• Vail Veterans get wounded warriors moving — in the snow

    By Eun Kyung Kim, TODAY contributor

    On these Colorado ski slopes, wounded veterans are not only learning a sport they once thought was out of reach, they’re also gaining confidence to rebuild their lives.

    Read: Amputee vets on the slopes: 'They find their new normal here' 

    “The thing about skiing, once I'm up there on the mountain, I'm on equal footing with everybody else,” Col. Gregory Gadson told TODAY during his fourth trip to the Vail slopes since losing both legs in Bagdad in 2007.

    Gadson is a graduate of the Vail Veterans Program, which has taught wounded warriors to ski for the past ten years.

    Lt. Col. David Rozelle, a program co-founder, noted that amputees used to face bleak prognosis in the early years of the recent conflicts abroad.

    “Now they're making it back,” said Rozelle, who refused to give up one of his favorite sports after he lost part of a leg in Baghdad in 2003. “They get in this program and they find their new normal here.”

    Cheryl Jenson, the program's executive director, said she initially came on board thinking the program was strictly about ski and snowboard instruction.

    “But what we realized, there's a lot more healing that takes place here, on and off the mountain,” she said.

    Last May, Petty Officer Taylor Morris lost parts of all four limbs in Afghanistan. Today, he’s hitting the Colorado slopes.

    “It’s a great feeling to go out and snowboard on your own,” he said.

    His girlfriend, Danielle Kelly, said the program gives the couple inspiration about their future.

    “This offers us an activity that we'll be able to do years down the road and hopefully one day with our kids,” she said. “We’ll be able to go out and ski.”

    Retired Capt. Melissa Stockwell, who lost part of her leg when she was injured in Baghdad in 2004, is now a veteran of the program.

    “I was pretty wobbly at first, you know, on this the bunny hill.  By the end of the week, I was up and flying down,” she said. “And I never really felt so free in my entire life.”

    More: See Kevin Tibbles's 2004 visit to Vail Veterans 
    Veteran's gift to soldier's girlfriend goes viral 
    Police officer's act of kindness caught on camera 

  • Chicago parents ask: How long will strike go on?

    As Chicago teachers enter day two of their massive strike, parents and students are struggling with unexpected days off. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.

    By Kevin Tibbles, NBC News correspondent

    CHICAGO – Felicia O’Connor, a young mother with a child in tow, approached the picket line. She asked the picketing teachers if they “know how long this thing will be going on?”


    She leaves for work each day before the sun comes up and said she was unaware of the late night Sunday decision by the Chicago teachers’ union to hit the bricks. 

    Now she is stuck with trying to sort out childcare for her 6- year-old daughter, Michaela. She didn’t get an answer to her question from the teachers.

    “They don’t know anything. I don’t know anything. We’re just out here blank and I have to go to work,” O’Connor said.

    She wound up leaving her daughter in good hands at a local Boys and Girls Club for a few hours while she went out, in vain, in search of a day care. She’s already missed one day of work and hopes her employers will show some understanding.

    “Education is important. If my child is not in school, getting the education she needs, you know what… I don’t know, it is just irritating right now," she said. 

    Parents in Chicago, like Felicia O'Connor seen above, scrambled to find accommodations for their kids after 26,000 teachers and support staff walked out in the nation's third-largest school district. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.

    Picking sides
    Two days into this work stoppage by the city’s third largest school district, and one finds folks starting to choose sides.

    Chicago teachers strike day two: Talks stuck on evaluations

    “I haven’t had a raise in seven years,” said one middle-aged woman who walked past me as I stood watching teachers march outside the headquarters of the Chicago School Board. “They’re already making more money than I am.”

    “I support the teachers because I support my kids,” said a young mother who stood and watched teachers march for a few minutes. “My daughter was in a class with more than 35 kids last year; this year it is up to 41.”

    About 26,000 teachers and support staff launched a strike on Monday morning – all dressed in bright red t-shirts and carrying placards – demanding a new contract between the teacher’s union and the city’s school district.

