The AC360 Weekly Buzz: Boston bombing victim meets hero, IRS' lavish conference, former Navy Seal comes out as transgender, Blade Runner, Anderson's birthday

What everyone’s talking about:

Erika Brannock, the last Boston bombings victim to leave the hospital, lost her left leg in the blast and broke her right leg. She said that she could have died if it wasn’t for a stranger named “Joan” who made a tourniquet out of a belt to stop the bleeding that day. “It was almost instantaneously … this woman kind of crawled over to me and she grabbed my hand… She said ,‘My name is Joan from California and I’m not going to let you go,’ and she stayed with me the whole time,” Erika told CNN’s Randi Kaye. The preschool teacher was determined to find the woman who helped save her life. After AC360 set up an email account for tips from anyone who knew the good samaritan, Amanda North replied that it was her who had helped Erika. The two met for the first time since the attack in a tearful reunion on Wednesday. CNN’s Randi Kaye was there for the special moment. Amanda also spoke to Anderson about the dreadful day of the bombings and what it was like to see Erika more than a month later.

An audit of the Internal Revenue Service shows that the agency spent at least $4.1 million of taxpayer money on everything from parody videos to event planners’ commissions on a 2010 conference in Anaheim, California. While the focus of the Treasury Department’s inspector general report was on the 2010 conference, the audit also shows that the agency held 225 conferences between 2010 and 2012 at an estimated cost of $49 million. CNN’s Dana Bash reports.

There have been some recent high-profile cruise ship mishaps involving fires, collisions and disabled ships leaving passengers stranded and strapped in their life vests. Is anyone regulating the multi-billion dollar cruise ship industry? The answer may shock you. CNN’s Drew Griffin is Keeping Them Honest.

Today’s Scoop: 

CNN’s Robyn Curnow went inside Oscar Pistorius’ uncle’s home where the Olympian has been in seclusion since he killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Curnow spoke exclusively to his uncle, his coach and agent. Don’t miss “Oscar Pistorius: Brutal Murder or Grave Mistake?” tonight at 10 p.m. ET.

Looking ahead: 

Ever heard of Peter Larson, a.k.a the "Yoda of Dinosaurs”?  The paleontologist is on a mission. We’ll have the story of the dino hunter on AC360 next week.

Former U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Beck spent 20 years fighting for his country. After he retired in 2011, Chris came out as a transgender and began living as Kristin. In an exclusive interview, Kristin told Anderson she wants to be true to herself: “I fought for 20 years for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I want some happiness.” Watch more of her interview Monday on AC360 at 8 and 10 p.m. ET.

Just for laughs:

A fitness video pranced it’s way to our RidicuList giving Anderson a giggle fit.  A day earlier, Wolf Blitzer surprised Anderson on his birthday and advised him to learn to control his laughter as he gracefully ages.

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