good morning. family tragedy. seven members of one new york city family lost in a horrific accident. their van plummeting some 60 feet off an overpass, landing upside down in the bronx zoo. this morning, reaction from a father who lost his wife, young daughter, and five other family members in that crash. tense talks. new york and china negotiating the fate of a blind dissident who made a bold escape from house arrest and is now said to be in the u.s. embassy in beijing. a drama unfolding just days before secretary of state hillary clinton is set to arrive there. and caught on tape, two bicyclists mowed down by a car, and the driver keeps on going.

fortunately, the cyclists are okay, and their bike camera was rolling. now that driver is under arrest rolling. now that driver is under arrest today, monday, april 30th, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm ann curry. good morning, everybody. officials are now looking at the scene and also at potential safety concerns of the highway itself, as they investigate that tragic accident at the bronx zoo, matt. >> it's impossible to imagine. it happened early sunday afternoon. the seven victims, all from one family, ranging in age from 85 to just 3 years old. we're going to hear from some of their relatives straight ahead. >> such a tragedy. and we're also now hearing from the mother of the missing ft.

bragg soldier for the first time since her daughter's 34s tearious disappearance. coming up she has an emotional plea in an exclusive interview. and also this morning the wife of the prosecution's star witness in the trial of john edwards was back on the stand today, and she's expected to say that the former presidential candidate not only knew about illegal contributions behind his affair, but that he also directed the cover-up. we'll go live to the courthouse for that. diane keaton will be here a little later on. she'll be talking about her new movie. we like having her here. and an exclusive live interview with ryan o'neal. he shared a turbulent 30-year love affair with farrah fawcett before cancer took her life back in 2009. now o'neal is facing hiswn battle with prostate cancer. coming up he'll open up about that and he'll talk about his new memoir, it is raw, it's revealing, it talks about his relationship with fawcett, and his own children. but we begin on this monday morning with that deadly crash here in new york city that claimed the lives of three generations of one new york city

family. nbc's jeff rossen has the story. jeff, good morning to you. >> hey, matt, good morning to you. it just doesn't get much worse than this, does it? first thing police look at in a devastating crash like this, the road conditions. and weatherwise here in new york, yesterday, it was actually pretty nice. sunny, the roads were completely dry. and so this family packed into their van, and they went out for a drive, headed to a family reunion, of all things. but somehow the van just lost control on the bronx river parkway, went airborne, and actually landed here inside the bronx zoo. this morning that entire family is gone. the final moments inside this family van are unimaginable. the driver, maria gonzalez, and her 10-year-old daughter jocelyn, both killed, along with jocelyn's cousins, just 3 and 7 years old. her aunt, and grandparents. police say they all died at the scene. relatives cried in the streets sunday.

>> it's hard. she worked hard for us. >> reporter: police say the family was speeding down the bronx river parkway in the left lane, going 70. they hit the median, crossing three lanes of traffic, hitting the curb and going airborne over the guard rail, dropping 60 feet into the bronx zoo. upside down. >> the injuries are quite horrific in 30 years i've seen something like this once or twice. everybody was taken back by it. because everybody has a relative. everybody knows a child. everybody has a grandparent. and you can see the emotion on everybody. it's very upsetting. >> reporter: the van landed in heavy brush in a remote section of the bronx zoo. away from animals and visitors. >> our accident investigation squad obviously has been engaged in doing an examination. all of the victims here were

apparently wearing seat belts. >> reporter: but even seat belts couldn't save them. the focus now on the highway itself. this is the second accident here in less than a year. last june an suv plunged off the road near the same area, after hitting a divider. two people were injured. but nothing as sudden, nothing as tragic, as this. one man who lost his wife and daughter in the crash, his name is juan gonzalez, and we actually have a photo of him. a local newspaper gave a heartbreaking quote, that's him in the background with his hand over his daughter who also died, that's jocelyn. he said, i lost my family. what can i say? i don't want to be here. i want to die. city officials now say they will take a very, very close look at

this stretch of parkway to see if there are any safety changes that need to be made. matt? >> all right, jeff rossen in the bronx for us this morning on this story. jeff, thank you very much. it's 5 minutes after the hour. here's ann. >> matt, thanks. secretary of state hillary clinton leaves for china today, a trip that comes at a time of great tension between the world powers. in the wake of the escape of a blind chinese activist who's now reportedly under u.s. protection. nbc's ian williams is in beijing this morning. ian, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. the fate of the blind human rights lawyer, one of china's most courageous dissidents, has become a big test of u.s./china relations, just two days before hillary clinton is due to visit. he announced his escape in a video posted on youtube, accusing officials of brutality against him and his family. the 40-year-old self-trained lawyer has been blind since childhood. he was jailed and then put under house arrest after exposing forced abortions and sterilizations under china's one

child policy. he videoed his family's confinement. during which he says he and his wife were beaten, his young daughter harassed. his every moment was monitored, visitors prevented from meeting him. yet he was able, secretly, to plot his escape. friends say he stayed indoors for weeks pretending to be sick, hoping his jailers would drop their guard. and they did. though blind he escaped over a wall before eventually rendezvousing with supporters. friends of chen say they then drove him the 300 miles from his village to beijing. and that he's now in what they describe as the only safe place in china, the u.s. embassy here. a claim supported by u.s.-based activists. >> from our source, who's both knowledgeable to the u.s. government, and chinese government, that we can confirm that he is in the protection of the u.s. government in beijing.

and high-level negotiations with the government have started. >> reporter: neither beijing nor washington have confirmed officially that he's here. and the state department even refused to confirm their point man for asia that arrived in beijing over the weekend. >> oh, mr. campbell, can you tell us -- >> reporter: his dash for freedom couldn't come at a more awkward time for the u.s., with hillary clinton due to visit later this week. the secretary of state previously has stated close interest in chen's plight. >> we see reports of lawyers, artists and others who are detained or disappeared, united states speaks out both publicly and privately. >> reporter: friends say several members of chen's family and helpers have now been detained. activists say the u.s. and china are trying to do a deal over chen before clinton arrives, and finds their visit completely overshadowed by his daring escape. ann? >> all right, ian williams.

thank you so much for your reporting on this. andrea mitchell is nbc's chief foreign affairs correspondent. andrea, good morning. >> good morning, ann. >> let me try to turn this question around. what are the chances that chen is not under the protection of the u.s. government? >> ann, my sources tell me that chen is, indeed, under u.s. protection in beijing. now we don't know whether that means he's actually within the walls of the american embassy compound, or in a diplomatic safe house. but he's definitely in u.s. hands there. there are very delicate negotiations under way, as ian said in advance of hillary clinton and treasury secretary timothy geithner's annual talks there this week. this is already becoming a campaign issue. over the weekend the romney campaign criticized for not doing enough for human rights in china and indicated there's going to be a lot of pressure in this case as well. >> also the question might be raised what role would the u.s. actually play, if any, in the -- in the escape of the this activist? >> these are such delicate times

in china and china was already under pressure for its scandal involving the rise and fall of a prominent party leader. so i think it's very, very unlikely that there was any american role, direct government role in his escape. i think it was more likely his network of human rights activists, more or less an underground railroad, and they have all been rounded up reportedly. we do not know what has happened to them. >> you talked about how difficult the time this is. talk a little bit more about that. because, the u.s. needs china for so many reasons, economic as well as political, iran, north korea, its stance on those, i -- those countries. so talk to us about how critical a time this is between the two nations with this awkward experience, awkward situation upon them. >> well, we have not had this kind of crisis, human rights crisis, with china in 20 years. just after tiananmen square. but right now we really do need the chinese. the chinese after tiananmen back in 1989 were on the defensive.

