back now with more of "today" on this friday morning, the 28th day of october, 2011. and we've got a pretty happy-looking group kicking off the friday on the plaza. it's very cold out here. 37 degrees. we're bracing for a surprise blast of winter right here in new york city. >> al is now officially wardrobe. fix her up. >> what's happening here?

>> snow is predicted from virginia up to maine. we'll get details from al coming up. i'm ann curry along with al roker and tamron hall is with us this morning. we have a serious story about the former teacher who was accused of having intimate relations with five of her students. a judge rejected her insanity defense. we'll have the latest on the verdict and sentencing coming up. >> on a different note perhaps you are thinking of buying or selling a home. we've got the greatest open house for you that you will see noir thanks to barbara corcoran. anything you can get for $300,000 or less. from here in new york city, the big apple, nevada. we have done the work for you as you get ready for some house hunting. >> women and their shoes. used to be diamonds are a girl's best friend. >> it's shoes. >> look at your shoes. >> we're killing it. >> five inches which is high. >> i don't know what the problem

is. we love our shoes. >> there is pain that can come with it. we'll talk about the special relationship women and their shoes have together and whether you are wearing the highest heels or ballet flats, how to kick the bad shoe habit so you can have happy feet. >> cool shoes. >> cool shoes. love it. >> first let's get a check of the morning's top stories from natalie at the news desk. hey, nat. >> good morning, everyone. here's a scary thought. as much as a foot of snow may be in the ground in parts of the northeast this halloween. snow fell from upstate new york to new england. winter storm watches are expected for the nor'easter this weekend. they stretch from virginia to maine. an amazing story of survival from turkey where a 13-year-old boy was pulled alive from the rubble of a building after it was levelled by an earthquake. the official death toll from the 7.2 quake has now topped 570 with more than 1,600 people

injured. a former high school teacher in ohio has been convicted of having sex with five of her students after a judge rejected her insanity defense. nbc's kevin tibbles is in lebanon, ohio, with details this morning. kevin, good morning. >> reporter: natalie, in delivering his decision the judge said he could not make the leap that stacy schuler, the former teacher, should have known having sex with her students was wrong. as the trial came to an end she sat composed and quiet often appearing as if she was praying. the 33-year-old former gym teacher admitted to having sex in her home with five students, some of them football players from the mason, ohio, high school. the prosecution said she deserved to go to jail. >> they trusted her. she violated that trust. >> reporter: during the trial the court heard from the students. it permitted them to not have their faces shown.

>> they were making out and she pressed her body up against mine and i was towards the -- my back was towards the back of the wall and then, um, we started having sex. >> reporter: the defense team claims she was not guilty by reason of insanity, painting a picture of a caring teacher with mental disorders who with a mix of anti-depressants and alcohol lost control. the prosecution argued she knew what she was doing was wrong. it took judge robert peeler just over an hour to return the verdict saying he could not accept the insanity plea. then his sentence on the battery and a serving alcohol to minors. >> i find you guilty of all counts. >> reporter: parents of two of the students described how the sexual encounters damaged their sons.

>> she played on their emotions and she crossed the line. >> he suffered through depression, lost motivation, almost didn't go to college. >> reporter: schuler wept while the parents were speaking. when offered the chance to speak in her own defense, she declined. the judge sentenced her to four years in prison. she was cuffed and led away. outside the court a former student said she felt sorry for everyone involved. >> on behalf of her, i feel she needs something different than prison. i feel she needs help. >> reporter: she may be eligible for parole in six months' time, but she's going to have to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life. natalie? >> kevin tibbles in lebanon, ohio. thank you, kevin. this morning appliance maker whirlpool announced plans to cut 5,000 jobs in an effort to slash costs. that's 10% of the workforce in europe and north america. the obama administration says next year's increase in monthly medicare premiums will be $3.50

