And a good evening to all of you. We welcome you to a special edition of world news, beginning the breaking news, a titan has died, Nelson Mandela, the man who taught the modern world you can transform anger into hope. He was 95 and his death wasnt a surprise but his life continues to astonish us in living the possibility of a better world. He spent 27 years in prison for his belief in freedom, equality and emerged with a message of generosity toward his 0 pressers. We have reaction from around the world tonight. First Robin Roberts who has traveled to south africa several times takes a look back at his extraordinary life and inconquerable spirit. Reporter Nelson Mandela, a leader who inspired a nation to hope. Both black and white will be able to walk together, a grateful nation at peace with itself and the world. Reporter and believe in a better future. His tribal name given at birth means troublemaker, but on the first day of school, his teacher gave him a new name. You must have a christian name. So i said, no, i dont have one. She says you are from today going to be nelson. Reporter he was a boxer who became a lawyer and a leading voice in the African National congress, the anc. Struggling to end the inequality of apartheid, white ruled south africas policy of racial segregation. But in 1960 after police shot and killed 49 protestors, the anc which had always been nonviolent created a military wing under mandelas command. There are many people who feel that its useless and futile for us to continue talking peace and nonviolence against the government. Reporter the regime determined to maintain white rule saw the inspiring young revolutionary as a threat. Our struggle is truly national. It is a struggle for the right to live. Reporter mandela was imprisoned in 1962 and two years later sentenced to life in prison, accused of working to overthrow the government. In court, on trial for his life he said this. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society. It is an ideal for which i hope to live and to see realized, but my lord, if it needs be, it is an ideal for which i am prepared to die. Reporter four miles off the coast of cape town south africa on Robben Island, he spent most of his years cut off from the world but not forgotten. To spend 27 years in the prime of your life is a tragedy and i regret in all those years that i have wasted in prison. Mr. Nelson mandela will be released from the prison. There is mr. Nelson mandela, a free man taking his first steps into a new south africa. Reporter released at the age of 72, remained vigilant that his country and freedoms rested in the hands of the people. I stand here before you not as a prophet but as a humble servant. Reporter and for the people of south africa, mandelas release ushered in a new era of hope and the end of apartheid. Today the majority of south africa, black and white, recognize that apartheid has no future. Reporter in 1994 South Africans castheir ballot in the first democratic election. This morning applause for the first black voter in history. Reporter mandela became the countrys president , the first elected by all its people. We are all South Africans. We have had a good fight, but now this is a time to heal the old wounds and to build a new south africa. Reporter after ruling for five years, Nelson Mandela passed the torch to the next generation and became an elder statesman to the world, a fighter, a visionary, the voice of his people and a moral compass for us all. You were there so many times, talked to his family members. Several times, the first time ten years ago with my family. We actually went to Robben Island and stood in his cell and we couldnt imagine what it felt like. On one of my trips talking to his second wife winnie in their home and talking with such passion about the early years and the struggle against apartheid and saying even then he had a bold vision and when i spoke to grass sa and i asked him what is your husbands legacy going to be and she said a visionary and the quality of his leadership. The quality of it. I remember his saying once that there is nothing more powerful than the phrase it is not right. And he wanted to right the wrongs and give each of us the feeling that we could do that, too. Thats so powerful. Thats right. In our lives, not just in the political world. Right. Thanks so much, robin. Its great that you are here with us tonight. We want to go to south africa right now where not long ago president zuma, the president of the country with a simple sentence broke the news to his countrymen. Our nation has lost its greatest son. Was a nation absolute a life with fearlessness and forgiveness, a life that changed history. Abcs Alex Marquardt is right there as South Africans in the middle of the night are absorbing this news. Alex . Reporter good evening, diane. This country, south africa, has been plunged into a time of Great Sadness over the news of the death of a man so many affectionately called madiba. His death no great surprise but such a shock to this beacon of hope, this pillar of freedom is no