again clear. eastbound they're closing one lane. and the gusty winds will build up. >>s that -- >> that does it for us on this wednesday on "today in the bay." thanks so much for joining us. "today show" starts right now. good morning breaking news, awake and recovering the first official word this morning fr awake and recovering. an overnight statement on the emergency surgery and recovery from the terrible rollover crash. just ahead, what we now know out the severe leg and ankle injuries, doctors describing bones virtually shattered and investigators saying it could have been much worse. how did tiger lose control behind the wheel? the first deputy on the scene, our live guest and mike tirico,

will tiger play again? intelligence failure. former capitol security officials called before congress to explain what went wrong january 6th. pointing fingers, saying they never saw an fbi alert warning of violence. >> i would certainly think that something as violent as an insurrection of the capitol would warrant, you know, a phone call or something. >> agency officials blaming a communications breakdown and each other during the first hearing into the deadly siege. >> these criminals came prepared for war. >> this morning, the failures before and during the assault, and why did it take so long for the military to arrive? coming soon? vaccine makers in the hot seat on capitol hill, promising to produce more doses by the spring. but when will those shots get in our arms? party off? as spring break season arrives, the new coronavirus concerns and the florida mayor who says, don't even try to break the rules. >> we will arrest you.

we will ruin your time here. >> just ahead, the steps already being taken to avoid a new surge. those stories, plus, here comes the sun. after two weeks of brutal cold blanketing much of the country, al says a big warmup is on the way. so let there be light today, wednesday, february 24th, 2021. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hi, everybody. good morning. welcome to "today." it's a wednesday morning. we're glad to have you with us this morning. >> we certainly are. we're going to get right to our top story. legendary golfer tiger woods hospitalized after that terrifying rollover accident in southern california. >> overnight, we heard from tiger's camp for the very first time. they tweeted, he is awake, responsive, and recovering after emergency surgery to repair significant injuries to his leg. >> let's walk you through how everything played out.

the accident happened at 8:12 eastern time, about 30 miles south of l.a. it was so severe, woods needed to be extricated from his badly damaged suv. >> four hours later, the los angeles county sheriff's department tweeted about the crash. then during their first news conference, officials revealed tiger was conscious when the first deputy arrived on the scene. they are looking into speed as a possible factor in the crash, and that there was no immediate evidence that tiger woods was impaired in any way. >> we have full coverage for you, including an interview with the deputy who kept woods talking until the emergency crews arrived at the scene. but we will begin with craig, who made his way out to california overnight. craig, good morning. >> hoda, savannah, good morning to both of you. we are outside harbor ucla hospital. this is where tiger woods underwent that surgery for several hours after that horrific crash. overnight, the hospital revealing in a statement that woods suffered catastrophic injuries, leaving his career in

doubt. authorities say the investigation into what went wrong, that investigation could take weeks to complete. they'll be looking into whether distracted driving or speed were factors. and there is a black box in that suv that could hold crucial information. >> we have a rollover with someone trapped. >> reporter: the victim of that terrifying crash, golfing great tiger woods. overnight, his official twitter account reassuring fans that he's currently awake, responsive, and recovering in his hospital room. the 45-year-old suffered multiple injuries to both legs and was rushed to a local trauma center where he underwent several hours of surgery. doctors revealing in a statement, woods fractured his tibia and fibula, the leg bones below the knee, and had to use a rod to stabilize them. they also inserted screws and

pins into his foot and ankle. >> i will say that it is very fortunate that mr. woods was able to come out of this alive. >> reporter: sheriff's deputy carlos gonzalez was the first on the scene. >> i asked him what his name was. he told me it was tiger. at that moment, i immediately recognized him. he seemed as though he was lucid and calm. >> reporter: woods' suv, which was traveling at a greater than normal rate of speed, according to authorities, flipped over multiple times. >> no skid marks. no braking. apparently, the first contact was with the center median. from there then, it crossed into opposing lane of traffic, hit the curve, hit a tree, and there was several rollovers during that process. >> reporter: images of his wrecked suv shocking. the front end completely torn off. >> just look at that vehicle. literally broke apart there. >> reporter: all of the suv's airbags deployed, some stained with blood. debris strewn everywhere, including golf of tees.

first responders forced to use an ax and a pry bar to remove the windshield to extract woods from the suv. so far, the exact cause of the crash unknown. >> deputies at the time did not see any evidence of impairment, anything of concern. >> reporter: the accident happened in the coastal community of rancho palos verdes, an area known for winding, hilly roads. >> it slopes and also curves. that area has a high frequency of accidents. this is not uncommon. >> reporter: woods was behind the wheel of what appears to be the same vehicle in this photo, taken over the weekend at the pga tour's genesis invitational. the accident coming just two months after tiger's fifth major back surgery, something he talked about at the tournament on cbs. >> feeling all right? >> i'm feeling fine. i'm feeling fine. a little stiff. i'm still in the gym, still doing the mundane stuff that you

have to do for rehab. >> tiger woods a few days ago. we were joined here earlier this morning by sheriff's deputy carlos gonzalez. deputy gonzalez, the first responder at that crash scene on tuesday. i started by asking the deputy what he saw when he arrived. >> we arrived within minutes. first thing i notice a vehicle off the roadway. you never know what state the occupants will be in. immediately the neighbor that called 911 told me, deputy, i think someone is still inside the vehicle. i run over, and i'm able to get my upper body through the windshield. that's where i discover mr. woods sitting in the driver's seat of the vehicle. >> was he saying anything at that point? >> you know what? he wasn't. i saw his eyes, because it was dark in there. my first role as a first responder is to assess the

passenger and occupants of the vehicle. i want to keep them calm, as well. so i ask him, you know, hey, can you tell me your first name? he looked at me and said, tiger. it took me a half second, but i saw his face and i thought, oh, yeah, you're tiger woods. of course, you know, i have a job to do. i immediately went into assessment questions to kind of gauge what his condition was in and what his mental state was at the time. >> at what point did you decide to not try and extricate him yourself, that you needed to call the fire department to have them come and get him out? >> when i noticed that mr. woods was -- he seemed calm. he didn't seem like he was in distress, and he was able to kind of talk to me a little bit. i noticed the passenger compartment seemed mostly intact. he didn't seem like he was in any further danger. i did consider pulling him out myself, but i decided that it would be better to wait for the

fire department since they have the specialized tools and training to remove people safely from vehicles like that. >> you said he was talking to you. what was tiger saying to you in those moments? >> you know, i kept him talking, so i asked him basic things to gauge his mental state. like, do you know where you are right now? do you know what day it is? just to see if he was aware of what had occurred. >> did he seem aware of his injuries at all at that point? >> he didn't mention anything. i don't think he was aware of how gravely he was injured it a the time. it could be a mixture of adrenaline. it could have been shock. again, it was very quick. the moment that i arrived from the moment that he had rolled over, so i don't know if he had time to fully assess his injuries. >> in your line of work, i know you see a lot of vehicle accidents. you said yesterday that you were somewhat surprised that tiger made it out alive. what was different about this

accident? >> this accident was, i would say, traumatic in many ways. i think there was a lot of energy, obviously, that went into the speeds that made the vehicle travel the distance that it did. the fact that it rolled. the injuries that mr. woods sustained. i've seen collisions that didn't look as serious where the occupants were injured much more severely. i think that's just a testament to the fact that he was wearing a seat belt, the airbags worked as intended, and modern vehicles are much more safe than they ever used to be. >> law enforcement officials seemed somewhat adamant on tuesday that there were no signs of impairment. you were there on the scene. >> right. >> was there a toxicology report ordered at the scene, to your knowledge, or after the fact? >> i'm not aware of any toxicology. that's beyond my purview. at the scene, we're looking for evidence of intoxication, like if there's an odor of an alcoholic beverage or an open container or prescription

