. >> reporter: daniel hartung's wife warned him setting out on his first whitewater kayaking trip wasot a swimmer coming down. >> was she ever right. just minutes into his journey down six-mile creek near hope, alaska, he was thrown from his kayak. legs quickly trapped beneath a log. >> he is pinned. he's caught. >> reporter: fellow kayakers began a rescue with time quickly running out. >> the more i tried to extract myself the lower my head went until i was not able to breathe anymore. >> reporter: rescuers threw him ace rope but his strength was gone. >> i just came to the realization that i was not going to get out of this by myself and that this is probably the end. >> reporter: that's when a stranger object die ya jenkins jumped in putting his own life at risk going underwater and pulling hartung free. >> i just knew at that point there was no way that i could let this guy die. >> reporter: rescuers performed cpr and other than a broken ring hartung was okay. for jenkins who turned 33 that day there was no better present. >> i said to him, nobody dies on my birthday. >> reporter:

i want to go very quickly to kaylee hartung. we are hearing that the reports that brian alluded to earlier about a car ramming into people on the streets of charlottesville, kaylee, what are you hearing about that? >> reporter: yeah, boris, we can now report that the charlottesville police and the virginia state police are on the scene of a three-vehicle accident at water and fourth streets in downtown charlottesville. that is just about a block off the downtown mall, the heart of the city. multiple injuries are reported, statement from the governor's office and state official says people should clear the area to allow emergency medical personnel to respond. the state will be releasing more information as they have it. >> yeah, we will certainly keep an eye on that story and find out if this was just an accident or something perhaps more nefarious. kaylee, thank you very much. and stay with cnn. we're going to continue watching the unfolding events in charlottesville, virginia. whoooo. going somewhere? here's some advice. tripad

. >> reporter: daniel hartung's very first whitewater kayak trip nearly killed him.down six mile creek near hope, alaska, saturday, you can see he has been thrown into the water. >> hey he's pinned! he's caught! >> reporter: fellow kayakers begin a rescue as hartung fights the raging current. >> the more i tried to extract myself, the lower my head went until i was not able to breathe anymore. >> reporter: then hartung goes under. >> i just came to the realization that i was not gonna get out of this by myself and this was probably the end. >> reporter: that's when a stranger jumps into action. >> i knew at that point there was no way that i could let this man die if i had a 1% chance of doing something that saved his life, i was going to try it. [ cheers ] >> reporter: rescuers used cpr to revive him. for jenkins who turned 33 that day, there was no better present. >> i said to him, nobody dies on my birthday. >> reporter: clayton sandell, abc news, dedenver. >> he told him his wife said the kayak trip was a bad idea, and he is home and wants to buy his rescuer a go

but our kaylee hartung was saying she heard chant earlier this morning.an hate speech. this at its start or at least it was promoted to be a unite the right rally. and we heard from one of the organizers saying that this was to stand up for white persons' ability to speak out on behalf of what they see as injustices. in part to rally against the removal of the statute of robert e. lee there in charlottesville. but this has already turned violent and we're still again an hour out. we don't know if they are poles used as flags or for defense or offense. but fists thrown already and fights between protesters and anti-protesters. >> we're going to take a quick break here and take you back as we continue to watch charlottesville and give you all the latest news, do stay close. jack knocked over a candlestick, onto the shag carpeting... ...and his pants ignited into flames, causing him to stop, drop and roll. luckily jack recently had geico help him with renters insurance. because all his belongings went up in flames. jack got full replacement and now has new p

cnn's kaylee hartung is nearby. kaylee what are you seeing right now? >> yeah, boris, the scene is escalating here. we're here in emancipation park. right in the middle of downtown charlottesville. now two have been injured as you mentioned, but that did not altercation, that happened a bit before that but the altercation is the first real show of violence that we see on any large scale that was the largest group of protesters at this point. approach the park. plaques with, another faction and that fight broke out. now lay enforcement had to break it up. pepper spray was used against another and both groups separated and each went their respective ways. tensions close torte noon hour. that's defined as the rally. scheduled to begin. but the large group you just saw, was a big part of the fight breaking out. the organizer of this unite the fight rally. the charlottesville -- unite the right rally. to allow the activism to catch the eye of white nationalists. >> this debate they're having in charlottesville, virginia, about the decision by the city counci

