>>> WELL, THIS MORNING, AL AND HIS TRAVELING BAND OF COOKING
FOLKS ARE BACK FROM CHICO,
CALIFORNIA, WHERE THEY SURPRISED
SOME FIREFIGHTERS WHO WORKED SO
TIRELESSLY TO FIGHT THE RAGING
WILDFIRES, DESPITE SUFFERING
THEIR OWN LOSSES.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS AN AMAZING
EXPERIENCE.
EXPERIENCE. >> IT WAS INSPIRING.
I THINK IT CHANGED ALL OF US.
WE WERE SO IMPRESSED BY THE
BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN AND THE
CHILDREN WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF
SERVING.
SERVING. FIREFIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES,
WHILE TAKING CARE OF OTHERS,
LOST THEIR OWN HOMES IN THIS
DEADLY CAMP FIRE AND CONTINUED
TO HELP THEIR GRIEF-STRICKEN
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. WE MET UP WITH NATALIE MORALES
AFTER OUR CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT,
THANKS TO NETJETS.
WE’RE GOING TO CALIFORNIA.
GO TIME.
GO TIME. LOOKING FOR AMANDA.
>> AMANDA’S RIGHT HERE.
THESE GUYS AND WOMEN WE’RE GOING
TO FEED TODAY, ARE NOT ONLY
FIGHTING FIRES, BUT THEY LOST
THEIR HOMES.
THEIR HOMES. IT’S AWESOME YOU’RE HERE TO HELP
US DO THIS.
ARE YOU GUYS READY TO GET TO
WORK?
WORK? >> WE ARE GOING TO BE MAKING
CHICKEN MARBELLO, A CLASSIC.
>> OUR WAY TO SHOW SOME LOVE.
>> YOU GUYS ARE MOROCCAN THIS.
>> OH.
>> OH. >> WE’RE BUTTERNUTING.
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, NATALIE
MORALES.
MORALES. >> I’M A SOUS CHEF.
>> A LITTLE ALMOND BAE.
>> WHOA.
>> WHOA. ♪
♪ >> HELLO, EVERYBODY.
>> HELLO.
>> HELLO. >> HI, GUYS.
>> WE ALL WANTED TO COME HERE
JUST TO SAY THANK YOU, TO GIVE
YOU THANKS FOR JUST AN
INCREDIBLE EFFORT TO HELP SAVE
YOUR COMMUNITY AND ALL THESE
OTHER COMMUNITIES WHILE YOU LOST
SO MUCH, AS WELL.
IT MEANS SO VERY MUCH TO ALL OF
US, ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
YOU’VE TOUCHED OUR HEARTS.
>> IT’S BEEN A TOUGH COUPLE OF
WEEKS FOR YOU ALL.
WE CAN’T BEGIN TO IMAGINE WHAT
THAT PAIN IS LIKE.
BUT IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO
GIVE YOU JUST A LITTLE JOY, EVEN
IF IT’S FOR AN HOUR OR TWO AND A
GREAT MEAL, WE’RE HAPPY TO DO
IT.
IT. >> WHO IS HUNGRY?
>> LET’S EAT.
>> YES.
>> YES. ♪
♪ >> WOULD YOU LIKE SOME RICE?
>> BREAD HERE FOR YOU?
YOU GOT IT.
>> WHAT AN HONOR IT IS TO MEET
YOU.
YOU. >> IT’S OUR PLEASURE.
>> HEY, PRETTY GIRL.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> READY TO CARBO-LOAD.
>> THANK YOU FOR COMING AND
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US.
I LOVE MY HUSBAND’S JOB AND I
HATE IT.
HATE IT. >> HE’S A FIREFIGHTER?
>> HE’S A CAPTAIN.
IT WAS TOUGH WHEN THEY TOLD HIM
OUR HOUSE WAS GONE.
WE’VE BEEN TOGETHER EVER SINCE.
SO --
SO -- THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE.
WE NEED THIS HOPE.
>> WE LOST EVERYTHING.
>> I’M SO SORRY.
