One young mans long road back. Nightline starts right now with juju chang. Good evening, thanks for joining us. Tonight, the covid19 death toll in the u. S. Surpassing 150,000 people, with the government pointing to 98 hotspots emerging in more than half the country. This as some schools welcome students back to classrooms, a decision worrying parents and teachers alike, trying to balance the risks against the educational rewards the. Remember to keep moving as one target at a time. Eyes are facing forward. Meagan carrigan is not letting the pandemic keep her out of the classroom. Being able to see the growth the students make when they first start with us to the end of the year is just priceless. Kerrigan knows the risks shes taking each time she comes to work. Shes a cancer survivor and diabetic. In the back of your mind, to you feel like youre taking a risk every time you walk into the classroom . Honestly, yes. We take risks in everything we do each day, but given the circumstances that ive already gone through, i feel like i need to do the best that i can to live my life to the fullest. And as long as i know that i am taking all the precautions that i need to take then im going to be okay. N. Kerrigan has been teaching for 15 years at Bennett Elementary School near jacksonville, florida. What are kids missing out on if theyre staying at home during the pandemic . Its Different School to school. But there are those kids who come to school as their safe place. We provide meals for them. Not only the academics which are extremely important, but it is the social support that they get here. The school, like the rest of our society, has been altered by covid19. Hand sanitizer, more hand washing, seating charts, attempting to space out desks. Some students in masks, others not. Rules vary from district to district. Face coverings here are not mandatory for kindergarteners. I have been around kindergarteners and little kids and they cant keep their hands off each other, how are you planning to keep them apart . No system is perfect, but to the best of our ability we have put in different procedures to keep that from happening. Will they sometimes bump into each other . Absolutely. Will we have to give them friendly reminders to get them to social distance, absolutely. This is what the future of schools could look like across america, but how soon kids and teachers return to the classroom and whether they should at all during the midst of the pandemic is turning schools into the next battle ground. No dead children so far, five states have ordered schools to start inperson classes this fall. A few School Districts like those in san diego and virtual only until november at the earliest. Earlier this month, the president tweeted threatening to cut funding if schools dont reopen by fall. Every district should be actively making preparations to open. Theres not a national superintendent, nor should there be. Therefore, theres not a National Plan for reopening. Governors determined to get their states back to normal. If fast food and walmart and home depot, i do all that, im not looking down on it. If all that is essential, then educating our kids is absolutely essential. Tonight we go inside the debate and inside the classroom, talking to parents, students and teachers grappling with whats best. Weve asked teachers to take bullets for our children. Now were asking them to potentially contract a deadly virus. I want to go back to school, even though were in the middle of a pandemic, because it is my senior year. I absolutely have no choice but to send them to school. Because i work 45 hours a week. Dont play orid w schools have been ordered topen up in august for inperson learning, even though today florida recorded its deadliest day during the pandemic. Pensacola parents keith and Marsha Reeves dont think school should be open. I would have been okay with either Remote Learning or virtual learning. That is the safest alternative for all involved. Theyre parents to 17yearold akeilah. Over here we have my desk where i have my laptop and my books and things of that for school. Theyve struggled over whether to send their daughter back to class. Well, the options for akeilah to learn are of course the traditional route. And of course virtual. As a family, we talked about it. We discussed the pros, the cons. And we ultimately allowed akeilah to make that decision for her. But akeilah, a rising senior, says Remote Learning held her back. I realized that im not the type of person who can sit in front of a computer screen for hours on end and just learn through that osmosis style of learning. Its not for me. Shes decided to return to the cralassroom. Ive been looking forward to my senior year all my life it feels like. I am trying to get into college, so i am focussing on bettering my a. C. T. Scores and s. A. T. Scores. I personally think spellman being an allgirls school is amazing. Her dream, spellman. I want to study political science. Condoleezza rice is someone i admire and look up to. We still have lots and lots of concerns about it. We trust akeilah to be able to follow social distancing and wearing a mask and all those things. But Samantha Taylor wont be sending her kids back to school. Im going to turn this