Biden prepares to conjure hope and bear pain for a grieving nation

Joe Biden's life of resilience in the face of unbearable loss will take on new meaning when he steps up to deliver his inaugural address Wednesday as the nation's 46th President.

Destiny has paired America's new leader -- a man rocked by tragedy who found the strength to heal his own soul -- with a sick, hurting nation that needs to summon similar steel to beat its harrowing crises. Biden's overflowing empathy was forged in the unfathomable horror of burying his first wife, infant daughter and adult son. Just as he comforted bereaved supporters on countless campaign trail rope lines, he is now assuming the nation's grief over more than 400,000 deaths in the coronavirus pandemic. After finding new reason to live following his own bereavements, he's challenging Americans to honor their losses by uniting to win the battle to restore normal life.