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Killer Storms at Least 21 Dead; Help for Myanmar; First Wedding Photos

Aired May 11, 2008 - 14:00   ET

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

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We lost everything, but we're alive, you know. We believe god was watching over us.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Amazing stories of survival, and sadness at this hour. As deadly tornadoes sweep across the south, we've got death and damage spread across a huge area and new storms brewing right now.

Hello, everyone, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. You're in the NEWSROOM. We're covering breaking news this Sunday.

It was indeed a killing spree that stretched halfway across the country. A powerful storm, the system spawned tornadoes in Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas and Georgia, claiming at least 21 lives. And close to one full day after the first funnel clouds were spotted, they're still going through debris, hunting for survivors, or perhaps even bodies. Some areas look just like war zones according to a lot of eyewitnesses. Homes, trees, cars, all fell victim to the deadly storms and winds. Said one eyewitness in Oklahoma today, he said, I swear I could see cars floating. It really is surreal just looking at some of the images there we're starting to receive.

Jacqui Jeras is in the severe weather center. You've been busy the last few days. This is an incredible system. A very fierce season.

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. We've been a little bit above average by the way, too. If you want some more statistics on that, make sure you stick around, because at the bottom of the hour we're going to talk about our number of fatalities and number of tornadoes and how that compares to years past.

Right now we have breaking news to tell you about and yes, another tornado warning. That's still ongoing. You can see the watch in place there that covers parts of the Appalachian Mountain chains there throughout West Virginia and eastern Kentucky. Well, it's just north of Columbus, Ohio, where a tornado warning has been issued for eastern Delaware County.

Now, this is probably what we call a cold air funnel, as temperatures are very cold aloft. We get a lot of orticity (ph) or a lot of spin with this system. And so there have been a number of reports by trained spotters that they've seen a lot of funnels with this. This storm is moving up to the north and the east. You need to take it seriously, because funnel clouds can drop down and cause some damage. It is still a threat. So again, looking at a possible tornado just to the north of Columbus, Ohio.

Now, we also have a lot of storms around the Charleston area. Most of these are some strong winds, or some hail-makers. You are under that tornado watch. So we could see some rotation with these. We're also keeping a close eye over here in parts of Virginia and down into the Carolinas, as those storms move eastward. We'll likely see these watches extend farther to the east as well. We also had a watch earlier across South Georgia, northern Florida, the southern part of Florida now could see some isolated severe weather as well. Otherwise we're mostly just looking at heavy rain.

So the system not nearly as potent, not nearly as strong as yesterday, Fredericka, so we're not looking at a widespread outbreak of tornadoes. But we may see a few, and that's the case going on north of Columbus right now.

WHITFIELD: Wow, frightening stuff. Hopefully people will stay tuned to get more information on these watches and warnings. Thanks so much, Jacqui.

Of course, we have reporters in two hard-hit communities. CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti is in Picher, Oklahoma, along the Kansas border. And our Nicole Lapin is in Ellenwood, Georgia outside Atlanta. Let's begin with you, Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This has just been a complete scene of devastation, Fredericka, in the town of Picher. Let me give you just a sweeping view of what we're looking at. This is in one neighborhood here on one end of town. Of course, you can see uprooted trees. You see homes literally obliterated. Plywood lying everywhere. Doors, trees, cars overturned.

Let's take a sweep over in this direction as well. And you see this house also destroyed. Another one back there. One here. And people, of course, are, as you always see, in these cases, going through to see what, if anything, they can salvage.

Here, back over in this direction, looks like a cedar chest lying here on the ground. A woman lives here by herself, and a friend of hers is Sherri Mills.

Sherri, I know that the home owner is on her way over here so we won't reveal her name at this time. But you are also familiar with this neighborhood and probably a lot of the people who lived here. This woman lived by herself, so fortunately she wasn't here. Has she seen the destruction yet?

