ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - Aug. 18, 2025

Tonight, Hurricane Aaron heading closer to the East Coast with winds of up to 110 MPH. Parts of North Carolina already feeling Aaron surge. The eye of the storm seen from space, dangerous, life threatening surf and rip currents forcing beaches to close along the eastern seaboard for days. Tropical storm warnings from North Carolina all the way to Virginia. Also breaking tonight no sign of peace as the bombing continues in Gaza. Israel calling up to 60,000 reservists. The new plan to take over Gaza City. In Texas, the parents that lost so much demanding answers. The heartbreaking testimony from parents of the Camp Mystic campers who died in the devastating July 4th flash floods. One mother still awaiting the remains of her daughter. The freak shark attack right on the beach. A fisherman posing with the big catch until it catches a chunk of his leg. What he told us after surgery. Homicide investigators in Los Angeles examining this chilling video. Did a husband kill his wife and drag her body out in a bag? How police say he fled to Peru with their Children. In Washington, President Trump ordering a complete review of the Smithsonian and other museums, even accusing it of focusing too much on how bad slavery was. A young woman battling to get spinal surgery while battling her insurance company. Her father taking a tick tock for help. What happened after we started asking questions? Our cost of denial tonight and Rob Gronkowski's epic adventure. The duck boat, the slide, the spike and the tears. The playground. Unlike any other nightly news starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yonez and good evening. The outer bands of Hurricane Aaron are set to lash the East coast already tonight. Parts of North Carolina are feeling the impacts of this powerful storm. Look at that. They're the eye of the hurricane. You see it here from the International Space Station. Massive. The picturesque homes along North Carolina's coast are about to sustain winds reaching up to 55 MPH and punishing storm surge that could erase roads. Beaches spanning the eastern seaboard are closed as dangerous surf and life threatening rip currents with waves possible up to 20 ft. We begin tonight with Aaron Gilchrist there on the beach in North Carolina. Tonight, North Carolina's outer banks under a state of emergency and starting to feel the early effects of Hurricane Aaron. Folks on the coast need to take care. Dangerous waves already pummeling lower Hatteras Island with more storm surge and tropical storm force wind to come. The combination posing a real threat to this oceanfront motel. 96 year old Carol White Dylan is worried her 70 year old business could be crippled by the storm. I'm worried about losing my beach houses. Yes, because they're the moneymakers and you think that's a real possibility this time? Well, I'm hoping not, but it's possible. Local officials bracing for the life threatening impacts. An overwhelming storm surge could make the only highway off Hatteras Island impassable. If these roads wash out, lives and livelihoods are on the line. We're looking at how we can quickly get back up and running because this is also our tourist season and this is where we make our money for the winter video from the International Space Station showing Aaron's massive size hundreds of miles across, putting the whole East Coast on high alert. These are life threatening rip currents. You should not be in the water. Fueled by those dangerous rip currents, many beaches have banned swimming along the eastern seaboard. This is Mother Nature in her fury on the Jersey Shore. Early signs of Aaron starting to appear as officials warn residents to take it seriously. It will leave its mark and we will fill the effects in the neighborhoods and it will probably take some real estate with it as well. Farther north in Maine, rough surf visible back in North Carolina. The time to leave the evacuation zone has passed. The holdouts now leaning on their preparations and hope. So you feel pretty safe. Well, I would never leave. Let's put it that way. And with that, Aaron Gilchrist joins us tonight live from Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Aaron, get our viewers up to speed here about where exactly hurricane is right. Hurricane Aaron is right now in the past. Well, Tom, we are starting to really feel and see the effects of Hurricane Aaron here. The tropical storm warning remains in effect here. That storm is still several miles off the coast. We expected to move up the East Coast tonight and tomorrow before turning out to see Friday and Saturday. We know that it is not going to make landfall here, but beach conditions we do expect will be difficult for anybody who might try to get too close to the water. It's gonna be a major water event. We're talking about coastal flooding. We're talking about storm surge and other conditions here at the