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Feast on the Front Line; Saving Us from Asteroids; "What If Everything Dries Out?"; "The Situation" Sues Retailer; Bragging Rights for Life; College Football Player Suffers Spinal Injury; Doctor Claims Diet Could Prevent Heart Disease; People Having Less Children in Recession

Aired November 24, 2011 - 12:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Let's get you up to speed now.

We're getting more details about the brutal attack on the Egyptian American journalists arrested while covering the pro- democracy protests in Cairo. Mona Eltahawy says that she was beaten and sexually assaulted by an unspecified number of riot police. This photograph shows her arms are broken and are now in casts, actually, her wrist and one arm.

She explained to me by phone last hour what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MONA ELTAHAWY, JOURNALIST (via telephone): I was on the front line of where the confrontations had been happening between protesters and the military police on the street called Mohammad Mahmoud. There was some shooting from the right police side, then we -- myself and a group of people ran to shelter close by and the riot police stormed into our area of where the confrontation was, beyond their no-man's land.

And people around me scattered and ran that I was cornered and surrounded by four or five riot police, their blows from their sticks just rained down upon me, on both arms, on my head. And then they began sexually assaulting me. They were groping my breasts. They put their hands in between my legs.

So many hands tried to go inside my jeans. I tried to fight them as much as I could but I was being beaten at the same time. They were dragging me by my hair to the ministry of the interior. It was an awful assault, I have never experienced anything like it in my life, but it is just the tip of the iceberg compared to the kind of brutality that Egyptians have faced for so long from security. And again, this is why we have a revolution.

Our revolution was launched January 25th, which is police state to put us exactly this kind of brutality and it continues, and I blame the military for the fact that it continues because the military is in charge of this country and clearly cannot control the police forces.

WHITFIELD: Now, you said you were with other people but then you got separated from them, and you were cornered before those four or five patrol men or officers then cornered you.

Did you ever reconnect with your other friends or were you left alone and then you were arrested?

ELTAHAWY: No. I was followed by the riot police who were also beating those around me and I think there was at least one other person who was arrested but not taken to where I was. So, it was the riot police who did all the beating and took me away, and I heard that the other person was arrested at the same time has been released, so I'm very glad to hear that but we haven't made contact yet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And three American college students are getting checked out by doctors after being freed in Egypt. They have been accused of throwing firebombs at security forces during pro-democracy demonstrations. It's unclear why they were suddenly released.

Derrik Sweeney, Gregory Porter and Luke Gates attend classes at the American University in Cairo. Sweeney's mom is overjoyed that they are safe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOY SWEENEY, MOTHER OF FREED AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT (via telephone): I cannot wait to give him a big hug. I don't know if (INAUDIBLE) rest of the day. You know, I'm -- so you know, I'm going to say I love him, I love him, I'm ecstatic that he is home. And, boy, I just can't express how jubilant I am right now. I just am so happy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: These developments come as Egypt's military leaders apologize for the deaths of pro-democracy protesters. At least 38 people have been killed in demonstrations since Saturday and more than 3,000 others have been injured. The apology was posted on the Facebook page of the supreme council of the armed forces.

"Despite the violence, parliamentary elections are expected to go ahead as scheduled, on Monday."

And U.S. troops fighting America's longest war line up in Afghanistan for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. This is the last Thanksgiving in Afghanistan for thousands of soldiers. They are part of a big troop drawdown and thousands of peeps leaving Iraq for good were served turkey and all the trimmings at their layover in Kuwait.

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling testified in the British inquiry on ethics in journalism. She is the latest of a string of famous faces who say they have been bullied by the media in the U.K.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.K. ROWLING, AUTHOR: I think the point here is that I, like a lot of people, who have agreed to give evidence of this inquiry, we are not looking for special treatment. We are looking for normal treatment.

I don't regard myself as entitled to more than. I'm just simply asking for the same as. I'm particularly asking for that on behalf of my children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: London's Metropolitan Police say they made their first arrest today in a probe related to the hacking probe related to the press. A 50-year-old man was picked up just outside of London.

Also, today, the British government-backed inquiry announced it will call on CNN's Piers Morgan as a witness. Morgan is former British newspaper editor. He says he will appear before the panel.

