we begin to heal our divisions. >> i won't pretend to be president-elect's biggest cheerleader. >> off the roadway. ? lovely lady ? ?? good morning, and welcome to "sunday today." cuba and the world still reacting this morning to the death of fidel castro. and preparing for a life after the brutal and i conic dictator. andrea mitch sell live in halve in for news a moment. later on a much different note we are also in the clubhouse with andy cohen, the guy who grew up fascinated by celebrity and pop culture at the center of

show, housewives an ena diary of a ride. >> i love the format of a diary. it's great because i lead a life where every day i don't know where the day's going to take me or who i meet or what stupid thing i do. >> much more with candy later on in the show. let's begin with reaction of president obama and the world to fidel castro's death. in cuba, preparations are under way for his funeral which will be held at the end of nine days of national mourning andrea mitchell made her way to havana. andrea, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, willie. here in havana, many people, especially the older generation, reacting emotionally to the death of fidel castro. leaders around the world are praising castro but this is in sharp contrast to much of the political reaction back in the u.s. in revolution square, in churches, preparations for more than a week of official mourning

sunday. one woman overcome with grief. she says for me he is not dead. also, expressing emotion, elian gonzalez who has a 6-year-old boy shipwrecked on the florida shores, his mother dying on that journey, returning him to cuba became a national cause for fidel castro. elian now says i wanted to show him everything i achieved that he would be proud of me. that's how it was with fidel. and all night to the founder of the revolution, still a towering figure in the nation's imagination. even after he succumbed to illness and gave up power to his brother raul. young people marched. one saying, it's painful for our country. this is the president we all loved. no sign of the protesters against his family's human rights abuses, the so-called ladies in white who march silently every sunday.

u.s. pressure to introduce political reforms. telling me, it isn't logical for anyone to set conditions for anyone else. the u.s. has relations with other countries without setting conditions. in fact, he was always confident his cause would outlive him, defying 11 american presidents, writing a final come lum denouncing the u.s. election only two weeks ago. once telling me, no problem if i die tomorrow because we have lots of young people who are well trained who know what to do. >> andrea, as you know, castro's regime began in 1959 with firing squads and the jailing of disdissents and the list goes on and on and an affinity there on the island of cuba. what is the reaction you have seen there today? >> reporter: well, the reaction is muted and we have yet to see if the protests develop today. the ladies in white, the women

resisted all sorts of oppression and have marched throughout whether they do that today remains to be seen. usually sunday after church. that said, i think cuba moved on in many ways. raul made so many changes. the market reforms, opening to the u.s. and fidel castro never fully embraced and critical of somewhat diplomatically if you will. now we have to see the reaction of the u.s. side and there is ba they're very nervous about what to expect an the fact that president obama has been so heavily invested in the changes is the expectation they can be undone and by canceling the executive orders. a lot is in place, postal service, airline travel just beginning, regular commercial flights. so the addition of more cultural exchanges, people traveling. that said, that is turning

conscious of the political changes in the u.s. >> andrea, you have spent a lot of time there in cuba including a long, extended interview of castro in 2002 giving you a tour of the country effectively. what were your personal impressions of the man up close? >> reporter: well, he was so argumentative. i first went in 1999 when there were so many protests against the u.s. at the height of the controversy of elian gonzalez, that 6-year-old boy. and we would argue, he would have dinners or interviews starting at midnight going to 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning so sometimes hard just to keep up with him and debate the politics and the human rights abuses and the lack of free elections, and over the years, i had many interviews with him and he was still combative. he read everything. he had access to the internet. most people here did not back then and he was a voracious reader questioning me about the politics and the economy in the u.s. and very, very aware of everything that was going on,

to his revolutionary ideology. >> i loved hearing you say in one interview that you conducted with castro, one of the answers lasted 45 minutes which gave you sometime to catch a nap. >> reporter: it did. >> thank you so much for all of your reporting. >> reporter: embarrassing, yes. >> thank you so much. a big question this morning, what will castro's death mean for the changing relationship between the united states and cuba? president-elect trump has been critical of the thawing relations. he put out a statement on saturday. trump is also tweeting election recount in wisconsin. kiss ten welker is near trump's florida home with more on all of that. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: willie, good morning to you. it is not yet clear how president-elect trump's cuba policy will unfold but we may have gotten a few clues in the statement he relowe'sed yesterday. let's read a little part of the statement saying fidel castro's legacy one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering. our administration will ensure

