Issue Date: November 19, 2006

TELEVISION

What Thanksgiving is really all about

Inspiring stories rekindle spirit.

With non-stop football showdowns on the tube and second helpings of pumpkin pie up for grabs, it's easy to forget that Thanksgiving is about more than just kicking back and filling up our plates. Folks looking to rekindle the spirit of the day and become more thankful (and more giving) will want to watch "An American Thanksgiving." The hour-long special, hosted by Bryant Gumbel, examines the holiday's history and highlights good works by generous souls, famous and unknown.

Take Jerry Quinn: After reading an article about a man in need of funding for a kidney transplant, the Boston-based restaurant owner discovered another outlet for the $100,000 he had earmarked for a waterfront condo. "I could tell he was in desperation, and I knew that I could help," says Quinn, noting that the river view wasn't as important as saving someone's life.

Another source of inspiration? Mike Utley, the Detroit Lions offensive guard who suffered a spinal cord injury in November 1991 and set up the Mike Utley Foundation just a month later to help others similarly injured. "There's nothing that I have done that is brain surgery," Utley says. "It's about trying to do the right thing."

Tune in to learn more about these stories and get a glimpse of Thanksgivings spent on the front lines with veterans and in the hard-hit Broadmoor area of New Orleans. Viewers also will visit a Montana ranch where a rescued 750-pound grizzly bear joins the festivities, proving there's always room for comedy at the Thanksgiving table. -- Alexa Yablonski