And here's a look at what's coming up in the next hour. First, we are taking you to the front lines in Afghanistan where thousands of troops are celebrating their last Thanksgiving before coming home.

And NASA is working to save us from asteroids while searching for life on Mars.

And then, CNN's go-to food expert will have some tips to keep you save from your deep fried turkey.

And, finally, we check in with a football player paralyzed a year ago. His had inspiring story that will put this Thanksgiving into perspective.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SGT. 1ST CLASS ERIC PAHON, U.S. ARMY: Hey. My name is Sgt. 1st class Eric Pahon. I'm stationed in Bagram airfield, Afghanistan. Just want to say happy thanksgiving to my little man, Aden, back in Baltimore, Maryland. Buddy, I love you, I miss you every single day and I can't wait to come home. You be a good boy for your mama.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Santa Claus makes his first appearance of the holiday season at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York. This is the 85th year giant cartoon balloons have floated over the streets of Manhattan. An estimated 3 1/2 million people lined the route for this year's parade.

And this is the last Thanksgiving in Afghanistan for thousands of U.S. troops serving in America's longest war. The 33,000 surged troops President Obama ordered to Afghanistan almost two years ago will be out by the end of next summer.

Even so, all is not quiet on the front lines this Thanksgiving. But there is one place where soldiers can get away from it all.

Nick Paton Walsh is our man in Afghanistan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Here at Bagram Airbase, many helicopters have taken off a few moments ago but still Thanksgiving celebration provides a wonderful relief for many of the soldiers serving here. We've just been to a remarkable dinner led on by the military here for his personnel, a huge amount of people.

The Pentagon saying they shipped around the world 168,000 pounds' worth of turkey, 100,000 pounds' worth of beef. We heard from some of soldiers what the day means for them.

The first Afghan Thanksgiving?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, this is my first deployment.

WALSH: Your last?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, probably not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Pam. How you doing? I love you. I'll be back soon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love the United States of America. Thank you. I love everybody. Everybody.

WALSH: Certainly, this Thanksgiving a moment for many here and the United States to reflect on this war and how its second decade that's brought both Afghanistan and the United States.

Many troops will not spend another Thanksgiving here. The surge being drawn down and the total number of U.S. troops only being at 68,000 by this time next year or perhaps even less. Many are asking now if public opinion and public finance for this war diminishes radically in the United States, wondering how much more America can achieve here.

Many we've spoken to remembering the loss of their friends, talking about how they soon may be home and, of course, enjoying a moment of celebration as they feast in the many dining facilities around here on this Bagram where America's war begun 10 years ago.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And it's been almost a year since Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head during a voter's event. Last night, Piers Morgan talk with her husband Mark Kelly. He opens up about his wife, the suspect and that fateful January day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PIERS MORGAN, "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT" HOST: Has Gabby had any thoughts towards the man that shot her?

MARK KELLY, REP. GIFFORDS' HUSBAND: Well, you know, she doesn't spend a lot of time being angry about it. Early on, I asked her what she would like to see happen to him as a sentence. And it was very interesting that for a woman that had a difficult time with words at the time that she was able to sum it up in one syllable, which was rot. It what she said.

I think she feels differently now. She understands he is very sick and needs to be treated.

MORGAN: For 13 minutes you thought your wife was dead.

KELLY: Yes. Yes. It was tough. It was a tough situation.

My mother screamed. Kids started crying. I just got up, walked into the airplane's bathroom and just broke down, and it was a difficult period of time.

But in hindsight looking at it, that was the low point and it's all been pretty positive since then.

MORGAN: Well, certainly compared to that half-an-hour. It was quite a while before you could tell gabby that people had died. How did she react in the moment when you were able to finally tell her?

KELLY: Well, we had a plan that we would tell her things as she asked in the beginning she didn't ask many questions. It was very important she knew what happened to her. So, as soon as she could understand I told her she was shot, who the person was and what happened. I didn't tell her about the other people that died that day.

And she would read the Arizona papers and "New York Times" every day and "Wall Street Journal." She'd go through it. Sometimes she would see on the front page -- in this case, one day -- saw the little teaser article on the bottom that talked about her -- an update on her recovery.

So it was very interesting to see her go to that page and she wanted to read that article. It was kind of like she was saying, you guys have been lying to me this whole time. Now I'm going to get the real truth.

