Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Dozens of Tornadoes Reported; Mission to Mars; The High Price of Gas; China Earthquake Toll Could Pass 50,000
Aired May 24, 2008 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Ok, the national average for a gallon of gas nears $4. One station tried to keep you laughing. We're just looking for cheaper solutions, of course. Incredible pictures out of the central plains, people there are cleaning up after reports of nearly 100 tornadoes. Find out what part of the country is next in line.
Then the history and high drama behind this weekend's mission to Mars. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM where the news unfolds live this Saturday, May 24th, I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
When we first heard predictions that the China earthquake death toll could top 50,000, a number that big was hard to imagine. As it turns out the number was too low. Today, we begin with two exceptionally bleak new numbers. China says more than 60,000 earthquake deaths are now confirmed and it warns that the final earthquake death toll could top 80,000. That number suggests that nearly two weeks ago after the quake hit, Chinese authorities may be losing hope of finding more survivors.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon toured one of the hardest hit areas today. During the visit, there was a strong aftershock. Ban promised U.N. aid for reconstruction
China's earthquake left millions homeless. CNN's Will Dinick reports on their desperate plight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL DINNICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Chinese government moved in the heavy machinery, promising to spend $10 billion to clean up and rebuild. This is Dujiangyan City, about 30 kilometers from the epicenter where the earthquake ripped apart buildings, destroying lives, forcing many people into the streets. Homeless neighbors now group together. 45-year-old Lilly has eight families pitched under her tent. Every family donates their belongings, says Lilly. Each family will bring something different. They share meals. Someone buys, another cooks. The makeshift living room where everyone pitches in the little they have left. This is their home now. Where they also share those terrifying moments. Artist (INAUDIBLE) is recording it all. Those scenes, moments after the quake and what is left of his neighborhood. "I can't return to my home now," he says, "it is destroyed." It is the same story for so many. An astounding 5 million people are now homeless according to the Chinese government. And they wait. Government officials will inspect the buildings here and if they're found to be unstable they'll bring them down, leveling entire apartments, neighborhoods, even vast sections of cities. But building brand new cities will likely take years. So in Dujiangyan, they're building a temporary city, a scene to be repeated across the earthquake zone. Where normal, everyday life is slowly taking hold. But almost two weeks after the quake, this makeshift city houses only 700 people, when it's finished, only another 800 can move in. And while there's no official tally of the homeless in Dujiangyan, it is likely in this city of more than 600,000, many will have to fend for themselves. One of the managers admits only if you're without a home, have no business, no income, are you welcome. The Chinese government is in desperate need of help, asking international donors for another $3.3 million. For Lilly and her new extended family, they wait, unsure of what is next. Will Dinnick, CNN, Dujiangyan City.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: In addition to the more than 60,000 earthquake deaths in China, over 350,000 people have been injured. Dr. Matt Marko is an American physician who has been working in China for six years now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOICE OF DR. MATT MARKO, WUXI, CHINA: We're still seeing some of the same injuries but they're becoming less severe. Initially, when I was there, I was in an area called Zelbha, this is right outside the very center of the epicenter, the base of the mountain area. Initially we saw people walking in and being carried out from the mountains over a period of multiple days. We saw many fractures, tremendous bruises, lacerations, lacerations had very much become infected for most of the people. You know, some cases of pneumonia and a few other things.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And there is one positive note to report. Despite the harsh living conditions for survivors, no outbreaks of infectious diseases have been reported thus far.
Well, some news just in to CNN, the associated press is reporting a private tour helicopter has crashed on Santa Catalina Island off the California coast. Los Angeles county sheriff's deputies said three people are dead and three others injured. The island express helicopter went down near two harbors. Weather at the time was said to be rainy with poor visibility.
More evidence that this is one of the stormiest springs in recent memory. Close to 50 tornados were sighted across the central plains yesterday alone. About that many the day before as well. This one caught on camera by William Hark in western Kansas, between the twisters and all the lightning strikes more than a dozen homes were damaged. But few injuries have been reported.
Even more storms pounded northern Oklahoma. This funnel cloud right here was spotted just outside Fort Supply. Several homes were damaged and roads were washed out but no one was hurt. Of immediate concern however all the downed trees and power lines. (WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Presidential candidates, well they're not taking the holiday weekend off, the democrats are campaigning in an unusual spot. And republican John McCain hosts a barbecue where the guests hope that he's serving up a spot on the GOP ticket. We'll have live reports straight ahead.
