captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc >> nawaz: good evening, i'm amna nawaz. judy woodruff is away. on theewshour tonight, the surge continues-- coronavirus cases and deaths hit record highs as millions of acans gather for thanksgiving. then, covid and the court-- ther e court blocks new york state's limits on religious gatherings, signaling the justices' move to the right. plus, in memoriam-- with over ar r million americans lost to covid-19, we pay tribute to essome of the remarkable l claimed by the virus. and, remembering gratitude-- even in a difficult year, it's what this thanksgiviiday is all about. all that and more on tonight's pbs newsur. or

>> major funding the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> fidelity wealth management. d. >> the kendeda f committed to advancing restorative justice and

meaningful work through investments in transformative leaders and ideas.re t kendedafund.org. >> carnegie corporation of new supportiovations in irk. education, democratic engagement, and the advancement of international peace and security. at cargie.org. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions: and individuals. >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions t pbs station from viewers like you. thank you.

>> nawaz: this thanksgiving day has been dramatically different, amid surging covid-19 infections. the nation recorded another 178,000 cases on wednesday, with more than 263,000 deaths to date in houston today, a turkey giveaway underscored the economic pain, as hundreds sought food assistance. many said they had never askedr lp before. >> it's been very, very hard. very hard.ma but i'ng it. i posted on facebook instead oft worrying abongs that we can't go, being thss that we thanksgiving we need to be concerned with what we have. >> nawaz: in new york city, thsg macy's thanking parade did take place, but it was confined to single block with no spectators and far fewer balloon handlers. meanwhile, new york state's restriction on attendance at houses of worship was opped short. the u.s. supreme cou blocked

it late wednesday night. we'll have more on that, after the news summary. president trump used a ng event to claim again that he was robbed of an election victory. but, he saide will accept the electoral college's decision next month. troops via video-link.ing u.s. and, he also said he'll campaign in georgia for two republican senators facing runoffs. president-elect biden opted against a large family gathering because of covid. but in a video message, he said "better days are coming." in ethiopia, prime minister abi ahnounced he's ordered the final assault against the rebellious region of tigray. he said the army is moving on the regional capital, mekelle,li after a de passed for tigray's leaders to surrender. human rights groups raisediv concerns aboutians in the city. thousands in tigray have reportedly already died in three weeks of fighting. today in turkey, a court foundde hundreds ondants guilty of taking part in 2016's failed

coup aofempt. a tota75 defendants had been on trial for three years. more than 300 were given life in prison. the sweeping trial was part of a jailed thousands.own that has relatives of the convicted insisted today that many are innoce. >> ( translated ): they were convicted today for life despite not participating in the coup atempt, despite fighting against the coup by g themselves in a room to avoid aiding the coup efforts. they are very young, when they were thrown in prison they were 24 and 25, now they are convicted for life? how do you explain this in the spirit of justice? >> nawaz: turkish president recep tayyip erdogan accuses the cleric fethullah gulen of orchestrating the uprising. gulen is based in the united a stat denies any involvement. parts of southern india are under water after a tropical cyclone smashed ashore today.e it mndfall in the federal territory of puducherry, withwi

s topping 80 miles an hour. heavy rains triggered widespread flooding in the city of chennai, home to 10 million people. the storm killed five people, blew down trees and knocked out power. and, soccer legend diegorg maradona, oftina, was mourned around the world today, after his death wednesday. fans in naples, italy waved h flags wi name and put out flowers and candles.po maradona led "" to two titles in italy, in 1987 and '90. and, in his native argentina, thousands lined up in buenos aires to see the casket. a few clashes broke out when policeried to close off access, ahead of the burial this evening. still to come on the newshour: the supreme cour sblocks new yote's limits on religious gatherings. we pay tribute to somef the many remarkable lives claimed by covid-19. and some brief but ss ctacular takeon remembering gratitude in an unusual year.