longer with us. There are huge numbers of South Africans who have gathered outside his home. Theyre dancing and singing struggle song from the apartheid era, the National Anthem interspersed with moments of silence. There have been conflicting reports in recent weeks over the health of mandela. As late as tonight one of his daughters said that he was fine. This announcement was made late tonight, just before midnight. Now its well after midnight. Many South Africans will wake up to this tremendously sad news tomorrow when a period of National Mourning will begin for what president zuma called south africas greatest son. Thank you so much, alex. Its not that his deaths is a surprise but that we look back at his life and we are stunned with the effect that it had on this world. The news of course touched so many people around the world, including here at home and president obama, who not long ago spoke about the profound effect mandela had on his own life. Weve lost one of the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this earth. He no longer belongs to us. He belongs to the ages. And we want to show you a picture now. President obama then 19 years old, a college student, protesting apartheid on campus. He said that was the moment that mandela, quote, gave him a sense of what is possible in this world. Sending a jolt of electricity through his homeland but also this nation, america, founded on equality for all. Abcs byron pitts now on what mandela meant to the United States. Reporter just four months after he was set free from prison in 1990, Nelson Mandela set foot in america for the very first time. An 8 city tour starting in new york. It was magical. It was as if malcolm and martin were still alive and the nets had won the world series all in new york all in one day. Mandela spoke at yankee stadium. You now know who i am. I am a yankee reporter for many then as now it wasnt so much his or tear skills but the aur ra of his story that inspired. A story so familiar and inter twined with america, and still so very painful. The antiapartheid protest of the 80s cap vated a new generation on colleges and communities. Amidst the demonstrations demanding dye vestment in south africa here was the on going violence there in townships. It took the story of one man to help america better understand the struggle of one nation. Mandela reminded the world reconciliation was more powerful than revenge. Forgiveness is a gift to be given. The boldness of his vision empowered america. I said didnt you hate those people once they let you go . He said briefly they did but when i was walking out of my compound i said to myself, theyve had you 27 years. If you hate them when you go through that door, they will still have you. Reporter and the famous. If you proceed through life with just a portion of Nelson Mandelas humility, you will be a huge success. Reporter the audacity of mandelas rise also inspired a young politician from illinois. Senator obama visited his cell on Robben Island when his destiny was still a dream. It was the walk that proceeded it. During his visit to boston 23 years ago i met mr. Mandela ever so briefly. There was time for one question. Mr. Mandela, i asked, what is the one thing in life you know for sure . With that elegant smile he answered, good and evil are always at war. Good men must choose. With defiance and dignity in equal measure, Nelson Mandela chose and america loved him for it. Byron pitts, abc news, new york. And byron is here right now. What a wonderful story of your encounter with him. He always said that courage isnt the absence of fear but the ability to triumph over it. Exactly right. Mandela often said he was a student of gandhi. Martin luther king, americas civil rights movement. I think its fair to say that history will show the student became the teacher. America the world, his classroom. Every individual life has a lesson. Yes. Thank you so much, byron. Still ahead on this special edition of world news, youre going to meet mandelas jailer, a country boy who became a lifelong friend. Thats ahead. [ male announcer ] your eyes. Even at a distance of 10 miles. The length of 146 football fields. 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Reporter Nelson Mandela was 60, already in prison for more than a decade, still forced to sleep on the floor. The young jailers family was africa kauner. But when that young jailer met mandela, he met an elder who would treat the young man with respect and the jailer would slowly offer the same in return. He told of one of Winnie Mandelas visits and her requests. She said please can i show mandela from a distance. I said, no, no. Reporter no children allowed, not even mandelas precious new grandbaby. What winnie didnt know was while he waited in a holding area, that jailer secretly brought the baby to mandela. There were tears coming out of his eyes. Nobody knew . Nobody knew. Reporter the whole wheat bread they would bring from home and the secret code. I would show him this. Mandela immediately know im bugged. I was bugged a lot of times. You lied to