Children of polygamy, new developments in the child custody case right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Time now to check stories across America this Saturday, May 24th. 12 children from a polygamist sect are back with their mothers in Texas today. The children remain under state supervision. More than 400 children from the sect are in foster care. Texas is appealing a court ruling that could force it to return all of the children.
You're not supposed to cry over spilled milk, but what about spilled gas? It took seven hours to clean up this mess outside Minneapolis. A gas tanker flipped off an exit ramp on interstate 35 and thousands of gallons at record high prices, by the way, wasted.
Democrat Barack Obama is using this Memorial Day weekend to criticize Republican John McCain on veterans issues. Both Obama and his democratic rival Hillary Clinton are campaigning today in Puerto Rico which holds its presidential primary June 1st, which is a Sunday. CNN's Suzanne Malveaux joins us now from San Juan. Suzanne?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fred. A very important contest. Both the candidates are here for the weekend to campaign. Obviously the big contest is next Sunday, their primary. This is kind of different here a different sense of style. We saw Barack Obama. He's here at the University of Puerto Rico talking to veterans about Memorial Day week, but also later on, he's going to participate in kind of a political Puerto Rican parade, boriqua style, that is with the drums, the maracas, the bands, all that kind of thing happening, obviously a lot of enthusiasm and excitement about this race. This one of the posters here Fred, it says "yes we can" in Spanish. Now Barack Obama started campaigning about April or so and they had TV and radio ads. He talks about the fact that he is from an island himself, the island of Hawaii that he comes from meager means, so he understands the concerns of Puerto Rican families. He talks about his economic development package as well as the need to bring the Iraq war to a close. That is something specifically that he was talking about today reaching out to veterans for the Memorial Day holiday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We must never forget that honoring our fighting men and women requires more than just paying tribute to them on Memorial Day. It requires having civilian leadership that's serving our troops as well as they are serving us. That means leadership that shows good judgment about when to deploy them. Because it didn't serve our troops well to go to war in Iraq without asking the tough questions first or to send them to fight without the support to defend themselves and secure the peace. It didn't serve our troops well to launch a war based more on ideology and politics than on any urgent threat to our nation. That is why I opposed the Iraq war from the start.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Fred, we also expect to hear from Senator Hillary Clinton later today, she's also holding kind of a town hall meeting in Puerto Rico. She's going to be talking about veteran's concerns since it's a big issue here on this island. She has also emphasized in her own TV and radio ads, her own economic development plan, the fact that she's been reminding voters of her aid, her assistance after hurricane George and she makes the case of two people here that she would include them in her universal health care plan, that is something that people are obviously studying very closely, but issues like education, the war and Puerto Rican statehood, all of them big issues on the ballot coming up in just about a week. Fred?
WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux thanks so much from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Well Arizona is the place to be as well, especially if you're on the short list of possible running mates for a certain presumptive GOP presidential nominee. He's the one holding the cookout this holiday weekend in Sedona. CNN's Mary Snow also happens to be there. Mary?
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fred. Yeah, a number of high-profile republicans here at Sedona, not far from where I'm standing. John McCain and his family have a ranch and a number of their friends have been invited, which of course fuels speculation about whether or not they are on a short list to be potential vice presidential candidates. The McCain camp has said this is nothing more than a social gathering this weekend. With guests arriving last night, they'll be staying through the weekend. On that list though, why there's so much speculation are three names of people widely seen as potential VP choices. One of them being Mitt Romney, McCain's former rival in the presidential primary process and also Bobby Jindal, the Louisiana governor who is only 36 and seen as a rising star within the Republican Party and Florida Governor Charlie Crist who was a crucial help for Senator John McCain in the Florida primary, or was seen as a crucial help, that is and could help, perhaps, John McCain in that state. But again, the McCain campaign has said don't read anything into this as John McCain has also said. Also attending this weekend, Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas. Not all politicians though. Meg Whitman the former CEO of eBay also on board. They are touting this as a way to relax, have discussion, these are people John McCain is seen to consider advice from. Fred?
