tonight, remembering whitney houston. in the place where it all began. >> people didn't just like you, whitney. they loved you. >> those who knew her best gather for a rousing, emotional good-bye. wild weather. strong storms bring havoc across the south and tonight, is snow on the way up north? sudden turn. after years of decline, why are so many teenagers dying behind the wheel? and all in a day's work for this remarkable woman. you won't believe her age. what she can teach us about staying young at heart. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

good evening. her music moved us and whitney houston found her voice as a young girl and some of the top names gathered with her family and friends for a stirring and joyous tribute to her life. it was up with week ago the 48-year-old superstar was found dead inside a beverly hills, california, hotel room. tonight, mourners continue to leave rememberences to houston outside the new hope baptist church where earlier more than a thousand people attended the private funeral. but potentially millions of others watched on television. as the service was broadcast uninterrupted on the cable news channels. nbc's rehema ellis has more on whitney houston's emotional sendoff. good evening. >> reporter: good evening, lester.

the high spirited service lasted for almost four hours. whitney houston's only child, 18-year-old bobbi kristina and her mother cissy were joined by an invitation only family and friends. ♪ with stevie wonder and a full choir, the church made a joyful noise. new hope baptist was filled with more than a thousand people, standing room only. they celebrated whitney houston's life in a gospel music revival. clive davis discovered her voice. >> you wait for a voice like that for a lifetime. you wait for a face like that, a smile like that, a presence like that for a lifetime. >> reporter: kevin costner was whitney's co-star in her first movie, "the bodyguard." >> the whitney i knew despite

her success and worldwide fame wondered am i good enough, am i pretty enough, will they like me? it was the burden that made her great and the part that caused her to stumble in the end. >> reporter: friends like actor an movie producer tyler perry just loved her. >> so what i know about her, she loved the lord and if that was a grace that carried her all the way through it was the same grace that carried her home. >> reporter: singer alicia keys fought back tears. >> she was so -- such a beautiful human being. really, really caring. beautiful, thoughtful human being. call you for no reason at all. but to see hi. >> reporter: outside, people crowded around whatever screens they could find as an army of journalists, many from overseas, reflected whitney's worldwide fame. ♪

in this newark hair salon they focused on the jersey girl. >> even though i see it on tv, it's unbelievable. >> you can feel it in your body. >> reporter: finally in the church that gave roots to her dazzling voice, it was the last voice that was heard. ♪ ♪ i will always love you >> reporter: aretha franklin, a long-time family friend was scheduled to sing at the funeral but she did not attend. her publicist said franklin was suffering from leg spasms. bobbi brown was here, but he left early after a disagreement over seating arrangements. >> rehema ellis, thank you. i want to turn to the weather now. tonight, some powerful storms are churning across the south and headed up north with snow forecasted for tomorrow. kelly cass is tracking it for us

from weather channel headquarters. >> reporter: good evening, lester. we have a lot going on between severe weather and a snowstorm for those of you in the midded a lap tick region. the mardi gras celebrations have been interrupted and we have picked up two inches of rain and a flash flood watch is in effect. we'll continue to track the heavy rain along the gulf coast. the darker green and yellow are indicating the heavier rain moving you're traveling along western virginia, that's where it will be the heaviest. it's something we'll watch tonight as well as the southeast coast tomorrow. before all is said and done, we could see a foot of snow in some locations across the mid-atlantic. overseas tonight there's growing concern over the crisis in syria.

the widespread violence there has now reached the capitoal of damascus. fresh bloodshed was seen near the embattled president's compound. we get the latest from richard engel. >> reporter: it started out today as a funeral for three members of the opposition killed yesterday. but grew quickly. 5,000 swelled to 15, maybe even 30,000 opposition members say. they were mourning and protesting. and it wasn't just anywhere. but right in damascus and not far from bashar al assad's presidential palace. maybe it was too close for comfort. because witnesses say syrian security forces lowered their weapons and fired live ammunition into the crowds. witnesses say several protesters were killed. dozens wounded. but this could pale in comparison to what may be coming in homs, syria's third city.

for two weeks city, homs has been surrounded by government troops and tanks and snipers. ho homs is the strong hold of the army, a legion of defectors. government forces have shelled homs from afar and strangled it. but even this dire situation could get much worse. tonight, a leading member of the opposition, a syrian ambassador who defected and now lives in s istanbul said they'll enter the city and leading to the worst bloodshed yet. >> the people of homs need urgent help to stop such a massacre that is going to take place. >> reporter: more than 5,000 people have already been killed in syria. the opposition puts the toll at 8,000. and yet, not much is being done to stop it. the syrian government has called for a referendum later this month to pave the way or the more political freedoms. the opposition has dismissed the gesture calling it a stalling tactic. and says what it really needs

are weapons and money and needs them urgently or it will be massac massacred. richard engel, istanbul. tonight, iran is under scrutiny after two of the warships crossed through the suez canal and into the mediterranean sea. with suggestions they could be headed to syria. and meanwhile, they're calling on them to impose on sanctions to force iran to give up the nuke regard program. it was a day of celebrations as the pope benedict elevated 22 church men to the cardinals. including new york arch bishop of new york, timothy dolan. there are now 125 cardinals eligible to vote in a papal