kaylee hartung is in charlottesville right now. the mayor just tweeted that at least one person is dead as a result of today's violence. do you know what that fatality is yet from the car crash or from the earlier violence? >> reporter: we have not yet been able to confirm that, ana. but as we have described the violence that was seen in this town last night, a torch literally through the university of virginia's campus by the national supremacists who gathered here. chemicals were being dispersed and then at the emansiation park where the statue of robert e. lee stands the center of this controversy. we saw the poles of flags used as weapon, bottles flying through the air. smoke bombs going off and pepper spray used by both sides. but that does not compare to the violence that unfolded behind me as you have seen the video of that car plowing into a group of counterprotesters. we do not yet know the result of that collision. as you said the mayor has tweeted there's one life lost. he said that i'm heartbroken that a life has been l

watch as hartung struggles to hold on. the water pounding over his head. enveloped by water. only his hands visible. then after minutes of struggling it appears he can't hold on anymore and that's when he goes under. that's when obadiah jenkins decides the only way to save hartung is by jumping into the raging waters. [ cheers ] watch again as he plunges into the dangerous rapids. >> i immediately snapped into rescue mode, years of training and experience just started rushing through my head sort of faster than i could really decipher what to do next. >> reporter: after some cpr, hartung is now telling his story. >> the water was so forceful that could not get myself out of it. the more i tried to extract myself, the lower my head went until i was not able to breathe anymore. >> reporter: it turns out hartung was in a recreational kayak meant for calm waters, on his head a bicycle helmet. not suited for these dangerous rapids. this morning he's grateful to his rescuers. >> these are complete strangers. i mean, there is a gentleman, obadiah, that jumped in

kaylee hartung was on the scene and you spoke to a couple of people who saw what happened regarding that car that sped into the crowd of people. the video we just played. what did they tell you? >> reporter: well, ana, i spoke to the man who shot the video that cnn has been airing and it was very interesting to hear what transpired in the moments just before we see that video and in the moments after. now, as he explained it to me, they actually saw the car that dodge that plowed through the crowd of people sitting at the top of this street that's just to my left. they saw it sitting there for several moments before he then plowed through that group of people. so while that video seems to suggest a very deliberate act what i learned from these two men seemed to confirm that this was a very targeted effort by the driver of the car. they said there were tinted window, they didn't get a good look, just that he was a white male with closely shaved sides of his head. he's in custody with the police here and this crime scene behind me as it's unfolded it's now the site of a homicide as we have

cnn's kaylee hartung is live there. >> reporter: the cia is opening a civil rights investigation that killed one woman and 19 injured and some in serious condition. the graphic video that we have showing the car plow nothing a group of people who had come here to protest against white nationalists. this incident happened just off the downtown mall right in the heart of charlottesville. the suspect in custody, alex field jr., a 20 yearly here who came from the tloeoledo, ohio a. he is charged with second-degree murder among others. there were many eyewitnesses it the horror in the heart of charlottesville. i spoke with one. >> the car flew by and, immediately, you know, there was victims started coming out. my friend ran after the car. i gave first aid to a lady that had come out from the scene. i was standing about, you know, a few feet from him as he came back. a white male. appeared to have close cropped hair. >> reporter: after this deadly crash, fields and his car fled the seen and pursued by police and then apprehended. in an effort to learn more about the suspect and his beliefs

but as kaylee hartung reports, it's still not clear if the game really exists.she was young, beautiful and playful her family wants to share the teen's story, but asked us to conceal her identity.mom / face not shown: "a funny girl. like to make silly faces, or, how we say, the puppy face when she want something."she was a talented artist,talented enough to hide secrets in her paintings reporter: what's the story behind these paintings?brother / no name provided:"so these were paintings that she drew that were displayed at an art show at school." /butted to/ "at first look you don't think anything of it, you just think of an abstract painting."but there were clues that even her brother didn't see.not until the 16-year-old took her own life.brother / no name provided:"if you were to google what a skeleton of a blue whale looks like, it has a tremendous resemblance."blue whale is described as an online suicide game.it reportedly started in russia two years ago and has been linked to teen suicides all over the world.the thing is, it's not clear if the game actually