beach. Tom. All right, Aaron, we thank you for that. We want to turn out of the Mideast and the major announcement by Israel expanding its war against Hamas inside of Gaza with a major offensive in Gaza's largest city. Here's Andrea Mitchell tonight. A desperate scramble in Gaza. 23 year old Saja Hamad. You can only see her head as she's trapped by concrete and steel after an Israeli airstrike finally pulled from the rubble alive. As Israel started expanding its war against Hamas, calling up 60,000 reserves and extending the tour of 20,000 already on active duty to take control of Gaza City, home to a million people. Ah, controversial decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his office says for the defeat of Hamas but opposed by families of Hamas hostages today calling for Israel to accept Hamas is new offer of a 60 day ceasefire and the release of 10 of the 20 surviving Israeli hostages. But Hamas still refusing to release them all at once, which Israel and President Trump are calling for. He wants all the hostages back, and that is the position that we have. We want all the hostages back in a nationwide strike. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis marched against the war on Sunday. The head of the army is also opposed, arguing more fighting could endanger surviving hostages. Concerns echoed by American hostage mother Orna Nutra, whose son Omer was killed during the Hamas terror attacks on October 7th. We've already seen what Hamas does. They won't hesitate to execute the hostages. Israel's military has said the new offensive could take five or six months. Tom Andrea Mitchell for us tonight. Andrea, thank you back here at home. Powerful and heartbreaking testimony tonight from the parents of some of the 27 summer campers killed during raging floods in Texas. They're demanding action, saying their daughters deaths were preventable. Here's Morgan Chesky with those moments. This was 100% preventable today in Austin. My baby girl is still missing parents who lost daughters when floods destroyed Camp Mystic, pouring out their hearts and demanding action. 27 girls were killed. The mother of Seal Steward, the only camper whose body's not been found, saying they were betrayed by camp officials who were unprepared. Protocols that should have been in place were ignored as a result. My daughter was stolen from us. The parents supporting new legislation that would bar licenses for camps that place cabins in floodplains and require camps to conduct evacuation drills. She was so kind, the most gentle little girl who fiercely loved her little sisters and all of her friends. Blake and Caitlin Bonner speaking about their beloved nine year old daughter, Lila. Why were our Children sleeping in a known high risk flood zone? Lawmakers listening, some in tears, passing the bill out of committee as heartbroken parents press on. What I do know is that my daughter should still be here. We can't let complacency claim the life of another child. And tonight, Camp Mystic telling NBC News they work to quote ensure a safe and supportive environment, adding they also support any legislation that would make camps safer. Tom, you feel for all those parents there. Okay, Morgan, we thank you for the story. Now to those new comments from President Trump accusing the Smithsonian of bashing America, including focusing on how bad slavery was instead of the country's successes. It's sparking backlash tonight. Here's Gabe Gutierrez tonight. President Trump is escalating his war against what he calls the last remaining segment of woke, accusing the Smithsonian of being out of control where everything discussed is how horrible our country is, how bad slavery was and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been. Nothing about success, nothing about brightness, nothing about the future. We want the museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or a racist manner. A different tone than his first term when he toured the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. This museum is a beautiful tribute to so many American heroes. In May, NBC News found at least 32 artifacts that were once on display at that museum had been removed. That came after the president signed an executive order in March, saying the Smithsonian was influenced by a divisive race centered ideology that portrays American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive. Attorney Lindsay Halligan is leading the White House review. We're just hoping to keep things positive and focus on America's 250th birthday. But the president's comment about slavery drawing backlash that someone, you know, who says something like that, you know, is downright offensive and to a great extent, I think it's evil. While among tourists in D. C. Today, mixed reactions. I'm open to every entity undergoing a review. They're not too woke. They honestly speak the truth about this country's history. The Smithsonian did not respond to a request for comment. 