>> nawaz: the sueme court overnight blocked one of the measures new york state took to combat the pandemic. governor andrew cuomo had capped religious services at 10 attendees in communities where the virus risk is highest.-t in the4 vote, justice amy coney barrett, the newest justice, voted to block the restriction, along with justices thomas, alito, gorsuch, and kavanaugh.ie justice john roberts sided with justices breyer, sotomayor, and karin. the ma said houses of worship had been singled out for tougher treatment. while the dissenters said the n governmeds leeway when it comes to public health in a marcia coyle of the "national law journal" is with us to dive

into the court's order. marcia, welcome back to the "newshour", and thanks for being with us this thanksgiving. we should note it's not the first time the court has weighed on pandemic restrictions but what stood out to you about this latest ruling? >> this ruling, amna, had a lotw ting in it. more than 30 pages, five separate opinions, all showing that there were very strong feelings on both sides and, also, very careful anlysis. one thing that struck me, in particular, was the concurring opinion, in the majority, by justice gorsuch, in which he really sort of accused the court of cutting loose the constitution during a pandemic, not really caring so much about the religious liberty that was at stake here. and chief justice robertsn h the opinion discussing gorsuch's language in which he said they were not cuing loose the

constitution or ignoring the religious liberty, they were seriouslexamining and analyzing the issues in good faith. i'll say this for chief justice oreerts, he's done this bef when another justice has other justices on the court. finally, i would say the fact that justice -- the newest justice, justice barrett, had joined the majority, and the chief justice is in dssent, he was on the liberal side t, the cond i think that also shows that the conservative on the court really d n't neem. the role he played last term in which he was basically the center, the median justice on the court who could calibrate or moderate the shift of the court eiher to the left or te right, his role has been dimished. the five other conservative justices have that magic five votes if they need it. so we're going to have to wait and see, i think, where justice

barrett goes from her she did noite separately, so we d't know what her thoughts were other than shiagreedh the majority. but it would have been nice to hear what her thinking was inth particular case. >> we don't know her thoughts on lois particular case, as you mentioned, but aof people have been waiting to see what the impact of her presence one urt would be, and this is the first time we see some of that impact. what else does it tell us,al though, specif when it comes to pandemic restrictions, and the fact that the court may have to consider more o these restrictions at this time? >> well, they already havine peat least two other applications for injunctions by religious institutions, and i will point out that the two that the court ruled on last night, i believe they actlly were filed after justic barrett's confirmation. so the fact that others are coming in no i think shows that they feel they have a moatre sytic court in terms to

have the religious liberty nging. that they're bri and i think the court, thugh, is going to beeighing what is at stake when -- what rights are at stake when comes to theri reions that the governors are imposing here. it may not always be religious liberty. it could be free speech. we just have to wat and see nowa thathe cour a 6-3 conservative majority where the court's going to go. i'm sure there will be morens applicator injunctions. >> nawaz: marcia coyle of the "national law journal" joining us tonight. happy thanksgiving, marcia and thanksor joining us. >> thanks, take care. >> nawaz: and now for alpublic view on that supreme court decision, we turn to doctor dara kass. she's an associate professor ofc emermedicine at columbia university medical center and a medical contributor for yahoo news.s

she jo from new york. dr. kass, welcome back to the "newshour". for making the time. thank u when you look at that supreme court decision, from a public health perspective, what to you worry at the impact of th might be? >> so my worry is really going to remove our about make decisions in a very targeted way eo the environment we think ar really where the virus spreads. we probably think we can keep 80% ofusinesses open we only taring the places that we think the virus is spreading. unfortunately, there's evidence within houses of worship, especially when they're at capacity without masks. we've seen superspreader events and really unrelenting spread of this virus. so the problem of the case for me is it removes the ability of local governance, governors and mayors, to make the decisions that imact their counity as little as possible while protecting their citizens from this virus. >> nawaz: and dr. kass, some of the disenters on the supreme court hade said some need leeway to make the decisions but they

said you can't treat businesses differently and close house of worshiwh do you say to that. >> our leaders and public health officials are saying to treat businesses and different gatherings differently. we say less an 20% of all gathering spaces are unsafbut most are safe. schools are better off than placesike bars, and unfortunately houses of worship spread the virus morlike bars than schools, and we need to treat each space inor accnce of its effect on the pandemic, not necessarily about what the justices want it to be. >> nawaz: in the few seconds we have le, people considering on this thanksgiving holiday if and how they shthld tonight. if you've had a few words of advice for people, what would they be? >> i would say to think of this moment instead of individual freedom but collective responsibility. the responsibility for all of us

