♪ loved you that i was always good to you ♪ ♪ ooh ooh ♪ ♪ hmm hmm hmm ♪ ♪ ooh ooh ♪ ♪ i ♪ [ cheers and applause ] ♪ this is "nightline." >> byron: tonight, rikki lake's act two. >> i can do that dance! >> byron: the teen star of "hairspray" turned talk show

queen. >> what do you want to say to desiree? >> get over it. >> byron: living her best life in her 50s. married to her biggest fan. >> she never sealses to entertain me, ever. >> i'm the luckiest girl in the world. >> byron: after years of trying to get it right -- >> i've been 260 pounds, i've been 120 pounds. >> byron: lake's amazing weight loss results without medication. >> i like a challenge, i like proving people wrong. >> byron: what's her secret? plus jackie ivanka's fresh start. at age 10, she floored the judges on "america's got talent" with the voice of a classically trained professional. ♪ now in her 20s, she's opening up about her mental health struggles that followed her into the spotlight. >> i was always a very anxious kid, a very nervous kid. >> byron: the exciting new direction her career is taking, dropping a pop ep. why she says her new song "behind my eyes" is her most personal. ♪ if you could see behind my

eyes ♪ ♪ you could see i'm not ♪ (vo) beneful knows a full life doesn't just happen...it's a choice . choose joy, choose beneful. and try incredibites, just for small dogs. bladder leak underwear has one job. i just want to feel protected! especially for those sudden gush moments. always discreet protects like no other. with a rapid dry core that locks in your heaviest gush quickly for up to zero leaks. always discreet- the protection we deserve!

>> byron: good evening. thank you for joining us. tonight, rikki lake as you've never seen her. happier than ever, at peace, glowing. at 55, she says arriving at this

place has been a journey. her only regret, that she didn't let herself get there sooner. here's abc's kayna whitworth. >> every day is like magic here for me. see the rabbits? we have baby rabbits all in here. you look in, rabbit hunting, aren't you? right? i'm killing this thing called midlife. >> reporter: actress and tv talk show host rikki lake says life is only getting better with age. >> i took my man to burning man this year. i have so much i want to say about my journey to get to this place of true contentment and self-acceptance. i've been famous since i've 18 years old from "hairspray," yet these are the sweetest of days. it took a lot to get to where i am sitting in this house, talking to you, crossing my leg is comfortably. >> reporter: lake is now opening up about finding true love in her 50s with husband ross

burningham. >> i just adore him. he's such a good man. he's so much fun. >> yeah, she never ceases to entertain me, ever. >> i'm the luckiest girl in the world. >> reporter: and her recent dramatic weight loss accomplished through a strict wellness regimen and without the use of prescription medication. >> she's tenacious. when she decides she's going to do something, she's all-in and goes after it. and it's inspiring. >> reporter: lake recently donning this famous red swimsuit she wore on the cover of "us weekly" in may 2007. lake's weight loss struggles playing center stage throughout her career. >> i can do that dance! >> reporter: best known as tracy turnblad, the pleasantly plump teen with a big heart in the 1988 classic "hairspray." >> oh, corny, do you really think i'm good enough? >> reporter: she landed a recurring role on cbs hit sitcom "the king of queens." >> can i get you something too? you look like a snow cap girl to

me. >> do i? actually, i'm very allergic, but thank you. >> reporter: but it's her no holds barred and wildly successful talk show that debuted in 1993 that cemented her as a household name. lake becoming the youngest on-air host at the time. she was just 24 years old. >> our guests today are women who say, if you don't have money and lots of it, you're simply not worth dating. what do you want to say to desiree? stand up. >> get over it. >> i am on with my life. >> that's great. >> i wanted to show him exactly what he's missing out on. >> he's not missing out on nothing, babe, because he's got me. >> reporter: in 2011, lake joining the cast of "dancing with the stars," season 13, in part to help lose the pounds. >> you're going to get rid of all this, okay? because kirstie alley is the one that inspired me to do this, and that's the first to go. >> reporter: throughout the years, she says she's tried all the diet fads. >> i've been on every diet.

