It was the first time the troops had come to grips with the terrible loss signified by seven battlefield crosses. And we wondered whats become of them. We caught up with them on a field trip, part of their washington reunion. What do they think of their war . Was coming home the homecoming they hoped for . Simon when he made his comeback, levine, now in a wheelchair, before even lifting his baton, got a standing ovation. applause he would conduct mozarts cosi fan tutte, one of his favorites. If you could see music as well as hear it, you would see it in the face of james levine. Im steve kroft. Im scott pelley. Im anderson cooper. Im lara logan. Im bill whitaker. Im lesley stahl. Those stories, including one of the last completed by our colleague bob simon before he died, tonight on 60 minutes. And i didnt get here alone. There were people who listened along the way. People who gave me options. Kept me on track. And through it all my retirement never got left behind. So today, im prepared for anything we may want tomorrow to be. Every someday needs a plan. Lets talk about your old 401 k today. When the moments spontaneous, why pause to take a pill . Or stop to find a bathroom . Cialis for daily use is approved to treat both erectile dysfunction and the urinary symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently, day or night. Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. Do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. Do not drink alcohol in excess. Side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. To avoid longterm injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours. If you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision or any symptoms of an allergic reaction stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. Ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a free 30tablet trial. When eating healthy and Drinking Water just isnt enough to ease my constipation i trust dulcolax tablets. I take dulcolax for dependable overnight relief and in the morning i am back to myself dulcolax, designed for dependable relief busy week . Oh yeah. Ive got a pile of work. Presentation tomorrow. Daily workout. Inlaws on sunday. Make time everyday for berocca. It supports mental sharpness and physical energy. Beroccaaaaaaaaaaa its effects on society really came about because, not because i was selfish and wanted one for myself, which i did. Its because i had, had a passion. My whole life i wanted to teach myself to build computers. I wanted to build these things for free. I just wanted to do it for the world and you know when you want something, thats what you do the best. [ starter ] ready [ starting gun goes off ] [ male announcer ] over time youve come to realize. Its less of a race. And more of a journey. So carry on. With an aarp Medicare Supplement insurance plan. Insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. Go long. Stahl in the late hours of a january night in buenos aires, a dashing, driven argentine prosecutor was found dead in his apartment, bullet to the head. It was the day before he was to publicly present his evidence that the countrys president cristina kirchner, had secretly conspired with iran to cover up irans involvement in argentinas worst terrorist attack 20 years ago. It immediately became an international whodunnit, in great part because of the key players a hardcharging, high profile prosecutor, and a fiery, populist president with a penchant for high drama. What Everyone Wants to know is was it murder . Was the government somehow involved . Or was it suicide . Forensic teams scoured the crime scene for clues; only the victims dna was found. His name was Alberto Nisman, 51, a father of two. He was a prosecutor with ten bodyguards and a long list of enemies. In the days before his death, he had grown worried for his and his familys safety. Just hours before he died, he asked diego lagomarsino, a tech worker in his office, to loan him his gun. So, as far as we know, you were the last person who saw nisman one day before he died. Did he say why he wanted the weapon . Diego lagomarsino yeah. translated he told me, do you know how it feels that your daughters dont want to be with you because they are afraid that something will happen to them by being next to you . I had never seen nisman so concerned. Stahl didnt you say to him, why do you need a gun . You have ten bodyguards . Lagomarsino translated yes. Thats the first thing i asked him. And he answered, because i dont trust my bodyguards. Stahl sunday morning january 18, nisman is up in his apartment, here up on the 13th floor, but things arent quite right. He doesnt respond to repeated phone calls from his bodyguards. We know from the coroner that he died around 3 00 pm, in his bathroom, his body slumped against the door. He had been struck by a bullet at pointblank range above his right ear. Did it enter your mind at all ever in being with him that he might use this weapon on himself . Lagomarsino no. Stahl no sense that he was going to kill himself . Lagomarsino no. Stahl do you think he did commit suicide . Lagomarsino i dont know. Stahl it looked a suicide, but there was no note and no gun powder residue on Alberto Nismans hands. And a Forensics Team hired by his exwife ruled