bernie's big win. nevada puts sanders in the driver's seat on the road to 2020. >> we have now won the nevada caucus. >> also tonight, president trump heads to india with a parting shot at sanders and democrats. >> you know, the democrats are treating bernie sanders very unfairly. new coronavirus cases flare as fears mount outside china. daredevil mad mike hughes is killed in a rocket made mostly of spare parts. a former zamboni driver takes the ice as an emergency goalie, becoming a hockey hero. final farewell.

a moment of music unites the basketball world in grief. and salute to a superhero. pres >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> welcome to the "overnight news." i'm nikki battiste. with a democratic presidential debate tomorrow in the south carolina primary this weekend, bernie sanders is surging. after his commanding victory in nevada, our new cbs news battleground tracker poll shows sanders is now gaining on joe biden in south carolina. the former vice president holds the top spot with 28%, but sanders isn't far behind. but will it matter? another cbs new poll found two out of three voters believe president trump will be reelected. here is nikole killion.ti histop

>> we won the nevada caucus. and don't tell anybody, because these folks get very, very agitate and nervous. we're going win here in texas. >> reporter: as the surging front-runner looked towards super tuesday -- >> i think it's going to be bernie and me. >> reporter: former vice president joe biden focused on the more immediate task at hand. >> the african american community in south carolina can make a judgment about who the next president of the united states is going to be. >> reporter: shoring up african american support in south carolina, where sanders appears to be closing the gap. >> bernie sanders, you stop him? >> i told you, i'm not going play this game with you. i don't know. it's not about who i stop, it's why i'm running. >> reporter: jim clyburn hasn't endorsed a candidate yet, but cautioned a potential sanders nomination may not play well

down ballot in his state. >> south carolinians are pretty leery about that title "socialist." >> senator sanders believes in an inflexible ideological revolution. >> reporter: former south bend mayor pete buttigieg took a more pointed jab at sanders as he also looked to boost his support in the palmetto state. >> it is especially humbling in the middle of black history month to think about what it means to stand before african american voters and ask them for their vote. >> reporter: here in nevada, buttigieg is challenging saturday's caucus results. his campaign sent a letter to the democratic party asking it to release more data. but a democratic spokesperson tells me it has no plans to change its reporting process. nikki? >> nikole, thank you. cbs's news director of election and surveys. anthony, coming off a big win in

nevada, it looks like sanders is closing the gap with biden in south carolina. what's behind that? >> well, nikki, a big part of that is closing the gap with african american voters who make up most of the democratic electorate there. joe biden used to have a large lead with black voters. now both bernie sanders and businessman tom steyer have cut into it. that comes amidst both of them being seen along with joe biden as being attuned to the concerns of black voters and across the wider electorate, growing doubts about whether or not joe biden can ultimately win the nomination, nikki. >> anthony, we have a big debate coming up on tuesday. what are voters saying about how much that will matter? >> it matters a lot. first of all, two-thirds of democrats say they're going to watch the debate. we saw him give elizabeth warren the highest ratings for being impressive in the last debate. we'll see what happens going forward. mike bloombergs in this debate. he is not on the ballot in south carolina. his performance last time wasn't rated as highly.

a lot of pressure all around. nikki? >> certainly a lot of pressure, and no doubt millions will be watching. anthony, thank you. cbs will co-host the next democratic presidential debate in charleston, south carolina. that's tuesday at 8:00 p.m. right here on cbs and on our 24-hour streamng network, cbsn. president trump is on his way to india tonight. it's a quick trip, lasting just 36 hours. there will be plenty of pomp, even a mega rally. ben tracy is in new delhi. >> reporter: this will be president trump's first visit here to india since he took office. there is not much substance on the agenda, but indian prime minister modi got president trump to come here by promising a big show and a big crowd. as president trump left the white house this morning, workers in india were sprucing up the city of his first visit. roads and walks have been

rebuilt and a wall has gone up to shield a slum from the government view. the local security calls it a security measure. president trump is popular here in india and will be welcomed by a miles-long road show from the airport to what is being build as the world's largest cricket stadium. prime minister modi knew exactly how to convince mr. trump to make the trip. >> we're going to have many millions and millions of people. i hear it's going to be a big event. some people say the biggest event they've ever had in india. >> reporter: it's the indian version of the so-called howdy modi event the two men staged in houston last year. the leaders of the world's largest democracies have formed a close bond, even if they can't yet come to terms on a trade deal. >> they've been hitting us very hard for many, many years, but i really like prime minister modi. we got to talk a little. we got to talk a little business. >> reporter: india is also big business for the trump organization. and is home to the most trump properties outside of north

