those of you who violate the driving bans, you may think you can go to the store for that sick pack, but you are endangering other people we need you to stay home for the next 24 hours at least >> deadly holiday storm hitting multiple states with dozens killed amid power outages and life-threatening temperatures for much of the u.s. ukraine's president zelenskyy urges his nation to keep the faith as part of his christmas message, and pope francis marks the holy day with a call to peace. the holidays can be a stressful time, and researchers say heart attacks are more

common during this period. we'll explain why. and we'll introduce you to the 13-year-old who devoted countless hours, all in an effort to raise thousands of dollars for presents for kids he didn't event know. who is in, who is out and who is on the bubble in the nfl play-offs. and sometimes super heros do wear cool costumes with capes. it's monday, december 26th "early today" starts right now good morning i'm brie jackson. >> and i'm phillip mena. we hope you had a good christmas and hanukkah, as kwanzaa begins today. this morning devastating details from the extreme winter blast. at least 46 people have died across 12 states as a result of the devastating winter storm that has swept across america this holiday weekend the area around buffalo in upstate new york has been hit especially hard, with at least 12 deaths in erie county our jesse kirsch starts us off. >> reporter: buried beneath nearly four feet of snow

with abandoned ares littering streets and the death toll climbing, buffalo under a gusty state of emergency, getting the kind of white christmas you would not hope to see. >> this is war with mother nature, and she has been hitting us with everything she has. >> reporter: new york's governor doubling the national guard deployment to 400, calling this the most devastating storm to ever hit a region that is familiar with brutal blizzards. >> we have rescued hundreds and hundreds of people out of their cars >> reporter: the storm system that tracked east last week blamed for more than three does deaths. >> some were found in cars, and some were found actually on the street in snowbanks. >> reporter: the entire east coast is still 10 to 25 degrees below average, and the cold isn't letting up millions facing another frigid day as the northwest braces for more heavy rain, ice, and mountain snow. unrelenting winter blast

wreaking havoc on holiday travel for days even as the weather improves, flightaware again reporting thousands of flights either delayed or canceled nationwide >> i think about missing holden, our grandson and it really does get me. >> reporter: nbc's emilie ikeda met one woman trying to get from philadelphia to los angeles for christmas after she says she missed her connecting flight thanks to a delay. >> i have no where to go i'm stuck here every single airline we don't have enough money. >> reporter: she thought she'd miss the holiday, but thankfully found a last-minute flight to be standing there with them for the holiday, what does that mean >> pretty much everything to just be with people that i care about, yeah. >> our thanks to jesse for that report and now to a terrifying moment aboard a jetblue flight after a battery on a passenger's cell phone caught fire the plane had just landed at new york city's jfk. the flight arrived from

barbados 133 people were forced to evacuate using the plane's emergency slides seven people suffered minor injuries and were taken to the hospital this christmas offered another way for ukraine to separate from russia both countries usually observe the holiday on january 7th following the ancient julian calendar but in an historic move, ukraine allowed followers to celebrate on the 25th, with carols being sung in bomb shelters as air raid sirens ring out matt bradley is in steve kyiv >> reporter: christmas in ukraine is an act of defiance. soldiers at morning mass as russia's war rages, ukraine's president urging his countrymen to keep the faith. >> translator: we'll celebrate our holidays as always we'll smile and be happy, he said in a christmas eve message. >> reporter: in his christmas address, pope francis calling on

the world to see the faces of our ukrainian brothers and sisters. russian bombs pummelled the city of kherson, leaving 10 dead and dozens injured but from the front lines to the home front, christmas carries on even for those whose homes were gone, russian bombs leveled this family house outside kyiv. last christmas at this time, you were making christmas dinner here >> translator: yes, we were decorating a christmas tree here with homemade toys now they live in a prefab modular home next door their christmas tree smaller than they're used to but his -year-old grandson david let me decorate it with him. david's parents told me he was distraught when his home was destroyed. "it was tough for us to accept what happened," she told me, much less explain to it david. veto's brother is deployed as a military cook. he is busy cooking dinner for his comrades, fried fish, meat,