SHERRI MILLS, PICHER, OKLAHOMA RESIDENT: She has not. I talked to her son a few minutes allege. I told him what to expect. He said, it's OK, because I have my mom. His mom had went to Branson for the weekend to be with the two kids. And thank god she wasn't here, because there isn't anything left. He said, it's OK. He kept saying, it's OK. I've got my mom. My mom's right here with me. That's what's important. You've got your family here. But they've lost everything. I mean, the house was a two-story, big brick home. This is what it's done to a brick home. The tree is laying in front of the fireplace. We're saving pictures. I found this medal of one of the girls who's in the junior miss. I found that and put it around my neck.

CANDIOTTI: It may not seem like much to some people. But this has meaning.

MILLS: The daughter had died in '95. And it was like what you have left is pictures. Those can't replace because she's not here. We found pictures of Cassie and things that's going to mean something later that you can't replace that. Found the baby pictures.

CANDIOTTI: Briefly, Sherri, I also want to turn this way a little bit and let our photographer show you a little bit of the history of this town. You see all this gravel pits. This is an old lead and zinc mining town that had its height back in World War II. And then a decline over the years, they discovered pollution here. And a superfund was set up to clean this up. It has been going on four years. A lot of these homeowners have had their homes purchased by the government. But there's been delay after delay after delay to try to buy out the homeowners here. A lot of the people are waiting to be purchased out by the government and in fact, at this time, we're even standing on an old mine. They've had a lot of cave-ins over the years, pollution has been documented and now to have this, as one home owner told me, this is just the dying breath of the town of Picher. Seven people at least killed here. Many of them we were told by police found in their vehicles.

Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Wow wuite extraordinary. Thank you so much, Susan, from Picher, Oklahoma.

In all, at least 21 killed is the number so far not only just in Oklahoma, but collectively with Missouri and one being claimed in Georgia.

In fact, let's go now to Ellenwood, Georgia, outside Atlanta where one person was killed. Nicole Lapin is there in Ellenwood to report on the devastation there.

Nicole?

NICOLE LAPIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Fred, as we were driving up to this area, I was so amazed by some of the beautifully manicured lawns, and really these gorgeous brand-new homes in this community. You can see what is now left of some of these beautiful new tract housing, inside these custom kitchens. You can see inside of this one specific house into the kitchen, into the living room. So that is what's left of this house. And then you see right there in the neighbor's house outside, it also hit this new jaguar. You can see inside, DVD players, navigation system. All of the back is blown out there.

Take a look at this little pink jeep, Fred. I want you to remember this jeep while we walk over here, because as we were driving up, I also noticed that it almost looked like it was snowing on a lot of these cars. But obviously it is May. It's not snow, it's a lot of this insulation that's coming to us from inside the house, as it's blowing. The winds are still pretty strong at this hour. Remember I told you about the pink jeep. That pink jeep came from across the street early this morning from the family here. This is the family here. That's your little daughter's jeep?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's my daughter's little jeep. She's going to be heart broken when she sees it. It's broke all to pieces.

LAPIN: But it's just stuff. Everybody's OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right, yeah. Everything's fine.

LAPIN: What did it feel like early this morning? You kind of made this re-inaction for me?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like, I don't know, weird. It was like -- and then you can hear it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very hard wind, rain. Just real, real hard glass breaking, wood flying. Just crazy, stuff going everywhere.

LAPIN: You guys went down to the basement for shelter?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

LAPIN: And everybody was OK down there, right, mom?

VERNITA BODDIE, TORNADO SURVIVOR: Yes. Everybody was fine. They remembered the fire safety and hid in the closet. So they were good.

LAPIN: And it is mother's day. This obviously isn't the way you guys expected to spend mother's day. What was the plan?

LAWRENCE BODDIE, TORNADO SURVIVOR: Well, the plan is to go to some friends' house and have a big meal for the family. Which we're still doing. This don't stop it. It just kind of slowed things down. Mom will still have her day. Just pushed back a little bit. But it's still going to happen.

LAPIN: Thanks so much, guys. Everybody is just fine.

Fred, as you see they were talking about, a lot of the siding still on the ground. Some of the wood. And really, the plans go on for this mother's day. It just includes some unexpected cleanup.

WHITFIELD: Nicole, any way of knowing just how many houses were hit in that community? We saw the two homes that were damaged, we're just trying to envision the hopscotch type of pattern with the tornado? Or did it just go through a straight line?