it a murder. Its a mystery with roots going back 20 years to this crime the suicide bombing of amia, the Buenos Aires Jewish Community center, that killed 85, burying them under the rubble. It was the worst terror attack in this countrys history. It was long believed that hezbollah operatives carried it out. But who sent them . After ten years with no answer Alberto Nisman was named special prosecutor in 2004 to find out. Gustavo perednik he believed in it as a mission. He always thought that, through justice, you can defeat terrorism. Stahl gustavo perednik, a close friend who wrote a book about the case, said that nisman, after investigating for two years, charged iran with ordering and financing the attack. He went right to the very top of iran and accused the topmost people of approving the bombing. Perednik and thanks to him they have to be in iran all the time, because if they leave iran, then interpol can look for them. Stahl thats because interpol issued red alerts, the equivalent of arrest warrants, to several highranking iranians, including the defense minister. Alberto nisman would spend the rest of his life trying in vain to get them into an argentine court. So he was stunned when, two years ago, his countrys foreign minister signed a memorandum with iran in which the two countries agreed to interrogate the accused officials together. Perednik the memorandum itself is a joke. Because it meant basically that argentina has to give to iran all the results of its investigation against iran for the iranians to check. That was absurd. Stahl prosecutor nisman felt betrayed, saying this was negotiating with the terrorists responsible for the attack. He saw it as part of the governments tilt towards anti western regimes, shepherded by the foreign minister, hector timerman, who agreed to talk to us at the foreign ministry. Theres been a lot said about your government shifting policy, Foreign Policy, away from the United States. Hector timerman why do you think that an alliance with United States is the only way a country can have a Foreign Policy . We have an independent Foreign Policy. Stahl independent of the United States. Timerman independent Foreign Policy stahl but you used to be very close to the United States, and that is no longer the case. Timerman i dont think it is so good to be close to anybody. Stahl problem is, Alberto Nisman was close to the americans and stayed close. According to leaked state department cables, washington was always pressuring him to keep the focus on iran. Do you agree with those who say that mr. Nisman was a puppet of the United States and the cia . Timerman well, puppet is a very strong word to use by a foreign minister. Stahl under the sway of . Timerman mr. Nisman used to go to the American Embassy here in argentina and tell in advance what he was going to do. Stahl do you know if mr. Nisman was about to lose his job . Was he going to be fired . Timerman no, he was not going to lose his job. Stahl youve read the speculations. Timerman there was speculation in the media, but there was no way that we ever discussed taking the job away from mr. Nisman. Stahl to this day, the case of the bombing of the Jewish CommunityCenter Remains unadjudicated, the evidence gathering dust in a giant warehouse in downtown buenos aires, over half a million yellowing documents, folders audio cassettes. And now, argentina has a new mystery because, two months ago, prosecutor nisman went on television with an explosive accusation. Alberto nisman Cristina Fernandez de kirchner. Stahl . That president Cristina Fernandez de kirchner and her foreign minister had negotiated a secret deal with iran to improve trade in exchange for dropping those red alerts. Perednik said nisman saw this as colluding with the enemy. Perednik this time he said im going to put them in jail. Stahl im going to put them in jail. Perednik and them is the president and the foreign minister. But four days after his accusation, nisman was dead. President kirchner, not one to hold back, immediately took to facebook to suggest it was suicide; then abruptly backtracked and called it murder. People took to the streets in protest, calling for justice. Polls show a majority here think he was assassinated, and the president s opponents think she had a hand in it. This country has a history of assassinations. For years, under military dictatorship, political rivals simply disappeared, but argentinians thought they had put that behind them. Ive heard people talk about argentina being drawn back into its dark past. Timerman no. Stahl assassinations. Timerman no, its impossible. We are talking about things that were terrible, terrible. Stahl one of the great mysteries is whether mr. Nisman killed himself or whether he was murdered. So, what do you think . Timerman that i am part of that mystery. I dont know. Stahl hes part of the mystery because he was one of nismans targets. The day after he died, the prosecutor was scheduled to appear before congress to publicly present a 300page report backing up his charges. He said that you, in 2011, met in syria with your iranian counterpart. He said that you said, and this is a quote in the report argentina is no longer interested in solving the attack, the bombing here. It prefers to improve