♪ developing overnight, boeing has suspended the 777 after the terrifying failure aboard a united flight bound for hawaii after a engine caught fire and fell apart. over the weekend the u.s. passed the grim milestone over 500,000 coronavirus related deaths this morning we look back at some of the amazing people we lost. texas looks to rebuild following deadly week of frigid temperatures, millions without power and widespread damage from water pipes like the which the state has never seen and

sky-high energy bills. one family's unique project putting black history in focus. a major shout out to 1,000 women who made history on sunday let's get started "early today" starts right now >> good morning i'm rivera. >> and i'm phillip mena. stepped up inspections by the faa after a united flight with 229 passengers and 10 crew members on board experienced engine failure over the weekend. >> part of the plane caught fire and debris fell over several neighbored, united airlines and boeing have temporarily suspended the use of the planes. meghan now with more on the investigation. good morning. >> reporter: frances, good morning. i can tell you a lot of people are breathing a sigh of relief this morning many passengers who saw the engine on fire say they started praying immediately because they didn't think they'd make it off

al alive. >> may day may day. >> reporter: new questions what caused the terror in the sky >> need to turn back immediately. >> it's terrifying you could feel boom and hear it and we started shaking. >> reporter: an engine failure on united 777 from denver en route to hi hawaii 241 people on board. >> the engine was on fire with smoke coming out of it i told my wife that the engine was gone and she got up and looked out the window and was little bit panic-stricken. >> panic and fear turning to relief the plane landed safely but a source familiar with the investigation tells nbc news that a fan blade in the engine broke off. half of another was gone. >> if one of those parts separates it could cause a chain reaction in that engine cell that can really do damage.

>> aviation experts say one of the biggest questions is why the exterior of the engine flew off. >> this is a bit troubling because the structure should stilt remain attached even if you have a fan blade failure. >> it's just dropping pieces. >> reporter: that failure caused debris from the plane to scatter on several neighborhoods outside of denver. >> we looked up and there was a ton of black stuff falling out of the sky at first it looked like confetti. >> all of a sudden i heard a big boom and the house shook. >> reporter: parts scattered across fields and streets even causing damage to some homes. >> i'm going, like, what is that i get up and look at it and i see right away it's the front end of an airplane engine. >> reporter: investigators scour the area collecting evidence trying to solve the mystery of the malfunction to prevent it from happening again. >> investigators picked up

degree on saturday from the field behind me, i can tell you the investigation into how and why this happened is under way frances? >> meghan, thank you. as texas begins to thaw out a massive recovery effort is under way. federal disaster aide has been approved for 77 counties power has been restored to the state but millions are still without clean water. >> and lawmakers stepped in to help alexander ocasio-cortez spent the weekend volunteering at a food bank and helped to raise $5 million for storm relief and mavs ceo and players donated to disaster relief fund. walmart pledged $1 million in product and cash donation couldn't come at a better time up now with more. >> reporter: hundreds of thousands of texans need help.

>> it's still been like crazy. no power no water it's been a lot. >> reporter: boil water notices are in place in many parts of the state, residents in houston lined up for help at a local food bank. >> we're doing water and various foods. two things we're trying accomplish for people because of the boil notice they need water but also for the families, the economic impact where they lost the food in the refrigerator or freezer. >> reporter: crews are working to fix broken water lines. demand for plumbers are high. >> right now it's like triage, go in, fix it, go to the next one. >> reporter: other texans are dealing with financial crisis as energy bills sky rocketed due to changes in the market, the governor placed all bills on hold texans suffered through days of freezing cold without power should not have sky rocketing energy bills due to a spike in the energy market. >> reporter: the winter weather is over for now.

it's impact is not dan scheneman, nbc news. >> in houston the city lifted boil water notice but residents are still weary. antonio hilton is following that. >> reporter: hi, frances here in houston water continues to be a major frustration point, even though the city has announced the boil-water advisory here is no longer necessary. i've spoke to residents here at this water distribution site and some say they don't trust the guidance and worry the water isn't truly safe to drink enough and others saying the pipes have bursted so they don't have water coming through the pipes at all. the city has consistently held these water distribution sites and thousands of residents have come here eager to get hands on cases of water and willing to wait for hours in line the people who are experiencing these water shortages, who are

going home to places or apartments where there are serious pipe damages or other water damages they're going to be able to get some relief soon. the federal government has implemented a major disaster declaration, if you're a homeowner who needs repairs or you need temporary living assistance because you're home is unlivable right now, you can reach out and apply for that truth is, right now, we don't know the full scope of the damage done by this storm. >> okay, get that help antonio, thank you. senate majority leader is cooking up a plan $25 billion relief fund for restaurant act, just a slice of the $1.9 trillion stimulus pack age, struggling restaurant owners could apply for the grant to pay employees rent or insurance.

