>>> BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT. THE U.S. SHOOTS DOWN THAT CHINESE SPY BALLOON WHICH IT FLOATED OVER THE UNITED STATES. DRAMATIC VIDEO OF THE BALLOON PLUMMETING BACK TO EARTH AND THE MOMENTS LEADING UP TO IT. FIGHTER JETS AND THEIR CON TRAILS CIRCLING IT OVER SOUTH CAROLINA. HOW THE U.S. MILITARY BROUGHT IT DOWN. AND NEW DETAILS ON WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN GAVE THEM THE ORDER. >> I TOLD THEM TO SHOOT IT DOWN. >>> THE ARCTIC BLAST SMASHING RECORDS ACROSS THE NORTHEAST. BOSTON HITTING WINDCHILLS OF NEGATIVE 30. IN VERMONT, NEGATIVE 40. THE BRUTAL COLD SPAWNING WATER SPOUTS. WE'LL TAKE YOU TO THE COLDEST PLACE IN THE U.S. EVER. IT JUST HIT NEGATIVE 108.
>>> FIERY TRAIN CRASH IN OHIO. THOUSANDS FORCED TO EVACUATE AS FLAMES SHOOT UP TO THE SKY. THE SMOKE TRAVELING INTO THE NEXT STATE WITH FEARS IT MAY BE CARRYING TOXINS. >>> PRIMARY CHALLENGE. THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY VOTES TO MAKE SOUTH CAROLINA THE FIRST PRIMARY. HOW NEW HAMPSHIRE AND IOWA ARE FIGHTING BACK. >>> AND DRAMATIC RESCUE AT SEA. A BOAT FLIPPED OVER BY HUGE WAVES OFF OF OREGON. HOW THE COAST GUARD SAVED THE MAN ONBOARD AND THE BIZARRE BACK STORY THAT GOT HIM THERE. >> Announcer: THIS IS NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH JOSE DIAZ-BALART. >>> GOOD EVENING.
FOR AT LEAST FIVE DAYS A CHINESE SPY BALLOON HAS BEEN TRAVELING OVER THE UNITED STATES. IT WAS SPOTTED IN MONTANA AND KANSAS AND TODAY OVER THE CAROLINAS. THIS AFTERNOON ITS JOURNEY ENDED IN DRAMATIC FASHION. THIS IS THE MOMENT U.S. FIGHTER JETS TOOK IT OUT. >> THERE WE GO! >> THEY GOT IT. >> BOOM! >> AND THEN WITNESSES WATCHED IT SLOWLY PLUMMET DOWN INTO THE OCEAN. THE OPERATION REQUIRED SHUTTING DOWN COMMERCIAL AIR TRAFFIC FROM AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT AIRPORTS ACROSS THE CAROLINAS. YOU CAN SEE HERE THE EMPTY AIRSPACE THAT CREATED.
PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS THEN QUICK TO ANNOUNCE THE OPERATION. BUT THERE ARE STILL QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY IT TOOK SO LONG TO TAKE ACTION, AND WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR RELATIONS BETWEEN THE WORLD'S TWO LARGEST SUPERPOWERS, THE U.S. AND CHINA. WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO ALL OF THAT TODAY, BUT WE BEGIN WITH RYAN NOBLES ON HOW IT ALL WENT DOWN. >> HERE WE GO. >> WE GOT IT. >> BOOM! >> WHOO! >> Reporter: A DRAMATIC MOMENT CAUGHT ON CAMERA OFF THE COAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA. >> OH, MY GOSH, IT'S GOING STRAIGHT FOR IT. >> Reporter: BY 2:39, U.S.
FIGHTER JETS TOOK DOWN A CHINESE SPY BALLOON THAT HAD BEEN MAKING ITS WAY ACROSS AMERICAN AIRSPACE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN SAYING THE OPERATION WAS CONDUCTED BY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT FROM THE U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND ABOVE U.S. TERRITORIAL WATERS. THEY WERE SEEN CIRCLING THE BALLOON AS IT MADE ITS WAY OVER THE OCEAN. A SENIOR U.S. DEFENSE OFFICIAL SAYS THE BALLOON WAS SHOT DOWN BY A SINGLE F-22 WITH ONE AIR-TO-AIR MISSILE. THE F-22 FLYING AT APPROXIMATELY 58,000 FEET WHILE THE BALLOON WAS AT AN ALTITUDE BETWEEN 60,000 AND 65,000 FEET. EVENTUALLY A PUFF OF SMOKE BEFORE THE OBJECT APPEARS TO FALL FROM THE SKY. THE BALLOON EXPECTED TO LAND IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN WHERE IT CAN BE COLLECTED FOR MILITARY ANALYSIS. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, WHO IS UNDER PRESSURE FROM REPUBLICANS TO TAKE THE BALLOON DOWN, SAID HE ORDERED THE MISSION DAYS AGO. >> ON WEDNESDAY WHEN I WAS BRIEFED ON THE BALLOON, I ORDERED THE PENTAGON TO SHOOT IT DOWN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THEY DECIDED — WITHOUT DOING DAMAGE TO ANYONE ON THE GROUND.