its trade relations with iran. Timerman well, thats a lie. Stahl now, thats a direct. Timerman thats a total lie. I never said that. Mr. Nisman never showed any evidence that i said that. Stahl he didnt have that on tape or anything like that . Timerman he cannot have something in tape because i didnt say it. Stahl nisman says that you offered to lift the red alerts. Timerman laughs that is. Its total illogic. I mean, you have to read the law. The only who can cancel the red notice is a judge. I cannot lift the red notice. I am not allowed. Stahl you could not make a deal to, you could not promise to. Timerman i cannot do it. Stahl so, is it possible that the prosecutors charge against the president and foreign minister was without merit . In an Evidence Room stacked two stories high with investigation documents, we met the argentine judge who issued those original red alert arrest warrants. You were the judge who made the request of interpol to. Judge yeah. Yes, yes. Stahl . Arrest these people, those red alerts. Judge yes. Stahl did this government ever ask you to ask interpol to lift the red alerts . Judge no, never. Stahl never . Judge no government, no person, no nobody. Stahl it seems interpol never got a request to lift the arrest warrants from anyone. Two days after nisman made his accusation, the former head of interpol sent this letter to the foreign minister, affirming that the government was 100 committed that the red alerts remain in effect. So, 180 degrees from what nisman said. Timerman exactly. And i read that in public. Stahl how could such a seasoned prosecutor make such a huge mistake . President kirchner speculated that her enemies fed nisman the erroneous information, then killed him hoping she would get blamed. She pointed, for example, to the man who gave him the gun. So the president named you as someone suspicious in this case. She says that youre an agent of the opposition. Lagomarsino no. Stahl here are some of the rumors weve heard about you that youre a spy. Lagomarsino translated no, im not a spy. Stahl that youre an agent for a Foreign Government iran, israel. Lagomarsino no. Stahl no . Lagomarsino no. Stahl we havent seen any evidence to back up the president s charges about lagomarsino. A more credible target is this man, jaime stuisso, a powerful and shadowy spymaster who was nismans main source for years. One theory is that stuisso concocted the accusations against the president in revenge after she fired him. Timerman stuisso was fired december, end of december. Stahl right. Timerman and 14 days later mr. Nisman accused the president and myself. Stahl ah, you see a connection there . Timerman oh, yes. Stahl the foreign minister suggests that the spymaster manipulated nisman into coming out with the sensational indictment against the argentine government before the details could be verified. Those who believe it was suicide think the prosecutor came to realize he had been duped and snapped. Is it possible, in your mind that he thought to himself, oh, my. I got this terribly wrong, and now i dont want to be embarrassed and have to testify publicly . Does that. Is that in your head . Timerman i cannot imagine what can go through the mind of a person like nisman. And i dont want to speculate because the man is dead. He cannot defend himself, and so i will not speculate on what happened with him. Stahl theres a new building and memorial at the site of the 1994 amia bombing, a crime the prosecutor dedicated the last ten years of his life to. Now that hes gone, the families of the victims fear they will never have justice. At the Jewish Cemetery in buenos aires, Luis Czyzewski visits the grave of his daughter paola, often. Just steps away is a fresh grave, that of Alberto Nisman. Cbs money watch update, sponsored by lincoln financialment calling all chief life officers. Glor good evening. One year after flight 370 disappeared, malaysia says it will spend 190 million to improve civilian radar. Saudi arabia is the largest weapons importer, expected to buy 10 billion in weapons this year, and the apple watch will be unveiled tomorrow. Im jeff glor, cbs news. Miranda i got red dirt stains on my boots and jeans. Calloused fingers from my guitar strings. Wild like the wind in the tall pine trees. I got roots and i got wings. To create a most flavorful subway sandwich, we begin with freshlybakedbread; tenderroastedtoperfection turkeybreast, genoa salami; spicy pepperoni; melty provolone; fresh veggies; and our new subway vinaigrette blended with oregano, a hint of garlic, and black pepper. Made right in front of you tastes unite in a freshtoasted sandwich like no other. In other words, the magnificent new turkey italiano melt. Only at subway. No other scents feel like glade. Uplift your tired tuesday attitude with our clean linen fragrance. Feel fresh and new. Feel glade. Sc johnson. A family company. March is Colorectal Cancer awareness month. What better time to ask your Healthcare Provider about ways to reduce your risks. Cbs cares. Pelley twoandahalf million americans served in iraq and afghanistan. And we wondered whats become of them long after they cut down the yellow ribbons and the camo went into hiding in the back of the closet. What do they think of their war . Was coming home the