entering fema now called in to help as our cameras catch people climbing over the wall. the biggest travel day yet during the pandemic, as more americans take to the sky and more states loosen restrictions. the super spreader fears around these big crowds of spring breakers. vaccine divide why are so many republicans refusing to get vaccinated? >> what if your employer said you need to get the shot >> i would have to find another job. >> the major hurdle that could prevent the u.s. from reaching herd immunity. and the nfl star's big announcement leaving the game after 20 years in the league >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with kate snow. >> good evening. the calendar says march, with longer spring days coming now that we pushed the clock forward. but part of the country tonight is struggling with blinding snow and blizzard conditions. it is the worst storm in denver in five years, creating treacherous travel conditions and shutting down highways the snow totals at denver international airport are nearing two feet now and cheyenne, wyoming, is seeing the biggest two-day snowfall in more than 40 years our gadi schwartz is in denver tonight. >> reporter: tonight, a slow-revving snow storm, finally showing its full strength. more than three feet so far in cheyenne and counting blizzard conditions, socking in cars as interstates shut down in colorado and wyoming, even news crews needing a hand. >> heard you guys got stuck. >> a big shout out to our friend pete. he had to come over and dig us out he was the most kind and helpful person. over the last two days, snow toelgt totals have been hit and miss at places like denver, where th airport shut down all runways after over 20 inches of snow, more than some ski areas, prompting some to take their winter sports to city parks. >> we didn't ski today because we thought it would be too dangerous to drive so trying to enjoy it. >> out pulling sleds, they say they stocked up before the storm hit. >> going to the store, it felt like precovid as we were heading in, in march random things were missing off the shelves. >> reporter: the snow proving lucrative to others how is the money today? >> it's good it's really good. >> we're liking it. >> reporter: the snow that's fallen right now is extremely wet, extremely heavy. i want to show you just how heavy it is look at this the big concern is branches falling on power lines. so far, tens of thousands have lost power. crews working overtime along with hundreds of snowplows out on the roads. today at least one avalanche reported in the back country while the weather system has pushed into the great plains, twisting into tornadoes. homes damaged, cell phone towers toppled, semis overturned but so far no significant injuries as forecasts call for more wild weather later on in the week. >> gadi, is the snow showing any signs of letting up there >> reporter: kate, take a look. this is still coming down pretty heavily in the denver metro area. i want to show you how much snow has fallen here this is about 14 inches or so and about 6 of those inches, half a foot falling in the last four hours alone all of this expected to continue into tonight. kate, back to you. >> all right, gadi got to be good for skiing to politics now and the thousands of dollars dropping into americans' bank accounts this weekend, all courtesy of president biden's nearly $2 trillion covid relief package, but the bill has many critics. kelly o'donnell reports. >> reporter: cash deposits to the rescue $422 billion in covid checks now flowing to americans, like 70-year-old dorothy donahey, at work today in her virginia studio >> i cheered and i cried. >> reporter: that emotion over what the direct payment means with $1,400 now in her bank account. cataract surgery finally, because it will pay for most of the part that medicare won't cover. >> reporter: improved vision essential to her art, but it's been unaffordable until now. >> it will change my life for the better. >> reporter: in las vegas, covid has crushed many jobs linked to tourism. hospitality workers welcome the help but say economic recovery is needed most. >> the stimulus checks has been a great band-aid, but band-aids don't last. >> reporter: las vegas is among seven destinations in the next five days for the biden team road tour vice president harris there tomorrow to promote the $1.9 trillion package, which includes funds unemployment benefits and more, including programs not clearly tied to covid. $86 billion to prop up struggling pension plans. 200 million for libraries and $270 million for arts and humanities spending priorities that fire up republican critics. >> to call this covid relief is really false advertising. only 9% of the money actually goes to defeating the virus. >> kelly, where is the president headed on this promotional tour? >> reporter: this week, he will be going to pennsylvania and georgia, two states essential in his election victory tomorrow here at the white house, he will talk about how to implement all of this in the plan. kate >> kelly o'donnell at the white house. if you're wondering when you could get your money go to whitehouse.gov and click get my payment another major challenge for president biden tonight, the chris sis at the border and a growing number of unaccompanied children making the dangerous crossing, desperate to reach the u.s. chlt garrett haake has the latest from el paso. >> reporter: tonight, the federal government surging resources to the border, hoping to absorb a record wave of migrants, including unaccompanied minors making the dangerous journey to america more than 3,200 such children crossing the border last week alone. why are so many kids coming here to the border now >> i think two things. number one, the conditions in their homeland have become untenable and, number two, their families want to be with them. >> reporter: now the biden administration is deploying fema for 90 days to help move arriving children from overcrowded patrol stations to homes or shelters while their cases are worked through the system we caught three migrants using a ladder to climb the fence. shortly after border patrol agents took them into custody. if they're adults they'll most certainly be sent back in texas's rio grande valley, some migrants are crossing the river in rickety rafts, then held in centers. >> our cities and