for most, not the $10 previously forecast. that means retirees will keep a bigger chunk of next year's increase in social security benefits. check out this spectacular image captured by a freelance photographer in santa cruz county. two humpback whales leaping from the water next to the kayaker. the kayaker is okay. the photographer was hired to pick take pictures to promote tourism in the area a. this picture will definitely work. six minutes past the hour. now back outside to al. that's the picture of a lifetime. >> if he was a hundred feet the other way that would have been a much different picture. thanks, natalie. as we show you what's happening this weekend we've got a nor'easter coming up, a classic. big area of high pressure over the east, cold air. low pressure makes its way up in a classic fashion starting early saturday morning snow develops from washington, d.c. all the way to new england as we move into sunday morning. we've got winter storm watches up from roanoke, virginia, to

bangor, maine. look at the snowfall accumulations. anywhere from 9 to 12 the inches of snow in parts of west virginia and the virginias. as we head into the northeast the heavy snow from northwestern new jersey all the way to central and western massachusetts, again, 9 to 12 inches. some areas may see up to a foot or more. >> good morning, everyone. the quiet before the storm today. a few clouds hanging around. it is going to be a coo day. the high temperature 54. ♪ she's a brick house this morning on "today's"

real estate what can you get for under $300,000? if you're in the market to buy or just looking around our brick house barbara corcoran is here. good to see you. >> good morning, al. >> let's go to omaha, nebraska. we have a nice one. five bedrooms under $300,000. >> omaha is just across the missouri river. you could throw a stone and look at -- let me start again. the tudor style home as great curb appeal. doesn't look to me like a $279,000 home. the open kitchen has gleaming wood floors, an open dining room with glass doors leading to a nice big deck out back. the dining room has too many lines for me. makes me itchy but the trade ceiling and decorative molding, if you could calm the room down are beautiful. there is a big deck out back. there is a finished basement

with a full wet bar below the deck and an inviting kidney-shaped pool outside. the fenced backyard comes complete with its own water slide. i better learn to talk today. >> it's friday. we understand. >> okay. >> we're going to new york city. you're not getting five bedrooms under $300,000 but a nice studio. >> why buy a big house with four bedrooms and four baths when you could spend the same amount of money and get one room in the heart of new york city? it's a tiny little studio with southern exposure and wood floors. it's 440 square feet big. that's an a eat-in kitchen with two full-sized windows. you can't complain about that. there's the palace. one big window in the main room and also treetop views. if you don't think you pay a premium for that, you do. you don't see many trees in new york. the bathroom is tiny but it's clean with black and white tile and the monthly maintenance is

less than -- that's the same room, by the way. open the bed and you're in the same spot. less than $900 a month including free use of the elevator. the super has his own place in the building. >> much less to clean. >> easy way to live. >> let's spread out now in the midwest with a 3,000 square foot home in kansas. >> you get more for your buck here. this is right where the missouri and kansas rivers meet. if you like cars it's home to two nascar weekends every year. the white trim makes it look so pretty with the landscaping. inside there is an open floor plan with a fairly formal furniture throughout. neat as a pin. almost looks like a model house. the living room has built-in bookcases a big arched window and a marble fireplace that works. spacious kitchen with wood floors, a long breakfast bar and a dining area with a bay window.

out back there is a lawn, knockout views of the lake. that's your backyard. what's wrong with that? you get it with the house for $290,000. >> now east of reno, nevada to sparks. four bedroom and three bath for $295,000. >> if you hate paying taxes like you do, al. >> who does? >> you hate it more than most because you make so much money. no wonder you're complaining. this is a four bedroom home. it's great for a big family for $295,000. no personal income tax. no corporate tax and no franchise tax. no taxes. look what you get. real pretty stairway when you walk in. it's also got a nice high style kitchen that's expensive and looks expensive with granite-topped island and fancy back splash. the dining room is charming with gleaming dark floors and plenty of light. i think that's beautifully staged, that little dining room. there is a great backyard with a

water fountain, fire pit. you get the statue with the water fountain and a patio to enjoy the beautiful mountain views beyond the fence. >> finally, sloan, iowa, two story georgian colonial for $249,900. >> only 1,000 people live there. 20 minutes from downtown where the jobs are. does that look like a $249,000 house? looks like a mansion to my eye. every single summer this town has the biggest fire appreciation day and they make heroes of the volunteer fire department. i think that's nice. >> it is. >> the dining room is too formal for me, but the interior is formal with lots of mahogany trim and furniture that makes it look too small. sweet house with great bones and great light. i love this porch and out back there is a small wooden deck and a big backyard. >> fabulous house. nice to see you. see you next week. >> okay.

