captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc go >> nawaz evening, i'm amna nawaz. judy woodruff is away. on the newshour tonight, theco surginues-- coronavirus cases and deaths hit record highs as millions of a fricans gather thanksging. then, covid and the court-- the orsupreme court blocks new state's limits on religious gatherings, signaling the justices' move to the right. plus, in memoriam-- with over a starter million americans to covid-19, we pay tribute to some of the remarkable les claimed by the virus. and, remembering gratitude-- even in a difficult year, it's what this thanksgivi holiday is all about. all that and more on tonight's pbs newshour.

>> major fundi for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> fidelity wealth management. >> the kendeda fund. committed to advancing restorative justice and meaningful work through investments in transformative leaders and ideas.

more at kendedafund.org. >> carnegie corporation of new york. supporng innovations in education, democratic engagement, and the advancement of international peace and security. at carnegie.org. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions: and individual >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcastin and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> nawaz: this thanksgiving day

has been dramatically different, amid surging covid-19 infections. the nation recorded anotherse 178,000 cas on wednesday, with more than 263,000 deaths to , te. in houston todayturkey giveaway underscored the economic pain, as hundreds sought food assistan. manyaid they had never asked for help before. >> it's been very, very hard. very hard. but i'm making it. i posted on facebook instead of worrying about things that we can't do, and places that we can't go, being that it's thanksgiving we need to be concerned with wt we have. >> nawaz: in new york city, the macy's thanksgiving parade did take place, but it was confined to a single block with no spectators and far fewer balloon handlers. meanwhile, new york state's restriction on attendance at houses of worship was stopped short. the u.s. supreme court blocked it late wednesday night. we'll have moron that, after

the news summary. president trump used a thanksgiving event to claim again that he was robbed of an election victory. but, he said he will accept the electoral college's decision next month. he spoke after addressing u.s. troops via video-link. 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." e iopia, prime minister abiy ahmed announced he's ordered the final assault against theus rebellegion of tigray. he said the army is moving onap the regionalal, mekelle, after a deadline passed for tigray's leaders to surrendero human rightss raised concerns about civilians in the city. thousands in tigray have repoedly already died today in turkey, a court found hundreds of defendants guilty of taking part in 26's failed coup attempt. a total of 475 defendants had

been on triafor three years. more than 300 were given lpr on. the sweeping trial was part of a government crackdown that has jailed thousands. relatives of the convicted sisted today that many a innocent. >> ( translated ): they were convicted today for life despite not participating in the coup atempt, despite fighting against the coup by locking themselves in a room to avoid aiding the coup efforts. they are very young, when they p were thrown son 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 ofin orchestrthe uprising. gulen is based in the united states and denies any involvement. parts of southera are under water after a tropical cyclone smashed ashore today. it made landfall in the federal territory of puducherry, with winds topping 80 miles an hour. heavy rains triggered widespread

flooding in the city of chennaim home to lion people. the storm killed five people, blew down trees and knocked out power. and, soccer legend die maradona, of argentina, was mourned around the world today, after his death wednesday. fans in naples, italy waved flags with his name and put out flowers and candles. maradona led "napoli" 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 police tried to close off access, ahead of the burial this evening. still to come on t newshour: the supreme court blocks new york state's limits on religious gatherings. we pay tribute to some of the many remarkable lives claimed by covid-19. and some brief but spectacular takes on remembering gratitude in an unusual year.

