us. >> thanksgiving follow us on twitter. for welcome to "world news." tonight triple threat, snow, rain and wind sweep across the country, 2 million miles of frozen road. hundreds of flights already cancelled. the winter blast threatening holiday travel plans for 43 million americans. mind of a mad man, the new report and new images tonight from inside the home of the sandy hook shooter, what investigators have learned about the killer. and -- >> i'm packing. >> for the first time that pint-sized crusader tells how he became america's tiniest hero. good evening. diane is off tonight and we begin with that killer storm moving across the country right now, complicating highway travel

plans for millions of americans. this map tells the story. 33 states in the cross hairs, 48 hours to go before the year's busiest travel day. tonight postcards from the storm zone are pouring in. trees no match for powerful winds in texas, whiteout conditions in oklahoma, and in philadelphia those fountains caked in ice. our extreme weather team is tracking it all. abc's senior weather editor sam champion starts us off. >> reporter: thanksgiving is days away, but rain, ice and snow are already ruining plans for millions of americans. from whiteout conditions in oklahoma, over 13 inches of snow have fallen in parts of the sooner state. this car, caught on tape, slides, rolling over. watch again. fortunately, no one was seriously hurt. to albuquerque, new mexico, sleet, snow and 50 mile per hour winds. >> it's slick! i mean, there's a lot of snow on top of ice that's just being packed on the more cars are riding over it.

>> reporter: in colorado springs, colorado, police on accident alert status on sunday racing to wreck after wreck. in arkansas an icy conclusion monday, on this highway bridge snarling traffic for hours. road accidents to blame for at least a dozen deaths across the country. a reminder to take extra care when hitting the roads for the holiday. triple a offers drivers a tip. in normal traffic, you usually keep about three seconds of distance between you and the car in front of you. but in icy conditions, keep more than 8 seconds between you to give plenty of time to stop. and roads aren't your only concern. in southern states high surf already picking up off florida beaches. all this weather is headed toward the northeast where they've already been enduring near record cold temperatures. in philadelphia a record low of 20 means layers on layers and a frosty sight. this fountain is supposed to be turned off in this weather. now it's a winter photo op.

in new york city where the overnight low was just 23 degrees, concerns that strong, cold winds following the storm could prevent those iconic balloons from flying at macy's thanksgiving day parade. >> sam joins us. say it ain't so, sam. the parade in trouble. we're really going to get hit here in the east? >> yeah, george. when folks hear a forecast like this they really want to know am i a part of this, am i involved. let's answer all your questions and put the maps up and show you who gets involved. this storm immediately takes a step east overnight into tomorrow morning. for wednesday and thursday it really is -- certainly for wednesday it's a coast runner for the east coast and only an east coast storm out of the way by thanksgiving day. there is a snow component to this storm and in some cases up to 18 inches of snow. in northwestern pennsylvania and western new york state. most places will get less than that. it ranges basically from four to seven inches of snow but this is a big rain maker for coastal major cities and coastal major airports on wednesday.

some places will get three, four, five inches of rain possible out of this. george, it's one to watch. thankfully this is a storm that leaves us alone for thanksgiving day itself. >> all clear by thanksgiving, thanks, sam. sam in that piece showed all that havoc on the roads. in the air another mess. the storm's rain and wind setting off a domino effect, flight delays and cancellations across the country as millions of americans try to fly home. in dallas it's already begun and abc's ryan owens is there. >> reporter: going nowhere fast -- more than 300 flights canceled at dallas fort worth international airport -- planes de-iced and passengers rebooked. not how anyone wants to start the trip to grandma's house this year. 25 million americans will get on a plane over the next week and those planes will be full -- more than 85% of seats taken on the busiest days. >> it's not as simple as if they cancel your flight you can hop on another plane? >> absolutely. it's very difficult to rebook

now. >> reporter: rick seaney is the ceo of farecompare.com. he says airlines have gotten smart and now cancel flights at the first sign of a nasty storm -- long before passengers arrive at the airport. in fact, just tonight delta announced it's letting you rebook for free if you are flying to certain cities in the northeast this week. >> how bad might this week be? >> it could be one of the worst we've seen in the last four or five years, if it really nails laguardia, jfk, philadelphia, newark, that's sort of the hub system that really causes the cascading effect to have an issue all across the country. >> reporter: the website flightaware shows that domino effect in its misery map. places like dfw and houston have lots of red for cancellations and delays. as we move into tonight and into tomorrow, atlanta, d.c. and new york it's your turn to see red. this is what the flight board looked like first thing this morning at dfw and look at it tonight, almost all the cancelleds are gone.