>> up next, are your shoes killing you? how your favorite shoes could pose a danger to your health. later on, great fun finds to make your halloween more aaw. that's perfect! little boo! right after these messages. ( upbeat rock music playing ) ( men vocalizing )

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killing you? from pumps to flats to stilettos you could be hurting your health. good morning, doctor. i thought i could help make the point wearing my killer heels today. these are my tv shoes. i take them off when the show is over. >> good. >> a lot of women are going to the doctor complaining to foot pain, toe pain leading up to back pain. >> from 2005 to 2009 the doctor visits for toe pain for women have gone up 75%. a lot of it is attributed to bad foot habits, bad shoes. >> we're seeing heels getting bigger and bigger from three to five inches to the platform super lady gaga heels. i imagine that's contributing to the problems. >> the average high heel size is five inches. that's staggering to me. >> literally staggering. >> literally. >> exactly. what are some of the medical problems that can result from

shoes like these? >> there are many. you can absolutely get ankle sprains, ankle fractures because you're so unsteady teetering on high heels. you can get hammer toes, bunions, tendinitis, shortening of the calves as well as stiffening of the achilles tendon. long terming this lead to damage and pain. >> not just to the feet and legs. it can travel up to your back as well. your posture. >> absolutely. your foot is really leaning forward then the center of gravity has shifted in front of you. so your body has to work and your muscles in the back have to work to reshift the balance back. it can cause muscle strain in the muscles of the back and spinal problems. >> your alignment is off. >> exactly. you have further curvature of the spine which isn't good. you can get arthritis or tendinitis. >> and you can trip and fall, hurt yourself more. >> yes. >> high heels aren't the only

detrimental shoe. >> people assume, if i get a totally flat shoe like a ballet slipper or flip-flops that's bett better. then there is no arch support. you can have fallen arches, plantar fasciitis. you need cushioning and don't get the flip-flops with just little tiny straps. get a thicker sole, a bigger strap. >> we are putting our looks and our fashion choices ahead of our health these days. >> absolutely. the adage of beauty knows no pain. even if you are vain think about how a hammer toe looks. it's not attractive. think long term. >> meanwhile i will keep enjoying my shoes for now in moderation. i will take them off when the show is over. thanks, as always. >> thank you. >> coming up, from the hottest costumes to the coolest hostess

gift how to make your halloween spectacul spectacular. >> and delicious recipes for today's kitchen. first, these messages. i wanted support for my heart... and now i get it from centrum specialist heart. new centrum specialist vision... helps keep my eyes healthy. centrum specialist energy... helps me keep up with them. centrum specialist prenatal... supports my child's growth and development. new centrum specialist is a complete multivitamin that gives me all the benefits of centrum. plus additional support... [ all ] for what's important to me. [ male announcer ] new centrum specialist helps make nutrition possible. [ female announcer ] pillsbury chocolate chip cookies with hershey's chocolate chips. for a moment of warm, gooey, togetherness. chocolate chip cookies... from pillsbury.

chocolate chip cookies... if you think occasional irregularity is no big deal, think twice. it may be a sign that your digestive system could be working better. listen to this with occasional irregularity, things your body doesn't use could be lingering in your system, causing discomfort. but activia has been shown in clinical studies to help with slow intestinal transit when consumed 3 times per day. 7 out of 10 doctors recommend activia. and the great taste is recommended by me! [ male announcer ] chris thinks the best way to live life... is to dig right in. ♪ but his dentist knows that if he's going to taste the best life has to offer, he's going to have to brush with a great brush. he needs the toothbrush that more dentists use -- oral-b. trust the brush

more dentists and hygienists use. oral-b. life opens up when you do. why don't we make a pumpkin? what do pumpkins look like? like this. you're my pumpkin. i made a bat! i made a sword. [ laughs ] ♪ you're going to love those. [ female announcer ] carve out some time with your little pumpkins.