medication. at this time -- >> you saw none of that? >> at this time we didn't see any evidence of impairment. anything beyond that, in terms of medical toxicology, i wouldn't be aware at this time. >> all right. officer gonzalez, how are you feeling this morning? >> i'm fine. you know, i have a lot of sympathy for mr. woods because i'm sure he is going through something very traumatic. i'm sure he's going through a lot of pain. you know, i'm hoping for a speedy recovery for him. >> thank you. thank you for your time. that was our conversation earlier this morning with deputy carlos gonzalez. again, they were there in six minutes. fire department four minutes later, guys. >> craig, thank you. we want to turn to our senior medical correspondent dr. john torres for more on tiger's injuries, his road to recovery. i want to put up the statement again because there was a lot of detail. dr. torres, you understand this

better than we do. when you say an upper fracture affecting the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones, describe what that means. i looked up that word. it does not sound good. >> you're right, savannah. it doesn't sound good, and it is not good for his recovery. it basically means that bone was broken in multiple parts. it was not just a clean fracture. he had multiple fractures. when they go in surgically, they have to repair all the pieces, piece them all back together, make sure it's stable. the open part means it has broken through the skin. the concern there, once it breaks through the skin, is there is a high degree of possibility of infection, not just to the skin but to the bone itself. that's when you can start having complications. between those two things, they had required a lot of surgery to get the bone back to where it's supposed to be and get that bone stable, savannah. >> dr. torres, there's a lot of talk about pins and rods and things like that. before it got to that level, there was something else in the doctor's statement that kind of jumped out to, i think, a lot in the medical profession. it said this, a trauma to the muscle and soft tissue of the

leg required surgical release of the covering muscles to relieve pressure. what does that -- what did that mean? >> so, hoda, when it comes to emergencies with leg injuries, this is one of the true emergencies, what happens is, pressure starts building up because of swelling in that part of the leg. it builds up to such a high point that it cuts off circulation and causes nerve damage if it's not taken care of quickly. so what surgeons do, they go in and basically release that pressure by opening up the muscle, exposing it to the outside, so that it has a way to relieve the pressure. that lets the circulation flow. that lets the nerve not be damaged. that's the true emergency behind everything that's happened here to tiger. >> what was the worry there, if they weren't able to do that? >> the big concern was amputation because if he doesn't get that done quickly, and by quickly, i mean, within an hour or so, he could be looking at an amputation of that leg. >> now, let's talk about recovery. later, we'll talk to mike tirico about his sports future. the more immediate concern is

having to learn to walk again. what is that rehab and recovery look like, and is the prognosis good? >> so he has around six weeks of recovery just from the fractures. if you look at the fractures, he has fractures to the leg, multiple fractures, and also fractures to the foot and ankle. depending on what they had to do to the ankle, that's going to be the hard recovery period. he is going to get the usual post recovery from a fracture, muscle atrophy, having to learn how to walk again, make sure you build up the muscle. that'll take a few months. if he had to get the ankle fused, or if he had any big procedures done to the ankle, it'll limit mobility and take longer to recover. you truly might never get that mobility back he had before, which could definitely impact the way he plays. >> all right. dr. torres, always good to get an e.r. doc's expertise on a morning like this. thank you. appreciate it. >> you bet. meantime, the january 6th insurrection at the u.s. capitol was in the spotlight during the senate's first major hearing into the failings of that day. former top officials

responsible for security testifying that a failure of intelligence agencies and a sluggish response from the military left them dramatically unprepared. nbc's justice correspondent pete williams joins us with details. good morning. >> reporter: hoda, the former officials say there were two breakdowns in getting critical intelligence from the fbi and help from the national guard. they also admitted that capitol police were not trained or equipped for what hit them january 6th. instead of a riot by an armed mob, the former capitol police chief says intelligence reports in the days before the siege predicted something very different. an event similar to earlier pro-trump demonstrations with the potential for some violence, but not an all-out attack on the presidential vote count. >> breach of the capitol was not something anybody anticipated, nor do i think some of our federal partners expected it. i don't think secret service would have brought up the vice president if they expected it. >> reporter: some told a senate hearing that a raw fbi intelligence report did come in the night before the riot

warning of an attack on the capitol, but it never got to the police leadership. the washington, d.c., police chief says it was an email easily missed. >> i would certainly think something as violent as insurrection of the capitol would warrant a phone call or something. >> reporter: the hearing also exposed confusion and delay in getting national guard help. sund says at 1:09 that day, he tried to get help from the sergeant-at-arms, who says it never happened. >> i have no recollection of a conversation with chief sund at that time. >> reporter: but all agreed when the request finally did get to the pentagon, army officials were reluctant. >> i was just stunned that, you know, i have officers that were out there literally fighting for their lives, and there was not an immediate response. >> reporter: a capitol police captain says she rushed into the rotunda to help. >> i received chemical burns to my face that still have not healed to this day. i witnessed officers being knocked to the ground and hit with various objects that were

thrown by rioters. >> reporter: also this morning, word that a retired new york police officer and former marine, thomas webster, accused of participating in the riot. prosecutors say he attacked a capitol police officer using a flagpole that was flying a marine corps flag. hoda? >> pete williams for us, thank you. we move to the latest on the coronavirus with cases and hospitalizations now trending downward. the pressure is mounting on the vaccine makers to keep up the momentum by boosting supplies. nbc's tom costello on the story for us this morning. good morning is there optimism they can increase supply? >> reporter: well, they certainly insist so. here's the status report right now. 44 million americans right now have received at least one dose. 19 million americans, in fact, almost 20 million americans have received their second dose that's about 6% of the population these five vaccine makers say they are going to meet their obligations that they've already committed to, in terms of

vaccine rollout. in fact, they say they're stepping it right now. listen to the numbers. pfizer, 300 million doses by the end of july. as you know, pfizer and moderna already being circulated moderna, 300 million doses by the end of july. johnson & johnson hoping for emergency authorization next week 100 million by the end of june 20 million by the end of march astrazeneca still not approved, but it'll have 300 million doses as well, but it'll take time novavax not yet approved, says it could produce 100 million you add all the doses together, we're talking about 1 billion doses of vaccine that would suggest we could be in a situation of having excess amounts of vaccine sometime later this year. in fact, maybe toward the end of the summer these executives suggested that would allow the united states to not only stock up for next fall, but in addition, also send some of the excess overseas, savannah. >> they were also asked about

what they know on how long that protection lasts once you get fully vaccinated with the two shots. what did they say? >> reporter: they still don't know they say, listen, this is a d-new vaccine. all of them said this. brand new vaccine. it'll take months, if not years, to know how long the protection lasts when you get a dose. they say, that's the reason why they're talking about a booster shot, potentially every year, to help protect you against new variants of the virus that come out, just like the flu. >> tom, thank you for the update appreciate it. it is 7:19 how about we get a check of the weather from our guy, mr. roker? >> who likes warmer whether? >> me! >> show of hands, i think we all would. let's take a look. you can see, this is the temperature difference in the last 24 hours. 56 in dallas, ten degrees warmer than it was 24 hours ago 7 above in st. louis at 50 40, lexington. new york city, 40. look what happens this afternoon, warm temperatures, 53 in new york city 48 in boston do i get a clap over there >> yes, you did.

>> 71 degrees. music city look at this, over the weekend, as we go out to thursday, you can see temperatures take a bit of a dip the good news is, it's a short dip. very much like myself. look at this by sunday, dallas, you're back up to 69 64 in little rock. sunday, nashville, 64. atlanta, 71. new orleans looking at 80 degrees. we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds oh wow, that's a low price. what? ooo, that's a low price. you're so good at low prices. yeah. circle back on that later... that's a low price. dan, you're off mute buddy. no, no low price! - dog lice? - low price! oh, that's a low price! i'm gonna get it! with everyday low prices at amazon, anytime is a good time to save.

meteorologist kari hall, taking a live look outside in san jose. it's a beautiful sunrise and nice and clear with temperatures starting out a little bit cool but still heading towards 70 degrees for today. we'll see highs in the upper 60s and low 70s across the bay area and a lot of those gusty winds picking up, especially in the north bay hills later this afternoon. we'll be watching out for those high wind speeds as those temperatures turn slightly cooler for the end of the week. >> that is your latest weather. >> coming up much more on tiger woods's rollover crash. he's known for comebacks on and off the course. the question is will he be able to bounce back one more time? we'll talk about that with mike tirico. >> and making sure spring break does not become a super spreader event. the new rules in florida to try to avoid last year's scenes like

those. and the fight over who can shut things down if the party gets out of hand. first this is nbc.

