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CNN Live Today

Family of Daughter in Afghanistan Reunites

Aired July 04, 2002 - 10:24   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Fourth of July is supposed to be a time when families get together and have a barbecue. That’s not so easy if your loved one is serving overseas in Afghanistan. But it takes more than that to keep families apart as far as CNN is concerned. We have some reunions going on all day long.

Our first involves the Taylor family, and we want to introduce you to them. The parents, Larry and Judy Taylor, they’re on the right side of your screen. They are at home in Blue Springs, Missouri, And you can see our Nic Robertson standing by with their daughter, Staff Sgt. Ruthann Taylor of the U.S. Air Force.

And we’re going to reunite this family .

And I’ll turn it over to Nic, in Bagram, Afghanistan.

Nic, happy Fourth of July.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you very much, Daryn. Happy Fourth of July to you too.

Well, I’m joined by Staff Sgt. Ruthann Taylor.

Ruthann, tell us what do you do here and how long have you been doing it here?

STAFF SGT. RUTHANN TAYLOR, U.S. AIR FORCE: I’m an air traffic controller with the radar unit, and I’ve been in the theater since February 15.

ROBERTSON: This is a windy, dusty kind of a base. How is life here?

R. TAYLOR: Very dirty. Very, very dirty, but not bad.

ROBERTSON: We have your mother, your father, and your boyfriend in Blue Springs, Missouri, joining us. Tell us, do you miss them back there?

R. TAYLOR: I miss them terribly.

ROBERTSON: Well, go ahead and talk to them right now.

R. TAYLOR: Hi, mom. Hi, dad. Hi, Dave. JUDY TAYLOR, MOTHER: Hi, Ruthann.

LARRY TAYLOR, FATHER: Hi, Ruthann.

ROBERTSON: Larry and Judy, what do you worry about when Ruthann is out here? Tell us please.

L. TAYLOR: I just pray that she comes back safely. I don’t really know what’s going on over there.

J. TAYLOR: I worry about -- I just worry about her like a mom. I want her home.

ROBERTSON: Ruthann, what can you say to your mom and dad to make them feel a little better about what you do here?

R. TAYLOR: I’ll be home soon. It’s not bad. It could be worse. It’s not bad at all. I’ll be home very soon.

ROBERTSON: David, how much do you miss Ruthann?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I miss her a lot, just waiting for her to come home.

ROBERTSON: David, I understand that you’re a Reservist too and you could get activated. How do you feel about coming out here to join Ruthann, from what you’ve seen of the operations?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I don’t think I’ll be out there the same time she is, but it might happen.

ROBERTSON: Ruthann, what do you want to save to David?

R. TAYLOR: I miss you, and I can’t wait to come home.

ROBERTSON: How much do you miss him?

R. TAYLOR: I miss him incredibly -- very much.

ROBERTSON: Ruthann, tell us what do you do in your spare time here, and how much spare time do you get?

R. TAYLOR: In my spare time, I go to the gym and lay out in the sun. That’s about it.

ROBERTSON: David, I understand that you think Ruthann is here on a vacation -- is that right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She’s laying out in the sun and going to the gym. I wish I had that kind of time.

L. TAYLOR: It sounds like she has more spare time than I’ve got.

J. TAYLOR: Well, we’re proud of you.

R. TAYLOR: A lot of spare time. J. TAYLOR: And your brother and niece said they love you and miss you.

ROBERTSON: Larry and Judy, you must be two very proud parents. Tell us how you feel.

J. TAYLOR: I’m proud that she’s there. I hated to see her go, but she did her job and that’s when she enlisted. Of course, no one ever thought this was going to happen here in the United States, but I’m glad she stood up and stood what she was standing for: for us to have a free country, for us to be able to have this big party in our neighborhood and have all our neighbors together and celebrate what it’s for.

ROBERTSON: Ruthann, how does it feel to hear your mom say this?

R. TAYLOR: It makes me feel very nice -- very good, sad though.

ROBERTSON: Sad. Why is that?

R. TAYLOR: Because I miss them.

ROBERTSON: David, what are you going to do? Where are you going to take Ruthann when she comes home?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It all depends on when she comes back. I’d like to take her back to Boston with me.

ROBERTSON: Ruthann, is that a good idea?

R. TAYLOR: Love it. Love it -- want to go to Boston.

ROBERTSON: Ruthann Taylor, thank you very much.

R. TAYLOR: Thank you.

ROBERTSON: Larry, Judy, David, thank you very much.

Daryn, I think this is good putting families together. They’re a long way apart, and this is a remote strange kind of country here -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And yes, and especially doing the kind of reporting that you do, Nic. I’m glad to have you have an assignment that’s about bringing some happy news and about bringing families together. We’re going to be back with you later this hour and also in the next hour for some more reunions.

Nic Robertson, in Bagram.

We’re not going to let the Taylor family get away just yet. They’re still standing by in Blue Springs, Missouri.

You weren’t able to see her face I don’t think, were you?

J. TAYLOR: No, we weren’t able -- we could see her face, yes. KAGAN: You could?

J. TAYLOR: Yes.

KAGAN: I think some people might think well she didn’t have that much to say, but first of all, very emotional to hear your voices, and I think a few tears kind of was telling the story there.

J. TAYLOR: Yes.

KAGAN: I think she might be a little bit homesick.

J. TAYLOR: Yes. We miss her. We really miss her.

L. TAYLOR: If she’s homesick -- she tells us that on the phone.

KAGAN: So you’ve been able to talk quite a bit?

J. TAYLOR: We get to talk to her, you know, probably once a week. Dave gets to talk to her more. You know, he’s kind of number one on the list.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

KAGAN: Yes, Dave, I want to be a little bit nosy here and ask a couple questions that are none of my business, OK?

J. TAYLOR: OK.

KAGAN: How long have you guys been together, you and Ruthann?

KAGAN: How long have you guys been together, you and Ruthann?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ruthann and I?

KAGAN: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kind of put me on the spot.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About a year and a half.

KAGAN: And how did you meet?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From work.

KAGAN: From work? Because she was sheriff's deputy before she went over?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me?

KAGAN: She was a sheriff's deputy here? What was she doing before she went over?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was a deputy sheriff here. KAGAN: Yes. And that's what you do, too?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

KAGAN: And then you are also a Reservist. That was interesting for Nic to bring up that, actually, you could get called up as well. But you guys might kind of cross in the air. She could come back and then you could be sent over.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is some talk about it. I don't really know for sure.

KAGAN: We will just wait and see what happens with that.

Well, the Taylor family, and also Dave Fisher (ph), I want to thank you for joining us and letting us kind of crash your Fourth of July celebration there for a little bit. And, hopefully, we brought some warm memories and this will be a Fourth of July that you won't forget for a long time.

J. TAYLOR: OK, thank you. Thank you so much.

KAGAN: Really enjoy it. A happy holiday, a happy and safe holiday to your family.

J. TAYLOR: OK, same to you.

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