homecoming they hoped for . Recently, we joined an annual reunion of men that we first met five years ago. It was back in 2009 that golf company, second battalion of the eighth marines, was taking the highest casualties on afghanistans most lethal battlefield. When we met them again last summer in washington, we found that their searing experience had made them brothers in war and peace. We caught up with them on a field trip, part of their washington reunion. They fell in without uniforms, weapons, or the passing of years. Theyre mostly civilians now gathered in one place they could be together, the place they could say things that had been left unsaid or deliver news of the last five years. Golf companys Lance Corporal burrow and lieutenant bourgeois were enlisted in the ranks of Arlington National cemetery, each stone arch, a gateway through time. Robert pullen Lance Corporal jonathan f. Straud. Lance Corporal Gregory a. Posey. Pelley this was september 2009. We were there as golf company stood rigid in a mudwalled memorial service. It was the first time the troops had come to grips with the terrible loss signified by seven battlefield crosses. First Sergeant Robert pullen called the roll of the dead. Pullen . Lance Corporal Patrick w. Shimell. Lance Corporal Dennis j. Burrow, Lance CorporalJavier OlveraLance Corporal david r. Hall. Pelley the seven marines had died fighting to clear and hold the taliban heartland, exhausting months negotiating around land mines and skeptical elders. Back then, their orders were to use restraint. And Corporal Jonathan quiceno told us what he thought of that. Jonathan quiceno it sucks. I dont know another word to say it. It sucks, because all you want to do is get that guy, just get them, you know, for revenge. Pelley revenge for the death of his friend nick xiarhos, who was killed in 2009 by a roadside bomb. Five years later, quiceno had used his Veterans Benefits for college, and now hes selling retirement plans for lincoln financial outside philadelphia. He moved on, but he never let go of xiarhos. Quiceno its because of people like him that i want to continue to push harder in life and succeed, because its. Its the good ones that pass. And i cant let that be in vain. It drives me, it motivates me. Pelley is there anything that you miss about afghanistan and the marine corps . Quiceno absolutely the brotherhood. Theres no question about that. You miss the. The sense of purpose, right . You had a mission. You felt accomplished with everything that you do, even at a young age. I think, when you transition into the real world, you have to find out what your mission is. Pelley you know, a lot of people would think you would try to forget afghanistan, and it seems to me youre trying to remember it. Quiceno i dont want to put it behind me. I want it to be real in everything that i do because it gives me something to live for gives me something to stand for. Rory hamill i loved the camaraderie and everything that came along with it. Pelley theres nothing like it. Hammill nothing. Havent found anything like it. Pelley golf companys rory hamill was so dedicated to the camaraderie, he went back to afghanistan for another tour in 2011. Hammill i suppose it was to try and get back at the guys that killed my brothers. Pelley tell me about the day you were wounded. Hammill came across a local national who gave us some intelligence on the ground that there was an i. E. D. In a compound next to his house. I took the minesweeper off my point mans back and i jokingly said, see you on the other side. I got about threequarters of the compound swept, and then i stepped on a low metallic pressure plate. And my leg was instantly sheared off. I remember it seemed very surreal. My vision went gray, a lot of ringing, dust every where. Pelley when the dust settled, his right leg was gone, half way up the thigh. At walter reed medical center, president obama brought him an honor. Hamill he awarded me with a purple heart. It was amazing. It was an amazing experience. Pelley you mustve been in a pretty dark place otherwise. Hammill oh, yeah. The first two weeks, lot of the thoughts going through my head were, why didnt i die . What am i going to do now with my life . Pelley were there times you wished you hadnt survived . Hammill yeah. I was contemplating taking my own life. But sitting and thinking about it, realizing that i have children that depend on me, i knew that was not the right course of action. Pelley urged onto a different course by his father hamill pressed through counseling and physical therapy. Hes found work managing logistics in a navy program for wounded warriors. Having been through everything youve been through, would you do it again . Hammill in a heartbeat. It made me the man i am today. Christian cabannis whether they like it or not, i still feel responsible, you know, for them. Pelley theyre still your marines . Cabannis they always will be. Pelley golfs Battalion Commander was Lieutenant Colonel christian cabannis. Cabannis in this summer of decision in afghanistan in 2009, you are going to change history, living the dream one minute at a time. Pelley today, hes colonel cabannis, and he joined this reunion. Why do you think some of the marines are still struggling after theyve