THEY DECIDED THE BEST TIME TO DO THAT WAS WHEN IT GOT OVER WATER WITHIN A 12-MILE LIMIT. >> Reporter: THE BALLOON WAS SPOTTED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AFTER IT WAS DISCOVERED EARLIER THIS WEEK. TODAY PEOPLE SEEING IT OUTSIDE THEIR WINDOWS ON AIRPLANES. >> THE CHINESE SPY BALLOON ACCORDING TO THE PILOT IS RIGHT THERE. >> Reporter: AND FROM THE GROUND WITH THE NAKED EYE, LIKE JEREMY AUSTIN IN NASHVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. >> AND THERE IT WAS, RIGHT OUTSIDE OF OUR BUILDING. A BIG WHITE BALLOON. VERY RECOGNIZABLE. VERY OBVIOUS TO PLAIN VIEW, IN PLAIN SIGHT.
BUT PRETTY INTERESTING. >> Reporter: BUT AS THE MILITARY OPERATION RAMPED UP, THE FAA STOPPED AIR TRAFFIC AT THREE AIRPORTS ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA COAST. >> IS THIS — WE GOT AIRSPACE SHUT DOWN TODAY? >> YEAH, WE JUST GOT A NOTICE THEY'RE GOING TO BE — >> Reporter: ALL IN ANTICIPATION OF THIS MOMENT. >> BOOM! >> Reporter: THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT NOW RESOLVED, BUT THE GEOPOLITICAL IMPLICATIONS STILL UNKNOWN. >> AND RYAN NOBLES IS AT THE WHITE HOUSE. RYAN, WITH THE BALLOON SHOT DOWN, WHAT HAPPENS WITH IT NOW? >> Reporter: JOSE, ACCORDING TO A SENIOR U.S. MILITARY OFFICIAL, THE RECOVERY EFFORT THERE IS ALREADY UNDER WAY. THERE ARE NAVY AND COAST GUARD VESSELS IN THE REGION CREATING A SECURITY PERIMETER.
THE DEBRIS IS BELIEVED TO BE IN 47 FEET OF WATER AND RECOVERY SHOULD BE QUICK. JOSE. >> RYAN NOBLES AT THE WHITE HOUSE, THANK YOU. >>> LET'S BRING IN JEREMY BASH, THE FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF AT THE CIA AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. JEREMY, SO THE U.S. MILITARY SHOT IT DOWN. NOW THEY'RE GOING TO RETRIEVE IT. WHAT COULD THEY GET FROM THE BALLOON ITSELF? >> WELL, THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY, JOSE, WILL ANALYZE THE RADARS, THE CAMERAS, THE COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, HOW THE PROPULSION SYSTEM WORKS.
THEY'RE HOPING TO LEARN EXACTLY HOW THIS OVERHEAD BALLOON OPERATES SO THEY CAN POTENTIALLY DEFEND AGAINST SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE. >> WAS THIS NOT ONLY A SPY BALLOON BUT ALSO A TRIAL BALLOON? WAS THIS THE CHINESE TESTING HOW FAR THEY COULD GO? >> YEAH, I THINK CHINA FIELDED THIS CAPABILITY IN PART TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY COULD OPERATE THIS BALLOON, HOW LONG IT WOULD GO UNDETECTED AND ULTIMATELY WHAT THE UNITED STATES WOULD DO ABOUT IT. I THINK IN THE FUTURE WE'RE GOING TO NEED THE CAPABILITY TO BRING DOWN A BALLOON LIKE THIS OVER LAND. WE CAN'T WAIT FOR IT TO TRAVERSE THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES AND WAIT FOR IT TO GET OUT OVER THE OCEAN. >> WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR U.S./CHINA RELATIONS? >> WELL, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA IS IN A PRETTY BAD STATE AND I THINK THIS WILL ONLY WORSEN IT. THIS WILL BE A MOMENTARY CRISIS BUT I THINK THERE'S A LINGERING ISSUE WHICH IS THAT WE ARE IN A DEEP COMPETITION WITH CHINA AND THIS IS GOING TO ONLY EXACERBATE IT.
