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American Morning
Brother of One of Sniper Victims Speaks Out
Aired October 15, 2002 - 07:33 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: Back to the story out of the Virginia area. The Washington area sniper is causing a wave of fear and leaving a trail of tragedy. The Meyers family are among those coping with the pain. Dean Meyers was shot last week at a gas station in Manassas, Virginia. Meyers was a 53-year-old civil engineer who had worked in Manassas for 20 years. He leaves behind three brothers along with eight nieces and nephews.
And his brother Bob joins us now from Philadelphia.
Good morning, Bob.
Thanks so much for being with us.
BOB MEYERS, BROTHER OF SNIPER VICTIM: Good morning, Paula.
ZAHN: Let me ask you this, I know that police are not linking last night's shooting in Fairfax County, Virginia to the other sniper killings, but when you heard about the shooting last night, what went through your mind?
MEYERS: Oh, mine and the hearts of those that I was with sank because once again we received the same kind of news that we've received so many times before.
ZAHN: So it wouldn't surprise you to think if police are ultimately able to link this to the sniper?
MEYERS: Not at all.
ZAHN: Let's talk about a little bit, as painful as this is, about what your family has had to confront in the last couple of years. You just lost your brother Dean to a sniper. You lost your wife a couple of years ago to a car accident. I know you come from an extremely close family. How tested has your strength been?
MEYERS: Well, it's really a matter of decision. Certainly there are emotions, but we have chosen to trust god through these circumstances rather than question him. And as a result of that, we have the strength to go on because he carries us along and we recognize that he's in control and we let him do it.
ZAHN: Your brother has been heralded as quite a patriot. He served in the Vietnam War and he was wounded there. Describe to us a little bit more about the years of your service of your brother's life to this country. MEYERS: He was drafted some time after high school and he was trained in the States and then shipped out to Vietnam. He worked in search and destroy missions out in the jungle and his wounding took place on March 8, 1970, as a result of a bullet from a Viet Cong.
ZAHN: How strongly did he feel about how important that service was to his country?
MEYERS: You know, he was an extreme patriot, but he was very quiet about it. He didn't really draw attention to himself. He didn't really tell us a whole lot about his experience there. We're learning more now than we knew over all these years because some of the men that were there in the field with him have contacted us and told us many details that he never felt that it was appropriate to share.
ZAHN: We've been just looking at pictures of your brother enjoying the great outdoors. He really loved fishing and canoeing and enjoying nature, didn't he?
MEYERS: Yes, he did. He loved overnight canoe trips with friends from the D.C. area that he worked with.
ZAHN: I understand he was also quite passionate about cars, too. Tell us about the wild carrot.
MEYERS: The wild carrot was a '32 Ford channeled, which means the body was taken down over the frame, painted orange and black with no hood. And he bought that before he went to Vietnam and when he came back it was there waiting for him.
ZAHN: Just some final thoughts on what his life represented to you and just how your faith, I know you have a great belief in god and all that, but just how your faith has been tested by the randomness of what your family has gone through.
MEYERS: It is just a shock. In my wife's case, frankly, it's been determined that she was at fault in the accident and for whatever reason. But in this case, you know, there's so little known about the cause and the reason and all, it makes it much more difficult to deal with, but yet the same answers are true this time around.
ZAHN: And just a final question about how law enforcement has dealt with you. Have they been helpful to your family?
MEYERS: Fantastic. For the job that they have to do and the pressure that they're under, they have just been so cooperative. And what we've done is gotten the information we need and the help we need and we've basically left them alone to do their job rather than badgering them for information.
ZAHN: Well, we appreciate your opening up your heart to all of us this morning, Bob. I know it's tough to relive some of these memories. But I guess at the same time you're celebrating your brother's life as well, aren't you? MEYERS: Yes. Just like the last time our decision is to enjoy the memories of the years that we had together rather than bemoan the fact that we don't have a future on earth with him.
ZAHN: Well, again, you're very kind to share so much with us this morning and our thoughts are with your family as they continue to work through this horror of what you have witnessed.
MEYERS: Thank you very much, Paula.
ZAHN: Appreciate your dropping by, Bob.