but remember, it's a domino effect and they have to fall somewhere, and just like the storm, all of that trouble is now moving east. george? >> thanks. our extreme weather team will continue to track that storm. we move to new clues about the mind of a mad man, adam lanza, the gunman at sandy hook. one year later why he did it is a mystery. officials have been scouring his home, private computers, every corner of his life for answers and tonight they reveal what they found. abc's chief investigative correspondent brian ross has the details. >> sandy hook school, caller is indicating she thinks someone is shooting in the building. >> reporter: today's report said it took only 11 minutes for the shooter to kill all 20 first graders and six adults in the school. >> shooter is apparently still shooting. >> reporter: as to why 20-year-old adam lanza targeted the school, the state prosecutor said his investigation does not establish a conclusive motive. for the first time officials released photos taken inside his

home where he had first killed his mother. his bedroom and computer room had their windows covered by black garbage bags. there was a shooting range target with holes in it, video games that authorities say he spent hours playing, an open gun safe with a teddy bear on top and news clippings dating back to the 1890s showing an obsession with mass murders, in particular the columbine shootings. >> what's very clear is that he was thinking about committing this crime. >> reporter: police also found a shattered computer hard drive that they say lanza destroyed. officials were able to recover e-mails that he exchanged with others who were interested in the topic of mass shootings. >> school shooters go and do these things because it empowers them. >> reporter: out of consideration for the families, other material that might ordinarily be made public is still withheld including 911 calls and photos of the victims. to the relief of nicole hockly, whose son dylan was among those

killed, she talked with lara spencer of abc news. >> what parent would want that. it serves no public good. it's not in anybody's interest. it's not the way i want dylan to be remembered. >> reporter: the report says lanza had significant mental health issues and in the end only communicated with his mother by e-mail. but the prosecutor concluded that lanza was well enough to plan the attack, including the taking of his own life, all with guns legally purchased by his mother, george. not far from newtown today another gun scare at yale university where an anonymous caller to 911 claimed his roommate was planning a shooting spree. s.w.a.t. teams searched the campus, it was put on lockdown but no gunman was found and police now believe the call was likely a hoax. now that history making deal to suspend iran's nuclear program and end sanctions on that country. it's sending shock waves across the world. it's sending anxiety across the middle east as many blast the

move. on the west coast today president obama fought back. >> we cannot rule out peaceful solutions to the world's problems. we cannot commit ourselves to an endless cycle of conflict. tough talk and bluster may be the easy thing to do politically but it's not the right thing for our security. it is not the right thing for our security. from iran we head to north korea where tonight a korean war veteran from california is being held against his will. the big question, why would the regime detain an 85-year-old grandfather on a nostalgic tour. tonight his family is speaking out. they want to know how he is, whether he's getting the heart medication he needs and they are pleading to have him home for thanksgiving. abc's bob woodruff has their story. >> reporter: it's been 30 days since lee newman last heard from merrill newman, her husband of 56 years. now she is breaking her silence. >> we just hope whatever that misunderstanding is will be resolved very quickly and that

he can return and be at our table for the holidays. >> reporter: the newman family's big question -- why was merrill arrested while all of the other tourists with him were allowed to fly home? >> they had checked out of the hotel, gone to the airport, boarded the plane, and we understand were five minutes from taking off when the korean official came aboard, asked to see his passport and he's been there ever since. >> reporter: merrill newman, served in the korean war, which remans a very sensitive topic in north korea. i have reported from there five times, always under tight supervision by a government minder. >> i feel like i'm being guided. >> reporter: we were encouraged to watch films claiming north korea won the war. some accusing americans of war crimes. but we know other american vets have traveled there without incident. so why would merrill newman be an exception? >> that's part of the puzzle. he wasn't breaking any new ground there.

