this morning, the national guard and military police are in buffalo as the recovery from the historic storm continues and the death toll climbs to at least 65 southwest airlines facing heavy turbulence as thousands of passengers fell victim to over 70% flight cancelations. will southwest pay millions in restitution? our kristin dalgren takes us inside fight against medical misinformation in children what you need to know. migrants at the southern border fighting bitter cold as the smoeft upholds title 42's

covid restrictions where do they go from here our tom llamas with the story of strangers surviving this historic snowstorm, leaning on one another and forging lifelong friendships "early today" starts right now good wednesday morning i'm philip mena. the death toll is rising from the ongoing extreme winter weather blanketing swaths of the u.s. at least 65 people are now known to have died across 14 states. that's according to an nbc news tally. the worst-hit state by far is new york with 34 fatalities. the executive of erie county in the north made this plea to recess d residents earlier. >> please, please, please do not drive in the city of buffalo >> many of the victims in buffalo froze to death in their cars, trapped in the snow. tragic scenes like this have led authorities to deploy state and military police to enforce a strict driving ban in that city.

residents are also advised to take it easy when shoveling snow at least three people have died from heart attacks while trying to clear the streets or driveways. tens of thousands of travelers are stranded at airports from coast to coast southwest airlines by far the biggest offender with over 70% of its flights canceled. here with the latest is nbc's brie jackson from d.c. brie, good morning what is southwest doing to fix this huge problem and what's it going to cost them >> reporter: good morning, philip southwest airlines in a statement says that mass cancelation will help them reposition their flights, their flight crews who are out of position that is little consolation to those stranded in airports across the country currently, of all the flights canceled in the u.s. today, 92% of them are southwest flights. that's according to the online tracker flight aware transportation secretary pete buttigieg recently spoke to the ceo of southwest

on the nbc "nightly news" yesterday, tom llamas asked the secretary how that conversation went here's what buttigieg says >> they told me in their words, they will go above and beyond their written customer service plan i'm going to be holding them accountable for doing that. >> does that mean financial compensation >> absolutely. at a minimum there need to be cash refunds for the canceled flights, and they need to be taking care of passengers where they got stuck with meals, hotel compensation >> reporter: with nearly 2,700 southwest flights canceled just yesterday, compensation for all those affected might reach staggering amounts now southwest airlines says they took the worst hit in part because of their large and interconnected u.s. airport network. but the flight attendants union for the same airline says outdated crew scheduling software is equally to blame american and delta airlines have now both announced caps on their fares in response to this southwest crisis

certainly a mess, philip. >> sure is at least we know those other airlines are not going to take advantage of the situation brie, thank you. to the battle over the southern border. the supreme court has ruled title 42 will stay in place for now. the immigration policy was enacted as the pandemic broke out to quickly expel asylum seekers. the biden administration has been trying to lift the rule president biden reacted to the news as he left for a new year's trip to the u.s. virgin islands in st. croix >> the court is not going to decidede until junune, apparene. inin the meantntime, we hahave enforce e it but i think it's overdue >> thehe texas national guard ss two o miles of n new fencing h s been installeded to hold back migrants trying to cross into el paso and they expect to build more barricades. nbc's sam brock is there >> reporter: after months of legal limbo, the supreme court

siding with republican lawmakers, giving title 42 intact for now, blocking asylum seekers from some countries but not others conditions have been dire. in el paso, bodies bundled by blankets and near-freezing temperatures local shelters full or unavailable to those without proper documentation a nearby bus serving as the only break from the cold. some migrants showing us cut wrists from cartels, skin damaged by the freeze, and perilous train rides this family traveled for five months from honduras with five kids the youngest a 1-year-old. all covered in blankets that are wet from frost now sick with the flu or grippe. "what do you want to do," i ask. the father tells me, "a life where my kids can study, a roof over our heads and clothes." the mother adds, "and to be free." this man from venezuela says the clothes he's wearing came from churching, nonprofits, good

samaritans with lives at stake, the politics have taken center stage. texas governor greg abbott tweeting about the nearly 16,000 migrants that texas has bused all over the u.s "we're providing relief to local communities overwhelmed by president biden's open border policies." the white house saying title 42 is a public health measure, it should not be extended indefinitely adding, to truly fix our broken immigration system, we need congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform and with no measures in sight, it's status quo. people line up and wait for food wondering what their future will look like only months from now sam brock, nbc news, el paso health officials are working to come bat the spread of growing medical misinformation as the country battles an unprecedented slew of respiratory viruses. kristin dalgren teamed up with kaiser health news to