>> JEREMY BASH, THANK YOU. >>> NOW TO THE OTHER BIG STORY WE ARE FOLLOWING, THE DANGEROUS ARCTIC BLAST THAT IS SMASHING RECORDS ACROSS THE NORTHEAST. MANY SPOTS HAVEN'T FELT TEMPERATURES THIS BRUTALLY COLD IN DECADES. WINDCHILLS IN SOME AREAS MAKING IT FEEL 50 TO 60 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. EMILIE IKEDA HAS MORE FROM A VERY SUBZERO CAMBRIDGE. >> Reporter: A HISTORIC WINTER BLAST BLANKETING THE NORTHEAST TODAY. >> IT'S REALLY COLD. IT'S REALLY, REALLY COLD. >> Reporter: WINDCHILLS IN PORTLAND REACHING MINUS 45. IN BOSTON, 39 BELOW. UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR BOTH CITIES. >> IT'S BITING. I CAN'T DO ANYTHING. >> Reporter: THE ONCE IN A GENERATION COLD REACHING THE PEAK OF NEARBY MOUNT WASHINGTON WHERE IT FELT LIKE A JAW-DROPPING MINUS 108. >> WE'VE GOT FREQUENT GUSTS NEAR 80 MILES PER HOUR. >> Reporter: METEOROLOGIST FRANCIS MEASURES CONDITIONS OUTSIDE EVERY HOUR.
>> WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? >> YOU'RE GREETED BY A ROAR LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN. BEFORE I KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON, MY LEGS WERE KNOCKED OUT FROM UNDERNEATH ME AND I WAS ON THE GROUND. >> Reporter: THE RECORD-SHATTERING COLD STIRRING UP RARE WEATHER PHENOMENA ACROSS THE REGION, CAPTURED BY LIZ STREPA. HERE IN BEAUTIFUL BURLINGTON, VERMONT, THE TEMPERATURE PLUNGED TO 15 BELOW ZERO BUT IT FELT LIKE 40 BELOW WITH THE WINDCHILL. YOU CAN SEE THE STEAM FOG RISING ABOVE THE LAKE. CHECK THIS OUT, WE'VE EVEN SEE RARE WATERSPOUTS CONNECTING UP TO THE CLOUDS. AND IN NORTHERN MAINE, RESIDENTS SEEING TREES CRACKING, CAUSED BY MOISTURE INSIDE FREEZING AND QUICKLY EXPANDING. THE ARCTIC BLAST TURNED DEADLY FRIDAY WHEN AUTHORITIES SAY A TREE FELL ON A CAR NEAR SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, KILLING AN INFANT INSIDE. FURTHER SOUTH, WHIPPING WINDS KNOCKED A SCAFFOLDING OFF THIS BUILDING. IN NEW YORK CITY, RESIDENTS AT SEVERAL APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE FACING THE FRIGID TEMPERATURES WITHOUT HEAT.
>> WHEN IT'S COLD, WHERE IS MY SWEATER. >> Reporter: LAYERING UP IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE BRUTAL COLD. >> EMILIE IKEDA JOINS US NOW FROM CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS. THIS COLD IS GOING TO BE VERY SHORT-LIVED? >> Reporter: JOSE, THAT'S RIGHT. THE EXTREME CONDITIONS FROZE PARTS OF THE CHARLES RIVER BEHIND ME, BUT TOMORROW MUCH OF THE REGION WILL BEGIN THAWING OUT AND AT A RAPID RATE. IT'S 14 RIGHT NOW IN BOSTON. JOSE, TOMORROW'S HIGHS IN THE MID-40s. >> EMILIE IKEDA, THANK YOU. >>> A FIERY TRAIN CRASH IN A SMALL OHIO TOWN HAS FORCED THOUSANDS TO FLEE AS CONCERNS GROW THAT SMOKE FROM THE WRECKAGE THAT IS STILL BLOWING OVER THE COMMUNITY MAY CARRY TOXINS. DANA GRIFFIN HAS THE LATEST. >> Reporter: 50 OF THE CARS IN THIS MASSIVE TRAIN DERAILED FRIDAY. 20 OF THEM CARRYING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, AS FLAMES LIT UP THE SKY IN NORTHEASTERN OHIO, ACCORDING TO THE NTSB. >> THEY ARE REQUESTING AN ENGINE TANKER, LADDER TRUCK AND ANY AVAILABLE MANPOWER. >> Reporter: SOME 2,000 RESIDENTS, NEARLY HALF OF EAST PALESTINE, STILL UNDER EVACUATION ORDERS. VISITORS TOLD TO STAY AWAY.