into a classroom. So youll see desks. We want to make sure that this room is where they do school and they dont do school anywhere else. The taylors live in a suburb of orlando. Her high school aged son who has special needs will be returning to a private program. I personally feel like its a privilege to be able to keep them home, and were in the middle of a global pandemic. My goal for them is happiness and safety and Mental Health and security and stability. The academics will come, but it is not my first priority. She hopes her decision will create more space in school for children who cant stay home. If i can do my part by keeping my kids here, its less bodies in the building for the teachers and families who have to send their kids. For millions of teachers, as opening day draws closer, so do the fears. Im going to take my Blood Pressure medicine. Returning to the classroom could cost him his life. High Blood Pressure and covid puts me at a higher risk, especially at the school where exposure is more. His 63yearold sister, a music teacher, has been battling covid19 for 18 days on a ventilator. He says he has not been given the option to teach virtually. I guess well make a decision whether id have to tender a resignation or find Something Else for me, but im pretty sure that would mean id have to tender a resume. The nations Largest Teachers Union is authorizing its members to strike if their schools dont reopen safely. And just last week, floridas Teachers Union filed a lawsuit against state officials, calling the inperson reopening mandates reckless. I want schools to reopen, but we need to be realistic about in what fashion is the safest way for schools to reopen . Carol cleaver is Vice President of the local Teachers Union in pensacola. Shes on the states Task Force Helping plan a safe reopening for schools. I presented that plan to the governor and commissioner of education early in june. Advice she says state leaders ignored. Frustrated, cleaver organized a driveby parade at her school to demand at the very least a mask mandates. All types of people come out, teachers, bus drivers were there. Were concerned about the rising numbers and wanted to call attention to maybe an effort to relook at our plan. Her district relented, delaying the reopening day to august 24, adding that students and staff are expected to wear a mask when they cant socially distance. I certainly have elderly people in my family that im concerned about. Im really terrified that i might bring something home to them. Im terrified that one of my students might bring Something Back to their household. Lets look up on the board. Back in her kindergarten classroom, Megan Kerrigan remains calm amidst the turmoil. What can i do for you, sir . Ive seen teachers protesting in different parts of the country, saying that reopening is too soon, too much too soon. What would you say to them . I would respectfully say to you, each their own, to be honest. You a teacher, as a person, as a parent, you need to do whats best for you and your family. And if you do not feel its a place you need to be at that point, you need to stand true to what you feel. For me, personally, being in the classroom is where i want to be and where i feel safe going. Its a debate that will no doubt continue as back to School Season draws closer. Coming up, the 22yearold fighting for his life. 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Lets hook you up with the Fastest Internet from xfinity. And now with our stores reopening, were putting Healthy Practices in place. Come visit a store today. Stop in or book an appointment online at a time that works for you. Now thats simple, easy, awesome. Ask. Shop. Discover at your local xfinity store today. Across america, young people are falling ill to the coronavirus now more than ever, a scary reality one young man thought he would never survive. And yet surviving is just the beginning. Heres abcs victor oquendo. Reporter this is the moment that Michael Mullinex and his family feared would never happen, the moment he could finally leave the hospital. Michael spent 49 grueling days in a georgia hospital, battling covid19 after all eight of his family members contracted the virus. Michaels mother connie in anguish during this time. My youngest son marshall junior got it for three days and he was fine after that. Me and my husband and my son got the worst case. But michael had it the worst than we did. This is what michael looks like right now. Reporter for three weeks, the 22yearold was placed on a ventilator, fighting for his life. I know its tough, but watching michael go through that as a mother, whats it like . You never thought you would see your son with all the tubes. I have a picture of him and his brother that i would put under my pillow, and i didnt want to close it until he got home. Reporter the former High School Football player had no preexisting conditions, adding to the mystery why the virus seems to hit some harder than others. He does not have any medical issues. We stayed up on top of his health when he was going into middle school, high school and in elementary school. Theres nothing really thats wrong with michael whatsoever. Very healthy. Reporter michaels voice is still hoarse from the