boo! boo! boo! [ female announcer ] rice krispies. happy halloween. hi. >> hi. >> how are you? >> chris galia stars on nbc's newest thursday comedy "whitney." you have never been surged like that. >> it was nice. >> two good-looking women coming at you. >> thank you, thank you. congratulations on the show. >> thank you. >> we love it. before we talk about the show, cincinnatily and i ran out we want to ask you about this. >> we were googling you. >> this picture. >> i remember this one. >> that's why we ran out. >> why were you running toward me after that picture? that was just -- i don't know if you look closely but there are hearts on the boxers. >> we are not looking that close.

>> yeah, you know. >> how about the man bag? >> it was a fanny pack. >> what about the purse? turns out you and whitney knew each before the show. >> we started standup together five or six years ago. knew each other from open mics, doing spots, bringing each other up on stage. >> you shoot before a live audience. >> yeah. live audience. >> how does it add to the dynamic? >> it's cool. you feed off the audience. as a standup, it feels like it's close enough to standup, but it's its own thing. >> you're feeding off them right now. >> exactly. you feed off whatever you can now as a performer. >> a lot of times in front of live audiences sometimes the actors get the giggles. does it happen to you? >> all the time. we constantly try to make each other laugh. if we can, we're doing the job right. you can always shoot it again. >> you got picked up for another

season. >> the whole season, yeah. >> chris scalia, thank you so much. 9:30 eastern time, 8:30 central. >> still to come? >> two lucky women plucked from the plaza as we like to do on fridays. they are getting a new look this morning from the ambush makeover team. >> first your local news and weather. atget married? no, i wouldn't use that single miles credit card. nice ring. knock it off. ignore him. with the capital one venture card you earn... double miles on every purchase. [ sharon ] 3d is so real larry. i'm right here larry. if you're not earning double miles... you're settling for half. really? a plaid tie? what, are we in prep school? [ male announcer ] get the venture card at capitalone.com and earn double miles on every purchase every day. what's in your wallet? i was gonna say that. uh huh... she's supporting breast cancer programs for her neighbour's tennis instructor's daughter's 1st grade teacher who's also her mom.

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>> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal-tv 11 news update. >> calm before the storm. it is going to be a nice day. in little added to the side. high temperatures in the low-to- mid-50's. tomorrow, cold rain in the morning that will mix in with and change over to snow in the afternoon. high temperature

♪ he did the mash ♪ the monster mash ♪ it was a graveyard smash >> scary how much halloween spirit we have around here. this week will be no exception. tune in and find out what we'll be wearing on monday. we want you to get into the act as well. come on down to the plaza. show off your costume for some fantastic prizes including special vip passes to our live concert from justin bieber on

november 23. not natalie, but the real justin bieber. >> they cut from me as justin bieber to the real thing. >> the winner gets to meet justin in person. that's monday on "today." justin bieber on the plaza on the 23rd. i'm al roker with tamron hall and natalie morales. we'll hear from our friend jenna wolf in a moment. >> what's up! >> from witch's brew to last minute costumes -- >> witch's brew? >> i didn't say that. jill martin has last-minute halloween finds. >> and a remarkable survivor story. when she was just 17 julieann was the sole survivor of a plane crash in the peruvian jungle. she managed to hike to safety. we'll hear her story. this is the first time she's talking about it in detail. >> also expanding your cooking repertoire with smoked sausage and jamaican flavors.

we love it. first jenna wolf is here with a preview of "weekend today". >> we have a good show coming up. we are gearing up for our paranormal adventure you don't want to miss. the syfy ghost hunters took lester and me to a penitentiary in philadelphia many say is haunted. >> were you scared? >> that's my fake scare. remember lester's legendary turn at susan boyle and then last halloween we were snooki with the pickle. at the time that was what they said was her thing. and the situation. wait until you see what the three of us have in store for sunday in our own halloween extravaganza on the plaza. lester will be cold. >> again. >> and amy and i will be big-bottomed.

