northeast in about 20 to 25 miles an hour, moving in to laurel within moments between 6:05 and 6:10. very heavy rain falls, some lightning still in this thunderstorm. but not much else going on. so only another isolated thunderstorm possible this evening for most of us. it's looking and the thunderstorms putting on a show. on the bottom left-hand side of our screen, beautiful rainbow got into the virginia, social media just filled with beautiful rainbow pictures from that severe thunderstorm warning. more on what this weather means for your forecast on tuesday coming up in a little bit. >> thank you. ♪ we begin tonight with gratitude to all of you who have reached out to help us remember our good friend and long time coworker jim vance. he died on saturday morning at the age of 75. as you know, h

months and it was a battle he fought with humility and strength. tonight we'll share with you the man that he was and the legacy. vance was the face of nbc 4 for 48 years. he had already been on the air for 20 years when i arrived in 1989 and he welcomed me right into the fold. jim vance shared so much of himself with us and with you over the years. he had a way of making all of us feel like his close friends, didn't he? i think vance might say the most important part of his personal story would be his three children. don, alani and brenda, he loved them dearly and sure loved to talk with them. >> first, i want to say to you, how we're all grieving, but nobody more than you. how are you doing? >> i'm doing we

>> we miss your dad so much. but you have a whole different perspective than we've been sharing. talk a little bit about what you would like for us to remember about your dad. >> i was thinking about that. i was thinking that just how he had a very gentle soul. he was such a man's man and you saw him everywhere. he had this big spirit. but he was also very gentle and very tender and you could talk to him about anything. and he was never judgmental and he was always open and he believed that everyone had a story no matter what, you know, from no matter who you were, everyone's story was as equally important. >> i was always impressed with what a good listener he was. >> that's exactly what i mean. >> he listened to a lot of people. >> yeah. >> i watched so many people come into our newsroom

budding journalists who wanted to get your father's advice. he made time for everybody, didn't he. >> absolutely. that was like one of the beautiful things about him. >> we talked about you and your stroke. >> about the quality of your father's relationships with people. >> absolutely. and especially during this time, how strong they were, like, how good he was at cultivating and it's so many -- i felt so much love throughout this time and so many different people. and it's real and you can feel how real and sincere it is. >> i know a lot of people have reached out to you. >> absolutely. >> what has been your reaction, your family reaction to the huge reaction and the response? >> they've been blown away. it's beautiful. it feels really good. and it's helped

our thoughts and prayers are with you. >> thank you. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. i thank you for coming in here and staying with us. >> we've got a lot hr to come. i know you and i are both excited to see your dad memorial. >> very excited. >> lonnie vance, thank you for joining us. >> jim. >> and how he would light up whenever he would talk about how pride he was. >> from father to mentor, to newsroom leader, vance meant so much to so many of us. we wanted you to hear from people you normally don't see on camera. the people who work dehind the scenes to get us on the air, pat collins is in the newsroom now with memory from vance's long time colleagues right here at news 4. pat. >> jim, vance was much, much more than an anchor here. in his own special way, he changed the way we worked. he changed

>> on vance, april williams, nbc 4 producer, ten years. >> i mean, the thing with vance is, it was no bs, right. so especially as a black woman and as a black journalist, you know, he will pull you aside and be like, look, you don't have it together, you need to pull it up and act right. you know. and he had no cut cards and he would tell you the way it was. and i appreciate that. >> on vance, nbc 4 operations manager. >> 20 years. i was going through a really tough period in my life. i was getting divorce and i was having one of those emotional moments and jim pulled me to his office and said to me, sister, get it together. sit down, cry i

we all have ups and downs, but you're a champion. i expect you to be a champion. and continue to be so. and that was something that helped me to put things in perspectiv perspective. >> i was deciding whether or not i wanted to continue in this business. he said to me. >> that has the skill and the craft that i have and i've developed over the years. he said, and -- i wasn't suppose to do this. he said he was proud of my progress, that