now we need them not only economically but hillary clinton was clearly going to be talking to them about exactly what you pointed out iran, north korea, and so this could be now coming between the two countries just as china is going through a critical succession period and the president and the secretary of state have just met with the vice president of china here as he begins to rise, and takes over. this is a very difficult time. they're going to try to work it out. you saw in ian's piece that chris campbell, the assistant sect arrived late sunday in beijing. they're hoping that they can work it out. but i can't see exactly what the diplomatic solution would be. >> okay. there's a scramble certainly behind the scenes but the visit is just days away. andrea mitchell thank you so much this morning. let us head over to the news desk now. natalie is standing by. she's got a look at the other headlines. good morning to you. >> good morning, matt and ann. good morning, everyone. the new tower under construction at one world trade center is rising from the ashes of ground zero and is set to surpass the empire state building becoming the city's tallest building today. the landmark comes just ahead of

the one-year anniversary of the raid that killed al qaeda chief osama bin laden. but analysts warn that al qaeda is not yet defeated and is, in fact, strengthening its reach, particularly in yemen, and in tribal areas of pakistan. we'll have more on one world trade center coming up shortly. the safety of yacht races is in question today, after a large ship apparently collided with a 37-foot sailboat. three crew members have been found dead in the waters off of southern california, and the search for the fourth missing sailor has been suspended. this is the second deadly racing accident in weeks in that area. it is the darling of the nasdaq and the world's most profitable technology company. but apple has found a legal way to avoid paying billions of dollars in taxes worldwide. this according to "the new york times." because apple's revenue comes largely from the digital world the tech giant is able to move profits to subsidiaries in low-tax countries like ireland and the netherlands. apple has responded to the report saying that it has not broken any laws or accounting rules.

the pain at the pump is easing. gas prices fell by a nickel this week, and are five cents lower on average than they were this time last year. for more economic news now let's check in with mandy drury at the new york stock exchange. >> it is jobs week, natalie. we're going to find out this friday how many jobs were created by the u.s. economy over the past months. but, considering how many disappointing economic we've had lately, expectations are being pared back to 159,000. let's hope all the earnings we're going to get this week, about one quarter of the s&p 500 companies are going to report, let's hope we get upside surprises there. we've got a number of big companies like gm, time warner, kraft all coming out with their results. let's also hope there's no sell in may and go away like the last few years where stocks hit their highs of the year in april. back over to you. >> all right, let's keep hoping. mandy drury at the new york stock exchange. an amazing survival story for 59-year-old victoria grover.

she's recovering after braving four days lost in the utah wilderness. she got lost while hiking the trail and broke her leg while trying to return to her car. rescuers say she survived by sheer will. and a suspected hit and run caught on tape. thanks to a bike-mounted camera. the cyclist in berkeley, california, was able to cash a car drifting into his lane, striking him right there, and his friend. neither biker was seriously injured. but they took the video to police who then tracked down the car and the driver has been arrested on suspicion of felony hit and run, as well as -- it hurts to see that. 7:14 back over to matt, ann and al. good thing they had that mounted camera. >> i know you could probably see just for a second there you could actually see a flash of the license plate. certainly they were able to use technology. >> track him down. >> pinpoint -- >> the heroin possession might have been one of the reasons the guy kept driving which is ridiculous.

suspected heroin possession. >> right. >> natalie, thank you very much. mr. roker? >> how are you all doing? we're talking about some heavy rain down in florida. where they've already gotten pummeled with about four inches of rain, and more on the way. over the next 72 hours, we're talking some areas picking up three to five inches of rain. up to 8 in some areas, so there are flood watches in effect. and we've got a risk of strong storms back through the midwest. garden city to amarillo, texas. also from paducah, kentucky, to western pennsylvania, including pittsburgh. we've got the chance of some strong storms. isolated hail, and damaging winds. >> good morning. the temperatures will be slightly below average. we will make it into the mid 60's. the clouds will thicken

>> and that's your latest weather. matt? >> all right, al, thanks very much. the wife of the prosecution's star witness testifies again today at the trial of former presidential candidate john edwards. and the government is hoping that she'll hold up better on the stand than her husband did. nbc's lisa myers is at the courthouse in greensboro, north carolina. hi, lisa. >> hey, matt, good morning. it was a tough first week for the prosecution. this week the government will try to rebuild its case with sherry young, the wife of edwards' chief accuser. and through campaign aides who were allegedly lied to by john edwards. sherry young is a part-time nurse. who clearly resented her husband andrew's devotion, some say obsession, with the then rising political star john edwards. in brief testimony on friday, sherry young said it was stressful, and she rarely saw her husband. he did anything and everything

for every member of their family. it became extremely maddening to me. yet she went along when her husband falsely claimed he was the father of the child of edwards' mistress rielle hunter. and sherry young agreed to live with hunter in lavish homes, moving her three children around the country. how will the jury react to her? >> they may feel sorry for her and what her husband put her through. or they may not be able to understand at all why any mother would do the things she did for her husband. and for john edwards. >> sherry young's testimony becomes even more important after edwards' lawyer, abbe lowell, methodically shredded her husband's credibility last week. >> i think andrew young's credibility at this point is virtually shot. it's almost impossible for any juror to really believe anything he has to say. >> reporter: andrew young dodged many questions, claiming his wife handled the finances. including hundreds of thousands of dollars collected from two

wealthy donors allegedly to keep hunter silent. sherry young countersigned the checks, using her maiden name and deposited them in the young's personal bank account. >> i think the defense will go after cheri young to put more detail on exactly how this money was used. >> reporter: in a damaging admission, andrew young acknowledged they pocketed 80% of the money provided for the alleged cover-up, about $1 million. and filed much of it into their $1.5 million dream home. that's a problem for the prosecution, because in charging edwards they claimed all that money went to take care of edwards' mistress and amounted to illegal campaign contributions. a charge edwards denies. now cheri young is expected to testify that john edwards knew about the money, and directed the cover-up. experts say she's likely to be more sympathetic than her husband, but still will have to explain why they kept the million dollars, and as her

husband put it, were living the high life. matt? >> all right, lisa myers in north carolina on this story. as always, thank you very much. it's 18 after the hour. once again here's ann. >> matt, thanks. president obama showed off his lighter side this weekend at the white house correspondents' dinner. an annual gathering of who's who in washington and hollywood. nbc's chief white house correspondent chuck todd was there. hey, chuck, good morning. >> good morning, ann. well the president headlined his final corresponds' dinner of his term. of course he hopes to be back for a second. in fact that was the main theme of washington's most glitzy weekend of the year. hollywood glamour, mix it with washington power and you've got the white house correspondents' dinner. an annual weekend of parties that some insiders mockingly call d.c.'s nerd prom. president obama dominated saturday's black tie dinner as comedian in chief. at the same dinner one year ago, unbeknownst to most of the audience that night, the osama bin laden raid was quietly in the works. an anniversary the president had some fun with.

>> last year at this time, in fact, on this very weekend, we finally delivered justice to one of the world's most notorious individuals. >> but for the most part, election year politics were on full display. the president used his stand-up time to take plenty of comedic shots at his opponent mitt romney. >> it's great to be here this evening in the vast, magnificent ball room or what mitt romney would call a little fixer-upper. we also both have degrees from harvard. i have one. he has two. what a snob. >> reporter: mr. obama made plenty of dog jokes, showing this parody ad mocking romney's decision to transport his irish setter on top of his car during a family road trip in 1983. >> join mitt romney in sending a message this november. i'm an american, and dog gone it, i ride outside.

>> reporter: the president didn't spare himself on the canine front, mocking his own experience eating dog meat when he was a child in indonesia. >> my stepfather always told me it's a boy eat dog world out there. >> reporter: and mr. obama even had this zinger for his secretary of state. >> four years ago i was locked in a brutal primary battle with hillary clinton. four years later, she won't stop drunk texting me from cartagena. >> reporter: the secret service scandal was fodder for comedian jimmy kimmel who was insparing. he rattled off a slew of jokes in quick succession, many of which lampooned the president. >> i know you won't be able to laugh at any of my jokes about the secret service, so, cover your ears, if that's physically possible. you know there's a term for guys like president obama, probably not two terms, but -- mr. president, remember when the country rallied around you in hopes of a better tomorrow? that was hilarious.