the journey toward liberty and prosperity. he didn't say he'll reverse the executive orders of president obama aimed to normalize relations between the two countries. could there be an opening there? that's the question. the current president far more measured in his response, essentially saying history will be the judge of fidel castro. meanwhile, this all comes this morning as the clinton campaign announcing that it's joining a recount effort started by green party raised enough money to start a recount in wisconsin. she wants to do the same in michigan and pennsylvania after a group of computer scientists said they found voting irregularities in the three states where donald trump won narrowly. the clinton campaign saying this is not about overturning the respects of the election. instead they say if there's going to be a recount, they want to make sure that they also have a lawyer in the room. donald trump as you say tweeting about that this morning, willie.

just prior to the victory speech and after the results were in. nothing will change. willie? >> all right. kristen welker playing hurt for us through a cold this morning, thank you so much. always good to see you. and your family may be some of the millions of americans headed home this holiday weekend. as always, you have a lot to contend with. and we are following all of it for you. let's begin with kristen dahlgren watching the roads for good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, willie. heading out now may not be so bad a time. look at the new jersey turnpike. quiet right now. that means it gets busy later on. this is the busiest thanksgiving travel week since before the recession. about 8% of americans going to be traveling by air but that just means the vast majority, some 89%, going to be hitting the road. that's about 43.5 million americans hitting the road this week. many of them today.

low gas prices. $2.13 right now the national average. of course, with that many people hitting the road they expect accidents to be up, as well. if you are headed out, be careful out there, willie. >> all right. thanks. nearly 4 million people are flying this weekend, as well. many of them in the air or the security line now. jacob rascon is in atlanta. jacob, good morning. >> reporter: good morning from the busiest airport in the world on one of the busiest tra million people, that's since wednesday up to today will be traveling, the most as in driving. since the recession. if you widen that out to the entire thanksgiving period, 27 million americans are expected to travel. the good news at least so far is that if you look at the flight aware map, there are very few delays. lots of green. only 75 delays so far which is very low. at airports like here in atlanta, they're adding extra

the security lines are open even earlier than usual an trying to make sure you have a smooth trip and also asking that if you're coming to the airport arrive two hours early and if possible check in online. willie? >> thanks so much. dylan is in with a look at the forecast ab how it looks for the travelers. good morning. >> good morning, willie. hopefully you're traveling early today. in the afternoon we could see delays in the midwest. but if looking at another trouble spot, especially up near seattle and even down through l.a. where we could see some heavier rain cause some of those delays, as well. so we are going to see the possibility of some strong storms, also gusty winds in minneapolis. this morning, though, it's the dense fog that's the biggest concern. that could create some isolated delays and the rain moves in evening. wind gusts up to 25 to 30 miles per hour. if you are getting on the roads,

of heavier rain later in the day an also up through the pacific northwest. not only will we see rain along the coast but a lot of snow in the mountain passes. traveling over the meteorologis for your complete weather information. here is additional forecast information from the kwwl stormtrack 7 weather team: we'll start the day out with dry conditions, but some patchy fog. some in north-central and lifts, clouds will increase ahead of a warm front. rain tracks in could hear a rumble of thunder tonight as isolated thunderstorms are possible - severe weather is unlikely. temperatures rise into the mid 40s and low 50s today and do not fall much tonight with monday. clouds decrease tomorrow with breezy winds. thanks to the southerly winds, and that's your latest forecast. >> all right. thanks a lot. talk to you in a sec. other news this morning, police in california working around the clock to get to the bottom of an alleged kidnapping,

on the side of the road and what happened to her during the three weeks she was missing. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, willie. still extremely dark out here on the west coast. very early. but this is the area and the conditions where sherry papini trying to flag down drivers chained to something an now the area where investigators are going from building to building searching for any surveillance video to show them a dark suv. along this remote stretch of california's interstate 5, a shocking sight. >> she is heavily battered and is -- >> reporter: sherry, a 34-year-old wife and mother of two, rescued by someone driving by after going missing for more than three weeks. saturday, investigators reviewing surveillance video of the church, the closest building to where she was found. church members say there wasn't