>> nawaz: the supreme court ernight blocked one of the measures new york state took to combat the pandemic.rn go andrew cuomo had capped religious services at 10 attendees in communities where the virus risk is highest. 5-to-4 vote, justice am coney barrett, the newest restriction, alongjusticese thomas, alito, gorsuch, and kavanaugh. schief justice john robered with justices breyer, sotomayor, and kagan. the jority said houses of worship had been singled out for tougher treatment. while the dissenters se government needs leeway when it comes to public health in a pandic. 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 thisnk thaiving.

we should note it's not the first time the court has weighed in on paemic restrictions but what stood out to you about this latest ruling? >> this ruling, amn had a lot of writing in it. more than 30 paes, five separate opinions, all showing that there were vey strong feelings on both sides and, one thing that struck me, in particular, was the concurring opinion, in the majority, by justice gorsuch, in which he really sort 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 roberts in his dissenting opinion spent most of the opinion discussing gorsuch's language in which he said they were not cutting loose the constitution or ignoring the

religious liberty, they were seriously examining and analyzing the issues in good faith. ll say this for chief justice roberts, he's done this before when another justice has questioned the motivation of other justices on the court. finally, i would say the fac that justice -- the newest justice, justi barrett, had joined the majority, and the chief justice was in dissent, he was on the liberal side of the cot, and i think that aso shows that the conservative on the court really don't need him. the role he played last term in which he was basically the center, the median justice on w the cou could calibrate or moderate the shift of the court either to the left or the right, his role has been diminished. the five other conservative juices have that magic fve votes if they need it. so we're going to have to wait and see, i think, where justice barrett goes from here. she did not write separately, so

we don't know wh her thohts were other than she agreed with vee majority. but it would een nice to hear what her thinking was in this particular case. >> we don't know her thoughts on this particular case, as you mentioned, but at lot of people have been waiting to see whthat impact of her presence on the court would be, and this is the first time we see some of that impact. what else does it tell us, though, specifically when it comes to pandemic restrictions, and the fact tha ct theourt may have to consider more of these restrictions at this time? >> well, they already have pending at least two otherap ications for injunctions by religious institutions, and i will pnt out that the two that the court ruled on last night, i e lieve they actually weled after justice barrett's confirmation. so the fact that others are coming in now i think shows that they feel they have a more sympathetic court in terms to erty the religious lib issues that they're bringing.

is going to be weighing what is ht stake when -- what riare at stake when it comes to the restrictions that the governors are imposing here. it may not always be religious libe y. it could free speech. we just have to wait and see now that the court has a 6-3 conservative majority where the court's going to go. i'm sure there will be mor applications for injunctions. nawaz: marcia coyleof the "national law journal" joining us tonight. happy thanksgiving,cia and thanks for joining us. >> thanks, take care. >> nawaz: and now for a public health view on that supreme court decision, we turn to doctor dara kass. she's an associate professor of emergency medicine at columbia university medical center and a medical contributor for yahoows she joins me from new york.

dr. ss, welcome back to the "newshour". happy thanksgiving and thank you for making the time. when you look at that supreme court decision, from a public health perspective, what to you worry that the impact of that might be? >> so ms worry really going to remove our about to make decisions in a very targeted way e environment we think are really where the virus spreads. we probably think wcaneep 80% of businesses open if we only taring the places at we think the virus is spreading. unfortunately, there's evidence within houses ofshor, especially when they're at capacity without masks. we've seen superspreer 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 ma dke theecisions that impact their community as little as possible whileng protecheir citizens from this virus. >> nawaz: and dr kass, some of the disthenters osupreme court hade said some need leeway to make the decisions but tey

said you can't treat binesses differently and close house of worship. >> our leaders and public health officials are saying to treatnd businessesifferent gatherings differently. we say less an 20% of all gathering spaces are unsafe but most are safe. schools are better off tan places like bars, and unfortunately houses of worship spread the virus more like bas than schools, and we ned to treat each space in accordance of its effect on the pandemic,ne nossarily about what the justices want it to be. >> nawaz: in the few seconds we have left, people are holiday if and how they should gather 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 respresibility. thponsibility for all of us