>> IT'S STILL A VERY VOLATILE SITUATION. >> Reporter: THE SMOKE SO THICK IT COULD BE SEEN FROM THIS WEATHER RADAR, AND CONDITIONS SO CONCERNING, FIREFIGHTERS HAD TO LEAVE THE AREA AS THEY LET THE FIRE BURN. >> 14 CARS CARRYING VINYL CHLORIDE WERE INVOLVED IN THE DERAILMENT AND HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO FIRE. AT LEAST ONE VINYL CHLORIDE CAR IS INTERMITTENTLY RELEASING THE CONTENTS OF THE CAR THROUGH A PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICE AS DESIGNED.
>> Reporter: AUTHORITIES ARE NOT SURE WHICH CARS, IF ANY, HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE, VINYL CHLORIDE IS A HIGHLY FLAMMABLE GAS. EXPOSURE IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INCREASED RISK OF LIVER, BRAIN AND LUNG CANCERS. BUT TONIGHT AUTHORITIES ARE REASSURING THE PUBLIC. >> WE HAVE ZERO READINGS OF ANY HEALTH RISKS AS FAR AS ANYTHING AIRBORNE COMING FROM THE CHEMICALS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR. >> Reporter: TONIGHT THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS INJURED. OFFICIALS HAVE DETECTED RUNOFF IN LOCAL STREAMS, BUT SAY THE TOWN'S DRINKING WATER IS SAFE. AS RESIDENTS HERE FEAR LINGERING IMPACTS LONG AFTER THE SMOKE CLEARS. DANA GRIFFIN, NBC NEWS. >>> AND NOW TO THE MOST HISTORIC SHAKE-UP OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY IN YEARS. THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY VOTED TO MAKE SOUTH CAROLINA THE FIRST PRIMARY STATE IN THE NATION, BOOTING BOTH NEW HAMPSHIRE AND IOWA.
BUT THOSE STATES AREN'T GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT. MARISSA PARRA HAS MORE. >> THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE REPORT SAY AYE. >> Reporter: AN HISTORIC VOTE CHANGING THE WAY DEMOCRATS PICK THEIR PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE, SENDING SOUTH CAROLINA INTO THE SPOTLIGHT AS THE PARTY'S NEW FIRST IN THE NATION PRIMARY. >> THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR THIS GREAT DECISION THAT YOU HAVE MADE TODAY. >> Reporter: YOU MAY REMEMBER IT WAS CLYBURN'S 2020 ENDORSEMENT THAT REVIVED PRESIDENT BIDEN'S CAMPAIGN. FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS, DEMOCRATS STARTED WITH A CAUCUS IN IOWA AND THEN A PRIMARY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
BUT AFTER THE 2020 IOWA CAUCUS MELTDOWN LED TO MAJOR DELAYS IN RESULTS, PARTY LEADERS BEGAN DEBATING IF NOW WAS THE TIME FOR CHANGE. STATES WITH PREDOMINANTLY WHITE VOTERS SIMPLY DIDN'T REFLECT THE DEMOCRATIC BASE. NOW THE PARTY'S NEW PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY CALENDAR SLATED TO START NEXT FEBRUARY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, FOLLOWED BY NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE DAYS LATER, GEORGIA A WEEK AFTER THAT AND MICHIGAN AT MONTH'S END. >> THIS IS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT YOUR VOICE, YOUR EXPERIENCE MATTERS. >> Reporter: BUT DISSATISFACTION COMING FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE AND IOWA. NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE LAW REQUIRES THEIR PRIMARY BE HELD A WEEK BEFORE ALL THE OTHER STATES. A TRADITION THEY'RE NOT GIVING UP WITHOUT A FIGHT. >> YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN GOING FIRST SINCE 1920. AND NO ONE GAVE US THE RIGHT TO VOTE, SO I DON'T THINK ANYONE CAN TAKE IT AWAY. >> Reporter: NEW HAMPSHIRE SENATOR MAGGIE HASAN TROUBLED DOWN SAYING REGARDLESS OF THE DNC VOTE, NEW HAMPSHIRE WILL GO FIRST, ADDING THAT THE CHANGES ARE, QUOTE, DEEPLY MISGUIDED.