>> reporter: it's never easy for a comedian to have to follow a sitting president at a dinner but president obama got a little bit of a taste of his own medicine. he had to follow president clinton last night. the two of them are doing three joint function raisers to benefit president obama's re-election campaign. the first one was last night in virginia. the next two, ann, are going to be in new york city and probably, of course, hollywood. >> all right. chuck todd this morning. thank you so much. it was a fun -- you were there. >> want to talk about a who's who of hollywood and, you know, the media. you both were there. >> we're nobody compared to half the people -- yeah it was fun. >> it really was. i thought the president did fantastically. jimmy kimmel, he was a little nervous. >> it would be hard not to be nervous following the president. i mean, he is shecky obama. i'm telling you, he knows about timing. terrific. coming up we're going to have an exclusive interview live in our studio with ryan o'neal. he's going to talk about his tumultuous love affair with farrah fawcett. his relationship with his children and also his recent cancer diagnosis.

with him coming up. coming u

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you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your rheumatologist how you can defend against... ...and help stop further joint damage with humira. >> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. after several postponements. -- julius henson is set to stand trial today. he faces charges in connection with the 2010 robocall case. he says the charges are unconstitutional the case should

be thrown out. he is charged with trying to suppress the african-american vote by telling them the vote was over before the polls closed. >> there are problems we are tracking. most of our accidents have been cleared. one in the aria of woodlawn and security. another one at washington boulevard and commerce drive. j.f.x., speed on average of 16 miles per hour. southbound towards the construction zone. another one on belair road and chapel road. quick life and look at traffic. west side is filling up quickly. let's switch over to a live view of the harrisburg expressway. delays at padonia towards the beltway. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> sunshine out there, clouds

thickening up over the hours. 48 at the airport. chilly in the northern suburbs. light jacket to start the day. om -- increasing clouds, a slight chance for a rain shower. high temperature round 65. scattered thunderstorms tomorrow, warmer at the end

me being off of narcotics for the last seven years, i felt that she was, you know, -- i didn't know she was struggling with it still. but at the same time, you know, this is a hard fight. it's a hard fight. >> that is bobby brown, opening up to matt in his first interview since the death of his ex-wife whitney houston. >> the r&b star had some rather surprising things to say about their relationship, and also about their daughter, bobbi kristina. we're going to have that exclusive interview with bobby brown, wednesday morning, only here on "today." >> that's right. 7:30 now on a monday morning. it is the 30th of april, 2012. i'm ann curry sitting alongside matt lauer. still ahead this morning we have an exclusive interview with ryan

o'neal. >> that's right. it's been about three years since the love of his life, farrah fawcett, died after a battle with cancer. their relationship, i think you could say, was turbulent to say the least and the same can be said about his relationships with his children. o'neal writes about all of those things pretty honestly in his new memoir, and coming up we'll talk to him about that and also his recent cancer diagnosis. >> and later, a texas mother who is lucky to be alive. she had a complicated pregnancy and following the delivery she started to bleed so badly she needed a 35 gallon transfusion to survive. she's going to share her story coming up this morning. >> and then we're going to catch up with oscar winner diane keaton. she'll stop by to tell us about her new movie. this is a woman who continues to get great roles at a time when a lot of actresses are finding that difficult. >> but let's begin this half hour with the desperate plea from the mother of a missing ft. bragg soldier. nbc's thanh truong spoke to her exclusively. good morning.

>> ann, good morning to you. volunteer search teams this weekend tried again to find a trace of 23-year-old kelli bordeaux but came up empty handed. police here are frustrated and so is kelli's family. now for the first time we're hearing from kelli's mom. it's been more than two weeks since army private kelli bordeaux disappeared from this bar. now kelly's mom is breaking her silence, with a painful plea. >> kelli, baby, i'll see you soon. and i know you can get through this, and i'll see her soon, if anyone has her, please release her. her family needs her. and if someone has done something to her, god will get you. >> reporter: johnna henson is a very private person. but with no new developments in her daughter's case, she's speaking out. >> i'm hoping that we are going

to find her soon and safe and sound, and we can all resume our lives. she's a very -- a very driven woman. she has goals in her life. i don't think someone has realized what they have taken away. >> reporter: hoping to generate new leads police recently released this photo of kelli. wearing black shorts and a pink top, it's the last known image of kelli. she took the picture herself, just before going out to froggy bottoms bar. >> it's a neighborhood bar. it's within walking distance of her apartment. i couldn't sit here and tell you that she was a regular there. you know, of course that term is relative. she had been in the bar before. >> reporter: the bar may have been within walking distance, but kelli got a ride home that night from nicolas holbert, a registered sex offender who lives in a tent behind the bar. he told a local abc station he knows nothing about her disappearance.

>> i had nothing to do with it. i picked her up and took her home that night. that's it. >> reporter: holbert has since been jailed and charged for a separate offense. failing to report his address as a sex offender. investigators haven't named a person of interest. over the weekend, volunteers on horseback and on the water conducted sweeping searches near the cape fear river. but like previous outings, no trace of kelli. >> i really wanted to thank everyone from the city of fayetteville, to the military, all her army friends and family. everyone that's been involved in the searches. >> reporter: her mom prays wherever kelli may be, she'll hear this message. >> you know i miss you and love you, kelli, and i want you home. now. >> reporter: while police say they're not conducting any active searches, they are working the leads they do have. one of the items they're trying to find is kelli's iphone which

she used to snap that photo of herself. but so far, ann, no sign of it, or kelli. >> all right, thanh truong, thank you so much this morning for your reporting on this story. now let's get a check of the weather from al. >> ann, thank you so much. and we've got folks i guess you got guys now have to walk together. >> we do. >> we appreciate it. thanks for coming down. let's check out what you've got. we've got a look at the weak ahead, below normal in the pacific northwest, the northeast with wet weather there. rain through the tennessee and ohio river valleys. heavy rain down in florida. by the midweek, continue the rain down in southern florida. much of the country above normal. western -- eastern two thirds of the country, chillyary long the pacific northwest and west coast. that will continue through the latter part of the week and the wet weather, warmer weather continues around the great lakes, plains, into the northeast. wet weather also through the eastern half of the gulf into florida. >> good morning.

there is a slight chance we could see some rain late in the day. >> don't forget you can get that weather any time you need it any time of the day or night. go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. ann? >> all right, al, thank you. coming up next, the miracle mom who needed 35 gallons of blood and survived a traumatic deliverly. we're going to meet her. and still to come this morning, ryan o'neal joins us for an exclusive live interview. but first these messages. for three hours a week, i'm a coach. but when i was diagnosed with prostate cancer... i needed a coach. our doctor was great, but with so many tough decisions i felt lost. unitedhealthcare offered us a specially trained rn