[ sfx: ping ping beep beep bloop bloop ] lisa looks like you've... [ sfx: pop pop pop pop ] lisa, you might be on mute. [ sfx: pop ping bloop ] [ phone buzzing ] the day can wait... enter the golden state with real california dairy.

to loathe all those video calls? >> no, i just screen them. feel zoom fatigue? simple fixes after your local news ♪♪ you're strong. you power through chronic migraine-15 or more headache days a month each lasting 4 hours or more. botox® prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine. so, if you haven't tried botox® for your chronic migraine check with your doctor if botox® is right for you and, if samples are available.

effects of botox® may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. alert your doctor right away, as difficulty swallowing speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness can be signs of a life-threatening condition. side effects may include allergic reactions neck and injection site pain fatigue, and headache. don't receive botox® if there's a skin infection. tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions and medications, including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. 95% of patients may pay as little as zero dollars for botox® so, text to see how you can save. botox is the #1 prescribed branded chronic migraine treatment. so, ask your doctor about botox® today. condos. 150k. how are you, son? who's your friend? oh, um, this is eric. ooh. the big "e." [ chuckles ]

great to meet ya. people love my nicknames. it's a whole thing. that's wonderful, sir. switch to progressive, and you can save hundreds. you know, like the sign says. a very good morning to you. it is 7:26. i'm laura garcia. here's a look at some top stories, including some long-awaited bay area reopenings. >> gyms like 24 hours fitness behind me can now reopen for indoor operation in san mateo and marin county because both counties have moved from the purple to the red tier of reopening, which is less restrictive. this means movie theaters can reopen at reduced capacity and restaurants can resume limited indoor dining.

the high school district says a plan allows 3,500 high schoolers to interact with their peers and teachers in a graduate wall for a about a three-week period for one hour week. meanwhile, teachers are getting vaccinated, which was a huge sticking point. >> let's get a look at the forecast this wednesday morning with meteorologist kari hall. >> good morning. we're waking up to a nice sunrise. we're going to take you to san francisco as we get our live view outside and temperatures starting out in the upper 40s here but we'll see the winds increasing today and wind advisory going up for all of our elevations above 1,000 feet as the gusts, especially in the higher elevations, can reach up to 65 miles per hour after these high winds today, our temperature has come down slightly by the end of the week

but dry weather continues into the weekend as well early next week. laura? >> all right. we can do a little planning. thanks so much, carey. another update in half an hour.

back now, 7:30 with scenes from spring break florida. that's what we're used to seeing. with thousands expected to soon visit the state in the middle of a pandemic, officials are rolling out strict, new rules to keep everybody safe. we'll have more on that in a live report. first, let's get a check of your 7:30 headlines. hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of rochester, new york, last night after a grand jury's decision not to charge any police officers for the death of daniel prude. >> whose streets? >> our streets. >> whose streets? >> our streets. >> daniel prude died last march, several days after an encounter

with police. that incident, which was seen on police body cam video, showed the 41-year-old being restrained, his head covered with a hood. officers said he was sitting and saying he had covid-19. an autopsy provided by the family said he died of complications of asphyxia in the setting of a physical restraint. the drug pcp was listed as a contributing factor. the seven officers involved remain on leave while an internal investigation continues. the faa has ordered airlines to ground boeing 777 planes that are equipped with the same type of engine that blew apart over colorado last weekend. operators must inspect the fan blades at the front of each engine before the planes can fly again. a united flight from denver to honolulu made an emergency landing on saturday after a fan blade broke and pieces of the engine casing fell on neighborhoods. thankfully, nobody was hurt there. now to the latest fallout from texas over last week's blackouts that left millions without electricity in the brutal winter weather.

four board members of ercot, the agency that manages the state power grid, have announced their plans to resign now. each of them living out of state. the announcement comes in the aftermath of one of the worst power outages in u.s. history. now back to this morning's top story. tiger woods undergoing emergency surgery after a serious car crash. craig is right outside of the hospital in california where tiger is. craig, good morning. >> hoda, good morning you. tiger's team releasing a statement overnight, saying the golf legend is awake and responsive after surgery to repair multiple injuries to both of his legs in that horrifying one-car rollover accident. nbc national correspondent miguel almaguer is with us now. joins us with more. good to see you. >> good morning. tiger woods is known for his incredible comebacks. two years ago he won the masters in great fashion but this may be his ultimate comeback if he's able to recover from his serious injuries.

the crash images stunning. tiger woods' suv flipping over multiple times. rescuers saying he is lucky to be alive. but it's clear to the millions who have watched tiger's very public trials and tribulations that he's a survivor. across the sports world, concern and well wishes have been pouring in from many of tiger's famous friends, including alex rodriguez, steph curry, magic johnson, and olympic skier lindsey vonn, who once dated woods. the crash just miles from a club where woods, all smiles, was recently filming for "golf digest" with other famous friends, including nba star dwyane wade. >> how good am i, or how bad am i? >> uh, good. >> reporter: close friend and fellow golfer, justin thomas, visibly shaken after hearing the news. >> i mean, i'm sick to my stomach. man, i hope he's all right. >> the return to glory.

>> reporter: tiger's 2019 masters victory at age 43 would have been remarkable even without the physical and personal problems he overcame to win. >> i am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior i engaged in. >> reporter: his fall from grace began with another car accident. in november 2009, woods crashed his escalade into a fire hydrant outside his florida mansion. woods was cited for careless driving. the incident would eventually lead to revelations of infidelity and result in a divorce. lost sponsorships and a break from golf. >> it's hard to admit that i need help, but i do. >> he's had public embarrassment. he's had private embarrassment. he seemingly bounces back every single time. >> reporter: woods went more than a decade between major championships. his quest to overtake jack nicklaus' all-time record

derailed by a series of injuries. then in 2017, just a month after a fourth back surgery, woods was arrested for driving under the influence. a toxicology report showed he had a combination of drugs in his system, including prescription pain pills, ambien and xanax. woods issued an apology, saying he had been trying to self-medicate for back pain and insomnia. he later pled guilty to reckless driving. >> i've battled. i've tried to -- i try to hang in there, and i've tried to come back and play, play the great game of golf again. >> reporter: tiger's triumph at the 2019 masters even sweeter because he was able to celebrate with his kids, sam and charlie. >> look how proud dad is. >> reporter: and just months ago, the last time tiger played in a tournament, the world saw the famous competitor in a different role, proud dad. >> i don't think words can

describe it. just the fact we were able to have this experience together, charlie and i, it's memories for a lifetime. >> reporter: this morning, the questions linger, will the man responsible for so many memorable moments be able to come back one more time? as mentioned earlier, tiger woods' injuries are incredibly serious but if anyone can pull off a comeback, it would be tiger woods. >> you are right, my friend. thank you. let's head back to new york for more. guys? >> thank you very much. we brought carson in early to talk about this and mike t irrico who leads golf coverage for nbc sports. good morning to you. gosh, when you look at that accident scene, and after the immediate issue of, is he okay, did he make it, you think about the future, what it holds for him.