LAPIN: It was almost a hopscotch. But this is really the heart of it. We're in the cul-de-sac here. You can see the one cul-de-sac area is really where the brunt of the damage came. And so it hopscotched, like you said, over some of these houses just down thee street. Which is what we saw when we were driving in. Some of those well-manicured houses that are just fine. But this area caught the brunt of it.

WHITFIELD: Nicole Lapin, thank you so much there, in Ellenwood, Georgia.

Of course this is tornado season, particularly in the south. And the last couple of weeks have been extremely intense. Twisters hit Virginia and other mid-Atlantic states in late April. And they hit the Mississippi Valley in early May, with Arkansas suffering heavy damage. Then just last week, more tornadoes in the south and southeast. Take a look at the surveillance video showing cars being upended in Alabama.

President Bush touched on this weekend's storms during a brief conversation with reporters in Texas as he was departing from Waco just a short time ago.

PRES. GEORGE BUSH, UNITED STATES: Laura and I want to wish everybody a happy mother's day. Just a special day to give thanks to our moms. We appreciate the hard work that moms do. And I understand that for some, however, mother's day is a sad day. Those who lost their lives in Oklahoma and Missouri and Georgia because of the tornadoes, or wondering whether or not tomorrow will be a bright and hopeful day. We send our prayers to those who lost their lives, the families of those who lost their lives. And the federal government will be moving hard to help. I'll be in touch with the governors.

WHITFIELD: The president spoke to reporters in Waco, Texas there. He spent the weekend at his ranch, of course, for his daughter, Jenna's, wedding.

If you have seen any storm damage where you are, we're anxious to see your photos or your videos. Just go to CNN.com on your computer and click onto I report icon. Of course, we'll be able to convey some of your images to our audience as well. Missouri also hit hard by the storms. Search and rescue efforts are still under way. We'll check in with an official on the ground there next.

CHIEF JEFFREY PIERCE: I'm Chief Jeffrey Pierce for the 22nd Naval Construction Regime in Iraq. I want to wish a happy mother's day to my wife Michelle back in Gulfport, Mississippi. I love you, honey, and I'll see you soon.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Images of the tornado terror hitting at least three states overnight. Missouri hit hard, kill at least 14 people. Lieutenant John Hotz joins us now by phone.

Lieutenant, we're getting conflicting reports of the number of victims for your state, anywhere from at least 13 to 14 killed, and dozens more injured. Can you update me on the numbers you have?

LT. JOHN HOTZ, MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL: Right now we have 14 confirmed fatalities. 12 of them in Newton County, one in Jasper County and one in Barry County. We have a couple of people who are missing in Newton County. Of course, the search and recovery efforts are still under way, seeing if we can't locate those people.

WHITFIELD: Are these three counties side by side? Can you give me an idea of how you've been able to assess the hard-hit areas and are you certain you have located all of the areas touched by a tornado?

HOTZ: We are in the process right now of using patrol helicopters to survey the area and make sure that there is no area that is damaged that we have not yet -- we have not yet looked at.

WHITFIELD: Were these areas, places where folks knew about the severe weather? Did they get warnings? Were there sirens going off, et cetera?

HOTZ: I don't know what the extent of the warnings were in these particular areas. They are -- it is a fairly rural area. And there was a fairly lengthy path of destruction left by the storm.

WHITFIELD: You're going to be using patrol helicopters. How else will you -- or what other kind of apparatus will you be using to reach all those in greatest need?

HOTZ: We've been on the ground, of course, since yesterday. The Missouri highway patrol, Missouri water patrol, dozens of local law enforcement, and emergency response agencies have been doing house-to- house searches, have been looking in the damaged areas to see if there are any other victims in those particular areas.

WHITFIELD: And what about for the survivors that you contacted? How do you help them get to some temporary shelter? What kind of assistance can you provide for them?

HOTZ: Well, we're working here in the state of the emergency operation center with the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Americorps, as well as several faith-based organizations to offer them shelter, food, whatever it is that they need. We're getting that assistance to them.

WHITFIELD: Sounds like a lot of community support having to take place to help out so many people in need. Lieutenant John Hotz from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, thanks for the update.

HOTZ: You bet. Thanks.