WHITFIELD: Mary, there seem to be a lot of things on the plate of John McCain this weekend or at least this week leading up to this weekend, in addition to this barbecue and socializing with these potential running mates, there's also been news about his health and also the thanks but no thanks on the endorsements that he got as well.
SNOW: Yeah, really so much news. He hasn't had a public schedule yesterday he won't have one this weekend. Some of the skeptics I've talked to say they thought that perhaps this, the news about this weekend gathering really, the real reason for it was to kind of overshadow other news that came out. Yesterday, there was a lot of anticipation about Senator McCain's medical records, there was extensive documents, over 1,000 pages as we all know by now. Doctors concluded there was no recurrence of the skin cancer that caused him extensive surgery back in 2000. So he's seen to have a clean bill of health. But it was also kind of unusual yesterday afternoon, Fred, late in the day, the campaign announced that Cindy McCain was releasing her tax returns for 2006. Unusual only because she had said she was never going to do that.
WHITFIELD: Yeah, but she hasn't explained the reason why she finally decided to reveal it. Making $6 million in the year 2006. But paying something like $1.7 million in taxes.
SNOW: Right. Well she made over $6 million. She paid $1.7 million in taxes. The campaign is saying look she didn't want to be a distraction because there was so much criticism about the fact that she wasn't going to release these tax returns.
WHITFIELD: All right. Mary Snow, thanks so much from a beautiful back drop there of Sedona, Arizona.
And of course CNN is your home for politics. We'll have much more on the campaign later on today in the "Ballot Bowl." "Ballot Bowl" begins in less than an hour, 3:00 p.m. eastern, 12 noon pacific right here on CNN.
Searching for life on mars. Right now, NASA's phoenix lander is closing in on the red planet, details on the clues scientists are looking for straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
And on this Memorial Day weekend, a different set of wheels helping wounded veterans regain their mobility.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Attacks on the rise in western Iraq. A suicide car bombing killed a civilian interpreter and wounded two Iraqi police officers. The same checkpoint blast wounded seven U.S. marines. Fallujah has seen attacks drop since 2006 when Sunni tribal leaders turned on al Qaeda, but the city and Anbar Province have recorded a spike in attacks in recent week, that's raising concern al Qaeda may be trying for a comeback.
We've heard a lot about casualties in Iraq, not so much about troops killed in Afghanistan. Some have even called Afghanistan the forgotten war, but CNN's Josh Levs, didn't forget, he joins us with a reality check on operation enduring freedom. Josh?
JOSH LEVS: Hi there Fred. And we haven't forgotten here at CNN, the international desk where I am now where we cover that war regularly follow all the developments as we get them here into the CNN NEWSROOM. What I want to take a moment to do right now is show you the mounting casualties for the United States in Afghanistan. I want to start off right here, which I got directly from the military. This shows the total death toll that there has been in the Iraq war for the United States. The total is about 500 right now. You can see this right here, this is at 497, about 300 of them were killed in action. There's a website that's pretty popular called i-casualties.org. What they do is keep track of the casualties in the different wars including Afghanistan. Now I know here you have a big mess of numbers, but what you will see, let's focus in a little bit. Is just that the mounting numbers are getting bigger each year. In 2004 52 U.S. troops killed, 2005, 99. About the same number the next year. 2007 it went up to 117. This year so far, 31 U.S. troops killed, that's more than at this time last year. So it is mounting. But let's get behind the numbers a little bit. At cnn.com, we have this spread that tells you who these people are. It gives you photographs of them. It tells you their names. This is Sergeant Thomas Allison right here, he was 22 years old. He was in the company e, the 160th special ops aviation regiment. They talk about their hometowns. Roy, Washington, for him. You can scroll through, you can learn a lot about who all these people are who have given their lives for the United States. Also other members of the coalition from other countries as well are in there. If you would like this Memorial Day weekend to post a message to the families of U.S. troops killed in Iraq or in Afghanistan, you can do that right here, CNN.com. A lot of people are doing those. I was looking at some of these postings today. Some of the first ones we've gotten are from fellow veterans. This one from Karlee to all my fellow veterans and their families, thank you all for all you have done for me and this great country. Your opportunity to send a message at cnn.com.
