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Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Jovan Belcher Commits Suicide; Florida Teen Killed Outside Convenience Store; Supporters of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi Take to Cairo Streets; John McAfee Denies Killing His Neighbor; CNN 2012 Heroes Tribute; USS Enterprise Retired

Aired December 01, 2012 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN: It's the top of the hour, and you are in the CNN Newsroom here with us. I'm Deborah Feyerick in for Fredricka Whitfield.

Tragedy strikes the NFL today. Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher has apparently committed suicide after allegedly killing his girlfriend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A little before 8:00 this morning, we got a call in regard to a shooting of a resident. When we arrived, a lady came out and said her daughter had been shot by her boyfriend several times inside the residence. She was taken to the local hospital where she died a short time later.

Immediately after that, actually about ten minutes after that, we got a call at arrowhead stadium to their practice facility in regard to a person in their parking lot armed with a hand gun. When the officers arrived, when they are pulling up, they actually observed a black male with a gun to his head talking to a couple coaches out in the parking lot. As the officers pulled up and began to park, that's when they heard the gun shot and it appears Jovan took his own life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: And joining us by phone from Phoenix, former Kansas City chief defensive back Mark McMillian.

And Mark, tough day. What went through your mind when you heard this tragic news?

MARK MILLIAN, FORMER CHIEFS PLAYER (via phone): Shock. Just utter shock, and like you said, earlier this year, we lost Junior Seau to something like this. Lost a good friend of mine, Andre Waters, to the same situation like this. So you know, like I said, I'm kind of lost for words. No one knows what was going on in that young man's mind at that particular time.

First, I would like to say my prayers and condolences go out to the family, his girlfriend as well. I want to send my prayers out to them. But, I got to say, it's a tough situation. And you know, to hear something like that, you know, for the young man to actually go to the facility of his work place and do that, it's kind of -- you wonder what's going through his mind on his way to the facility and what was his main goal or what was his purpose of, you know, taking his life in front of his coaches.

FEYERICK: And that is what is so incredible because he did allegedly do that in front of his coaches. He was in front of the team's head coach, but also, the general manager. I know you didn't know Jovan Belcher personally as a linebacker, but what was his reputation? When you talk to other guys on the team and in the league?

MCMILLIAN: A good guy, a good guy in the locker room. You know, Emmitt Smith was a coach. He's coaching now with the Chiefs, and I guess everybody is kind of just lost and shocked for words. There's really nothing that you can possibly put into words or try to wrap your mind around to try to make light of it because like I said, it just happened. This is something that is continuing to happen in the NFL. It's not a trend. It's going to continue to happen. Like I said, when Junior Seau, you know when the big name kind of hit, everybody kind of took notice to it. So, like I said, you just never know. I don't want to speculate, you know, what was going through that young man's head.

FEYERICK: And just very quickly, does the team -- do teams in the NFL, do they provide enough opportunity to get psychological counseling, because it's not an easy thing to be going through? Is that opportunity there for people who need it?

MCMILLIAN: The opportunity is there. Obviously, you know (INAUDIBLE) and all that. Obviously, they're years behind. You know, guys like myself who played the game before, you know, who suffer, you know, a lot of guys are suffering out there for various reasons. And you know, this is a young man, you know, 25-years-old. You know, with a young child and a girlfriend. You know, living in a career, a dream that, you know, most people grew up wanting to play professional football.

FEYERICK: Right,

MCMILLIAN: And for him to cut it so short, like I said, you can only put it in so many words. Like I say, losing my friend Andre Waters from the eagles years ago, just knowing what he was going through. And once they did the autopsy on his brain, he had a brain of an 80- year-old man. So, you never know.

FEYERICK: You know, and you talk about this. These guys were living their dream. But Mark, the stress, the intensity, coupled with what could be, you know, some sort of brain alteration because of the number of hits. What do you think is going on?

MCMILLIAN: Like I said, it's a tough sport. It's a violent sport. Week in and week out, it's a stressful job. You know, you get paid a lot of money to do a job that a lot of people criticize you on if you do good; they criticize you on if you do bad. I would say, with the chiefs not having a good season, like I said, there's a number of compounding things that could have been going on that could have triggered this young man. But, like I said, it's a tough sport, and I played with two former guys, (INAUDIBLE) and we were just discuss about you know, the daily stress and daily grind and life after football.