grow from afar for many many years and he remembered me as his young black kid that just came to the newsroom, you know, just fit in and did what i had to do to get this far. and he just said to me, he's like, you've come way too far to turn back. >> in our city, in our newsroom, in our lives, vance, vance made a difference. jim. >> difference for a long time. pat collins, we thank you. vance and doreen would hand off news 4 at 6:00 every night with lester holt. and although lester anchors for new york city, he and vance got together a few times. >> you might expect these two veteran news men to get it off. lester joins us now to share his thoughts about our colleague. lester, we've met with you a couple of times ovee

couple of years. >> we've had occasions rite there in the studio when i would drop by and we were shooting some promos together not that long ago. let me just say, first of all, that we are all one big family at n bbc, our hearts go out to r colleagues. we feel this incredible loss. a couple observations about jim, others would probably remark just his cool. and i say that in all the way ways. his calmness, his warmth. what i always saw with jim is a guy that have kind of cracked the code at what we do. he understood this connection that we truly are coming in people's living rooms and in their kitchens that we are -- you know, the last time we were together, i saw the streets of washington. i saw people come up to jim like an old friend i had that look, is that somebody he knows, you know, somebody that knows him, just seemles h

i think i said something the mayor of washington or something like that. it was so seemless. it wasn't like people were stars, oh, jim vance. hey, jim, he would respond in kind. as i said, he practice -- he cracked the code. he understood the connection that really brings, you know, viewers and those of us on this side of the camera together. >> he did, indeed, lester. it's been interesting to hear our colleagues talking about what an impact he made on so many up and coming journalists in our newsroom. >> i could say that. and i think that that's, you know -- i looked at jim, you know, even at my status and his status and i looked at him and i would think, you know, there were so many parts of him that i would look at and i wish i could be like that because he just had a way of kind of reaching to the screen -- reaching through the screen and his calmness was, particularly, struck me when we were together in those shootings together and his patience. i

announced his illness on the screen, that he loved his job and he loved the people he worked with. and you could see that every day when he was on tv. >> he did. indeed. he was the coolest guy in washington, lester, we appreciate you taking the time to share your thought. >> happy to be here. it's a privilege. >> thanks. people are posting their condolences on social media. those of you who have been watching vance for years are feeling this loss as well. you welcome us into your homes every night. and van had a way of connecting with everyone. those who are lucky enough to meet him in person are sharing the stories and talking about his genuine nature. >> he knows how to connect. coverage continues drk-- i grew watching him in this house. and for a young

>> when prince georges african-american county was dying of cancer, he sat down with jim vance. and as they discussed death, they found a way to laugh when the topic of washington's football team name came up. >> final question. >> yes, change it. >> i don't even have to ask. >> that was vance. it's what viewers at prince georges county told me they loved and are going -- >> pretty much, i'm going to let it stay there, i can get a little emotional behind that. >> it's hard to explain. he was special. it

come along in your life like that and it's hard to explain. >> people who never met vance in person, felt as though they had. >> what we all did. because he sat home with us at dinner time. >> he's like a member of your family. we watched him for decades. >> he was a real person. he didn't show -- like he was on tv and that kind of attitude. he was a down to earth. he was real. he was people. >> let's do sports now. when they showed the video of him laughing, they just broke back all of those memories in my head. i watched him that day. >> over that way, mr. vance, literally is my childhood and my adulthood and any news that has ever occurred pretty much got from him. >> just got the kind of perspectives of issues over the years that were so balanced and so heart felt and he's going to be missed. >> vance had a way of

right to the heart of the viewers. that explains why so many people felt like they knew him even if they never met him. for me, it was an honor to call him mentor and friend. reporting live, i'm tracee wilkins. back to you all in the studio. >> thank you for sharing all of that, i shall say, we appreciate it. thanks for all of you who reached out to us all weekend long and bring our support to our nbc family. >> much more tonight as we remember jim vance, funeral arrangements are still being worked out. we invite you to share your memories along with us on the b nbc washington facebook and twitter pages. we'll be right back. for