and salad. are you in a good mood they are, even though they're not at home. a bit of christmas spirit even as the conflict continues. matt bradley, nbc news kyiv now to the story of two real-life superheroes spreading more than just good cheer. traveling across the country to help those most in need. here is steve patterson. >> all right, let's do it. >> reporter: santa might have that magic sleigh, but all yuri and rodney need is a cargo van, loaded up with gifts just like jolly st. nick, the pair travels an incredible distance to deliver christmas magic. >> our favorite super heroes. >> reporter: that's yuri williams the storm trooper with rodney smith the elf, hoping to spread some christmas cheer to families who could use a little. in the past four years, this dynamic duo has crisscrossed the country, visiting families in

all 50 states. a 17,000 mile journey in less than a month from kentucky to california, oregon to new jersey, where the guys are bringing joy to jaden, suffering from severe seizures, and arianna, struggling with a degenerative brain disease >> how you >> i'm happy. >> reporter: for yuri, it's a familiar pain. >> just hearing a mother's love remind me -- of my mom, you know while we were cuddling with her, this brings memories back of when i was a kid coloring. it's moment likes this i get caught in the moment. >> reporter: he lost his mother to cancer in 2009. do you ever get on each other's nerves >> he gets on mine >> i'm is an's favorite elf. he is mad that he is second. >> today is priceless. the toys are amazing. >> reporter: it's a road worth traveling. >> i love you, buddy >> reporter: to lend a little hand of hope

steve patterson, nbc news. >> that's what we like to see. let's get a check of our post christmas weather with nbc meteorologist angie lassman. good morning >> good morning, guys. it was a busy weekend weather-wise we're finally starting to see that calm down, although we have a couple things to ♪ clipper system has worked down from parts of canada and basically is bringing a bit of snow to folks in the tennessee valley and in the midwest we're looking at another shot of cool air. not to mention there is 12 million people in the south and along the gulf coast that are in the freeze alerts a this time. that's because the temperatures, while we are continuing to see them well below normal for this time of year that means teens in chicago. 10 degrees for cleveland 21 degrees for that temperature this morning not a lot of improvement tomorrow but we will see big improvement by the time we head to thursday origh of 17 degrees.

5 for folks in fargo today there is major improvements on the way, guys, for temperatures. but we also have a west coast storm that we're watching to bring snow and rain and potential for flooding we'll talk about that coming up. >> one goes out. another comes in angie, thank you coming up in just 60 seconds, how your favorite celebs are celebrating the holidays n'wa t t, the warning signs you dot nto o miss the e alarming r rise in heaeart atattacks duriring this titime year bye, bye cough. later r chest congngestion. bye, bye cough. hello 1212 hours of f relie. 12 houours!! hmmm, , ok. not cougughing at yoyoga? antitiquing not t coughing?? not coughihing at the e mov! hashtatag still nonot coughin! aaaaah. oww! hashtatag still nonot coughin! mucinenex dm giveses you 12 h hours of rerelief frfrom chest c congestionn anand any typepe of cough,, daday or nightht. it's notot cough seaeason. it's alwlways comebaback sea.

ready to s shine frfrom the insnside out? say y “yes” to naturere's bouy advanceded gummies and jelllly beans. the nunumber one b brand for r hair, skinin and nail. withth two timeses more biotn to bringng out moree of youour inner bebeauty. get morere with nanature's bou. pain hits fast. so get relief fast. only tylenol rapid release gels have laser drilled holes. they release medicine fast for fast pain relief. and now get relief without a pill with tylenol dissolve packs. relief without the water. let's take a look at how the stars celebrated christmas this year >> i wish you the happiest of christmas from david, myself, zachary, and elijah. and what can i say i love you dearly. >> you got to love elton john. elton john decked head to toe in holiday spirit was sharing gratitude for his fans and sending well wishes from his family

and what's christmas without mariah carey singer and christmas icon, mariah carey shared a photo of a midnight sleigh ride with her twins on christmas eve. >> i don't remember christmas before mariah carey. took it over a heart attack can happen any time of year but there is new information out that suggests the holiday season could increase the risk. our dallas-fort worth station reports. >> reporter: santa isn't the only one with a list these days. the holiday to do list can be stressful. >> just trying to get everything done, the wrapping and all the gifts. >> reporter: it's not just the spending that goes up. so does the risk of a heart attack according to the american heart association, more heart attacks occur between christmas and new years than any other time of the year. >> you've got a lot of people going to different places traveling. and worry about what is the best gift for aunt carol. >> cardiologist brian smith sees