let's go to kaleigh hartung. saw some people with some long guns, which may exacerbate some of the anxieties we've been hearing. >> reporter: law enforcement presence has been strong all morning but just minutes ago we saw the first participants in today's unite the right rally arrive. about 40 men and women in camouflage gear, some with militia markings. virginia is an open carry state. these folks exercising their second amendment right while also exercising their first amendment right. while these visuals are already aggressive, this group's posture is not. this in contrast to the stark images out of charlottesville last night as that torch-lit march went through the university of virginia campus, rallied around a statue of thomas jefferson. it was not in any way a publicly promoted event, so there were fewer counter protesters there. but when the clash began, it was violent. police declared the assembly unlawful and dispersed chemicals. the groups quickly dispersed after that. no matter which side when you co

have a group of people here about to weigh in, and first i want to go to cnn correspondent kaylee hartung who is on the scene. it is calm there. what are police saying? >> reporter: there's still a strong police presence in the downtown mall of charlottesville. the crime scene, the scene of that incredibly graphic collision that we've showed you is still cordonned off. police otherwise keeping a tight lip what their orders are, how long they will be posted up here. seems they don't know the answer to that question. there's a lot of uncertainty here, tensions remain high, as we saw thousands of protesters and counter protesters dispersed earlier from that rally, still uncertainty about where they have gone and if the outsiders who have come to town have left there will be this press conference starting shortly with governor mcauliffe of virginia as well as other state and local partners in charlottesville to address all that's transpired today. >> are you hearing from the people who witnessed the car plowing into the crowd of people? >> reporter: i did, ana. it was a really eye-opening con

those warnings to wear those glasses are so, so important. >> kailey hartung, thank you.tomorrow's eclipse of the century at cnn.com/eclipse. >>> still to come, hollywood loses a legend. jerry lewis dead at the age of 91. inco next, a look back at his life and legacy. you are live in the cnn newsroom. stay with me, mr. parker. when a critical patient is far from the hospital, the hospital must come to the patient. stay with me, mr. parker. the at&t network is helping first responders connect with medical teams in near real time... stay with me, mr. parker. ...saving time when it matters most. stay with me, mrs. parker. that's the power of and. fothere's a seriousy boomers virus out there that's been almost forgotten. it's hepatitis c. one in 30 boomers has hep c, yet most don't even know it. because it can hide in your body for years without symptoms, and it's not tested for in routine blood work. the cdc recommends all baby boomers get tested. if you have hep c, it can be cured. for us it's time to get tested. ask your healthcare provider for the simple blood test. it's

cnn's kaylee hartung is right there in charlottesville. kaylee, you've been following the story from the beginning, scary images on the streets there of the fights earlier today. now this car crash into a crowd of people. we're seeing people being arrested. we're seeing people badly hurt. tell us what you're learning now? >> reporter: ana, tensions have been incredibly high in charlottesville, that was the case in the lead up to today there have been two rallies prior to today throughout the summer as protesters and counterprotesters voice their opinion on the confederates general robert e. lee statue in the middle of emancipation park here in downtown charlottesville. we saw very stark images last night of a torch-literally by national supremacists through the university of virginia's campus. that violence culminated today before the unite the right rally that was organized, actually even began, as law enforcement told everyone to leave the area. it was an unlawful assembly. we saw people using flags, the poles of them as weapons, water b

i want to get to kaylee hartung now, she is on the ground there. kaylee, what are you hearing?> reporter: well, boris, the police are keeping us at a distance from that scene that you can see in the video. but i just spoke to an eyewitness of what transpired after that video ends. after that dodge charger backs up and sped off, he was pursued by police just a couple of blocks. i have not been able to confirm with police yet that he was apprehended, but a witness to what transpired after that collision says that he does believe the driver was apprehended after police caught him. the car was moving very slowly. although it looks as if he sped off as things began to unfold, a couple of city blocks, the car was not able to keep up at a very high speed, and the driver i'm told by witnesses was then apprehended. police are keeping us at a safe t distance so medical personnel can perform their duties on the victims of this incident. i have another eyewitness telling me they saw cpr being performed on one woman in very critical condition. we are waiting to learn how this will continue