to act safe for each other. it it out a fewore months. protect your local family and your com nity as best aswe can because we'll get to the other side of the pandemic very soon. help is on the way, we just need to get there. >> nawaz: dr. dara kass, emergencmedicine at new york and a medical contributor.yo thanfor your time. >> thank you. have a great holiday. >> nawaz: on this thanksgiving day, tens of thousands of our friends and neighbors have one less person at the table. over a quarter of a million americans have died room the virus this year. every friday since march, the newshour has brought you a shore ent, in memoriam as a way to honor some of those whose lives were cut short. as part of that process,

families, friends and colleagues, in the midst o, their grievive generously shared with us favorite memories, family pictures and heartwarming vidons of the loved they lost so that we could put names, faces, and stories to this enorms tragedy. and so tonight we want to devote considerle time, not just to note the undeniable impact covid-19 has had on oucountry, but also to express our gratitude to all those who shared their time and memories with us this year, so we could help remember those who died. here now is judy woodruff with an extended look back at some of the americans we havo far to the covid19 pandemic. >> woodruff: 84-year-old mary romaovercame childhood polio to win some 350 track and field medals, including at theenior olympics. when she wasn't on the track, she was on the sidelines, cheering on her five boys and grandchildren in the same sport.

roman was a local celebrity in norwalk, connecticut, not just for her athleticism, but for her decades-long career as a city clerk. aldo bazzarelli perfected each item on his namesakest rant's menu, from butchering his own meats to preparing his homemade marinara sauce. raised in southern italy, he was a born entrepreneur. he ran a barbershop as a child, before immigrating to the united states in 1968. y in his nearly rs running bazzarelli's, he never fired an employee. the 73-year-old is remembered for his big heart, especially when it came to his five grandchildren. april dunn of baton rouge, louisiana, was a drin advocate denied a higscholoma ofties. her own, april helped state lawmakers pass a bill that allowed students with disabilities to receive their

degrees, and went on to work closely with the governor. kind, outgoing, sociable, april was a great source of pride for her family. she was just 33. sean boynes, once a captain in the u.s. air force, was a pharmacist dedicatedo serving his maryland clients. sean received three degrees from howard university, where he played football, mentored pharmacy students, and married his bride, nicole, on campus. funny and joyful, it was sean's smile that caught nicole's heart. for sierra and gabrielle, their father was their comforter and cheerleader. was 46 years old. vincent lionti, a violist with the new york metropolitan opera for 33 yearswas known for his quiet confidence, humility and kindness. vincent's first teacher was his father, victor, who conducted

the westchester youth symphony orchestra, before passing the baton vincent in 1997. vincent met s wife, kristin, in the met cafeteria, and their family grew by one, cholas. judy wilson-griffin dedicated her life to helping high-risk mothers and babies as a perinatal nurse specialist in saint louis, missouri. an educator and a leader, judy addressed racial disparities in maternal health careccess to care. to her colleagues and patients, she was like a best friend, a sist, funny, humble, and gracious. judy also served in the u.s. navy as a nurse. she was 63. tommy lopez was known to seattleites as the smiling face behind this family-owned food truck for almost two decades. born in mexico, the father of five served in the military there, before immigrating to the u.s. when he was 24.he

made national headlines in 2017 for selling tacos to hungrv s stranded in a massive interstate traffic jam. he was 44 years old.yn 74-year-old reese sr. was football field.where but on the he coached and mentored louisi players for five decades. some went to play in the n.f.l., including one hall of famer marsll faulk. from driving them to 6:00 a.m. practice, and helping hundreds seisre college scholarships, family says his shoulders were broad from always carrying the worries of others. member of the new jerseyas a national guard medical unit specializing in emergency medicine. described by his family as fearless, hickok had prepared to help with the pandemic's spread before he was infected. off-duty, the 57-year-old was an

avid outdoorsman, grill master and father of two. a third-generation service member, captain hickok was the u.s. military's first loss t the pandemic. robbin hardy became a pastor when she was 25 years old and church in baton rouge, louisiana. her children remember a unifier, both in church and as theun r of a mentorship program for girls, where they say shere reached han 1,000 women, and did so in style. hardy was 56 years old.os pediatric negeon dr. james goodrich of new york's montefiore medical center garnered internationalim fosuccessfully separating twins cooined at the head, and advisingozens of other such surgeries. outside the operating room, ths 73-year-old bonsai tree