what were your thoughts? >> yeah, savannah. when i saw -- good morning, everyone. when i saw the car, i was thinking it was more like a nascar event, where you watch a serious crash. the driver is lucky to get out alive. thank goodness a lot of the technology is in our passenger cars. the future is so hard to even wrap your arms around. knowing tiger, knowing all that he's been through, on the golf course, with his health, with his persona, everything, tiger was reaching a point where golf, on the golf course, in terms of competing against the best, was less important. the next phase of his life was starting to get going. being a dad was a huge part of what he's been doing the last few years. that was the first thought, hopefully now that we know tiger is going to survive this crash, that he can have some sort of a normal life with his kids. i think the thoughts of golf for those of us who know tiger or have enjoyed his greatness, that's kind of down the road. that's less significant. we've seen all of that that we need to see in our lives, at least from where i sit. >> he won the masters in '97,

famously hugging earl off 18. in 2019, he has the comeback win at the masters again, where he hugs charlie. do you think the bookends of that moment are enough for tiger to walk away from the game of golf after this? >> if he has to, yeah. that moment, to come back -- because he said, and he may have shared this with you over time, he certainly shared it with a lot of us. his kids only knew the tiger woods they'd see in highlights or videos. they weren't alive to see what made tiger woods, tiger woods. they were there. as you said, 22 years later, after the emotional embrace with his dad, to have his kids there, to be able to do that after that unbelievable win in the 2019 masters, that was -- if that was the last one, that was a heck of a last one. >> you know, you think about -- a lot of people are thinking about tiger woods the golfer, but i think what it spoke to all of us was, there's tiger woods the man, tiger woods the dad. at first when you watched him, people are like, will he play golf again?

there was the basic question of, will he walk again, run again? will he be able to do the basic things? you know his you know his psyche. where do you think he might be at this moment >> hoda, i have a list printed out here of all tiger's surgeries. i mean, it is as long as any athlete that we see compete. he's been through so much physically knee, five back procedures, last one in december. he was trying as best he could to hope he could play in the masters in april after this back procedure. it wasn't sounding like it was trending that way when we heard him on sunday. with tiger, you never count anything out this looks like really long odds we'll hear as the days go on and we get more details. that's not for the moment. the person, his rehab schedule, his drive to be great is one of a kind if anybody could do anything close to getting back, it's tiger. >> there's tiger the person, mike, and quickly, there is tiger the competitor as the weeks and months go by, you think of kevin durant, who had the achilles injury,

averaging almost 30 in brooklyn. alex smith, comeback player in the nfl. with a similar injury. dak is out there do you think he'll be champing at the bit with a biotic leg to get back out >> of course he will that's tiger that's what's driven him that's why he is as good a golfer as anyone has ever seen in the world you can have the argument of jack nicklaus and tiger from here to the end of time, but the drive is what was the differentiating factor for tiger. whatever the max is after these injuries, he's going to find it. >> agreed. >> all that competitive spirit, he'll need it just for rehab, to get through the first moments, those first steps. >> that's right. >> mike, thank you so much we appreciate it >> for sure, thanks. >> we love hearing you talk about golf in a lot of ways, for super fans like you are of tiger, if you wanted a fairy tale ending, you had it in 2019 with the masters. i know people are just hoping that maybe he has one more miracle in him. >> i can see him now grew up together playing golf, right around there where the accident was i can see his face now with, you know, are you going to play

again? he would just wink at ya that's who he is that's what he knows >> wow. >> jim nance asked him sunday, the masters, he says, six weeks from today what was tiger's answers quote, god, i hope so. >> god, i hope so. >> wow. >> he'll be back >> all right, carson thank you. coming up next, vacationers are starting to flock to a warm florida beach, but spring break may not look anything like in years past we'll take you live to miami beach where the mayor has a stern warning for all potential guests, coming up right after this ♪ this is the first day of my life♪ ♪ i was born right in the doorway♪ ♪ i don't know where i am, ♪ ♪ i don't know where i've been♪ ♪ but i know where i wanna go♪

for people living with h-i-v, keep being you. and ask your doctor about biktarvy. biktarvy is a complete, one-pill, once-a-day treatment used for h-i-v in certain adults. it's not a cure, but with one small pill, biktarvy fights h-i-v to help you get to and stay undetectable. that's when the amount of virus is so low it cannot be measured by a lab test. research shows people who take h-i-v treatment every day and get to and stay undetectable can no longer transmit h-i-v through sex. serious side effects can occur, including kidney problems and kidney failure. rare, life-threatening side effects include a buildup of lactic acid and liver problems. do not take biktarvy if you take dofetilide or rifampin. tell your doctor about all the medicines and supplements you take, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis. if you have hepatitis b, do not stop taking biktarvy without talking to your doctor. common side effects were diarrhea, nausea, and headache. if you're living with hiv, keep loving who you are. and ask your doctor if biktarvy is right for you.

so you want to make the best burger ever? then make it! if you're living with hiv, keep loving who you are. that means selling everything. and eating nothing but cheese till you find the perfect slice... even if everyone asks you... another burger truck? don't listen to them! that means cooking day and night until you get... [ ding ] you got paid! that means adding people to the payroll. hi mom. that means... best burger ever. intuit quickbooks helps small businesses be more successful with payments, payroll, banking and live bookkeeping. if you have obstructive sleep apnea and you're often tired during the day, you could be missing out on amazing things. sunosi can help you stay awake for them. once daily sunosi improves wakefulness in adults with excessive daytime sleepiness due to obstructive sleep apnea.

sunosi worked for up to nine hours at 12 weeks in a clinical study. sunosi does not treat the cause of osa or take the place of your cpap. continue to use any treatments or devices as prescribed by your doctor. don't take sunosi if you've taken an maoi in the last 14 days. sunosi may increase blood pressure and heart rate, which can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or death. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure. sunosi can cause symptoms such as anxiety, problems sleeping, irritability, and agitation. other common side effects include headache, nausea, and decreased appetite. tell your doctor if you develop any of these, as your dose may need to be adjusted or stopped. amazing things happen during the day. sunosi can help you stay awake for whatever amazes you. visit sunosi.com and talk to your doctor about sunosi today. hey rodgers! look, i'm you! jake from state farm, you couldn't find a stand-in that looked anything like me? have you seen mine? like looking in a mirror, right? now that one makes sense. look guys, i don't even have a stand-in.

of course, you do. hold on, is that drake?? that's right. drake from state farm. (in unison) like a good neighbor (in unison again) like a good neighbor hey, stand-ins don't have lines. oh, okay. like a good neighbor, state farm is there we're back, 7:45, with "in-depth today. this morning, spring break it is an annual rite of passage for college students a lot of them often head to florida, don't they? >> certainly do. this year, that fun in the sun won't be quite the same, with officials ready to crack down to avoid a new surge in coronavirus cases. >> nbc's sam brock is right in miami beach, where the crowded beaches had to shut down last year we remember that well, sam good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning. you know, this is going to be different than years past. some of the staples you'd expect to find on the beach, coolers, tents, alcohol, banned this year miami beach mayor wants the ability to close things down if

it gets out of control, but he's not sure he has the power to do so as much of the country struggles through a deep freeze, the sandy shores of south florida are now welcoming vacationers and spring breakers. >> i want to be outside. when you're here, it's like, ah. >> reporter: what was your reaction when you got down here and saw the bars and restaurants? >> i was like, well, i guess they're already open, back to normal >> reporter: with activity already picking up on miami beach's iconic ocean drive, by day and night, city's mayor dan gelber wants to avoid scenes like last march. when throngs of young people descended upon florida coastlines. >> having a good time. whatever happens, happens. >> reporter: until they were shut down. can you see a situation again where you have to close the beaches? >> yeah, i can see a situation listen, you can't let people get hurt that's just simple you can't put people in danger. >> reporter: gelber is not clear about whether he has the legal