it firsthand. >> we see people coming to the er with chest pain and actual heart attacks. >> reporter: changes in diet and exercise. >> we're eating unhealthy food we're drinking more than usual, and we're not paying attention to our bodies as much. this creates the perfect tomorrow. >> reporter: with all the holiday hustle, people who aren't feeling well may dismiss it but it's important to know the signs of a heart attack. chest discomfort is a big one. the others are on your screen. and know that symptoms can be different for women. >> women may say that they don't feel right they may feel a little nausea. they may feel a little bit of fatigue. >> reporter: to avoid the er, dr. smith recommends sticking to your routine, including exercise >> grab your family and friends and say let's do this activity together as we're having our holiday dinners and cookies, enjoy in moderation >> reporter: and with snow in the forecast, know that shoveling can be the equivalent of giving your heart a stress test. >> if you're someone who sits on the couch for much of the year

and good out and try to shovel snow, you're putting a lot of strain on your heart. >> reporter: if you aren't active or you've had heart issues before, be sure to ask for help clearing that snow away so you don't end up in the hospital this holiday tonight. >> important tips. our thanks to elana for that report the highly anticipated avatar sequel swimming circles at the box offe.e.ic > meet the yououng scocout sure fosteter kids havave a pre ththis holidayay season. cold a and flu symymptoms, to helelp take youou fromom 9 to nonene. for max-ststrength nighttttime reliefef, nyquil sevevere. my mododerate to s severe plaqueue psoriasisis... ththe burning,g, itching.. the painin. emerge t tremfyant®®. withth tremfya®®, most p peoplew 90% clearer r skin at 1616 wee. emerge t tremfyant®®. the majojority of pepeople saw % clearer skskin even atat 5 ye. seririous allergrgic reactios may occur.r. tremfyfya® mayay increasee your r risk of infnfections seririous allergrgic reactios may occur.r. anand lower yoyour abilityy toto fight thehem. tell your r doctor if f youe an infecection or sysymptoms anand lower yoyour abilityy toto fight thehem.

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protect the people >> let's get it done >> "avatar: the way of water" made its way back to number one this weekend, despite a slow box office from the winter storms. it grabbed $56 million che domestically now the long-awaited sequel nears the billion mark with global earnings reaching 850

million. now to a boy whose popcorn sales popped so much they're record breaking. boyd hooper finds out it's what he does with all the money that is truly a holiday delight >> reporter: most people arrive at the cambridge fleet farm to buy something. >> yes, i have done this before. >> reporter: jonathan warner has in mind. >> this is carmel corn. >> reporter: something else. >> hello, my name is jonathan, and i'm a star scout in troop 506. >> reporter: anyone who suggests selling boy scout popcorn is easy. >> hello, i'm a star scout and trooper. have a great day >> reporter: should spend the day with jonathan. >> have a great day. i just think of it as for every no that i get, you're one step closer to getting a yes. >> reporter: jonathan knows sales. >> wow, salted carmel. >> that brings the total to $45. >> reporter: and serena cole.

>> it's something in him he has always been that way. >> reporter: makes him that way. he will open up store and stay until they close >> you got me. >> he gets job offers all the time, which is funny because he's 12. >> reporter: 12. >> hello my name is jonathan. >> reporter: and working an eight-county territory >> pine enoka, hennepin. >> reporter: that's a lot of popcorn. >> yes, it is. >> this is the pallets this year dropped off. i think two pallets behind that that you can't see this is at my grandma's house in her sun room >> white cheddar. >> reporter: the national boy scout popcorn sale arrives annually with the fall colors. >> here is your popcorn. >> it is a lot. >> reporter: are black and white. >> i raised $46,194 in popcorn last year. >> reporter: from cub salesman to first place in the state.