investigate what some fear is a growing threat and how it could impact kids. >> reporter: davey baker wasn't sure if she was going to get the covid vaccine. >> they say it's going to change your dna they came up with the vaccine too quickly. >> reporter: misinformation that fueled rumors and divided communities across the country but while the spread of covid may have slowed since the height of the pandemic, the spread of misinformation has not a recent survey shows one-third of parents now oppose schools requiring children to get measles and other vaccines in oklahoma city, vaccination rates among school-age children have dropped 4.5% over the last three years. >> we worry about things like measles, mumps, rubella, other diseases that had largely been controlled now we're seeing increased hesitancy there. >> thanks to misinformation? >> thanks to misinformation. >> reporter: at a local clinic, dr. dale braxler says flu shots are down too, even as the nation

deals with one of the worst flu seasons in years. >> we're only about half of the typical number of flu injections that we would typically see by this time of the year. it worries me to a great extent. >> reporter: used to battling disease, the oklahoma city health department now finds is itself also fighting lies about vaccine safety how dangerous is misinformation? >> it's cost lives i don't know how else to say it. it's about as dangerous as it gets sgrrt department has had to move resources to monitor public sentiment using new technology to comb through social media when vaccine messaging was drawing fire, the health department removed the word "vaccine" and adds "choose" to public service announcements it worked. >> the negativity on all our media platforms dropped immediately. it started going down because we'd offered the choice as opposed to a message of getting vaccinated. >> reporter: at a time when funding cuts are already stretching health departments to

the limit, having to put resources toward fighting misinformation is adding to the strain >> public health funding has been cut by almost 20% in the decade leading up to covid public health departments did not have enough people, they did not have enough money, that made their response really difficult. >> reporter: davey says she finally learned the truth from a pharmacist and got the shot. >> i'm glad i changed my mind. >> reporter: one small victory in the growing battle against medical myths. kristin dalgren, nbc news, oklahoma city. to football, oklahoma state and wisconsin capped off an action-packed day of college football the cowboys made it a game late with a pair of scores in the fourth to pull within a touchdown. but when the badgers needed a cool hand, cedric court put the game on ice with an interception wisconsin beat oklahoma state in the guaranteed rate bowl 24-17 in alabama, the pirates of

east carolina made major waves on offense the lefty holton ahlers threw a birmingham bowl record five touchdown passes as ecu breezed past coastal carolina 53-29. eight more teams take the field in bowl games today. duke and central florida kick off the action in annapolis for the military bowl. number 15 oregon taking on unc in the holiday bowl. pro football hall of famer ed reed is headed back to college. the hbcu bethune cookman announced they hired reid as the school's new head football coach weeks after another legendary player, deion sanders, left hbcu jackson state to coach california reid no stranger to the sidelines. he's served as adviser to the coaching staff for his alm mater, miami, the past two seasons. the west coast is weathering massive rainfall and snow. severe weather could be hitting the south. nbc meteorologist angie lassman is here. she tells us the current

conditions could lead to some warmup it's been awhile, angie. >> we're really going to round out 2022 with warmer than normal temperatures for a big portion of the country that's welcome after last week's bitter cold. temperatures today ending up in the 50s in kansas city, denver, above normal indianapolis hits 41 today that warmth continues to spread east notice what happens in pittsburgh by the time we head into tomorrow, high 40s, 10 above normal this time of year mobile hit 71 by tomorrow afternoon. if you're going to be out and about here into the weekend, that's going to last temperatures for places like buffalo hit 50 on friday 50s for friday friday, saturday, sunday we roll into the new year with warmer thanormaln

of 43 will be this afternoon 50 in washington, d.c. with plenty of sunshine the warm weather on the east coast, the busy conditions and unsettled pattern on the west coast, we've got it all going on even severe weather to talk about coming up. >> or watching it all, angie, thank you. a waitress in wisconsin was taken by surprise on christmas when one of her customers left her a $1,000 tip 29-year-old callie blue works at gus' diner in sun prairie for 16 year and girls club in dayne county it was part of their pay it was part of their pay it forward campaign the wait realization called the tip amazing and said she's going to use it to feed hare four horses a pilot t who saved hihis o wordrds. and ryan jackskson has choice

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taking a look back at the stories that really left a mark this year. we're reintroducing you to the man who landed a plane without any flying experience. nbc's joe fryer has what the rest of 2022 had in store for darren harrison and his family >> i've got a serious situation here, my pilot has gone unconscious. >> reporter: a flight home that quickly became a life-or-death situation for darren harris last may. the pilot of the small plane suffered a catastrophic cardiac event, leading darren to jump into action. >> the plane is in a nosedive? >> correct, yes. and at that point, i knew if i didn't react, we would die and so i reached over his body, because he's at this point unresponsive, and i grabbed the controls of the airplane and slowly starts to pull back on the stick and turn. >> how did you know how to do that >> just -- common sense, i

guess. being on airplanes. >> that's a miracle right there. >> that's the scariest part of the whole story. >> reporter: a story that was far from over. darren, who had no flying experience and no gps, still had to land the plane. >> did it ever cross your mind that you wouldn't try? >> no. no. >> reporter: with the help of an air traffic controller on the ground, darren landed safely his first call to his wife, brittney, who was pregnant with their first child. >> did you think about your little girl? >> one of the first things that went through my mind "i can't die today, got baby on the way. a new life that arrived three months after darren defied death. >> mary margaret came into the world. >> reporter: darren and brittney say they're cherishing every second that they have together as a family of three >> she's a dreream she's eveverything that we ever hoped that she could be and more >> reporter: as for the plane's pilot, darren says he has made a full recovery and is flying again.