So I read her the article and I saw ahead where it mentioned people that had died so I thought I very seamlessly skipped over that. And she caught me, she was reading over my shoulder and pointed out that I had left that out so at that point I read -- didn't have the names but I read the paragraph, six people being killed.

MORGAN: How was she able to react to it?

KELLY: Well, initially she -- she was shocked. But then it was time for her to go to speech therapy, right like then. So she left the room, couple minutes later she broke down in the middle of her class. It was tough.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Kelly and Giffords have written a book about their experience called "Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope."

If you think asteroids are not a threat, think again. NASA may have a plan to save us. We take you live to the Kennedy Space Center for more on that and life on Mars.

And so many of you wrote in responses to Carol Costello's "talk back" question yesterday. We're sharing more with you today. She asked what are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?

Arthur writes, "I'm grateful -- I'm thankful to see many of our troops coming home for the holidays. I'm thankful for the service of our troops that still remain overseas and especially thankful the sacrifice that they and their families endure."

And Allison says, "I'm thankful for the birth of my healthy and adorable son Graham. Every day is his first nine months have added so much joy to our lives. Nothing compares to that experience."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. As you remember who and what you're thankful for this Thanksgiving, you may want to add NASA to that list.

NASA is working hard on ways to save us -- believe it or not -- from asteroids.

John Zarrella joins us live now from the Kennedy Space Center., with more on this.

So, John, we're talking about trying to keep asteroids from colliding with earth. You know, it's no longer science fiction, but a real dilemma for NASA scientists.

Explain.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And it's not science -- exactly. It's is not science fiction at all, Fredricka.

You know, we're here at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. And just a couple of miles from here in a couple of days, NASA is going to be sending a Curiosity, a lander to Mars, to look for signs, evidence, of past life or present life.

So, we thought, well, you know what? While everybody's doing all this stuff looking for life out there in the universe, who's doing things about what happens if something from out there threatens our life?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZARRELLA (voice-over): A nuclear blast. Humanity never wants to see another one of these on the planet. But off the planet, that's a different story. Rather than destroying life, it could save us from asteroid extinction.

JONATHAN MCDOWELL, ASTROPHYSICIST: If you don't think they are a clear danger to us, your dinosaur.

ZARRELLA: While scientists are making great strides searching for life in the universe, they are also working on ways to prevent massive asteroids from ending life here. Like one did the dinosaurs.

MCDOWELL: Bad things happen to good planets. We know that the earth has been hit by asteroids before. In the long run, I think our species has to learn how to protection the earth in that way.

ZARRELLA: Scientists say there are methods that should work -- a nuclear blast knock being the asteroid off its collision course, or simply running into it with a spacecraft.

To get a better handle on these flying rocks, NASA's first human deep space mission around 2025 is going to an asteroid.

Down in the Florida Keys, they're already planning.

MIKE GERNHARDT, NASA ASTRONAUT: If I chip a rock on asteroid, it's going up.

ZARRELLA: Astronaut Mike Gernhardt is developing tools an astronaut would need.

GERNHARSDT: This is a soil collection device that we cock.

ZARRELLA: And just offshore an asteroid proving ground of sorts which the tools are tested a near weightless environment beneath the surface. But don't go losing any sleep over an asteroid impact.

New findings show there are fewer of the really big ones, the size of a mountain, than was thought and none will threaten the earth for centuries. There is a downside, the smaller ones, like the one that flew by earth a couple weeks ago -- well, astronomers say they don't know where most of those are, about 15,000 of them.

AMY MAINZER, ASTRONOMER: We only had found a very small fraction of those objects yet and they could still cause considerable damage.

ZARRELLA: Like taking out a metropolitan area or an entire state.

But scientists are confident, if there's enough lead time, say 10 to 20 years before it would hit, they are pretty sure they'll get the asteroid before it gets us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZARRELLA: And now, the scientists out at the jet propulsion laboratory in California also say -- they're working on all this -- say that there may be a real simple way if we go out there -- you can actually spray paint the asteroids. That would add weight to the asteroid and it would actually force it to kind of shift its direction just a little bit to miss the earth.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

ZARRELLA: Yes, spray paint.