authority to close the beach we asked the governor's office for clarification on closing beaches. they acknowledged receipt of the request but provided no response this as miami beach promises a safe environment for spring break. >> don't be foolish. don't come here if you think this is an anything goes environment. we will arrest you we will ruin your time here. >> reporter: on the streets and sand, 400 officers enforcing the rules, from no alcohol on the beach to a ban on loud music. >> people end up drinking too much, and then they act in ways that they shouldn't. so we want to prevent that. >> reporter: farther north in broward county, in popular ft. lauderdale, a controversial midnight curfew for spring break remains possible >> so in terms of a curfew, definitely as a last resort for a limited time, as limited as possible. >> reporter: as a region that thrives on hospitality and has lost billions to covid looks to stay safe while staying afloat >> i can speak for all the

restaurants around here, we want to capitalize as much as we can on the guests coming in, especially since this is the time we make our money >> reporter: the city of miami beach has launched a geotargeted ad campaign to remind young people of the rules of the road, so to speak, on their phones, so they can't claim ignorance about the guidelines hoda, back to you. >> sam, thank you. boy, the mayor wasn't messing around you come here, we'll arrest you. you be careful they're not playing. >> don't party like it is 2018. al is here with another check of the weather. >> reminder that we still have a little winter out there left thursday, this front is going to tap into gulf of moisture, storms developing in dallas, especially at night. then they move to the east heavy rain from arkansas all the way to south carolina. a wintry mix developing into the mid-atlantic by saturday, series of lows up the east coast snow for new england rain in the northeast could start off as snow. heavy rain through the south, anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of rain as we move north, interior

sections of upstate new york, into new england, looking at an inch or two. that's what's going on around th good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. a live look outside as we check out san jose, a beautiful start to our wednesday morning. starting out cool but it's going to warm up and turn out to be a spring-like afternoon. but then our temperatures will reach up to near 70 degrees, coming along with some gusty winds today. some of those gusts will be quite high, especially in the mountains this afternoon. as it calms down, we head back to the 60s and sunshine through the rest of the forecast. guys >> thank you so much, al coming up, turns out there is a reason all those video calls can leave you exhausted, hating your life well, this morning, why many of us are experiencing zoom fatigue. what you can do to combat it first, these messages.

♪ chocolate, peanut butter, cookie dough! ♪ ♪ scoop! there it is! ♪ ♪ scoop! there it is! ♪ ♪ scoop! there it is! ♪ ♪ scoop! there it is! scoop! ♪ ♪ shaka-laka! shaka-laka! ♪ ♪ shaka-laka! shaka! scoop!. ♪ ♪ choco-laka! choco-laka!...♪ geico. switch today and see all the ways you could save. ♪ sprinkles! ♪ if you have postmenopausal osteoporosis and a high risk for fracture, now might not be the best time to ask yourself,

'are my bones strong?' life is full of make or break moments. that's why it's so important to help reduce your risk of fracture with prolia®. only prolia® is proven to help strengthen and protect bones from fracture with 1 shot every 6 months. do not take prolia® if you have low blood calcium, are pregnant, are allergic to it, or take xgeva®. serious allergic reactions like low blood pressure, trouble breathing, throat tightness, face, lip or tongue swelling, rash, itching or hives have happened. tell your doctor about dental problems, as severe jaw bone problems may happen. or new or unusual pain in your hip, groin, or thigh, as unusual thigh bone fractures have occurred. speak to your doctor before stopping, skipping or delaying prolia®, as spine and other bone fractures have occurred. prolia® can cause serious side effects, like low blood calcium, serious infections, which could need hospitalization, skin problems, and severe bone, joint, or muscle pain. don't wait for a break, call your doctor today, and ask about prolia®. i recommend nature made vitamins, because i trust their quality. they were the first to be verified by usp,

an independent organization that sets strict quality and purity standards. nature made. the #1 pharmacist-recommended vitamin and supplement brand. ♪♪ whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. the capital one quicksilver card does not need a dog-and-pony show. quicksilver is simple. it's unlimited 1.5 percent cash back on every purchase with no annual fee. no need to jump through any crazy hoops. will someone tell fido he can cool it with the hoops? the capital one quicksilver card. what's in your wallet? they're dropping balloons. still ahead, you're not

going to want to miss al's conversation with eddie murphy on his legacy in hollywood and the sequel of "coming to america. >> first, your local news. an ev for this princess? what's an ev? and there better be one for me. and what about michelle from michigan? me? what about me? us? will there be an ev for me? me? me? me? me? ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm a verizon engineer. we built our 5g nationwide so millions of people could do what they love in verizon 5g quality. and in parts of many cities, we have ultra wideband, the fastest 5g in the world. this is 5g built right. only from verizon. you seen the new smokin' kickin' chicken at jimmys john's? savory chicken smothered in smoky creole pepper sauce. you want smoke? i'll show you smoke.

try the new smokin' kickin' chicken for a limited time. ♪ ♪ this is my body of proof. proof of less joint pain and clearer skin. proof that i can fight psoriatic arthritis... ...with humira. humira targets and blocks a specific source of inflammation that contributes to both joint and skin symptoms. it's proven to help relieve pain, stop further irreversible joint damage and clear skin in many adults. humira can lower your ability to fight infections. serious and sometimes fatal infections, including tuberculosis, and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. ask your rheumatologist about humira. go to humira.com to see proof in action.

if you can't afford your medicine, abbvie may be able to help. ♪ this is the first day of my life♪ ♪ i was born right in the doorway♪ if you can't afford your medicine, ♪ i don't know where i am, ♪ ♪ i don't know where i've been♪ ♪ but i know where i wanna go♪ ♪ ♪ ♪♪

a very good wednesday morning to you. 7:56, i'm laura garcia. here's what's happening now. >> there's been some instances of folks here in marin county using codes used for black and latino community to go ahead and get their vaccinations at the coliseum. the article reveals the folks were using these codes, entering them, really misrepresenting who they were to receive those vaccinations. the "l.a. times" reporting a similar situation happening in los angeles using the my turn scheduling system for those vaccinations. >> the end of an error in silicon valley. fry's electronics posted a message at midnight last night

saying it was shutting down all of its stores forever. they have been a symbol of silicon valley and magnet for engineers all over california. let get a look at the forecast right now can meteorologist kari hall. it's a cold start to our morning. >> yeah, but it's still going to be a really nice day, as we take a live look outside in walnut creek, we are going to see all of this sunshine and a nice, warm afternoon. but it's also going to be quite windy as we reach up to close to 70 degrees for all of our microclimates. those winds at times may gust close to 30 to 40 miles per hour in some of the valleys and then as we go through the rest of the forecast, we'll come back to some more seasonable weather but still nice and sunny and staying very dry, at least into the beginning of next week. laura? >> looks good. thanks so much. we'll be back with another local

new update for you in about half an hour. enjoy your wednesday morning. oh, you think this is just a community center? no. it's way more than that. cause when you hook our community up

with the internet... boom! look at ariana, crushing virtual class. jamol, chasing that college dream. michael, doing something crazy. this is the place where we can show the world what we can do. comcast is partnering with 1000 community centers to create wifi-enabled lift zones, so students from low-income families can get the tools they need to be ready for anything. oh we're ready. ♪ ♪ great day on the lake! it is. lunch is cookin'! and i saved a bunch of money on my boat insurance with geico. fellas, can it get any better than this? whoa! my old hairstyle grew back. so did mine. [80's music] what? i was an 80's kid. it only gets better when you switch and save with geico.