>> no. >> reporter: investigators remain tight lipped over the details of the case but experts say it's very bizarre. >> there's a lot of highly unusual circumstances in the story. >> reporter: so far, the sheriff's department described the kidnappers as two hispanic women armed with a gun driving a dark colored suv. papini disappeared while jogging by her home more than 150 miles away and expected to begin the long process of helping detectives solve this case. >> there is hours, weeks of investigation that lay out there and the victim, of course, is the best witness. she is the one that can help break this case wide open. >> reporter: at this point, investigators have only spoken to sherri papini once after she was found. more interviews are expected in the upcoming days. willie? >> glad she is back with her family. thank you so much. breaking news overnight, a mass shooting in the middle of new orleans.

no word yet on what started that shooting. two people were arrested for illegal possession of firearms. one of them a victim. and one lucky person is waking up a big, big winner this morning. thanks to the powerball drawing last night of nearly $421 million. that single winning ticket was sold in lafayette, tennessee. the winning number, 17, 19, 21, 37, 44 and the powewa straight ahead, the lie highs and lows of the week including the epic and i do mean epic thanksgiving day rendition of the national anthem. plus that feeling trying to get in the club to meet your friends and forgot your i.d., except the club is the white house and your friends are the first family of the united states. what cuban-americans are saying about the hopes for cuba. about the hopes for cuba. now that fidel castro isi was iy dentist was explaining to me the acidity of foods and what they can do to your teeth.

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...and get your kiss on. ? every kiss begins with kay. ? dylan is with me whipping through the highs and lows of week and the first high to the gift of a couple of minutes of free muse africa the queen of soul. aretha franklin sang the star-spangled banner. it usually runs two her version, 4:35. ? o o o o say ? ? can you see ? ? by the dawn's

>> i mean, the coat, the pom-pon hat. it is all working for her. social media paid the respects to her and definitely did take note of the length of the song with some said they cook, eat and lean up thanksgiving dinner before the anthem is over. cbs sports broadcast the game and added her to the graphic about the team's time of possession. vikings 10:48, lions 14:37, aretha franklin, 4:35. i take all the aretha franklin i can get. >> i think i made the potatoes and whipped in the butter during the the song. >> first low to the sinking feeling we all had when you forget your i.d. on your way into the white house to receive your presidential medal of freedom. ellen degeneres one of 21 high profile americans to receive the highest civilian chon nor this week. she was joined by bruce springsteen, tom hanks and

scene her for and almost didn't happen. ellen posted a photo to twitter sitting on the bench sitting with the caption they haven't let me in the white house because i forgot my i.d. #not joking. after a long wait, ellen was waved through just in time to have the medal pinned around her net by president obama. see, i like that. says great things about the security of the white house. >> it is true. >> doesn't matter who you are. >> same security here at nbc. it's a nightmare forgetting your icon, miss piggy. riding a float and singing with tony bennett in the macy's thanksgiving day parade. well, larry leadfoot was driving apparently and with the nation driving, piggy stepped in to save the great tony bennett. >>. ? coming to town ? >> oh! >> easy on the gas there, pal.

like doing a neutral drop i did in high school. chill, man. nice job by miss piggy. >> yeah. definitely gets an award for this. >> next low goes to how low, former texas governor rick perry got down on "dancing with the stars. "both a former contestant and rumored to be in contention for a position in the trump administration, deejaying for vanilla ice on "ice, ice baby." i don't kno ? too cold ? ? ice ice baby ? ? too cold too cold ? >> rick perry! >> there's rick perry. hat on backwards just doing rick perry right there. >> is that the fox trot? i'm not sure. >> i have no idea what that is. he's game. he'll do anything that rick perry. next high to the holiday spirit of one texting grandma and the recipient of her message. on a group text to her family

of mesa, arizona, mistakenly including a number to a 17-year-old stranger of jamal. he posted the hilarious exchange to twitter asking who was texting him. wanda said, your grandma. after wanda sent a photo he wrote back, you're not my grandma. can i still get a plate, snow to which she replied, of course you can. that's what grandmas do. he took her up on the offer. showed up on thanksgiving sharing a meal with wanda not his grandma and family. >> i felt like she's a very nice lady and i'm very happy about the whole situation. >> it gives me faith a lot in humanity because so many people have been kind and ever since wherever i go, i meet such nice people everywhere and i think that we all need to start looking at the good things and

phone number because when it was posted it had the number on it and can i come over for thanksgiving, too? >> thanksgiving dinner. >> i love that. great thanksgiving story there. the final low to the timing of one poor nfl audio guy. bernie is a sound technician crossing in here from the right side of the frame. >> oh! >> just as the giant flairs from the minnesota vikings are sprinting on to the field. and it's a de-cleater. taking bernie off h 6'4", 329-pound player. bernie is a gamer. busted the glasses. hopped up and did the game. >> don't beat the train. >> let the vikings pass. >> thank you. next, andy cohen on the life and career taking him from tv and career taking him from tv (chuckle) ( ?? ) come on, dad.