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pregnancies, putting the mother in danger. >> her condition where the placenta plants into the lower portion of the uterus and can invade the bladder. >> reporter: despite the complications gina delivered a healthy baby girl by c-section. to treat her conditions doctors immediately started performing a hysterrektmy but gina began to bleed out. >> when we delivered the baby, we encountered bleeding that was more than we had expected. going in to the surgery. our anesthesia doctor began immediately transfusing the blood products we had available. >> reporter: it took nearly 117 liters of blood, roughly 35 gallons, to save gina's life. a massive ert for the by doctors as well as family and friends who rushed to the hospital to donate. >> when i started noticing cooler after cooler of blood that had my wife's name on it, you know, up and down the hallway, constantly, and that's

when i started to get worried. >> we knew that we had an ob patient, we knew there was a baby involved, everybody was just working so hard and so fast to get this done. >> reporter: doctors say it's a miracle that gina survived. >> any more whatsoever. every day could be your last day. it was a miracle. >> gina walker is here now with us along with her husband dustin and their baby girl allison. good morning to all of you. >> good morning. >> and you miracle momma. >> good morning. >> you have had two previous pregnancies. that were routine. but this pregnancy was complicated. had complications from the very beginning. how did you know that you were -- going to have trouble? >> it was from pretty much the very first appointment they couldn't find the heart beat and they said i most likely had miscarried and about three weeks

later i started having more complications and ended up in the hospital. and continuing after that every week was a new diagnosis, there was something wrong. every week there was something new. i -- >> looks like allison just woke up. hi, allison. good morning. she's really beautiful. as you were being prepared for surgery to have this delivery, your medical team told you some pretty dire statistics. that -- that you had a 1 in 7 chance of not surviving. what was going through your mind at that point? >> i was scared for my life, obviously. i prayed a lot. the condition, there's not a lot you can research on the condition. so when you see statistics like that and hear statistics like that, it's very scary. >> what gave you strength? >> my faith and praying. and my family. >> your family certainly stepped up. dustin i understand you went on facebook and you were keeping all this information on facebook, you know, updating friends and family what was going on.

>> yes. >> and people saw what was happening, and they reacted. >> yeah, a lot of our friends took the idea of donating blood and passed along to all their friends throughout the country, and they got the word out and we had several blood drives. >> you're a former navy man, and some navy friends on facebook also took up this cause and started a website? >> yes, ma'am. they started a website at giveforward.com/ginawalker and it basically tells the whole story of what we went through from day one, and you know, from there they can -- they can make donations, and help out. >> you said people were trying to donate blood from canada? >> yes, ma'am. >> i mean, this is overwhelming. do you even know how many people people you didn't even know wanted to donate blood so that you could survive? >> yes, ma'am. >> you don't even know? or do you know? >> i don't know how many people.

i really couldn't tell you. i just know it spread quickly, and there was people from everywhere. >> how do you wrap your mind around that? what do you say to all those people? >> thank you. thank you, thank you, thank you. it's truly a blessing that everybody went out and did that and i thank god that there are good people out there that will take the time to go do that because it really does, it saves lives. >> how are you doing? >> i'm great. >> no, no repercussions? >> no, i'm good to go. >> and how about allison? >> she's happy, she's got the hiccups. >> she's now two months old? >> a little over two months. >> you feeling like you had a miracle happen in your family, dustin? >> oh, by far. i mean, yes. of course. i had no -- no idea that the outcome would be as wonderful as it has been. just to have them both here. you know. it just is a blessing. >> congratulations to your family. >> thank you. >> and and what a great thing to

hear about the goodness of the heart of america and -- and see how beautiful allison is. congratulations. >> thank you. >> she's fully awake now anyway. and we've got much more coming up, including a "today" exclusive ryan o'neal on his battle with cancer and his stormy relationship with farrah fawcett and his own children. i'm gonna make you breakfast. what? with magic. you are? see the egg? uh huh. so, look at the orange. now close your eyes. ♪ alakazaam! [ sighs ] you're good. and now i'm gonna make this flower bloom. presto. "love you lots." do you want to see it again? yes, i want to see it again! [ female announcer ] hallmark blooming expressions delivers your love again and again. same as becka's science fair... another mini-wheats day coming up! ummmm...you rock. right here! [ female announcer ] kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal is packed with fiber and nearly a day's worth of whole grains

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as we mentioned a little earlier, the effort to rebuild ground zero is dooring to new heights today. one world trade center, formerly called freedom tower, is set to become the tallest skyscraper in manhattan today. that will, of course, eclipse the empire state building. you can see the empire state building in the foreground. that is one world trade center. it's been growing at about a rate of one floor per week. today, with the laying of a beam on that building it will reach some 1271 feet tall, or about 20 feet taller than the observation deck of the empire state building. >> that is weather permitting, al. >> looks like they're going to cooperate. >> that will be good. >> it's interesting to note that the first time the world trade center became the tallest building the owners of the empire state building weren't too happy. but, by contrast, they're now

saying the world's most famous office building, the ancestor of all supertowers, super tall towers welcomes our newer, taller cousin to the skyline. we've watched you grow and now we salute you. >> we've all watched this building grow. if you drive in and out of new york city it's been amazing to watch it over the last year, all of a sudden kind of peeking above the skyline in lower manhattan and now soaring above it. when it's completed, it will be 1,368 feet at its rooftop, then it's going to have that spire or antenna above it which will take it to 1776 feet. >> it's really amazing. >> important for the city and really for the country. >> when it's completed i guess, by late 2013, or 2014 they're saying it will be the tallest building in the western hemisphere, third tallest in the world. >> 104 floors. do you like -- anybody a little height adverse? >> no. >> no, i don't have a problem with heights. >> you feel the sway though, up top.

it's a little disconcerting. >> we were up there. we were up there on september 11th. that's right. the anniversary, 10th anniversary and they gave us a tour from the top of that. it was a sight to behold. we're back with diane keaton. ♪ [ instrumental ] [ girl ] when i started playing soccer, i wasn't so good. [ barks ] so me and sadie started practicing. we practiced a lot. now i've got some moves! [ crowd cheering ] spin kick! whoo-hoo! [ giggling ] [ announcer ] we know how important your dog is to your whole family. so help keep him strong and healthy with purina dog chow. because you're not just a family. you're a dog family.

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. here is sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> busy sums it up. accident around the area. if you are heading out in the next few minutes, westbound route 40, be careful, there is an accident. another one at both ends ave and taken ave. crash clearing at washington boulevard and commerce drive. 12 miles per hour through constructions hundred 19 on the

west side at reisterstown road. watch for a crash eastbound or on east joppa road and oakley road. belair road, chapel road, and one more with an accident over here. quick live view of traffic. a lot of this is inner loop traffic towards the j.f.x. towards the j.f.x., long line of traffic. from 41st street to the construction zone, left lane taken up by construction. pick back up on the j.f.x. >> you can see sunshine on the traffic cameras. we're starting out with a little bit of that red clouds that up as we head into the afternoon. slight chance of a touch of rain in the afternoon. dry for the rest of the morning. 42 in jarrettsville. white jacket the start the day. -- a light jacket to start the day.

late this afternoon, chance to see a couple rainshowers. tomorrow, highs in the 70's.

we're back now 8:00 on a monday morning. it's the 30th day of april, 2012. it's a pretty day here in new york city. that view courtesy of our cameras on top of the rock, with the statue of liberty in the background there. and if you then take the old dissolve and look down at what we've got going on on our plaza, we've got a nice crowd of people on this monday morning. a lot of people probably a little surprised at our temperature. it's only 43 degrees. on this monday morning. a little unseasonably cool. >> -- back up into the 60s. >> i'm matt lauer along with ann curry and al roker. and just a quick programming

note for you. throughout the mark we've been telling you we're going to have an exclusive interview with ryan o'neal. we are sad to say that mr. o'neal showed up here this morning. he was not feeling well. he has since gone back to his hotel, and we're told that he is canceling all of his appearances for today. we hope he is all right. and we hope to see him tomorrow morning here on "today." >> we do have diane keaton in the house. and we're very excited about that. of course, she won an oscar for her role as annie hall. this morning she's going to be talking about her newest role and what compelled her to take it. i am such a fan. i'm trying to forget myself for -- you know, sort of a stalker. who doesn't love diane keaton? >> we are so happy to have you here. she says, i bet. >> was she wearing gloves? >> no. >> and a little bit later on, bobby flay said if you want to be a great home cook you need to develop your own tomato sauce.

