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American Morning

Autopsies Have Begun on Bodies of Dozen Miners; Discussion With Parents of Randy McCloy; Ariel Sharon's Status

Aired January 05, 2006 - 09:30   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The bodies of the dozen miners who died here at the Sago mine number one are now in Charleston in the Medical Examiner's Office where autopsies have already begun. Autopsies very important, of course, because ultimately what is learned from them will tell them what happened at the mine, and perhaps most important how mines can be made safer, potentially, in the future. John Law is with the medical examiner's office. He joins us now from Charleston.
Mr. Law, good to have you with us. The autopsies have begun. Is there anything you can tell us yet? Do you have any information to share?

JOHN LAW, W. VA. HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES: We do not have information to share yet. The autopsies began this morning. The bodies arrived last night. Under West Virginia law, we will not be able to share a great deal of information about the autopsies with the public. We will, however, share it with the families.

M. O'BRIEN: Can you give us a sense of the kinds of questions you hope to answer by doing these autopsies?

LAW: Well, we're doing total autopsies. When you do an autopsy, you can either do an autopsy just to determine the cause of death, or you can do a total autopsy that takes a broader look at the body. We're doing total autopsies, and cause of death will be a primary determination,how these men died. We will also do toxicology screens, for instance, to se what was in their bloodstream when they died.

Obviously looking for things like carbon monoxide would be high on your list.

Let me ask you this, there are some people who for various reasons may not wish to have their loved one be autopsied. If that is the wishes of the family in this case, for whatever reason, what would the state's position be on that?

LAW: In West Virginia, if the death was for a questionable cause, the state can do an autopsy. Dr. Kaplan, our state medical examiner yesterday, spoke with all of the families involved and explained to them the process that was happening happening and told them what would happen and when the bodies would be available.

M. O'BRIEN: The -- there is a consent -- there is a perception, I should say, among people who watch shows like "CSI," for example, that an autopsy will be able to offer a tremendous amount of precision as to what happened. And I think one of the key questions will be, how long were those miners able to survive? Will those kinds of questions be able to be answered?

LAW: I don't want to speculate on what can exactly be answered by the autopsy, because things are different with the individual person. We watch these shows on television, and we all do. They're great entertainment. But they are, like much television, a little bit of fantasy. You don't always get the answers that they can get, and you certainly might not get them as quickly as they can get them. You don't get the answers between commercials.

M. O'BRIEN: Will, ultimately, though, do you think this will shed enough light on this to help make these mines safer, perhaps prevent another accident. Well, I think it will shed enough light to tell us how these men died, what they went through before they died, and ultimately, the information will probably be used in the investigation of what caused this disaster. So the answer to your question is yes.

LAW: John Law is with the state medical examiner's office, joining us from Charleston. Thank you for your time, sir.

(NEWSBREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get back to West Virginia and the Sago mine tragedy. One flicker of good news in all of the bad news is the survivor, Randy McCloy, the sole survivor. He is reported in critical, but stable condition by his doctors.

Joining this morning from Morgantown, West Virginia, is Randy McCloy's mother, Tambra Flint and also his stepfather, Tim Flint.

Thank you for talking with us. I certainly appreciate it. Let's begin with you, Tambra, if we can.

You spent time at the hospital and at Randy's bedside. How does he look to you? How is he responding?

TAMBRA FLINT, RANDY MCCLOY'S MOTHER: He's fighting. He's fighting really hard. His body is trying to get rid of, you know, the gases, and you can just tell he's fighting really hard to become completely, you know, awake and alert, and he's making all kinds of bodily movements. I mean, he's really trying to get up and move.

S. O'BRIEN: Is he responding to things that you say and you do? You say he's kind of aware and kind of awake. Tell me sort of how he's responding.

TAMBRA FLINT: For instance, when, you know, you talk about things that he really loves to do or if his children are around, he's moving a lot more. You can just tell that he's aware.

S. O'BRIEN: That's very good news. Tim, let me ask you a question. What have the doctors told you, told both of you, about his prognosis. I know things are being watched closely and very carefully right now?

TIM FLINT, RANDY MCCLOY'S STEPFATHER: There are concerns with the heart, the liver, the kidneys. Also with a lack of oxygen, or the quality of it, there are still concerns with brain activity, but the doctors are -- they always have to give you sort of the darker side of it, and -- but from what I'm seing up there, he's fighting, and I think he's aware of what's going on. He's just fighting every second to get stronger so he can get up and see his kids.

S. O'BRIEN: That's terrific news. You know, we spoke to his wife, Randy's wife, your daughter-in-law, and she said to us the other day that he had concerns when he went down into that mine. He's a relatively new miner. Did he ever share those concerns with you, Tambra?