>> MARISSA PARRA IN PHILADELPHIA, THANK YOU. >>> STILL AHEAD TONIGHT, THE AMERICAN HERO WHO WAS KILLED IN UKRAINE. OUR INTERVIEW WITH HIM BEFORE HIS DEATH. >>> ALSO, DRAMATIC RESCUE AT SEA. HOW THE COAST GUARD SAVED THIS MAN AFT >>> WE ARE LEARNING MORE TONIGHT ABOUT THE TRAGIC LOSS OF A RETIRED AMERICAN MARINE MEDIC WHO WAS KILLED WHILE VOLUNTEERING IN UKRAINE. PETE REED WAS SO DEDICATED TO HELPING OTHERS, NBC NEWS HAS PROFILED HIM OVER THE YEARS FROM OTHER WAR ZONES. RAF SANCHEZ IS IN KYIV WITH HIS STORY. >> Reporter: WHEREVER PEOPLE NEEDED HELP, ESPECIALLY IN THE CHAOS OF WAR, THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE PETE REED WOULD BE THERE.
>> YOU MIGHT HAVE AN ANKLE FRACTURE. >> Reporter: AFTER LEAVING THE MARINES, THE 33-YEAR-OLD FROM NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERED AS A MEDIC IN IRAQ DURING THE FIGHT AGAINST ISIS. >> I STILL HAVE SOME FIGHT LEFT IN ME. I CAN USE MY MEDICAL FOR GOOD. >> Reporter: THEN HEADING TO UKRAINE WITH AN AID GROUP HE FOUNDED. HELPING EVACUATE CIVILIANS FROM THE CITY OF BAKHMUT. THE SITE OF SOME OF THE WAR'S FIERCEST FIGHTING. REED WAS KILLED THERE ON THURSDAY, HIS AMBULANCE HIT BY A SHELL HIS FAMILY SAID. TONIGHT HIS WIFE, ALEX POTTER, SAYING I HAVE NEVER MET SOMEONE MORE SELFLESS. EVERYTHING HE DID WAS ALWAYS FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS. THE PAIR MET IN IRAQ AND GOT MARRIED FIVE DAYS BEFORE WAR BROKE OUT IN UKRAINE. I CAN'T IMAGINE OUR LIVES WITHOUT HIM. I LOVED HIM SO MUCH AND HE LOVED ME SO WELL. NBC'S RICHARD ENGLE MET REED IN IRAQ ALONGSIDE FELLOW MEDIC DERRICK COLEMAN. >> HOW MANY FRONT LINE MEDICAL POSTS LIKE THIS ARE THERE IN MOSUL RIGHT NOW? ONE.
>> YOU'RE STANDING IN IT. >> THIS IS IT. >> YEAH. >> Reporter: COLEMAN AND REED LAST SPOKE TWO WEEKS AGO. >> THERE'S SO MANY CLICHES OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY WITH A BIG HEART AND SOMEBODY WHO REALLY PUTS THEMSELVES IN HARM'S WAY JUST TO HELP EVERYBODY ELSE. PETE WAS JUST THAT TO THE MAX. >> Reporter: A YOUNG AMERICAN WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE. >> AT THE END OF IT, THEY ALWAYS TALK ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE DIED. I THINK THAT'S WHAT KEPT US HERE IN THE BEGINNING IS WE WANTED THAT NUMBER TO BE JUST A LITTLE BIT LESS. >> Reporter: RAF SANCHEZ, NBC NEWS, KYIV. >>> WE'RE BACK IN A MOMENT WITH THE HIGH-TECH FUTURE OF HOSPITALS. THE DOCTOR IS IN, BUT IS IT A PERSON OR ARTI >>> WE'RE BACK WITH A DRAMATIC RESCUE AT SEA THAT WAS ALL CAUGHT ON TAPE. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. YOU CAN SEE A COAST GUARD HELICOPTER HOVERING OVER A SHIP BEING TOSSED AROUND IN ROUGH WATERS WHEN A HUGE WAVE FLIPS THE VESSEL OVER.