FEYERICK: Is there an outlet, or is the outlet leaving the game?

MCMILLIAN: Like I said, leaving the game, you know, it's tough when you first leave the game. There's no more cheers. There is no one, you know, patting you on the back look they used to and, you know, we're used to that. You know, every Sunday, you're playing in front of 80, 90,000 fans. And all of a sudden, when it's over, no one is calling your name; it's kind of a wake-up call.

FEYERICK: Yes, and did you have a tough adjustment when you left the game?

MCMILLIAN: I had a good background, a good family support system. I had a great education. Great guys I could lean on. Coach (INAUDIBLE) was one of my guys from Alabama, He was always in our corner that we could call and walk us through the process of, you know, you're not getting paid $100,000 a week. You're going to have to go out in the real world and someday have a family and be able to adjust. As to when you're playing, you have everybody doing things for you.

FEYERICK: Yes, absolutely. All right, thanks so much, Mark McMillian. And our condolences are with everyone in the NFL and certainly with Mr. Belcher's family as well as the family of his girlfriend, and clearly now that infant --

MCMILLIAN: Yes. Like I said, prayers go out to the families. Prayers go out to the Chief organization as well. Obviously, you know, with the coaches and having that done in front of you, they're going to need some counseling as well because I can just only imagine seeing someone that you just talked to minutes ago take their own life.

FEYERICK: You better believe it, and whether you could have reached out to the hand and pulled the gun away. All right, Mark McMillian, again, thank you so much. Take care of yourself.

MCMILLIAN: Thank you.

FEYERICK: 17-year-old Jordan Davis was laid to rest in the Atlanta area today. The black teenager was killed last week outside a Florida convenience store. His SUV was blasted eight times with a shotgun. The shooter, Michael Dunn, was white and he's claiming self defense under Florida's stand your ground law. That's the same law at issue in the Trayvon Martin case. Dunn said he asked Davis and his friends to turn down their SUV's stereo. When Davis responded with trash talk, Dunn said he felt threatened. Dunn also said someone in the vehicle had a shotgun, but police have not found one.

CNN's George Howell caught up today with Jordan's dad. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This case has gotten national attention and has been compared in many ways to the controversial Trayvon Martin case, focusing on the stand your ground law, specifically in the state of Florida. I spoke with Jordan Davis' father and one point he made very clear that race was not a factor in the shooting. Take a listen.

RON DAVIS, FATHER OF JORDAN DAVIS: I believe it was strictly anger. People try to associate that whenever people of color different from someone else, and I still believe to this day unless the gentleman tells me different, that it was anger that was involved, and having the accessibility of a gun.

HOWELL: Your focus is on these guns?

DAVIS: Yes.

HOWELL: Your t-shirt, even, show us this. What does it say?

DAVIS: Kill guns, not kids. Kill guns, not kids. So we have to kill the gun laws that allow them. Law enforcement has been trained and they're the only ones I feel should have guns in public.

HOWELL: And since the death of his son, Ron Davis, now a man on a mission. He said his focus is to look into the stand your ground laws to make changes so deaths like this do not happen again.

George Howell, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: Two people are dead after a double-decker tour bus slammed into an overpass at the Miami international airport. Thirty others, many of them elderly, were treated for injuries after the crash which happened about 8:00 this morning. Still not clear why the driver tried to maneuver the nine-foot tall bus under an 8 1/2-foot overpass.

Two brothers are under lock up in south Florida, accused in a frightening terror plot. The men originally from Pakistan were arrested Thursday in Ft. Lauderdale. Prosecutors alleged, they were conspiring to use a weapon o mass destruction here in the United States as well as providing support including money, housing, transportations to terrorists. The suspects were orders held until their next hearing set for the end of next week.

Well, the forces supporting Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi took to the street of Cairo today. Thousands led by the Muslim brotherhood packed the streets to challenge what critics call his recent power grab. Then the president went before the constitutional assembly and said Egypt will hold a referendum on their new constitution in two weeks.

Reza Sayah joins us on the new development. Any surprises there?

REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the only surprise is how long this conflict has been going on now. It has been more than a week dueling demonstrations today at a very important live address to the nation by the embattled president, Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi. First off, we'll tell you about the opposition faction demonstration still going on here in Tahrir Square. These are the liberals, the moderates who believe they have been sidelined in the process to draft the constitution. And then you have the rival demonstration by the supporter of the president just a ten-minute drive from Tahrir Square.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAYAH: For more than a week, we have seen hundreds of thousands of Egyptians protest against president Morsi and the Muslim brotherhood. Now it's the president's supporters and the brotherhood saying, it's our turn.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We support president Morsi and his decisions.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We all support president Morsi because this decision, we all need it.

SAYAH: It's hard to say how many people are here. Some say more than 100,000. All of them say they support the president and just like the opposition faction, they can put on a mass demonstration, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the real Egypt. This is the real citizens of Egypt.

SAYAH: What about Tahrir Square? What do you call the protesters here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are protesters and this is democracy. There are people who agree and people who disagree.

SAYAH: There are a few, old women out here, but it's overwhelmingly men. They're energized chanting slogans against some of the opposition leaders chanting slogans in support of president Morsi.

This big turnout shows that not everyone in Egypt is against President Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim brotherhood. He has significant support. Egypt is an Islamic country. There's a lot of conservative Muslims here who support the president, and they like that a draft of the constitution has been approved and in about 15 days, everyone can vote on it. They say that's what democracy is all about.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Democracy is elections, and the people choose, to be able to elect. The people speak up, let the people choose.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Earlier, we have never been in politics like this. We were never, ever able to tell our opinion freely and honestly like this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: OK, of course, the people still have to vote. That was Reza Sayah reporting live from Cairo from us. Thank you for joining us.

Well, if you have used a computer, chances are you have used this man's products. John McAfee is an internet pioneer. Police want to question him about a killing but he's not talking to them. He's talking to us. An exclusive interview you have to hear.

And U.N. ambassador Susan Rice is under fire from Republicans about what she said after the deadly consulate attack in Libya. Will it kill her chances of becoming the next secretary of state?

And after nearly 50 years of service, America's first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, it retires today. We'll take you onboard.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Well, she still has the confidence of president Obama, but U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice faces uphill challenges if she's nominated to be the next secretary of state.

Let's bring in CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen.

Peter, you just wrote an opinion column on cnn.com about all of this. You questioned some of the Republicans theories, even saying this is not a conspiracy, this is the fog of war. Tell us what you mean by fog of war.

PETER BERGEN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Well, Deb, as you know, covering any news event, particularly a large news event happening in a country on the other side of the world and in a sort of fail they called war- like situation, first reports are usually wrong, often wrong.

But, leaving that aside, I think the real premise of the Republican case against ambassador Rice is that somehow she was involved in a political cover-up sort of to say this was not the result of some demonstration that went awry. And that they're claiming that the administration knew that elements linked to al-Qaeda or inspired by al-Qaeda were behind this attack, and that was something that essentially the administration covered up.

But, we now know from the CIA director, former director David Petraeus and also from his successor, Mike Morrell, the acting CIA director, that the talking points Susan Rice used when she made the statements on the Sunday talk shows after the event were changed by the CIA. So instead of it being a kind of conspiracy, political conspiracy, it turns out the intelligence community didn't want to tip off this particular group behind the attack, that they were basically being looked at as the people who were responsible.

So, I think the whole thing collapses and sort of there are legitimate questions about what happened in Benghazi. Why were request for additional security basically turned down in this dangerous situation? But that's not a political conspiracy. That's one of the things that happen in life.

FEYERICK: All right, so what is interesting about this, Peter, is that, you know obviously, the White House is saying al-Qaeda is on the run. Al-Qaeda doesn't really sort of exist except in these small pop- up groups. Then, so that's kind of the heart of the issue, which is you can't say al-Qaeda doesn't exist and all of a sudden have an attack by al-Qaeda.

But are you suggesting that the intelligence community did not brief the ambassador deliberately in order to continue working their sources, their intelligence?

BERGEN: The intelligence community, according to reports of how they brief the intelligence committees about this matter, took out from the unclassified talking points that Susan Rice used, references to a particular group called Ansar Al Sharia which is basically it's not links to al-Qaeda, it is more inspired by al-Qaeda in Libya. And they took those talking points out because they didn't want to tip this group off that they were basically looking at them.