america, including luxury residential in office towers. but the president and first lady will visit a slightly more iconic building, the famed taj mahal at sunset, just a few hours after they arrive. the president and mrs. trump will then come to new delhi for another welcoming ceremony and a lavish state dinner here at the president's house. nikki? >> thank you, ben. a 5.7 magnitude earthquake at the turkey/iran border today killed at least nine people and hurt 37. teams are searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings, looking for survivors. at least three of the dead were children. the cbs "cbs overnight news" will right back.

♪ nou . >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> restauranteur b. smith has died. she began her career as a model but was best known for her b. smith restaurants in new york and washington, d.c. she wrote several lifestyle and cookbooks. b. smith was 70. 64-year-old mad mike hughes

was known as a homemade astronaut on a self-financed mission to space. but as mola lenghi reports, he died living out his dream. >> reporter: moments after launching, a homemade rocket crashed into the open desert in california on saturday. on board, mike hughes. it would be the final act of the self-styled daredevil known as mad mike. his mission was to fly to the edge of outer space to ultimately see whether the earth is flat. >> i'm the best hope to prove flat earth. >> reporter: mad mike spoke to "cbs sunday morning" in 2018 a few months after the successful launch of his first steam-powered rocket, built from spare parts in his garage. he walked away and vowed to fly again. >> i just want people to question everything. >> reporter: flat earthers believe the earth is shaped like a frisbee with the sun and the moon rotating around the outer edge. >> i expect to see a flat disc up there. i don't have an agenda.

if it's a round earth or ball, i'm going say hey, guys, i'm bad, it's a ball. >> reporter: one thing mike did not deny is the risk he took. in the 2019 documentary "rocketman" mad mike described how he wanted to live and day. >> we're supposed to come to the end of our lives not with everything left, but with everything exhausted. you've done everything you can possibly do. >> reporter: mola lenghi, cbs news, los angeles. los angeles has banned all tandem floats after another deadly mardi gras accident. both people were run over after being trapped between the two floated linked together. more parades are planned before lent starts wednesday. a dream that had been on ice for most of his life last night became a reality for 42-year-old former zamboni driver. as meg oliver reports, it lasted 28 spectacular minutes. >> the goaltender is down, wiped out by his own man. >> reporter: hockey night in canada took a strange night last night. >> collision hear!

>> reporter: when both goalies for the carolina hurricanes got hurt playing for the maple leaves. with no one on the bench, they tapped 42-year-old netminder david ayres, a 42-year-old zamboni driver, and until this moment ever only a practice goalie. >> according to reports, the highest level of hockey he has played is junior b which is a step below junior a which is a step below juniors. >> reporter: it was an ugly start for aiyers, the leafs storing on the first two shots. >> they scored! >> reporter: and then everything changed. as praying for a miracle, the hurricanes rallied around aiyers. soon after, the spectacular saves began. everyone knew aiyers was making history. >> stopped by avid ayres. the carolina hurricanes surround him and defeat the toronto maple leafs. >> reporter: at the end of three periods, victory. mirae o ice. d ago today was >> reporter: ayres is now the

first emergency backup to win a game, and the oldest to ever play in the nhl. >> i've been on the ice many times without fans, but pin t ms ert hey,nc ta. >> reporter: a moment in time making us all believe in miracles on ice once again. meg oliver, cbs news. straight ahead, hitting the right notes to honor kobe bryant. the monumental class project for the unsung rosies of world war ii. and the preschoolers teaching us about the power of friendship.

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in los angeles tomorrow, thousands of people are expected to pack the staples center to say a final farewell to kobe bryant. there have been several tributes since his death and that of eight others, but one truly struck a chord. here is danya bacchus. ♪ >> reporter: it may have been the perfect note at the perfect time. cellist ben hong performing at a tribute for kobe bryant, his daughter, and seven others. >> it was unbelievably powerful, and i felt the hair standing up the back of my neck. >> reporter: the lakers were about to play for the first time since bryant's death in a city consumed by grief. did you feel a certain sense of responsibility then in your performance? >> i felt a tremendous responsibility and honor, feeling the love, the sadness, the grief. >> reporter: hong performed