? they tell me i'm wrong ? ? to want to stand alongside my, my love ? ? whoa, talkin' 'bout my love ? ? talkin' 'bout my, my love ? you ready, dad? ? whoa-ooh ? ? ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh ? my hygienist said i should think of my teeth like an apple. could be great on the outside, not so great on the inside. ? whoa-ooh ? her advice? strengthen both. go pro with crest pro-health advanced. rengthening the outside... ...than colgate total. my check-up was great. ?? there are 16 fresh-picked oranges squeezed into each bottle of tropicana pure premium. and absolutely no space for added sugar, water, or preservatives. tropicana.

tracks through monday. we'll start the day out with dry ahead of a warm front. rain tracks in after noon, and will continue through the rest of the day. you severe weather is unlikely. temperatures rise into the mid 40s and low 50s today and do not fall much tonight with mostly cloudy skies and strong winds. some showers could linger into monday. clouds decrease tomorrow with breezy winds. thanks to the southerly winds, we'll see highs tomorrow into conditions, but some patchy fog. some in north-central and northeastern iowa are under a ahead of a warm front. rain tracks in after noon, and will continue through the rest of the day. you could hear a rumble of thunder tonight as isolated thunderstorms are possible - severe weather is unlikely. temperatures rise into the mid 40s and low 50s today and do not fall much tonight with mostly cloudy skies and strong with breezy winds. thanks to the southerly winds, we'll see highs tomorrow into

tracks through monday. we'll start the day out with dry northeastern iowa are under a dense fog advisory until 9 am sunday morning. once the fog lifts, clouds will increase ahead of a warm front. rain tracks in after noon, and will continue through the rest of the day. you could hear a rumble of thunder temperatures rise into the mid 40s and low 50s today and do not fall much tonight with mostly cloudy skies and strong winds from the southeast. some showers could linger into monday. clouds decrease tomorrow with breezy winds. thanks to the southerly winds, we'll see highs tomorrow into th conditions, but some patchy fog. some in north-central and northeastern iowa are under a dense fog advisory until 9 am sunday morning. once the fog lifts, clouds will increase ahead of a warm front. rain tracks in after noon, and will continue through the rest of the day. you could hear a rumble of thunder temperatures rise into the mid 40s and low 50s today and do not fall much tonight with mostly cloudy skies and strong winds from the southeast. some showers could linger into monday. clouds decrease tomorrow with breezy winds.

thank you, macy's thanksgiving day parade, for your 90th anniversary this year and wandered into central park and forgot how it got there. it will be fine. don't worry about it. >> i don't know w >> thank you, the kids table, for being a fun place for kids and any adult who doesn't want to talk about politics. there you go, everybody! >> jimmy fallon writing thanksgiving thank you notes. jimmy brings a "saturday night live" pedigree to the tonight show party and even he might say it's a former television news producer named andy cohen. andy presides over the nightly anything goes celebrity cocktail

persuading stars to say and do things they wouldn't anywhere else. with the release this month of his third tell-all book, i entered andy's clubhouse where i have been a guest many times and took over the host chair. >> it is game time! ?? >> welcome to the clubhouse. >> thank you. >> it does -- >> i like it in here. >> strange without a drink in your hand. you probably know andy cohen for a couple of >> welcome to "watch what happens live." >> as the host of the most celebrity filled party in late night, and as the architect, ring master and chaperon of bravo's table flipping "real housewives." >> jesus may change but cynthia bailey never goes out of style. >> andy, you decide who's coming back next season and who is not? >> i'm a voice of that decision. >> oh my god.