So, you know, the whole kind of architecture of the kind of claim that Susan Rice was sort of, you know, basically trying to downplay al- Qaeda's role in the attack, doesn't really -- it doesn't fit with the actual, what we know now. But I mean, zooming out a little further, the whole concept that al-Qaeda, somehow the attack in Benghazi undercut the notion that al-Qaeda is in serious difficulties, I think, is also in question after all.

And the Arab spring has been going on for two years. These groups, the only kind of successful anti-American group they have been able to do is one attack in a Middle Eastern country in the middle and sort of post conflict situation and they have killed tragically four Americans. But, that doesn't mean that suddenly al-Qaeda is resuscitated by any stretch. So, I think a number of the underlying premises of the attack against Susan Rice just really don't make sense.

FEYERICK: And so, very quickly, so why won't some of her critics let it go?

BERGEN: Well, I'm not -- you know, I don't know, to be honest. I think at this point, I mean, if this confirmation hearing happens, and that's still a big if, at the end of the day, it's going to be hard to paint her as somebody who basically, you know, adjusted what she said publicly because of politics because I don't think that -- the facts we now know don't suggest that.

FEYERICK: All right, Peter Bergen, as always, so fascinating to speak with you. Thanks so much for joining us.

BERGEN: Thank you.

FEYERICK: Well, what is it like to be in a war zone? A U.S. marine turns this home video into a documentary. You'll hear from him just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: U.S. marine Mike Scotti served his country in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also kept a diary of his time there and what he experienced on the battlefield. When Scottie came back home, he found he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a video he shot while he was away became a powerful tool he used to cope. He turned it into an award-winning documentary.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE SCOTTI, MARINE, FILMMAKER: My name is Mike Scotti and I'm a former marine who fought as part of the initial invasion in Iraq in 2003. I just happened to have a video camera with me and I videotaped what was going on. The job of a forward observer is to basically be the eyes for the heavy artillery. You're seeing, you know, the results of what artillery does. The explosions and there seeing people that have been killed and the remains of children, you know, lying on the side of the road, the car ran the road block and the marines had no choice but to light it up, turned out to be a father and his baby girl. When I first got home, I just went down a hole. I started spiraling down and has went, you know, almost all the way.

ANGELO SCOTTI, MIKE SCOTTI'S FATHER: The Mike that went to Iraq that was in the marines was a fun loving guy. The next thing I recall is Mike coming back from war. He was just morose. It was just a different person.

MIKE SCOTTI: First couple of months was garden variety depression. And then, you know, I started to become angry. You're angry that your friends are getting killed or wounded over there and angry that the country has sacrificed for sometimes seems to forget it's fighting a war. You start to have thoughts, you know, what am I going to do? Am I going to kill myself? Am I going to join up, you know, and go on active duty and go back to the war and try to get myself killed?

KRISTIAN FRAGA, DIRECTOR, SEVERE CLEAR: Mike Scotti and I met it was about a year after he returned from the war. The minute I saw his footage, I knew this was a story that not only did I want to tell but was very important to tell.

MIKE SCOTTI: It was really sitting in an editing booth reliving it, rehashing it, talking about it. That was kind of like the first crack of light that I need, that was filling up the darkness that was inside of me.

FRAGA: When the film starting getting to festivals, you started seeing Mike watch his journey on the big screen with 300 people he doesn't know laughing and crying and cheering and going through the same cathartic experience.

MIKE SCOTTI: That's when it really, really started to click for me was that this wasn't just my story. This was every veteran's story. I knew I needed to write the book so that others will have something to point to it and say the same thing happened to me.

ANGELO SCOTTI: I think the movie was painful but therapeutic for him. And I think writing the book was the rest of his therapy.

MIKE SCOTTI: Sorting out what you experienced over there can feel like it's impossible. You live in this sort of limbo where everything gravitates to uncertainty, chaos, and disorder.

The advice that I would give to veterans, call your bodies, you know, write about it, do something creative. If you think you need help, ask for it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: Well, in addition to making a film and writing a book about his experiences at war, Scotti help started the military charity reserve aid just raised more than $3 million to help wounded veterans and their families.