to act saffor each other. wait it out a few more months. protect your local fily and your community as best as we 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. >> na.waz: d dara kass, and a medic contributor.w york thank you for your time. >> thank you. have a great holiday. s >> nawaz: on tanksgiving day, tens of thousans of our fried neighbors have one less person at theuaable. over aer of a million americans have died from the coronavirus this year. every iday since march, the newshour has brought you a short segment, in memoriam as a way to honor some of those whose lives were cut short as part of that process, families, friends an colleagues, in the midst of

their grieving, have generously shared with us favorite memories, faly pictureand heartwarming videos of the loved one they lost so that we could put mes, faces, and stories this enormous tragedy. and so tonight we want to devote considerable time, not just to note the undeniable impact covid-19 has had on our country, but also to express ou 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 have lost so far to the covid19 pandemic. >> woodruff: 84-year-old mary roman overcame childhood polio to win some 350 track and field medals, including at the senior 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 lonol celebrity in alk, connecticut, not just

r r her athleticism, but for her decades-long car a city clerk. aldo bazzarelli perfeach item on his namesake staurant's menu, from butchering his own meats to preparing his homemade marina 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 in his nearl50 years running bazzarelli's, he never fired an employee. the 73-year-old is remembered for his big heart, especially when it came this five grandchildren.to april dunn of rouge, louisiana, was a driven advocate for those with disabilities. denied a high scol diploma of 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 waeat source of pride for her family. she was just 33. sean boynes, once a captain in the u.s. air force, was a pharmacist dedicated to serving his maryland clients. sean received three degrees from howard university, where he played football, mentored s pharmadents, 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 comfond cheerleader. he was 46 years old. vincent lionti, a violist with for 33 years, was for his opera quiet confidence, humility and kindness. vincent's first teacher was his father, victor, who conducted the westchester youth symphony orchestra, before passing the

baton to vincent in 1997. vincent met his wife, kristin, c in the meteteria, and their family grew by one, nicholas. judy wilson-griffin dedicated her life to helping high-risk mothers anbabies as a perinatal nurse specialist in saint louis, missouri. an educator and a leader, judy addressed racial disparities in maternal health care and access to care. to her colleagues and patients, she was like a best friend, a sister, funny, humble, and gracious. judy also served in the u.s.vy s a nurse. she was 63.to n to seattleites as the smiling facet behis 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 tachungry drivers stranded in a massive interstate traffic jam. he was 44 years old. 74-year-old wayne reese sr. was a quiet man anhere but on the football field. he coached and mentored louisiana high school football d players for fiades. some went on to play in the n.f.l., including one hall of famer marshall faulk. from driving them to 6:00 a.m. practice, and helping hundreds secure college scholarships, his family says his shoulders were broad from always carrying the worries of others. captain douglas hickok was aw member of the rsey 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 servicept member, n hickok was the u.s. military's first loss to the pandemic.in roardy became a pastor when she was 25 years old and served as vice president of her church in bauge, her children rememunifier, both in church and as the ogfounder of a mentorship m for girls, where they say she reachemore than 1,000 women, and did so in style. hardy was 56 years old. pediatric urosurgeon dr. james goodrich of new york's montefiore medical center garnered international acclaim for successfully separating 10 twins conjoined at the head, and advising dozens of other such surgeries. outside the operating room, the 73-year-olwas a bonsai tree enthusiast. he had a library of rare 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 she wasn't working her twoa jobs at the grocery store and walmart. was known as the c.e.o. andms c.f.o. of her family. she came to the united states from guatemala in the 1990ok and to her family there on the phone every day. she was 59 years old. 61-year-old quinsey simpson, a correctional officer at new york's rikers island, was known for his calm demeanor, great sense of humor, and hard work ethic. wh he contracted covid-19, quinsey called in sick for only the second time in his 18 years on the j.