    Other parents complained about a lack of school supplies or decent air conditioning for their kids on sweltering Chicago days.

    One can likely assume the longer this thing drags on, the more entrenched each side is going to get. “Day One” of the strike came with a bit of a party atmosphere. By “Day Two” on Tuesday, teachers had already started fingering the mayor and chanting, “Hey Hey Ho Ho Rahm Emanuel has got to go.”

    NBC Chicago's LIVE Blog: Chicago Teachers Strike

    In Chicago, 26,000 teachers and support staff walked out in the nation's third-largest school district after a weekend of unsuccessful eleventh-hour contract negotiations between the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago's public schools. NBC's Rehema Ellis reports.

    Bigger city issues
    Parents also have other concerns that are more a reflection of the city we live in. This has been a particularly deadly year on the streets of Chicago, with the homicide rate up about 30 percent from what it was a year ago. The overwhelming majority of the dead are young minorities. To give kids a "safe haven" during the strike, several churches have opened their doors. 

    “There's so much violence skyrocketing in the city of Chicago. We want our kids to be in a safe place,” said Sergio Ramirez, who runs a “safe haven” in the city’s Pilsen neighborhood. 

    Some 80 percent of kids in Chicago’s schools are provided with breakfast and lunch at school because they come from impoverished backgrounds. The job of teaching here, and administering an education system, has many more challenges than just ensuring kids are learning the 3Rs.

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  • Video: Michigan Powerball winner has a year to come forward

    Residents in the tiny town of Lapeer, Mich., are consumed with speculation as to which of their neighbors holds the winning Powerball lottery ticket with a valued jackpot of $337 million.

    The winning Powerball ticket was purchased at a local Sunoco gas station in Michigan, but the ticket holder remains anonymous -- which is fine, because under state law, the winner has a year to come forward. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.

     

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  • Chardon starts painful process of getting back to normal

    The community rallied around the children of Chardon as they returned to the scene of Monday's shooting rampage. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.

    By Kevin Tibbles, NBC News correspondent

    CHARDON, Ohio – The kids of Chardon went back to school Friday morning. This town of 5,000 is doing everything it can to try to get things back to normal, or at least allow their children to get back to the daily routine of living and learning. No one thinks it’s going to be an easy road.

    In the wake of Monday’s school shooting that took the lives of three young men and wounded two others, it will take time to heal.

    “It is going to be very sad,” one of the students said as she approached Chardon High for the first time since a gunman walked inside wielding a handgun.

    “I’m not going to be able to go up to Demetrius or Russell and just say ‘Hi’ anymore,” said another.

    He was referring to two of the students that were killed, 17-year-old Russell King Jr. and 16-year-old Demetrius Hewlin, two friends who were hanging out with a tableful of pals when they were shot at around 7:30 a.m. Monday morning.

    The families of both young men said their organs were donated to help others. “Demetrius’ death was not in vain,” his mother Phyllis Ferguson said during a press conference this week. “Demetrius had donated his organs. And for Demetrius’ one life, he change eight lives.” 
     
    In a solemn march of sadness and condolence yesterday, parents and students walked together to the school. Each student was then given a hug before going inside for discussion and counseling. It is not going to be easy; and while Chardon vows to overcome this tragedy it also vows never to forget those who died.

    The United Way of Geauga County says they have raised more than $260,000 for the Chardon Healing Fund. The funds will be used to "support both the families directly impacted and the healing of the community," according to the web site. Kim Leininger, executive director of the United Way in Geauga, told NBC News the "phones are ringing off the hook."

    The first funeral will be on Saturday for 16-year-old Daniel Parmertor. The Monreal Funeral Home’s web site’s obituary for Parmertor says in part, “He enjoyed Xbox, skiing, computers, and wing night at Cleats with his friends. Danny also loved spending time with his family.”

    Classes are resuming at Chardon High School for the first time since Monday's shooting that killed three students. Meanwhile, Frank Hall, the assistant coach being credited with preventing further bloodshed, speaks out. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.

