spreads. some big districts going remote others pushing forward with ramped up testing. >> it would be much better if we stayed in school all the time. >> seeing the devastation up close residents finally allowed back in after a thousand homes were burned to ground by the wild fire in colorado rising tensions. president biden today on the phone with ukraine's leader vowing to respond decisively if russia invades. and the on field tantrum from the nfl star in the middle of a game antonio brown now gone from another team. good evening more than a hundred million americans were expected to travel around christmas and new year's exceeding last year and now they're all trying to get home in the midst of nasty weather and a continued pandemic more than 2500 flights were canceled just today. part of more than it 12,000 canceled over the past week. the airlines are dealing with employees sick with covid and winter weather today from flooding in kentucky to icy roads in arkansas. overnight conditions will worsen in some big east coast cities. we begin tonight with morgan chesky. >> reporter: tonight the post holiday travel rush from coast to coast long lines from los angeles, fort lauderdale, cleveland, and denver, where weary passengers grabbed a nap wherever they could. >> had a couple flights canceled yesterday. got moved to today. >> reporter: nationwide on top of the cancellations more than 4,000 other flights have been delayed. airlines crippled by covid cases among their crew and severe weather. some families facing worst case scenarios >> i don't think we are mentally prepared for a 24-hour drive back to iowa. >> reporter: that is reality for the lundberg family who told us their flight from orlando was delayed then canceled with no option to rebook even finding a rental car took hours >> you feel helpless as a parent i have three children down here, my husband you want to get everyone home safely there is just no answer. >> reporter: in chicago snowy conditions prompted southwest airlines to cancel all flights in or out on saturday triple-a calling this sunday the end of the holiday travel season but stresses check and recheck travel plans that could change at a moment's notice. >> i think the wild card we've been warning all along has been covid we always want to remind folks if you are booking don't skip the box for flight insurance anymore. get flight insurance. >> reporter: even more people will be driving home today those on the roads facing their own issues in arkansas an icy build up led to this massive backup in kentucky, the governor declaring a state of emergency after heavy rain, thunderstorms, and even more tornadoes pummelled the state. in some areas flood waters swallowed entire streets leading to high water rescues. to the west an incredibly close call in new mexico. rescuers say 21 people trapped in a tram car for more than 12 hours after the cables froze over fortunately, no one was hurt tonight 39 million people are under winter alerts from coast to coast and with rain from the mid-atlantic expected to turn to snow overnight, monday morning could make for one treacherous commute. >> not looking great, morgan they're still canceling flights in the days ahead, too? >> reporter: yes, kate that's right some airlines are taking proactive measures at last check more than 800 cancellations reported and nearly 300 delays for monday. kate >> all right cross fingers. morgan, thank you. now to the omicron variant which has swept through parts of the country over the holidays with record numbers of cases, people scrambling to find home tests, and growing concerns that so many workers calling in sick could cripple critical services in cities like new york. >> reporter: new year, new rush for at home covid tests. >> how are you happy new year. >> reporter: cars lined up in bethel, connecticut for one per household. others waited in long lines over the holiday weekend to be tested as the omicron variant surges while omicron's infection may be less severe, because it spreads so fast and infects so many, it is already straining a health care system struggling to treat the unvaccinated >> even if you have a lower percentage of severity when you have multi, multi more people getting infected the net amount is you still get a lot of people hospitalization and that is the reason we're concerned about stressing and straining the hospital system >> reporter: as for the much criticized and shortened five-day isolation period for people who test positive, fauci says there could soon be a new requirement. >> there has been some concern about why we don't ask people after the five day period to get tested that is something that is now under consideration. >> reporter: a nation barreling toward peak infections just models from columbia university this week for new york city and next week for the rest of the country with anywhere from 2.5 to 5.4 million cases during the peak. >> we can just hope it is going to be mild and that it doesn't strain our hospitals the way they were last winter. >> reporter: in new york city the virus shredding the ranks of front line workers 30% of merge cyr vices employees are out. 21% of the police department, 18% of the fire department. a lack of employees impacting subway and bus serv >> joining me now from new york's grand central terminal they are already warning of transit delays tomorrow as people return to work and school >> reporter: they are, kate the mta says it anticipates suspending service on three lines