on our broadcast tonight, global crisis. the cdc is warning the world hasn't seen a threat like ebola since the aids crisis. they've delivered a dire warning that more needs to be done to stop it now. our nbc news investigation on artificial turf. so many of you have contacted us about health concerns. now a member of congress is asking for answers about the potential risks. shot in the street. another police shooting near ferguson, missouri, re-igniting protests. but this time police say there's a big difference. and final wish. the newlywed whose impossible choice has started a national conversation about what we choose to do with our lives. "nightly news" begins now. from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams.

good evening. amid increasingly dire warnings in recent days about this ebola epidemic which is now a worldwide crisis, the director of the cdc made a rather stunning comment today. he said he hasn't seen anything like this since the start of the aids crisis, which, let's remember, has killed 36 million people around this planet since the 1980s. and we learned today the new ebola cases in western africa have been doubling about every three weeks. we start our reporting on ebola tonight with nbc's tom costello. >> reporter: the haunting images of ebola's orphans and victims represent but a fraction of the suffering in west africa. today, a dire warning from the director of the cdc. >> i will say that in the 30 years i've been working in public health, the only thing like this has been aids. >> reporter: the toll so far, more than 8,000 cases already diagnosed. at least 3,800 people dead, but the true number is surely much higher. a staggering 1.4 million cases likely by the end of january if

the outbreak isn't contained fast. >> there's no way you can keep ebola in west africa. and as hard as we will try to deal with it and snuff it out there, it's going to run its course for some period of time. >> reporter: for months critics have said the world hasn't moved quickly enough. made worse by local corruption and an infrastructure that's nearly collapsed. shipping containers filled with medical supplies sitting on the dock in sierra leone for months waiting to be delivered. >> the global response has been totally late. it's been inadequate. and it's widely repeated now that it's been a failure. >> reporter: nearly 4,000 u.s. troops will eventually head to the ebola hot zone. today in ft. hood, texas, the governor said they are desperately needed. >> really you're fixing to do a great service for the world. >> reporter: meanwhile britain said it would begin ebola screenings at its airports. ramped up screenings at jfk for western africa travelers begin saturday. newark, washington dulles, o'hare, hartsfield following.

the fear that ebola could spread at the speed of an airplane. tom costello, nbc news, new york. the rush to get a sheriff's deputy tested for ebola, at the same hospital where thomas eric duncan died, turned out to be a false alarm. it's news that worry says -- worries the county's top administrator who says fear is driving patients to other hospitals, leading to dangerous overcrowding. >> i've got people with congestive heart failure and regular, life-threatening diseases that are in our emergency rooms and it's taking a long time to see them because people aren't using this emergency room. >> reporter: the room and surrounding areas where duncan was treated are sealed off and being aggressively decontaminated. the cdc confirmed again today the 48 people being monitored are reporting no symptoms. ♪ at a church service last night, thomas eric duncan was remembered. >> we're gathered here to offer eric back to god and even sing

him to heaven. >> reporter: tonight, the church tells us the family of thomas eric duncan will wait to hold a service for him until all family members who are under quarantine tonight are medically cleared. they're hoping to get that bit of good news, brian, ten days from now. >> ron mott in dallas completing the start of our coverage here tonight. ron, thanks. fresh protests happening tonight and planned for the next few days in ferguson, missouri, marking two full months now since 18-year-old, michael brown, was shot and killed there. and tonight another case of an officer fatally shooting a teenager is drawing comparisons just miles away from a community already divided. nbc's ron allen has the story from there tonight. >> heads up! >> don't shoot! >> reporter: protesters target the st. louis city police after an off-duty officer, working as a security guard, shot and killed 18-year-old vonderrit myers. myers family claims he was unarmed, out buying a sandwich with two friends.

but police insisted after a chase, an altercation with the officer in uniform, myers fired first. >> the suspect pointed a gun at the officer and fired at least three rounds at the officer. at that point the officer returned fire. >> reporter: police say the officer fired 17 shots and that myers tried to fire more shots but his gun jammed. police say they recovered a gun at the scene. myers was facing trial next month on a weapons charge and free while wearing a monitoring device. myers pleaded not guilty in the case. hundreds confronted police fueled by social media. same sad story, different day, said one tweet. this happens too often in our city. said a local official and protest organizer. late today the myers family refused to comment. that about 12 miles from ferguson, struggling with deep anxiety while a grand jury decides whether to indict officer darren wilson in the shooting death of michael brown. the 18-year-old was unarmed. police claim brown physically assaulted the officer first.