Police in the U.S. want to question an internet pioneer about the killing of his neighbor in Belize. John McAfee won't talk to them, but he did talk to us. CNN, you'll hear what he said.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Police are searching for a motive in a murder/suicide involving a Kansas City Chiefs football player. According to the Kansas City star, police are identifying the man, the linebacker Jovan Belcher. They said Belcher shot himself in front of his coaches at a team training facility this morning after allegedly killing his girlfriend.

Well, utility crews are working overtime in the Pacific Northwest, battling the destructive force of high winds and drenching rains. Some places will see between 10 and 15 inches of rain along with wind gusts that could hit 70 miles per hour through Sunday. That could trigger flooding and mudslides.

From South Africa to India to Australia and here in the United States, activists around the world are gathering today to recognize the widespread impact of HIV and aids. According to the department of health and human services, 33.4 million people around the world, including 1.2 million in this country, are infected.

In Los Angeles, it's the end of an era. Major league soccer player David Beckham plays his final game with the L.A. galaxy today. He's not done with soccer. He may become an owner in the MLS.

John McAfee made a fortune as a pioneer of anti-virus software, but he is shielding himself from authorities in Belize, even apparently dressing as an old man. McAfee is wanted for questioning in the killing of his neighbor last month. He hadn't been seen for three weeks until last night when he sat down with CNN's Martin Savidge for an exclusive interview. And Martin joins me now live from Belize.

And Martin, I understand that even just getting there was actually really interesting.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, he is a very paranoid man. He admits that by himself. And he has been on the run now for three weeks. He looks good for being on the run for three weeks. Remember, he's 67 years of age, and he happens to be on the run with his 20- year-old girlfriend. But, that's another story.

Getting to him was remarkably difficult. He has burned through about 200 different cell phones, he says, so he keeps throwing them out and getting new ones. Then on top of that, you mentioned the disguises he wears, trying to talk to him, it's in code, secret passwords, people to be met, shady characters, getting into one vehicle we had to and race across town, get into another vehicle, switching back. All of this designed to confuse us, I presume, and designed to confuse anyone who might be following us. But, once we got in the room, the talk got very serious because he should talk to police. He won't. So I had to try to take that role on. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: Let me ask you a couple questions I know the police would ask. Did you kill Greg Fall?

JOHN MCAFEE, INTERNET ANTIVIRUS PIONEER: I barely knew the man and why would I kill him? He was a neighbor who lived 200 yards down the beach. I did not kill the man. I knew nothing about his death until the following morning.

SAVIDGE: But you did have a stormy relationship or you did have a past with him?

MCAFEE: I spoke 50 years to the man in five years. He would go by my property and complain about my dogs, as everybody did. I complained about my dogs. They bark loudly and kept me awake at night. I did everything I could to contain them and they were getting better. He owned dogs himself. There's no reason he would have done something to my dogs, but by the way, the night before he was killed, four of my dogs were poisoned. My first thought was the government, more harassment.

SAVIDGE: You thought the dogs had been killed by the government?

MCAFEE: Well, they have done everything else to me. Why not kill my (INAUDIBLE), one of my dogs. Now, they killed four of my dogs. What is the difference, sir?

The morning I heard about Greg's death, the first thing that went through my mind is Jesus, they got the wrong man. They were sending a gang of gangsters to do whatever. Robbers pretending to be a robbery to kill me, and they got my neighbor instead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: OK, there you get a sense of just how bizarre this interview was. He went from what sounded like a credible individual denying of course he had any involvement with the death of his neighbor who was murdered and then rolling it all over into some sort of plot on the part of the government to take him down. He genuinely fears if he were to be taken into custody he would be murdered. So it's very difficult to know what's real and what is not in his mind.

FEYERICK: And it's so interesting because obviously, he's been posting on his own blog about some of his escapades, if I understand correctly.

SAVIDGE: Yes, who is McAfee.com is his blog that he started. I asked him about that. He said, you know, are you tweaking the nose of authorities here? Are you sort of playing with everyone, including the media? And he denies that's what it's about. He said he is trying to get his side of the story out. He said give me a cell tower and a tiny computer and I'll be able to blog. And that's of course what he has been able to do. And he says it's essentially to get out his side of the story.