A RESCUE SWIMMER MADE IT TO THE MAN WHO WAS TOSSED FROM THE SHIP AND THE TWO WERE THEN HOISTED TO SAFETY. NOW, LATER IN A BIZARRE TWIST, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE MAN ON IT HAD ALLEGEDLY VANDALIZED THE HOUSE FEATURED IN THE MOVIE "THE GOONIES" AND THEN WENT ON AND STOLE THAT YACHT. >>> ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS SLOWLY CREEPING ITS WAY INTO ALMOST EVERY PART OF OUR DAILY LIVES AND IT'S NOW SET TO REVOLUTIONIZE THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY. IN ONE HOSPITAL, A.I.
IS NOT ONLY MONITORING PATIENTS BUT MAY SOON BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THEM. TONIGHT OUR DR. JOHN TORRES TAKES US INSIDE WHAT COULD BE THE HOSPITAL ROOM OF THE FUTURE. >> Reporter: MICHAEL DIETER HAS BEEN AWAITING A LUNG TRANSPLANT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA HEALTH CENTER SINCE DECEMBER. >> I HAVE WHAT YOU CALL HIGH FLOW AIR. BECAUSE OF THAT I CAN'T SUSTAIN MYSELF AT HOME.
>> Reporter: A DEDICATED TEAM OF DOCTORS AND NURSES ATTEND TO HIM DAY AND NIGHT. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL. SENSORS AND CAMERAS TRACK HIS EVERY MOVE IN THIS SMART INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, FROM VITAL SIGNS TO FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. >> IS THIS ENOUGH LIGHT? IS THIS ENOUGH NOISE? ARE YOU OKAY? ARE YOU MOVING ENOUGH? ARE YOU IN YOUR BED, ARE YOU OUT OF THE BED? I THINK THAT'S THE FUTURE OF HOW WE WILL DESIGN HOSPITALS. >> Reporter: MORE THAN 350 GIGABYTES OF INFORMATION PER PATIENT GOES INTO A CENTRAL COMPUTER WHERE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROCESSES THE DATA. >> WE CAN LOOK AT THE PATIENT AND GO THEY'RE MOVING A LOT OR THEIR FACE HAS A CERTAIN GRIMACE THEY NORMALLY DON'T HAVE. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> IS IT POSSIBLE THEY COULD TELL YOU BEFORE I EVEN KNOW I'M HAVING PROBLEMS? >> YES, 100%. WE WILL BE ABLE TO DECIPHER COMPLEX FEATURES, COMPLEX EMOTIONS LIKE EDUCATION OR HUNGER. >> Reporter: FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, THE HIGH-TECH EXPERIMENT ENTERS ITS THIRD YEAR. RESEARCHERS ARE STILL TEACHING THE TECHNOLOGY WHAT CERTAIN ACTIONS LIKE SITTING AND STANDING MIGHT INDICATE.
THE HOPE, THAT A.I. WILL SOON PROVIDE REALTIME HEALTH CARE RECOMMENDATIONS. >> NURSES, DOCTORS, WE SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME WITH PAPERWORK. >> YES. >> TRANSLATING THE DATA WE GET. >> YOU WILL ACTUALLY HAVE A PRESENTATION OF THE DATA IN A WAY THAT YOU AS A HUMAN CAN UNDERSTAND IT. >> Reporter: BUT WILL THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY REPLACE THE NEED FOR HUMANS IN THE HOSPITAL ALTOGETHER? >> THEY ARE VERY SIMPLISTIC MODELS COMPARED TO WHAT OUR BRAINS ARE DOING. I DON'T THINK THAT YOU SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT HUMANS BEING REPLACED ANY TIME SOON. >> THIS TECHNOLOGY DOES TAKE A BURDEN OFF THE PHYSICIANS AND NURSES AND PROVIDE THEM TIME TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR, TAKING CARE OF THE PATIENT. >> Reporter: A NEW HOLISTIC APPROACH TO HEALTH CARE, WHERE HUMANS AND COMPUTERS WORK HAND IN HAND. DR. JOHN TORRES, NBC NEWS, GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA. >>> TONIGHT, POLICE IN NEW YORK CITY ARE SEARCHING FOR AN OWL NAMED FLACCO WHO THEY SAY WAS SET LOOSE FROM THE CENTRAL PARK ZOO.