. >> that's when a stranger jumped in, putting his own life at risk going under water and pulling hartunge. rescuers performed cpr and other than a broken rib, he was okay. there was no better present. >> i said to him nobody dies on my birthday. >> reporter: and a loving i told you so from his wife. >> she was so thankful i was okay but she has given me a lot of good advice since then. >> reporter: marcy gonzales, los angeles. >> they listen to that advice. what a great guy to jump in and save him like that. >>> up next, going after robo callers. >>> and how much you might be owed if you received one of those calls. food. water. internet. we need it to live. but what we don't need are surprises, like extra monthly fees. i see you, fee, played by legendary actress anjelica huston. you got me, mark. we just want fast internet for one, simple rate. for all the streaming and the shopping and the newsing, but most of all... for the this. internet for one everyday simple price and no extra monthly fees. >>> don't they just make you crazy, those robo calls? they infuriate us every day. and a po

. >> phoenix arizona, kayley hartung, cnn. >>> coming up, recordings of the late princess diana, on her relationship with the prince. yeah. it's nice that every bad decision doesn't have to be permenant! ditch verizon. keep your phone. we'll even pay it off when you switch to america's best unlimited network. nit's softer than ever. new charmin ultra soft is softer than ever so it's harder to resist. okay, this is getting a little weird enjoy the go with charmin it's your glass of willpower that helps keep cravings... ...far, far away. feel less hungry with the natural fiber in clinically... ...proven meta appetite control. from metamucil. yes, 9 o'clock works for me. bye. another referral. our customers love us. (nail gun firing) (glass egg shattering) when the unexpected strikes... don't worry we've got you covered. the hartford strikes back. fixodent plus adhesives. there's a denture adhesive that holds strong until evening. just one application gives you superior hold even at the end of the day fixodent. strong more like natural teeth. what are all these different topped & loaded me

kaylee hartung reports.l activists are outraged after yet another video of shark abuse has surfaced. what is pictured in this latest video. this busy mom spends her days driving all over town. so why is she smiling? because she shopped during the safeway anniversary sale and filled up her trunk with grocery savings, plus earned 4 times the gas reward points. now that's something to smile about. right now, get pepsi 12-pack 12-ounce cans, buy 2 get 2 free, and lay's chips, 9.5 -10 ounces, 2 for $5 with your club card. the safeway anniversary sale. come in and explore. animal activists are outraged over yet another video... of shark abuse... this time it shows men laughing while shooting a shark and watching it bleed to death. we need to warn you about the graphic nature of these clips. reporter brian entin has the details... the video is hard to watch. these guys catch a shark and then shoot it, smiling as the hammerhead bleeds out in the water.russ rector/ animal rights activist:"this video tape speaks for i

. >> kaylee hartung reporting for us. meanwhile, there is breaking news on the political fallout of all of this. ken frazier, the ceo of merck, a man who sits on the president's american manufacturing counsel or did, one of the prominent african-american ceos quit that counsel, clearly over the president's response over charlottesville. he said i am resigning from the president's american manufacturing counsel. we strike from the diversity and men and women made from race, sexual orientation. america's believers must honor the values by rejecting expression of hatred, bigotry which run counter to the ideal they are created equal. as ceo of merck, i feel the responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism. i want to bring in jeff zeleny in new jersey. jeff, the president has already responded to this resignation. >> reporter: he did, john. he responded very abruptly. in fact, that's how the word of the resignation of disseminated, the president responding to this. this is what he said in a tweet. now that