he was a mentor to the basketball players he coached, neighborhood school kids, and his six-year-old son, ayden. karen ketcher dedicated her career to serving tive american tribes in her state of oklahoma and across the country. karen loved to sew, including memorable prom and wedding dresses, and spent all of her free time with her family, her grandkids and great grandkids. in tahlequah's cherokee nation, she was known as everyone' 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 carried his military photos with m, so he could tell his story. war ii, kahn was in the battle of iwo jima and helped take aerial surveys othe damage

ought by the atomic bombs. after the war,e settled in new york and was an electrical foreman on the construction of the world trade center. more devastating than the war,d, philip often sas the spanish flu pandemic, which killed his twin brother infancy. philip was 100 years old. lysa dawn robinson never went anywhere without a set of drumsticks. known to fans as lady rhythm, the philadelphia-born drummer toured the world with soul singer billy paul and played with many more artists including pink. sa was a go-to source fo advice for her two sisters and nieces, who describe her asg, witty, charmnd a good listener. she was 55 years old. for activist josepha 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 homeless women through work and counseling. over the years, she welcomed people in need into her own family. she was active and tenacious, ir inion to her children and grandchildren. jossy was 89 years old.d 50-year-bby pin was knownbl for his ue hair and infectious energy.an photographfilmmaking took bobby around the world. he took photos at burning man festivals and filmed in nepal and india,aking countless friends along the way. a pedectionist, bobby excelle in more than jt art. he was also a scuba diver, completing over 150 dives. last year, he made one special trip to cambodiawhere he was

born. bobby's family fled the country during the p p dictatorship, when he was 5 years old. fashionable, talented and full of curiosity, chianti jackson harpool lit up every room, from politil fund-raisers to girls nights with friends. a baltore native, chianti worked as a social worker for the homeless, before launching her dream business, chiantsci char 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 raised in kayenta, arizona, valentina participated in native american pageants, where she demonstrated her deep knowledge and affinity for navajo culture, skills, and. langua quiet, warm, and caring,de valentina wacated to

passing on her culture to younger genetions, including r one-year-old daughter. she was just 28 years arlene saunders was as captating as her soprano ope voice. born and rsed in cleveland, ohio, arlene spent most of her career in germany, performing with the hamburg state opera on stage and on television. she would go on to sing at the biggest opera house in the world, the met. down-to-earth and elegant, arlene moved to new york in 1986, whe she married the man she loved to dance and singra withond raskin. arlene was 89 years old. abdelfattah abdrabbo was often the firsperson at his canton, michigan, mosque arriving at 4:00 in the morning to lead the sunrise prayer. a palestinian immigrant, abe

arrived in the u.s. in the 1970s with close to nothing. devoted, tireless and hardworking, he worked overtime d on holidays to build his import-export business, always with a smile on his face.s x children say he gave them the american dream. he was 65 years old. hailey herrera was nurturing and compassionate, the first persond her friends caor comfort and adr-ce. the 25-yd bronx native was t.rking to become a therap she helped care for people with master's degree in marriage and family therapy. hemom says she was a ball energy and a joy to around. hailey loved throwing themed parties and making memories with her friends and family. ralph pabon had an eye for shion and a spirit of adventure.

both came through in theridal gowns he designed in new york city. when his beloved mother remarried in 2014, ralph walked her down the aisle. she wore the wedding dress he designed. gregarious and fun, ralph loved that his most 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 after serving in the navy, he became a community organizer during the civil rightsve nt, taught sociology at a university in minneapolis andhr raised children. his last words were a message t" his grandkid happy, be kind and keep learni ann sullivan brought cartoons to iofe as a painter for anim studios, including disney and

hanna-barbera. among the characters she helped create were the smurfs. thtonorth dakota native love paint landscapes of the california coast and portraits of her children and grandchildren. her daught says ann exuded positivity and that, when she laughed, she did so with 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 dark room. after aging out of foster care, dosha, or djay, fought to better 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 th her family-run bakery in san

francisco. she knew her customers by name, and often their orders by heart. a proud mother and grandmother, the bakery walls and lovedtos on taking silly snapchats with her five grandchildren. as a young girl, hatsy's family was imprisoned in internment camps during the second world war. hedaughters say that experience gave her the perseverance she would later rely on to battle cancer. she was 80 years old. susan rokus was a beloved elentary school teacher in loudoun county, virginia, for almost five decades. a woman of faith, friends say susan was respectful and truthful, qualities she instilled in her young students. she was particularly skilled at helping children overcome challenges with reading through empathy and positivity.