keep your job and to keep your friendship with mandela . Thats correct. Reporter during all of those isolating years on Robben Island the prison guard said there was one view of the country that Nelson Mandela loved. That was the very top of Table Mountain here in cape town behind me, that he would look to this view wondering if he was ever be free. But mandela was always preparing for that day. He asked the jailer to teach him afrikaa afrikaans. On the day mandela was released, his speech was delivered in afrikaans. Mandela famously said, if you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. Thats what he did and thats what he would strive for and he was loved for and would fight for while he was in prison, to have people live in peace. Reporter the jailer who became a trusted friend now remembering Nelson Mandela. That most unlikely friend, the jailer standing on that hill with me in cape town telling me that hell never forget that bond they formed. Of course, diane, that secret code, that little reference to his ear that they were being bugged. His allegiance was to his loyal friend. He kept teaching over and over again, consider the possibilities that even your enemies can change and give them a chance to change. Thank you, david. When we come back here, Nelson Mandela, his Lasting Imprint on the world. Gorge stephanopoulos standing by. This is the quicksilver cash back card from capital one. Its not the limit the cash i earn every month card. Its not the i only earn decent rewards at the gas station card. Its the nogames, nosigning up, everydayrewarding, kungfufighting, silverlightninginabottle, bringinghomethebacon cash back card. This is the quicksilver card from capital one. Unlimited 1. 5 cash back on every purchase, everywhere, every single day. So ask yourself, whats in your wallet . Of their type 2 diabetes with noninsulin victoza®. For a while, i took a pill to lower my blood sugar, but it didnt get me to my goal. 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Its covered by most health plans. Where does the United States get most of its energy . Is it africa . The middle east . Canada . Or the u. S. . The answer is. The u. S. Most of Americas Energy comes from right here at home. Take the energy quiz. Energy lives here. And now Good Morning America co anchor George Stephanopoulos joins us. George, did he change the world . There is no question about it. He changed the world through power of example. He always said he wasnt a prophet. We saw that in robins piece. Of course he was but what made him special was he was a supremely idealistic prophet married to a politician. He had the flexibility of a politician but the vision of a prophet. We wielded everything in his power. Especially after he left prison. He knew that every move he made would be watched and he was sending a signal to his people and the world. Think about that man, heres the man who left prison to be elected president and then said like George Washington i am walking away from power, such an important example for his people. He tried to teach reconciliation instead of war and . It ended up working but remember he also said that nonviolence is just a tactic. Its not a principle. He believed in it and he did it because he thought it would work and it did. Someone said that maybe hes the president of the republic of mortality at the end of the day and that does transsend the globe. Thank you so much, george. When we come back, Nelson Mandela, another message for all of us about your life and duty and peace. I love to eat. I love hanging out with my friends. I have a great fit with my dentures. I love kiwis. Ive always had that issue with the seeds getting under my denture. Super poligrip free it creates a seal of the dentures in my mouth. Even wellfitting dentures let in food particles. Super poligrip is zinc free. 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Dont take celebrex if you have bleeding in the stomach or intestine, or had an asthma attack, hives, other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. Get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. Tell your doctor your medical history. And find an Arthritis Treatment for you. Visit celebrex. Com and ask your doctor about celebrex. For a body in motion. President mandela said when you have done your duty, you can rest for all eternity. Thank you so much for watching us tonight. For some of of you we say good night and others we hope you stay with us for continuing coverage of Nelson Mandelas death, a special edition of nightline later. For those of you staying with us now, well be back after a short break. For everyone else, a good night. A good evening to you and welcome back to this special edition of world news. Tonight we are remembering Nelson Mandela, a man who changed this world. President obama saying just hours ago he no longer belongs to us, he belongs to the ages. At 95, his death not a surprise, but the lessons of his life still reverb rating around the globe, that long walk to freedom, brimming with humility, resilient, a determination to forgive