election. now to the race for the republican nomination and now rick santorum challenging mitt romney to be the undisputed front-runner, both are challenging one another's record and the president's just ten days before the michigan primary. we get our report tonight from nbc's ron mott. >> thank you very much. >> reporter: rick santorum took a swipe at the president's energy agenda today and got some heat in exchange. >> it's not about you. it's not about you. it's not about your quality of life. it's not about your jobs. it's about some phony ideal, some phony theology. oh, not a theology based on the bible. a different theology. but no less a theology. >> reporter: the obama re-election campaign quickly fired back, calling it quote, just the latest low in a republican campaign that has been fuelled by distortions, ugliness and searing pessimism and negativity. santorum and romney are grappling with each other over

who gave out money. >> he bailed out the salt lake city olympic games by going to congress to ask them for tens of millions of dollars to bail out the salt lake city olympic games. >> reporter: something the democratic national committee has also weaponized in a new ad. >> that bill to american taxpayers is estimated to be $1.3 billion. that's outrageous. >> reporter: today, in ohio -- >> will you join me? i'll take that as a yes. >> reporter: a hometown welcome for the former pennsylvania senator as he swung back at charges by the romney campaign that he was a big-time spender for abused earmarks. >> rick santorum supported billions in earmarks. >> the focus is millions of dollars in ad campaigns against santorum. and romney sought to slow santorum's surge in the polls.

>> i hope people look at his record. he voted for billions of dollars of earmarks. if you want a fiscal conservative, you can't vote for rick santorum because he's not. >> reporter: newt gingrich weighed in on all this negativity today while campaigning down in georgia. he says mitt romney had gone on the attack against rick santorum in michigan much like he did against gingrich in florida saying it is an unworthy way for someone to become president of the u.s. lester? > >>. let's bring this david gregory, moderator of "meet the press." michigan is ten days a way. romney is behind in the polls there. how critical is it that he holds that ground? >> i think it's how critical it is is underscored by the question of what if romney loses? there are a lot of republicans say it would turn the race upside down. bring in more calls for somebody to come in as a savior into the race. so you could have another person jumping into the race or a lot of enthusiasm behind that idea. so much volatility.

a real question about whether anybody can get the requisite number of delegates to finish this off. >> we have to turn to the caucuses up in maine, all the votes apparently weren't in. they're still counting up there. could this thing swing away from him? >> it's possible. we are down to less than a hundred votes separating ron paul and mitt romney. we saw what happened in iowa and the caucuses were under fire as well. it actually switched to the winner in, it was santorum and not romney. i think the republican party has to look at how the caucuses are administered, how they're executed. they're raising some real question marks this year. >> thanks. see you in the morning. with politics and the economy top of mind, paul ryan and ranking member chris van hollen will be among david's guests on "meet the press." when "nbc nightly news" continues, some health news about an academy award winning actress.

and why are so many teenagers dying behind the wheel? and she's more active than people half her age, what we can learn from her. that we're extremely proud of. you see someone who is saved because of this technology, you know that the things that you do in your life, matter. if i did have an opportunity to meet a cancer survivor, i'm sure i could take something positive away from that. [ jocelyn ] my name is jocelyn, and i'm a cancer survivor. [ mimi ] i had cancer. i have no evidence of disease now. [ erica ] i would love to meet the people that made the machines. i had such an amazing group of doctors and nurses, it would just make such a complete picture of why i'm sitting here today. ♪ [ herb ] from the moment we walked in the front door, just to see me -- not as a cancer patient, but as a person that had been helped by their work. i was just blown away. life's been good to me. i feel like one of the luckiest guys in the world.

♪ in absolute perfect physical condition and i had a heart attack right out of the clear blue... i'm on an aspirin regimen... and i take bayer chewables. [ male announcer ] be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. he's my success story. [ laughs ] [ sighs ] i can't wait till morning. wait! it's morning in china! ♪ [ male announcer ] it's sweet, it's nutty...

it's absolutely delicious. kellogg's crunchy nut. it's morning somewhere. tonight, gas prices across the country higher for this time of year than ever before. the average price of a gallon of gas in america is $3.54.

that's an increase of 16 cents a gallon in just the past month. experts say we could hit $4.25 a gallon by late april. now, to some startling new numbers for parents concerned about the kids getting behind the wheel. the road accidents which have been the leading cause of death for the teens are on the rise again after eight years of decline. what's behind the increase? we get the story from mike taibbi. >> reporter: the twin daughters are taking a driving lesson. >> to keep them safe. it's really important. sorry. >> reporter: mom knows and wants emily and grace to know about the lethal dangers of distracted driving. cell phone calling and texting, music and conversations in the car full of kids. reaching for anything behind the wheel. >> it's frightening. >> reporter: frightening too is

for the first time in eight year, teen road deaths are up. 11% in the first six months of 2011, according to the governor's highway safety administration. >> it's a wake-up call, because in past few years, teen deaths have been declining. >> reporter: in fact, they plummeted from 6,100 in 2002 to 2,800 in 2009. largely due to education programs like this one sponsored by the aaa. a caugdad saving a daughter fro accident. and there's restrictions on night driving and number of passengers, for example, prior to full licensing. in addition, the growing number of technologies that lead to distracted driving are coming up with more ways to combat it. cell phones for example that can't be used for texting or calling while the car is moving. but the effect of all the strategies may now have levelled off. and with the economy improving more teens are looking to roll.

