1. When two 12-year-old girls were asked why they allegedly lured a third girl into the Wisconsin woods and stabbed her 19 times, they told police they aspired to be “proxies” of Slender Man.
Slender Man might be a mystery to adults, but to many kids, the online horror character is as recognizable as Dracula.
2. Inspired by the social media scavenger hunt @HiddenCash, Al Roker is leading TODAY's own treasure hunt this week by hiding envelopes in major American cities. The prize: a trip for two to New York City, plus VIP tickets to the Toyota Concert Series on TODAY.
On Wednesday, Al traveled to Atlanta and encountered dozens of eager treasure hunters. Just six minutes after Al revealed the first clue, Kevin Howell found the prize at "Gone with the Wind" author Margaret Mitchell's house.
3. The Boss is still The Boss! New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen’s album "Born in the U.S.A." was released 30 years ago today, and in celebration of the milestone, Matt, Savannah, Al, Natalie, and Carson shared their favorite albums of all time.
4. "The Fault in Our Stars" star Laura Dern frequently hosts a couch-surfer in real life: Shailene Woodley, who plays Dern’s daughter in the film adaption of a young adult novel about cancer-stricken teens.
Dern stopped by TODAY on Wednesday to talk about her relationship with Woodley and the movie that brought them together. "Oh, it's full-on," Dern said of Woodley's use of her home as a crash pad. "She's there as much as she wants to be. My children love her so much, and they're (all) like family now."
5. Want to have your day made? Watch as this deaf boy, age 7, communicates with a Dayton Dragons mascot in sign language.
6. Missed Savannah’s live Facebook chat on Wednesday morning? Catch up on what was asked, revealed and more!
And that’s TODAY’s Takeaway!