>> he is doing fantastic like it never even happened. >> reporter: his own return to the sky was a bit nerve-racking. >> hey, it's no big deal, nothing's going to happen, it's a commercial flight -- there was two ininstances ththat were viv where i kind of -- shook me up a little bit. >> reporter: a reminder of that near-death experience that has given him a new appreciation for life, his family, and his friends. >> every time i see a friend of mine, i always get hugs now. handshakes are gone. always hugs. i'm just thankful to see people and thankful to have those friends and just thankful to be alive. >> our thanks to joe for bringing us that incredible story. it's been a big year for telling inclusive stories. coming up, a look at some of the best movies and shows representing the lgbtq+ community. yeahah, these arare state farmrm pajamas.. no, whatat if we havave to talk toto somebodyy abouout our polilicy but t it's s late at ninigh? call us s 24/7. abouout our polilicy but t it's s late at ninigh?

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there's no reason to get caught up in any intrigue. >> i'm worried i'm starting to disappear into myself >> that's "tar," the psychological drama starring cate blanchett it made this year's list of top 20 lgbtq inclusive films and shows. also on that list, "euphoria," "everything everywhere all at once," "white lotus," "a league of their own." claws coming out hugh jackson gives us an inside scoop into "deadpool 3." >> we are opposites. hate each other. i'm talking for myself he's the fast-talking, quick-witted, loudmouth. my character just wants to punch him in the head. >> sounds like jackman and ryan reynolds are lending their frenemy dynamic to their beloved anti-hero characters the wolverine star teased the

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welcome back we're rounding out 2022 with warm temperatures, above-average highs, even potentially record-breaking temperatures in some locations across the country. travel issues if you're out and about anywhere in the east we'll have rain working through. that goes for the west too heavy rain expected along the pacific coast. flood threat will remain into midnight if you're into the maybe times square activities that kind of thing, it will be quite warm temperatures low 50s here as we go through midnight. new year's day above average we kick off the new year with warmer than normal temperatures across most of the country.welcs

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a soaring surge of the mel mega millions lottery. nobody took home the grand prize sending the estimated jackpot for friday up to $640 million. a combined $855 million are up for grabs between the mega millions and powerball, whose $215 million jackpot draws tonight. a christmas day rescue of a dog in utah. search and rescue said the pup nala was separated from her owner on a hike through a canyon after nala spent the night in the brutal cold, rescuers were able to treat her even though she did have a few minor

injuries the tough pup was able to hike down the trail with hearse rescuers, reunited with her family happy to report, now home safe we've been hearing just how devastating this winter storm has been on so many, but we have a bit of good news our tom llamas has the story of a group of strangers who rode out the storm together >> reporter: when that monster storm hit the buffalo area, sublyings karla and corey rodriguez were on the road trying to reach their mother in the hospital. >> next thing you know, we're in a whiteout. >> reporter: nowhere to turn the bright lights of a target came calling the store was closed. >> i said, i'm not buying anything, just need shelter. >> reporter: target employees took them in for more than 40 hours. karla passed the time making tiktok tiktok videos.

sleeping in the box store also paying it forward at times helping others get their cars freed in texas, more spontaneous good will flight cancelations left three college football players from pitt stranded in dallas. >> you have to be 25 to rent a car. we're in line at the car rental, scrambling, trying to reserve a car. >> reporter: basketball coach joe golding from a completely different school jumped in to offer the players a ride down to el paso, driving nine hours overnight so they could practice for the upcoming sun bowl. >> by the time the trip was over, i felt we had become a family, man. >> reporter: back in new york, corey and karla made it out of the target store on their way home kept helping like those target workers helped them. >> the situation definitely just really showed that when we're going through as a community -- we'll be there, they will be there, in every way that they possibly can

>> our thanks to tom llamas for that sweet story shout-out to coach golding from el paso, texas, there for the hospitality. you know he had it in him. thanks for watching "early

after days of trying to operate as much of our full schedule across the busy holiday weekend, we reached a decision point to significantly reduce our flying to catch up. right now at 4:30, frustrations mounting. millions of air travelers still facing long lines, lost baggage, canceled flights at airports across the country. the way one airline is responding. plus, putting up a strong fight. despite several break-ins, one local business owner says he is not going anywhere. the reason he is planning to stick around. let's go outside. clear this morning but another