tomorrow as both the bus and subway systems say they'll try to do their best with the number of people that they have. kate >> all right anne, thank you. school districts across the country are scrambling tonight with classes set to restart tomorrow some are going back to remote learning but many are sticking with in-person instruction with testing and precautions all of it creating stress for students and parents >> good job. >> reporter: tonight new concerns as children nationwide prepare for back to school amid an omicron fueled covid surge >> i am horribly nervous to send them back to school on monday. >> reporter: many districts now responding, atlanta, cleveland, newark, and others going remote for at least the beginning of january >> it sets people back a lot. with the time frame, it really does >> reporter: in other cities, districts are hoping to ramp up testing instead of going remote >> thank you >> reporter: delaying classes until wednesday in d.c. and in massachusetts, the national guard handing out tests to families ahead of their return. parents worry with the testing backlog the results will not come in time. in chicago, video of a testing drop box for students and staff overflowing. now sparking concerns. and while the biden administration has vowed to help, increasing the supply of at home tests, it won't come in time for many even colleges and universities delaying their return with at least 70 schools going remote as a semester starts >> i still believe very firmly and very passionately not only as an educator but a parent that our students belong in the classroom and we can do it safely we have better tools than we had in the past to get it done. we know what works >> reporter: and mental health experts agree. this pandemic has taken a toll on children and they belong in the classroom with safety measures in place. >> there is the psychological and social pieces of providing comfort, routine, structure, mental health treatment, peer-to-peer support and all of this is getting lost as a result of remote learning and the isolation that it brings >> reporter: a tough time for parents and administrators as they try to put the safety of kids first amidst a raging pandemic. nbc news in colorado today, families who fled the state's most destructive fire ever were allowed back into their neighborhoods to see what is left the fire destroyed nearly a thousand homes. >> reporter: in colorado the road to recovery means walking in the scars of the monstrous marshall fire trudging through snow to face what's left. which for nearly 1,000 families means nothing. >> you could count the number of items on one hand you could salvage? >> if that if that. i mean, it's gone. >> reporter: the view from above capturing the historic blaze's wrath. to see it in person, heart breaking bringing his family to tears. at what point did you realize you were going to lose your home? >> basically we were leaving and the smoke was so thick and it was so hot and the wind was so fierce i knew it wasn't going to be able to survive. >> reporter: underscoring the scale of destruction authorities released a preliminary list of addresses that runs more than 20 pages long >> i had no idea until i got there. i had been working and just had no idea. >> reporter: on that list, louisville police chief dave hayes' street. >> it's tough. you spend 30 plus years of your life there and it's all gone it's ashes >> reporter: eight inches of snow may have helped hell freeze over the blaze more than 60% contained but is compromising the aftermath for residents and investigators still trying to find any sign of two missing people >> we're actively working the scenes with dogs. the scenes are still hot. they're still, you know, deep in debris, hot debris covered with snow. so it is very difficult. >> reporter: the most destructive fire in state history still feared to be deadly. >> those pictures are just awful from the burn zone there. have authorities determined the cause of the fire? >> reporter: kate, officials believe they know where the fire started but not how. initially authorities thought downed power lines were to blame but now say the theory seems less likely. >> thank you now to the growing fears over a russian invasion of ukraine. president biden spoke with the ukrainian president today just days after he held a phone call with russian president vladimir putin senior white house correspondent kelly o'donnell joins me now. what do we know about the call today >> reporter: good evening, kate. in the new phone call president biden said the u.s. and its allies will respond decisively if russia further invades ukraine. in a conversation with president zelensky who has vladimir putin and thousands of russian troops threatening at its border today's call follows the stern warning mr. biden delivered to putin in a separate call three days ago that there would be a heavy price to pay with severe sanctions if russia invades. this president-to-president level contact comes days before u.s.-russia diplomatic in-person meetings are scheduled in geneva to try to defuse the tension and resolve this dispute kate >> kelly o'donnell, thank you. still ahead stories from inside the capitol during the january 6 attack from the new members of congress who had just started their jobs ♪ superpowers from a spider bite? 