chopper 4 showing us the aftermath after tornado touched down in maryland. it happened early this morning. this is close to the bay bridge, damaging stevensville, maryland is extensive. >> more on the clean up. but let's begin with amelia tracking some more storms tonight. amelia. >> yeah, just an

thunderstorms out there. by no means talking about widespread deveer weather tonight. i think -- severe weather tonight. take a look at what i amtraking right now on storm team 4 radar. you can see kind of -- it's starting to move and months of as it moves through the district. no longer severe and it's continuing to diminish, i want to take you down and show you exactly where it's moving. it's moving and together just skipping the savage area. we feel it here around mcclain area probably moving over and potentially in parts of bethesda, as well. as far as the tornado that moved through stevensville. between 1:29 and 1:33 in the morning. it was on the ground for four minutes traveled two miles.

a lot of lightning, very heavy rain fall moving through and ef-2 tornado was confirmed there. it was on the ground for about four minutes maximum mind about 125 miles per hour. it's about 15 years since it happened. it hasn't seen construction like this in 15 years. the last time ef-2 tornado touched down here in 2002. they've never seen or heard anything like this morning's storm. what do you see? >> we've never seen a storm

lived here for years. >> i've never heard a tornado before, but i've heard description and very distinctive sound it makes. it and it really did sound like a train, you know. and stuff started hitting the window. >> it did more than hit windows, it took off roofs and toppled walls and trees and powerlines. from the looks of this tree based on the size, it's got to be 100, maybe 200 years old and seeing some storms but this one took it out. take a look inside there. it makes you think it may have been struck by lightning. didn't have a chance. look at this house. . it's hard to believe it was happening around here. >> we could feel just about floating and moved about 20 feet on this side and 10 feet on that side. it was scarey. i kept asking my son, look out the window, are we up in the air or are we up in the air. >> it was a

confirmed that a tornado had done all of this damage. national weather service said it was ef-2 that means winds well in excess. and now in sections on the island like bay city and heaviest damage was done, that's the sound that some of these folks will never forget. back with you live now you're looking at the continuing clean up process at the townhome community that was still under construction. they gut the deck off of this suv. there's a lot of debris here that will have to clear up and this is what 125 mile an hour winds will do. we're live, stevensville, derri derrick ward, news 4. still ahead much more coverage as we remember jim vance. he had a sense of how much he was loved an respected in dc.

>> as we go to break now, we've got a look at his last public appearance late last month as the unvailing at the chili bowl. >> you cannot imagine my joy and my pride when i got the word, a month or so ago, all y'all had voted poor me to sit on cheili bowl wall. you had

you know, we were talking a bit and that's vance. i was looking at all of the pictures and all of the stuff, and he was never down. and what a life. what a life. when i came here in 1974, vance had an edge. it really

fears ads. he would put down stories on the air. he would go to the air and say, well that was a lousy store. he came on the air and started anchoring, he was a simple ton of this town. and i am remembering in the early '70s there was a riot and vance come down and listened to their demand and he did. can you imagine somebody doing that today? >> no, i can't. he was the coolest guy in washington, wasn't he? remember his office upstairs. he had jazz

>> how about, rum night? that was before my time. >> taking the fifth. >> oh, no. >> there was a fifth involved, as i recall. >> occasionally fans would moon me. >> that's a great story. >> wait -- -- >> don't skim past that. that's pretty significant story. >> he tried to -- i would be on the green screen and i would see vance walking back in the camera, i knew what was coming next. and he -- >> everybody did. >> and he would pull down his pants and moon me. >> true story. strew story. i saw this. i saw this happen. but -- i didn't see the same angle that bob got to see. >> true

>> totally unique person and unique anchor. if i tell him to shave off his mustache, he would grow a beard. they would tell him to cut his hair and he would grow an aftro. and he would do a commentary that ring the phones off the hook. in 1975 the news director said, vance, i want some cool music. vance picked "my mood" and to this day that music still plays on the end of the 6:00 news. >> played it tonight. >> and every time you play that song, that is the spirit of jim vance. as long as that music is playing on channel 4, jim vance is still with us. >> we had so much fun and he enriched our lives.