hallelujah. while on a video screen of a hushed arena, the words of kobe rang out. >> just being a husband, being a father, just being a goofball, just having a good time with my kids. >> basically, his essence, what he said about himself and his goal in life and what was important to him. and i had to provide that musical voice. >> reporter: as the assistant principle cellist for the l.a. philharmonic, hong has often performed for thousand, but never like this. i noticed as you were playing, you closed your eyes. >> i was just tapping into the feeling that i had. and it was really everybody's empathy in the staples center. thhe city came together. >> reporter: and you were a part of that. >> yes. i'm proud to be le you guys. what can i say! mamba out. >> when you hit that final note,

that emotion that runs through you at that time, what is that like? >> even though that's so painful, so difficult, so sad, so much grief, you can process it in a way that's actually beautiful. >> reporter: danya bacchus, cbs news, los angeles. [ applause ] >> still ahead, a teen's plan to honor the unsung heroes of world war ii with a monument of their own. ( ♪ ) ♪ the sun is risin' ♪ ♪ as the day begins ♪ time for reflectin' on family and friends ♪ ♪ and hey, we got somethin' ♪ ♪ just for you (sniffing)

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nyquifor your worst cold andrful relieflu symptoms, on sunday night and every night. nyquil severe. the nightime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, best sleep with a cold, medicine. om of america's greatest heroes in world war ii never left the u.s., and in one has championed their story quite like a young lady who was born nearly six decade afghanistan the war. here again is nikole killion. >> i think women should have a rightful place in washington, d.c. >> reporter: 18-year-old raya kenney wants to build a monument to the working women of world war ii. they are better known as the rosies, women who donned overalls and went to work as riveter, welders, and in other medical-dominated jobs during t. your inspiration was "a league of their own."

>> yes. >> reporter: why that movie? >> i -- it was the first time that i had seen women taking a role that a man had held previously and that a woman had never held. >> there is no crying in baseball! >> the v formation symbolizes victory. >> reporter: raya built a model with a concept representing 20 million women who worked on the home front for world war ii. >> each side we have the designs of the monument. >> reporter: raya built a model for a fifth grade assignment. >> you came up with this idea when you were just 10 years old. how did you know that at that age this is what you wanted to do? >> i wanteded to change the narrative? >> reporter: even at 10? >> even at 10. >> raya is in touch with one of the rosies. this is the way i dressed. there was no uniform. sweatshirt, boots. >> reporter: she worked as a welder in a bay area shipyard. >> i was determined to do it.

my husband was totally opposed to it. and the fact that i had a small child complicated matters too. >> reporter: raya and phyllis have never met in person, but they share a common goal. >> it is the absolute perfect finishing start to our story. she is just a determined young woman that she'll get it done too. >> reporter: raya has shown her model to the national parks service and congress. >> to see it where it is today to where i'm testifying in front of congress. >> this is not a quick or easy process, but it's an important one. >> people are emailing me about their grandmothers and their mothers who worked. and it's just bringing together this community of people. >> reporter: with the support of d.c. delegate eleanor holmes norton, she is ready to tackle any hurdles along the way, and she still gets inspiration from the rosies. >> i have to keep that motto in mind, we can do it. the setbacks, it takes a lot of time there is a lot of waiting for things to be done, but we

can do it. >> reporter: nikole killion, cbs news, washington. next, dress-up

we end tonight with a superhero and her classmates. i met them at a preschool in north hallidon, new jersey, learning a lesson in the power of friendship. who is your hero? >> ryan. >> reporter: 5-year-old riley chikinos' tiny classroom chair has been empty since she was diagnosed with leukemia last summer. >> it's unthinkable. my heart dropped.

>> reporter: the hospital stays and chemo have been a test of strength for her feisty daughter. >> she was just saying i wish my bones weren't sick anymore and she fell on the floor. i just hugged her and said we're going to get through it. >> reporter: towhe support, riley's pre-k classmates have the learning experience have special dress-up days, wearing superhero costume, wild hair and pajamas. they're also helping to raise money for the leukemia and lymphoma society. >> riley! >> say hi. >> reporter: recently riley surprised her classmates, and the impact she had on them was something to behold. >> you're our hero. >> it was -- >> reporter: it's okay. >> we have missed her so much. >> reporter: jessica ellis, the school's director says the dress-up days are about more than fundraising. >> it's teaching the children the beauty and the ability they