WHITFIELD: That would be an incredible aim, too, in order to make that happen.

So, John, you had mentioned Curiosity before seeing your piece. You have more on that testimony. Give us a preview.

ZARRELLA: Yes. You know, this is an enormous, enormous mission for NASA. Curiosity is a rover that's the size of a Volkswagen. It dwarfs any rover NASA's ever sent to Mars. It will get there in August after travelling 350 million miles. It's launching Saturday morning from here at the Kennedy Space Center. And it is a critical huge mission because NASA is actually going to go -- with this rover -- they have the scientific ability to test whether there are signatures of life, in other words, organic material on Mars.

So if they find that, that changes everything.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And hopefully it won't get lost.

ZARRELLA: A big deal. It is a big deal.

WHITFIELD: Yes, that is a big deal.

All right, we'll look for your details tomorrow. Thanks so much, John Zarrella.

ZARRELLA: Got it.

WHITFIELD: And here's something else that is out of this world. Trick shot guy Brody Smith and friends -- you're used to seeing this -- make some incredible baskets with both basketball and Frisbees. Pretty amazing stuff. Brody's made more than one of these viral videos and we have no idea if this is really real.

But, you know, just have fun. Just fun to watch. Forget the desert after. Turkey, this is our guilty pleasure of the day.

(MUSIC)

WHITFIELD: No way! They have made that a full-time job. Incredible.

All right. It's inevitable. Something will go wrong with prepping your Thanksgiving dinner today. We hope it is not something as drastic as a turkey fryer fire. You're about to see. The managing editor of CNN's food Web site Eatocracy is here with tips on safe frying effort.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Here's a rundown on some of the stories we are working on right now. Don't panic, we're here for any an all turkey day traumas. And then the "Jersey Shore's" the Situation sues Abercrombie, while passengers take on AirTran for cockroaches.

And in about 15 minutes, paralyzed football player Eric LeGrand's inspiring story, a look at his fight to walk again.

So, if are you in a panic over pulling together your Thanksgiving feast, don't. Don't panic.

Kat Kinsman, managing editor of CNN.com's Eatocracy's Web site is here, don't panic, just be calm. She's here to answer some of your questions.

Some of the most common that our readers are asking.

So, every year, we do stories, you know, Kat, about people trying to fry their turkey, and it is a disaster, things go on fire that people didn't expect would go up in flames do.

So, this is the question -- how can I take precautions to have a delicious deep fried bird and stay safe.

KAT KINSMAN, MANAGING EDITOR, EATOCRACY.COM: Apparently, this is a matter of national security because the Department of Homeland Security actually put on their twitter feed yesterday linked to that video you've been showing all day.

I wish it weren't so delicious but it really is one of the most delicious ways you can prepare your turkey. You just have to stay safe. So, I think the mistake that a lot of people make, they don't fully defrost the bird. So, any little bit of ice, any little bit of moisture is going to make the oil spatter out and cause small and giant harm.

Another problem is most of the turkey fryers are not usually stable enough, so they're bound to tip over and this huge amount of oil comes spewing out there. Isn't that terrifying?

WHITFIELD: Yes.

KINSMAN: And while we're talking about it, people overfill it with oil as well. The best precaution you can make is to put your turkey into the fryer while it is still cold, measure how much oil it's going to take, take the turkey out and heat the oil. Do it all slowly. Do it all -- I swear to you -- with goggles and gloves on and it really will be the most delicious bird ever that cooks up so quickly. I do mine like this all the time.

WHITFIELD: You do?

KINSMAN: And thus far, have all my hair, all my limbs. It can be done. Just with a tremendous amount of precaution.

And also, make sure that it is not around anything flammable whatsoever.

WHITFIELD: Yes, like your long hair!

KINSMAN: Oh, I have frying clothes. I put my hair up in a frying bun. No danger.

WHITFIELD: Oh, good.

OK. Well, you know, it does take good but, gosh, it is really a lot of work.

So, this question also comes from a viewer, who says, you know, what if things get dried out? How do I keep this turkey from getting really dried out?

KINSMAN: Well, first of all, you're going to cook it low and slow and put butter or oil under the skin. So, before you cook it, make sure that -- get some butter, put some herbs in it, some salt, whatever you want the bird to taste like. Put it up under the skin and keep basting while you are going.