he sure did. >> thanks for sharing that with us. >> now we've got that harvest moon that we cannot get out of our minds. we never knew. >> there were some others that won't be on tv. >> exactly. we love those. >> he was one of a kind. vance always made everything look so smooth. that took hard work and help along the way. >> he helped some people. he's talking about some advice he once got from nbc news anchor david brinkly. >> i am terrified every single time i go on the air and i'm a veteran now. i've been doing this for 20 years and i have this feeling that i should break out in hives every time the light goes on on the camera and i want to know how long do i have to go before i can

should i expect to happen. and brinkly is sitting there in that brinkly-like fashion that he talked and, well, jim, the day comes when you don't get a butterfly in your belly when you go on the air, that's the day you get out of the business.

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we're also expecting a tribute to jim tonight on the house floor. congresswoman eleanor holmes will speak about vance around 7:00 tonight. she tells us he deserves to go on the congressional record. >> pretty cool. >> many of us spent decades working with vance. barbara, you met him 35 years ago. >> you guys go way back. >> actually more than 35 years ago when i first walked in to nbc washington. he was the dean of the newsroom. already he had been here 10 years already when i got here. in fact, i would say that he set the pace for the rigorous pursuit of accuracy and spirit of community that made it a great news organization to work for. he didn't just read the news. he participated in the like of

today i chatted with george lambert, the head of the greater washington urban league who remembered jim's long-time involvement with his organization. >> not only with the urban league, but so many other organizations, so many events i would see jim vance, sometimes, he was just there in the audience and lending a helping hand or just, you know, providing support to the organization. >> well, this spring, the urban league of washington decided to create a scholarship in jim's honor and will provide help to the at-risk students at the preparatory charter school in ward 8. >> we will execute doing this at the beginning of this school year with that particular school. >> well, jim, recently asking to stand in for him at a gala where he was an hon ree and his openness in sharing his own personal experience with drug

a problem that almost destroyed him. he confronted it. he overcame it. it was a big challenge and that's why they wanted to honor them. it was back then that was first called in to fill in for him. now, if you ever heard jim vance deliver the speech. you know the ease he had at communicating. he used no big dictionary words. well, i struggled through the first unprepared reading, first time i was handed a speech that he had written and they were giving it to me just minutes before he wrote it. he had planned to say to the audience, not you, but y'all. not your parents, but your mama and your daddy. there are proud folks out there today. i got a little better at being jim. then he got better. he got well and he didn't need me to fill in any more. until recently, he asked me to accept his honor for providence honor, i said i would write the speech if he would

something from himself that he wrote. >> i begin with -- my aunt who stuck that i didn't quite get at the time she was uttering it, in particular, she would get all up in my face and say, boy, don't you know man proposes but god does supposes a-- disposes. i expected to be fully engaged with no anticipation of being humbled by cancer. as my aunt use to say from time to time, all sickness ain't death and it is with that spirit and love that i humbly dare to suggest to you that if you invite me again next year, don't be surprised if i show up. he had such an optimistic spirit. >> yes, he did. >> i think we all had learned so much. >> you were brave to try to read

i wouldn't attempt it. and i also think people probably know you talked about his use of plain words. he knew all those big words. he knew the -- >> he is such a brilliant journalist. he could deliver a speech to anybody. he knew how to reach those folks who are listening and we all listened to jim. >> indeed, we did. >> i've been reflecting some this weekend about the times that i had spent with jim vance and just reflecting on some of the incredible things that i got to experience right here on this news desk sitting next to jim vance, the night mayor barry was arrested, 9/11, i was sitting right here next to him. but the one that is -- that really comes to my mind is the night in 2008 when barack obama won the presidential election. and vance and i were

moment. he -- it's not something the election of a black man to the white house is not something he ever expected to see in his lifetime. and that night, as we watched the returns coming in and as the obama family was walking out on to the stage to accept the election, this was the scene, breaking out spontaneously over on u street. and we -- the producer kind of threw it to us in our ear and said this is happening. and vance took over and he smoothly talked -- introduce that and we took off our mics and we just sat back and watched that event unfold. and for me to be able to experience that through his eyes that night, i'll never forget