enthusiast. he had a library of re antique medical books and was an avid player of the australian aboriginal instrument the didgeridoo. his friends dubbed him the most interesting man in the world. vitalina williams loved gardening and cooking with her husband in salem, massachusetts, when sheasn't working her two jobs at the local grocery store and walmart. bold and principled, williams was known as the c.e.o. and c.f.o. of her family. she came to the united states aom guatemala in the 1990 spoke to her family there on the phone every day. she was 59 years old.in 61-year-old y simpson, a correctional officer at new rk's rikers island, was known for his calm demeanor, great sense of humor, and hard work ethic. when he contracted covid-19, i quinsey callsick for only the second time in his 18 years

on the job. he was a mentor to the neighborhood school kids, and, his six-ye-old son, ayden. karen ketcher dedicated her career to serving na americanribes in her state of oklahoma and across the country. karen loved toew, including memorable prom and wedding dresses, and spent all of her free time with h family, her grandkids and great grandkids. in tahlequah's cherokee nation, shwas known as everyone's granny karen for loving everyone in the community like they were her own. she was 70 years old. >> i didn't know i was four feet from the atomic bomb. >> woodruff: philip kahn always him, so he could tell his story. an air force co-pilot in world war ii, kahn was in the battle

of iwo jima and helped take aerial surveys of the damage wrought by the atomic bombs. after the war, he settled in new york and was an electrical foreman on the conruction of the world trade center. philip often said, was thewar, spanish flu pandemic, whichki ed his twin brother in infancy. philip was 100 years old. lysa dawn ronson never went ywhere without a set of drumsticks. known to fans as lady rhythm, the philadelphia-bormer toured the worer with soul siilly paul and played with many more artists, including pink.sa as a go-to source for advice for her two sisters and , who describe her as witty, charming, and a good listener. she was 55 yea old. for activist josha eyre, her desire to help displaced refugees was largely inspired by

her upbringing in nazi-occupied holland. in 1989 josepha, or jossy, founded the women's bean project in denver, colorado, to create long-term solutions for meless women through work and counseling. over the years, she welcomed people in need into her own family. she was active and tenacious, an inspiration to her children and grandchildren. jossy was 89 years old. 50-year-old bobby pin was known for his blue hair and infectious energy. photography and filmmaking took bobby around the world. he took photos at burning man festivals and filmed in nepalak and india,g countless friends along the way.ec t perfonist, bobby excelled in more than jusart. he was also a scuba diver, completing over 150 dives.

last year, he made one special trip to cambodia, where he was born. bobby's family fled the country during the pol pot dictatorship, when he wa5 years old. fashionable, talented and full of curiosity, chianti jackson harpool lit every room, from political fund-raisers to girls nights with friends. a baltimore native, chianti worked as a socialorker for the homeless, before launching her dream business, chianti's charm city chocolates, inspired by her father's mobile candy truck. she was 51 years old. valentina blackhorse dreamed of one day leading navajo nation. born and raid in kayenta, arizona, valentina participated in native american pageants, where she demonstrated her deep knowledge and affinity for navajo culture, skills, and language. quiet, warm, and caring,

valentina was dedicated to passing on her culture to yountiger genes, including her one-year-old daughter. she was just 28 years old. arlene saunders was as captivating as her soprano oper. vo born and raised in cleveland, ohio, arlene spent most of her career in germany, performing with the hamburg state opera on stage and on televis she would go on to sing at the biggest opera house in the world,he met. down-to-eartand elegant, arlene moved to w york in 1986, where she married the man she loved to dancend sing with, raymond raskin. arlene was 89 years old. abdelfattah abdrabbo was often the first persont his canton, michigan, mosque arriv 4:00 in the morning to lead the a nrise prayer. lestinian immigrant, abe

arrived in the u.s. in the 1970s with closeo nothing. devoted, tireless and hardworking, he worked overtime and on holidays to build his waport-export business, al with a smile on his face. his six children say he gave them the american dream. he was 65 years old. hailey herrera was nurturing and compassionate, the first person her friends called for comfort and advice. the 25-year-old bronx native was working to become a therapist. she helped care for people withl mentalsses and earned a master's degree in marriage and famimo therapy. hesays she was a ball of energy and a joy to und. hailey loved throwing themed parties and making memories with hefriends and family. ralppabon had an eye for fashion and a spirit of