have to impact others. >> because i got chemo. >> yeah. >> reporter: but cancer is still a lot for these young minds to comprehend. >> why? >> because my bones were sick. >> yeah. >> reporter: the mini super hero has explained her treatment and her hair loss to friends. >> she said my hair comes out because of my medicine, but it's going to grow back and it's going to be just as long as rapunzel's hair. >> reporter: riley is still in remission but receiving biweekly chemo treatments. what did you think when you walked in and saw all of them? >> crazy. >> reporter: it was crazy! led by their very own brave warrior, this community fights on. >> you know, when you have that kind of support when you're going through such a hard time, it's priceless. one second. >> reporter: and that's the "overnight news" for this monday. for some of you, the news continues. for other, check back with us a little later for the morning news and "cbs this morning."

from the broadcast center in new york city, i'm nikki battiste. ♪ >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> welcome to the "overnight news." i'm nikki battiste. with a democratic presidential debate tomorrow and the south carolina primary this weekend, bernie sanders is surging after his commanding victory in nevada, our new cbs news battleground tracker poll shows sanders is now gaining on joe biden in south carolina. the former vice president holds the top spot with 28%, but sanders isn't far behind. but will it matter? another cbs new poll found two out of three voters believe president trump will be

>> reporter: senator bernie sanders continued his victory lap after winning the jackpot in nevada. >> we won the nevada caucus. and don't tell anybody, because these folks get very, very agitated and nervous. we're going win here in texas. >> reporter: as the surging front-runner looked towards super tuesday -- >> i think it's going to be bernie and me. >> reporter: former vice president joe biden focused on the more immediate task at hand. >> the african american community in south carolina can make a judgment about who the next president of the united states is going to be. >> reporter: shoring up african american support in south carolina, where sanders appears to be closing the gap. >> bernie sanders, you stop him? >> i told you, i'm not going play this game with you. i don't know. it's not about who i stop, it's why i'm running. >> reporter: veteran congressman jim clyburn hasn't endorsed a

candidate yet, but cautioned potential sanders nomination may not play well down ballot in his state. >> south carolinians are pretty leery about that title "socialist." >> senator sanders believes in an inflexible ideological revolution. >> reporter: former south bend mayor pete buttigieg took a more pointed jab at sanders as he also looked to boost his support in the palmetto state. >> it is especially humbling in the middle of black history month to think about what it means to stand before african american voters and ask them for their vote. >> reporter: here in nevada, buttigieg is challenging saturday's caucus results. his campaign sent a letter to the democratic party asking it to release more data. but a democratic spokesperson tells me it has no plans to change its reporting process. nikki? >> nikole, thank you. anthony salvanto is cbs's director of elections and surveys.

anthony, coming off a big win in nevada, it looks like sanders is closing the gap with biden in south carolina. what's behind that? >> well, nikki, a big part of that is closing the gap with african american voters who make up most of the democratic electorate there. joe biden used to have a large lead with black voters. now both bernie sanders and businessman tom steyer have cut into it. that comes amidst both of them being seen along with joe biden as being attuned to the concerns of black voters and across the wider electorate, growing doubts about whether or not joe biden can ultimately win the nomination, nikki. >> anthony, we have a big debate coming up on tuesday. what are voters saying about how much that will matter? >> it matters a lot. first of all, two-thirds of democrats say they're going to watch the debate. we saw him give elizabeth warren the highest ratings for being impressive in the last debate. we'll see what happens going forward. now mayor mike bloomberg is in this debate. he is not on the ballot in south carolina. his performance last time wasn't rated as highly. a lot of pressure all around.

nikki? >> certainly a lot of pressure, and no doubt millions will be watching. anthony, thank you. cbs will co-host the next democratic presidential debate in charleston, south carolina. that's tuesday at 8:00 p.m. right here on cbs and on our 24-hour streaming network, cbsn. president trump is on his way to india tonight. it's a quick trip, lasting just 36 hours. there will be plenty of pomp, even a mega rally. ben tracy is in new delhi. >> reporter: this will be president trump's first visit here to india since he took office. there is not much substance on the agenda, but indian prime minister modi got president trump to come here by promising a big show and a big crowd. as president trump left the white house this morning, workers in india were sprucing up the city of his first visit. roads and walks have been rebuilt and a wall has gone up