YOU HAVE EACH OTHER.
>> WE DO.
>> WE DO. >> YOU HAVE YOUR FAMILY.
>> I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE
OFF-DUTY THAT DAY, WHICH IS A
RARITY.
RARITY. ABLE TO GET MY FAMILY OUT.
WE MADE IT OUT WITH OUR LIVES
AND OUR DOGS’ LIVES.
>> OH, MY GOSH.
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SERVICE.
SERVICE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NONE OF US CAN KNOW WHAT
YOU’RE DOING THROUGH.
>> IT’S TOUGH.
IT’S TOUGH.
IT’S TOUGH. I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE
DOING FOR US.
>> HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> I THINK I’M FARING OKAY.
IT’S A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE.
>> HOW DO YOU CONCENTRATE ON
WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND YET
KNOWING WHAT’S GOING ON BACK AT
HOME?
HOME? >> IT MAKES YOU WANT TO FIGHT IT
THAT MUCH HARDER AND DO SO MUCH
MORE.
MORE. >> WILL YOU REBUILD, DO YOU ANY
THINK?
THINK? >> I THINK SO.
IT WILL BE A PAINFUL PROCESS.
WE WILL LAUGH AND CRY AND GOOD
THINGS WILL HAPPEN.
IT’S OUR JOB TO HELP PEOPLE.
WE’RE PRIDEFUL.
WE’RE PRIDEFUL. WE’RE TIGHT-KNIT.
WE’RE TIGHT-KNIT. AND IT’S HARD TO ACCEPT HELP
FROM OTHERS.
FROM OTHERS. >> ACCEPT IT AND KNOW THAT
PEOPLE KNOW WHAT YOU’VE DONE.
AND IT MEANS A LOT TO ALL OF US.
AND THAT’S WHAT THIS IS, JUST TO
TRY TO DO A LITTLE SOMETHING TO
SAY THANK YOU.
>> THANKS.
>> THANKS. >> I GET A HUG.
>> WE DO APPRECIATE IT.
♪
♪ >> YOU ALL HAVE HEROES FOR DADS
AND MOMS.
AND MOMS. >> WE KNOW YOU’VE GOT PLACES TO
GO.
GO. WE’RE THANKFUL FOR THAT.
BUT JUST TO TRY TO HELP ALONG,
OUR FRIENDS AT WHOLE FOODS ARE
GOING TO PROVIDE EACH AND EVERY
ONE OF YOU A FULLY PREPARED MEAL
FOR THANKSGIVING.
FOR THANKSGIVING. WE HAVE GENEROUS GIFTS FOR YOU
FROM OUR FRIENDS AT AWAY.
CHEVRON, LU LU’S MATTEL, THE
NORTH FACE AND TARGET.
THEY HAVE GIFT CARDS FOR ALL OF
YOU TO GET INTO THE THANKSGIVING
SPIRIT AND THE SPIRIT OF THE
HOLIDAYS.
HOLIDAYS. FROM OUR FAMILIES TO YOUR
FAMILIES, HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
MERRY CHRISTMAS. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> WHEN WE LANDED YESTERDAY, WE
WERE ALL STRUCK BY THE FACT WE
COULD SMELL THE SMOKE, WE COULD
TASTE THE SMOKE.
AND IT LOOKED LIKE TWILIGHT.
>> NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN WHAT
TIME OF DAY.
IT WAS CRAZY.
>> FRESH OFF OF OUR FLIGHT ARE
THE EIGHT INCREDIBLE CHEFS WHO
DROPPED EVERYTHING JUST TO COME
WITH US.
WITH US. MATT ABDOO, ERIC OF TUPELO HONEY
RESTAURANTS.
RESTAURANTS. ALEJANDRA RAMOS.
ALEJANDRA RAMOS. JORDAN ANDINO.
JORDAN ANDINO. YVETTE RIOS, THE HOST OF SLICE.
AND KEVIN AND MY PAL, MY WAKE-UP
CALL, ROXANNE.
CALL, ROXANNE. WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION OUT OF
THIS?