that. >> and the chili bowls wall. >> can i take a quick moment and just say, i think it's safe to say for all of us here on news 4 family and for all of you, the tremendous thanks we owe you the past three days your courage and your strength, we are in awe of you, you were by his side for the past three months for almost three decades, but the past three months and we just thank you. you were the dream team back when and there will never be another vance. it's meant so much. you've seen everybody through these past three days. >> i appreciate that very much. and i thank everybody in our newsroom has felt and continues to feel a strong sense of wanting to get this right in vance's honor. i remembered he held it together when george michael passed away. he went on the air that night and so that wa

yeah, to follow. >> he had big shoes to fill? >> yes. >> absolutely. you do a great job. >> there are so many memories. i shared one at 5:00. you knew my crackle barrel. well, i can feon fez to another. vance could reel you into a conversation and time would completely get away from you. when we would start talking tenn tennis, we couldn't turn it off. we were both equally obsessed with the sport. but vance right up no one else -- and hockey player. and

by 3:55. and bright and early. yes he was. >> once -- and this is one time fans have -- and and i've never walked through a crowd of hundreds of --

people. and like, mr. vance, mr. vance, mr. vance. >> and unnerved by this -- he was the king -- and it was just, oh my gosh.

[ laughter ] >> this is the best. he's the best. still ahead we're going to take a look at vance's last.

♪ ♪ just a few moment -- he wanted to interview director of the smith sonia african-american. vance recently run into it and vance told, you know, as he always did. cool hat with his detailed notes and written on a

he was great interview. late march, vance announced that he was sick a short time ago. story will air. for ♪ ♪

>> and in terms, somebody to ask, who is lying about this. >> he'll age and he didn't re realize. really. >> from that moment on, i wasn't --

>> and to the time and went to chicago in chicago, what brought you back to washington? why would you continue to take that. >> and let me say, in the midst of trying to collect artifacts and -- and to suddenly,

had -- and they're getting stabbed and he had to worry about it. the collections on top of it. ♪ ♪

>> and. >> and it's strong folks. >> and -- and really nothing happened. >> we don't know. we'l

>> we're open about connections, right? >> to my relatives and checku checkups -- and one of the brothers dealt with that, i think, as i recall, ten dollars bill. and her thing was take care

my child -- and those -- >> forget how important there are. >> i will share you through my life. and i'm curious -- and driven -- and what the family did in terms of creating opportunities for

me? >> why don't you tell me, how -- >> he's unbelievable humble and i cry all the time. >> let me fill it in. how in the world can you top. >> you'll always be -- >>

we have quite a few memories. this is -- it's so amazing. you stop by first thing -- and sports department had a special relationship and reached out.

>> he was amazing. >> we don't need to get into all of that. >> this is the same way the rest of us do. he's going to be missed. he's one of a kind. >> let me see what you've got. and kind of hit the ground running. but -- >> to vance, most important word in his vocabulary was the

for and something he ought taught me. every time -- you're living your own paradise. >> here. here. well said. and you never knew when he would interrupt, what he would say. you knew he could. put together -- >> you ready to ride it? >> that puts

[ laughter ] >> what did he say? [ laughter ] >> what did he say? >> we want vance! we want vance! >> the senators, i mean, very last day of the 1945 season. ♪ ♪ [ laughter ] >> this becomes -- our team that works well together. >> tell us about the sports, would you, george. >> that would be a good idea. [ laughter ] [ laughter ]

>> you all are just tickled by them. [ laughter ] ♪ ♪ watched lite like an hour ago. we have a longer version on the air, tweeted out a version. >> i remember how much vance loved when he got to fill in on sports. in fact, he would hope that george would be delayed. >> i think we'll have a show on news 4 at 11:00. they're going to have a moment of silence. did you see the picture they tweeted

share the jim vance that we all knew and loved. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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