to shield a nearby slum from the president's view. the local government calls it a security measure. president trump is popular here in india and will be welcomed by a miles-long road show from the airport to what is being build as the world's largest cricket stadium. prime minister modi knew exactly how to convince mr. trump to make the trip. >> we're going to have many millions and millions of people. i hear it's going to be a big event. some people say the biggest event they've ever had in india. >> reporter: it's the indian version of the so-called howdy modi event the two men staged in houston last year. the leaders of the world's largest democracies have formed a close bond, even if they can't yet come to terms on a trade deal. >> they've been hitting us very hard for many, many years, but i really like prime minister modi. we got to talk a little. we got to talk a little business. >> reporter: india is also big business for the trump organization. and is home to the most trump properties outside of north

america, including luxury residential in office towers. but the president and first lady will visit a slightly more iconic building, the famed taj mahal at sunset, just a few hours after they arrive. the president and mrs. trump will then come to new delhi for another welcoming ceremony and a lavish state dinner here at the president's house. nikki? >> thank you, ben. a 5.7 magnitude hq at the turkey/iran border today killed at least nine people and hurt 37. teams are searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings, looking for survivors. at least three of the dead were children. the coronavirus is spreading fast and beyond china, spiking in south korea this week. more than 600 people have been infected there, most since tuesday. ramy inocencio is in seoul. >> reporter: these empty streets of tegu, south korea's fourth w

spot. anxious residents avoiding public spaces have turned the city quieter as health officials try to disinfect and contain the epidemic. just from friday to sunday, the number of infected across south korea nearly tripled. more than half of those from a controversial christian sect. south korea's moon jae-in singled them out when he declared a red alert, raising the country's threat level to the highest possible, giving the government unprecedented power. that could include locking down city, including the capital seoul if the situation gets worse. and the world health organization has further weighed in, saying the window to stop coronavirus from turning into a pandemic is closing. half a world away in italy, the sleepy village of codogno in the north is now under lockdown after at least six confirmed cases. while in iran, at least eight people have died. that's raising fears the country is not equipped to handle a

potential health crisis of years of crippling u.s. economic sanction. ramy inocencio, cbs news, seoul. co mpetition and we broke through. you've tried retinol, but you have never tried one like this. olay's retinol24 complex hydrates better than the #1 retinol. visibly smoother brighter skin in just 24 hours. a skin upgrade? crushed it. new olay retinol24.

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♪ >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> i'm nikki battiste, and we've got a lot more to tell you about this morning, starting with more tragedy in the big easy. a man was killed this weekend when he was run over by a mardi gras float during an evening parade. the death comes just days after woman died after being run down by a different float on wednesday. they were the first deaths linked to a festive float in 11 years, and despite the dual tragedies this parade season, mardi gras floats are a beloved part of new orleans. jamie wax took a ride. ♪ >> reporter: mardi gras in new orleans is build as the world's biggest free party.

and it comes each year with some spectacular party favors. the costumes, the beads, and most impressive of all, the floats. new designs are already being made for next year's carnival right now. we actually already started props for next year. >> reporter: baron kern is the president and ceo of kern studios. it is safe to say mardi gras is in your blood? >> absolutely. it's in new orleans' blood. mardi gras has been in this city literally from the very first days. >> reporter: dating back to 1699. and moving through 300 plus years of celebrations. the party continues and the kern family holds a key role in innovating and preserving mardi gras traditions, all on public display here at mardi gras world. i don't think there is a

production line in terms of floats and parades anywhere like what we do here. i'm talking about anywhere on earth. that's the last piece. >> reporter: for kern, the business is all about family, four generations of it. this all really started with your grandfather roy trying to use his artistic talent to survive the great depression, right? >> you couldn't make money during the depression as an artist, so he became a sign maker. he would paint signs tugboats and barges on the river. so he built a flow in 1932. >> reporter: barry kern credits his father with the vision that brought the family business to the level it's at today. >> and my dad, blaine kern, who they now call mr. mardi gras here in town was little boy and remembers working with his dad and helping him out, and always helped his dad to build out a parade. >> reporter: over 50 parades fill the streets of the big easy, attracts hundreds of

thousands of people over the two-month-long celebration. the floats are paid for by the members of t mmbers of t members of the krews. ever is part of these krewes. you've got probably 60,000 members of these carnival organizations. >> reporter: for 44 years, mardi gras historian arthur hardy has published the definitive guide to carnival in new orleans. we sat down over devil's coffee at legendary antoine's restaurant. what does mardi gras mean to you rson?>> it's the people. it's the feeling. it's the brotherhood on the street. everybody is equal at mardi gras. it doesn't matter color, age, we're all come together just to have a good time. it's what we do. >> reporter: and when did floats come into the picture? >> really, not until the first official mardi gras parade in 185. started out with one parade with two floats.