62% of its funding comes from the federal government. Tom gave Gutierrez gave. Thank you. We'll turn now to the man who found out just how dangerous sharks can be while trying to pose for a photo. Our George Solis spoke to him moments ago inside of the hospital. In an instant, this photo worthy moment a trip to the hospital for this Florida Fisherman. It's the corner of his mouth. He comes around and he just grabs a little bit while posing with a lemon shark. His friends caught Sean Muse was unexpectedly bitten. Speaking from his hospital bed, he says it all happened so fast. I was the one telling him, you know, put this tourniquet on. We need it tighter. You gotta elevate my leg. His friends acted fast as they raced back to first responders. Muse was then airlifted to the hospital. Florida Fish and Wildlife say some sharks are protected in Florida. It is illegal to harvest, possess or land them. And if they are caught, they must remain in the water with their gills submerged and released immediately. It's hard to take a hook out of a shark when it's still swimming. So we didn't want to leave the hook in there. We can take it out. You take it out. Why cut it and leave a hook in the fish? Doctors say the 48 year old is expected to make a full recovery and vows to go back to his passion fishing. Might as well be in good spirits about and laugh about it because this is what else you're gonna do about it. You can't, you can't change what happened. George Solis, NBC News, Fort Myers, Florida. All right, we're gonna take a turn now to our series. The cost of denial, the story of one family's struggle to get coverage for the surgery needed by a young woman living with debilitating pain. The coverage denied twice, but that changed one day after NBC's Ellison Barber reached out. Horror writer Wrath James White doesn't mince words about his insurance company. When you think of Aetna, what word or words come to mind? Callous, I'm feeling greedy. He first came to our attention with a viral tick tock. My daughter is in pain about his daughter Nala. I have been paying for this insurance for years and they will do nothing but just keep taking my damn money. Diagnosed with degenerative disc disease at 15. Nala White says her teens were dictated by pain on the scale of 1 to 10. The walk from your room to the kitchen just to like make breakfast. How painful could that be? It would go past 10. It wouldn't be like 11 living just outside Austin, Texas. Years of treatments, including physical therapy, failed her. She found a voice for the pain through art. Pain's getting worse and the depression that goes with it because you kind of feel like there's no hope. Her mother, Christine, had similar issues with her neck and back when she was younger. It is probably one of the worst things that you can go through watching your daughter go through pain. I think for me it was on a different level because I know the pain. Multiple specialists gave them the same advice. So the first doctor who said she needs surgery, we took a pause. So we're gonna get a second opinion. It was the second doctor who told us yes, she needs surgery. That's what third. Okay. But their insurance provider, Aetna, denied coverage for the surgery and then denied their appeal, saying it was not medically necessary. They're just hoping that if they deny it enough times that you will get tired of fighting and you'll go away and just deal with the pain. It is terrible. Desperate. The family raised money online in part by selling knowledge art to fund the surgery themselves at the declined an interview for this story. But when we asked about knowledge case, they emailed the very next day, saying in part, Aetna has approved coverage for her back surgery. Nala had already had the procedure weeks before her parents didn't learn about the approval until we sat down for our interview. Their response to me was this. Ellison, based on additional documentation provided by Miss White surgeon after the previous appeal was completed, Aetna has approved coverage for her back surgery. So I followed up with him and they said, Ellison, the coverage decision was made today and communicated verbally to Miss White surgeon in a phone conversation. We had to fund the surgery ourselves with that go funding. We raised over $33,000 from friends, family, people who don't even know us. Nothing adds up. Nothing adds up. Yeah, it was made after they saw your email. They saw NBC News and decided we don't want this publicity, so we're gonna approve it now. Do you think Aetna would have reversed their denial if they didn't think you were gonna be a part of NBC's cost of denial series? Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Nala now doing better after her surgery, the relief from her pain, a life changing event. Her family now hopeful for relief from the financial pain as well. And with that, Ellison joins us live. Ellison, it's great. She finally got that surgery. They had to pay for it. Have they been reimbursed yet? Some not fully, and they tell us the biggest bills. Those are still outstanding. They're working with their doctors as well as talking with Aetna, trying to get all of that figured out. But it's been complicated and big picture. They are still frustrated, mad that this was denied in the first place, and they are convinced that the reversal in their view was because of this series, Tom. All right. Great work tonight, Ellison. We thank you for that. And if you have a story you wanted to share for our series, email us please at the cost of denial at NBC you and I dot com. All right. In 60 seconds, the new surveillance video raising eyebrows. It is shocking of a man now a person of interest dragging a large sack on the night his wife went missing before her body was found. The latest on the investigation. That's next. We're back now with a stunning piece of security video capturing a man dragging a bag with what appears to be a heavy object inside. Investigators say his wife's body was later found in similar material in a forest while the man fled to Peru. Here's Dana Griffin. Chilling surveillance video shows a man dragging this heavy sack outside of Southern California apartment. Investigators say the body of his wife, 33 year old Shayla Cabrera, was later found wrapped in similar material. It's scary, very spooky. Her parents telling KNBC they last spoke with Cabrera August 9th when she told them she was planning to leave her husband and take their three young Children. That unsettling moment captured on surveillance video the following day recorded around four a.m. According to neighbors, I never had any interaction with their husband. He always seems like mad all the time. A search team discovering Cabrera's body over the weekend in the Angeles National Forest. Officials say they are now searching for her husband, 36 year old Jose Marco Brera, who fled to Peru with the couple's three Children ages 96 and four. According to KNBC, he was briefly detained at the airport but released because at the time his wife's body had not been found. The kids are now with their grandmother as officials work to determine their mother's cause of death. Tonight, a growing memorial sits outside the family's apartment, not far from where this Los Angeles mother may have taken her last breath. Dana Griffin, NBC News. And we're back in a moment with a bit of breaking news. The major update on the push in Texas to redraw the congressional map and potentially change the balance of power in Washington. That's next. We're back now with a major update on the battle for the control of Congress. The Texas Statehouse just took the first step towards approving that state's congressional map to create five new Republican seats in Congress and potentially cementing the GOP's control of the House. Now it heads to the Texas Senate. It comes after weeks of fighting between Democrats and Republicans in that state, with Democrats even fleeing for days to delay this vote. When we come back, he laughed, he cried, he dedicated a playground. Rob Gronkowski is infinite joy. That's next. Finally, there's good news tonight. After winning three Super Bowls in nine seasons with the Patriots, Rob Gronkowski is a Boston sports legend. But Gronk's latest contribution to the city may be the one that means the most to him. It's hard to imagine anything more Boston than this. That's Patriots legend Rob Gronkowski doing donuts in a duck boat on the Charles River. A fittingly New England arrival to officially open the city's new football themed Gronk playground. The former tight end said he never cried after a championship win. But this special day was different. Just watch. Get back to Boston. Oh, I thought I had the idea to give back to the Boston area for all the love and support the city of New England fans have shown me throughout my career and it was since day one. Even if I was acting like an idiot, they loved it. Of course, number 87 had to test the new slide, getting a push from the governor, followed by a signature Gronk spike. Gronkowski, who won three Super Bowls with the Pats, worked with the city for five years to build the $2 million fully accessible playground. We've been waiting for this moment for a while and just to see these kids look at right there. That's what it's all about. The new playground is already getting rave reviews from the experts. What do you think of the playground and meeting Gronk? I like it, but it seems no one had more fun than the biggest kid of all. Gronk playground is officially open. Woo crash bike. No matter your team, we can all celebrate that. That's nightly news for this Wednesday. I'm Tom Yamas. Thanks so much for watching tonight and always we're here for you. Good night. We thank you for watching and remember, stay updated on breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app or watch live on our YouTube channel.