And again, I should repeat, the Belize authorities say look, they only wish to question him. He has not been charged in any way in relation to this murder of a neighbor. It's obvious why they want to question him. They had a history and they were neighbors, for goodness sake. He should turn himself in. John McAfee said that's not going to happen.

FEYERICK: But, what did he explain to you in terms of hiring a lawyer? What not just, if you are innocent, why not just get a lawyer to basically say, my client is innocent and I'll arrange an interview. Get protection of somebody who has legal background?

SAVIDGE: We went over all of those aspects. And he always seemed to have some sort of answer. That answer tends to be had the moment he gets into any custody he will either become disappeared or dead. And, there's no rationalizing with him. That's the difficult thing. He seems lucid and intelligent, and then at other times, he just seems completely wrong.

FEYERICK: And did you meet the 20-year-old girlfriend, out of curiosity?

SAVIDGE: I did, yes. One of seven girlfriends that he has. They're all in their 20s. They all share his compound, and they all share hid bed, he says, and he says that with pride. One thing about him, he's extremely vain. He admits that. He said he looks really good for 67, he does. And he also said that, you know, he prides that his teeth are all his real teeth and his hair is all his real hair.

FEYERICK: All right, Martin Savidge, really, we could talk to you for much longer, but thank you so much for joining us live from Belize.

Well, here's a switch. At a time when many stores are looking to the web to grow their businesses, some online companies are seeing the wisdom of building brick and mortar stores.

And this former army dog trainer is one of the heroes we'll honor tonight. A live preview from L.A. just up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: So often the people who make the biggest difference in the world and in their own communities, they go unnoticed. Tomorrow night, CNN will honor some of them for their outstanding deeds. We call them heroes. Kareen Wynter joins us from Los Angeles.

And in a moment, Kareen, you are going to introduce us to one of them. But first of all, how are preparations going for the big event? I mean, they are expecting celebrities, they're expecting do-gooders. It's a big deal. KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Deb, it really does take an army to pull off such a spectacular event like this, but crews down here in the shrine auditorium are getting the job done. We looked inside at the theater, they're setting the stage. They're getting all the seating arrangements in order for tomorrow night's big show. And crews have been hard at work all day long. You can see the beginning stages of the red carpet, also the tent. Why is that up? Well, if there's a little chance of rain tomorrow, it won't spoil the festivities of the event. But, you know, we need a contingency plan in place. So there you have.

But, you mention a special guest, one of this year's 2012 top ten heroes. We couldn't be more proud of her, Mary Cortani, it's such a pleasure. She's had such a busy day. You have been down here rehearsing, rubbing shoulders with your fellow honorees.

What has this moment been like for you? You said you could have never imagined yourself here, right?

MARY CORTANI, 2012 TOP TEN CNN HERO: Oh, absolutely, never could I have ever dreamed let alone imagined it. It's amazing, it's overwhelming, and I keep saying I wish I could come up with a word other than wow, but every other word, wow, wow.

WYNTER: Well, you just keep enjoying every minute of it, you deserve it and your special organization, Operation Freedom Paws. It places service dogs with veterans, but, why the need there? Tell us why you created this organization?

CORTANI: I'm a veteran myself and I learned to train dogs in the military, but there's such a huge need. They say that one in 5 returning veterans or warriors, are going to suffer from PTSD. That's just PTSD. There's traumatic brain injuries, there is mobility, there is military sexual trauma, what does that mean? It means we have more survivors than killed in action in the new conflicts. And we need to do something to help them get back and create a new normal.

WYNTER: And you told me a short time ago, before going on air, Mary did, how inspired you are to hear the stories of inspiration, of courage, from fellow honorees. That's what really the whole night is about. It's not the stars being here. You guys are the stars, spotlighting your work.

CORTANI: You know, that's a really hard thing for us to accept because for us, it's not about us. It's about what we do. But the other nine heroes for 2012 are just -- they're amazing people. It's been my honor and privilege to get to meet them.

WYNTER: And we're so proud of you, all of our 2012 top ten heroes. We are going to let Mary get back inside. She is rehearsing. She still has a busy day ahead of her, but it's a snap shot of the incredible stories you'll hear tomorrow -- Deb.