so it comes back to education. >> the more the parents are involved in supporting the child, the greater the chance of success. >> reporter: a teen in the first month of driving without supervision is 50% more likely to crash than someone with a year behind the wheel. >> i know the first time i watch them drive down the road by themselves my heart will be out of my chest. >> reporter: old-style driver ed. mike taibbi, nbc news, los angeles. up next, a whole new meaning for home delivery. you wouldn't want your doctor doing your job. so why are you doing hers? only your doctor can determine if your persistent heartburn is actually something more serious... like acid reflux disease. over time, stomach acid can damage the lining of your esophagus. for many, prescription nexium not only provides 24-hour heartburn relief, but can also help heal acid related erosions in the lining of your esophagus. talk to your doctor about the risk for osteoporosis-related

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we're back now with a growing movement that's giving a whole new meaning to the term, home delivery. building a new home isn't an option, but thanks to an increasing trend they're able to buy the home they had always hoped for in the neighborhood they want at a fraction of the price. and we get the story now from nbc's tom tron. >> reporter: it's a new kind of mobile home. a three bedroom ranch once headed for demolition. >> instead of tearing the houses down, we pick them up and relocate them and turn them into houses again. >> reporter: with the help of jacks, dollies and trucks, the house is on the move, getting a second chance with a new family. is this your dream home? >> it's a home. yeah. it's close. >> reporter: james and michelle wanted a new home.

but building one was too pricey. so they visited the used home lot near portland, oregon. >> no different than a used car lot, i guess. but a little bit bigger. >> reporter: they bought the house for $40,000. almost half the cost of building a new one. >> the one you got is perfect, andy. >> reporter: delivery included. >> you would see it would get close to the cars that were pulled off to the side. >> reporter: this takes a lot o hard work and a lot of coordination. the house weighs 70,000 pounds and 64 feet long and 30 feet wide. right now we're rolling at 15 miles an hour. everything looks to be on schedule. it will take the crew about three hours to move the house 30 miles. roughly 50,000 homes are moved this way every year. since the economy slowed down, the sales are up 25%. other shop and ship companies are seeing similar spikes. >> a lot is people are saving

money, getting a new home at a decent price they can afford. >> reporter: mark and sue headley snatched up this one to rent it out. >> if it goes well we'll do a few more. >> reporter: back at the empty lot, the caravan pulls in, and the house safe and sound. >> it's like recycling at its best, i think. we're taking a home that somebody else used to have and fixing it back up again. >> reporter: the american dream, delivered. we learned today that academy award winning actress dame judi dench is battling to save her sight. she has been diagnosed with macular degeneration which can cause blindness. the 77-year-old says her vision is so poor she can no longer read scripts. she has family and friends read her lines to her. when we come back, a woman who proves that age is just a number and forever young at heart. ♪ ♪ if you are among the very

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my hairline is receding but i'm getting a weave. (falsetto chorus) getting a weave. who wants some ronald tonight!? geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. timely tonight, we wanted to introduce you to a remarkable woman who can teach us something about staying young at heart. she was born more than a century ago when teddy roosevelt was in the white house. but you might not believe it from the way she zips around. faster than a lot of folks half her age. here's nbc's kerry sanders. >> reporter: if you think work is a four-letter word, then you haven't met dorie norak.

>> that's it. going rolling again. >> reporter: she has been sorting and delivering the mail in hollywood, florida, for the past 38 years. a job she started when she was 67 years old. math a little rusty? let her calculate her age today. >> 105. >> reporter: you're 105 years old? >> yeah. >> reporter: you're smiling. >> i just can't believe it myself. ♪ happy birthday >> reporter: the day she was born -- >> february 15, 1907. >> reporter: newspaper headlines reported the senate was stalling discussions on immigration bill. it was japanese immigrants back then. and as new york bustled that year, oklahoma became our nation's 46th state. >> thank you so much. be good. >> you're welcome. >> reporter: do people used to tell you you're a good looking lady? >> no, they tell me that now.

you're beautiful. but i don't see it. >> reporter: born in england, she was jewish and emigrated to the united states. a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother. she has outlived seven brothers and sister, two husbands. on rounds these days, she's a rock star. even the doctors can't explain it. >> i'm impressed. >> i think a lot depends on attitude. if you look at the full half of the glass and not the empty one. >> reporter: you had cancer. >> well, that didn't bother me. >> reporter: she credits that laughter, her faith, cross words to keep her mind active and one other key to a long life. would you like to have a cookie? cookies. lots of cookies. kerry sanders, nbc news, hollywood, florida. >> that's a recipe for a long

life i like. when "nbc nightly news" continues -- actually, that's it for us. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. i'll see you tomorrow morning on "today" and right back here tomorrow evening. have a great night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com