of the veteran and not get caught up in bureaucracies or endless studies. there's something going on, undoubtedly. >> reporter: and you want to fix it before january 20th? >> my fundamental goal and desire and will sprint to the very end to try to make it happen. >> reporter: and drafted executive order for the president of the united states to make it happen. >> yes. >> reporter: how close it is? >> i'm very confident. >> reporter: investigation documented new evidence of toxic conditions at base. soil saturated with jet fuel, a running track marked with warning signs, high levels of radiation and this site, nicknamed skittles pond for its changing state. >> had no idea at 40 this would be my life. >> reporter: former air force mechanic doug wilson says he can no longer work or drive after rare cancer caused brain damage.

>> i don't have sidewalk, i ride on the side of the road, constantly have to check for cars coming. >> i did see the doug wilson story, enormously powerful and compelling and drove me to take this on even more rapidly. >> every yellow tab is day i felt sick. >> reporter: recently received preliminary diagnosis of cancer and told cbs news he felt last 15 years had been a betrayal. >> i'd like to offer, i'm taking this seriously. >> reporter: working with the va, would add uzbekistan to the toxic exposure directory along with afghanistan and allow the k-2 veterans support. will do what for the veterans? >> recognize their service as being involved in the operation in afghanistan and open up programs and benefits they're

currently not able to access. >> reporter: there was executive hearing last month and defense department and veterans affair witnesses threw up a lot of bureaucratic road blocks. >> my office looks at science, i want to find out what the exposures were. >> reporter: what's changed since then? >> i think there's irresistible momentum and my ability to have influence can hopefully break through the logjams. >> reporter: wouldn't comment on the executive action or timing. if president trump declines, biden administration could pick up the issue. you're watching "cbs overnight news." instantly clear every day congestion with vicks sinex saline nasal mist. for drug free relief that works fast.

vicks sinex. instantly clear everday congestion. how abowhat a shame.wilson? so soon after retiring. i hear his wife needed help with the funeral expenses. that's ridiculous! -he had social security. -when my brother died, his wife received a check from social security, all right-- for $255! the funeral costs were well over $8,000. how on earth did she pay for it? fortunately, my brother bought additional life insurance -before he retired. -whew! i bet that cost a pretty penny, huh? not with colonial penn. coverage options start at just $9.95 a month. less than 35 cents a day. i have it myself. -we both do. -both of you? neither of us had to answer any health questions or take a physical exam. in fact, no one our age can be turned down. for any health reason. your rates go up every year, right? no, not at all.

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made with a prebiotic plant - based fiber blend that helps promote digestive health. an herbal stress reliever ashwagandha, that helps you turn the stressed life... into your best life. stress less and live more. with stressballs. one of the most beloved holiday songs is 50 years old. "felice navidad." >> reporter: what are the sounds to connecticut? >> in connecticut, i like the sounds at night, of the tree frogs that go -- >> reporter: singer jose feliciano hears music

everywhere. >> i love getting them started. when i do that, they all start going. >> reporter: it's a call and response. >> yeah. ♪ felice navidad >> reporter: celebrating the 50th anniversary of his classic. the song has shown up everywhere, like "all in the family." >> don't be singing a song in spanish at christmas, god don't want to hear that. >> reporter: and "glee." and it's been sung by everyone. from elmo -- >> that means merry christmas, elmo. >> reporter: to bts. just last month an anniversary version was released, featuring

30 musicians including lin-manuel miranda and michael bolton. when you were writing "felice navidad," were you thinking would be great to have christmas song in spanish and also in english, was that the idea? >> we thought there's got to be way of teaching the american people spanish. let's see if we can cross that bridge. we did. >> reporter: but wasn't a smash hit, not right away. >> first people had to get used to it. then the year after, it caught on big. how many times did susan and i travel around the world? >> reporter: married to his wife susan for 38 years. >> in russia for example, a russian guy whistle it when he picked up our bags and i

thought, jose, you made it kid, you made it. you know what they used to call avocados? >> pears. >> you got it. >> reporter: two sons. >> wouldn't let us off the stage. >> reporter: born blind in puerto rico, jose moved with his family to spanish harlem in new york in 1950. jose was five years old. >> my father would take my brothers to see the movies. one day i said listen, dad, why don't you take me to the movies with you guys. and my father would laugh, ha, what are you going to do in a movie, you can't see? i thought to myself, "a," don't movies have sound? >> reporter: began teaching himself guitar at age nine. did you pick it up and think this is the instrument for me? >> before i picked it up i knew, it would be the instrument for

me because i loved the sound. >> reporter: he turned out to be a natural. >> well there's something i can do better than any of you, and that was music. and i think that feeling that allowed me not to be bitter, not to blame god because i was blind. ♪ >> reporter: feliciano became a guitar virtuoso, drawing from class classic flamenco and jazz. were you just hearing things on the radio and teaching yourself to play? >> yeah. really that was the way for me, hearing other music and trying to copy it. once i copied it, even though my fingers was as i would say [ bleep ] up, but it was the only thing i could do to teach myself. >> reporter: what kind of music were you playing when you first started to play the guitar? >> well, i was playing rock and