bobby's got a great sauce based tomato sauce for you to build so many great recipes off of. he's going to be here to bring us that. >> we've got a lot to get to. natalie is standing by at the news desk with all the headlines. hi, natalie. >> good morning again, matt, ann and al. good morning, everyone. police say the van that plunged off a highway overpass in new york city sunday, killing seven members of the same family, was apparently speeding, reportedly going about 70 miles per hour in a 50-mile-per-hour zone. the van landed upside down in a remote section of the bronx zoo away from people and exhibits. officials say the victims, including three little girls, were all wearing their seat belts. the plight of a blind chinese dissident is causing new friction between the u.s. and china just days before secretary of state hillary clinton's visit to beijing for high-level strategic and economic talks. chen guangcheng fled house arrest in china and is reportedly being harbored by u.s. diplomats in beijing. the wife of former john edwards aide andrew young is expected back on the stand today at edwards' corruption trial.

cheri and andrew young are central to the prosecution's claim that edwards used nearly $1 million in illegal contributions to hide his pregnant mistress during the 2008 campaign. andrew young acknowledged last week that he kept 80% of that money and spent it on his own dream home. former president bill clinton made the first of three planned campaign appearances with president obama last night in suburban washington. the two have sometimes had a testy relationship. clinton told report -- supporters that president obama beat the clock to help the economic recovery. and dramatic new video shows what it was like inside the tent that collapsed in high winds saturday near busch stadium in st. louis, killing one person. about 100 others were injured. investigators want to know if the tent was modified after it had been inspected. now, for a look at what's trending today, our quick roundup of what has you talking online. the couple blasted online for keeping a souvenir baseball they caught at a texas rangers game

last week demanded an apology from the yankees announcer who criticized them on air. sean leonard says he and his fiancee didn't notice the toddler also vying for the ball. the video of that intsy dent went viral but appearing here on today the toddler's parents said there were no hard feelings. and this tender bonding ritual between a man and his dog is going viral on youtube. during the daily commute, hero, a siberian husky, constantly needs to hold her owner's paw or she cries. doesn't she know he needs both hands on the wheel? it's very cute. and the white house correspondents' dinner is trending on google. it gave president obama the chance to make light of a recent headline-grabbing scandal. >> four years ago i was locked in a brutal primary battle with hillary clinton. four years later, she won't stop drunk texting me from cartagena. i had a lot more material prepared but i have to get the secret service home in time for their new curfew.

>> the dinner mixing celebrity glamour with washington power is jokingly known as the nerd's prom. it is 8:05 outside -- right now. let's go back out to matt and ann. you're not a nerd, ann. you were there. >> i was there. i'm a nerd. >> it's not a nerdy event, is it? >> no, i think it's actually called the nerd prom, i really do. i think that will be the way it's known as forever more. >> al roker called it the cool kid's prom. >> oh, yeah? >> you feel like the cool kids? >> if you're me, it's about as cool as it gets. got some nice folks here. what's your name young lady? >> anissa. >> where are you from? >> california. >> she's got her snuggie working. very nice. all right let's check your weather. for today our pick city, milwaukee, wisconsin. tmj today, nbc 4 scattered morning showers. 57 degrees. and as we look at our afternoon high, going to be chilly here in the northeast, in the new england area, 50s and 60s, 90s

down throughout the southeast where we could see some records set. also the southwest, as well. we're looking at mountain snows in the pacific northwest. windy conditions southern california, into the pacific northwest. risk of strong storms, texas into nebraska. also western p.a. into southern illinois. heavy rain down to southern florida. some areas may pick up to eight inches of rain in the next 24 hours. nice and sunny here in the northeast and new england. but a little on the chilly side. >> good morning. the temperatures will be slightly below average. we will make it into the mid 60's. the clouds will thicken

>> birthday here. what's your name? >> sophia. >> and we've got a 10th birthday over here. what's your name? >> jake. >> double digits. let's head over to ann. >> all right, al, thank you so much. coming up next, oscar winner diane keaton on the personal message behind her new movie. that's coming up right after this. i love cash back.

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empty nesters who adopt a stray dog. and things head south when their pet disappears. take a look. >> has he been in here? >> i thought he was with you. >> he was. but he took off on me. >> what? wait a minute. where's the dog? >> i told you, he took off. >> when was this? >> about 20 minutes ago. chased a deer, wouldn't come back. >> did you use the whistle? >> i whistled. i didn't have the whistle, per se. >> you were on the phone, right? come on, boy. here boy! where are you, sweet heart? you lost the dog. >> diane keaton, welcome back. >> i'm a little annoyed. >> a little tightly wound there. >> can you tell? >> but not in person. it's nice to see you again. >> good to see you. >> i made a mistake last time you were here i started the interview by telling you i loved you. >> did you? do you still love me.

>> i do still love you. seems to kind of set you back. >> i am set back a little still. >> and now i'm reading that kevin kline, your co-star in this movie. >> yeah, yeah. >> said basically the same thing. he said this was a dream come true that he adores you. >> he was lying. >> are you becoming more used to being an object of desire? >> are you serious? >> yeah. >> you know that that's not true. i am not an object of desire. have you noticed that i've been with another human being, like a male type person? >> but you know what's interesting is when we told people you were coming in today, men and women alike >> yes. >> all said the time thing. >> what did they say? >> that they love you. that they do. there's something about you that resonates with people. >> maybe they're extremely insecure. and people identify with that. do you feel like i'm insecure? >> i've gotten the hint of that over the past couple of interviews. talk to me about making this movie. kevin kline is one draw. >> he's fantastic. yes, he's a great guy. and he was -- he was instrumental in constantly telling me that my grammar needed to improve on the set. every day.

can you believe that? because can you tell by the way i can't really make sense when i speak. >> and now somebody's telling you your grammar is incorrect? >> he said my grammar is incorrect. so we had a great sparring relationship. i adored him and so that kept our marriage just exactly perfect for this movie. but mainly it's the dog. i love the dog. >> you are an animal lover. >> the dog was fantastic. the dog's name is casey and her name is freeway in the movie and she's just so lovable. and i am an animal lover. because what i feel about animals is that, especially dogs for me, it just takes -- that they just live in the moment. you know, they don't think about the future, and they're not concerned about their past. and there's something so soothing about that. i have a dog, her name is emmy. she's an ugly dog. >> she's famous, though. she's on the cover of aarp magazine. >> yes, she is. >> i didn't even know she was 65. i think she's on the cover here, actually -- there's emmy. >> that's emmy.

>> how long have you had emmy? >> oh, i've had emmy about eight years. she is about 65, right? >> in dog years, exactly. talk to me about the plot of this. i don't want people to think this is a dog movie or a movie about daupgs. >> it's about the dog brings the family to the. >> about adult relationships. >> yes, it really is. yes. but of course, the dog is -- you know, i can't really talk about the plot too much, i don't want to give it away, the ending. right? >> you said, though, it was a labor of love. and in the notes i head last night you said we didn't get paid to do this. you mean that somewhat not literally more figuratively? >> well, it was, you know, it was -- we didn't get paid. >> there was a paycheck. it just wasn't a hollywood movie-taipeicheck. >> it was a -- yes, it was a modest paycheck. extremely modest. >> and you still wanted to do it? >> of course. >> because of this movie. >> i'm a big fan of his and respect him so much and i loved the script. because i really am an animal activist in my own way. >> i'm thinking about the fact that when you were here the last time we were talking about some of your roles over the years and you continued to be offered

these roles. at a time, saying delicately here, where a lot of other actresses are not given that same opportunity. why do you think it happens for you? >> oh, dear. why do you think? because i have no answer to that. >> well, i mean -- raw talent could be one. >> talent, possibly. >> hard work? >> hard work. oh, yeah, i am a hard worker. that's true. but that doesn't make me more likable or -- i don't know why. that's such a horrible answer. but really, come on. let's get real. i mean there's nothing -- >> when it comes right down to it, we hear a lot of actresses complaining that there are no great roles for more mature actresses. >> well, there are, though. there are some roles. definitely. i don't know what to say about that. i don't know how i got lucky. maybe it's just i was lucky. do you think? >> yeah, maybe. >> who cares. i mean nobody really cares about me anyway. >> it's mother's day coming up. >> oh, no, that's a big day. >> the day? what's the most important lesson you learned from your mom? >> to listen. >> really? >> to simply listen.