WHITFIELD: All right. Now abroad to the cyclone ravaged area of Myanmar. The government today raising the death toll there to more than 28,000. The military still making it difficult for relief agencies to deliver aid. We're on the phone with our correspondent in Myanmar. For his safety we are not able to provide his name or exactly where he's located. What's the latest?

CNN CORRESPONDENT IN MYANMAR: Well, the latest is I've been able to get into those areas that were hardest hit by the storm. And you're absolutely right, there is very little aid actually trickling into there. I did see some aid convoys go into there, but they were all local convoys from Myanmar, mostly private people. What you'll see there is a couple of trucks put together by local people to go down into that area.

And the one thing is, there's very little aid coming in. But also with the lack of international organizations down there, really the aid distribution is something that's not being done in a very professional way. You see a lot of people go down there, distribute what they have and just leave. The whole distribution system is not really in place the way that you would maybe see in other areas. We were able today also to get into areas where actually no aid has gotten through at all. Certainly people there are suffering a lot. A lot of people were killed in a lot of these remote villages we were able to go to. Those people have gotten no aid to speak of whatsoever. We were in one village where they told us during the whole past week, remember, this is nine days ago that the storm hit, and this past week, only one person from the government, a local official had come by there and he left two boxes of biscuits for the people. Everything else they had to provide for themselves. They were lucky they still had rice in their village. They say their resources are depleting very fast, no drinking water, no medicine. A very difficult situation in those areas.

WHITFIELD: Wow. This is so heart breaking. We have to apologize for our viewers. The images that you are seeing are very difficult to look at. But this simply underscores the state of affairs there and just how horrible conditions are.

Now, let me ask you, if you can explain some of the logic, for lack of a better word, why the military wants to try to distribute the aid coming in from the U.N. and other relief agencies. If they know and if it's public knowledge that they're unable to really distribute it properly, why are they hording these goods? Is it really for their best use, for their own government use?

CNN CORRESPONDENT IN MYANMAR: That's what some people say. We were down in that area today. A lot of people say they believe that the military is taking some of those goods and using it for themselves. Obviously we haven't been able to verify those claims at all because we're trying to avoid the military as much as we can. That is certainly one of the rumors that are out there. People are trying to understand why the military and the government would not want this aid distributed. Or even a lot of it let into the country by professional organizations. That's something many people don't understand. And they can see firsthand that the Myanmar military is just not equipped, or capable of distributing this stuff. We were in one village today, one town today and we saw there the military working there, and trying to distribute some aid. But really, for a huge area, they had one helicopter which was sort of flying in and out boxes of goods to these people. And that is just completely inadequate in that area. Certainly, people there on the ground really don't know the rationale for why the military and the Myanmar government would not allow these international aid groups to come and distribute this because this is professional organizations doing this. They have very professional distribution systems. The Myanmar military clearly does not. WHITFIELD: Meantime, flights were expected to land today. More tomorrow even Tuesday. Are you hearing anything more about whether those plans are still going to be carried out?

CNN CORRESPONDENT IN MYANMAR: Well, it looks as though at this point those plans are still going to be carried out. Of course, there is also an American flight that is supposed to land tomorrow in Yangon. And then really the question is, how do all those goods get distributed. And by who do they get distributed. Obviously the Myanmar military still wants to keep its finger on all of that, wants all those goods to come to the military and be distributed by its soldiers, by its people. That, of course, poses a whole lot of problems as we've seen in the past couple of days. But those plans still appear to be on track. But it is very hard to discern if that indeed is going to take place. Because the situation here can change by the minute.

WHITFIELD: OK. And again, because visas for aid volunteers as well as professionals are continually being denied, thanks so much by our reporter whose name and location we cannot reveal for their security.

Of course, we know you want to help, the people in Myanmar. Here in this country, as well, with the devastation that's taken place here as a result of tornadoes. Well, you can, at CNN.com. We have a special page on the devastation in Myanmar, as well as what's taking place in this country. You can find links to agencies that are organizing help. It's a chance for you to impact your world.