breathing tubes that kept him alive. This stuff is real. Reporter his family says he faces up to six months of expensive physical therapy ahead to rebuild muscle strength and improve blood circulation, the fallout from being been bedridden for weeks. Its going to take a while for him to heal and be back to normal. Hes already lost a lot of muscle mass in his left leg. Its re weak. He walks right now with a walker, but michael has a long road of recovery for him. Reporter but his family knows theyre the lucky ones. Michael was able to come home. They hope his story can warn others that no one is immune from this virus, not even the young. This is not a game. This is serious. Its not fake. Its not a common cold, its not the flu. Take it seriously, people. Put on a mask, wash your hands. Thats what michaels message would be. Our thanks to victor. Earlier, i spoke with abc news chief medical correspondent, dr. Jen ashton. As we just saw young patients like michael can end up on a walker for weeks, his vocal chords are still damaged. In many ways, leaving the hospital is just the beginning of a longterm comeback. It definitely can be. What youre talking about is something any intensive care person knows very well. It even has a name. The post icu syndrome, and that is a marked, debilitation, muscle wasting. Literally almost every system can be involved. And people have to remember, just because youre discharged from the hospital, especially from the icu, the road to recovery can literally be day by day, and it can take months. I always encourage people you have to be patient with yourself. Just because you spent ten days in an icu doesnt mean in ten days youll be back to baseline. It can take a lot longer than that. And jen, earlier today we watched you speak one on one with dr. Anthony fauci on a wide range of issues. But one issue many of us are still wondering about is hydroxychloroquine. Its back in the news after a retweet by president trump. A growing number of experts are saying its not even effective against covid. Can you help us clear up some of these misconceptions . I can give context. Its important were in the setting of a medical and Public Health crisis and emergency. As such, you know this, i say it all the time. Doctors and scientists should stay in their lane and politicians should stay in theirs. Were talking about a drug here, and every drug has risks and benefits. The fda officially has not delineated any benefits to hydroxychloroquine in treating covid19, but they always leave open the door for doctors to prescribe any medication in an offlabel setting if that doctor feels that the benefits outweigh the risks. I think when you talk about hydroxychloroquine or any drug, its important to remember in science, in medicine, were always reassessing, reanalyzing, studying drugs and how they work in different patient populations in different settings, so i know its frustrating for people, but when you hear something one day, data may produce a different outcome down the road, and we just have to keep an open mind to that. And this is why we like to listen to you and dr. Fauci, thanks, dr. Jen, as always. Thanks, juju. Up next, how this u. S. Navy pilot is inspiring others to soar to new heights pepto® diarrhea is proven effective to treat symptoms, and it also targets the cause of diarrhea. The 3 times concentrated liquid formula coats and kills bacteria to relieve diarrhea. While the leading competitor does nothing to kill the bacteria, pepto® diarrhea gets to the source, killing the bad bacteria. So, try pepto® diarrhea, and remember to have it on hand every time you travel. 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I think that representation is important. Because we are a very diverse nation. So i would like everyone to believe that they can achieve whatever they want to do. Sweegle dreaming of being a pilot since she was a child. And now flying higher than ever. A true trail blazer. And thats nightline for tonight. Well see you right back here tomorrow at the same time. Thanks for staying up with us, goodnight, america. Dicky from hollywood, it as jimmy kimmel live, with guest host, sean hayes. Tonight, jason bateman, and our Health Care Hero of the week. And now, sean hayes. Person, woman, man, camera, tv, person, woman, man, camera, tv oh sorry, just doing my warm up exercises. Hi, im sean hayes live and welcome to jimmy kimmel. Im your guest host for the evening, but im probably best known as the character from will grace that even your homophobic grandma loved. Now i know im just your substitute for the night, but i expect you to behave just like you would if your regular host were here. So, turn down the volume and start humpin. Im so excited to be doing this. Ill never forget when jimmy called my agent about this gig. My agent said theres no way in hell adam driver will do this, but i also represent sean hayes. And i want to take a second to say hi to my husband whos back at home supporting me right now. Hi, scotty, i love you. And if you even think about touching the horse puzzle without me, ill suffocate you in your sleep. Now that were all having fun, im going to tell you something that will ruin your month. It turns out that coronavirus might be spread through air