♪ ♪ ♪ awake and responsive. tiger woods recovering after a horrific car crash in southern california. the golf legend suffering serious injuries to both legs. >> very fortunate that mr. woods was able to come out of this alive. >> this morning, the investigation into the crash. what happened? we're live with the latest. plus, zoom and gloom. our closer look at how all those video calls could be affecting our mental health. >> zoom, in many ways, is like a fire hose, where you're getting smothered with non-verbal communication. >> what researchers are saying about zoom fatigue, and what you can do right now to improve your

work from home experience. return to royalty. al goes one-on-one with eddie murphy, as he prepares for the highly anticipated "coming to america" sequel. >> was it tough putting the robes back on, getting into the regal outfits? >> no. i kind of dress like that around the house. you see the backdrop. >> what eddie is revealing about the movie, and how it's become a family affair. today, wednesday, february 24th, 2021. ♪ miles between you ♪ >> we want to wish my grandma a 100th birthday. >> happy birthday. >> i love you. >> repping the west coast as we wake up with the "today" show. hey, savannah and hoda. love you guys. ♪ oh, my, my, my ♪ >> we're the longley family. >> from boise, idaho. >> it's my 11th birthday. >> happy birthday. >> thank you, "today" show. >> it's our 66th wedding anniversary. >> we just got our covid vaccine.

♪ oh my, my, my ♪ >> awe! >> awesome. >> reason to celebrate. >> got the shot. that means they're back in action. good morning, everybody. welcome back to "today." we're so glad you're with us. it's a wednesday morning. there's a lot going on. >> certainly is. we want to get right to your news at 8:00. we do have a lot to get to because there's a lot going on. golf legend tiger woods awake and responsive overnight, following emergency surgery to repair his severe leg injuries. as one deputy put it, woods is lucky to be alive after flipping his car yesterday in southern california. craig is at the hospital where tiger is recovering. hey, craig. >> hoda, good morning to you. we are outside harbor ucla hospital where tiger woods underwent that surgery for several hours tuesday after that horrific crash. he is recovering here. overnight, the hospital revealing in a statement that the golf legend suffered catastrophic injuries to his legs, leaving his career in doubt.

authorities say the investigation into what went wrong could take weeks to complete. they're going to be looking into whether distracted driving or speed were factors. there was a black box in that suv that could hold some crucial information. >> we have a rollover with someone trapped. >> reporter: the victim of the terrifying crash, golfing great tiger woods. overnicut-ins

good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. as we head out the door in the east bay, we're looking at walnut creek. the winds are starting to pick up and it's going to be a gusty

day with temperatures reaching near 70 degrees so still very spring-like. our winds will calm down and our temperatures will remain tomorrow in the mid to upper 60s. >> that's your latest weather. carson, ready for "pop start" >> are you ready >> ready. >> we start with a great one right here off the top tina turner, grammy winning icon, the subject of a new documentary coming to hbo, simply called "tina. the film promises a revealing and intimate look at turner's life it includes never before seen footage, personal photos, and interviews with angela bassett, oprah, and tina herself. take a look at some of the trailer. ♪ keep on turning ♪ >> girl from a cotton field. i proved myself above the destruction and mistakes i'm here for you ♪ rolling rolling rolling on a

river ♪ >> hello, right? >> yes. >> can't wait. >> how about all of these grea documentaries are out right now? "tina" premieres on hbo next month. next up, "the voice. every season, the coaches get together for a fun music video this time, the '80s were calling. if you're familiar with the video for the 1987 hit "together forever," and who isn't? then this "voice" video will look familiar. starts with blake going through photos of him and nick jonas, then things take a turn to the '80s, shoulder pads and all. ♪ it's never changing can you hear me i'm saying ♪ ♪ i want you for the rest of my life ♪ ♪ together forever and everr wih together forever with you ♪ ♪ don't you know i would move heaven and earth to be together forever with you ♪ >> all the coaches are acting

there, except blake. that's how he dances. >> he can't dance. >> literally >> wow. >> not acting at all that's him being normal. he was like, this is the easiest video shoot i've ever done >> and the most painful. >> yeah. >> season 20 of "the voice," by the way, premieres monday night, 8:00/7:00 central. we invite you to watch us right here on nbc. next up, a fave, mandy moore. the "this is us" star delivered a healthy boy. she was expecting with her husband, taylor goldsmith. on tuesday she posted the first image of the little guy writing, gus is here. our sweet boy. august harrison goldsmith. we were prepared to fall in love in all sorts of brand-new ways, but it goes beyond anything we could have ever imagined we also posted that picture on twitter but wrote there, "this is gus." and "this is us. congratulations to mandy >> sweet. >> that was cute how about bts?

we're used to the k-pop band with all the choreographed videos they've done. what happens when the group strips all that away and takes on one of coldplay's biggest hits it happened on last night's version of "unplugged" on mtv. bts surrounded fans with a cover of "fix you. ♪ ♪ down your face ♪ ♪ the tears stream down your face and i ♪ >> when i think of "unplugged," i think of old nirvana and stone temple pilots. that doesn't look too unplugged. i guess by bts standards. >> slightly plugged. >> plugged-ish. >> nice vocal, though, on that mark ruffalo and jennifer

garner separately they're huge celebs together, they're the stars of the hit film "13 going on 30." the movie's remained a fan favorite since it premiered in 2004 now, we've gotten a reunion. ruffalo posting this selfie with garner writing on twitter, writing, reconnecting with an old pal. anyone know where we can get razzles? in canada. >> that's a candy. >> it's from the movie >> i've never seen "13 going on 30." >> you weren't the demographic, carson, nor you, al. >> you know about razzles. >> jennifer wrote, wishing dust worked i got a perfect day -- >> i don't really remember i remember the movie i loved that movie. >> me, too. >> it is a girl movie, mostly. ahead, a movie we've talked about a lot in "pop start. we've been waiting for it. "coming 2 america" sequel. al is going one-on-one with the man behind it. eddie and al, you should start a podcast. >> i think we will >> if barack and bruce can do it, why not?

first, your local news reforms are meant to eliminate unnecessary stops and hold officers more accountable. this includes eliminating stops for low-level offenses requiring written consents for all searches and the police department said it was never consulted ahead. time. not too bad today, kari. >> not bad at all. we're enjoying sun shine and even though it's been a cool

start, we will be warming up today. i'll be watching those winds. we're expecting a wind advisory to begin within the next couple of hours for all of these areas shaded in yellow. that's where we could see wind gusts really picking up, possibly up to 65 miles per hour in some of our highest elevations. it will be still nice and mild tomorrow but the winds will be calming down. then going through the rest of the forecast, staying dry with a nice weekend ahead, highs in the mid 60s, early next week, still not seeing any rain as san francisco will see high temperatures in the 60s into early next week. >> marcus. >> thanks, kari.

like, seeing my mom. it's unthinkable to me that i can't see her and i can't hug her. not being able to hug is just like somebody has to tie me down. touching someone to say i love you, to hug you... those are the things that i miss. ♪♪ ♪♪

♪ let me take you dancing ♪ we are back, guys. 8:30 it's a wednesday morning, february the 21st -- 24th, 2021. we have a busy half hour. >> we do including the star of one of the year's most anticipated movies, "coming 2 america. uncle al goes one-on-one with eddie murphy, finding out what it was like to step back into the iconic role of the prince. >> how many times have you interviewed eddie murphy he loves you >> i love talking to him you know, this movie, i mean, it is everything you want in this movie. >> good. >> how many years? >> 33 years. >> what? >> worth the wait, it sounds like. >> absolutely. sheinelle is going to visit a school where getting muddy,

well, that's the lesson plan it is called a fores kindergarten if you haven't heard of it students stay outside all day, rain or shine. >> wow. >> that concept has become real popular in the pandemic. maybe it's here to stay. >> builds character. all right. meantime, if you are a fan of "home improvement," and who wasn't, stick around for our third hour this morning. tim allen and richard karn with us live, celebrating the show's, get this, 30th anniversary good news is we're not getting old. they're going to be telling us about the reunion of their brand-new show. coming up tomorrow on "today," harry smith sits down with jodie foster to talk about her latest award-nominated role. they're going to reflect on "silence of the lambs. we have a theme. that's 30 years old. what's going on? >> and i'm still afraid of hannibal lecter. >> sorry, cla clarice. >> i haven't had an fava bean

since. the weather, please. >> let's show you what we have going on looking ahead toward the weekend, heavy rain through the southeast. some snow and cold back into the rockies and the western plains as we move on into saturday, going to be mild in the gulf, but rainy mid-atlantic states. snow in northern new england more snow and cold out west. sunday, sunday, mild in the northeast. that rain continues from texas all the way into the mid-atlantic still chilly in the rockies. sunshine but cooler than average from seattle all the way down to san diego. that's what's going on around the country. it's 70 degrees in our inland area and we have high winds this afternoon that may cause some damage to trees and outdoor items. temperatures in the upper 60s. that's the kind of weather we'll see into the weekend, slightly

cooler, as well as dry weather early next week. >> al, thank you. coming up next, sheinelle visits a unique school that's found success in the pandemic. >> go backwards. all your weight. so this is a skill that we have to teach >> they're so fearless. >> this morning, the forest kindergartens, where students spend every day outside in nature, rain or shine.