come home, after five years . Cabannis i think, in some ways, we all do when we come back. Its because were trying to put that experience into perspective. I joked i am never more popular coming home from a deployment than right before the bus door opens. Supermans coming, supermans coming, supermans coming, the door opens and oh, its just him. And they expect you to fall back into those roles husband father, brother, nephew, cousin, uncle, as if nothing changed. Dan ohara there were definitely times when i questioned what we were doing over there. Pelley five years ago, dan ohara was a fresh Second Lieutenant leading his first combat platoon. Whats the biggest threat to your marines . Ohara the biggest threat would be the improvised explosive devices. Pelley he told us, then, that he joined the marines because he didnt want to regret not serving. It turned out, we met on what would be his worst day. Ohara we should be good pushing up through here until we get near that i. E. D. Site. Pelley it was a mission to defuse a landmine, and it went exactly according to plan. But on the way back, Lance Corporal david hall detonated a second bomb. And the next day, ohara tried to give meaning to halls death. Ohara just understand were doing the right things were doing good work, were making a difference here, were here fighting for the people of afghanistan, were here ultimately fighting for our country. Should we have been in afghanistan . I dont know. Maybe the answers yes, maybe its no. And so, when i run into people who say, tell me about afghanistan. What were our goals there . Should we have been there . I think im in the same boat where i would say, you know, to be honest with you, i dont know. Pelley after two tours and a lot of questions, oharas been recruited into general electrics program for returning vets. Hes a project manager for ge oil and gas. And sometimes, he thinks about running for office. Ohara i had done what i wanted to do in the marine corps. I could say i deployed twice in the defense of my nation, so that was something i was proud of. Theres certainly part of you that says, im glad that thats over with. Pelley goodbye to all that. Ohara yeah. Goodbye to afghanistan. I wont be seeing you again. Devin jones those images are burned in your head, man. They never go away. They never go away. Pelley afghanistan did not leave golf companys devin jones. Like many others, jones brought the war home. Jones i mean it was rough. I didnt do anything during the day. I moved at night and that was it. Pelley the anxiety of post Traumatic Stress left him isolated and jobless. Jones youre getting closer to closer to being on the streets. Youre getting eviction notices. Youre getting those and youre just like, man, this is bad. Pelley did you lose the apartment . Jones yeah. I ended up losing it. I ended up. Pelley whered you go . Jones for a little while, i stayed in my storage unit. Pelley you were living in a storage unit . Jones yeah. Yeah, staying in the storage unit. Pelley why arent you reaching out for help . Jones i felt like a complete idiot, like, a complete failure. I went from being a very proud combat, you know, veteran to just. To another, you know percentage of the homeless vets. Its so much easier to give up. You go from having a job, stable job, having everyone that cares about you around you 24 7 to being alone, broke, eating saltine crackers living in a storage unit. Who wouldnt want to die . Pelley but what torments jones is that he isnt alone. There is the persistent presence of his friend, dennis burrow. After burrow was killed by a landmine, golf company put his name on a combat outpost so he wouldnt be forgotten, but it turns out that isnt the problem the dead are immortal in the mind. Were you there when burrow died . Jones yes. Yes, i was. Pelley what happened . Jones im not sure if i really want to go into detail on that too much, you know . Im not. I dont want to be the person that. That the family hears that from, if they dont already know, you know . Its not easy to think about that day, because. That was a pretty rough day. Sorry. Pelley im sorry that its so hard to remember that. Jones its all right. Pelley youre still looking out for burrow. Jones yeah. You never stop looking out for your team. Your teams everything. Ive had nightmares where ive just been sitting there just staring at him. Pelley did you sometimes think youd like to trade places . Jones every day. Every single day. How do i deserve to be here . Its been a long time, bud. Miss you, dude. Dont know else to really say just look after us, look after you know, everybody else, man. So im thinking about you, bud. Pelley the men do look after one another. Phone calls at 3 00 am to be reminded that what got them through combat will get them through whatever theyre fighting now. There is a bond that only a vet can know, that does not loosen with time. Where do you think these marines will be five years from now . Cabannis what i really hope is, you know, five years from now, theyre still coming together to see each other, to talk to each other. And theyre talking about their kids and the things that are going on in their lives, so that theyve been able to put that experience in perspective and use it as a foundation. Because