>> here you go. >> reporter: third in the nation. >> thank you >> oh, can i hug you it's amazing >> reporter: the best part weeks past, the leaves are gone. and you might say jonathan's popcorn sale went pretty well. which is why we're back in cambridge at another store >> something like this would work >> reporter: no longer selling -- >> barbie little people. >> reporter: now buying. >> so we are going shopping to buy the christmas presents for the foster care children and for the domestic violence children. >> reporter: let that sink in, with his share of the proceeds selling popcorn, jonathan is buying christmas gifts for people living in a domestic violence shelter >> wanted purses >> keeps going he reads what every kid writes and tries to find something that he thinks they specifically are going to like. >> reporter: which means --

thinking one is 8. >> reporter: a lot of reading. >> this one seems pretty cool. >> reporter: because this year jonathan sold even more popcorn. >> $56,396 right there. there are a lot of days in the end where i was okay, can we good home? and he was nope, i have to stay. i have to stay. >> my dad was in foster care when he was a kid. it didn't really sound like they had much of a christmas. it kind of reminds me about how many peoplely make happy during the holidays it just makes me happy >> all right >> reporter: that cart is a lot like jonathan's heart. >> pretty full. >> reporter: gifts purchased with reward money jonathan could have spent on himself. >> it's $2,336.07. >> reporter: with more to come at amazon, fleet farm and walmart. and still not done. >> we will be beginning now. >> reporter: 600 presents. >> holy cow. >> reporter: awaiting the eager hands of jonathan's fellow

scouts. >> all these presents together are around $11,300. >> reporter: and dad who grew up in foster care and then inspired his son to make christmas better >> he has so much drive that he just wants to go bigger and bigger. >> reporter: jonathan's goal, some day gifts for every foster child in the state >> i just want to make kids happy for christmas and let them know that they are loved and appreciated. >> reporter: and why not when you've already done all this and you've yet to turn 13 >> go over to grab a present >> our thanks to boyd. we'll rhtacbeigig bk. it's j juy ofof life for r me. ththe always d discreet papd is super c comfortablele. it feels l like it's bararely there.e. look a at how muchch it hohold, and it stitill stays t thin! i'i've looked d at myselff inin the mirroror and i i can't see e it at all!! that's t the protectction we d deserve! and i i can't see e it at all!! [ [ coughing/s/sneezing ]] [ dooror knocking g ] that's t the protectction dude, you u coming? because e the only thing drdripping shouldld be your s style! plop plop p fizz fizz,z,

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throws a shot, can he get there? yes, touchdown >> the buccaneers found themselves down 10 points against the cardinals, but tom brady had a few gifts to give. a perfect 6 for 6, setting up ryan for the game winner the bucs win it on christmas night, 19-16 tampa holds on to the four seed with that win. the eagles still flying high atop the conference despite their loss to the cowboys on saturday and while the defending champion

rams are eliminated from the play-offs, they still put on quite a he is on christmas >> the coaching staff. there is a pass to an open target big d. looking for a second touchdown in six days. he's got it. >> the broncos must have been on the naughty list l.a. handed them coal. cam acres found the enns three times and the rams embarrassed denver, 61-14. down in miami the packers take the lead plate late in the game and green bay's defense came up big in the clutch, picking off tua tagovailoa on three straight dives to seal the victory for the packer, 26-20. even me defeat, the dolphins are still clinging on to the final wild card spot and the jacksonville jaguars hold the four seed and from the field to the hard wood, in a five-game slate

of christmas basketball, denver rallied in the fourth quarter and were able to force overtime against phoenix. both seems went back and forth in the extra period, but the nuggets struck gold on offense they eclipsed the sun for the win 128-125. jayson tatum's presence was his gift to celtic fans. he scored 41 as they win 139-118. >> christmas day football and basketball. a lot of fun enjoyed it she had more wins than tiger woods and jack nicklaus, and now the golf world is remembering kathy whitworth, the winningest golfer in the victory, racking up 88 victories. she was the first woman in golf to earn a million dollars in her career, and her accomplishments landed her in the world golf hall of fame in 1982 in a statement, the commissioner of the lpga said that whitworth was one of the most incredible women in golf, calling her a

champion in the truest sense of the word kathy whitworth was 83 years old. thanks for tuning in to "early today. i'm phillip mena. >> and i'm brie jackson. we leave you with the surfing santas hitting the wav

it's monday, december 26th the dangerous holiday storm plunged temperatures into a deep freeze in dozens of states feet of snow was dumped in many areas, and the number of fatalities continues to rise a major warning for parents of small children and what could be lurking around that christmas tree in the post holiday cleanup. and we'll take you to florida, where our kerry sanders takes a look at how hard-hit towns are managing to rebuild muches after hurricane ian king charles royal