because that's what she gave me. because my mother would listen to me. i was endlessly complaining and talking about what i wanted and she'd just listen. she never judged me. she just let me talk. and i just think that's a great gift. my natural inclination is not to keep my mouth shut. but i think it's really important when you're a parent to be quiet sometimes, and just listen to your kids, because not only will you like enhance their ability to kind of think for themselves, but you will learn to know them better by just listening to them. they deserve that. >> even as i was listening to you, every word you were saying, diane, i'm looking at you put your hands up to your face, at the plaid nail polish. >> my nails? >> how long did it take -- can you put your hand up for one more second? >> there they are. yeah i like to do them myself. can you tell that i painted those on? that's so not true. >> you spent the weekend in washington. you were at the white house correspondents' dinner. >> i was. >> what did you think of that? >> oh, my god! it's an astonishing event. no, it's better than anything. better than the academy awards. better than all that because

it's such a mix of power/celebrity. >> who did you see? >> plus obama -- it's hard not to fall in love with obama. because really, come on, this guy is so charming. it's almost impossible. he's the president of the united states. and because he's too -- he -- >> did you get to mingle with him personally or just sitting in the seat? >> no, no, no, no, no. i've never mingled with him. but i would love to mingle with him. not as much as you, though. you're my favorite. >> that's right. >> no but listen, i saw colin powell. that was like -- that was astonishing because he actually hugged me. you can't -- he hugged me. colin powell. you know, this is not -- it was fantastic. he was so warm. he was really so sweet. oh, it was a great experience. honest. i've never been to any of them. >> you were the guest of -- >> "people" magazine. absolutely. it was great. >> so if we call you and ask you to go next year. >> you bet, i'm coming. >> you'll be my date for the white house correspondents' dinner? >> of course i would. yes! >> that's a deal. >> okay. >> that's fantastic.

i just got a date for next year's dinner. >> i'm yours. >> i appreciate it. the movie is called -- >> don't get up. >> bye! >> no, wait! "darling companion" is now in select cities and opens across the country on friday, and by the way, diane's memoir is now out in paperback. >> oh, it is. it totally is. >> whatever. up next, the tech savvy young woman changing the face of business in america. a party? [ music plays, record skips ] hi, i'm new ensure clear. clear, huh? my nutritional standards are high. i'm not juice or fancy water, i'm different. i've got nine grams of protein. twist my lid. that's three times more than me! twenty-one vitamins and minerals and zero fat! hmmm. you'll bring a lot to the party. [ all ] yay! [ female announcer ] new ensure clear. nine grams protein. zero fat. twenty-one vitamins and minerals. in blueberry/pomegranate and peach. refreshing nutrition in charge! in blueberry/pomegranate and peach.

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♪ every little thing is possible ♪ [ female announcer ] introducing new fresh take. kraft natural cheese, and the perfect blend of spices and bread crumbs all in one bag. we're not just making cheese. we're helping you make something amazing. ♪ love is a bright idea ♪ life is amazing... [ female announcer ] new fresh take from kraft. ♪ ...love that i found ♪ back now at 8:20 with a group becoming the new face of business in america. young people creating their own paths to success, doing things their way. and savannah guthrie is joining us with the story. >> good morning, ann. well, that's right. a growing number of impressive young women are throwing caution to the wind and bypassing the unemployment line by starting up their own businesses. founder and ceo. for years that phrase has conjured up images of corner

offices, men in suits, and corporate board rooms. but a new breed of young, tech-savvy, hard-working entrepreneurs is changing the game, and the face of the american workplace. known as generation "q," they are 80 million strong, and many of these twentysomethings or so-called millennials, would rather take a risk than submit a resume. >> you typically don't have a mortgage, or kids, and you've got a ton of energy and excitement, and fresh ideas, which is great for starting a new business. >> reporter: a new survey shows that 54% of millennials want to follow their passion and start a business, instead of entering a bleak job market. and, of course, a fearless few have already made a tremendously big splash. >> a billion dollar valuation. >> reporter: but young men aren't the only ones looking to be their own boss. >> we're seeing so many exciting, interesting businesses coming from young female tech entrepreneurs. >> i'm 28 years old.

and i'm the founder and ceo of learnvest.com. >> reporter: alexa dropped out of harvard business school at age 25 to pursue her dream of helping women take control of their finances. >> financial planning shouldn't be a luxury. every single person in america should have access to a financial plan, and we just wanted to make it as consumable as something like, you know, losing weight or finding love. >> reporter: since its launch, her money management company learnvest has grown leaps and bounds. today it's one of the leading sites women go to for personal finance advice. >> i love this. >> reporter: making this rising star the suze orman of a new generation. >> i'm 28 years old, and i'm the co-founder and ceo of foodspotting. >> reporter: in 2009, alexa had an idea, a unique way for people to recommend their favorite dishes using smartphone cameras. think facebook for foodies. >> it's the picture menu for every restaurant, anywhere in the world.

you can launch your phone, see beautiful pictures, decide what you would want to order, see what your friends love there. >> reporter: in less than two years, her app has been downloaded over 2 million times. and foodspotters across the globe are snapping pics, rating their meals, and helping to create a restaurant guide for the digital age. >> my name is alexa, i'm 28, and i'm the founder of paperless post. >> reporter: at just 23 years old, alexa hirschfeld created paperless post an online invitation company that's changed the way countless people send and receive stationery. >> i thought that working for yourself wouldn't be as much work but it's a lot more work. >> reporter: part of that work is learning to manage an office full of people. >> i think about 90% of the people are under 30, and it does feel like there are fewer grown-ups here. >> reporter: these three alexas weren't afraid to think big and take a chance. they hope their success inspires millions of young women to do the same.

and as a result of this strong entrepreneurial spirit, some experts are saying millennials are helping to create jobs and strengthen the economy. it's pretty cool, because this is a tough job market for a lot of people. a lot of people coming out of college and here are three women, three alexas who have decided to start their own businesses. >> i'm going home and changing romy's name to alexa. but did they have experience in this field or just an idea and then learn the field? >> it sounds like in many cases it's just a matter of having that good idea. and then having it catch on. >> we've got alexa here as part of our money 911. very sharp. and again finding that niche that nobody's serving and going there. >> but also this idea that people are, are, who are graduating worrying about being able to find a job and it's kind of opened them up to just kind of take a risk, be bold, try something new and obviously that's paid off. >> the entrepreneurial spirit paid off. >> you got to have people believe in you. >> that's true. feed money is good, too.

>> that's right. >> doesn't hurt. >> alexa, thank you very much. >> yes. >> just ahead we're going to hear about the secrets to making the perfect homemade pasta sauce with the help of bobby flay.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. traffic pulse 11 and sarah caldwell. >> still very busy with delays and incidents. harford county, area of 543 and heath row, all lanes closed due to an accident. north and west side dealing with heavy delays. j.f.x., down to nine miles per hour. if you travel in washington boulevard and commerce drive, we have a crash still clearing.

greenspring, going away from us, those delays begin approaching greenspring towards the j.f.x. here is the pace of things in the aria to 41st street as you make right towards the construction zone. these delays are going -- growing. tony has a check of the forecast. >> quiet start, with a bang- wise. clouds will thicken up over the next few hours. 42 degrees in taneytown. it will be cloudy by late this afternoon. slight chance of a few sprinkles or light rain showers late in the day. it will warm up by the end of the week. today and tomorrow, we start to make that climb slowly. scattered showers and thunderstorms possible on tuesday. for the most part, it will be dry as we go through the week.

just to give you a perspective, the average high temperature is 70. that is where we should be. scattered showers and thunderstorms on friday with a high near 80. >> another update at 8:56. [ male announcer ] new unisom natural nights. soothes you to sleep with ingredients like melatonin. it's safe with no side effects, so you wake up... ready to go. [ male announcer ] unisom natural nights.