MEYERS: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 15, 2002 - 07:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Back to the story out of the Virginia area. The Washington area sniper is causing a wave of fear and leaving a trail of tragedy. The Meyers family are among those coping with the pain. Dean Meyers was shot last week at a gas station in Manassas, Virginia. Meyers was a 53-year-old civil engineer who had worked in Manassas for 20 years. He leaves behind three brothers along with eight nieces and nephews.
And his brother Bob joins us now from Philadelphia.
Good morning, Bob.
Thanks so much for being with us.
BOB MEYERS, BROTHER OF SNIPER VICTIM: Good morning, Paula.
ZAHN: Let me ask you this, I know that police are not linking last night's shooting in Fairfax County, Virginia to the other sniper killings, but when you heard about the shooting last night, what went through your mind?
MEYERS: Oh, mine and the hearts of those that I was with sank because once again we received the same kind of news that we've received so many times before.
ZAHN: So it wouldn't surprise you to think if police are ultimately able to link this to the sniper?
MEYERS: Not at all.
ZAHN: Let's talk about a little bit, as painful as this is, about what your family has had to confront in the last couple of years. You just lost your brother Dean to a sniper. You lost your wife a couple of years ago to a car accident. I know you come from an extremely close family. How tested has your strength been?
MEYERS: Well, it's really a matter of decision. Certainly there are emotions, but we have chosen to trust god through these circumstances rather than question him. And as a result of that, we have the strength to go on because he carries us along and we recognize that he's in control and we let him do it.
ZAHN: Your brother has been heralded as quite a patriot. He served in the Vietnam War and he was wounded there. Describe to us a little bit more about the years of your service of your brother's life to this country. MEYERS: He was drafted some time after high school and he was trained in the States and then shipped out to Vietnam. He worked in search and destroy missions out in the jungle and his wounding took place on March 8, 1970, as a result of a bullet from a Viet Cong.
ZAHN: How strongly did he feel about how important that service was to his country?
MEYERS: You know, he was an extreme patriot, but he was very quiet about it. He didn't really draw attention to himself. He didn't really tell us a whole lot about his experience there. We're learning more now than we knew over all these years because some of the men that were there in the field with him have contacted us and told us many details that he never felt that it was appropriate to share.
ZAHN: We've been just looking at pictures of your brother enjoying the great outdoors. He really loved fishing and canoeing and enjoying nature, didn't he?
MEYERS: Yes, he did. He loved overnight canoe trips with friends from the D.C. area that he worked with.
ZAHN: I understand he was also quite passionate about cars, too. Tell us about the wild carrot.
MEYERS: The wild carrot was a '32 Ford channeled, which means the body was taken down over the frame, painted orange and black with no hood. And he bought that before he went to Vietnam and when he came back it was there waiting for him.
ZAHN: Just some final thoughts on what his life represented to you and just how your faith, I know you have a great belief in god and all that, but just how your faith has been tested by the randomness of what your family has gone through.
MEYERS: It is just a shock. In my wife's case, frankly, it's been determined that she was at fault in the accident and for whatever reason. But in this case, you know, there's so little known about the cause and the reason and all, it makes it much more difficult to deal with, but yet the same answers are true this time around.
ZAHN: And just a final question about how law enforcement has dealt with you. Have they been helpful to your family?
MEYERS: Fantastic. For the job that they have to do and the pressure that they're under, they have just been so cooperative. And what we've done is gotten the information we need and the help we need and we've basically left them alone to do their job rather than badgering them for information.
ZAHN: Well, we appreciate your opening up your heart to all of us this morning, Bob. I know it's tough to relive some of these memories. But I guess at the same time you're celebrating your brother's life as well, aren't you? MEYERS: Yes. Just like the last time our decision is to enjoy the memories of the years that we had together rather than bemoan the fact that we don't have a future on earth with him.
ZAHN: Well, again, you're very kind to share so much with us this morning and our thoughts are with your family as they continue to work through this horror of what you have witnessed.
MEYERS: Thank you very much, Paula.
ZAHN: Appreciate your dropping by, Bob.
MEYERS: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