THIS? >> JUST AN OVERALL SENSE OF JUST
BEING HUMBLED.
BEING HUMBLED. WHEN WE FIRST GOT THERE, IT WAS
INCREDIBLE TO SEE THE TRANSITION
FROM HOW SAD AND DOWN EVERYBODY
WAS.
WAS. AND THEN, THE SECOND WE STARTED
INTERACTING WITH THEM AND
SERVING THEM FOOD, YOU COULD SEE
THE CHANGE IN THE PERSONALITIES.
AND YOU START TO SEE A LITTLE
BIT OF HOPE AND A COUPLE SMILES
COME OUT.
COME OUT. IT WAS VERY, VERY EMOTIONAL.
>> THEY WANTED TO LAUGH.
THEY HADN’T BEEN GIVEN AN
OPPORTUNITY SINCE THE FIRE
STARTED.
STARTED. THEY WANTED TO GET TOGETHER AND
CELEBRATE.
CELEBRATE. >> AND THE ENERGY IN THE ROOM,
YOU WALKED IN, LIKE, WOW.
THIS IS TOUGH.
YOU COULD FEEL THE SADNESS JUST
HANGING EVERYWHERE.
HANGING EVERYWHERE. ONCE PEOPLE STARTED TO EAT AND
GET FOOD IN THEM, YOU COULD FEEL
THE ENERGY LIFT.
IT WAS POWERFUL.
>> YOU COULD TELL WITH EVERYONE
WALKING AWAY, THEY WANTED TO
TAKE PICTURES AND BE A PART OF
WHAT WE WERE DOING.
IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO SEE THAT
REACTION BEFORE AND AFTER.
>> IT WAS A HEAVY AND EMOTIONAL
EXPERIENCE.
EXPERIENCE. BEING THERE AND GETTING OFF THE
PLANE.
PLANE. YOU’RE IN A DIFFERENT WORLD.
TO SEE IT IS ONE THING BUT TO BE
THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE.
TO ENGAGE WITH THE PEOPLE, IT
REALLY TOUCHED MY HEART.
>> I LOVE HOW PEOPLE ARE
HELPING.
HELPING. THEY’RE HELPERS AND FIRST
RESPONDERS.
RESPONDERS. SHE WOULD LIKE SOME MORE BREAD.
CAN WE GET A COOKIE FOR THESE
KIDS OVER HERE.
THEY’RE REFILLING EACH OTHER’S
PLATES.
PLATES. >> JUST LIKE THEY SAID, THEY
HAVE TROUBLE RECEIVING.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE WERE GIVING THEM TOYS,
THEY’RE LIKE, IT’S OKAY.
IT TAKES FOUR BABBYES.
IT’S OKAY.
IT’S OKAY. >> WE DON’T HAVE THE SPACE.
>> WE WERE GIVING AWAY THE TOYS
AND THE GIFT CERTIFICATES AND
THE LUGGAGE.
THE LUGGAGE. YOU COULD SEE THAT IT MEANT MORE
THAN WE COULD IMAGINE.
AND WE SAID, WE HOPE THIS HELPS.
>> ONE LADY, WHEN WE WERE GIVING
HER A NORTH FACE SWEATER, SHE
WAS LIKE, THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO
ME.
ME. THIS IS THE ONLY SHIRT I HAVE
ON.
ON. IT HAD BURN HOLES IN IT.
>> I THINK WE’RE ALL CHANGED
FROM THIS.
FROM THIS. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
>> AL STARS OVER HERE.
AL STARS.
AL STARS. >> THERE YOU GO.
WE WANT TO THANK OUR FRIENDS AT
NETJETS FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE
FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GET THERE,
GET BACK.
GET BACK. IT WAS A REMARKABLE DAY.
IT COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED
WITHOUT THEM AND OTHER FOLKS WHO
DONATED STUFF.
DONATED STUFF. WE’RE APPRECIATIVE OF ALL OF THE
DONATIONS.
DONATIONS. THE COMPANIES AND THE GIFTS THEY
PROVIDED ARE LISTED ON