And several others faces criminal charges today. Honoring a legend. The loss i feel, i cannot describe. Maya. Hundreds turn out to remember and to praise the late maya angelou and the legacy she leaves behind. Band of brothers. This morning hundreds of paratroopers recreating the historic jump that so many brave men made during the invasion of normandy. Today, sunday, june 8th, 2014. Announcer from nbc news, this is today with lester holt and erica hill. Live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. And welcome to today on this sunday morning. Im erica hill. Im lester holt alongside jenna wolfe and dylan dryer. Youre tonalist, you just win the belmont. Everybody says, wow, what about the losers . Tonalist probably not getting a lot of attention or love because theres so much focus. So much buildup to the triple crown which didnt happen. California chromes loss is our top story today. Kristen dahlgren was at belmont on saturday. Kristen, good morning. Good morning, lester. I watched the race with dylan. It went from 120,000 screaming people, cheering people to almost silence. So many people stunned and disappointed that California Chrome wouldnt be the first triple crown winner in 36 years. They were calling this americas horse. And a lot of people really thought that this was going to be the year we ended that dry spell. Instead, tonalist took the belmont. Which is a much longer race than kentucky or preakness. And thats where the controversy comes in. California chromes owner went on a rant, saying it wasnt a fair fight. That tonalist won because he hadnt raced in the first two legs of the triple crown and wasnt coming off an exhausting fiveweek stretch. If youve got a horse that earns points running the kentucky derby, those 20 horses starting kentucky are the only 20 available eligible to run in all three races. This is the cowards way out. Some hard feelings there. Many folks attached to that great back story. California chrome bought for just 10,000. For his part, the official California Chrome twitter says it just wasnt my day. He thinks his chromemies and hinted maybe hell be back to race in the fall. People arent giving up hope some day maybe well see a triple crown winner in our lifetime, lester. All right, kristen. California chromes owner steve coburn is with us this morning. Mr. Coburn, good morning. Good morning. We just heard a little bit of the comments you made after the race, we heard them from kristen. A lot of talk about specifically you calling some of the other owners cowards for only racing their horses in this race. Do you stand by those comments this morning . Sure. Why is it that you feel theyre cowards . Well, because you know what . There was only three horses in this race that had run in all three. There was California Chrome, general arod, and ride on curlin. The other horses hadnt competed in the other two races. So you keep these horses out of the game. And then you bring one in to upset the apple cart when they havent raced in the derby or the preakness. So when you nominate your horse for the triple crown, that means three. Not one out of three, but three. So thats what i meant by it. Its a cowards shot at people or horses. Because they dont have the they dont want to see a triple crown winner. Because they get to have their horse in the other two races. There has been i hope you can hear me. We definitely can hear you, sir. Go ahead. I was going to say, there has been some support for your position. People have said maybe this wasnt the right way to go about it, in a rant after the race, there has been some support for that position. Realistically, do you see that changing . Well, if it does not change, yant trip we wthe t er ththain et hat s notbout. 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If i had met you at the beginning of you entering this program, describe where you were in life. I wasnt doing good at all. I had a really bad attitude. I didnt really care about anybody or anything. She told me she hated me and she wishes i would do. Just hurtful things like that. She treated me like her enemy. I need two people who are committed to the program. You agree that you are going to become part of this team and try to assist your daughter. You are enabling her, and its got to stop. Reporter in 2012, Police Caught danielle smoking pot in a park. Thats what landed her in drug court. But that didnt stop her from using again. I started drinking. And then there was weed on the table. I was like, why not . Reporter judge mary threw her in juvenile jail for three weeks. And i saw her with im going to cry. With the shackles on her legs. And that was the hardest part for me. Shes such a free spirit. And for them to have her chained, it broke my heart. She needed to learn i meant business. We meant business in the drug court. The team works hard with you. Were not fooling around. Courts adjourned, folks, thanks. See our full story tonight on dateline. Thats at 7 00 6 00 central right here on nbc. Looking forward to that one. Turning now to a story of perseverance in the face of a huge struggle to get back to life as normal. For one new mom, she suffered a medical emergency when she was pregnant two years ago. Heres janet shamlian. Reporter balance is still pretty new for 2yearold adeline scott. But shes learning fast. Look at those steps today. Those are looking great. Reporter balance is an old skill for adelines mom, amber. She has to relearn it. Beautiful steps. Reporter but shes making progress every day. There you go. Reporter and getting stronger with each step. And shes finally able to experience some of the simple joys other moms do. Like adeline playing with her bunny, minnie mouse. Push, push, push, push, push. Reporter with physical and speech therapy, amber scott has come a long way in two years. I just remember talking on the phone. I dont remember anything after that. Reporter in may of 2012 amber was nine months pregnant when she suffered a blood clot on her brain. Doctors performed emergency surgery and delivered adeline. But amber remained unconscious, missing the first precious few weeks of her daughters life. Now, she doesnt want to let go. I want to get down. No. Not yet. Not yet. Reporter at times, adeline seems unstoppable. Stand up