a volcano erupted four times in four days, shooting into the sky the most active volcano. humans have been recorded since 1500 bc. we're coming off one of the most disruptive weeks i can remember bill karins with what's in store this week, good morning, good to see you. >> good morning, good to see you too. amazing how quiet this week compared last week with 73% of the lower 48 covered in snow, by the end of this week will be 30 to 40%, a lot of 34e89ing -- melting. a little bit of snow problems today now in the ohio valley from philadelphia north wards, coastal jersey, also long island and new york city will see a mix. by 5:00 p.m. still rain from

boston to hartford and a little bit of snow interior sections, especially much of new york state and pennsylvania will pick up two to four inches of snow from this event. i mentioned warm in the deep south, how's 70 degrees and sunny sounh highs in the mid-30's how about this for reward and recovery forecast. sunny and nice they deserve it in the south, guys, the warmth and sunshine and it will last much of this week. >> they need all of the breaks they can get. >> it's like weather whiplash. all right. bill, thanks. nearly a thousand girls and woman reached a major milestone

becoming the first group of female eagle scouts. they were honored by the boy scouts in a virtual celebration. the rank requires at least 21 merit badges and only about 6% of scouts reach that rank. president biden cabinet picks prepare for senate showdown. >> remembering those lost as we pass an incomprehensivible milestone. low sugar. mmm, birthday cake. pure protein bars and shakes. for every fitness routine. to be honest...a little dust? it never bothered me. pure protein bars and shakes. until i found out what it actually was. dust mite droppings? ewww. dead skin cells? gross! so now, i grab my swiffer heavy duty sweeper and dusters. dusters extends to 6 feet to reach way up high... to grab, trap and lock away gross dust. nice! for dust on my floors, i switch to sweeper. the heavy duty cloths reach deep in grooves to grab, trap and lock dust bunnies... no matter where they hide.

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inspired her colleagues. a devoted father >> may all your dreams come true and you live happily ever after. [ cheers and applause >> reporter: a music teacher ♪ i love ♪ ♪ to sing ♪ ♪ >> it's one of those things that changes student's lives. >> reporter: a detroit bus driver. >> oh, you got to get it on. yeah >> reporter: grandfathers who danced with their kids ♪ some dancing even in their 90's. a middle school librarian who always kept in touch >> i called you back call me back

i love you >> reporter: a football coach and mentor >> i'm only 33 years old right now. 33 plus. but it's been a glorious year. it's 2020 got to have good vision get it. >> reporter: a proud marine who served his country 25 years. >> happy birthday to all of the marines, wherever they are in harm's way. >> reporter: a high school junior and cancer survivor an educator who inspired those going off into the world. >> be resilient in life when there's disappointment and failure. do your best work no matter who is watching. stay true to all that you believe in >> a loving son with so much ahead of him

a grandmother who always kept the faith. ♪ i'm leaving ♪ ♪ leaving ♪ ♪ on the ever lasting ♪ ♪ arm. >> powerful piece, thanks for that. >> the weight of those losses will be brought to bear today in d.c., president biden will confront the staggering loss of half million americans to covid in a speech at the white house later this evening, let's bring in tracy, how is the president commemorating coronavirus victims. >> reporter: it's going to happen this evening with candle light ceremony for those half million victims of covid-19.

he will be joined by first-lady dr. jill biden and by the vice president kamala harris and the second gentleman at that ceremony at the white house. meantime, today on capitol hill hearing two of the cabinet nominees, to investigate the capitol riot, 150 years after the department battling extremist attacks on the democratic institutions also remain central to its mission. congress looking at the hand in the nominee to head the white house budget office, although she's facing some push back, not only from republicans but at least one democrat saying he won't vote for her because of tweets that she made critical of the g.o.p., of the republican party, we'll see those hearings under way today. >> big day to start off our week, thank you. still ahead on "early