ive said that these kids are our next greatest generation, but not necessarily because of what they did on the battlefield. Its going to be because of what they did when they got home. See the photos scott pelley shot when he first met golf company in afghanistan. Go to 60minutesovertime. Com. Sponsored by pfizer. To menopausal changes its not likely to go away on its own. So lets do something about it. Premarin vaginal cream can help it provides estrogens to help rebuild vaginal tissue and make intercourse more comfortable. Premarin vaginal cream treats vaginal changes due to menopause and moderatetosevere painful intercourse caused by these changes. Dont use it if youve had unusual bleeding breast or uterine cancer blood clots, liver problems, stroke or heart attack, are allergic to any of its ingredients or think youre pregnant. Side effects may include headache pelvic pain, breast pain vaginal bleeding and vaginitis. Estrogens may increase your chances of getting cancer of the uterus, strokes, blood clots or dementia so use it for the shortest time based on goals and risks. Estrogen should not be used to prevent Heart Disease heart attack, stroke or dementia. Ask your doctor about premarin vaginal cream. Ameriprise asked people a simple question in retirement, will you have enough money to live life on your terms . I sure hope so. With healthcare costs, who knows. Umm. Everyone has retirement questions. So ameriprise created the exclusive confident retirement approach. Now you and your ameripise advisor. Can get the real answers you need. Start building your confident retirement today. Oh yea, thats coming down lets get some rocks, man. Health can change in a minute. So cvs health is changing healthcare. Making it more accessible and affordable with walkin medical care, no appointments needed and most insurance accepted. Minuteclinic. Another innovation from cvs health. Because health is everything. Flavor feeds the soul. Its the beat you move to, the track you dont want to end. Thats why these allnew special k snack bars are full of the good stuff like golden oats, dark chocolaty chunks and salty pretzels. Each for 100 feelgood calories. Because you should give life all the flavor youve got. Special k snacks. Be flavorful. Youve probably picked five things a million times without breaking a sweat. No problem. So the Pennsylvania Lottery changed the name of quinto to pick 5. No sweat to play. Pick 5. Easy to play. Simple to say. Youve picked out four things before, right . One, two, three, four, and youre done. Simple. So the Pennsylvania Lottery changed the name of big 4 to pick 4. Its that simple to play. Pick 4. Easy to play. Simple to say. Stahl james levine is americas greatest living conductor, in the judgment of many music lovers, including our late colleague bob simon, who could often be found attending levineled performances at the metropolitan opera. Before we lost him in a tragic car crash last month, bob completed a story on the 71 yearold maestro who has directed and defined new yorks incomparable met for almost half a century; has guided and inspired three generations of the worlds best singers, and become americas most influential maestro since leonard bernstein. Under his baton, the met became the house of levine. Four years ago, a terrible accident left him partially paralyzed. As bob simon reported, only believers in miracles thought levine could return to the podium. But after a two year absence, he did. applause simon when he made his comeback, levine, now in a wheelchair, before even lifting his baton, got a standing ovation. That usually happens at the end of an opera, not at the beginning. He would conduct mozarts cosi fan tutte, one of his favorites. If you could see music as well as hear it, you would see it in the face of james levine. James levine i was just grateful beyond words it was clear that i could still do this work, and that the orchestra and the company and the audience wanted me to do it. And oh, it felt like i had a chance to get my life back. Simon are you aware of how sad, even desperate, many of the musicians and singers were when you werent around . Levine yes, bob, im very aware of it. They called me, they wrote me letters, and the messages were always, we need you. Get well. Come back as quick as you can. It was a fantastic motivating thing for me. Seasons, and it felt like forever. Simon it also seemed like forever not only to the met but to the entire world of opera. Hes been conducting here since he was 27, but has been making music since he was a toddler. He grew up in cincinnati, the son of a former big band leader and a broadway actress. He wasnt just your garden variety prodigy and everyone seemed to know it. He did, too. Was there ever a single moment when you werent sure you wanted to devote your life to music . Levine never. I knew it was one. One of my earliest awarenesses that i loved music, and it was what i was happiest doing, always. Simon in 1976, levine became music director of the met, where hes conducted more than 2,500 performances. Hes also conducted every major orchestra in america and europe, and coached the greatest singers of our time Leontyne Price and marilyn horne. Simon . Renee fleming. And he participated in what was probably the