news 4s derek ward reports on how people here shared the spirit of the season. >> reporter: more thanf the catholic faithful made mass at the national shrine part of their holiday. cardinal archbishop of washington urged those gathered to take the day and time to reflect on what the holiday means. >> we have responsibilities. spouses, children, family, work, dogs, vocations. but christmas, christmas is the time when we recognize there is more. >> reporter: it echos the message from the pope, who called for christians to move away from consumerism that has come to define the holiday. this mass provides an opportunity to hear a message about the true meanings of the holidays. for many families an opportunity to put those things into practice. following the mass, the shrine's christmas dinner. ♪ gloria >> reporter: it draws 1,000 diners alone or in need. volunteer to serve them. for some it's a personal tradition. >> serve the people. >> the first time for the o'connor family, a christmas activity they can enjoy together. >> trying to reach out and help families. >> just giving back to p

derek ward joins us live at the mall in prince george's to explain. >> reporter: good morning, chris. the crowds have magically subsided here that we saw earlier. this is indeed super saturday, but there's a convergence of themes here. there's some new shoes going on sale that are being released today. the new jordans and there's a new lebron james themed shoe going on sale. i'm going to tell you i don't know what they are called. they are indeed popular. we have some video of the crowds earlier at the stores. they opened early they were letting people in ten at a time to actually go in and buy the shoes. you had crowds in two entrances. some people in the front door and some going in one of the side doors. we talked to folks that have been out here since 1:00 a.m. we did talk to one parent of a person who was in line here about i guess the challenges of this sort of thing. >> i have a son that plays. it's our first time doing this. we were thinking that it was real organized at 5:00 this morning there was a nice line all the way down the street. the closer it got to 7:00 which is whe

derek ward has more on how his dying gift made it all possible. >> reporter: a gentle bend in the washington and old dominion trail it's the sight of a turning point in the lives of this family. five years ago paul was biking this trail when he crashed. a few days later he died. since the loss, 4 his wife and daughter came to find solace that he died doing something he loved. he biked 2,000 piles a year. >> it was one of his favorite activities. it was his favorite bike spot. >> reporter: there would be something else to help remember, paul, a red heart about his driver's license says it all. paul was an organ donor. >> that choice that he made by checking that box over 25 years ago really became an important decision. >> reporter: paul's liver, kidneys and heart valves went to recipients who needed them to live. skin and bone were also donated. >> it was important. he wanted to help people. live on. >> reporter: nationwide the 100 millionth organ donor was recently registered. that's a mild stone, but donors are still needed. >> 18 people are dying every day. >> reporter: next month paul's

news 4's derek ward has the story. >> reporter: christopher watson had a dream and a plan. wheelchair accessible home. the plan was to invest money he'd been compensated for his injuries to pay for it. >> i decided to hire someone to help me invest it. >> reporter: it seems like a god send when this man came to his church introduced by the preacher, leslie home taught some classes in personal finance and offered to help chris manage his investments through his company, christian financial investment. he convinced him to move his money to several accounts. he came to count the man among his friends. >> as well as a brother in christ, i felt comfortable with him. >> reporter: when the time came for watson to start drawing down his investments to build that home, the friend revealed himself for what he really was. >> as a wolf in sheep's clothing. >> reporter: there was stalling about the money. while watson had been putting money into the investment accounts, what he thought, police say holmes was keeping it as watson found out when he checked with the banks. >> there was no

derek ward is live in the area with more on that problem. good morning, derek.

derek is back at 7:00. you can always find us at wusa9.com. good night. >> pelley: tonight, inside syria. clarissa wards to meet syrian army defectors who refuse to fire on their own people. >> reporter: we left at night and were blindfolded in the backseat as the car twisted along back roads outside of damascus. >> pelley: the battle for iowa. our new poll tonight finds newt gingrich opening a wide lead. dean reynolds is there. in the investigation of a possible death by hazing, florida a&m defends itself but anna werner speaks to the victim's parents. and the final days. jim axelrod is with american soldiers as they get ready to leave iraq

ward off all of that negative attention. >> delia is live at the mall where another group of demonstrators are planning their week long rally. delia. >> derek, the folks here call themselves our d.c. and they share some of the same goals as the occupiers, they tell me they intend to follow the rules and protest peacefully. >> yeah, i like that one. >> the protesters are setting up. getting ready for a week long occupation of their own. >> got it. >> on the mall. >> our d.c., fighting for jobs. fighting for the american dream. >> american dream has been gone by the waist side. and we are here to reclaim that dream. >> john is from ward 7, which is one of the highest unemployment rates in the city and in the country. >> i need a job and there are people who, especially my family members and members of my community who are suffering. >> i think the movements are actually, you know, put our issues in forefront. >> unlike the occupy d.c. movement, they are not camping out long-term nor do they intend to get arrested. but they will rally for better jobs and have filed for a permit to do so here on the capital's front lawn. >> as far as minorities