adventure. both came through in the bridal gowns he designein new york city. when his beloved mothe remarried in 2014, ralph walked her down the aisle. shwore the wedding dress h designed. gregarious and fun, ralph loveds thatost recent work as a flight attendant allowed him to explore the world. he was 51 years old. 82-year-old patrick petit's family dubbed him the family philosopher, a nod to his ability to listen and offer advice. after serving in the navy, he became a community oanizer during the civil rights movement, taught sociology at a university in minneapolis and raised three children. his grandkids: "be happy, bee to nd and keep learning." ann sullivan brought cartoons to

life as a painter for animation hanna-barberisney and among the characters she helped create were the smurfs.rt the dakota native loved to paint landscapes of the california coast and portraits of hgr children and dchildren.ay her daughterann exuded positivity and that, when she laughed,so she diith her whole body. ann was 91 years old. dosha joi, was colorful, his friends say. he had a smile and energy that could brighten a darroom. after aging out of foster care, dosha, or djay, fought to tter the system, particularly for foster kids in the l.g.b.t.q. community. it was a mission that took him from his home state of wisconsin to advocate on capitol hill. djay was also a certified nursing assistant studying to become a registered nurse. he was 28 years old. hatsy yasukochi was the heart of

her family-run bakery in san francisco. she knew her customers by name, and often their orders by heart oud mother and grandmother, hatsy displayed family photos on the bakery walls and loved taking silly snapchats with her five grandchildren. as a young girl, hatsy's family s imprisoned in internment camps during the second world war.da hehters say that experience gave her the perseverance she woun later rely oto battle cancer. she was 80 years old. susan rokus was a belovedta elem school teacher in loudoun county, virginia, for almostwoive decades. n of faith, friends say susan was rehfectful and tr, qualities she instilled in her young students. she was particularly skilled at helping children orcome challenges with reading through

empathy and positivity. susan also loved tea time with friends, tennis and fashion. she was 73 years old. hecky powell was often referred to as the unofficial mayor of hecky powell, illinois. for 37 years, he ran hecky's barbecue. their famous sauce was cated by him and his parents. hecky employed kids from all walks of life, and that commitment extended beyond his restaurant, to his social work, providing opportunities for struggling youth. the 71-year-old was also a loving father of seven. anyone who knew loretta dionisio loretta fled martial law in the philippines in her early 20s and rose to become a graphic designer and creative director in orlando, florida. a cancer survivor, she traveled the world with her husband of nearly 50 years.

the pair were inseparable.ou her family, loretta's toughness melted away. they say she was the sweetest person. loretta was 68 years old. 92-year-old theodore gaffney was a research and documentarian who brought greas curiosity to rk. after serving in the u. army following world war ii, theodore studied photography under the g.i. bill. the washington, d.c., native was one of t first african- americans to photograpde of the white house. in 1961, he documented the freedom riders as they traveled through the south to fight segregation. theodore later moved to brazil he study the african diaspora. it was there thaet his wife, maria. jess begay sr. of the navajo nation was a long-haul trucker who transported everything from

explosives to milk. he taught others how to drive commercially, including his own daughter, leslyn. she said her dad was humble and always open to learning more. he still referred to himself as a rookie, even as a 25-year veteran in the trucking indu dry. his famicribed jess as dedicated, prayerful, and loving. he was 73 years old. mary wilson had a way with animals. she was 23 when she st working at the maryland zoo, and we on to become the first black woman to be promoted to senior zkeeper. mary was a mother figure to many, includinllan orphan gonamed sylvia. mary ctinued to vit sylvia even after she left the maryland zoo. sylvialways remembered her. mary's dedication to her work inspired her daughter sharron come a zookeeper too.

mary was 83. rene chavez had big dreams and an active imagination, said his wife, annette. passionate about the animated "he-man" series from the '80s, rene launched a successful podcast called "nerds on a couch," where he and his friends discussed, debated and reviewed comics. rene even drafted his own sci-fi stories. >> hello, rene from "nerds on a couch" here. >> woodruff: as a high school english teacher in el paso, rene would often loan his comics to students to encourage them to read more.as rene5 years old.ke reverend vgibbs' final sermon at her houston church was a impassioned call to action on coronavirus reli racial injustice. >> be the bridge to equality by