susan also loved tea time with friends, tennis and faion. she was 73 years old. hecky powell was often referred to as the unofficial mayor of hecky powell, illinois.fo 37 years, he ran hecky's barbecue. eir famous sauce was created 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 ang loather of seven. anyone who knew loretta dionisih aluld sewas tough. loretta fled maraw in the philippines in her early 20s and rose to become a graph designer and creative director inrlando, florida. a cancer survivor, she traveled the world with her husband of nearly 50 years. the pair were inseparable.

'saround her family, loretlt toughness away. they say she was the sweetest person. loretta was 68 years old. 92-year-old theo gaffney was a researcher and documentarian who brought great curiosity to his work. after serving in the u.s. army following world war ii, theodore studied photography under the g.i. bill. the washington, d.c., native was one of the first african- americans to photogrh inside 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 to study the african diaspora. it was there thahe met 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 daughteridleslyn. she er 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 industry. his faly described jess as dedicated, prayerful, and loving. he was 73 years d. mary wilson had a way with animals. she was 23 when she started working at the maryland zoo, and went on to become the first black woman toe promoted to senior zookeeper.ot mary was ar figure to many, including an orphan gorilla named sylvia. mary continued to visit sylvia even after she left the maryland zoo. sylvia always remembered her. mary's dedicatioto her work inspired her daughter sharron to become 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 's, rene launched a successful podcast called "nerds on a couch," where he and his friendb discussed,ed and reviewed comics. rene even drafted his own sci-fi storie >> hello, rene from "nerds on a couch" here. english teacher inso, reneool would often loan his comics to students to encourage them to read more. reneas 45 years old. reverend vickey gibbs' final sermon at her uston church was impassioned call to action on coronavirus relief and racial injustice. >> be the bridge to equality by demanding and voting in change.

>> woodruff: spreading love and fighting for justice, these were vickey's callings, said her wife, cassandra, whether that meant attending protests or cooking meals for friends in need. she had a special bond with her grandson, who she nicknamed boo. together, they listened on repeat to "my cherie amour" by stevie wonder. vickey was 57. n.s. ramamurthy, or rama to those who knew h, was a 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 cls. described as gregarious, with a passion for south asian arts, rama was devoted to his studenti

anfamily, including two daughters and five grandchildren. ra was 80 years old. cynthia tilleyth friends joked her hair was as big as her heart. the former nur was constantly organizing community fundraisers and charity events in myrtle beach, south carolina. christmas was her favorite holiday. she spoileeveryone around her, from her two children, to her two granddaughterswho called her gigi.1, atynthia was still the star of any dance floor, especially when performing the shag. until she was seven years old, tatiana moore barely spoke, but she went on to become a talented singer in her buffalo, new york, theater group. tatiana loved working with she ran a before- ter- 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 lifelongte educatorhing kids at new york public schools for 20 years. after moving to the bronx from mumbai, india, in 19reeda volunteered her fome as a tutor neighborhood kids, who said she was a constant guidance. her daughter saiwas outgoing and the life of the 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 aamily

of dancers in new york city. in her 20s, she toured through europend south america as a professional dancer. she went on to help make costumes and work backstage on broadway's "phantom of the 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 earthsneyland. his photographs of the park posted on instagram under the account disneylandpanda earned him more than 20,000 followers. as a child in gardena,sh california, egged his parents for a sister. jasmine.lly got his wish in they were eight years apart, but inseparable. josh was 29 years old. 48-year-old abraham martin vega ug texas will be remembered as a