counties on the border don't have the resources to deal with this. >> reporter: republicans call the increase in border crossings a crisis that they say the biden administration has worsened by loosening some trump-era immigration policies, including no longer requiring would-be asylum seekers to remain in mexico >> the biden open border policies are invitie ing even more illegal immigration and actually have created this humanitarian crisis. >> reporter: democrats and immigration activists called that policy inhumane. >> the dangers for asylum seekers and children among them being sent back to mexico is extreme. and the biden administration should act quickly to ensure that those people are able to find protection in the united states, as is required by our laws. >> garrett is with us. garrett, is this pace of crossing expected to keep up >> reporter: it should pick up, kate. the number of migrants expected to arrive at the border should only increase through the spring and summer months in fact, dhs is anticipating as many as 117,000 unaccompanied minors could arrive at the board their year, a record kate >> garrett haake, thank you. as more states reopen and spring breakers cut loose, there's a new warning tonight about the dangers of rolling back all those pandemic precautions it comes as we hit a milestone in the number of americans vaccinated. morgan chesky reports. >> reporter: tonight as states reopen, crowded scenes that feel prepandemic now playing out in realtime >> for spring break, we're really excited we're going to open up, have djs, concerts, everything. >> reporter: businesses cashing in on spring breakers, st. patrick's day customers ready to move on. >> i wouldn't say we're really concerned about it right now, to be honest. i feel like it's tame right now. >> reporter: the mixed messaging on state reopenings confusing enough to prompt warnings from top health officials >> we are going in the right direction. that's why i get so anxious when i hear pulling back completely on public health measures, like saying no more masks, no nothing like that that is risky business when you do that. >> reporter: risk or not, reopening continues in states like texas, where this weekend marked the first with 100% capacity and no mask mandate. >> covid is not under control. >> everybody as an adult needs to make their own decision i don't think it should be forced >> reporter: in los angeles, the city starting their own reopening. the city loosening their rules after meeting thei target of 2 million vaccinated in hard-hit areas. the u.s. vaccination rate starting to take off. saturday, marking an all-time record. 2.98 million americans receiving shots in arms in seattle, the country's largest volunteer-run site now up and running able to vaccinate 22,000 people every day. >> we are going to be at the end of this soon, but i just want to emphasize every time i say this, we are so close but we're not there yet. >> reporter: progress nationwide and in massachusetts that sounded pretty good famed cellist yoyo ma celebrating his second shot as only he could, joining millions of americans now one step closer to this pandemic's end. >> morgan is with us morgan, with the mask mandate lifted, what happens if texas' numbers start to good back up again? >> yeah, kate, built into this governor's order is a allowance for leaders to reinstate those rules if covid hospitalizations go up 15% over seven straight days. kate >> all right morgan chesky, thank you. playing off of that, up next, the vaccine divide why so many republicans say they won't get a shot, and why that affects everyone also, back in the sky. record day of air travel and the beach destinations trying to get you to visit as we mentioned before the break, the number of americans being vaccinated against covid at an all-time high, but there are growing concerns about what it will take to convince enough americans to be vaccinated overall to stop the spread. at holy name medical center in new jersey, i met so many who were desperate to get a vaccine appointment. >> overwhelming and i feel that i'm lucky. >> but there are also millions rejecting it. >> i'm not getting a vaccine because i'm honestly not scared of the virus. >> i don't trust the vaccine at all. >> reporter: many of them white conservatives, lik jina militeli, a mom of four who works in a school and voted for former president trump. public health officials, scientists and leading doctors are saying we should get this vaccine why are you so concerned about it >> i don't think that it's 100% safe and effective. and i believe that the risk is worse than what the benefit would be. >> you're concerned it hasn't been tested enough >> yes. >> a new poll finds nearly half of trump voters do not plan to get the vaccine, compared to just 10% of biden voters. dr. melanie weaver runs a clinic in rural idaho. >> you have people believing masks don't matter, the vaccine is a conspiracy and maybe they're out to get us. >> reporter: it's a huge concern for dr. paul offitt who served on the panel who approved the vaccine this country needs a certain percentage of people need to get this vaccine to get herd immunity. >> you're right about, 80% of the population in order to get to herd immunity. >> reporter: dr. ashish jha is at brown university you hear people sa i don't believe in these vaccines. >> it's a disturbing turn of events there's nothing political about this virus. the virus doesn't care if you're a democrat or republican and the vaccines work just as well for democrats and republicans. >> for me as a scientist, who is also a christian, this is an answer to a lot of prayers. >> reporter: public health officials are targeting conservative media and a new public service announcement features former presidents, including republican george w. bush. >> it's important for our fellow citizens to get vaccinated. >> reporter: but not donald trump, who got his vaccine privately. what if your employer says you need to get the shot before going back to school >> i would have to find another job. >> why is it so important for every one of us to get this vaccine? >> my message is really simple. we want to put it behind us. we want to get our lives back we want to see family and friends. the best and only real way we can do that is if most americans get vaccinated. >> make that choice. because to not make