here's abc's ashan singh. >> reporter: the summer sun beating down. sand that's hot to the touch could get anyone off their beach towel and into the water. mario coju is one of the handful of new lifeguards keeping connecticut beaches safe this summer. >> whether it's being up in the tower or walking on foot patrol along the shoreline, we're really just looking out for any sort of emergency that may come. >> reporter: 18 years old and headed to college in the fall. spending his senior summer working the local beach didn't sound like such a bad idea. but mario's actually part of a dying breed. of lifeguards. just months ago mario's boss wasn't sure they'd be able to fill all their watch towers for the summer season. >> going into the spring, we were only seeing maybe one or two dozen applicants that came through, and that plus our 30 lifeguards that decided to return to us for this season put our numbers at only 40%. >> what does 40% of lifeguards staffed look like on a beach if it were to go this way into beach season? >> it's our policy if we do not

here's abc's ashan singh. >> reporter: for 30-year-old matt ford in california, the thought of dealingh another virus was something he was not prepared for. >> i first heard about monkeypox back in may. my impression was that, you know, it was maybe something to be concerned about at some point in time, but it didn't really seem like anything to be immediately concerned about. >> reporter: within a month, ford came down with a fever and flu-like symptoms and developed lesions across his body. >> at the peak of it i counted more than 25. my feet, arms, shoulders, one on my scalp, on my face, some in more sensitive areas. those tended to be the most excruciatingly painful. to the point there were multiple nights i wasn't able to go to sleep. >> reporter: ford is one of 7,000 people in the united states who hav suffered from monkeypox, a virus that is considered a cousin of smallpox and is said to be transmitted through physical contact. >> around 1970, we saw some of our first cases of monkeypox in humans. mainly it's endemic to parts of central and western africa and naturally tends to

here's abc's ashan singh. >> the greatest of all time. >> reporter: it was a celebration fit for a queen. a standing ovation as serena williams stepped onto the court sparkling from head to toe. her shoes encrusted with hundreds of real diamonds. tonight she celebrates her final grand slam tournament before possibly hanging up her racket for good. earlier in the evening serena beating her opponent. >> game, set, and match. serena williams. >> reporter: danka kovinic from montenegro. in her pursuit of a 24th grand slam singles championship here at the u.s. open. showing her fans that at 40 years old she's still got it. it's a full circle moment for the legend, who won her first ever grand slam singles title at the arthur ashe stadium at the age of 17. >> just keep coming out and supporting me as long as i'm here.3 know that i love you so much and i'm so excited to be here. [ cheers and applause ] so, so, so much. >> reporter: fired-up fans, family members and friends came out in full force at this star-studded event to commemorate her tremendous career as one of the most accomplished tenn

ashan singh went behind the scenes. ♪ >> reporter: it's the world's biggest country music event and itset enough of. >> it feels exciting to be back and i feel like it's something that makes country music and nashville so special and we've been missing it. >> it's a city full of the people that love country music the most. you feel that connection. you feel that love in the air. ♪ never say never with you ♪ ♪ i end up together with you ♪ ♪ it's hell and it's heaven with you ♪ >> reporter: cma fest, a four-day festival with thousands in the heart of music city featuring 30 performances from some of country's hottest musicians. >> i'm excited. you know, i haven't played nashville since the last time either. so i'm really excited to bring the new energy that i found on stage. ♪ baby love you ♪ >> reporter: for the past two years the festival has been put on hold due to the covid-19 pandemic. now back, even the artists are feeling the jitters. what's going through your head? how are you feeling? >> i feel good, man. i kind of forgot how to talk to crowds. i think when you're just with your

ashan singh is here with what some of them are doing to help keep swimmers safe. weekend. while plenty of the country is looking to head to the nearest beach or pool there's actually been a lifeguard shortage, it's unprecedented and it's sweeping the nation. check it out. >> so we're seeing more drownings in locations where there normally was a lifeguard and people are going out because they're inclined to go out in this hot weather and there is no lifeguard on duty. >> reporter: a lifeguard shortage is shuttering pools and leaving beaches defenseless. for the past two years the covid-19 pandemic adding to an existing deficit in certified guards and this year's numbers are worse than ever before. >> in order to do our training we have to get up close and personal and we haven't been able to do that. we can't do that virtually. >> reporter: here in connecticut sara wasn't sure if they'd fill their watch towers for the summer season. >> going into the spring, we were only seeing maybe one or two dozen applicants that came through and that plus our 30 lifeguards that