you followed me my whole life. i've been 260 pounds, i've been 120 pounds. without surgery, without -- but i was on phen-fen back in the day. >> reporter: after entering her 50s, lake deciding to put her decades-long roller coaster ride behind her for good. her husband also needing a change. >> we're in our 50s. we want to live as long as we can, as vitally, with vitality and youthfulness and feeling good in our bones. >> reporter: a doctor suggested the pair use medication to lose weight. >> he was pushing it hard on both of us. >> reporter: the doctor? >> the doctor was pushing it. we both were overweight, yeah. >> reporter: originally meant to treat patients with type 2 diabetes -- >> the latest game-changing weight loss drug. >> ozempic, mounjaro, experiencing a big surge in use for weight loss -- >> reporter: ozempic and drugs like it have taken the nation by storm. a growing list of celebs slimming down.

even oprah opening up about using a prescription weight loss medication in a recent primetime special. >> i took on the shame that the world gave to me. for 25 years, making fun of my weight was national sport. >> reporter: lake, who says she's peri menopausal, says the doctor claimed the drug was the only way she could lose the weight. but she thought differently. >> i like a challenge. and i like proving people wrong. so it pissed me off, and i wanted to give it a go on my own. so i said to my husband, "you want to go on this ride with me?" and he's like, "sure." >> reporter: for the past seven months, the couple diving into a completely new healthy lifestyle. >> i understand i am privileged, i have the resources and money. i hired a personal chef who was cooking for us. so that was -- because i didn't want to feel deprived. >> reporter: it sounds like you weren't looking for a quick fix, you were looking for a lifestyle change? >> yes, yes, this is a lifestyle

change. i live in this -- the beautiful hills of malibu. i hike, rain or shine, every morning. this morning out the door at 6:30 with my dog, doing my three-mile hike. >> reporter: the two starting intermittent fasting, cutting out bread and sugar as part of their keto diet, exercise, pit lawsuit tees, sleep tracking. lake shedding 35 pounds since october. >> i've made this my job. it's become my joy. i just -- i love it. i think it's safe to say i'm in the best shape of my life. it's been a commitment, you know? it's been a financial commitment, it's been a time commitment. but -- it's awesome. like, i'm just -- i'm so happy. i'm proud of us. >> reporter: you are glowing. >> i say, this is what happy looks like. i could cry. i'm so happy. i'm so happy. >> reporter: lake also pouring herself into helping others.

in honor of her late husband, christian evans, who died by suicide, she works with community access, an organization providing job training and housing assistance to those struggling with mental ill on top of that, they had community programs. it's not like they just give you this place to stay. they have a group of people that help you thrive. >> reporter: when you look back at your younger self and some of the challenges that you had then, what would you say to young rikki? >> i really wish i didn't waste as much time as i did not liking what i saw when i looked in the mirror. i really wish i was not so hard on myself. >> reporter: now, at this current stage of life, rikki lake says her best days are ahead of her. >> i love being my age. it's not the end of the road, it's just the beginning. it feels like the beginning for me. >> byron: our thanks to kayna. when we return, she stunned "america's got talent" judges at 10 years old with her powerful

classical voice. now jackie evancho is ready to open a new musical chapter. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. with my psoriatic arthritis symptoms. but just ok isn't ok. and i was done settling. if you still have symptoms after a tnf blocker like humira or enbrel, rinvoq is different and may help. rinvoq is a once-daily pill that can rapidly relieve joint pain, stiffness, and swelling in ra and psa. relieve fatigue for some... and stop joint damage. and in psa, can leave skin clear or almost clear. rinvoq can lower your ability

to fight infections, including tb. serious infections and blood clots, some fatal; cancers, including lymphoma and skin; heart attack, stroke, and gi tears occurred. people 50 and older with a heart disease risk factor have an increased risk of death. serious allergic reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you are or may become pregnant. done settling? ask your rheumatologist for rinvoq. and take back what's yours. abbvie could help you save. when you smell the amazing scent of gain flings... time stops. (♪) and you realize you're in love... steve? with a laundry detergent. (♪) gain flings. seriously good scent. (hamlet) it's beggin'! smoky beggin'... meaty beggin'... tasty beggin'... beggin'!!! oh, i love you... (vo) dogs go bonkers for beggin'! and try new beggin' flavor stix. (hamlet) stix! whoa! how'd you get your teeth so white? you gotta use the right toothpaste!

dr. c?! ♪ not all toothpastes whiten the same. crest 3d white removes 100% more stains for a noticeably whiter smile. new personal best. crest. we all need fiber for our digestive health, but less than 10% of us get enough each day. good thing metamucil gummies are an easy way to get prebiotic, plant-based fiber. with the same amount of fiber as 2 cups of broccoli. metamucil gummies the easy way to get your daily fiber.