On a much lighter note, now new images of what took place at sundown last night in Texas. Just married. The first daughter ties the knot and we've got the photos.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Here in the NEWSROOM, we continue to watch the storm activity that has led to the deaths of at least 21 people across three states. Missouri, Oklahoma and Georgia. Jacqui Jeras joins us momentarily with what else may be on the horizon.

The future certainly looks bright for Jenna and Henry Hager. The first family managed to keep Jenna Bush's wedding almost completely under wraps. But the proud pa of the bride just a short time ago revealed a few details. And the white house is finally releasing some of the wedding photos from last night's wedding at dusk. Elaine Quijano has your first look at the pictures from Crawford, Texas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Against a back drop of the 1600-acre Crawford ranch, President Bush walked his daughter Jenna down the aisle to her groom, Henry Hager.

BUSH: Jenna married a really good guy, Henry Hager. The wedding was spectacular. It's all we could have hoped for. QUIJANO: The wedding party known in Texas as the house party wore colors reflecting the native Texas wild flowers. The 14 women in chiffon dresses by Dallas designer Leila Rose. While the 14 men wore suits and light blue ties. The bride, in a white silk organza Oscar De La Renta gown, and groom stood before an alter of Texas limestone. Kerby John Caldwell officiated as the couple exchanged vows in front of some 200 family members and friends bused in for the event. Under a tent nestled under a cluster of trees, dinner and dancing to the music of the band the Tyrone Smith Review. Before departing for Washington, the first couple reflected on the moment.

BUSH: Just as the vows were exchanged, the sunset over our lake. Just a special day. And a wonderful day. We're mighty blessed.

QUIJANO: The president will be leaving office in eight months. And has said privately he would like grandchildren sooner rather than later. A point he's already made to daughter Jenna. As he considers life beyond the white house.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, Crawford, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Also we continue to watch the violent storm system that has swept across the country especially overnight. Homes have been turned into piles of pickup sticks, like you see right there. We'll track the destruction, plus this year's tornado season, is it worse than usual? It certainly seems so. Jacqui Jeras has the answer.

JERAS: It seems week after week, Fredricka, we're talking about tornado outbreaks and people dying from tornadoes. But is this really unusual? We'll have that answer for you coming up in just a few minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Now back to our top story. The severe storms that swept across the Southern Plains and the southeast overnight, spawning tornadoes from Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas and Georgia. At least 22 people are dead. Many homes and businesses have been damaged or destroyed. And President Bush is promising help. He says Americans are praying for the victims, the survivors and their families.

Jacqui Jeras is in the Severe Weather Center. Boy, this is really extraordinary. And we know these numbers to be at least 22 dead. But as we heard from officials in any and all of those states, they're still trying to account for a lot of people.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Tough facts to digest, but that is just the way it is right now. Thank you, Jacqui.

Well a surreal scene. That's how survivors in Picher, Oklahoma, described exactly what happened when a tornado ripped through their town. Earlier today, CNN's Betty Nguyen talked with a freelance journalist, Michael Priest, as he toured the damage.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: As we look at this picture, just take us around. Our viewers are not going to be able to see you because you are manning this camera. If you would, just walk us through the neighborhood, kind of describe what used to be here. And, you know, what it's going to take, obviously, a lot, to get this neighborhood back up and running?

MICHAEL PRIEST, FREELANCE JOURNALIST: Yes, that's true. We're right on the edge. You can see back over this way, that you can see where the edge of the total damage is. There's a partial structure still standing there. But then here in the foreground you can see the foundation and see where this house has been completely leveled.

This hole right here that I'm showing you now is where this tree right over here came from. If I can get the shot -- there we go. That tree that you see there in the people's living room came from this hole right here.

NGUYEN: Just picked it up and moved it.

PRIEST: As you can see, there's a hot water tank over here at the base of this tree. And it has sheet metal up in the tree wrapped around it, probably from right here. The most interesting thing I can show you here is this dresser in this house over here still has items on the dresser.

NGUYEN: Wow.

PRIEST: And yet the house around it is almost completely gone. And over to the right, behind this day bed, you can see a cabinet that still has linens and what not in it and then no house around it.