business was much less glamorous. when i say i talk to you, they know "watch what happens live" and the housewives but they have no idea you started as a news producer. >> yes. >> a youngest intern ever and then came up through the news business. >> yes, yes. i always wanted to be in news and i wanted to be in front of the cam are and i gave up that dream once i was an intern at cbs news in new york. i felt like i was in the epicenter of the small stations and try to make my way in front of the camera. i'm going to just move to new york and -- >> take a shot. >> try to make it as a producer, yeah. i left cbs news. i got a great, great opportunity of a lifetime. barry diller offered me a job in the year 2000 to run programming at a small cable channel that wound up failing but i wound up learning so much. >> and you hopped from there to bravo? >> from there to bravo.

spilled on to the air when andy's hit web series about the real housewives is gren lit for tv in 2009. >> hey, everybody. welcome to a "watch what happens" special. >> he's been a star, written three best-selling books including the latest "superficial, more adventures from the andy cohen diaries." this picks up almost exactly where the last one left off. a week later. i was in such a groove writing and i love the format of a diary. i don't know where the day's going to take me or who i'm going to meet or what stupid thing i do and this book opens at joan rivers funeral, sad place to start but you got to start somewhere and by the time it's over, which is almost two years later, i actually became emotionally exhausted by reporting on my own life. and i said, i have to now go

down because i'm completely just exhausting myself. >> and as his own diary shows, andy's life is exhausting. he's crossed over from celebrity fan to bona fide celebrity himself. andy runs in a tight circle of famous friends bick sarah jessica parker. his show guest list included oprah, cher -- >> snap out of it! >> and lady gaga. that no one enjoys being famous more than me. and at first i kind of took that as a criticism and then i started breaking down what he was saying. and i said to him one night, here's my analysis of this. i became famous after the age of 40. after i had lived in new york city for like 20 years. so i want you to imagine being in new york and then suddenly people are giving you things or

that you never could or they're just treating you better. so, if that's what it means, then i think you're right. i do really like it. now you might notice that mariah carey is only other person i switched seats for. >> i was going to ask you. >> another thing you have in common with mariah. >> again. i think that shelf tells you everything you need to know about andy cohen. peabody andrews' tea bag from the appearance. >> that's true. >> five nights a week, it is always there. not easy. are there nights you have to pull yourself up? >> there's a moment early in the book where i get results on some research that bravo did on the show, a small percentage of people who said i stopped watching because andy's over it. and, dude, my heart sunk when i saw that line.

if two people turn on this show and think that i'm checked out an i'm not into it anymore, then not only am i not doing my job but i shouldn't be allowed to do my job. this is -- this is my idea of heaven here. >> i know there's one guest who still hoping will show up in the clubhouse. i looked at an old interview where you said the first lady of the united states told you that -- >> yes. >> this is an end of second term >> no. >> why? >> because i think that she and madonna now that i have publicly said that those are the two people -- i think they're vowing to go on every show but this show just to make me literally crazy. >> you get people to say things in this room they don't say anywhere else. >> yes. >> so if madonna were sitting right here, what would you want to ask her? >> off the top of my head, maybe

ex-lovers and spin it and dennis rodman, talk to me. a-rod. you know? i think that could be a good way to go. >> what would you ask the first lady if she were in this chair? >> too much to count. i would want to do a tequila shot with her. so much about the election to talk to her about. i know she's a closet housewives fan. it's been confirmed from people on her staff. >> i believe. >> things that bug her about her husband. yeah, there's a lot. >> you do talk in the book about you have come to a place where >> yeah. >> now maybe you want something else? >> this is great but i need to focus on what's going the ground me from my life now. >> which is -- >> you know, who knows? a kid. maybe i'll open an orphanage. >> oh, an entire orphanage. >> a whole orphanage. >> a big leap from one kid to the whole thing. >> something to ground my heart besides this. >> do you need a partner? someone to spend your life with? >> you know, i don't know.

>> thank you. >> maybe. >> what's the answer? >> i'm seeing someone now. take every day as it comes. >> does he national correspondent a the orphanage? >> no. we have to talk about that tonight. >> you should tell him. >> going to. >> andy's new book is available now and in the first week a "the new york times" best-seller. the party that is "watch what happens live" is sunday through thursday night on bravo. to hear more from andy and why he believes it's more than train wrk extras at today.com/sunday. and next week, the one and only bette midler. you will not have more fun at lunch than with the divine miss m with the early bathhouse days of her career, the movies and what is still ahead. that's next week on "sunday today." and dylan is back now with another look at the weather. >> did she break into song for you? >> you have to wait until next week. >> i'm waiting. let's take a look at what's going on this week across the