FEYERICK: All right. Thank you so much, Kareen. It's amazing. These heroes, they just - they don't even speak about themselves. And that's one of the great things about them. All right, well, we want to let you know that on Sunday, you can watch CNN heroes preshow special "sharing the spotlight" at 8:0 p.m. Eastern. Then it's the "CNN heroes an all-star tribute" at 9:00 eastern and it is hosted by Anderson Cooper and there will be a lot of fun, a lot of surprises, and just a lot of good work.

Well, from clicks to bricks, online stores now taking their businesses off line. We will take a look at this latest trend.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Usually, we hear about retail stores going digital. But now online stores, well, they're going off line. Popular e-commerce sites for opening brick and mortar stores.

Our CNN Money tech reporter, Laurie Segall, takes a look at the latest trend.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAURIE SEGALL, CNN MONEY TECHNOLOGY REPORTER (voice-over): Back in the day, there were brick and mortar stores. And then came the Web site. Well today, that's not the case. Take Baublebar. It launched as a web-based jewelry boutique, but recently expanded from digital to physical jewelry store.

If a store becomes popular, they build a Web site, now if a Web site becomes popular, they build a store.

AMY JAIN, CO-FOUNDER, BAUBLEBAR: Yes. I mean, I think, we are When customers become that engaged with their brand, they want to see it translated to the off line world. They want to kind of experience it in person.

SEGALL: That's an approach popular e-commerce sites are taking, too.

DAVE GILBOA, CO-FOUNDER, WARBY PARKER: We view the future of our business and retail are going to have some online components, some offline components.

SEGALL: Online eyewear seller, Warby Parker, let you upload a picture on the web and virtually try on glasses. They have always had an offline component.

GILBOA: We also came up with the first of its kind try on at home trial program here in the U.S. where we can send this package by five frames. And you get the glasses at home, try them on, see which ones you want, send them all back to us and we'll go ahead and make them with the prescription.

SEGALL: But now, the popular online retailers expanding offline, adding stores in this holiday season a bust?

GILBOA: People wanted a place where they could walk into a store, and so, we set up showrooms in major cities throughout the country. JOE FELDMAN, RETAIL ANALYST, TELSEY GROUP: What we found is that retailers with a strong brick and mortar presence, they need to have a good online presence, and vice versa because the consumer wants flexibility. The consumer wants to sometimes shop online at home, go to the store and pick it up.

SEGALL: Even 3D printer retailer MakerBot, a hobbyist site that sells 3D printers online and lets people print real-world objects opened up a flagship 3D printing store in New York. And as the online and offline worlds begin to merge, stores get deliver a more personalized experience to your in-store shopping.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our New York shop is merchandise on a real-time basis based on what our tri-state customers are shopping for online. They have no idea we have been studying them online and a merchandise selection based on what's in their cart, what they're clicking through, what they have shared with their friends on social.

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FEYERICK: And Laurie Segall joins us now from New York.

And Laurie, you know, it's so interesting. We are talking about smaller, smaller folks who are doing this. What about larger online stores, for example like E-bay, Amazon, are they doing something similar? Are we going to see an Amazon store?

SEGALL: Sure. Listen. There are already rumors right now that Amazon is actually setting up shop in Seattle. So unconfirmed but lots of folks saying they're actually looking to make that move.

Now, what they are doing, Amazon has something called the Amazon locker. So, if you're going to staples or radio shack, you might start seeing these giant lockers that say Amazon locker. And essentially, what that is doing, it allows people if they get something at home at Amazon, they can pick it up in store, they get a confirmation e-mail that has a number they type in to these lockers and they'll get their object there. S, we are seeing that happen quite a bit.

Google just yesterday, they actually bought Amazon's competitor, so you know, it's called Bufferbot. And they actually bought this company, and they're really looking to delve into this online/offline e-commerce base. So, I think, we are definitely, going to start seeing this more and more, Deb.

FEYERICK: So, are we going to be seeing more online stores going offline? Is it that people want to try on things, hold things? Because sometimes when I buy things online, then I have to return them which make it a whole new step. If I can try something on, I'll know right away, for example.