. >> caylee hartung in charlottesville, thank you. >>> more vigils like this held last night. talk about the things that force our nation to pause and examine race relations in america. president trump condemned, quote, hatred on many side, his failure to specifically denounce white nationalism is fueling outrage this morning. we are live in bridgewater, new jersey, near the president's golf club with more. any information, dan, when we may hear from the president again and whether his message will be modified. >> reporter: the president is behind closed doors today at his golf club in new jersey and no public events scheduled. it is going to be a beautiful day and we expect him to play golf. when president trump stepped at the podium at his golf club he talked about the violence yesterday but take a listen how he equated the white supremacist independent crowd with the counterprotesters. >> we condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides, on many sides. it's been going on for a on long time in our country. not d

cnn's katie hartung is live at the site of the memorial. what will we see today? >> reporter: here just two blocks from the site where heather heyer lost her life, reverend alvin andrews will deliver the yulg, he'll emphasize making each day you live count. you do that not by counting the days you live but living each day to the fullest, living your beliefs and values and practicing them. that's how heather lived her life. heyer's family received an outpouring of support, but not yet spoken directly to president trump. among his remarks last night, he mentioned he will be reaching out to them. time will also be taken in the coming days to remember the lives of the two state police who died in the helicopter crash on saturday. a funeral for trooper pilot berke bates on friday, and yates on saturday. >> heather heyer's favorite color is purple. you'll see purple all over the place to try to encapsulate what she was about and what was lost. lawmakers who support president trump, what are they saying about his latest comments about the violence? what are they doing ab

. >> reporter: in manchester, new hampshire, hakaylee hartung, cn. >>> we have more on the breaking newsing right now, the search and rescue off the coast of australia. more in just a moment. >> we're going to get to that. do stay close. of hope. and we don't want something like meningitis b getting in their way. meningococcal group b disease, or meningitis b, is real. bexsero is a vaccine to help prevent meningitis b in 10 to 25 year olds. even if meningitis b is uncommon, that's not a chance we're willing to take. meningitis b is different from the meningitis most teens were probably vaccinated against when younger. we're getting the word out against meningitis b. our teens are getting bexsero. bexsero should not be given if you had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose. most common side effects are pain, redness or hardness at the injection site; muscle pain; fatigue; headache; nausea; and joint pain. bexsero may not protect all individuals. tell your healthcare professional if you're pregnant or if you have received any other meningitis b vaccines. ask your healthcare prof

kaylee hartung is with us. what more have you learned about this man? >> reporter: james alex fields, junior, will were rained a couple blocks from here. we expect this hearing to be very brief. he's being held in the charlottesville jail. he will appear via video teleconference. charges include one count of second degree murder among others. the doj and fbi have also opened a civil rights investigation into that deadly vehicular assault. investigators will be looking to learn more about fields' past as they look for his motive. while his mother said shortly after learning of the charges of her son, that she never really discussed his political beliefs with him, he ear learning from his high school social studies teach ever, this is a man who had radical views on race, idolized hitler, infatuated studying world war ii. the pentagon confirms that in august of 2015 fields reported to basic training, didn't meet training requirements and left the service in december of that same year. we're also learning more about victim heather heyer, 32-year-old woman f

. >>> kaylee hartung is in orange, texas, as close as we could get to port arthur. you've been watching people being rescued all day from your perch, kaylee. tell me some of the stories you've been hearing. >> well, brooke, right now, in orange, texas, very close to the louisiana state line, a rescue operation is really moving into the next phase, that's getting the evacuees safely to shelter but when i talked to you about an hour ago, we were two miles or so closer to louisiana, and you saw a very volunteer-driven rescue efforts there. guys pulling up with their own boats and heading out to see who they could find. here, it's a very different scene, very interesting to see a wonderfully coordinated effort between officials, law enforcement, other government agencies, coming from outside of texas. we've got guys here from louisiana, wildlife and fisheries, and the florida fish and wildlife commission. now, they've still got about ten boats out there, but they feel that this area has for the most part been cleared. brooke, we've got school buses in here from louisian