of days through the pacific northwest, california, it will dry out for most of the week. we have a cold front in the midwest today to cool things down for the middle of the week and then up and down the east coast, we could see much needed rain in the southeast and then starting tuesday, late tuesday it could last through at least thursday.meteorologist rachael for your complete weather information. here is additional forecast information from the kwwl stormtrack 7 weather team: we'll start the day out with dry conditions, but somtc some in north-central and lifts, clouds will increase ahead of a warm front. rain tracks in after noon, and will continue through the rest of the day. you could hear a rumble of thunder tonight as isolated thunderstorms are possible - severe weather is unlikely. temperatures rise into the mid 40s and low 50s today and do not fall much tonight with monday. clouds decrease tomorrow with breezy winds. thanks to the southerly winds, and that is your latest forecast. welcome to this side of the room. >> thank you. i want to play with the map but

next on "sunday today," what does the death of fidel castro mean for cuban-americans who fled his regime and for their hopes for the country they left? look at this... a silicon valley server farm. the vault to man's greatest wonders... selfies, cat videos and winking emojis. speaking of tech wonders, with the geico app you can get roadside assistance, digital id cards... or even file a claim. do that.. yeah, yeah that should work. it's not happening... just try again. uh, i think i found your problem. hmm... the award-winning geico app.

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florida, to cuba is only 90 miles but in ways political and cultural the island is a million miles away. for exiles who flet castro's regime, his death brings new hope. kerry sanders is in miami's little havana. >> reporter: a celebration in miami's little havana. 57 years in the making. >> castro's died. castro dies! important to us! it's opportunity to be free. to those first cuban exiles to come to the u.s. back in the early 1960s reveals a lifetime of pain and now joy. >> i would call him a dictator, a thug, a murderer. he's our version of hitler. >> reporter: but in cuba, fidel was a hero to come, a charismatic leader from rural crew bah. the childhood home on a plantation, now a state museum.

rather, it is believed the man that commanded the world stage buried near santiago, the closest big city to where he launched his unlikely revolution. a revolution that led to the cuban missile crisis that had the world on the brink of nuclear war. the failure of the soviet union that supported cuba's economy. the shoot down of the brothers to the rescue plane. elian gonzalez, a little boy found floating at sea, torn betw a family in miami certain he should not be returned to a communist country. he eventually was. in the last two years, relations between the u.s. and cuba have changed. the u.s. now has an embassy in havana. president obama even visited the island. cruise ships now sail from miami to havana. there are regularly skeged flights to the island. but an economic embargo now

best friends patricia and lydia, both left cuba as children, each with a different idea on lifting or keeping that embargo. >> yes, we should lift the embargo because it's not worked in 50-plus years. >> with the obama administration, it was a free for all. >> reporter: with the picture of their father who was imprisoned by fidel, elaina said she waits for raul castro's death. brother. his brother. and then maybe one day we can visit cuba. a free cuba again. >> and kerry sanders joins me now live from miami. do many of the cuban-americans that you talked to, the families that endure the legacy of castro feel that perhaps now they can begin to reclaim their country? >> reporter: you know, they recognize i think that fidel castro's death is really symbolic. it is his brother raul who's

thinking about a trip to cuba 24 years ago and i hopped on a car for a ride and it was a nice car, a mercedes. i said to the guy driving, is this your car in he goes, no, all cars in cuba owned by -- and then went like this and struck like the beard there of fidel saying all cars are owned by fidel and under raul castro, relatively recently, folks in cuba own and sell cars, sell property. so change comes to cuba and raul castro says he'll step down in two years. the person who will take over for him wasn't even alive when the fidel castro revolution began. >> remarkable. castro, even controlled the cars. kerry sanders in miami for us this morning, thank you so much. next on "sunday today," two marines blown up in the same truck in iraq recrew nighted more than a i love you so much. that's why i bought six of you... for when you stretch out.