TAMBRA FLINT: No. He really didn't speak to me about work very much. I could tell he didn't really want to talk to me about it. I think he knew that I was already worried about him, just because I know the dangers. And he really didn't share those things with me.

S. O'BRIEN: What do you make of the apology that we heard yesterday from the mine officials about the length of time in notifying the family members who were overjoyed and then, obviously, suddenly grieving for the loss of the 12 miners who did not survive?

TAMBRA FLINT: We feel very -- you know, very bad about that. We were there when all that happened and we just, you know, were walking out of there saying we just don't understand. This can't be right. You know. It was wrong for them to have to wait like that and think that their loved ones, you know, were OK, and then to find out that they weren't.

S. O'BRIEN: It's got to be a pretty bitter pill to have to choke down for a lot of the people who live there. Have you been keeping in touch with your friends back at the mine? Because, obviously, you're quite a distance away now as you keep your vigil at the hospital.

TAMBRA FLINT: You know, we're watching the TV and things that we see there. And through some of his other miner friends, you know, that also work for that mine. But, you know, we're really trying to focus right now on my son getting better.

S. O'BRIEN: Gosh, well, certainly, we wish you the very best. We hope we hear really good news from you soon and that, you know, he's someone who can probably fill in a lot of the gaps in what happened down there. I'm sure you'd be interested to know, as well.

Tambra Flint, the mother of the mine survivor, Randy McCloy, and also Tim Flint as well. Thank you for talking with us.

TIM FLINT: Thank you.

TAMBRA FLINT: Thanks. S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, we've got much more on the developing story out of the Middle East. Israeli Prime minister Ariel Sharon has had a massive stroke. He'd been taking blood thinners, as well. What kind of complication did that cause? "House Call" is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. We're back after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: As we've been reporting, the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has had a massive stroke. It happened on Wednesday.

Dr. Ralph Sacco is the chairman of the Stroke Advisory Board for the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association. He's also professor of neurology at Columbia Presbyterian.

Nice to see. Thank you for talking with us.

RALPH SACCO, NEUROLOGIST: Thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: Well, we just want to get some information on the kind of stroke that he suffered, because there are actually a couple. They've been calling this one a cerebral hemorrhage. And that's different than the kind of stroke that Ariel Sharon suffered the first time around, isn't it?

SACCO: That's right. All strokes are when there is damage to the brain, usually from blood vessels. Some are caused by blockages of blood vessels. That's the more common kind of stroke. Some strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain. And it sounds like that's the kind of stroke he had, which is when the blood vessel in the brain leaks blood into the substance of the brain and then causes problems.

S. O'BRIEN: What are the major problems or the major complications that are caused? Is it just, essentially, how do you stop the bleeding?

SACCO: Well, that's one of the things you have to worry about in a bleeding stroke. Like any stroke, the problems are that the brain is injured. So when the brain is injured, you have symptoms -- paralysis, unconsciousness, weakness, numbness, tingling.

So where the brain is injured causes the stroke and then how big it is is one of the things we worry about. The larger the stroke, of course, the more significant impact it has on someone's health.

S. O'BRIEN: Ariel Sharon obviously is not a patient of yours. Never examined the guy.

SACCO: That's right.

S. O'BRIEN: But there are certain things that doctors know -- especially stroke specialists -- know about the survivability of certain kinds of strokes. Give me a percentage, if you will, of how survivable is this kind of stroke? SACCO: Well, bleeding strokes have a greater risk of mortality, greater risk of dying within the first 30 days than, say, non-bleeding strokes. But every stroke can affect survival. I think what's most important is how big the stroke is, where in the brain and what the cause is. I mean, numbers will only be correct if we note all of the facts.

S. O'BRIEN: So lots of variability.

SACCO: But bleeding strokes can have variability, and bleeding strokes can have more impact on survival and mortality and morbidity.

S. O'BRIEN: How about this: would you ever expect a full recovery, where someone, after a cerebral hemorrhage, can sort of come right back 100 percent?

SACCO: Well, I think it's important to remember that some people survive strokes and do incredibly well. It does depend on size, location and the type of stroke. So it's still probably too early to make an important prognosis. From what it sounds like to me, this is a large bleeding stroke and large bleeding strokes are of concern.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, his doctors have not actually specified a lot of information. There are a couple of factors that I would imagine have to affect the survivability, as well. One, he's obese, morbidly obese. And two, he's been on blood thinners, I guess, to help with the other kind of stroke he suffered back earlier in December. Give me a sense of how those would affect his recovery now.