>> how are people feeling about whether there will be justice for michael brown and his family? >> i don't think people believe there is going to be any justice served at all. >> reporter: in recent weeks tempers flared when residents accused police of burning a memorial to the ground, a charge police strongly deny. when the chief joined a group of protesters, he was forced away. here outside the ferguson police department tonight demonstrators are gathering for what's become a nightly vigil here. a lot of concern about what could happen in the coming days with numerous protests planned, marking two months since michael brown's death and for many two months with no charges filed against the officer. the grand jury decision on that could be several weeks or more away. brian? >> ron allen in ferguson, missouri tonight. ron, thanks. tonight a member of congress is calling for action after our nbc news investigation aired here last night about artificial turf on the soccer fields and football fields. the turf children play on all across this country and the

concern, as we said, could the material that's used as a kind of granular synthetic dirt between the blades of artificial grass be harmful? in the 24 hours since our report, we have heard from a lot of viewers including parents and athletes themselves, sharing their stories, their concerns. we get our follow-up report tonight from nbc's stephanie gosk. >> reporter: megan lowell couldn't sleep last night after hearing about the nbc news investigation. and the college soccer coach who worries about the potential health risk of artificial turf. >> last night i was laying in bed, probably around 1:00 a.m., probably should be sleeping, obviously. and i was reading it. and i was in total shock. >> reporter: the 24-year-old was a soccer goalie through college where she says she played almost exclusively on fields with crumb rubber. those little black dots made from shredded car and truck tires. >> i would have them in my ears. i would have them everywhere. in my hair. i would even blow my nose. and i would have them in the tissue. >> reporter: last year she was

diagnosed with non-hodgkin lymphoma. today she is in remission. lowell e-mailed us from upstate new york, one of more than two dozen viewers who reached out with stories about athletes with cancer. a mother from los angeles writes about her daughter. i will no longer let her compete on synthetic turf. a father whose son diagnosed with cancer while playing college football writes, i feel sick to my stomach that the artificial turf can have so many chemicals. we also heard from a coach at a camp for goalkeepers who told us he has not had one case. there's no research directly linking crumb rubber exposure to cancer. and some doctors say proving a link would be very difficult. >> the reason is that the biology of cancer varies a lot between different cancers. our own genetics vary and both of those have a big impact on it. >> reporter: the industry along with researchers, states and localities defend the turf.

but an nbc news investigate gathered the studyings and spoke with pediatricians, scientists and advocacy groups who say more research needs to be done. the epa does too, but the agency did not respond to our request for an interview. in a previous statement the spokesperson said the use of crumb rubber remains a state and local decision. in glen rock, new jersey, they are debating the pros and cons of a new crumb rubber field. michael stewart is a father of two and pushing for the turf. >> you're looking at currently the risk versus the rewards. recreationally the rewards are great. there's really no scientific basis for linking a cause to cancer with these fields yet. >> reporter: while another father of two wants no part of it. >> the jargon of, well, it does release some chemicals but not enough for it to be dangerous, that's not a very strong answer to me. >> reporter: the vote is on election day. a difficult choice to make with some worried they don't have the information they need. today one member of congress sent a letter to the cdc asking the agency to conduct an

official study to examine what effects exposure to chemicals in crumb rubber may have on athletes. brian, as you mentioned we heard from a lot of viewers and we continue to urge people to reach out to us through our website nbcnews.com. >> our coverage will continue as well. stephanie gosk with our investigation, thank you. we received a haunting update on malaysian airlines flight 17. the one shot down over ukraine back in july. specifically, one of the victims found was apparently found with an oxygen mask around his neck, leading to the distressing notion that not everyone on board died instantly when investigators say it was hit by a missile. and about the other malaysia airlines aircraft, the still-missing flight 370, a new australian report indicates it ran out of fuel, spiralled into the southern indian ocean, suggesting the underwater search could move even farther to the south. north korea remains about the most secretive place on earth. for the past 37 days the secrets