NGUYEN: That is quite remarkable. There's really no rhyme or reason as to why certain things remain intact and others do not in a forceful tornado like this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: That is a scene in Picher, Oklahoma, a town nearly erased from the map. Susan Candiotti is there. Seven reported deaths in Picher alone. Susan, what else are you learning there?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, well, a little while ago we brought you the scene of what happened to Sue Sigle's house. Sue, just a few minutes ago, arrived on the scene and saw what is left, not much.

SUE SIGLE, PICHER HOMEOWNER: No.

CANDIOTTI: Of your home. When you first walked up here, you just had to take your breath away. Tell me what that was like.

SIGLE: Well I had seen pictures already on TV when I was in Branson. So I was kind of prepared, you know.

CANDIOTTI: Your friends had told you that there wasn't anything else?

SIGLE: Yes. And, you know, but as I was telling you, that I've got my family, and that's the most important thing. And I knew God was taking care of me. So I didn't worry until, you know, there will be a lot of things I'll have to do. But I'll be OK.

CANDIOTTI: Indeed. You weren't home when it happened. Now, we happen to have, believe it or not we fished out of the debris here, what the house used to look like. Look at that.

SIGLE: Right. This is an album of the town of Picher. That's what my house looked like.

CANDIOTTI: A brick construction. But it couldn't stand up to the wrath of this storm. So before and after.

SIGLE: Right. Just like a half size basement and then we had upstairs.

CANDIOTTI: Now, Susan, not many people are aware of the history of Picher. You have lived here all your life.

SIGLE: Right.

CANDIOTTI: The government has come in to purchase the homes here.

SIGLE: Right.

CANDIOTTI: They were making take it or leave it offers.

SIGLE: Right.

CANDIOTTI: That because of massive pollution problems and cave ins of the mine fields here. You had been given an offer.

SIGLE: Right.

CANDIOTTI: What was it?

SIGLE: Well, it wasn't what I thought I should be getting. They left off three of my lots. They did not count my 800-foot basement. And so I just told them, you know, they can come back and reappraise it, because I wasn't in any hurry to go anywhere. I love it here.

CANDIOTTI: Are you worried now that maybe they'll offer less?

SIGLE: I think my insurance will probably pay me more than what they offered me. It's probably a blessing for me that this happened.

CANDIOTTI: Really? Can you just show me one thing? You're going through some of the things here. Let's walk over here to this safe. Be careful, don't trip over that wire. Dorothy over here, we have a safe of where you have some memorabilia in there.

SIGLE: Yes.

CANDIOTTI: I think everyone will remember you pulled out something before. What is that?

SIGLE: One of the first things I was looking for was this. A ball signed to my son from Mickey Mantle. He lived about 10 minutes from here and I knew his wife. She grew up on the same street that I lived on and so --

CANDIOTTI: That survived.

SIGLE: This is all my important papers, so we're OK.

CANDIOTTI: All of your papers. I know that you also found something special that your friend here pulled out. And that is a high school jacket, I believe, from your daughter.

SIGLE: My daughter that passed away about eight years ago. And, yeah I was happy to maybe get her stuff. There was a cedar chest full of all her memory stuff. And she had --

CANDIOTTI: That's all over here to the left.

SIGLE: Yeah she had been the junior Miss Ottawa Country and they found her medal and plaques for all that.

CANDIOTTI: How do you pick up the pieces after this?

SIGLE: You have to. You just have to, and go on.

CANDIOTTI: What a Mother's Day. Can you imagine?

SIGLE: Yeah. But you know, I've got my kids. And that's what it's all about, Mother's Day, as long as you have your kids.

CANDIOTTI: Sue, I think we all agree, you're one brave soul.

SIGLE: Thanks.

CANDIOTTI: We wish you well. We wish you well in trying to start your life over again.

SIGLE: Thank you.

CANDIOTTI: All right, thank you very much.

SIGLE: Thank you, honey.

CANDIOTTI: Sue is fortunate in that she was not here when the storm hit. Others were not so fortunate. They were here. Seven people were killed in this small community -- A neighborhood that has been obliterated by this killer tornado. Back to you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right Susan, thanks so much, tough night. Of course, tough day now just to pick up those pieces. We appreciate that report.