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>> reporter: jacobs was in the house chamber. her parents used to her being in dangerous situations during her stints overseas were worried. >> i'm like, don't worry. i'm in the chamber i'm in the safest place i can possibly be >> get down! get down >> reporter: as insurrectionists neared the floor jacobs donned a gas hood. >> there was this buzzing i will never forget actually i can't watch the clips of that day with the sound on. >> reporter: on the floor below her another freshman, texas republican, a former sheriff that's him in blue >> that was day number three. i think that, you know, again, i believe the good lord put me in this position. >> reporter: he took off his jacket and prepared to hold the chamber >> i am going to stay right here with my brothers and sisters in blue. >> reporter: he felt the doors the ones presidents have used for decades shaking, and armed himself with a hand sanitizer dispenser. were you prepared to use that >> that's what i had. >> reporter: when a rioter shattered the window nehls engaged him >> i had my texas mask on and he looked at me through that broken glass and he said you're from texas. you should be with us. at that point i said, no, sir. i cannot support what you're doing this is criminal >> reporter: there were 64 freshman members whose first week on the job here became one of the darkest days in american political history. for both nehls and jacobs the 6th has shaped every day since. despite experiencing the same day in the same room their views of what happened couldn't be more different. >> there were several people inside that building that really did not commit any criminal violation of the law other than entering the building. >> i was convinced someone was going to open a door with a machine gun and that would be it. >> reporter: this freshman class and their mission in congress forever linked to those first days >> now it's my job to do everything i can to make sure it never happens again. >> they say whenever you stop feeling that feeling inside of seeing the capitol dome, that's when you need to leave congress i'm sitting here like, well, they tried to kill me here on my fourth day >> reporter: nbc news, washington we're back in a moment with the story of this baby who is already a medical pioneer. dripping from the ceiling. you never know when something like this will happen. so let the geico insurance agency help you with homeowners insurance and protect yourself from things like fire, theft, or in this case, water damage. now if i had to guess i'd say somewhere upstairs there's a broken pipe. geico. save even more when you bundle home and car insurance at geico.com. mr. clean magic eraser: for a deep down hygienic clean. magic eraser removes the messes you can see as well as more of the dirt and grime you don't. all you do is wet, squeeze, and start erasing dirt and grime all around the house. try mr. clean magic eraser: for a deep down clean. hi, i'm debra. i'm from colorado. i've been married to my high school sweetheart for 35 years. i'm a mother of four-- always busy. i was starting to feel a little foggy. just didn't feel like things were as sharp as i knew they once were. i heard about prevagen and then i started taking it about two years now. started noticing things a little sharper, a little clearer. i feel like it's kept me on my game. i'm able to remember things. i'd say give it a try. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. this is a gamechanger, who dares to be fearless even when her bladder leaks. our softest, smoothest fabric keeping her comfortable, protected, and undeniably sleek. depend. the only thing stronger than us, is you. we're back with a story about a medical pioneer. only the second in the world to successfully have life saving surgery removing a tumor on his heart he is only a baby. he's just 5 months old but when he gets older, his parents david and sam look forward to telling him the incredible story >> you can barely see it. >> yes >> reporter: behind that scar on his chest. what will you say, sam? >> that you went through so much, so little, before you even knew what life was. you say now you're helping the medical community in ways you never thought possible >> reporter: when sam was 26 weeks' pregnant doctors found a cancerous tumor growing on rylan's tiny, developing heart, and suggested a groundbreaking operation that had only succeeded once before >> it was squishing the heart and there was a ton of fluid already around the heart at that time >> we'll do the very best we can. >> reporter: dr. cast led a team at the cleveland clinic that first had to operate on mom to be sam opening her uterus to reach little rylan he called on his surgeon colleague to remove the tumor. >> my first response i have done this after birth. i can do the procedure but you have to get me to the fetus in the uterus so i can do something about it. >> reporter: after four hours of surgery the tumor was out and rylan back in place in what doctors called the best intensive care unit, the womb. >> we talked every day. i would just tell him everything is going to be okay. i got you. we're going to get through this you're going to come out strong. >> reporter: rylan spent ten more weeks growing and recovering inside mom when sam went into labor they were nervous about whether his heart would pump on its own. >> congratulations >> i was his bypass machine keeping him alive. >> reporter: because he was attached to you and your heart was doing all the work. >> yes >> reporter: so the minute he comes out and they cut the umbilical cord >> he is on his own. >> yes. >> reporter: what happened >> he screamed he took over he knew. he was like it's my time to shine. let's go >> reporter: rylan's heart kept pumping >> you are so beautiful. >> reporter: he is now a healthy infant who just celebrated his first christmas the best present his family could ask for >> reporter: it's a time of year we think a lot about giving and appreciating family. >> absolutely. >> reporter: just wonder how you guys are feeling now. >> we're thankful for the doctors up at the clinic that took care of him and saved his life sorry. we're thankful for our family for helping take care of me and him. every time i see him, it's a feeling that you never thought you would have knowing that he could have been gone and that i get to hold him every day and just keep him as happy as i can. >> such a cutie. doctors say rylan's heart is functioning just fine right now. he will need one other surgery though in february to fix the bones in his chest cavity let's move to sports now antonio brown the star wide receiver for the tampa bay buccaneers in what is being described today as a mid game meltdown stripping down, throwing his shirt into the stands, storming off it wasn't immediately clear what caused the incident the coach for the team says brown is, quote, no longer a buc. when we come back, his special cause transforming these military veterans into models i got a fancy grown up lamp military veterans into models ooh! check this one out. waffles loves her dog bed. we can hardly get her out of it. she's kind of a diva. yes, waffles! living your best life. [woof] [ echoing ] some of us were born for this. to protect people. to help them save. with a home and auto bundle from progressive. ahh. i was born for this. and now it's prime time. cut. jamie, what are you doing? you're not even in this one. i thought it was thursday. sorry. -it is. -i thought -- i thought it was last thursday. before nexium 24hr, anna could only imagine a comfortable night's sleep without frequent heartburn waking her up. now, that dream... . ...is her reality. nexium 24hr stops acid before it starts, for all-day, all-night protection. can you imagine 24 hours without heartburn? wondering what actually goes into your multi-vitamin. at new chapter. for all-day, all-night protection. its innovation organic ingredients and fermentation. fermentation? yes, formulated to help your body really truly absorb the natural goodness. new chapter. wellness well done. there's good news tonight about veterans helping veterans and having some fun for themselves, too. >> okay. good you got it you got it >> reporter: for these women this is a rare chance to step into the spotlight. >> perfect >> it is not every day you get all dolled up. >> reporter: this isn't just any photo shoot. the women here share a unique bond. each is a military veteran representing the army, navy, air force, and marines on this day it's all about the glam and all for a great cause. >> love it >> reporter: they've made a fundraising calendar with a nod to the 1940s called pin ups for vets. >> oh, so glam >> reporter: jeanna elyse founded the group in 2006 to help veterans in need. >> there were a lot of stories coming out in the news about our troops coming back from iraq needing medical care i felt so strongly i wanted to do something to help out. >> reporter: the calendars are sold to support military causes like rehab equipment for v.a. hospitals, care packages for troops, and visits with veterans elise says her idea came from her love of the world war ii planes with pictures of beautiful women painted on the aircraft reminding troops of what they were fighting for back home >> they're going from combat boots to being totally transformed sort of a time warp back to the 1940s. some started to cry. it is very emotional for them. >> reporter: rochelle lefleur served in the u.s. marine corps. >> there is so much strength in this room. every single one of these women signed up for their country and served their country and are absolutely beautiful. >> reporter: amber shear was in the air force for nine years working on fighter jets. >> if it wasn't for people that served we would be jeopardizing our freedoms >> reporter: caroline martin was an aviation mechanic in the marines. >> being able to be dressed up and show we can be strong and feminine is so important. >> reporter: like so many veterans former army medic bliven roman has battled depression for her this project has a deeper meaning. >> being in the military we struggle mentally very deeply and i never lost my life to depression and i was given that chance to be here today and see myself accomplishing my own dreams i wouldn't have been able to do that if i didn't serve >> reporter: this band of sisters helping others get through, too. >> i am all about serving the fellow -- our fellow veterans because we are still often forgotten and giving back is a really true passion for me >> those calendars are available right now. that is nbc "nightly news" on this sunday lester holt will be back with you tomorrow i'm kate snow for all of us here at nbc news stay safe. happy new year good night go night.od ♪ ♪ tequila herradura. extraordinary awaits. ♪ ♪ tequila herradura. extraordinary awaits. >> announcer: nbc sports, home of the olympic games, the premier league, the pga tour, "sunday night football," and super bowl lxi, only on nbc. ♪♪ >> lambeau field. it's my favorite. to me, you know, this is what football is all about. it's a proud stadium. it's about grass.