SEGALL: Sure. Well, that's why I think the lines blur a little bit. That's why Warby Parker, they will send you five glasses so you pick out a line, and you can try them on at home and send them back. But, you're seeing more and more of this. And you will see big retailers are really kind of looking at this trend, and they're saying we could actually see Warby Parker in one of these big retailers. And everybody is really getting smart about this. Big retailers, they are getting smart about mobile and they are getting smart about people, really going to the web to shop.

So I definitely think some of these sites, we will start seeing them just pop up, because people as you said, they like to be able to see something, and touch it and feel it, Deb.

FEYERICK: It's really, you know, both of us coming from New York, you always see the sort of small pop up stores over the holidays especially, where people can try things up.

All right, thanks Laurie.

SEGALL: Thanks.

FEYERICK: Well, for more high tech ideas and reviews, go to CNN.com/tech and look for the gaming and gadgets tab.

A tragedy hits the NFL. We have got reaction from the Kansas City Chiefs, after the apparent murder-suicide involving one of the team's players that is just moments away.

And from the Cuban missile crisis to the war in the Persian Gulf, America's first nuclear power aircraft carrier officially retires. We will take you on board.

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FEYERICK: The Navy is finally taking a ship with a great history out of service. The USS Enterprise, the world's first nuclear aircraft carrier was formally retired today. It is in action from the Cuban missile crisis to the war on terror.

Here is Chris Lawrence.

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CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On this final tour this year, the Enterprise launched more than 2,000 combat operations into Afghanistan. It sailed through the Strait of Hormuz ten times, as a show of force to Iran.

The Navy commanders who patrol these seas tell us they can't help but be aware of the rising tension with Iran. But when the world's first nuclear powered carrier set sail 50 years ago, the concern was not Hormuz, but Havana.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I was on the Enterprise when we went through the Cuban missile crisis.

LAWRENCE: Senator John McCain was a young naval aviator in 1962 when President Kennedy ordered the carrier to enforce a black aide.

MCCAIN: We were the first ship there because of nuclear power and we were -- had targets and we had weapons and we were ready to go.

MCCAIN: Fast forward 40 years. The Enterprise was heading home on September 11th 2001.

ADMIRAL JAMES WINNEFELD, VICE CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: It is like here I am. I'm many, many thousands away. My nation is being attacked by terrorists in a very devastating way.

LAWRENCE: Admiral James, one of the eldest now the Navy's top officer, but he was captain of the ship that day. Without formal orders, Winnefeld helped to turn the Enterprise around 180 degrees, and race back into the Arabian Sea, where they launched jet to attack al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

WINNEFELD: And we're riding FDNY and NYPD and all these bombs as we tend to do.

LAWRENCE: Even now that it sailed its last mission, the Enterprise still has something to teach the Navy.

ADMIRAL TED CARTER, COMMANDER, ENTERPRISE STRIKE GROUP: It is important that we know how to do this, and we know how to finish what we started and know how deal to take apart a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

LAWRENCE: Not only safely, but cheaply. As the first of its kind, the enterprise is a test to see how much it cost to remove and dismantle a ships' nuclear reactor.

CARTER: The ten minutes (ph) class carriers will follow what we learn for how to do this on the Enterprise.

LAWRENCE: The name itself is older than the United States. The first Enterprise was captured from the British in 1775 by the continental Navy. Seven more ships would carry the name.

WILLIAM HAMILTON, CAPTAIN, USS ENTERPRISE: It is the biggest honor, you know, of my professional life to be the captain of this ship.

LAWRENCE: The carrier did six combat deployments during Vietnam. And in 1969, an explosion on board set off a massive fire, 27 sailors were killed, hundreds more hurt. But the Enterprise survived. And now her last captain has one final mission, to make sure this is not the last ship to bear the name.

HAMILTON: Written letters to the naval operations, you know, asking for that, asking that that name sake be carried forward.

LAWRENCE: To some future enterprise and a continuing legacy.

Chris Lawrence, CNN, on board the USS enterprise.

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FEYERICK: Very cool. All right, well you might be friends with a millionaire and not even know it. Look carefully at this surveillance video. Do you recognize the man in the yellow outfit? Well, he is showing people his ticket. He may be one of the winners of this week's Powerball jackpot. He has not come forward. But couple of people says, the numbers were the right ones.

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