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america stayed calm, stayed in command until the final seconds ticked off

there was no calm then in the streets of lake flacid either. >> usa usa! >> on this day in 1980 one of the most iconic moments in sports history the miracle on ice took place in lake placid the usa hockey team took the gold and we remember the iconic call from al michaels, do you believe in miracles. such a veteran after all these years but yet only had called one hockey game ever before those olympics. >> great to see it from that perspective. >> yeah. >> and also how extraordinary that was. >> yeah. all right this week "snl" took aim at ted cruz and his trip to cancun while texas was in a deep freeze. >> you understand why people are calling you a coward. >> yeah, yeah, coward is actually the nicest word i heard. let me ask you this, would a

coward have the cajones to blame his actions on his young daughters. >> you blamed your daughters? >> oh, yeah, the whole trip was the girls idea they love cancun there's so much for skids to do, the topless beach, shopping with frogs swimming with six dolphins they love it. >> one of the best cold opens in a long time that was supposed to be brittany carey spear as britney spears as well if you haven't seen it, get on there and watch it. congratulations for patrick mahomes and fiancée brittany matthews inviting their first child sterling sky mahomes was born on saturday, baby sterling weighed six pounds and 11 ounces. >> still to come details on a winter warm up. >> the mom teaching her daughter

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♪♪ would you like to try a breakfast sausage made with plants? plants it's delicious and i'm a kid so if i like it... mmmm. morning star farms, america's favorites made from plants. and try incogmeato. made from plants. struggling to clean tough messes with wipes? try mr. clean magic eraser sheets. just wet, squeeze and erase icky messes in microwaves and on stovetops for an amazing clean, get the power of mr. clean magic eraser in disposable sheets. welcome back to "early today. just amazing to think that today's going to be an average day for late february in texas, and temperatures are going to be in the 60's. that's how extremely unusually cold it was last week. this warm up goes all the way to the north, to our friends in the dakotas, kansas city, minneapolis, warming up. tuesday looks fantastic throughout the middle of the country. >> thank you, bill. one family's unique way of

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healthy. it's our nature.™ in today's change makers, we salute mother/daughter duo who are teaching black history lessons by dressing up the two have recreated photos from over 150 influential black woman. now with more on that inspiring story. >> reporter: this is so much more than just a game of dress up it's part of year's long history lesson about powerful black women. one started in 2015 when chaunsia boyd rogers noticed her daughter's class had nothing on the calendar for black history

month. >> you said if they're not going to do it i'm going to do. >> yes of course she's going to learn about dr. martin luther king, jr. and rosa park, there's people we hear about over and over but i wanted it to go deeper. >> so the pair started copy looks from items crafted around the house and threw the years portrayed more than 150 influent black woman one of the first, one who wrote a book of poetry and other trail blazers like harriet tubman and icon and educator first black woman elected to the congress. she's learning about athletes, entertainers and artists. >> i wanted her to see that black women have done a lot of things, they've accomplished amazing things in every field, that just helps her know she can

do and be anything. >> the project is a hit on social media with fans writing this is a historic moment, and wonderful, informative, even, this made me cry it's inspiring for 11-year-old ava too as she looks to the future. >> what do you think you want to do when you grow up? >> i really, really want to be a singer and actress and i think i'm kind of funny and i want to be a comedian. i also want the to be an author. >> the contributions of so many creating unlimited possibilities thanks to these unique lessons. it's a celebration kamala harris she can also see people who persevered through america's past and even current times in america and she can see that it is possible to be who she wants to be. >> our thanks for that history is always more impactful when it is interactive. >> yeah, for everybody else and i'm sure just a matter of time

until those who are alive like oprah will reach out amazing what she's doing. >> thanks for waking up with us i'm phillip mena. >> and i'm frances rivera. >> this morning, the f

♪ millions of across texas are waking up this morning without safe drinking water and many with eye-popping energy bills rising as much as 10,000%. our morgan chesky on the ground this morning, we're finding out what happened to boeing's 777. and the u.s. passes the milestone of 500,000 deaths. the white house is ramping up plans to get economic relief to americans as soon as possible. gas pr