SACCO: Well, obesity is a big problem. First of all, obesity then leads to factors that can cause bleeding strokes like high blood pressure, diabetes. These are the factors that can lead to bleeding strokes. So we want to reduce weight as much as possible to reduce blood pressure. The American Heart Association is really pushing campaigns to reduce blood pressure and reduce weight through diet and exercise, no fad diets, things like that.

The blood thinners are also important because, you know, all medicines -- we use them to try to prevent risks. And in this case, I assume there were certain blood thinners to prevent blood clots, prevent certain types of strokes. But all medicines also have risks. By thinning the blood, you can also increase the risk of bleeding.

S. O'BRIEN: So you're trying to stop the bleeding in the head. If he's on blood thinners, that's more complicated because you're stopping blood from clotting, which is what you need to happen in the head.

SACCO: Right. But once you have bleeding in the brain, then everything needs to be done to reduce that chance of bleeding. Reversing blood thinners, reducing the size of the blood clot, using even some new medicines that are out there to prevent clots from expanding. So everything you can do to reduce bleeding in bleeding strokes is critical.

S. O'BRIEN: Well, everybody is watching to see exactly what happens, because obviously not just his health on the line here. A lot of the state of the Middle East as well. Dr. Sacco, thank you for talking with us. Neurology professor at Columbia Presbyterian.

SACCO: Thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: A short break. We're back in just a moment.

(MARKET REPORT)

S. O'BRIEN: It is the new year, obviously, and our New You Resolution kicks off once again. It's going to happen on Monday. You want to join us as six people will work to change their lives this year. Each has a partner to keep them on track. Our own Dr. Sanjay Gupta is goin to be the guide. The New You Resolution starts Monday right here on AMERICAN MORNING.

And remember, we start at 6:00 a.m. Eastern.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Just about 15 minutes ago, the nominees were announced for the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Now again, "Brokeback Mountain" leading the way.

Here to tell us some of the good news, entertainment correspondent Brooke Anderson.

She's live in L.A. this morning.

Hey, Brooke, good morning.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Soledad. Good morning.

A little outcast there to kick off the report on the nominations. That's fun. Let's talk about the SAG Awards, and briefly I want to mention why this awards show is significant, why it stands out in the sea of other awards shows. The Screen Actors Guild is considered one of the prominent trade groups in Hollywood. It represents nearly 120,000 actors. This show is actors voting on their peers. It's very, very meaningful. Many argue this is the second most important awards show behind the Oscars every single year.

All right, let's get right to the top nominees from this morning, "Brokeback Mountain," as you mentioned, Soledad, big day for these guys. Heath Ledger nominated for best actor, also Jake Gyllenhaal best supporting actor, best supporting actress, Michelle Williams, and they also got a best cast nomination, the big one.

Moving on to "Crash," the film about race issues that's set in Los Angeles. Very good film. Don Cheadle and Matt Dillon both nominated in the best actor category, well deserved, and they got the best ensemble cast nomination as well.

Now to "Good Night and Good Luck." It's the story of Edward R. Murrow. David Strathairn, who plays Edward R. Murrow in the movie, nominated for best actor here. There's also a best ensemble cast nomination for "Good Night and Good Luck." So George Clooney is part of that best ensemble-cast nomination.

Now Clooney not only nominated there, but also nominated as best supporting actor for "Syriana," which is the story of oil corruption -- in the oil industry, excuse me. So George Clooney having a big day as well.

A woman who is having a very, very big day, Felicity Huffman, three nominations. Two of those are for "Desperate Housewives." One is best actress in a comedy. And let me tell you, shows the only actress from "Desperate Housewives" to receive an individual nomination. So many people were a little bit surprised by that, but those actresses were included in the best ensemble cast comedy category. Felicity Huffman also nominated on the film side of things for her work in "TransAmerica." It's the story of a transgendered person.

And "Grey's Anatomy," three nominations as well. A big day for them also. The 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild awards will be handed out January 29th.

Soledad, back to you.

S. O'BRIEN: All right, Brook, thanks for the wrap-up. Appreciate it.

Let's get a final check with Miles. He's been reporting for us all morning and over the past couple of days from the Sago mine in West Virginia -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, Soledad, investigation is under way. The autopsies of the 12 men under way as well, and we just got word that Upshur County, here in West Virginia, there will be a countywide memorial for those who lost their lives here on January 15th.

And stay with CNN as we continue our coverage of the loss of these 12 miners at the Sago mines -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: All right, Miles, thanks.

And of course, we're going to continue to update you throughout the morning on our other big stories today, The condition of Ariel Sharon and also the deadly violence coming to us from Iraq today as well. Those stories will continue to be covered.

Daryn Kagan is going to be taking you through the next couple of hours on "CNN LIVE TODAY." Let's check in with her. She's at the CNN Center this morning.

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