most popular Classical Music event in history. He brought opera to the masses with the three tenors domingo, carreras, pavarotti. cheers and applause peter gelb he is one of the greatest conductors in the history of conducting. Simon peter gelb is the general manager of the metropolitan opera. Can you describe what distinguishes levine from other conductors . Gelb he taught the metropolitan opera orchestra to listen to singers. He made them into a truly great opera orchestra, and his ability to get the best out of the performers is another hallmark. Hes a conductor for the ages, in that regard. Simon levines career seemed destined to accompany him into old age brilliantly and seamlessly. But then, starting in 2000, his body began to fail him, a host of ailments. He cancelled performances. Levine there were times when i really couldnt work, or i had to work in so much pain, it was a big distraction. Simon then, in 2011, he took what turned out to be a catastrophic fall. Levine i fell down a flight of steps onto the grass. And gradually, over the rest of that day and the following day the feeling went out of my legs and i couldnt move them. Simon he had fractured his spine, took an indefinite leave of absence. Was there a moment when you realized, i think ill be able to conduct again . Levine no, but there was a moment that i remember, after what seemed like an endless number of days, i kept saying to my leg, go on, move. laughs and one day i said, go on move, and it did. Simon it listened. Levine and i said, you really do that, didnt you . Can you do that again . And it did it again. Simon that minuscule movement brought hope back to the met and to levines closest buddy, placido domingo. Theyve been making Music Together for decades. When he was at the point that he couldnt move his legs, did you ever doubt that hed be able to come back . Placido domingo i have seen him already suffering in the last years, you know. And always, he was coming back. I just cannot imagine jimmy was not going to be at the met or he was not going to be conducting. Simon jimmy, the comeback kid . Domingo the comeback kid yes. Simon but how would he come back . Levine hello. Excuse me. Simon it took a lot of engineering. Levine hi. Simon the met designed a portable podium dubbed the maestro lift that works like an elevator. It goes up and down and allows him to turn. Levine good morning, everybody. I drove here in my chair. Which is why im a few minutes late. In any case, lets do act two please. One, two, one, two. There we are. Simon you have been number one for over 40 years. What do you do that number ten does not do . Levine oh, bob, i havent the faintest idea. Simon oh, yes, you do. Levine no, i dont. My job is to keep making it better, which gets subtler and subtler, the better you get. Simon we went with levine to rehearsals of verdis comedy falstaff to find out how he makes it better. The opera is about a shameless rogue and the women who are determined to trap him. Levine excellent. Simon levines credo when you think you have finished rehearsing, rehearse again. Levine lustier, a little bit unrestrained. One, two. Simon less than perfect isnt less than perfect; its wrong. Levine no. Excuse me. Its slightly. Simon levine has conducted falstaff 55 times and says hes still trying to get it right. Levine what you say. Wow. Simon he has been working with the Great American mezzo soprano Stephanie Blythe since she was a student of his 20 years ago. Stephanie blythe the man understands singers. He understands the psychology of singing, which is not easy. Simon what is the psychology of singing . Blythe well, everyones different. You know, were like a load of snowflakes up there. When youre up on the stage, theres an enormous amount of fear that goes along with that. You cant take a risk unless youre brave. And you cant be brave if youre looking down in the pit and you see the top of someones head. Levine good, steph. Simon and he gives you confidence . Blythe he gives you an enormous confidence. Simon singers call him the best coach in opera, because he always tells them how good they are before pointing out how they can and must do better. Levine thats it. Wait a minute, wait a minute. That was a nice one. Thank you. Levine in other words, then the voice goes together with your smile, which is wonderful and your cheek bones and your eyes, which are beautiful. I try to make a rehearsal room a very safe environment for a singer so that we can make improvements. Simon whens the last time you screamed at a singer . Levine screamed . Simon uhhuh. Levine oh, i dont. Simon got really mad. Levine i dont scream at people. You like it if people scream at you . Simon no, not at all. But people do. laughter levine well, i dont scream at people and people dont scream at me. Simon instead, they just sing their hearts out. When the ladies leave, levine does, too, to that other new york landmark, central park, the great outdoors. And here too, the tempo is allegro. That really goes at a fair clip. Levine it can go pretty fast. Simon i bet it can outpace me. Levine the parks a miracle. Its, in a way, like a mini vacation just to come in there for a couple of hours. Simon what do you plan for your retirement . Levine laughs i dont understand why people think they want to retire. Simon he never plans to. Maestros rarely do. But hes focused on his legacy shaping and molding the next generation of singers. 