demanding and voting in change. >> woodruff: spreading love and fighting for justi, these were vickey's callings, said her wife, cassandra, whether that meant attending protests or cooking meals for friends in need. h she had a special bond wr grandson, who she nicknamed boo. together, they listened on stevie wonder.cherie amour" by vickey was 57. those who knew hima rama to pioneering research scientist at stony brook's school of dental medicine. the work of his team led to important discoveries in oral health and antibiotics. born in south india, and before settling in new york, rama moved to canada in 1966, where he met his wife of nearly 50 years, sharon, in a biochemistry class. described as gregarious, with a passion for south asian arts,

rama was devoted to his students and his family, including twos daughtd five grandchildren.as rama0 years old. cynthia tilley's friends joked heart.er hair was as big as her the former nurse was constantly organizing community fundraisers and charity events in myrtle beach, south carolina. christmas was her favorite holiday.er she spoiled ne around her, from her two children, to her two granddaughters, lled her gigi. at 61, cynthia was still the star of any dancfloor, especially when performing the shag. until she was seven years old, tatiana moore barely spoke, t she went on to become a talented singer in her buffalo, new york, theater group. tatiana loved working with children. she ran a before- and after- school program, mentored young performers, and helped care for

kids with special needs. tatiana was the first in her family to graduate college, and planned to go back to school to become a social worker. her kind, patient demeanor earned her the nickname the peacekeeper. tatiana was 22 years old. fareeda kadwani was a lifelong educator, teaching kids at new york public years.for 20 after moving to the bronx from mumbai, india, in 1984, fareeda volunteered her time as a tutor for neighborhood kids, who said her daughter said she wasce. outgoing and the life of these party, and tho met her felt like they had known her for years. fareeda was 75. jennifer robin arnold was creative, fun, and a little outrageous. a friend called her a live wire.

jennifer was born into a family ofancers in new york city. in her 20s, she toured through europe and south america as a professional dancer. she went on to help make costumes and work backstage on broadway's "phantom of t opera" as a dresser for more than 30 years. a lover of coney island, jennifer was 67 years old. after long days working as a registered nurse, joshua obra often retreated to the happiest place on earth, disneyland. his photographs of the parkin posted on agram under the account disneylandpanda earned him more than 20,000 followers. as a child in gardena, california, josh begged his parents for a sister. he eventually got his wish in jasmine. they were eight years apart, but inseparable.sh as 29 years old. 48-year-old abraham martin vega

of texas will be remembered as a peacemaker, his daughter cori said. at the age of 19, abraham entered law enforcement and worked his way up to being elected lynn county sheriff in 2016. cori said that anyone who cameit in contacther father instantly felt his affection, whether at sunday church services or the grocery store. a husband, father and grandfather, abraham's family was his pride and y. lilian teret was a fighter, her daughter said. born in guatemala, lilian came to the united states at 22 years old. life wasn't easy. she woke up at 3:00 in the morning to start working, often taking on two or more jobs to support her two children. for 20 years, she worked in age los s county middle school cafeteria, beloved by the teache and students for her

cheerfulness. lilian was 54 years old. 62-year-old james mahoney was described by his sis a supportive father of three and a caring docto he went by charlie. and when his desire to play professional baseball didn't pan out, he turned to medicine. charlie spent more than three decades serving his students and recently as a critical care specialist for two hospitals. his sister said charlie was quiet growing up, but was outgoing with his patients.ll larry taught american government to high school seniors in miami for 32 years. whenhey turned 18, he made sure every studentegistered to vote. a lover of books and learning, larry never wanted to leave the classroom. he taught summer school and led field trips to the courthouse and washington, d.c.

when he eventually retired, the 78-year-old worked at the local library. quiet, but witty and hilarious to those who knew him best, larry loved cheering on his home teams in new orleans with his daughters and granddaughters. nursing was more than a job to 62-year-old patricia edwards. she wore old-fashioned scrubs to th greenville, south carolina where she worked. nurse pat was one of the first in line to treat covid patients. she was fearless, even when battling cancer herself, and made those arounher feel safe, her daughter said. thanksgiving was pat's favoritei y. she spent the day in the kitchen, blasting old school r&b with her five children and 13 grandchildren. growing up in el salvador, jose atmardoqueo reyes was fasc by radio. ng went on to become a radio