WHITFIELD: And we are not talking about the fried turkey. Now, we're talking about the turkey that goes in the oven.

KINSMAN: You're going to have no dryness issue when you are dealing with a fried turkey that's perfectly moist.

But with this -- you know, maybe you're frying your turkey, maybe you haven't, you sort of make sure to take time ahead of time to make sure that it is properly moist and with oil. But if you are at a point where it's sort of beyond repair and you haven't done all of the things, it's a little bit dry? I would say gravy is generally your best friend. It is a beverage and a sauce, it's all these things.

So, slice your turkey and serve it that way with the gravy already on it, or you can never have enough chicken stock ever, ever, ever. It is great to rehydrate your sides.

Put your turkey flavors in a pan with a little bit of it and put that into the oven or the microwave and you add a little bit of extra flavor in there and probably nobody will ever know.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Stop it already. I'm getting so hungry now. Then you have your side dishes. You know, everything's gone just dandy and you have eaten, but you, of course, want to have leftovers. So how soon after can you put these things in the fridge? Because you know sometimes you got the temperature issue, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As soon as you possibly can. The last thing you want to do is make your loved ones sick. So the main offender that we're looking at is stuffing because it has the most potential for salmonella.

So you want to get that into the refrigerator within two hours after it comes out. Make sure that you refrigerate everything separately. Your gravy, your meat, your stuffing, all in separate containers and you should be able to eat that for the next couple of days.

I wouldn't push it too far past that. We in our Eatocracy laboratory discovered a really fantastic side especially if you're frying the bird. We call it the stuffed puppy. You get your wad of mashed potatoes, surround that with stuffing, coat it in potato chips, put that in the deep fryer.

It is the turducken of the side world. We made it up at Eatocracy. Then you dip it in a little bit of gravy or cranberry sauce. But really, just make sure you get everything into the refrigerator as soon as possible and get the stuffing out of that bird especially.

WHITFIELD: My goodness, it is all about breaking some of these rules. I think we break all the rules all the time. I know that food stays out on the table much more than two hours so now we know.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have a little break.

WHITFIELD: I know. Thanks so much. Appreciate it. Happy Thanksgiving.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy Thanksgiving.

WHITFIELD: All right, tickets to ride a low-cost airline don't usually include the finer things in life, but top selections on a plane. One couple says that's exactly what they encountered and they have the pictures to prove it and now they are suing. Find out what our legal eagle has to say about that.

And "The Next List" is a new CNN program focusing on some of America's most creative minds. Each Sunday, Dr. Sanjay Gupta profiles people on the cutting edge of technology and innovation. And this week Sanjay looks at what's next in food.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We serve an edible menu here. We have almost since day one and that's because serving edible menus makes a lot of sense. Every month about 20 tons of paper are wasted in restaurant menus alone.

And so, you know, by that ration if you just ate your menu made from organic local products, you could eliminate that paper waste. It looks like a sushi role, it tastes like a sushi role, but it is your menu.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: OK, well, we have a moment on this Thanksgiving holiday. We have a chance to look at some of our legal stories that you might have missed over the past week.

So joining me from Las Vegas, criminal defense attorney Richard Herman. Feels like a Saturday but, no, it is it is Thanksgiving Thursday. Good to see you.

Happy Thanksgiving to you. Thanks so much. All right, this summer Abercrombie & Fitch publicly offered to pay cast members of the "Jersey Shore" not to wear its clothes.

And it looked like fun publicity stunt but now one of cast members is kind of turning the tables here. Explain what's going on with this situation.

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, it is a good thing I haven't eaten yet and I've taken my anti-nausea medicine because apparently this brilliant shooting star has developed catchphrases like "The Fitchuation."

I'm an English major, Fred. "The Fitchuation" and GTL so Gym Tan Laundry, so he develops these things and runs out and trademarks them because someone gave them great legal advice to trademark them. Well, Abercrombie turns out used those without his permission, sold t- shirts with those phrases on it. He's suing Abercrombie.

WHITFIELD: They demanded that he stop wearing their clothes because they didn't like the image associated with him and their brand. Then they apparently go out and use his brand to try and sell merchandise?