peacemaker, his er 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 whcame in contact with her father instantly felt his affection,y whether at sunurch services or the grocery store. a husband, father and grandfather, abraham's family was his pride and joy. 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 morninto start working, often taking on two or more jobs to support her two children. for 20 years, she worked in a geles county middle scho cafeteria, beloved by the teachers and students for herrf chness. lilian was 54 years old.62

ear-old james mahoney was described by his sister as a supportive father of three and a caring doctor. 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 patients in brooklyn, mostit recently as a al care specialist for two hospitals. his sister said charlie was quiet growing up, but was outgoing with his patients. larr seniors in miami for 32 years. when they turned 18, he made sure every student registered 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. nursg was more than a job to 62-year-old patricia edwards. she wore old-fashioned scrubs to the intensive care unit in greenville, south carolina where she worked. nurse pat was one of the first in line to treat covid pate nts. s fearless, even when battling cancer herself, andd made those aror feel safe, her daughter said. p thanksgiving w's favorite holiday. she spent the day in t kitchen, blasting old school r&b with her five children and 13 andchildren. growinup in el salvador, jose mardoqueo reyes was fascinated by radio. he went on to become a radio show host in washington, d.c.,

whe he combined his love f broadcast and sports.en jose onnounced local games for his spanish-speaking listeners. his daughter described jose's personality as infectious, straightforward and nny. a beloved husband, fher to five, and grandfather, jose was 54 years old. robert mata spent 20 years as a truck driver before his life was turned upside down. after suffering a stroke in his 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 his grandkids' baseball 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 kindergartnersd and first-s in ridgeland, south carolina, and regularly said that learning should alys be fun. she'd wake up early, by 6:00 a.m. each day,nd send silly memes to her daughters and grandchildren, along with messages of love anddvice. >> just remember what i taught you. to becoma better woman, you must believe in yourself, you must do better, and you will-- must help others. >> woodruff: margie was 71 years old. growing up in lafayette, new york, adeline fagan loved to pretend she was a doctor. fast-forward to medical school. the sociable student made it a point to meet all 14of her classmates.

she traveled to haiti on outreach trips and, driven by and education, became an ob-gyn resident in houston. one of four girls, her parents said that adeline was themi hief maker and had a silly streak. a best friend to her sisters, adeline was 28 years old. mario aranda's life work was to empower people, his family said. raised mormon in chihuahua, mexico, mario immigrated to utah 1959, where he met his wife of three decades. his work in linguistics then eok him to chicago, where advocated for latinos and promot bilingual education. his marriagended in the 1990s, and, in berkeley, california, mario found love aecond time. he and his partner had 20 years together. the spiritual father of seven enjoyed hiking, swimming,

meditating, and,ike his mom, he was a voracious reader. mao was 79. those who knew 69-year-old david d. swart sr. described him as a simple man who worked hard every day for his family and friends. a lifelong resident of upstate new york, served as a lieutenant and 30-year veteran of the amsterdam fire department. when he wasn't putting out fires, he was making hot dogs at his restaurant, dave's 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 for those in need.da saon solon fontanilla grew up in the philippines wanting ti go into ne. moved to california to work in nursing. for more than two decades, sall

wadside nurse at st. mary medical center, where her husband also worked. the two were high school friendn he philippines and married in 2000. described by her husba sweet and laid back, sally was 51 years old. jim ulding served as a unite methodist chaplain, professo 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 foster dialogue 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 dahter. a gregarious jokester, his daughter said her dad's laughter would fill a room and that he waldthe type of person who w give you the shirt off his back. despite his hectic schedule, juan, a father and grandfather,l ys managed to make time for his family, from softball games to ski trips. juan was 67 years old. elvia ramirez, or ro friends, had biglans for life after high school, amo them, college, an engagement to heroy longtimeiend, and a trip to disneyland with her younger siblings. curious and creative, rose loved learning about her fam native american 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 social media, where s enlisted her brothers, sisters and friends in dances andip syncs. 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 exciting looking woman. >> what made you talk to me? >> you loomod like you had y. (laughter) >> woodruff: ray servein the navy during the second world war. when he returned he became a rhode island state trooper.an as a dietitian. they married within a year of meeting and raised five children together. both had a passion for bettering the community. joan srted a literacy program at the providence hospital and