ZOO OFFICIALS SAY THE BIRD'S ENCLOSURE HAD BEEN VANDALIZED. THE STAINLESS STEEL MESH WAS CUT. THE OWL HAS BEEN SPOTTED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE HIS ESCAPE BUT HE'S EVADED CAPTURE AND FEARS ARE GROWING WHETHER FLACCO CAN SURVIVE ON HIS OWN. >>> WHEN WE COME BACK, THE UNDERCOVER HERO WHO HELPED COUNTLESS PEOPLE IN HIS COMMUNITY. >>> THERE'S GOOD NEWS TONIGHT ABOUT UNSUNG HEROES AND ONE MAN'S SECRET MISSION TO HELP OTHERS WHEN THEY NEEDED IT MOST. >> TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR DAD. >> HE WAS A VERY KIND, GENEROUS, CARING, I'M GOING TO SAY GODLY MAN. >> Reporter: THE FATHER, RETIRED FARMER TURNED SECRET SUPERHERO. IT HAPPENED HERE AT THIS GERALDINE, ALABAMA, PHARMACY. >> HE JUST WALKED IN ONE DAY AND SAID DO YOU EVER HAVE ANYONE THAT CAN'T AFFORD THEIR MEDICATIONS? AND I SAID YES. AND HE SAID, OKAY, THE NEXT TIME THAT HAPPENS, I WANT YOU TO GIVE THIS TO THEM AND USE IT FOR THEIR MEDICATIONS.
>> Reporter: IT WAS A $100 BILL. BUT HE HAD ONE DEMAND. >> HE JUST SAID I NEED YOU TO PROMISE THAT YOU WON'T EVER TELL WHERE IT CAME FROM. >> Reporter: FROM THEN ON, EVERY MONTH, YEAR AFTER YEAR HE CAME BACK WITH THE SAME $100 BILL AND THE SAME REQUEST. >> HOW MUCH DID HE END UP GIVING? >> IT WOULD BE AROUND $10,000.
>> Reporter: HE WAS ABLE TO KEEP IT SECRET UNTIL LAST YEAR WHEN HIS HEALTH STARTED TO FAIL. HE TURNED TO HIS DAUGHTER. >> HE SAID I'VE BEEN DOING SOMETHING FOR A WHILE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE DOING, SO I BROUGHT THE MONEY TO THE DRUGSTORE. I FOUND SOMEONE AND SAID I'M HODY CHILDRESS' DAUGHTER. HE SAID YOU WOULD KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS AND THEY SAID, YES, WE DO. >> Reporter: THIS NEW YEAR'S DAY HE PASSED AWAY. WORD OF THE SECRET PHILANTHROPY SPREAD THROUGH GERALDINE. LAST AUGUST HER SON HAD A SEVERE REACTION TO A HORNET STING. SHE RUSHED TO GERALDINE DRUGS FOR AN EPIPEN. >> SHE SAID IT'S $800. >> WHAT? >> YEAH. I LIKE TO HAVE DIED. >> Reporter: BUT FOR SO MANY OTHERS, HODY CAME TO THE RESCUE. >> BUT SHE SAID IT'S TAKEN CARE OF. AND I SAID, WHAT? AND SHE SAID, IT'S TAKEN CARE OF.
NO QUESTIONS ASKED. >> Reporter: AND NOW HODY'S MISSION IS GROWING. >> I HAD A GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON CALL AND SAY I WANT TO DONATE 12 MONTHS. AND THEN I HAD A GENTLEMAN FROM MIAMI CALL AND SAY I'M JUST GOING TO START A HODY FUND IN MY OWN TOWN. >> I KNOW DAD WOULD LIKE TO BRING HOPE TO THE PEOPLE THAT FEEL DESPERATE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE WAS TIMES IN OUR LIVES THAT WAS REALLY HARD, AND THERE WAS PEOPLE THAT STEPPED IN AND HELPED US. WE SEEN THAT THROUGH HIS STORY. IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. >> THEY PLAN TO KEEP THE HODY FUND RUNNING AS LONG AS DONATIONS KEEP COMING IN. THAT'S NBC NIGHTLY NEWS FOR THIS SATURDAY.
I'M JOSE DIAZ-BA.
Free Discount Prescription Drug Coupons