we're back 8:35 ongoing series "coronavirus and the classroom. >> a lot of parents and schools have struggled over how to handle educating during the pandemic they're weighing the benefits and the risks of in-person versus virtual classes. >> well, it's led some families to seek out a unique alternative. sheinelle is here with that story. good morning. >> good morning. can i tell you something i fell in love with these kids i did. i visited a private preschool kindergarten program in pennsylvania that is more popular than ever because of

covid. the children there probably having one of the most normal school experiences out there the main appeal, safety and the joys of mother nature. >> reporter: on a frosty winter morning, alice is suiting up. >> you feel warm enough? >> yeah. >> extra pair of gloves? >> reporter: alice may be dressed for the sledding hill but, instead, she's headed to hickory hill nature school in kenneth square, pennsylvania >> can we hop this >> reporter: it's what's called a forest kindergarten, where the children are outside all day, rain or shine. even during the recent snowstorms stacy started the school five years ago. there are days, i have to imagine, it is freezing. sleet, rain, or the other end of the spectrum, humid and hot. do the kids complain >> no. children are very resilient. we all know that everybody says that all the time. here, we really realize they're resilient.

we have to start off warm, and we have to have the right gear. >> reporter: alice began last fall in virtual kindergarten her mom, rebecca, has a health condition that made in-person classes too risky. tell me what it was like there in the beginning, trying to get her to sit in front of a computer. >> she wasn't getting the joy i think she would have been getting in the classroom, if we were able to do that she wants to be in the world, like so many kids. >> reporter: a friend tipped rebecca off to hickory hill. in november, alice was one of the few to get off a long waiting list filled with parents looking for a safer alternative to in-person school. one that didn't involve sitting in front of a computer >> we had a wait list of over 40 children we have 12 spots per day >> reporter: have you ever had cases of covid or had to shut down >> none. >> reporter: none? >> nope. it hasn't even touched us. >> reporter: forest kindergartens are getting new attention during the pandemic. they started in denmark in the 1950s and are popular across

europe >> ready >> there are eggs under there. >> show her. >> look. >> you can see, they've gotten a lot bigger they might be salamander we're not positive i have to id it still. this is not teacher led. this is child led. we ask them questions, and based on that, they follow their interests. >> where did this bark come from >> there's so many studies now that show when a child follows their interests, they retain that information much more readily. >> reporter: nature preschools and kindergartens in the u.s. tripled in the past three years. the increase coming as children are spending half as much time outside as their parents did >> many kindergarten teachers are saying, kindergarten is now first grade. what we learned in first grade is now learned in kindergarten the play is out the window, and it's tough i think reading and writing and all that comes very naturally to children

it's fun to learn. however, we are working on life skills these children are going to be resilient and able to go into a school and communicate with adults wonderfully, with their peers wonderfully, and learn to critical think. >> reporter: what are they doing? >> so they're driving their cars. >> reporter: oh, of course >> i look at this as they are learning to communicate, work together >> reporter: a big component of forest schools, risk taking. >> go backwards. put all your weight. so this is a skill we have to teach. >> they're so fearless >> reporter: outdoor play that's building a valuable skill set. climbing trees tests their balance and motor skills >> put your ear to it. hear the sap running inside of it >> reporter: they're learning to recognize patterns in the animal tracks around the school >> a deer track. >> reporter: and learning to share in, my favorite, the mud kitchen. can i have some of those ingredients? >> yeah.

>> reporter: the muddy clothes might be the only downside to the parents we spoke to at pick-up. i saw you pull up. you have a whole organized system take the muddy clothes, take those off. you must be used to this by now. >> yup they come home completely drenched and covered in mud almost every single day. they love it >> reporter: the smiles after alice's first day of school making it all worth it. >> i took her picture and said, i have not seen this face since march. it makes me just feel such deep gratitude for the fact she has it back and has had it since >> rebecca says little alice has encouraged the whole family to be more outdoorsy, exploring their own backyard they're all living vicariously through alice's experience we might be, too when i was there, her big sister was there to pick her up and she wanted to play she's in fourth grade or something like that. >> that is super cool, especially for kids who live in those areas.

i was thinking of kids in urban areas. is there an option >> it is interesting in new york city, they started a hybrid program where they do part-time outside. they close down streets. before the pandemic, there were a lot of schools partnering with local parks. i thought it was interesting in denmark, where i think we're looking at them, they have a school bus, right? everybody meets at the school bus. teacher meets at the school bus. together, they drive to a park they go somewhere. >> like the "magic school bus. >> when i pulled up, i was like, we're about to be outside. it was freezing. as soon as i got out, remember the scene in "wonder woman," where the girl is running through the park i was chasing them everywhere. they're leaping over stuff we had the mud kitchen it was impressive. >> kids need it and honestly it's inspiring even if you don't have a school like that, get the kids to the park my pediatrician is like, get the kids outside. >> they don't get cold >> playing in the trees. >> bundle up and get outside. >> sheinelle, thank you. coming up next, al, your

discussion with eddie murphy again about his return to royalty in "coming 2 america." >> was it tough putting the robes back on, getting into the regal outfits? >> no, i dress like that around the house. you see the backdrop >> much more of their laughter-filled conversation we've been waiting all morning for this one for this one it is coming up. ♪ ♪ ♪ for this one it is coming up. ♪ ♪ ♪ deposit, plan and pay with easy tools from chase.

simplicity feels good. chase. make more of what's yours.

welcome back al, we've been waiting and waiting. it's time for your big interview with eddie murphy. >> i think it's worth it believe me, i loved talking with him. "coming 2 america," one of the most beloved and barrier-breaking comedies ever at the time, the biggest film ever with a predominantly black cast 33 years later, its sequel "coming 2 america" is coming to a couch near you on amazon prime. i got to speak with prince akeem himself. >> so good to see you. >> well, i'll be damned. look who come up in here. >> reporter: it is a return to

royalty for eddie murphy. >> we are going back to america. >> oh, hell no, your majesty. >> reporter: adding his crown to another kind of gold. >> great to be back here finally, hosting "saturday night live." >> reporter: his first emmy win, last year for hosting "snl." ♪ it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood ♪ >> seems inconceivable to me, you've not won an emmy award before this. >> that made this one all the more sweeter winning for going back after 36 years, that was the equivalent of, you know, winning a basketball game at the buzzer, where you dunk and you explode the backboard. shatter the backboard. it was a backboard shattering moment >> reporter: now, another triumphant return. >> what did you say? >> reporter: this time, to the fictional african nation in the highly anticipated sequel "coming 2 america. >> was it tough putting the robes back on, getting into the regal outfits?