have included the whereabouts of their leader, kim jong-un. no one has seen him for about a month. if he doesn't show his face at a workers party celebration in the next few hours, it will raise the most serious doubts yet that he is still around at all or in control of his nuclear power. nbc's chief foreign affairs correspondent, andrea mitchell, has our report. >> reporter: where in the world is kim jong-un? not seen in weeks. and before that with a distinct limp. noticeably overweight. is he suffering from gout? or is it just political flu? in north korea that could be fatal. >> this becomes a very serious competition that could potentially break out, possibly to a civil war even. >> reporter: kim is erratic, cohorting with dennis rodman. showing off his wife at an amusement park no less. but brutal, ordering the execution of his own uncle, once a power behind the throne. and having his uncle's entire

family machine gunned. for all of the billions the u.s. spends on intelligence, the cia has no idea what's going on in north korea. the most secretive nation in the world. that matters because north korea backward as it is, has the very latest in nuclear weapons. >> this is a country that's near nuclear weapon state trying to reach the united states with ballistic missiles. >> reporter: that's why the cia will tune into north korean tv tomorrow to see whether kim shows up and in what shape. andrea mitchell, nbc news, washington. on wall street today a volatile week continued as the dow suffered its biggest drop of the year a day after recording its biggest gain of 2014. today's sell-off being blamed on falling energy stocks, worries about the global economy as the dow finished down 334 points. nasdaq, s&p down as well. still ahead for us this evening, a young newlywed, her awful diagnosis and a final wish that has reopened a very deep divide in our country. tonight, her story that has people taking sides in this. also, a big secret revealed.

the man who quietly saved the zoo, coming to the rescue of the animals and people who love them.

we're back here with a story that's generated a lot of conversation. it concerns a woman who should be enjoying the prime of her life, but instead finds herself making perhaps the most difficult decision anyone could make. and it gets to the very heart of an issue so many feel so strongly about. her story tonight from nbc's cynthia mcfadden. >> reporter: britney maynard

says she only has 23 days to live. it wasn't supposed to be this way. the 29-year-old newlywed was living in california. >> we went away to the wine country for kind of a celebration. and the following day i was diagnosed with cancer. >> reporter: she had brain surgery, but her cancer was too aggressive. doctors told her she only had six months to live and that the end would be painful. so she moved to oregon, where she qualified for a prescription that could end her life. on her own term. >> i can't even tell you the amount of relief it provides me to know that i don't have to die the way that it's been described to me, that my brain tumor would take me on its own. >> reporter: oregon is one of five states where such decisions are legal. but only two-thirds who receive the prescriptions actually take them. britney says she plans to take hers on november 1st, so she can celebrate her husband's birthday

with him before dying. >> i hope to enjoy however many days i have left on this beautiful earth and spend as much of it outside as i can. surrounded by those i love. >> reporter: she took her message to the web this week in a video that has reopened a deep divide over end of life issues. social media lit up. this is just glorifying suicide wrote one woman. the ability to have a peaceful, planned death should be every individual's right, said another. >> i don't know when she is going to end her life. and i don't know if she will. there's a part of me that hopes she doesn't. but i think she's had her impact already. >> reporter: britney says planning her death has made her life more meaningful. >> the reason to consider life and what's of value is to make sure you're not missing out. seize the day. what's important to you? what do you care about? what matters? pursue that. forget the rest.

>> reporter: cynthia mcfadden, nbc news, new york. we are back tonight with late word of the loss of a former "snl" cast member. ♪

just a question here. is the idea of an amazon store kind of like the idea of itunes radio? as in we already have radio, works great. and wasn't amazon invented to save you a trip to the store? well, nonetheless "the wall street journal" reporting amazon is opening a bricks and mortar retail store here in new york. the thought is they'll sell their kindle and phone and other hardware and also give people a place to pick up amazon orders, kind of like you would going to the store. we learned late today jan hooks has died. she was a veteran cast member of "saturday night live," best known for her half of the sweeney sisters, the punkious