show host in wasn, d.c., where he combined his love for broadcast and sports. jose often announced local games for his spanish-speaking listeners. his daughter described jose's peonality as infectious, straightforward and funny. a beloved husband, father to five, and grandfather, jose was 54 years old. robert mata ent 20 years as a truck driver before his life was turned upside down. aftesuffering a stroke in hi 40s, the army veteran moved next door to his daughter in austin, texas, where he made a career out of the highlight of his day, walking his grandchildren to school. for the next 17 years, as a crossing guard, he made sure everyone got to elementary school safely. family was everything to robert, his daughter said. the 67-year-old never missed h b

grandkids'eball games or cheerleading meets. margie kidd was in her 40s when she went back to school to become a teacher. she had a gift for holding the attention of her kindergartners and first-graders in ridgeland, sorolina, and regularly said that learning should always be fun. se'd wake up early, by 6:00 a.m. each day, ad silly memes to her daughters and grandchildren, along with messages of love and a >> just remember what i taught yobe to become er woman, you d st believe in yourself, you must do better, u will-- must help othe. >> woodruff: margie was 71 years old. growing up in lafayette,ew york, adeline fagan loved to fast-forward to meschool. the sociable student made it a point to meet all 144 of her

classmates. she traveled to haiti on outreach trips and, driven by helove for babies, surgery and education, became an ob-gyn resident in houston. one of four girls, her parents said that adeline was the mischief maker and had a silly streak. a best friend to her sisters, adeline was 28 years old. mario aran's life work was to empower people, his family said. raised morn in chihuahua, mexico, mario immigrated to utah in 1959, where he met his wife three dades. his work in linguistics then h to to chicago, where he advocated for latinos andil promotedgual education.ed his marriage en the 1990s, and, in berkeley, california, mario found love a second time. he and his partner had 20 years together. the spiritual father of seven

meditating, and, lhis mom, he was a voraciowa reader. mari79. those who knew 69-year-old david d. swart sr. described him as a simplean who worked hard every day for his family and friends. a lifelong resident of upstate new york, he served as a lieutenant and 30-year veteran of the amsterdam fire department. when he wasn't putting out fires, he was mang hot dogs at his restaurant, dave dawgs, and devoting time to his family. his son said dave loved big and was a first responder in both work and spirit, always showing up for those in need. saludacion solon fontanilla grew up in the philippines wanting to go into medicine. in 1993, saludacion, or sally, moved to california to work in

nursing. for more than two decades, sally was a bedside nurse at st. mary medical center, where her husband also worked. the two were high school friends in the philippines and married in 2000.de ribed by her husband as sweet and laid back, sally was 51 years old.di jim go served as a united methist chaplain, professor, and dean over his three decades at macmurray college in jacksonville, illinois. jim continued teaching even in retirement. after the 9/11 attacks, he created courses on islam to fosterialogue and understanding of the religion in madison, wisconsin. jim also led sunday school classes and enjoyed traveling with his wife of 51 years. a beloved father and grandfather, jim was 83 years old.

emergency room doctor juan fitz practiced medicine for 34 years. he cared for his patients at his hospital in lubbock, texas, like they were family, said his daughter. a gregarious jokester, his daughter said her dad's laughter would fill a room and that he give you the shirt off his back. despite his hectic schedule, juan, a father and grandfather, always managed to make time for his family, from softball games to ski trips. juan was 67 years old. elvia ramirez, or rose to friends, had big pla for life after high school, among them, college, an engagement to her longtime boyfriend, and a trip to disneyland with her younger siblings. curiouand creative, rose loved learning about her family's native amerin history and culture in north dakota, and

spent lots of her free time drawing. she also had a silly side on full display on her soci media, where she enlisted her brothers, sisters and friends s dances and lcs. ray and joan connery first met in the summer of 1953. >> there was i was on craigville beach in hyannis minding my own business with four of my friends. just happened to run into ray. >> there were excitingooking woman. >> what made you talk to me?d >> you looke you had money. (laughter) >> woodruff: ray served in the navy during the second world war. when he returned he became a rhode island state trooper. joan was a dietitian.ar theyed within a year of meeting and raised five children together.ad both passion for bettering the community.