HERMAN: Great, great publicity stunt. Everybody's talking about it. And this guy, rumors say he just dropped $10 million. He could get a recovery. He's suing for $1 million in royalties and $4 million in damages. He's not going to get $5 million, but he's going to get a recovery here, Fred.

WHITFIELD: My gosh, pretty smart situation. OK, here's another interesting case, Richard. So let's get this straight. A couple is on a plane. They see roaches. They take pictures and now they are suing Airtran over what?

HERMAN: I'm from New York. Roaches are like pets, right? What's the problem with these things? I don't understand. Apparently, they saw a couple roaches on an Airtran.

WHITFIELD: They're suing, but what's the argument? That they felt uncomfortable? That they feel like the plane is not clean, what?

HERMAN: They sue for negligence. They sue for intentional infliction of emotional distress. That means Airtran intentionally put those cockroaches in there to shake them up. And this is the best -- false imprisonment at 35,000 feet. They were falsely imprisoned on the plane.

WHITFIELD: OK. Where is this case going?

HERMAN: For $120 anybody can sue anybody. This case is going in the toilet and probably one of our top ten worst cases of the year when we get close to Christmas, unbelievable.

WHITFIELD: At least they made the list, right?

HERMAN: They're going to make the list.

WHITFIELD: "A" for effort. OK, Richard, thanks so much. I'll see you this weekend, right? This Saturday along with Avery.

HERMAN: Saturday, Fred, yes, absolutely.

WHITFIELD: Eat up today, enjoy the family. Give thanks. We thank you.

HERMAN: Thank you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, this Thanksgiving brings what is being called the last supper to a land where traditions diehard. At stake -- bragging rights for life.

Ed Lavendera reports on the final battle in a rivalry as big as Texas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No one ever imagined the goodbyes in the fight songs of the University of Texas in Texas A&M would mean goodbye forever.

On this Thanksgiving though a 117-year tradition comes to an end, Thanksgiving dessert in Texas has been watching the Aggies and Long Horns play football.

There aren't dinner tables big enough to safely sit these bitter rivals.

(on camera): When you hear the word Longhorns, what do you think?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Revulsion.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A piece of beef to me. It's something I eat for dinner.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I kind of want throw up a little bit.

LAVANDERA: When I say Aggies, what do you think of?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's almost like a derogatory term in a sense. It's beneath where you are standing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Little whiners that ran off after 100 years of abuse.

LAVANDERA: UT in Texas saying A&M are separated by 100 miles, but culturally they might as well be from different planets.

EVAN SMITH, CEO AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, TEXAS TRIBUNE: They are diametrical opposites, but to some degree it's exaggerated on both sides. You know, A&M is self defined by the core. This rigid conservative college station mentality is one way of looking at A & M and Texas in Austin is pot smoking hippies.

LAVANDERA: Evan Smith is editor-in-chief of the Texas Tribune web site, a New York outsider by birth, but now a reincarnated Texan.

(on camera): So you know your rivalries, how does this compare?

SMITH: It's much worse. You never fought with your family on Thanksgiving. This is a day of rage. At the end of the day, it's food and rage and then football. It all fits together very well.

LAVANDERA (on camera): This is where the last game will be played and Thanksgiving in Texas may never be the same. Texas A&M is leaving the big 12 Athletic Conference moving to SEC.

It's mostly a fight over UTs $300 million deal with ESPN to create the Longhorn TV Network, but trying to figure out when both of these teams will ever play again is like listening to both sides of a bitter divorce.

(voice-over): We talked to the Longhorns Athletic Director, DeLoss Dodds who blames the Aggies for leaving the big 12 conference.

DELOSS DODDS, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS: They've made a conscious decision to move to the SEC, which you know, we're going to live with. If they wanted to come back, we'll take them back.

LAVANDERA: Then we headed over to talk to Texas A&M President, Dr. Bowen Loftin. He says the Longhorns should make room in its schedule to keep the rivalry alive.

DR. R. BOWEN LOFTIN, PRESIDENT, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY: It's clearly Texas's choice in our opinion whether it goes on or not. And we hope they will simply reconsider.