Meantime, we've been getting some pretty spectacular views, in addition to that. During this weekend's storms, from our CNN i- Reporters. One of them, Marlon Douglas, well he joins us on the phone from Neosho, Missouri. Marlon, I understand there are at least three counties hit hard there in Missouri. Which one are you in?

MARLON DOUGLAS, I-REPORTER (on phone): I'm in Newton County.

WHITFIELD: Newton County hit pretty hard. What did you see, experience, witness, overnight?

DOUGLAS: It was just unbelievable, just to see the mass of the storm and how wide and how big it was. And just the swift of it. It was just unbelievable. It's something that -- I'm originally from New York and to come here and see that was just unbelievable.

WHITFIELD: Your first time experiencing something like this. What are you hearing, was heard or experienced just prior to the hit?

DOUGLAS: I was about to head to my wife's job, and they called me and said, hey, take cover. I happened to turn around and just started looking and seeing this circle start to -- just starting to hear that roar that you always hear. It's true, it's there, it's like a train. I started recording it, it was unbelievable.

WHITFIELD: So being a New Yorker, you haven't been through a tornado or anything like this before, right? So when they said take cover, was your heart beating pretty fast? Did you know what to expect or were you thinking, oh they're overreacting?

DOUGLAS: No, we had a couple of warnings before. You know, especially during the daytime, you can see, at least you have the view sight to see what's going on around you. And up at a good distance enough that I could react when I did.

WHITFIELD: So, after the storm passed then and you realized, OK, I'm in one piece, everything's OK, were you feeling a huge sense of relief or did you immediately say I want to get out and see what happened?

DOUGLAS: No, I wanted to see where exactly the storm was, my wife's aunt lived. And I knew it would have to hit that area. So I went searching for people on the highway, looking around for people, trying to search homes. Me and a guy hopped in his truck and we went four-wheeling all in the ditches and trying to find people. I went to my wife's aunt's house, and her house was literally in the middle of the road in pieces.

WHITFIELD: Wow, that really explains some of these images we're now looking at because it shows some kind of driving view, and then once you're on the road, what you saw on the side of the road. So kind of talk me through some of these images of the twisted debris and then people who seem to be streaming around, too.

DOUGLAS: Right. There was just so many people just trying to help. There really was people, just chaos. But there was controlled chaos. Realized it was gone, so everybody got together and said, you go here and search for these people, and you go here and search for these people.

Like I said, the cops started coming and me and this guy hopped in his car, we just started looking through homes and yelling and screaming. One guy, the brick picture of the house, the cars in it, he just put a storm shelter in his house two months ago, you know?

You just never know. They're OK. We didn't see any casualties or anything or heard of any in our area. We heard of some later when we got to her aunt's shop. She has a convenience store. We went there. And then we saw all of the, you know, everybody talking about the fatalities and how it goes on. It was just a group effort of people trying their best to do what they can.

WHITFIELD: Your images are really telling. And I can't imagine what it was like for you to see for the first time these vehicles, what appeared to be in one shot, an SUV or maybe van turned to its side, pushed up against another vehicle. When you saw something like that, did you think to yourself, gosh, am I dreaming? Is this real?

DOUGLAS: It was like a movie. It really was. But we thought, the worst is, are these people homes? We started looking through, just started realizing, hey, they're not home. Somebody came and said, these people aren't home, and we went to another house. You never know. Just people happened not to be home. I know a lot -- I know there was a lot of loss of life, but it could have been so much worse, you know? Just to see that devastation, it could have been so much worse.

WHITFIELD: Well, Marlon Douglas, New Yorker and now welcome to your introduction to what it's like to live in Missouri.

DOUGLAS: I'm an official Missourian now.

WHITFIELD: You sure are, you have been baptized, so to speak. Thanks so much for your time and your images, which are extraordinary.

DOUGLAS: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And we're glad that you and your family members and friends are OK. But sadly, at least 14 people have been killed in Missouri. This really was a killer storm and streak of tornadic activity sweeping across three counties alone just in Missouri alone.

If you, too, have seen damage where you are, we're anxious to see your images, photos, video, all that you can bring us. Certainly we don't want you to risk your life or anyone else's in order to get these images to us. Just go to CNN.com on your computer, click on the i-Report icon and try to deliver your images to us.