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more than a decade ago two young americans left their base in iraq in a truck full of fellow marines n. a flash their lives and their bodies were changed forever. and their friends were gone. the marines got together for the first time since the early days of their recovery to talk about

organization. >> how are you? >> oh my god! >> you look great. >> a reunion more than ten years in the making. >> good. >> i feel guilty that i don't -- like, i haven't kept in touch you. >> well, it is okay. life goes on. >> reporter: somehow the former marines found ahead after one of the worst disasters. >> three were killed and 11 wounded when a sciuide car bomb slammed into the convoy in fallujah. >> reporter: they both joined the marines at the age of 18. >> the military was a way for me to be part of tradition, wonderful tradition of the marine corps. to have that pride, to feel more american. >> i wanted some adventure in

college after high school. >> reporter: they were deployed to iraq in early 2005. a monthly work reation brought them together, searching local women at a military checkpoint near camp fallujah. then, came a moment that changed their lives forever. so take me back to that day, june 23rd, 2005. >> as we were convoying back to base -- >> i remember the city was empty. normally full of citizens. different truck actually. but yeah. and so i was the last one who got on the truck and because they said, we want all the females on the same truck. oh. i'm sorry. >> reporter: as their military convoy passed an open market late in the day, a suicide bomber rammed into their 7-ton truck. >> when i got ejected i hit my head and knocked out cold for a good 20 minutes.

going to die and this is something bad is happening. >> reporter: with severe burns to their faces, hands and legs along with shrapnel wounds, they were transported back to their base camp. later, they were flown to the u.s. to begin their painful recovery at the brook army medical center in texas. >> all of us were in hospital for three, four weeks. we could hear each other crying and in pain when each of us are being taken care of. they just, nlg, like >> reporter: healing the wounds of war inside and out is no easy task. enter operation meant, a program at ucla medical center that provides at no cost specialty medical care and psychological health support of wounded warriors an families. the organization helped mend their scars with eight surgeries between the two of them.

days. you know? around this time of year is when you try to reflect how you are a veteran. >> reporter: veterans reuniting for the new york city veterans day parade. a family formed by the generosity of operation mend. >> you need support. you can't be just in a hospital. you need people around you and people that love you and we have become a network for them. >> reporter: as a fitness instructor, angelica's confidence shines through. >> i feel like once you have a little bit more confidence you want to try to achieve and motivate you to try to do more in your life. >> reporter: a master's degree of occupational therapy. >> this experience allowed me to connect with my clients. >> what do you think people should know about vets they don't know? >> we're proud people. >> that we love this country. we love it so much that we're

>> our thanks to them for sharing their stories with us and to the team at operation mend for the life changing work it does every day. this week we highlight another life well lived. ? here's the story of a lovely lady who was bringing up three very lovely girls ? >> florence henderson played carol brady over five seasons of the "brady bunch." but thanks to the show's years of legacy is america's tv mom extended into another generation. long before she became a television icon florence grew up poor in indiana. her own mother leaving the family when florence was 12. as a teenager, henderson sought something better for herself, chases a dream to broadway and in 1952 got the big break in "oklahoma." in 1959 henderson joined this program "the today show" as one

host of "the tonight show." then in 1969 the role for which she is remembered best. florence said of carol brady, quote, i created the kind of mother that i wished i'd had and i think everyone longs for. beloved for the relentless charm and wicked sense of humor, she died in los angeles this week at the age of 82. >> i am so blessed to be able to still do what i love. i'm just grateful. she's the reason the good times are great. ...and the reason the tough times are easier. because she's your best friend... and your true love. presenting the ever us two-stone diamond collection... new rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets. one diamond for your best friend... one diamond for your true love. for the one woman...who's both.

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dylan's with me for predictions for the week ahead. tomorrow is cyber monday. like black friday without the midnight thanksgiving human stampede. online deals everywhere you look.

and wait for the traditional last-minute shopping holiday known as buy whatever my family whatever they have in the checkout line in cvs christmas eve. we have the rockefeller christmas tree lighting featuring a number of big stars including dolly par on the. we predict there's an extra prelighting eggnog and goes on a career altering rant of why "die do you agree? >> i do. >> on friday, the rolling stones are out with the latest album called "blue and lonesome." the first since 2005. mick jagger is 73. keith richards turns 73 a week before christmas. the boys, though, will have some tough competition on the billboard charts this week. >> there we go. >> with the release of the highly anticipated new album "a very busey christmas" with

continuing coverage of the deadly car crash in one eastern iowa city. and... the former president of cuba has died -- what this may mean for the u-s. good morning and welcome to today in iowa. as we take a live look outside.... thanks so much for joining us this morning. i'm lauren moss. let's go to storm track seven meteorologist rachael peart now for your forecast forecast. from the kwwl stormtrack