>> okay. i think i know. >> kardashians. >> nope. >> come on. >> what else is big-bottomed? >> and famous. >> what, do they have a patent? >> let's check on the weather, al. >> i had my tush trademarked. >> insured. >> that's right. for the weekend we have wet weather in the pacific northwest. across into the plains. wet and snowy in the northeast. sunny and mild through the gulf into the southwest. sunday, morning snow in new england. we've got more rain in the pacific northwest. showers in the upper mississippi river valley where it will be on the chilly side. looking for mild weather through the southern plains. >> good morning, everyone. it is going to be a quiet day today. just a few clouds hanging around. temperatures cooler today. a high of only 54 degrees.

we have a lousy weekend coming up, so you know that's great weather for the best night of the week. that's sunday night, football night in america. this is a big one. oh, yeah. we've got the dallas cowboys, america's team, coming in to lincoln financial field to take on the eagles. will they show their talent to the cowboys? i don't know. scary. that's the best night of the week. sunday night football night in america. mostly clear, breezy and cold, 40 degrees. >> that's one of the best ones. thanks, al. let's say hello to the star of

the new nbc drama "grim". >> move over cinderella and prince charming. the grimm fairy tale stories are back and darker. david plays a homicide detective and a grim who hunts monsters. >> you're from a long line of grimes. >> i find out in the pilot episode i see normal people turn into crazy witches and monsters. i'm the last of the blood line. they are monster profilers. the grimm brothers weren't writing stories. they were writing warnings. >> these are fairy tales that are deep, dark and scary. >> very. it's not light fairy tales. it goes dark. >> the monsters read about the grimms. >> they feared me and i read about them and we feared them.

it's a cool thing that they have done at nbc. >> this is a breakout starring role for you as well. >> yes. >> big deal. >> it's horrifying. even scarier. >> we can't wait to see it. "grimm" and the rangers winning will make it a perfect weekend for me. >> i'm a cardinals fan. thank you so much. david, congratulations. >> thank you so much. >> 9:00/8:00 central is the season premiere on nbc. coming up, halloween finds. first, these messages. [ gasp ] [ mom ] my husband -- he thinks it's a 3-sheeter. i say 1-sheeter. bounty can clean the mess with less. [ female announcer ] in this lab demo, 1 sheet of bounty leaves this surface as clean as 2 sheets of the bargain brand. ♪ dance cooking? bring it. super durable. super absorbent. super clean.

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i'll have this instead. [ female announcer ] swap one thing a day for a yoplait light at around 100 calories. it will add up to amazing. sensitivity is a chronic condition. if you have worn away that outer layer of the tooth it opens up small little channels, that's what transmits that pain signal... and it requires on-going protection. when it comes to sensitivity, dentists recommend sensodyne. the active ingredient in sensodyne travels to the inside of the tooth where it will block that pain signal. simply brushing with sensodyne twice a day every day is going to give you that long-lasting 24/7 protection against sensitivity. now you can eat and drink the things that you want to. >> announcer: happy halloween "today" is brought to you by hershey's syrup. stir up a smile with hershey's syrup. >> today, jill's fun,

fab-boo-lous finds. from a quick costume to halloween treats, today and us weekly contributor jill martin is here with the halloween fund finds. good to see you. >> good morning. happy halloween almost. >> the good news is there are some outfits, especially for little ones that really are quick fixes. >> right. if you're like me you wait for the last minute. if you are entertaining i have something for everyone starting with the outfit from space cadets. i saw it in the window of the store. i couldn't help myself. we borrowed a baby for the day. giana who is janine, one of the wardrobe stylist's daughter. >> had it with the hat. >> she's been great and she's had it with the hat. they will overnight it for not an sboexorbitan price. she's cute. >> scary pancakes. >> maybe the kids will want to