8:30 now on this monday morning, the 30th of april, 2012. we have a really terrific crowd outside soaking up some sun at the start of a new work week here in part of midtown manhattan. we're glad for all of their smiling faces. outside on the plaza i'm ann curry alongside matt lauer, al roker and natalie morales. and coming up we're going to be hearing and cooking with bobby

flay. >> bobby is going to destroy and make us all better cooks at home, and he's going to start with some simple recipes that can really help you out. today's penne with tomatoes, a little bit of arugula, and parmesan. >> hmm. >> we're going to learn how to make that. also garlic bread. >> ooh. >> yummy. >> all right. with some basil or something. >> okay. and then later on we've got a fascinating interview with alma obama. she's president obama's sister from kenya. they met as young adults when they were each coming to terms with their complicated family situation. well, she is out now with a new memoir detailing their relationship, and we're going to talk with her. >> all right. and then you probably all know prince william and kate middleton. >> we all know them. >> they celebrated their first anniversary this weekend. and coming up, we are going to show you some of the top looks that kate middleton inspired, the duchess of cambridge. how you can get that same look for less. >> okay.

all right. but first -- >> it's a bizarre thing. you remember ted williams, the gentleman who was homeless and became -- he just was here. >> where is he? >> he's over there. >> he's walking over there. >> over by the street. by the street. >> there you go. >> there we go. in the background. wave. >> the "today" show! >> woo-hoo! >> come over here. >> wow. >> he's got a beautiful new smile, as well. >> a fly-by on us. anyway. all right. how about a check of the weather? >> all righty. let's see what we've got for you. starting with today we've got a risk of strong storms, texas in to nebraska. we also got risk of some strong storms western p.a. into the tennessee, mississippi river valley. mountain snows pacific northwest with windy conditions. tomorrow risk in the upper mississippi river valley with showers in the pacific northwest. sunny and warm in the southern tier of states. more rain through the tennessee, mississippi and ohio river valleys and a few showers along coastal new england coast.

>> good morning. there is a slight chance we could see some rain late in the day. >> you can get that weather any time you need it. go to the weather channel on cable, or weather.com online. we know the weather's always nice in captiva, that's because willard's there. hey, willie. >> hey everybody in the pool. that's the greatest way to exerci. make you look good. then you get hungry and what do you do? you eat some smucker's jam. happy birthday it is. good old east st. louis, illinois, and this is mayate to

miller. she is 111 years old today. great hostess and a life of the party and a lifelong member of her church. how about those apples. irving, here's good old irving tapper. from san francisco, california. 102 years old. he is a computer whiz. i think everybody out there is. does his own greeting cards online. milly klein from pembroke pines, florida, is 100 years old. she loves reading on her kindle. she's with it. i mean, she's something else. we have peter mack from newport beach, california. one of the prettiest towns in the country. 100 years old today and he exercises every single day. that's why he looks so good. good old marion gunn. bronx, new york. that's the whole bronx farm. you know that right across the river from where nbc is. loves going out to dinner with

her friends, and her secret to longevity, eating. lots of good food. we have sam vitelli, from washington, pennsylvania. i think one of the first towns named after george washington. he's 101 years old today. and his favorite memory is the day he met his wife. isn't that sweet? now back to new york. that's my favorite memory. >> all right, willard, thank you so much. coming up we're going to hear from bobby flay and he is going to share with us his secret for the perfect pasta dish. but first this is "today" on nbc.

"today's kitchen" is brought to you by kraft fresh taste. make something amazing. 8:37. we're back and this morning on "today's kitchen," how to be a better home cook. and we've gotten an italian

favorite from bobby flay. the chef and restaurateur is also one of the mentors in the upcoming season of food network star. always good to see you. >> my pleasure. >> you say when people come up to you they ask you to make chicken dishes, fish dishes and then tomato sauce. >> yes, of course. my wife for instance wants to be able to make five dishes that she has in her repertoire. the simplest dishes are the ones that people really gravitate to. i'm going to show you this dish today. this is tomato sauce. it's got three or four ingredients and i'm going to show you how to cook pasta correctly. >> if you follow the basics of tomato sauce isn't it pretty hard to screw up? >> anything is possible. >> okay. >> what's a mistake people make most often? >> i think that people put too much stuff in it. and i'm going to show you this right now. this is just onions and zbar lick and some tomato. >> a little olive oil in there. >> just a little bit of oil. i just sweat the onions in garlic. which means i don't want to achieve any color, just cook it so that the juices come out. and then i take a can of whole tomatoes and i use the juices in

there, as well. now what i like to do is i like to have texture in my sauce. >> right. i don't puree it in the food processor. i don't put it in the food processor, but what i do is once this starts cooking for about 15 minutes and the tomatoes get nice and soft, i take a -- i'm not going to do it with that suit. and i just kind of press it down. you can see it start to squeeze. you want this to go for about 15 minutes before you start doing that. and you get a really, nice, chunky sauce. pasta, i'm going to use penne today which is a classic shape. >> salt the water? how much salt do you put in water like that? >> i put in a good pinch. something like that. >> and some people put oil in the water as well. >> i don't put oil in the water. i just put the pasta into the water and the box says 11 minutes, i cook it for eight. and i cook it for eight because you can actually cook this ahead of time. but the one thing you don't want to do, huge mistake that a lot of americans make with pasta is they take the pasta out, and then they throw water over it. cold water to --

>> right. >> then it starts to water log it. so undercooking the pasta a little bit. >> it's going to cook a little bit more as you put it in the sauce. >> exactly. >> you do it differently than a lot of americans do, also where they just pour the sauce on top of the pasta. >> exactly. what i like to do, matt is i have the sauce here and it's nice and hot here. and then i put the pasta, which has been, you know, precooked on top of here. so this is a really key thing. you then have to season the pasta again. because you're putting all this starch into this sauce, and all of a sudden you're going to have a bland dish. and there's no more bland food allowed in this country. people want flavor. okay. so i season it with lots of salt and pepper and some good quality parmesan cheese. and then i stir this up and let the sauce cook with the pasta. >> how long would you do his? >> probably about a minute or so. not very, very long. we definitely want the pasta to absorb the sauce. okay? then when that's all absorbed and can you see now we've got the salt, the pepper, the parmesan, fresh basil at the very end. >> if by some chance you can't

find fresh basil you could use dried herbs? >> absolutely not. no, i don't put dried herbs in pasta. i don't think they have a good flavor. >> okay. >> i would just skip it. but you can definitely find fresh herbs. even fresh parsley. what i like to do for this dish, this is something i make all summer long right when it's done i have my basil in there with the pasta, i throw a whole bunch of arugula on top. >> just why? >> i'm trying to create a nice, light texture. but also it's going to be nice and healthy and it's going to give it a nice peppery flavor, as well. because that's what arugula does. >> okay. but then you're not going to cook that very long. >> not going to cook it at all. put it right into this bowl like this. it's sort of like having a pasta and salad all at once. >> there you go. >> just take a spoonful. >> there you go. >> all right. as i eat this, you're going to come back here and you're going to show us garlic bread? >> exactly. >> now i grew up eating not in my house, but in my

italian-american friend's house, great garlic bread. it's very, very simple. what i do first though, is i actually toast the bread first. >> without anything on it? >> just maybe a little olive oil, some salt and pepper. and then, i take some butter, and some garlic. i saute the garlic a little bit. okay. >> so you cook the garlic before you put it on. >> very, very quickly. >> just to draw out the flavor? >> to take the rawness out of it. a little salt and pepper. this is softened butter. >> was that just for tv or is that as long as you cook that? >> very, very quickly. just take the rawness out of the garlic. and then i just throw it over some softened butter and then i just slather the butter on top of the garlic bread. okay. that's what i'm talking about, matt. >> you don't even need the pasta dish. >> let me explain something to you. >> now you're talking. >> let me explain to make sure it's nice and healthy we take the fresh garlic and put it on top. >> this qualifies as health food right now. >> absolutely.