kaylee hartung is there. the governor and others saying. >> reporter: outside of the new hampshire's statehouse, every e lkted official has spoken out one way or the other in reaction to the president's comment, including governor sununu, supportive of president trump but not supportive of his comments, disappointed in the president's mischaracterization of his state. the president's comments big news to all in new hampshire. from port smout to the granite state. >> president trump is drawing rebuke after calling new hampshire a drug-infested den. >> reporter: in a january conversation with the president of mexico that was leaked thursday to "the washington post," president trump claimed he won new hampshire because the state is a drug-infested den. >> i'm horrified. i want's deplorable. he had no business saying that about new hampshire without -- and the fact this he said that he won new hampshire was bad enough, but then to call us a despicable den of whatever was just -- i'm speechless. >> i don't see you

we have cnn's kaylee hartung there. the mayor says so far, so good. that's a qualified term given the amount of water in their area. they're just amazingly resilient peop people. >> reporter: so true, chris. harvey made landfall 20 miles south of here, about two hours ago. we have not felt a drop of rain at that time, but the winds we're feeling will remind you this storm is close. local officials tell me they're expecting 40 to 50-mile-an-hour sustained winds. that means they're anticipating power outages and tree damage. this ground already saturated and wet. that means the roots of those trees are weak and soaked already. while yesterday the headline was that more than 500 people in this area, cal cass sue parish had been rescued. i spoke with the director of emergency preparedness for this parish a little bit ago. he was relieved to tell me that no calls came in for rescues overnight. all that being said, when i spoke to the governor of louisiana yesterday on the 12th anniversary of katrina, he said folks of louisiana all too experienced with the

cnn's kaylee hartung is in lake charles, louisiana with more. what are you seeing? >> knowing harvey made landfall less than an hour from here in lake charles, i would think i would be standing here in the rain talking with you, bun that's not the problem. wind the bigger problem here. officials say they expect 40 to 50-mile-per-hour winds today, expecting power outages and trees down. i spoke earlier with the director of emergency services. he said there were no calls for rescues overnight. it didn't rain as much as anyone expected either. yesterday, the night before, more than 5,000 rescues in cal cash shew. on the 12th anniversary of hurricane katrina, i spoke with governor edwards. he said unfortunately people in louisiana all too familiar with disasters. despite the unknowns, he says he feels he has the people trained, experienced and prepared for whatever it may bring. >> kaylee keep us apprised of the situation there. the specific concern are the dams built in 1940s. is the age going to be determinative of their strength. cnn meteorologist chad myers has the

cnn's kaylee hartung is live in louisiana with more. >> reporter: i'm in the area where governor edwards was talking about, 500 people were rescued from their homes overnight. i was talking with a group of men from wildlife and fisheries who helped rescue the folks in this neighborhood last night and said this is nothing like katrina, nothing like what you're seeing out of texas but this is the first visual example we have of the damage of harvey in lake charles, about 400 to 500 homes flooded behind me as a drainage canal overflowed with all of the rainfall we've seen. the concern is how much more rain will fall? we have a respite from it now but 10 to 15 inches of rain have already fallen in this area in the last two days. we're expecting 6 to 10 inches in other pockets in this area in the next two days. officials are asking for vigilance in this area telling people to stay in their homes if they can, obviously not safe for the folks in the neighborhood behind me to do that but a real recognition of how quickly the situation can become dangerous, as these waters rise. >> kaylee, thank

other kayakers tried to rescue hartung who found himself battling a raging current. eventually another kayaker rescued him and pulled him to the shore. rescuers performed cpr until he came to. hartung is now at home recovering. he has a broken rib. otherwise, amazingly, okay. >> wow. that's a miracle. >> hoda, it's morning boost time. >> are you ready? >> get boosting. >> take a look at what happened when a toddler's best friend made a move for his favorite snack. all right? a little boy in japan is eating a cracker. his pet dog decided it looked too good to resist. >> oh, oh. wait a minute. that's not a boost. blue licked up every last crumb, and then he seemed to realize that he went too far. oh, now he is crying with him. oh. and we all lived happily ever after. >> not really happily ever after yet. i still think there's some problems here. although it's a very cute dog. >> they're going to bond again. >> the baby is adorable too. >> i just happened to notice the dog. that one black eye. very cute. >> all right. much more ahead "today" including this new fight ove