>> no. i kind of dress like that around the house. you see the background >> reporter: when the original movie hit screens in 1988, it was a total smash and cultural touchdown. >> am very happy to be here. >> reporter: murphy playing the wealthy prince akeem, who flees to america to find a bride. >> akeem pays no child support. >> 30 years? and you came back? you a dummy. >> reporter: arsenio hall is back on double duty alongside eddie in multiple, unforgettable roles. >> there are, obviously, new elements to it, but the things that people loved about the first, including the barbershop, all back. >> you can't do "coming 2 america" without the barbers. >> pound for pound, sugar ray leonard was the greatest boxer to ever live >> come on, who about lewis? >> the bomber. now, that was a great boxer. >> you damn right. >> you have to you have to have all those characters i felt like you had to have all the special effects, makeup characters, you had to have

them my favorite is randy washington. ♪ you can't take away my dignity ♪ >> i always thought it'd be hard not to break up doing them. >> break up sometimes. >> do you? >> if you look at the outtakes, you will see we start laughing you know, absolutely sometimes i'd break up, and sometimes another actor will break me up we break up on the set sometimes. >> akeem, it appears you have a son. >> reporter: the original cast returning, alongside some new comedic royalty. including leslie jones, wesley snipes, and tracy morgan. movie. >> hey. >> in between shots, there was a lot of raucous laughter on this movie. >> hey >> reporter: eddie pulling his fellow comics to the film, just like he did 33 years ago. >> louis anderson is in the original "coming to america" because the cast was black the studio was like, we have to

have somebody white in the movie. we're not making this movie really i was like, who is the funniest white guy around and a friend of mine lou is perfect that's how he wound up in the movie. >> that's where the big bucks start rolling in >> reporter: this time around, prince akeem has grown up since finding his bride, lisa, in queens the happily married couple now with three daughters one played by murphy's real-life daughter, 19-year-old bella. >> isn't allowed to rule it is the law. >> what kind of pride was that like for you >> i can't even put it into words, al. you know, you have children. you go see your child do a school play, and your heart will burst with pride to look over on the set, seeing her, i had a big, giant, proud papa moment every day. >> reporter: murphy is still one of the most legendary comedians of all time. but this dad of ten says his proudest accomplishment is off-screen

>> if you had to pick one film that represents the legacy o eddie murphy, would it be "coming to america"? >> it wouldn't be a film at all. my legacy isn't my work. my legacy are my children. it's these ten human beings that i brought into this world. >> look at that. >> yup. >> wow >> he is dad of the year and i will tell you, what's interesting about the movie, besides being really funny, there's a very strong female empowerment component to it, as well >> looks amazing didn't you want to watch it right now? >> there are flashbacks to the original film. it is hard to tell the difference these guys have not aged. >> we said that watching it, are those old clips? >> the old barbers, they still look old >> they haven't aged. >> no, not at all. >> brilliant. >> so great. >> by the way, we're going to have an extended version of our conversation with eddie at today.com. including if he wants to host "snl" again and talking about his next project, "beverly hills

cop 4. >> four? >> got to get the scoop on that, too. >> absolutely. coming up next, a special my today plaza. with just six months to go until the 2021 paralympic games, we have amazing athletes hoping to have amazing athletes hoping to mai'm morgan, and there's more to me than hiv. more love,... more adventure,... more community. but with my hiv treatment,... there's not more medicines in my pill. i talked to my doctor... and switched to... fewer medicines with dovato. prescription dovato is for some adults

who are starting hiv-1 treatment or replacing their current hiv-1 regimen. with... just 2 medicines... in 1 pill,... dovato is as effective as a 3-drug regimen... to help you reach and stay undetectable. research shows people who take hiv treatment as prescribed... and get to and stay undetectable... can no longer transmit hiv through sex. don't take dovato if you're allergic to any of its ingredients... or if you take dofetilide. hepatitis b can become harder to treat while taking dovato. do not stop dovato without talking to your doctor,... as your hepatitis b may worsen or become life-threatening. serious or life-threatening side effects can occur, including... allergic reactions, lactic acid buildup, and liver problems. if you have a rash and other symptoms of an allergic reaction,... stop taking dovato and get medical help right away. tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis b or c,... or if you are, may be, or plan to be pregnant. your doctor may prescribe a different medicine... than dovato if you plan to be pregnant or if pregnancy is confirmed during the first trimester. dovato may harm your unborn baby.

use effective birth control... while taking dovato. most common side effects are headache, nausea,... diarrhea, trouble sleeping, tiredness, and anxiety. so much goes... into who i am. hiv medicine is one part of it. ask your doctor about dovato—i did. "my today plaza" is sponsored by toyota. proud partner of team usa. >> welcome back. today marks six months until the opening ceremony of the paralympic games in tokyo. to celebrate, we have a special "my today plaza" with some hopeful and enthusiastic athletes on our big board this morning. >> let's take a look everybody looks amazing. first up, we'll put the spotlight on david brown look at david, guys. dubbed the fastest totally blind athlete in the world won gold. >> let's go. >> remember that, 100 meters in rio. joined by his guy, jerome avery,

who runs with him in every race. david, how pumped are you, first, for tokyo >> pretty exciting just to think we're six months away, it's even more surreal. >> you've been doing a lot of training, i take it, jerome? >> yes, most definitely. during the pandemic, we have to figure out different ways to work together, but we made it work through conversations and communication. definitely helped us along the way. >> david, you're feeling hopeful about getting the gold we want you to grab that >> i am. of course continuing to train. of course, we will continue to get faster and better. when we get there, we'll see what happens of course -- >> i love this team, brown and avery. they're team bravery that's what they call themselves >> love it. >> let's talk to another gol medalist from rio, nikki nievez, competing in volleyball. good morning tell us about the sport. >> hi.

it's volleyball, traditional volleyball, but you're on your booty when you're playing. you're scooting on the floor, having to move it is a little taxing when you first make the switch from traditional to sitting it is a lot of fun i encourage you all to try it. >> nikki, in rio, u.s. won its first ever gold in sitting volleyball i read it took a little convincing to get you to even try the sport. why was that >> just because it was so different. for me, especially, i felt like i had fought all my life to be considered just a regular kid. to do something that was untraditional and a para sport, i was like, eh once i get on the floor, it was like, y'all, i'm hooked. i'm going to stay over here. >> so excited for you. >> it's incredible >> thank you. >> we love seeing you compete. six months from today. >> yes. >> let's go back to the big board. we've got a lot of athletes here para cycler brandon lions, top right there. >> hi, brandon.

>> nova malone, track and field. bailey moody, wheelchair basketball mckayla jenkins. >> hello. >> all of you, we're hoping we see you in tokyo we know you're working hard. thank you so much for being with us >> good luck, guys. >> thank you >> bring home the gold. >> reminder, catch the tokyo paralympic games this summer on the networks of nbc. >> get you pumped up, doesn't it we're back with the third and fourth hours of "today." first, here's a look at your local news

good morning, 8:56, i'm marcus washington. limited indoor operations can resume. this is as each jumped into the restrictive red tier. state health leaders updated

guidance yesterday. and the red tier, businesses can reopen at 25% capacity. they will reopen for the first time in three months. and we'll have a live report during or midday newscast. fda regulators say johnson & johnson's covid vaccine is safe and it does not require cold storage. 20 million vaccines will be shipped by the end of next month if all goes well. >> and now fry's is powering down all of its remaining stores.

we'll have full reaction. today on "california live," punky brewster's bff is all grown up. are they still friends?

little things you can do to help our climate in crisis. we have a look at simple hacks you can implement to benefit the virus. >> and how you can avoid covid vaccine scams. tomorrow morning, 4:30 to 7.

live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, this is the "3rd hour of today." >> good morning and welcome to the "3rd hour of today" on this wednesday, february 24th. i am dylan, here with sheinelle and al. craig is in southern california where, this morning, golf legend tiger woods is recovering from surgery after a horrific car crash on tuesday. craig will bring us the latest, and we'll talk to l.a. county fire captain, ron harrelson, about the accident and dramatic rescue. >> lot to talk about there. we also have more to get to this morning, including the story of two women both helping people in their communities navigate the confusing process of booking coronavirus vaccine