♪ >> byron: welcome back. jackie evancho is taking control. the singer catapulted to fame at

just 10 years old in a riveting television moment. weathering difficult times in the years that followed. during this mental health awareness month, we're one on one with evancho, who shares what she's learned along the way and the music she says is part of that journey. here's my "nightline" coanchor juju chang. >> everything's been very up and down. i went through a tough period of basically doing nothing. >> juju: jackie evancho says covid lockdown put her in a dark place. >> now finally on a journey of showing the music that i want to show, that i've written, you know, built throughout the years. >> juju: this is a whole new -- like a fresh start for you? >> yes, yeah. it's funny. that is the main thing that i write about right now, because it's the most emotion that has not been settled yet for me. >> juju: the celebrated young classical singer is sharing a new side of herself. ♪ i cannot guarantee that i will

stick around ♪ ♪ don't ask me to kill you ♪ >> juju: the 24-year-old releasing her first pop ep "sola," a far cry from the age of 10 on "america's got talent." ♪ ♪ >> juju: her new project emerging after jackie took time during the pandemic to re-evaluate her life. you talk about "behind my eyes." you say it's a song that exemplifies this idea of losing it. ♪ if you could see behind my eyes ♪ ♪ you'd see the truth that disguised the lies ♪ ♪ if you read between the lines ♪ ♪ you'd see i'm running ♪ >> juju: what feelings are you

trying to communicate? >> it's difficult to describe. i remember when i first wrote it, i was in nashville. and i was in a little hotel room. and i was by myself. and i was incredibly lonely. stir-crazy. and exhausted. i think i was trying to put to words that feeling of feeling like i'm going crazy. >> juju: as a child star, jackie says the pressure of growing up in front of the world took a toll on her already-fragile mental health. >> i was always a very anxious kid. a very nervous kid. >> juju: yet here you are singing in front of millions of people, right? >> that's the funny thing. that's how i know i'm supposed to be. because that's when i'm not anxious. you get the initial nerves, but then i'm on top of the world. i feel like just by singing and speaking, that is my form of being in control. >> juju: why pop?

because so many -- obviously everyone fell in love with you. >> right, right. >> juju: a classical singer. why pop? >> because that is the style that i guess i just naturally started writing. and the funny thing is, it's not all pop. it's just whatever it is written as when it comes out. it's whatever the story wants to be. >> juju: do you have to warm up differently for pop than classical? >> yeah, yeah. >> juju: what's the difference? >> classical, you have to engage your palate more. with pop, you have to engage here. >> juju: can you demonstrate the difference between the palates? >> yeah. softb soft pal ♪ aah ♪ and the hard palate like -- ♪ ahh ♪ >> juju: i met jackie at her childhood home in pittsburgh, one of four siblings. her sister juliette spoke with us in 2017.

>> everything has been a competition ever since we were little. >> juju: i would love an update on juliette. how is juliette doing? how is she faring in the midst of all of this anti-transness? >> she is doing really well. she's on her own. she's working and having fun. i think that she livies in a state of fear, and i live in a state of fear for her. just because of the way the world has been. and there's far too much hate and not enough support. but she's doing well in her world. >> juju: jackie's been well, too. she's always been open about her ongoing struggles with her mental health, including an eating disorder. you talked about your anorexia and the battles that you've spent fighting it. and you spoke really elquestionably about this idea that anorexia is like having another you inside your brain telling you bad things. what did that voice tell you? >> lots of things. i mean, we have the basic "you

look fat." "you look terrible." "you look so much better here." "you definitely shouldn't eat that." you feel better when you're thinner, you know. there was a time i got out of treatment, one of them, and i could feel the weight that i had gained so heavily on my body. i felt like i was being weighed down. just the feeling of skin to skin, touching my own body, i could not stand. >> juju: how do you retrain that voice to tell you something different? >> it's really difficult to say, because my journey is still ongoing. >> juju: it's still painful? >> yeah. i still struggle a lot. and it's up and down. >> juju: her advice for others struggling? >> you are worth so much more than what you think you should look like. and you have so much more to offer. just imagine all that you could

