ran for governor against arnold schwarzenegger. what motivated you to do these things? >> i love challenges and i love how skiing is just kind of a whole different world. when i learned to ski eight years ago, i loved how it was a new world. and i wanted to share that with others. i became a ski instructor and fell in love with freestyle skiing and the opportunities it

gives for expression for people. >> what are you going to say to the people sending mean messages on twitter saying you don't belong here at the olympics? >> i try to take every comment whether it's positive or negative and try to build that into my life as something constructive that i can work on. i thank them for their time and also, it's the comments that are negative are unusual because i'm surrounded by positive vibes on the ski slopes and by such positivity on the world cup. it feels like one of the coaches mentioned, we're on a big basketball team with all of these athletes from different countries and we're pumping each other up throughout every competition and throughout all of the training, the competition hour we're trying to do our best. i would just encourage positive vibes for everyone. but i also appreciate the negativity because i think it helps me, too. >> liz, thank you for being here.

thank you for coming to see us. >> thank you. we're back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc. ♪

♪ it wouldn't be a morning without an "olympic boost." >> why don't we take care of that? it's well-known, when it comes to the olympics, canada has some of the most devoted fans, right up with the united states. perhaps the biggest fan of team canada is this moose. the moose was spotted on a family deck in calgary, apparently looking in the window and watching the bobsled competition. it was on tv. does it get any more canada than that? a moose watching bobsled. >> i love it. >> you didn't see the squirrel on the moose's back. >> that's good. >> love it. >> it's been a great morning here at the olympics. we have such a treat coming up,

with an adorable choir from korea. we're back in a momen we're back in a momen ayis is "todt. how much money do you think you'll need in retirement? then we found out how many years that money would last them. how long do you think we'll keep -- oooooohhh! you stopped! you're gonna leave me back here at year 9? how did this happen? it turned out, a lot of people fell short, of even the average length of retirement. we have to think about not when we expect to live to, but when we could live to. let's plan for income that lasts all our years in retirement. prudential. bring your challenges.

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♪ the chance to grow pick your free yogurt at chobani.com ♪ that will do it for us. "megyn kelly today" is up next. >> we're going to wrap up with a cuteness overload, a special performance from the singers of the gangnam olympic choir. 40 kids, you guys. enjoy. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪i )m - -... mountain view neighbors are up good morning. it's 8:56. i'm marcus washington. mountain view neighbors are up in arms over plans to remove a group of trees. the developer wants to remove eight heritage redwood trees to build a single family home. two trees would have to be planted in place of each tree that's removed but opponents are calling that a hard bargain. they're posting signs and launching a petition drive to try to protect the trees. they're also supposed to be

meeting today with city leaders. that meeting is planned for noon to figure out what's next. happening right now, we are speaking with those opponents. if you have an update, we'll post it for you up on our twitter feed. also on our twitter feed, link to more about this story. president trump is getting ready to sit down with survivors of last week's shooting in florida. the president is searching for solutions to better protect children from gun violence in schools. while many of us were sleeping, u.s. athletes from halfway around the world were acquiring more olympic hardware, including an unprecedented gold medal in cross-country skiing. on our twitter feed, details behind america's latest batch of newly-minted medallists. we'll have more news coming up in an hour. there's only one place where you can get... more adventure, more thrills,

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good morning, everyone. welcome. i'm megyn kelly. we begin this morning with breaking news. america's pastor, reverend billy graham, has died. he was 99 years old. in a moment, his friend and ours, kathie lee gifford, will react. first, lest eer ht has more on graham's life and legacy. >> i accept his revelation of himself by faith. >> you have to come by faith in christ. that's the way to god, through jesus. >> reporter: for more than half a century, billy graham brought his message of christian faith to followers around the world. hundreds of millions of them.