now in our metro area we have more than 60 parades, more than 1100 floats. it's probably the largest celebration of its kind anywhere. >> reporter: and in the spirit of a celebration thrown for the people by the people, hardy says there is one thing you'll never see on a mardi gras float in new orleans. >> one of the most amazing things about it is it's not commercially sponsored. the shareholders of mardi gras, the citizens of new orleans. and it's actually a law in new orleans that you can't have commercial signs or pepsi on the side of a threat. can't do it. >> reporter: to kern, hardy and everyone who was in the city at the time, there was one particular year that the sight of the floats rolling through the streets was especially meaningful. >> i remember standing at those parades only months after katrina and having people with tears rolling down their faces. what did that year mean to you to get all mardi gras crews running again just months after katrina? >> when you literally have thousands of people die, tens of thousands of people out of their

homes, no one was thinking about mardi gras. so we knew that it was very, very important to have those parades, for many reasons. i think when we did it and it happened, i think everybody understood why it needed to happen. >> reporter: and as new orleans continues to build, rebuild and grow, it's clear that the one thing that weathers all storms is the spirit of the people that call this place home. >> i think genetically encoded in our dna, this is how we celebrate. it's joyful. it's joyful. and if other people don't get it, that's their problem. but we're going to do it forever. forever. i don't think we need ♪ forever. i don't think we need ♪ magnum ice cream double caramel. now in ice cream tubs and bars. when your v-neck looks more like a u-neck... that's when you know, it's half-washed.

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and leaves behind a fresh scent for up to 30 days. try febreze car in a variety of scents including extra light. saturday marked george washington's birthday. the father of our nation was born 288 years ago. most school kids are taught about washington's life as a general and the first president of the united states, but few have any idea what happened to washington after he retired. chip reid has a look back in time. >> reporter: through eight grueling years of the revolutionary war and another eight as the first president of the united states, george washington was sustained by a dream of the day when he would return to mt. vernon, his beloved plantation high above the potomac river, where at 65 years old, he aspired to a

peaceful retirement as a farmer. but that's not quite how it turned out. >> he got anything but a peaceful retirement. his retirement was filled with controversy, intrigue, and personal torment. >> reporter: jonathan horn is the author of "washington's end: the final years and forgotten struggle" published by scribner, a part of viacom/cbs. the book begins where most washington biographies end, as he rode off into the sunset. but at mt. vernon, he quickly became restless. horn compares him to a lion in a cage. >> he was waiting for news from the capital, philadelphia. and here is where he would be pacing back and forth. he could go for miles on this piazza. >> reporter: the year was 1798. france was attacking american ships at sea, and war with the former ally seemed imminent. washington was named commander

in chief of the new army, even though according to the constitution, that title belonged to president john adams. even so, washington accepted the position, and just over a year after stepping down as president, he was back in philadelphia. so he just couldn't let go? >> it was really hard to let go. he had created this country. this country is his legacy, and he is worried about what's going to happen to it. >> reporter: his prized reputation took a beating as enemy, including former friends jefferson, monroe, and madison condemned him for acting like a king. >> so that should dispel the idea that all of our founding fathers were good friends. >> reporter: in a remarkable parallel to today's politics, washington's federalist party accused france of meddling in the presidential election. at the request of jefferson and his fellow republicans. the so-called quasi war with france soon cooled off and washington returned to mt.

vernon, though he was just 66 years old, he was plagued with a series of torments, including his health. as horn writes, his hands are not as steady as they once were. his back stoops. his hearing has weakened, but not so much that he does not hear the whispers about his senility. his memory, always bad, has become worse. his vision has declined. but perhaps worst of all, his teeth were gone, replaced by dentures not made of wood, as the old story goes, but of ivory, animal teeth and human teeth, possibly from enslaved people he owned. it's no wonder washington rarely smiled. what was his relationship like with martha washington in these final years? >> well, by this time in his life, he'll tell you marriage is the great joy of life. >> reporter: but he and martha were raising two grandchildren from her first marriage, and even the father of the country struggled to keep up with the demands of parenthood.