make you pancakes. starting at $10, williams-sonoma stores, they have bats, ghosts, cats. really just fun. you can put this together with yourself and spatulas. this is great for morning in the roker home. >> a little witch's brew. >> for the kids. this is great for any party. you can buy it and use it for halloween. a little witch's brew. we have apple cider in here. if it's a nighttime party you could put a little something in it. under five-minute costume for the women who want to dress up but don't want to dress up. from sephora you see colored eyelashes. these are stencils. you can draw them on your face. takes two minutes to do and you have an instant costume. really dark eye liner, great nail polish. that's amazing. >> cup cakes. >> we love it. spider cup cakes. let's not go to the joke there. pumpkin whoopie pies. leave it alone.

crate and barrel stores. >> you ruined it with the candy corn. >> all right! west elm stores. if you are having an adult soiree it's nice to do this in a classy way. these are little party favors you can fill with jelly beans or whatever you want to give out that people can take home. >> when kids go out trick or treating you can't just do a paper bag anymore. >> it's over. $2 at target stores you have felt bags, the classic pumpkin which i love. even at home giving out candy, these great options are available at target. >> nice shoes! >> everyone should be comfortable when trick or treating. these are footsie rolls. great for women. you can find a store near you to get them at. >> you go to the halloween party and you want to bring something. >> you want to be fab-boo-lous bringing it. look at the williams-sonoma caramel apples. >> amazing.

>> $22.95. >> edible arrangements. >> if you want to be healthy. and from martha stewart, cyanide. look at the labels. buy a bottle of wine and then cyanide, arsenic, goblin grog. put it on the outside. >> pick your own poison. >> only al. cheers! happy halloween. >> you, too. for more fun finds check out the latest edition of us weekly magazine. we'll be back with more on "today" right after these messages. what's this one ? dad: who's that, coco ? mom: show daddy ! lion. roaaar. rawr ! dad: whoa ! mom: ah there's more in the front, or you can go around ! eeeee ! younger girl: what's that ? dad: who's that ? mom: elephant ! eeeeee ! tiger ! older girl: tiger ? yes ! older girl: beep beeeeep ! ♪ we sing along ♪ to all our favorite songs, dad: now watch this. gorilla. dad: what does he say ? ♪ we can make 'em up ah yah yah yah yah

♪ 'cause we were made for each other ♪ ♪ for always, mom: who knows what the seal says ? ♪ oh oh... older girl: arf arf arf arf ! ♪ hershey's chocolate syrup. stir up a smile. fantastic! [ man ] pro-gresso they fit! okay-y... okay??? i've been eating progresso and now my favorite old jeans...fit. okay is there a woman i can talk to? [ male announcer ] progresso. 40 soups 100 calories or less. okay if you think occasionalwoman irregularity is no big deal,? think twice. it may be a sign that your digestive system could be working better. listen to this with occasional irregularity, things your body doesn't use could be lingering in your system, causing discomfort. but activia has been shown in clinical studies to help with slow intestinal transit when consumed 3 times per day. 7 out of 10 doctors recommend activia.

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it's our new half panini lunch. just $6.95. only at olive garden. because last year when cold and flu season hit, she didn't have the right medicine. morning, hon. how'd you sleep? ehh. i'm going back to bed. [ coughs ] ♪ go get your father. he's in the garage. [ female announcer ] so this year liz is getting prepared at walgreens... with answers like nyquil for cold symptom relief so you can get the rest you need. right now, get a nyquil or dayquil value pack for just $9.99. at walgreens. on christmas eve 1971 julie anne was aboard a flight over peru with her mother. the plane crashed in the jungle killing all 91 passengers except 17-year-old julie ann. after ten days alone injured in the amazon she made it out alive. in her new book "when i fell from the sky" she shares her

unbelievable ordeal. she's with us this morning. good morning. >> good morning. >> we want to hear the details of your experience so many years ago. i'm curious. you decided to share this story in great detail. what was that like for you to open up? >> it was, of course, a kind of anniversary now. because 40 years passed and i all the time wanted to write a book about what happened because after the crash there had been written so many mistakes in interviews and articles. from one moment to the other i was a very famous person and it was difficult for me to manage that fame. i got letters from all over the world and it was a very important experience for me. and so many things happened after the crash how iing manago