    On Thursday night the town rallied. A sea of red Chardon jerseys cheered in the stands as the basketball team went on to defeat rival Madison. But even here, on the court, there was solidarity. Before the game the opposing team wore black Chardon T-shirts; and the two teams stood together as one prior to tip off. The community of moms, dads and kids all standing together.

    The young man accused of committing this horrible act, T.J. Lane, has now formally been charged with the murders. He's charged with three counts of aggravated murder, two counts of attempted aggravated murder and one count of felonious assault.

    His lawyer has been quoted as saying his client is now distraught and filled with remorse. He will likely be tried as an adult. 

    NBC News' Jo Kent contributed to this report.

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  • Kevin Pearce rides again, thanks to family

    By Kevin Tibbles, NBC News correspondent

    LUDLOW, VT. – The first time I met Kevin Pearce he was flying high. It was the run-up to the Vancouver Olympics and this young kid from Vermont was poised to take the podium on snowboarding's half pipe for the U.S. Olympic team.

    He was a good looking, quiet young man who seemed to have his head screwed on straight. One of the most memorable things he told me was that his strong family bonds helped him keep his feet on the ground in spite of all the publicity and promotion that comes with being a world-class athlete.

    Then things went terribly wrong.

    During a training run on Dec. 31, 2009 in Park City, Utah Kevin missed a new maneuver called the “Double Cork” – he slammed his head into the side of the icy course and was left in critical condition. The impact was so severe he even cracked his helmet.

    Suffering from traumatic brain injury, doctors placed Kevin in a medically induced coma so his brain could heal. After about a month in critical care, he was moved to Craig Hospital in Denver, a world renowned rehabilitation center that specializes in treating traumatic brain injuries. He suffered severe memory loss, impaired vision and had to learn to walk again.
     
    Today Kevin, 24 years old, says he doesn't remember anything about the accident.

    "From what I hear, I never will remember what happened that day; and that's alright with me," he said during a recent interview back home in Vermont. “I don't think my brain lets me remember it because it doesn't want to remember it.”

    But Kevin has always been a determined young man. From day one, he focused all his resources on recovery. And his family was there by his side every step of the way. 

    Kevin Pearce and his parents on how happy they are with Kevin's recovery. 

    "What he's done in the last two years, I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't be inspired by it,” said his father, Simon Pearce, a noted Irish-American glass artist and entrepreneur. "It's pretty easy to support somebody who is really positive and upbeat and determined.”

    Kevin’s three older brothers, Andrew, Adam, and David, who has Down syndrome, have also been vital to his recovery.

    David, who used to be his workout partner before the accident, has been by his side throughout his recovery. “It's been so special for me to be with David and get to learn from David. I feel like I used to teach him so much and after this injury he's been there and teaching me so much,” Kevin said.

    Adam – who is also a snowboarder – even quit his job after Kevin’s accident, not only to help with his rehabilitation in Denver, but to make sure it was “fun and enjoyable.”  

    Kevin’s mom, Pia Pearce, said the support of his brothers is a testament to the strength of family.

    “They really rallied I think to support Kevin in an amazing way, but I think Kevin would do it for his brothers, too,” said Pia. “That's exactly what feels important to us as parents.”

    For Kevin, it’s “indescribable” how important his family has been in helping him recover. 

    “They've kind of been there behind me for this entire time. No one's ever kind of left me on my own,” he said. 

    The Pearces invited NBC to meet up with Kevin two years after his accident, for a reunion of sorts at Okemo Mountain in Vermont earlier this week. Kevin was going to strap on his board and head down the slopes alongside the rest of his family.

    (However, this wasn’t his first time back on the slopes since the accident; that happened to the cheers of friends and fans in Breckenridge, Colo. just last month on Dec. 13).

    Needless to say, he ripped it.  (See the video above).

    Did he ever worry that he would never board again?

    "No," he said. “I knew the whole time I was in the hospital. That was the main focus; to get back up here and riding again."