Well, no flowers, certainly no brunch for one mother today. She's spending Mother's Day with her son in, of all places, Afghanistan.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Lieutenant Colonel Glenn Wright (ph) from Camp Victory, Iraq. I just want to say happy Mother's Day to my mom in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. Mom, I love you and I thank god for you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: For most troops stationed overseas today, mom is a long way away. But one soldier serving with the National Guard in Afghanistan got to say happy Mother's Day actually in person. That's because his mom is serving right there alongside him in the war. They spoke to us from Kabul earlier and I asked them how they ended up both being deployed to Afghanistan simultaneously.

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STAFF SGT. KATHERIN QUINNONES, ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: We just happened to be in the same brigade and our whole brigade was deployed. So we were able to be lucky enough to be sent to the same area.

WHITFIELD: Right. You see this as lucky, right off the bat. Lucky that you're both together, you get to watch your son's back.

K. QUINNONES: Yes, definitely.

WHITFIELD: At the same time, private first class, I mean, your mom's nearby. You know, you've got to watch your Ps and Qs all the time. Tell me what that's like.

SPC. PEDRO QUINNONES, ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: Yeah, yeah, I do. But, you know, it's always good having your mom around. As you said, watching your Ps and Qs and everything. It's good having her around.

WHITFIELD: Here it is, Mother's Day weekend. So many of the other troops wish they could be with their moms who are stationed abroad, wish they could be with their mom on this weekend. You kind of have the bonus. How do you make this weekend special for your mom?

P. QUINNONES: Well, we've been together for the past couple days, so we've done all the, I guess mother and son things.

WHITFIELD: Like what?

P. QUINNONES: We went shopping together. You know, just had a -- yeah. Just been together for the past couple days. I guess it's pretty good.

WHITFIELD: Do your fellow comrades rib you a bit that you got your mama around?

P. QUINNONES: Yeah, definitely. They all wish they had their mothers around, too, actually. WHITFIELD: Yeah. So, sergeant, when you both -- when you learned that you both would be in the same place, deployed at the same time, give me an idea of what that felt like.

K. QUINNONES: Truthfully, part of me was excited because I get to have part of my family with me. But at the same time I was worried because my son is deployed. He's away in a war zone. So I'm a little nervous at the same time. I was a little shocked at first.

WHITFIELD: Now clearly, you've been in the military longer than your son, and when he initially said to you, hey, I'm signing up, too, I guess initially you must have felt a little bit nervous about it or not so much?

K. QUINNONES: No, I actually was excited that he was joining. I am very proud to be in the military and my husband was also in the military before. So he's seen both of us and what we've done. It was a very easy decision for him to go in the military also.

WHITFIELD: Giving this military family, then you all knew about the potential of a private first class, give me an idea of really what it felt like that you knew you would be deployed to a war zone, let alone being with your mom.

P. QUINNONES: I had a whole bunch of different feelings, to be honest with you. Just going over, just supporting my country, and as everybody knows, you know, when a big thing like this happens, you're also doing stuff back at home. I was actually planning for a wedding and everything and all sorts of stuff.

WHITFIELD: Your wedding?

P. QUINNONES: Yes, it's a big shock.

WHITFIELD: Uh-oh. Your wedding? So it's a bit on hold for now?

P. QUINNONES: Yes, ma'am.

WHITFIELD: Well congratulations on your engagement and hopefully at the end of your deployment, the entire family will be in attendance. And you and mom will get a chance to make up for lost time by being back at home and enjoying a great wedding.

P. QUINNONES: Yes.

WHITFIELD: All right, Sergeant Quinnones and Private First Class Quinnones, thanks so much and happy Mother's Day weekend. And all the best to both of you, especially during your deployment. Thanks for your service.

K. QUINNONES: Thank you so much.

P. QUINNONES: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: Oh and by the way, Pedro Quinnones was just promoted from private first class to specialist. So congratulations to him. And again happy Mother's Day to them and to all the moms out there.

All right, tornadoes moving through central and southern parts of the country. We'll track their paths and look at the destruction that they've left behind. Stay with us.

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