despite his good relationship with martha, he still appeared to have strong feelings for sally fairfax, a married woman he had loved in his youth. >> we know that, because he wrote a letter to sally fairfax, and he said all the things he had done in his life sense then as the time he sh sal much joy fairfax young man. >> reporter: other family secrets may be lost forever because tragically for historians, martha burned almost all of their letters to protect their privacy. what did this place, mt. vernon, mean to george washington? >> well, this was home for him. this was a sanctuary. >> reporter: doug bradburn, president and ceo says despite all of the challenges, washington did fulfill some of his dreams here. he became a pioneer of modern farming, experimenting with seeds and fertilizers, and he built one of the nation's

largest whiskey distilleries. so where are we now? >> this is washington's study. >> reporter: his study? >> yes. i like to call it his man cave. this is where he liked to do his work. massive condolence, co iviv ivi corresponding with people all over the world. >> reporter: washington never would have done well as a farmer and businessman without the 300 plus people who toiled at mt. vernon. during the war, washington's views on slavery changed, in part due to the heroism of black soldiers. >> he hopes there is some way that legislation will be passed to end slavery. >> reporter: but his actions sometimes contradicted his words. according to horn's book, washington said that getting work out of his slaves sometimes required a little of the overseer's whip. he remained a slave owner until his death. >> this is the george and martha washington's bed chamber here. >> reporter: is this where he actually died? >> this is where he died.

this is the actual bed stead he died in. >> reporter: and sadly, what a grim death it was. from a throat infection easily cured today with antibiotics. his doctors repeatedly bled him, the practice at the time, of about five pints of blood, which only made him weaker. >> he basically suffocated to death. >> reporter: the father of our country suffocated to death? >> it's a brutal way to go. >> reporter: in his bed. ♪ when death was near, he dressed in fine clothes and surrounded by family, doctors, and slaves, his last words were simply "'tis well." george washington was 67 years old. >> he went out in that sort of stoical fashion that he wanted to project, and he knew people would be telling the story for centuries. and so he wanted to do it in style. >> reporter: george washington

let good of life like he let go of political power, bravely and with one eye o history.

we end this half hour with steve hartman and the story of a young boy determined to show some unwanted creatures a little love. >> reporter: 8-year-old robbie gaye loves an underdog. bring him to the south coast humane society as we did and ask him to find a favorite, he will seek out the oldest, mangiest, least adoptable mutt of the lot. >> there is something about old dogs that i just like. >> reporter: do you see yourself in these dogs? >> yes, sir. >> he knows what it feels like not to be loved for and cared for. he is the most hopeful optimistic and genuinely caring kid who has absolutely no reason to be that way. >> reporter: robbie's adoptive

mom maria says before he entered the foster system, robbie was a holy terror. so badly abused, he was twice hospitalized with brain injuries. then two years ago, maria and her husband charles adopted him. >> it was just a good day. >> reporter: what did that day mean to you? >> everything. >> reporter: he has come a long way, except in this one respect. maria says he could not cry. despite the horrors of his past, or maybe because of them, the kid was a stone until earlier this month. one of robbie's old dogs buffy had to be put down. he wanted to hold her until the very end, and insisted his mom take pictures of the process. perhaps because he knew what was about to happen. after robbie finally let go, he told his mom "i know how it feels not to be loved or cared for, and i don't want any animal of mine to feel that way."

nor does he want any foster kid to feel that way. >> because people don't want older people and older dogs. they only wantabies and puppies. >> he is so aware that it could have gone totally differently for him, and in these older dogs, robbie's found a place to practice compassion. >> reporter: some day robbie wants to adopt older foster children himself. >> go up and knock on the door. > reporter: but until then, to show his commitment and do what he can, he has vowed to adopt as many old dogs as his parents will allow. >> do you love her? >> reporter: today it's a lame snaggle-hed shih tzu named molly. molly's owner had to go into assisted living, but now molly has a new home, thanks to the sweet little boy who sees his reflection in the eyes of the suffering. steve hartman, "on the road" near palm coast, florida. >> and that's the "overnight news" for this monday.

for some of you, the news continues. for others, check back with us a little later for the morning news and "cbs overnight news it's monday, february 24th, 2020. this is the "cbs morning news". solidifies his front-runner status as the democratic candidates prepare for the last critical vote before super tuesday. we're in charlestoeaof rrow night's debate. pomp and politics. president trump gets a warm welcome on his first official visit to india. he faces new scrutiny over his relationship with russia. miracle rescue. how a couple survived being lost in the wilderness for an entire in the wilderness for an entire week. captioning funded by cbs