and get on the bed. Reporter just like her mom. That was good. That was pretty good. Its amazing to see the progress shes made. Shes very determined. She doesnt give up. Ive never really seen her come in and have a really down day. Shes always giving her best. Reporter her husband tommy has been with her for every step, every victory. That was a good one with the left knee. Good. Reporter you see the progress in therapy, you see how good shes doing. I really think one day shell have a normal life. Just her being part of adelines life and being more independent. Thats what im most proud of. Reporter amber is determined to walk again and some day go back to work. But for now, she has a message for her young daughter. Never give up on whatever you want to do. Never, ever give up. You can do anything you want, you put your mind to. Reporter a mother full of life. And hope for the future. For today, janet jshamlian, nc news, houston. Just ahead, remembering maya angelou as politicians, celebrities, family and friends come together to honor a woman that they say changed lives. And up next, a big debate across the country. Is former p. O. W. Bowe bergdahl a hero or a traitor . Thats right after this. Welcome back. A deal that freed former p. O. W. Bowe bergdahl has people more than angry. The fbi says authorities are investigating threats against bergdahls family. In the meantime we wanted to get an idea of what some people had to say about him. Sparked a lot of emotion. Some people think of him as perhaps a traitor. Something else. We sent nbc news military analyst colonel jack jacobs to georgia to talk to some folks. Reporter at this Atlanta Health club, Sergeant Bowe bergdahl was a hot topic of conversation. We sat down with club members, a former marine, a woman with two nephews currently serving in afghanistan, and a retired attorney to hear their opinions. Marty, what did you think when you first heard that Bowe Bergdahl was coming back . Kind of happy to hear that we were getting one of our guys back. And i understood that there was a trade for five other guys who were in prison down in gitmo. And that really didnt bother me much in the moment. Rob, what did you think . I got marine buddies talking about it. You know, i just i want to know the truth, i guess. If its all true or if its if its Something Else going on there. Because if it is true, then actions need to be taken. Reporter leann, how about you . What do you think about that . I was happy to hear that, you know, he was coming home. It just it seems like the right thing to do. Reporter when you heard that he came back as a result of a trade of taliban, what did you think of that . First reaction was, probably not right. I have no real problem with the concept of trading our people for some of the, quote, others, unquote. I think its okay to trade for him no matter what. You know, im all about getting our men back. Reporter at any cost . At any cost. Reporter are we giving up too much because we want him back now . I do feel that we were giving up too much. You know, when you sign that contract, you understand. Especially during a time of war that things can happen. Reporter if our policy is, if the white houses policy is nobody left behind, in these circumstances, do you think we need to think that over again . I like the policy. I like the nobody left behind. I just think theres other ways of going to get him. How about you, leann . Absolutely not. You would have a hard time to get people to volunteer for volunteer army if they didnt have that guarantee. I mean, i wouldnt leave my child behind. Reporter so bergdahl, hero or traitor . Traitor. Neither. Neither a traitor nor a hero. How about you, marty . Hero or traitor . He has done nothing by any account to be called a hero. Whether or not he was a traitor or just a jerk remains to be decided. Colonel jacobs is with us now. Recipient of the medal of honor and two purple hearts for his service in vietnam. Interesting discussion. I think everybody feels they have to have a reaction to what happened. The fact is we dont all have the facts right no w. The army is going through the process. Can the army go through the investigation process in a vacuum or are they painfully aware of the Politics Around this . We like to think the army is going to be in a vacuum and establish the facts and make decisions based on the facts unimpeded by any other influence. But at the top of the food chain in washington, all those generals are breathing rarefied air thats infused with politics. Its absolutely impossible for them to ignore it. No matter what happens, whatever happens, even if bergdahl gets convicted of something, in the end the president of the united states, the political apparatus has the last word. Because the president can always pardon him. But its all politics in washington whether youre wearing uniform or youre not. Jack, you served in combat around 18, 19, 20, 21yearolds. A lot of stuff going around. Did you ever get the sense that someone was about to go over the wall or, you know, expressing regrets about the situation . How was that handled . You know, its really kind of interesting. Because life there is in two bits. Theres the life before and after an actual combat engagement. In which there are frequently people who look a little sketchy and they might be leaving. And youve got to deal with them and their emotions very, very directly. And then theres the middle of the combat operation when the bullets and shrapnel are flying around and everybody is depending on everybody else. And in all the combat ive ever been in, ive been in plenty, ive never seen anybody break under those circumstances because theyre all fighting for each other. All right. Colonel jack kjacobs, thanks vey much. Up next on today, hundreds of paratroopers recreating the dday jump to honor the troops that help save the world. But first, these mes p ye byiter tion rmssy. Fro od ericrenc f i ro u. Wor i m g orer mfus. That thenu pe american flags. The sacrifice for these two countries was immense. But so, too, now is the affection that they share. Go p70 es tat re ungster. Ea o iton hile r hi native,sench iseeg aeranturnre yr he rbe t dnt schlegel showehe teriscomiyo t r. 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