go through this. i returned to the biological research station we have in central peru in the amazonian forest. this saved my life. i have been there before the crash one and a half years and i gained a lot of experience there. so therefore i wanted to write all of this in the book. >> you wanted to write it. you wanted to clear up all of the falsities out there. take me back. you and your mother were flying over peru. it was christmas. you were planning to see your father. what do you recall first about the incident? >> well, i remember it was a very pleasant flight first and then after 30 minutes we entered a very heavy thunderstorm. my mother was very nervous. she didn't like to fly always. she said it's a very unnormal

thing. i was a 17-year-old child. i was not bothered because of the turbulence as we entered the very dark clouds. then i saw very strong lightning on the right wing and i remember up to now the engine when the plane went suddenly into a nose dive and fell down. >> crashed into the ground literally as the book says, fell from the sky. you lost consciousness and when you awoke there was a silence all around you. >> yes. >> you were 17. how did you have the courage or whatever it takes to not completely lose it? >> well, i think the most important -- essentially important thing for me was that i had been on that biological field station and i knew the dangers. >> you had been taught survival

skills from your father at this station. >> yes. he told me when you get lost in the jungle then you have to look for a river, for a small creek to follow. >> that's what you did. you followed this creek. >> that's what i did, yes. the most important thing for me is not to panic. also that i was able to know the dangers and the animals there are not so dangerous. >> how were you rescued? >> after ten and a half day ss found a boat and a small hut. i stayed there for the night. the next day three men came out of the rain forest and they rescued me. it was a miracle for me. >> absolutely. >> they were angels when i heard them. >> i know you are doing work to preserve the amazon. it's an incredible journey you have continued. thank you so much. by the way, the book is "when i fell from the sky."

thank you so much. up next, a lesson in jamaican cooking. first, this is "today" on nbc.

this morning in "today's" kitchen, what's for dinner? from a smoky soup to smoked jerk chicken it's a taste of jamaica with a healthy twist. >> damica is a chef. >> you're cooking with smoked sausage. why do you like smoked rather than fresh sausage? >> this is a chicken hardwood smoked sausage. you instantly get the flavor. a lot of times when people cook they don't have time to get the flavor you want. you've got it in there already. you start cooking you have the browning going, you have flavor. >> what are we making? >> this is the jerk chicken hardwood smoked sausage with a little bit of olive oil in the pan. we're browning the sausage.

this is great because when you see browning, that means flavor. >> you pointed out that it's chicken not pork. >> it's much better for you. half the fat and calories of regular pork sausage. >> and then -- >> add in the onions. saute onions and bell pepper. you can pick whatever is in season. red, green, yellow, have fun and add the color. >> what's the spice? >> this is jerk spice. a lot of people are afraid of it. >> it's spicy. >> it is. >> duh. >> but for me, my family being jamaican, it's in our blood. dad says if you're not sweating while you're eating it's not right. we had the jamaican jerk spice mix. you need a scotch bonnet or a habanero pepper. that's where you get the spice. >> toss it in? >> let it kick for three, four minutes until the vegetables start to soften. you can already smell it.

>> smells beautiful. >> you know it's right with that robust, rich flavor. >> all right. see what we have here. we have the vegetables softened. we'll add in pineapple. >> sweet, spicy. >> yes. we have the perfect marriage of sweet versus heat. if you can't take the heat the sweet tapers it off for you. >> what do you serve it over? >> brown rice which is better for you or white rice or pasta, couscous. >> we want to show because we don't have time to prep it, but you have a spicy jerk soup. >> this is a winter country soup. we have turkey sausage, shallots, red bell pepper and brown it. then get your flavor of course. add in kale. >> we have the recipe on the website. >> kale, corn, beans. >> freeze it, stock it up and have it several times. >> always make a large batch. especially with game time coming. >> more after your local news and weather.