>> reporter: and one of the family's main concerns, his heart condition. >> we want our grandfather and father and uncle and husband and friend returned to us as quickly as he can be. >> reporter: now as for negotiations, the u.s. does not have any relationship with north korea, no ambassador, no american diplomats. we're now relying on the swedish ambassador to try to get merrill newman home hopefully by thanksgiving but that's only three days away. >> such a strange one. bob, thanks very much. a family drama is unfolding tonight involving olympic gold medallist bode miller. the athlete was in court today facing off with the mother of his 9-month-old son. the two are wrestling over custody of the child. here's the twist. their battle began even before the baby was born and it's sparking a big debate about family ties. abc's paula faris has the story. >> reporter: on the slopes, he's

the most decorated male downhill olympic skier in american history. but, in court today, bode miller was fighting for custody of his son, in a case with sweeping implications. >> if the courts decide that a father's rights begin at conception, that would be a fundamental change. >> reporter: miller is battling his ex-girlfriend, sarah mckenna, who became pregnant after a brief relationship with the skier in 2012. while pregnant, mckenna, a former marine and firefighter, moved from california to new york city to study at columbia university only after she claims miller wanted little to do with the child. >> he requested that i cease communication with him, so by all means it was like giving me permission to leave. >> reporter: but after the baby was born, mckenna claims miller changed his mind and accused her of fleeing with her unborn child. a new york court agreed. while mckenna did not abduct the childer her proposition of the child was inutero was

reprehensible. >> what kind of precedent might this set? >> if a court ends up telling a pregnant woman where she can and can't travel based on where the baby may be born, that definitely sets a precedent, i think a dangerous one. >> reporter: these parents can't even agree on the baby's name. miller calls him nate. mckenna calls him sam. until the courts decide, the little boy remains caught in the middle. paula faris, abc news, new york. and still ahead, handle with care, caught on camera, thieves stealing from your suitcase while you're boarding a plane. >> a $300 watch was stolen. >> diamond earrings. >> my nook was gone. >> how to make sure your belongings make the trip, too. real answers tonight. america's favorite hero for the first time, batkid, gives us the inside scoop of how he saved the day. we're back in two minutes.

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next tonight our real answers team is back withore next tonight our real answers team is back with more than 25 million people flying over thanksgiving, it may surprise you to know that weather and flight delays may not be your only worry. this year the number of bags lost, broken or stolen is on the rise, too. abc's cecilia vega shows how to make sure what you pack stays in your suitcase. >> reporter: caught on camera, a luggage thief in denver walks up to the baggage claim and walks out with a bag that is not his. in phoenix, a recent spike in stolen bags has officers doing random security checks, making travelers prove they own the suitcases they're leaving with. you know the feeling, telling us what's gone missing from your bags. >> a $300 watch that was stolen. >> diamond earrings that i wore on my wedding day. >> i looked away for a second and my nook was gone. >> are we all vulnerable? >> absolutely.

>> reporter: your valuables can be stolen right off the carousel or by the very people who were supposed to keep the passengers safe. surveillance video caught this tsa officer in the act walking off with a laptop left behind at a checkpoint. the tsa says over the past decade more than 400 workers have been fired for stealing from travelers. how do you protect your stuff? >> if you have something that you cannot live without, you don't put it in your bag. >> carry it on. >> that's it. >> reporter: experts say even if you are forced to check your luggage at the last minute, pack computers, jewelry and other valuables in a smaller bag and keep it with you always. and about that luggage? you got that junky suitcase you might be embarrassed to travel with. that's the one you should take with you. skip the fancy designer bags. they're a magnet that there could be something really expensive inside. also, get to the baggage claim quickly. the fewer people between you and your bag, the more likely you'll

leave with it. if your bag or the contents do disappear, file a claim quickly. some airlines give travelers just four hours to report missing bags. after that, it's your loss, making frustrating holiday travel downright painful. cecilia vega, abc news, los angeles. >> remember take the battered bag. when we come back, how many of us can relate to this? ♪ >> those epic lights from "christmas vacation." well, move over clark griswold, a new family says game on. it's our "instant index." a new family says game on. it's our "instant index." when i first felt the diabetic nerve pain, of course i had no idea what it was. i felt like my feet were going to sleep. it progressed from there to burning like i was walking on hot coals... to like 1,000 bees that were just stinging my feet. i have a great relationship with my doctor... he found lyrica for me. [ female announcer ] it's known that diabetes damages nerves. lyrica is fda approved to treat diabetic nerve pain.