LAVANDERA: Historic traditions like the Aggies bonfire will disappear. No need for the Longhorns rally. Only nostalgic snapshots of a rivalry that has defined more than a century's worth of generations will be left. Ed Lavandera, CNN in Austin and College Station, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Incredible. We know a football player whose fight song just might be always looked on the bright side of life. His outlook after a devastating tragedy is a real story at Thanksgiving. His inspiring words in a minute.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LANCE CPL. GAGE BREWER, U.S. MARINE CORPS: Hi. My name is Lance Cpl. Gage Brewer and I'm currently in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. I want to give a shout out to my mom, dad, and friends and family back in Western Ohio. I just want to say happy Thanksgiving.

(END VIDEO CLIP) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Now to a story that takes Thanksgiving to a very personal level. It's about a young man who seemingly lost everything in an instant on a football field one year ago. But as Jon Wertheim reports, he still has everything to be thankful for.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JON WERTHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Football coaches always look for a player with a great motor. It means an athlete who doesn't give up on a play, who pursues with passion, and adapts on the fly. Barely a year ago, Eric LeGrand motored head first into the rest of his life. In an instant, two fractured vertebrae and the strongest player on the Rutgers football team couldn't lift a finger. Doctors said at 20 he never would again.

(on camera): How do you describe what this past year's been like?

ERIC LEGRAND, FORMER RUTGERS FOOTBALL PLAYER: I refer to it as a blessing. I've touched so many people I would have never touched in my lifetime.

WERTHEIM: Football coach always look for so called character guys challenge themselves and motivate others to found the outer boundaries of their capabilities. Eric LeGrand cannot be deterred. Once barely able to keep even his eyes open he is now trying to coax his body to walk again.

LEGRAND: In the face of the spinal cord word, there was Christopher Reeves before me but then he passed away. A lot of people were forgotten. Now I'm hoping to try to find a cure for this spinal cord injury.

KAREN LEGRAND, ERIC'S MOTHER: Eric genuinely makes you believe he's going to get up out of that chair. I do believe it. We have faith. We don't know when it is going to be but we're going to keep fighting and we're going to keep believing.

WERTHEIM: LeGrand has gotten his own motivation from the sports he loves with dozens upon dozens of messages support conveyed on balls and helmets and jerseys.

LEGRAND: It is crazy all the people that you never thought, you see them on TV, you hear about them, but now I'm getting to meet people like that. All these people are telling me I'm going to get up. I take it as a responsibility. That's what keeps me going.

KAREN LEGRAND: I just stand back and I watch in amazement. What his positive -- his positive energy and what it is doing. It is gravitating everyone, not just the average person. Your pro athletes, your politicians, everyone's gravitating towards this kid.

WERTHEIM: Football coaches always look for winners, players who will do whatever it takes no matter how grueling the work or how long the fight. Eric LeGrand is doing all the work. He not only wants to walk again, he wants to run.

(SHOUTING)

LEGRAND: To hear that crowd and just celebrating with your teammates.

WERTHEIM: Jon Wertheim, CNN, Woodbridge, New Jersey.

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WHITFIELD: And Eric LeGrand says when he is able to walk again he will go back to the spot of that final tackle and lay down on the field, and then he'll get up and run off under his own power.

And a heart attack survivor says no to open heart surgery, choosing to change her diet instead. Hear what her doctor says certain foods can actually make your heart attack-proof.

And you're telling us what you are grateful for this Thanksgiving. Janet says this, "I am part of the nine percent unemployed since July. I can be thankful though for freedom of religion and the fact that we can give thanks to god for my family and friends that have stuck with me through this difficult time."

And Donald says h e's thankful for waking up every morning. Everything else, good or bad, is a bonus.

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BECKER: I'm Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Becker. I'd like to give a big shout out to my wife Janelle, my two sons Lane and Cole, wish them a happy holidays and a happy Thanksgiving. I sure love you guys and talk to you soon.

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WHITFIELD: It's no secret you can eat your way to a heart attack with fried and fatty foods. But it may also be possible for your diet to reverse a heart condition. One doctor believes diet can even make you immune to a heart attack. Chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains.

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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Like a lot of women, Kintz do not experience the classic chest pains but rather fatigue and a pain in her jaw.