35 years ago, he created the mets lindemann young artist program. Even when he couldnt conduct, he kept on working with his students. Today, hes coaching maryjane lee from canada. She is taking on one of the most heartbreaking arias in all opera the doomed desdemona in verdis otello. Levine has conducted otello more than any other opera, and with the greatest divas of the century. But watch him with this young student he seems as moved as hes ever been. applause levine you did a lot of great work on that piece, didnt you . Mary jane lee yes. Levine yes. Im so happy living in music working on music, that if im not working on music, im looking forward to the next time i will be. You take it into your nervous system and into your ears and into your heart and into your intellect directly. Youre guaranteed, from the minute the music starts until it stops, nothing is in there except that. applause welcome to the cbs sports update brought to you by findser. Im greg gumbel in new york. Last night wellmont became first team into the ncaa tournament. Today three more teams won their way into the field of 68. Northern iowa, Coastal Carolina won the big south and north florida will make its first ever appearance in the ncaa tournament after winning the atlantic sun. For more sports news and information, go to cbssports. Com. But i resign el to the fact that it wasnt going to work. But chantix helped me do it. Along with support, Chantix Varenicline is proven to help people quit smoking. It gave me the power to overcome the urge to smoke. Some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. Some people had seizures while taking chantix. If you have any of these stop chantix and call your doctor right away. Tell your doctor about any history of Mental Health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix or history of seizures. Dont take chantix if youve had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. If you develop these stop chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be lifethreatening. Tell your doctor if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems or develop new or worse symptoms. Get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. Decrease alcohol use while taking chantix. Use caution when driving or operating machinery. Common side effects include nausea trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. Im a nonsmoker. Ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. Rick new club . Todd new set. Check it out. This ones forged titanium. Real bruiser. Ive also got one with tungsten. This one here, 12 hosel adjustments. 12. Rick but theyre all drivers. Todd yeah, thats all i need, right . Vo a portfolio filled with only Investment Products doesnt make sense either. Todd coming . Vo thats the metlife perspective. Let a Metlife Premier Client Group representative show you how diversifying beyond just investments can help grow and safeguard your assets. Compromise . Middle ground . Does it really look like were Holding Anything back . Longhorns dinner for two for 29. 99. Choose two of 7 entrees. Like the grilled portabella sirloin or the parmesan crusted chicken. Plus two sides, two salads a shared appetizer or a dessert. Its a deal without a single concession. Longhorn steakhouse you cant fake steak. And for lunch try our new tavern steak sandwich or get any of our steakhouse lunch combos starting at 7. Cooper now, an update on our story about the company lumber liquidators. Last week, we reported on high levels of formaldehyde found in tested samples of laminate flooring made in china and sold by the company. After our story aired, the Consumer ProductsSafety Commission requested the results of the tests 60 minutes commissioned on that flooring, which we provided. We have also been flooded with mail from viewers concerned about their own laminate floors. The California AirResources Board has updated information for consumers. You can find the link at our web site, 60minutes. Com. Im anderson cooper. Well be back next week with another edition of 60 minutes. Cottonelle cleanripple texture gets you cleaner, but will it make people confident enough to go commando . How was your wiping experience . Ok. Why do you think ripples are so great . Probably ripples would just clean better. Yeah, why . Just. Would pick up more layers. Do you feel confident enough to go commando . Go commando. Uh. Yeah sure. Congratulations i did it how do you feel . Fresh only cottonelle has cleanripple texture, so going cottonelle means you can go commando. Great rates for great rides. Geico motorcycle see how much you could save. Captioning funded by cbs and ford captioned by Media Access Group at wgbh access. Wgbh. Org phone chimes, vibrates sighs give me a minute with her. Thanks, frank. Hey. Should i even ask how your night was . Well, after hours of being polygraphed and detained somewhere in the bowels of langley. Did you know langley had bowels . Well, i suspected. Accused of treason then cleared of suspicion and sent home, where i found my apartment turned completely upsidedown and my mattress slit open with a razor blade