    See Kevin Tibbles report on Kevin Pearce after his accident during the the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games on Feb.15, 2010.

    He knows the dangers of snowboarding and acknowledges that he will probably never compete on the Olympic level again.  “Snowboarding is at this level, it's kind of gone to a crazy place, and I don't think I can get back to it in a safe enough way to make it worth it… It's just not really a possibility or an option to hit my head again.”

    For the meantime, he is just happy to be on the road to recovery.

    “After seeing what kind of condition… I could be in after such a traumatic injury, to be here doing so well and just having such a good time and loving life so much,” he said. “I feel so lucky.”

    Related links:
    PhotoBlog: Snowboarder Kevin Pearce hits the slopes two years after devastating accident
    Olympic dreams lost, but Pearce stays strong

  • 'We're all survivors' say Joplin residents

    Amid the death and destruction caused by the massive tornado that pummeled Joplin, Mo., there are incredible tales of survival. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports from Joplin.

    By Kevin Tibbles, NBC News Correspondent

    Joplin, Mo. – At times, the rain has been coming down in sheets here. But for a moment Tuesday morning there was a blustery, blue sky.

    All it did was give the beaten up residents of Joplin a chance to assess what has been done to their little city.

    The gym at Missouri Southern State University is filled with folks who've, quite likely, lost everything. Many don't even have shoes. I listened to a man this morning try to explain he couldn't eat because his dentures had blown out of his mouth.

    There is also trauma here. Both mental and physical. The teaching wing of the university's medical facility is now filled with real patients. Doctors, nurses and clinicians from several states are now working long hours to help out.

    After all, the big St. John's hospital is now a skeletal mess. It took a direct hit. A group of women, all seriously hurt and all bedridden could be forgiven for being a little disheartened; after all, they've lost everything.

    Instead they joked with our NBC News camera crew. "We should have our own reality show!" one said. "Yes!" said another. "We're all survivors"

    Reeling Missouri city braces for a possible second punch

  • Why scratch? Fight back at the Bed Bug Summit!

    By Kevin Tibbles, NBC News Correspondent

    I am reporting to you from the top-secret confines of Chicago's first national Bed Bug Summit.

    BedBug University’s North American Summit 2010 isn't really a top secret; in fact, everybody and their dog is here – it’s even sold out. But the hotel it's being held in would appreciate us not identifying it. No duh!

    Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

    It used to be the only time Americans worried about getting bitten by bed bugs (they can drink three times their body weight in blood, in case you didn’t know) was when we were travelling abroad.

    But these days because we have travelled abroad so much, the critters have hitched a ride stateside. The Empire State Building, a Niketown store, an Abercrombie & Fitch store, countless hotels, libraries, movie theaters, college dorms, even a military base have fallen prey to these insidious little critters.

    So now we've gone bed bug bananas from coast to coast.

    The summit’s web site promises that attendees will have “direct access to bed bug experts from both academia and industry in a neutral setting” and that they will learn about “the latest advancements on topics like heat treatments, fumigation, early detection tools, pesticides, novel products and more.”

    Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

    That means those who make a living sniffing and snuffing out bed bugs have all their latest wares on display.

    Sniffing? Yes, there are bed bug sniffer dogs.

    As for the snuffing? Well choose your weapon!

    You can freeze ‘em with a cryonic zapper gun; or you can fry ‘em in the “Insect Inferno,” a high-temperature portable trailer. You can also encase your mattress in any number of plastic sealing "envelopes!"

    “Instead of throwing your stuff away, let us heat treat in our trailer at 160 degrees and kill those suckers dead!” said Corey Westrum, co-owner of the Insect Inferno, promoting his weapon of choice to beat the bugs at the summit.

    Beating the bed bug is big business! How big? Those in attendance say it's tripled in the last year. So why scratch? Fight back! Only I can't tell you where we are!

    Kevin Tibbles, NBC News, Rosemont, Il. (Shhhhhh!)

    Helpful links:
    What you need to know about bed bugs
    A real nightmare: Bed bugs biting all over U.S.