be able to give of yourself to the world and not what the eating disorder allows you to give. >> juju: what jackie's offering now is perhaps a truer version of herself. this is kind of your most personal album. >> yeah, there's a lot more pressure on myself and anticipation to see how it turns out. because it is me speaking my truth. >> byron: our thanks to juju. if you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or depression, free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. call or text the national lifeline at 988. when we come back, we're one on one with abc's john quinones who spent a year in uvalde, texas, after the horrific school shooting that claimed 19 lives. mom, is yellow a light or a dark? how do i clean an aioli stain? thankfully, tide's the answer to almost all of them. why do we even buy napkins?

use tide. can cold water clean white socks? it can with tide. do i need to pretreat guacamole? not with tide. this is chocolate, right? -just use... -tide...yeah. no matter who's doing it, on what cycle, or in what temperature, tide works. so i can focus on all the other questions. do crabs have eyebrows? ahh... for all of life's laundry questions, it's got to be tide. this isn't charmin! no wonder i don't feel as clean. here's charmin ultra strong. ahhh! my bottom's been saved! with its diamond weave texture, charmin ultra strong cleans better with fewer sheets and less effort. enjoy the go with charmin. (vo) beneful knows a full life doesn't just happen...it's a choice and less effort. to take a swing... to taste all life has to offer. choose joy, choose beneful. and try incredibites, just for small dogs. ♪ on your period, sudden gushes happen. say goodbye gush fears! thanks to always ultra thins...

with rapiddry technology... that absorbs two times faster. hellooo clean and comfortable. always. fear no gush. i am obsessed with olay's retinol body wash. with olay retinol body wash, 95% of women had visibly renewed skin. it makes my skin feel so smooth and moisturized. see the difference with olay.

teacher: ...but it's still true. there are four states of matter. there are solids, liquids, gases... teacher: trevor? teacher: not quite? plasma. teacher: lights please. teacher: now, states of matter are comprised of relationships between molecules. teacher: molecules' relationships... nicotine's a neurotoxin that can escalate teen anxiety. teacher: saved by the bell! ♪ (ominous music) ♪

♪

>> byron: finally tonight, after the 2022 tragedy in uvalde, texas, when a gunman killed 19 elementary school students and two teachers, abc news began a year-long investigation embedding with the community there and searching for answers. our john quinones and maria reial salinas were part of that team. they've written a book together examining the challenges facing that community in the aftermath. john q. joins to us talk about "one year in uvalde." good to have you. >> thank you, byron. >> byron: you've covered some of the biggest stories on planet earth in the 40-plus years 85 been with the network.

what resonated so deeply? >> it was personal, it hit home, uvalde is an hour away from where i was born and raised, san antonio. so many of the victims were mexican american. the barrio around robb elementary looked like the barrio i grew up in on the west side of san antonio. find out what happens when the cameras leave. how does a community begin to heal? what we found a year later was more than we could have imagined that we discovered about the power of the human spirit and people's capacity for strength, hope, resilience. >> byron: there's an excerpt you wanted to share? >> we wanted to tell you how i connected with that community. when i was 13, my father lost his job. we, my parents and two sisters and i, had no choice but to become migrant farm workers. we journeyed north in a caravan with strangers to pick cherries in michigan and ohio. as i drove into uvalde, the spinach and onion fields looked eerily familiar to me.

i didn't know it at the time, but i was about to become intertwined within this community. >> byron: what can america take from this tragedy that has impacted so many communities? >> first of all, how powerful -- how there is, you know, light at the end of this very dark tunnel. but also, what can be done to protect our schools. how can police agencies be better trained now to avoid this from happening? there were more than 300 police officers who responded there. and they waited more than 77 minutes before they stormed in and finally took down the shooter. by the way, none of the police officers who responded have been held accountable. that's what the families are still demanding. there's something called the guardian initiative, which is a comprehensive plan to overhaul the uvalde police department. those little signs of progress is what we can take away. >> byron: john quinones with maria elena salinas. "one year in uvalde." i've known