roll. would come home from school, put on "american bandstand" and play along with the songs on the charts then. ♪ come on baby, it's a real neat trick ♪ >> reporter: his first single, everybody do the click released in 1964 had the "american bandstand" sound. was it a point of pride to show people all the things you could do, and certainly didn't need help or pity? >> definitely. pity is a way of the sighted world not feeling guilty for what disadvantage they think you have. i'm happy with everything that happened to me. ♪ all the leaves are brown >> reporter: and a lot has happened, in 1968 released an album called "feliciano," filled with his own interpretations of pop hits like "california

dreaming," featured in last year's "once upon a time in hollywood." ♪ california dreaming >> reporter: he won two grammys, including best new artist, as well as best contemporary top vocal performance male for "light my fire". ♪ come on baby, light my fire ♪ o, say can you see >> reporter: but his performance of the national anthem at world series was more controversial. ♪ what so proudly we hail >> reporter: you're known for jazz influence, laid back phrasing, something people weren't necessarily used to hearing when they heard the national anthem. some people loved it, some hated it, called it nonpatriotic or disgrace. >> lot of people hated it more

than liked it. veterans were throwing shoes at the television. people wanted to have me deported. i thought they're going to have a tough time because puerto rico is part of the united states. >> reporter: that's right. >> i don't think anybody loves this country as much as i do. ♪ i love the towns, i love the crowds ♪ ♪ love the way my life's turned out, the way it has ♪ >> reporter: in a career that's lasted more than half a century, feliciano has made hits and found fans all around the world. ♪ i want to wish you a merry christmas ♪ >> reporter: but if most people know him for "felice navidad yts, that's okay with him. >> i just want the song to be remembered. and if they mention my name along with what they remember, even better. >> reporter: when they mention that song, they have to mention

your name, come on! >> they do, they don't have to. (announcer) america's veterans have always stepped up. but with the covid-19 crisis, many veterans are struggling - to make ends meet or get the care they need. dav has helped ill and injured veterans for one hundred years, but today, the need is greater than ever. give to the dav covid-19 relief fund - and help provide critical assistance to veterans in need. go to dav.org/helpvets or call now. your donation will make a real difference. or call now. (drumsticks rattle, feedback hums) (door closes in distance) ♪ (overlapping voices): we are producers, engineers, singers, songwriters, musicians, tour and live production crews, and thousands more of us.

(male voice): without us, the music stops. (overlapping voices): we need your help (female voice): to keep the music playing. (male voice): support those impacted today at: musicares.org. we're still hard at work, because vulnerable students who already struggle with poverty, hunger and trauma, need our support more than ever. at communities in schools, we do whatever it takes. delivering meals, helping kids access remote learning and just checking in. in schools, in communities and in times of crisis providing kids a community of support. to learn more, visit communities in schools dot org.

top educators from all 50 states now in running for national teacher of the year. among them missouri fiz ed instructor. reports on his against all odds journey to success. >> reporter: it's easy to see why mr. d.c., as his students call him, was named missouri's teacher of the year. who is most popular teacher in school? >> mr. d.c. >> reporter: but some students at crestwood elementary near st. louis were surprised to learn went by different name. >> six deuce 87 gangster. your missouri teacher of the year used to be in a gang.

>> reporter: he joined at nine years old in north st. louis neighborhood that's 15 minutes and what seems like a world away from the suburban school where he teaches today. >> i feel like i was born to fail. mother was a drug addict, father murdered when i was four years old. >> reporter: felt destined for that fate for jail. >> this is where my little brother was murdered. >> reporter: early on cockrell's grandmother swooped in to save him. >> she had to do so much, get us through tough times and she did everything by herself. sorry. >> reporter: eventually school and sports became his refuge, in eighth grade he was adopted by his football coach. >> no, not from "the blind side,".

>> reporter: became a teacher, landing here at crestwood elementary school. how did you get to crestwood? >> i took a cab. >> reporter: that laugh makes the fun infectious in his classes. >> whenever you're sad, he cheers you up. >> reporter: how can a teacher tell when students are sad? >> i have no idea, it's a magical power. >> he teaches us to stay healthy and have fun at the same time. >> reporter: something cockrell shares online, workouts with son and daughter. now competing for national teacher of the year. only been an educator for under a decade but in reality, mr. d.c. brings a lifetime of experience. >> seen so many bad things and glad i have a job i love. if people are tired of me laughing and giggling all the time, just got to get used to

it. >> reporter: for "cbs this morning," i'm air ol bar it is thursday, december it is thursday, december 17, 2020. this is the cbs morning news. a winter wolup. a monster storm brings snow, sleet and rain to the east coast. impacting tens of millions of americans. another shot of hope. a second covid vaccine could be getting closer to approval. the allergic reaction suffered by one health care worker moments after getting the pfizer vaccine. >> more than 30 years after the deadly terror attack. the u.s. is set to charge a third person in the case.