absolutely. listen if you're going to go for it you might as well go for it. >> you put that back in the broiler? or that's it? >> as long as the bread is nice and hot it's going to melt and just kind of eat away. >> you don't serve your guests you just start eating away yourself? >> you never asked. you never asked. >> all right. all right. let me take a bite. it's garlic. >> it's butter. >> really good. >> goes really well with the pasta. >> take a little break here. and say bobby flay thank you. up next, remarkable story about how president obama finally met his sister. she's here to share it in a live interview. we're happy to have her here.

back now at 8:45. alma obama heard stories growing up in kenya of a younger brother named barack who lived in america, but she could never have imagined that one day he would become president of the united states.

she met when they were young adults and forged a lasting relationship and she writes about it in her memoir called "and then life happens." auma obama, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> in this book which was really a pleasure to read, you write about being neglected, even abandoned, by your father. about feeling not understood by your family. and yet you describe an almost instantaneous connection when you met your brother obama. can you describe why, how, you made this instantaneous connection? >> i think the main thing is that it's less -- than being misunderstood. i guess it was the fact i was the only girl in a family of men and boys and when i met my brother, we have this instant connection, i was able to talk to him and he really understood

the things i was talking about. and i can't explain why, but you know, it was just one of these situations where we met, and it just clicked. and the funny thing is when i did come to america to meet him, i initially was afraid that i might not like him as a person because i didn't even know him. i knew about him all my life but i didn't know him. so i had a plan around, what am i going to do if i don't like this person? and there was no question about it. i really felt that, i'll give it ten days of spending a month in america, i was so concerned about not liking him. >> ten days with him so if you weren't going to like him it wasn't going to go well. he, he said about that first encounter in chicago he said, he wrote, i knew at that moment somehow that i loved her so naturally, so easily, and fiercely. what void do you think you filled in his life? >> i think i gave him his -- a part of his family that he didn't have. because a father is an important figure in everybody's life. and everybody searches, even if

you're adopted or you didn't know your father, it's part of who you are, your identity. and that was a part of his identity that he needed to get back. and i was blessed to be able to be the person who was able to give him that and to share that with him. and it was for me so special because it was not difficult to do. he was always in our lives. he was always a part of our life. it was just completing the circle by actually meeting him and then just telling him things that he really would have known already. >> when he said to you, tell me something about my father, could you see in his expression, in his manner, in his questioning how much he craved, needed, to know who his father was? >> if i said yes, i would be -- i can't say that. because i just responded to him basically. you know, when he wanted to know, i wanted to tell. because in telling him about his father, i was finding out about him as my brother. so i was gaining as well. i was gaining the brother who to

me in that instantz was so special, and i was so close to but i really didn't know him that well. in our conversations we also get to know each other. it was like a holding of hands and walking this washington together. where we had been separate all this time. so for me was a wonderful experience, and i think it was great, also, for us together to understand our father. >> you told him things he never knew before, he said, things like how your father used to talk about him. with pride. >> a lot. >> and this must have been to some degree comforting to your brother. >> it is. i hope so. i suspect it is. >> so i wonder, reading the book, whether you think that filling these gaps, for your brother, about how he knew his father, if you had not been able to do that, if he would be who he is today. if he would have been able to achieve becoming president of the united states.

>> to be honest, it's a difficult question for me to answer. it's something that he went through. that's what his experience was, and whether that was a need that he had in order to be more, or to prove himself, or to achieve more, it's a difficult question for me to answer. but i would imagine that it's an important part of being a person, having an identity. so, without that there's probably always been some void in his life. and if you don't feel complete, sometimes you don't do as much as you would. he's a very whole person and i think he's very comfortable with who he is. and you know, he really has a very positive outlook on life. i think all of that contributes to it. because he just knows who he. and i hope that i can contribute to him being able to find out who he is in a more complete way. >> well, the book is illuminating. i wish we had more time but we've run out of time. auma obama, it's a pleasure to meet you. thank you so much for joining us. >> thank you. >> the book is called "and then

life happens." still ahead new high tech gadgets to help you eat smarter and healthier.

we are back now at 8:52 with a very special group of kids. invited to perform on one of the world's biggest stages. here's "today" national

correspondent jenna wolfe. >> it's hard to think of anything that 6-year-old oscar doesn't do over the course of his busy week. >> i do tap dancing, i do ballet, i do karate. i take tap class. and i do drumming class. and once in awhile i do gymnastic class. >> reporter: but if he could, he'd probably be doing more. now that he's got his spirit, and more importantly, his health back. >> oh, and i also have swimming classes, street hockey, and i am starting little league. >> reporter: at age 3, oscar was diagnosed with cancer. >> oscar had a tumor, a slow-growing tumor. he was about stage three, which is almost the end. >> reporter: a far cry from the wide-eyed, life-loving little boy we found rehearsing for a performance at none other than radio city music hall.

can you show me one tap move, stand up here and show me one tap move? >> kind of like a shuffle step. you got it. >> reporter: just a few hours later, oscar would join over 100 kids, each facing their own uphill battle, as part of a garden of dreams talent show on this very stage. ♪ what you can see here is happiness, optimism, unbridled joy. what you cannot see from these kids, and what the garden of dreams is helping to fight every day, is homelessness, illness, and poverty. talk to me a little bit about the inspiration behind this particular event. >> it's about happiness and it's about inspiration. it's about the american dream. it's about telling every kid no matter what their circumstances, you can be what you want to be. >> reporter: a message not lost on 13-year-old alyssa, who chose to sing "beautiful" by christina aguilera. >> i have a tumor, and i lost all my hair, so i didn't really feel beautiful anymore. but i used singing to kind of

escape from it. and when i would sing a long i'm like i'm beautiful, hair, no hair, chemo, no chemo, whatever. ♪ i am beautiful >> reporter: and once a year, on one of the biggest stages that inspiration is brought to life. and the garden of dreams comes with a guarantee. once you join, you're a member for life. with an open invitation to attend special events, held by the foundation all year long. >> i think it helps the people that have no homes or having cancer, it helps them feel great. >> reporter: and did it help you? >> yes. >> i feel like it helped me get through a lot and just made me feel like a better, stronger person, as well. >> that was jenna wolfe reporting. the folks at madison square garden who are behind this, they do this all year long. this isn't just a one-time event. they're behind this cause all year long and they've done great things over the years. >> it's amazing to see those

kids. what they've gone through. >> just ahead -- >> and she is beautiful. >> just ahead inspiring weight loss stories from members of the joy fit club. that's coming up right after your local news. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. baltimore police are awaiting the medical examiner's report after responding what they are calling a suspicious death. police responded to the 5500 block of bill gill avenue 1:00 sunday afternoon and found a

man unresponsive at the scene. no word on

>> for the most part it will be a quiet day. late this afternoon and evening, a slight chance of a few sprinkles. otherwise, mixture of sunshine and clouds. high temperatures around 65 could better chance for showers and thunderstorms on tuesday. then it gets warm. >>