lounge duo. she joined "snl" back in '86. she was a master of imitation. part of the phil hartman, dana carvey era. she left in '91 following various roles in tv and film. a georgia native, jan hooks was only 57 years old. you see a lot of hand gestures at college football games. while we can't show you most of them on a family broadcast, few of them are as instantly recognizable as hook-em horns, the official hand sign of the university of texas. well, today we learned the death of judge harley clark, ut class of '57, student body president, head cheerleader back in the day, u.s. marine, lawyer and judge, he was the man who popularized hook-em horns. only afterward did he learn it's an offensive gesture in italy. he always said he meant no offense. all he meant was hook-em horns. and this moment overlooked because it was followed by the longest ever playoff game this last saturday. but the washington nationals invited u.s. army veteran retired sergeant brian keaton

who threw out the first pitch the way he knows how, like a grenade. he spent over three years at walter reid recovering from a bomb blast and traumatic brain injury. when we come back, a day at the zoo. and wait until you see what's happening there, thanks to one amazing couple and their quiet generosity. "nbc nightly news" with brian williams, brought to you by pacific life for insurance, annuities and investment. choose pacific life. the power to help you succeed.

finally here tonight, harry smith brings us a terrific "making a difference" report from south florida where a big secret was kept for over two decades. it's about a zoo that had fallen on hard times and an unlikely pair who stepped forward to help save it under one small condition, which you'll hear about. so tonight mr. smith goes to the zoo to see an amazing generosity in action. >> reporter: it's wake-up time at zoo miami. ron mcgill has worked here for 35 years. and there's nothing he loves better than talking to the animals. >> up high. good boy. good boy.

>> reporter: ron understands animals, no doubt. humans though, he says, can surprise you. hurricane andrew destroyed the zoo in 1992. a year later an older man approached ron at a zoo presentation. >> late 60s, early 70s, shuffled up in clothing that looked like, god forgive me, he bought at a goodwill store ten years ago. >> reporter: the man handed ron an envelope. >> i opened it up, it was a check for $90,000. >> reporter: the generous stranger was albert. and the money came with just one condition. >> don't tell anybody my name and that i gave it to you. >> reporter: albert and his wife, winnie, loved the zoo. they cared about animals and conservation. what they didn't care for was attention. so one check turns into two checks turns into? >> ten or eleven checks. close to a million dollars. >> reporter: and always? >> anonymously. >> reporter: turns out they were worth millions but you'd never know it. >> i look at their incredibly

modest lifestyle, 20-year-old, 30-year-old television sets, old a.m. radio, never once upgraded anything in his own home. >> reporter: albert died in 2006. his wife passed away in june. all told they left the zoo almost $5 million and gave ron permission to use their names on the soon-to-be completed amphitheater. >> has nothing to do with the size of the house you live in, the kind of car you drive, but the difference you make in other people's lives. >> reporter: albert and winnie had no children of their own but simply wanted future generations to be able to love what they loved. harry smith, nbc news, miami. >> and a reminder here tonight, we're always looking for stories just like that one. people who are making a difference. you can nominate someone in your community, in your life, share their story with us on our website. you may see their story broadcast here on the air. that is our broadcast on a thursday night. thank you as always for being here with us. i'm brian williams. and we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening.

goodnight. nbc bay area news starts now. >> right now at 6:00, it's a popular place to work out in the south bay. but now neighbors are asking for action to help control these crowds. good evening and thanks for joining us. i'm janelle wang in for raj mathai. >> and i'm jessica aguirre. new at 6:00 tonight, a magnet for fitness lovers by day and a haven for heroin users at night. we're talking about the steps on communications hill in south san jose. the steps are located east of highway 87 at the base of an enclave of homes. the popularity has become a nuisance for neighbors who find

themselves with few legal options. damian trujillo is live at the steps. the steps could be getting even more company? >> reporter: yeah, the developer wants to add more steps. in fact, 28 more of these staircases, jessica. but that plan comes with a prerequisite by the city, and that prerequisite is going to ainge area lot of the people who use the steps but perhaps ease some of the neighborhood concerns. they flock here by the dozen. >> hard. it was like going up. >> reporter: all climbing up and down the steps of communications hill, known as the grand staircase. >> it's not an easy thing to do, yeah. it pushes you. every step counts. >> you have many options. you can run down them, lung up them and you don't have to go to a gym. you can get an intense workout. >> reporter: the steps have become a bit of a phenomenon, all 226 of them. >> oh, yeah, it's a great workout. there is a lot of people at night. so that's why we're here