joan started a literacy program at the advocated for better union contracts and teacher pay. ray served 10 years town council. they traveled the world together, but were equally happi at home, h dinners with their grandchildren and great- grandchildren. they passed within 22 days of each other, both3 years old. >> nawaz: we are grateful to everyone who shared those stories with us this yr. our thoughts are with you and your families. and through our brief but spectacular segments focused on the pandemic, we've met a number of wonderful ale inspiring pemany on the frontlines fighting this virus. tonight we return to them, as they share with us what they aru especially grafor this

year. >> i am an internal medicine resident at a hospital in new york city. >> i'm the co-founder of the aids memorial quilt. and i'm working these days on m makiks. >> we are over the road truck drivers, and we deliver groceries to all our 48 states. >> i work in fort gaines, georgia clay county. and i was the only doctor hereea for 15. >> i'm the only female troubleshooter that comment ever had in a 100 year histy. la i am a nurse, an artist, a dancer over the st eight months. i've received a lot of hope from the humanity that i experienced on a dai basis. >> my mother is a certified nurse's assistant at a veterans home in queens. her resilience and grit. i've tried to chat channel that myself. >> it's been a really isating

year. and i must say, i'm thankful for zoom. it's been a great opportunity to reach out to people by zoom and other ways tt i haven't seen in years. i really feel my own mortality these days. and that can be a sad thing, but it can also be a life affirming thing. you never know how much time you have and you need to use every minute of it.th an year has been a reminder of that. >> in august, i started the chinatown mural project. i'm using art for recovery. everybody does their own little part. you know, we have a chance to survive here. >> when people call 911, they don't often consider that we are a human on the other end of the lines. no matter if it's just a noise complaint or somebody ing a heart attack, like we care. >> under the circumstances of palliative care skills andor abilities has risen exponentially.

>> i'd like to be hopeful andul thanhat at this time of year, that we can put our differences aside and put the gauntlets down and love each other and take care of each erher and, and help each o get through. >> the pandemic, you know, as horrific as it is. it also has improved healthcare. in somways we are doing much, much more virtual work and that those changes are going to last forever. >> malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. i'm also truly, truly grateful for the people that continue to pour their hearts, and support the work that we do, althoug they will remain closed. thr hearts remained open. >> two of the bigger challenges for me personally this year we're contracting covid-19, and then being evacuated due to the california wildfires where i live. you knowwhen we evacuated, it was like, just leave. and it became clear like ho wi

few things than are actually important to me. nothing else really ttered except for my relationships. >> i'm so incredibly grateful for all of my colleagues, for every nurse, physician, social worker, chaplain nursing assistt, you know, the nurse will call the family and say, we think it's going to be soon. you know, we're so sorry, bu your father's dying. and, and you know, the daughter will say, oh, you know, my dad, you know, he'd loved to read scripture. o loved to, he loved musi i always thought i would be there to hold his hand. and you know, ee makes me so ul, but you know, nurses are saying, oh, i'll go be the daughter. there's thousands of stories around this country of nurses thot went back in that room, just as a nurse, that as a family member. >> the most challenging part of the last eightonths for me is definitelyust getting used to these masks and just trying to keep from contracting this

disease and bringing it home, trying to protect my son, my 13 year old son. now he was diagnosed last year with hodgkin's lymphoma. he is in remission right now. so i want to keep him there. sometimes i do get down and i just like enough is enough, but i just tell myself, you know what? i got my children looking at me and depending on me my >> my name is kat zwick. >> gertrude >> i'm karen kinsell. >> ron and chante drew. >> bridget rhodes. >> karlin chan. >> tara ryndres. >> choumika soumounis. >> mike smith. >> and this is my brief but spectacular take on the compassionate care provided by >> seeing patients as people. compassionate care provided by

nurses during covid. community. >> courage. >> nawaz: anyou can find all and that's the newshour r tonight. i'm amna nawaz. join us online and again here tomorrow evening. from all of us at the pbs newshour, we're wishing you and yours a happy and safe thanksgiving >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> the ford foundation. working th visionaries on the frontlines of wocial change

dwide. >> and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. >> and with the ongoing support ofhese institutions and friends of the newshour. >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioning sponsored by newshour productionsllc captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org

. hello, everyone. "amanpour & co. here's what's coming up. >> theeople of venezuela are standing for freedom and democracy and the united states of america is standing right by their side. >> a new president, a new policy. so what will the biden administration mean for that democracy, maduro'nezuela?e of then the u.s. government will prisoner decades just days before the biden inauguration. death penalty opponents sister helen prejeanak s out. and --