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they are back. they moonwalked to "thriller." they flew with superman. now the ohio state marching band is paying tribute to lincoln and the 150th anniversary of his gettysburg address. look, a brigade marches with an american flag, one soldier on horse back, later forming the lynchen memorial. the big finale? two men shake hands to end the civil war. bravo. when we come back, meet the tiny hero, batkid unmasked. that's next. just a second, sweetie. [ female announcer ] we eased your back pain... ♪ ready or not. [ female announcer ] ...so you can be up there. here i come! [ female announcer ] ...down there, around there... and under there for him. tylenol® provides strong pain relief and won't irritate your stomach the way aleve® or even advil® can. but for everything we do, we know you do so much more.

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and a 30-tablet free trial. finally tonight, look out, ben affleck, the newest star of the batman franchise is a kid, a batkid. the pint-sized crusader had the whole country cheering when he saved san francisco earlier this month. tonight the inside story, how they pulled off that massive, magnificent wish. abc's david muir meets batkid. >> reporter: it's rare to meet a superhero, but today we did, in a comic store of course. he was the pint sized boy with a super sized wish. little miles was diagnosed with leukemia at 20 months. at the time his parents were

offered a wish from make-a-wish, but they revealed to us today, they asked to wait. >> you thought we should wait? >> we wanted him to be able to remember it. >> reporter: they wanted to make sure that when the time came, he would saver it. fast forward. now five, he made that wish. and while the family was told to wait in a san francisco hotel room, there was a knock. >> when batman knocked at our hotel room door, he came up holding a costume and said -- told miles to put this on and we have to go to work. >> reporter: what we didn't know was that mom and dad were nervous. >> we were worried because he's a shy boy, but he put on that suit and he's just like, let's go. >> reporter: and that's when the country met miles. a thumb's up, the bat mobile, shy no more. those shots from the sky, trailing batkid, saving the day in san francisco. running through the streets. it seems a whole city in on it. smiling faces lining office windows for blocks. ♪ >> reporter: so many signs from

one bat fan to another, i believe in you batkid. saving the damsel in distress. a hug from her and he offers a pat on the back. and from the mayor -- >> thank you, batkid. >> reporter: batkid suddenly realizing his power. just watch. today, we saw it for ourselves, that trademark confidence again that only a 5-year-old superhero could pull off. and the numbers? the volunteers who made the wish come true, 16,000. city hall, 20,000. the number of batkid tweets as of tonight, now up to 675,000. with miles in remission, his parents have started the batkid fund to help children like him. while we were there today, suddenly a message beamed in from the police chief. >> police, caped crusader, we need you, and bring the batkid. >> reporter: our time was up. >> superhero. >> definitely. >> reporter: if miles ever

thinks it was all just a dream, he has the headlines to prove it. david muir, abc news, new york. >> we had the chance to host miles at "gma" today. he takes his job very seriously. that's all for us tonight. thanks for watching. have a good night and i'll see you tomorrow on "gma." you tomorrow on "gma." you'll hear from a quick thinking raiders fan who put his life on the line to break a stranger's fall. >> kad ad voe kits demand felony charges for a hate crime. why the prosecuteer not backing

down. >> the local man who interrupted the president today. >> from the philippines researches follow up on typhoon high yawn and the impact on a fragile environment. >> i just happened to be standing there. >> an unassuming hero found himself in the right place at the wrong time when a woman jumped from the oakland coliseum. good evening, everyone. >> he says he is not a hero but he exact acted like one. first imploring her not to jump, then breaking her fall when she did. laura? >> hi, dn, well, donny is

good shape. he told us he's more worried about the young woman is and says marine training prepared for a situation many people couldn't imagine. >> i'm not a hero. i don't want to say, i don't wear a batman suit or superman. or these, you know, these characters i just reacted the way i did. >> the man who tried to catch a woman who jumped from the third deck after yesterday's raider game told abc7 news he'd do it again. >> i braced myself to catch her. i was hoping i could, when i caught her, i could lock arms around her to absorb impact with me. but unfortunately, she hit and she bounced off. >> the 61-year-old ended up with severe bruising but no serious injuries when the young woman he ie