SHARON KINTZ, HEART PATIENT: He said you're going to have to have open heart surgery. I can fix you today. I can just take you right down to OR and operate on you right now. My son was in there and he was ready to wheel me down to the operating room because he was frantic. It is terrifying. GUPTA: What Kintz did next may surprise you. She turned the surgeon down cold, said no to open heart surgery and decided to take a chance --

KINTZ: Always have sweet potatoes on hand.

GUPTA: Using food as medicine.

KINTZ: I love these. These are wonderful.

GUPTA: Like President Clinton, Kintz have given up the food she loves, like butter and cheese. She is betting her life on Dr. Esselstyn's diet.

GUPTA: She a heart attack. The doctor recommended she had an intervention. She is not doing it. Is there a downside? Could she be putting herself as risk?

DR. CALDWELL ESSELSTYN JR., AUTHOR "PREVENT AND REVERSE HEART DISEASE": No. I think that's an excellent question. There are data now going back over 100 years and a most recent study about a decade. Once you start eating this way you'll make yourself heart attack proof. We know if people are eating this way they are not going to have a heart attack.

GUPTA: Esselstyn thinks heart disease is completely preventable no matter what sort of family history have simply by eating right.

ESSELSTYN: It is a food borne illness, and we're never going to end the epidemic with stents, with bypasses, with drugs, because none of it is treating causation of the illness.

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WHITFIELD: Like Sharon, there are things you can do right now to prevent a heart attack. Watch "Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports, the Last Heart Attack" Friday, 7:00 and 11:00 p.m. eastern time.

Having a baby is a big decision and a big expense. Now more and more couples are putting another kid on hold because they are worried about making ends meet. We'll hear one of those families explain their decision to wait.

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WHITFIELD: There is a new debate at the dinner table these days -- family planning versus family finances. More couples now take money into account when deciding whether to expand their families. Christine Romans introduces us to one couple having this very conversation.

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CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Laurie and Ryan Parthemore want to have another baby. LAURIE PARTHEMORE, DELAYING HAVING ANOTHER BABY: Once you get married everyone's like when are you having baby. Then when are you having another baby? But it is not always that easy.

ROMANS: But the economy stands in their way.

RYAN PARTHEMORE, DELAYING HAVING ANOTHER BABY: Two would scare the heck out of me, because to have child care cost times two, that's another big chunk of change.

ROMANS: The couple spends $11,000 on child care for Olivia. She's one-and-a-half years old. Ryan, a detective, gets extra income working in his family's business, but Laurie's job is a major factor in their family planning.

LAURIE PARTHEMORE: Did you get the letter back from us?

ROMANS: And 14 out of 21 people have been laid off at the child car association where she works. Laurie isn't sure if she'll have a job come January.

LAURIE PARTHEMORE: I'm 39 now, and so there is a window and so that window closing while the job window closes at the same time are potentially will close is a little unnerving.

ROMANS: No question women are already waiting longer to have kids and they're having fewer of them. In 2010, 4 million babies were born in the U.S., down from the peak of 4.3 million in 2007. Dr. Jack Moritz has delivered about 3,000 babies.

LAURIE PARTHEMORE: You're going to cost $250,000 by the time you are 18.

ROMANS: It's $226,920 to be exact from the government. That's up more than $60,000 from ten years ago.

DR. JACQUES MORITZ, DIRECTOR OF GYNECOLOGY, ST. LUKE'S-ROOSEVELT HOSPITAL CENTER: There is no doubt that the economy matters in having children. It has mattered throughout history. In the depression it went down. In other recessions it went down and in boom times it goes up.

ROMANS: The recession is technically over but for most people it doesn't feel like it.

MORITZ: Couples are telling me that the economy is tight. Having a kid, it is a great expense. I think the bigger expense up in your head than in reality, but still people think about kids and college and education and all the costs involved. They're right. So they're seeing the moment right now how could we ever do this, and they're postponing it.

ROMANS: Maris says women think they can't afford to have a baby but for many they can't afford to wait. You can't wait for the economy to recover.

MORITZ: Biological clock -- the stock is up, stock is down, but the stock of the eggs is always going down as women get older.

ROMANS: For now, they will remain a family of three.

RYAN PARTHEMORE: If we can add another one, great. If that doesn't happen, we'll not be any less happy for what we have.

ROMANS: Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Happy Thanksgiving, everybody. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Next, a special edition of "CNN Presents -- Still Burning."