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CNN Live At Daybreak

Spirit of America: Mackay Brothers Good Example of Charitable Spirit

Aired October 02, 2001 - 08:56   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The charitable response to the September 11th attacks are overwhelming. People are donating food, clothing and lots of money. Even children are joining effort, and the five Mackay brothers are a very good example of that charitable spirit. They have been saving for a long time for a family trip to Disney World. Instead, they decided to give the money to a firehouse in Brooklyn, New York. They are our special guests this morning.

Welcome to all you all.

Andrew, since you're the oldest, why don't you introduce all your brothers to us this morning.

ANDREW MACKAY: I am Andrew. I'm 14. This is James. He's 6. Kevin, he's three. And John and Matthew are twins. This is Matt. That's John. They're both nine.

ZAHN: This is such a nice thing you've done. What gave you the idea to do this?

MACKAY: Well, we were coming home from my school one day, and my dad was driving me home, and he said we had to do something for the firemen in New York. So I remember that we had the money jar there, and it probably had a lot of money, because we had been saving it up for a long time. So I thought we should give that to them.

ZAHN: Now was that a tough thing to decide to do, because You had been saving so hard and so long?

MACKAY: Yes, we had been saving for a long time, but it really didn't seem that much important right now, so we thought it would be the right thing to do.

ZAHN: Let me talk to your other brothers now. Do you know what the firefighters have been through here in New York?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kind of.

ZAHN: What do you know? What have your parents told you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, my mom and dad told me what the plane crash did to the building, and they showed me the news, and I couldn't get to sleep because I kept seeing the plane crash into the building. So I brought a dollar to the school to put in a basket, and I thought that was not enough, so we all decided to give away the jar.

ZAHN: That must make you feel really good, because that money is so badly needed.

What do you know about what the firefighters first have been through, Matthew?

MATTHEW MACKAY: When I first heard about it, my teacher did not tell us what it was. She just said that terrorists were in New York, so I thought they set a fire inside one of the buildings, so my whole class panicked, and then we went to church to pray, then when we got home, we watched the news for the rest of two weeks, then we just thought it would be the right thing to do to give away all of our Disney money.

ZAHN: So the firefighters are true heroes, aren't they? And do kids talk about that at school now? Can your little brothers talk over here? I know the big brother can always goose the little brother to get him talking. You want to say anything about firefighters this morning what a nice thing you have done?

OK, Andrew, you want to fill in for him?

A. MACKAY: Well, they are real heroes. They do this every day and stuff, and they gave their lives to protect people who they didn't even know, and they jut did it because it's their job, and they are really the bravest people around here, so they deserved that.

ZAHN: Now I know you took this money down to the firehouse as a family. What was the reaction you got?

A. MACKAY: They all seemed -- you could all see they smiled and stuff, and they -- we made them a little happier, and they made us happier. They started joking around with us and stuff, and it was very nice.

ZAHN: Isn't it amazing to you,, though, they never want credit for what they do?

A. MACKAY: Yes.

ZAHN: They risk their lives on a daily basis, and they are almost embarrassed when you give them attention.

Tell us a little bit what you saw at the firehouse. At the particularly firehouse in Brooklyn, they lost eight firefighters from that battalion. Were there lots of pictures up and flowers?

A. MACKAY: Yes, they had all these cards that kids drew and stuff, and they had food that people donated, and people were coming in and just hugging the firefighters, and it was really nice.

ZAHN: A thousand dollars is a lot of money that you turned over to these firefighters. Can you tell me how you made that money?

A. MACKAY: For a while we have been -- whenever we walk by -- we just drop change in. Sometimes, they drop in food or toys or something, but we try to drop change in, and over the years it just piled up, and it even broke the wooden crate it was in and stuff. So there was a lot of money in there.

ZAHN: So have you guys started thinking about starting another fund for Disney Land or Disney World?

A. MACKAY: Maybe.

ZAHN: What kind of jobs do you do around the house?

You pick up after your little brothers right? Andrew, you mowing yards and that kind of stuff.

A. MACKAY: Yes, I walk the dog, and we clean off the table and bring out the trash and stuff, so.

ZAHN: Well, the Mackay brothers, you make one beautiful family, and that's a very lovely gesture, and I think it's something that families are doing throughout the country, giving what they can. It's got to make you guys feel real good.

And I hope you can start sleeping one of these nights. You need to sleep.

Congratulations. And I know, once again, the firefighters are so appreciative of what you have done here. Good to see you all.

Enjoy New York while you're here.

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