that choice is not only to put yourself at risk, but to put everyone with whom you come in contact with at risk. >> you can make your plan with our guide to help you navigate when and where to go. visit planyourvaccine.com for more. still ahead how some beach destinations are trying to woo you back, even letting you quarantine there for free if you get sick plus, an announcement from nfl legend drew brees. parts of hawaii remain on alert tonight for more rain after days of massive flash floods the islands have been battered by heavy downpours. dozens of homes were destroyed and some roads closed following landslides on maui, thousands were evacuated after fears a dam could fail. tonight we're remembering boxing legend marvin hagler known as marvelous marvin, he was a heavy middleweight getting in the ring against some of most famous boxers in histories. his 1985 win against thomas hearns has been called one of the greatest matches of all time marvelous marvin hagler was 66 years old. one of the best-known players in the nfl is stepping away from the game new orleans quarterback drew brees is leaving after 20 15 with the saints the 42-year-old announced his retirement today saying, quote, this is not good-bye rather a new beginning. the covid travel slump is showing signs of a rebound on hide from, the u.s. saw more than 1.3 million air pengers. that's the most since the pandemic started flying is one topic we're covering for our new series, the future of travel. tonight, how mexico and the caribbean are enticing tourists to come back. sam brock reports. >> reporter: like a long-lost friend temporarily gone but not forgotten, the emerald waters of cancun and white sand beaches of jamaica are beckoning to travelers like beverly ashley mckurdy. >> happy birthday, baby >> reporter: who has traveled to both locations in the past year >> how are you doing it i just tell them i wear my mask i get tested often. >> reporter: beverly and her husband took advantage of free testing offered by the majority of hotels in booming quintana roo, the mexican state that has seen more than four million visitors since june one hotel heavily invested in the region and offering those tests is marriott international. is. >> several things driving that testing is very easy to get to. there wasn't that a year ago second, the vaccine is ramping up beautifully. >> there's pent-up demand, no doubt about that testing is very easy >> reporter: brian king is >> reporter: brian king is president of the caribbean and latin american region, who acknowledges deep cleans, temperature checks for staff and strict social distancing matter more now than ever. you're saying it's not just lip service >> in order to protect our associates and fellow customers staying there, we will enforce those rules. >> reporter: there's been a lot of cases of covid-19 in mexico does that concern you as you try to bring business back? >> of course, we want to make sure our customers are safe you can't look at mexico as one giant conglomerate it varies by state. >> reporter: the same designation has been applied to puerto rico, antigua. but local leaders say that doesn't take into account revamped protocols, a 60% cap on occupancy and improved results >> the number of positive cases in this region is way lower than the rest of the country. >> reporter: for added assurance, some providers, like palace resorts, are offering to pay for your quarantine if you test positive on site with u.s. flights up to quintana roo up 23% year-over-year, the pathways to paradise are there. the first leg in charting a return course to travel sam brock, nbc news, miami. when we come back, the emt who needed saving, and the colleague he never met who sacrificed so much to help. there's good news tonight about two strangers whose lives intersected in an unexpected way and the selfless decision one made to save a life. >> how are you >> good. how are you? >> juan vasquez and ashley mitchell were both emts near philadelphia when they first met last year. you guys have a bond now that is so unique, right? >> yes, absolutely it's hard to even remember the time before ashley was in our lives. >> and this photo taken last august marks the moment their lives were forever changed. but getting there wasn't easy. until then, juan was in an eight-year battle with the autoimmune disease, lupus. >> getting dialysis. >> that attacked his kidneys. >> it came to a point where dialysis was the only thing left. >> but those grueling daily treatments while still working as an emt saving other lives simply weren't enough. he desperately needed a transplant were you at the point of what's going to happen to me if i don't get this kidney >> me and my wife were planning to make the thing work as best we could and hoping i would last long enough to get to that point >> what do you mean, last long enough >> there's always a fear that everything deteriorates so quickly and you don't survive. >> on social media, ashley saw his plea for help. >> it said "pennsauken emt needs a kidney." it isn't talked as often as police and >> so she got tested and a few weeks later -- >> i got a phone call and they said you're a match. do you still want to donate >> your kidney. >> yes, my kidney. >> ashley messaged juan saying hi, juan, we're a match. he responded oh, my god, that is incredible thank you so much. the two now forever friends, showing how her gift transformed his world in more ways than one is it too much to say she saved your life? >> absolutely not. i get to be with my kids all the time, not miss those special moments. it take something like this happening for you to really truly appreciate it. >> juan says he now considers ashley part of his family. by the way, she's now studying to be a nurse. that is "nbc nightly news" on this sunday night. lester holt will be back with you tomorrow i'm kate snow. for all of us here at nbc news, stay safe and have a good night. blizzard pounding the right now at 6:00, a disturbing discovery at a middle school. tonight the controversial graffiti one mother spotted. the news at 6:00 starts right now. good evening, everyone. thank you for joining us. i am terry mcsweeney. >> and we're talking about graffiti. an asian-american parent discovered it and tonight she's speaking with us about it. >> and we're live in willow glen with the story you will only see on nbc bay