advocated for better union contracts d teacher pay. ray served 10 years on the town council. they traveled the world together, but were e happy at home, hosting dinners with their grandchildren and great- grandchildren. they passed within 22 days of each other, both 93 years old. everyone who shared those to stories with us this year. our thoughts are with you an your famils. and through our brief but cular segments focused o the pandemic, we've met a number of wonderful and inspiring pele, many on the frontlines fighting this virus. tonight weeturn to them, as they share with us what they are especially grateful for this year. i

m an internal medicine resident at a hospital in new york cit >> i'm the co-founder of the aids memorial quilt. and i'm working these days on mae ng masks. >>e over the road truck drivers, and we deliver groceries to all ourates. >> i work in fort gaines, orgia clay county. and i was the only doctor here for 15 years.fe >> i'm the onlle troubleshooter that comment ever had in a 100 year history. >> 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 expeenced on a daily 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 isolating year.i' and i must saythankful for

zoom. it's been a great opportunity to reach out toe by zoom and other ways that 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. reminder of that.een a >> in august, i started the chinatown mural project.m ing art for recovery. everybody does their own little part. you know, have a chance to survive here. >> when people call 911, they an't often consider that a human on the other end of the lines. no matter if it's just a noise complaint or somebodis having a heart attack, like we care. >> under the circumstances of palliative care skndmand for abilities has risen exponentially. >> i'd like to be hopeful and

thkful that at this time o year, that we can put ouren diffs aside and put the gauntlets down and love each other and take care of each other and, and help eachther get through. >> the pandemic, younow, as horrific as it is. it also has improved healthcare. in some ways we are doing much, much more virtual work and that those changes e going to last forever. >> malawi is one of the poorest cotries in the world. i'm also truly, truly grateful for the pele that continue to pour their hearts, and support the work that we do, although they will remain closed. their 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 know, when we evacuated, ite was just leave. and it became clear like ho w few things that i own are actually important to me.

nothing else really mattered except for my relationships. >> i'm so incredibly grateful for all of my colleafor every nurse, physician, social rker, chaplain nursi assistant, you know, the nurse will call the family and say, we think 's going to be soon. you know, we're so sorry, but your father's dying. and, and you know, t s daughter wi, oh, you know, my dad, you know, he'd loved to read scripture. he loved to, he loved music, or i always thought i would be there to hold his hand. and you know, it makes me so cheerful, but you know, nurses are saying, oh, i'll go be the daughter. around this countrursesories that went back in that room, not just as a nurse, that as a family member. >> the most challenging part of the last eight months for me is definitely just 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 lasyear with hodgkin's lymphoma.si he is in rem right now. so i want to kp him there. sometimes i do get down and i l jue enough is enough, but i just tell myself, you know what?hi i got myren looking at me and depending on me my name is savoya taylor. >> my name is kat zwick. >> gertrude >> i'm karen kinsell. c >> ron ante drew. >> bridget rhodes. >> karlin chan. >> tara ryndres. >> choumika soumounis. >> mike sth. >> and this is my brief tat spectacula on the compassionate care proded by >> seeing patients as people. compassionate care provided by nurses during covid.

>> community. >> courage. >> nawaz: and you can find all and that's the newshour for tonight.na i'm awaz. 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 with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide.

>> and by the alfred p. sloan foundation. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and friends of the newshour. >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. station from viewee you.your pbs thank you. captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc captioned by tmedia access groupwgbh access.wgbh.org -do you like spicy? how about savory? maybe sweet?

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