Also, you can do something more than send a message, this right here is called impact your world and we offer some links to things that you can do. Volunteer projects you might want to hook up with to do things for families of military veterans and of those killed in the war. Really quickly I'll show you one of them, this is called Fisher House. They build homes near military bases for families who need to be near their loved ones when they've been wounded in one of the ongoing wars. You can learn a lot more at impact your world, which is all part of cnn.com. And Fred, we continue to follow the mounting toll and to tell you the stories of all these people who have given their lives for the United States.
WHITFIELD: Yeah, that is so important to remind everybody exactly what kind of sacrifices have been made by so many, appreciate it. Thanks so much, Josh.
The signature weapon of the Iraq war, the roadside bomb has cost hundreds of Americans their legs. For some that means life in a wheelchair but many amputees are trading up. Here's senior pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the hardest part for a guy like me, amputees is getting on and off, once you're on, it's really very easy. JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Staff Sergeant Dale Beatty lost both legs in Iraq when a pair of anti- tank mines ripped through the bottom of his unarmored humvee. He learned to walk on two prosthetic legs and still uses a wheelchair, but he's now the proud owner of a new set of wheels, the gyro stabilized human locamotor, known as a segway.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I guess if I was going to the zoo or amusement park, to keep me from having to walk so much.
MCINTYRE: Sergeant Beatty is the beneficiary of a charity called Seg for a Vet, which over the past two years has donated about 150 Segways which retail for about $6,000 to wounded war veterans, mostly amputees. Jerry Kerr partially paralyzed after a diving accident is the charity's founder and driving force. When I think of a quadriplegic I think of someone who can barely move at all.
JERRY KERR, DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATE: Quadriplegic refers to our level of injury, cervical levels, not necessarily your ability to move around.
MCINTYRE: You have a Segway that has a seat?
KERR: I do. Because of my injury, I can't stand for very long.
MCINTYRE: But you can pull yourself up?
KERR: I can. I can get myself up. And you notice my hands don't work well. When I'm standing here, I look a lot different than when I'm standing on my Segway, then when I try to walk, I'm not nearly as elegant as I am when I'm on my Segway.
MCINTYRE: But on his Segway, Kerr looks just like any other upstanding citizen.
KERR: That's for me one of the great things about it is that it really causes my disabilities to disappear.
MCINTYRE: The best part about his Segway says Sergeant Beatty is that no one looks down on him literally or figuratively.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I was confined to a wheelchair for long periods of time, everybody looking down on you, it's kind of --
MCINTYRE: You use that phrase confined to a wheelchair.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you are.
MCINTYRE: It doesn't feel liberating. Does this feel liberating?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes it does. I could outrun you easy. No problem. Let's go.
MCINTYRE: On your mark, get set, go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got me on takeoff.
MCINTYRE: Jamie McIntyre, CNN, Washington.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: In the end, Jamie lost. So where can you find the cheapest gas? It's a question we're all asking as we begin the holiday travel season, we'll check it out straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
And forget the corner drug dealer, the best source for addicts to get their fix could be sitting on top of their desk. A CNN's special investigation unit report straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Here's what's happening right now in the NEWSROOM, a private tour helicopter has crashed on Santa Catalina Island off the California coast. Three people are reportedly dead and three injured as you see these pictures jsut now coming in of those injured being taken to the hospital there. The Island Express Helicopter went down near two harbors. Weather apparently at the time was said to be rainy with very poor visibility.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has got a firsthand look at China's earthquake damage today and promised the U.N. would help with reconstruction. The number of dead from the earthquake two weeks ago is now more than 60,000, five million people are homeless
And Kansas counts the cost of another round of tornadoes. Forecasters say at least a dozen twisters tore through the state last night, destroying numerous homes and injurying a lot of people.
Well, on this holiday weekend, are high gas prices changing your plans? The price of gas has reached record highs across the country.
Kara Finnstrom is live in California with more where something tells me the average regular gas there per gallon is probably already at $4, even though the national average is just over $3.90.
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is, Fredricka.
We are just about a block away here from Disneyland, and we've been talking to people who've come down across the state from other parts of the country to go to Disneyland for this Memorial Day holiday and all of them are paying quite a bit for gas, maybe more than they were in the state that they came from.
Take a look at this just behind me. You can see gas here has passed the $4 mark, $4.06 per gallon on this side of the street. Just across the street, it's going for $4.09 a gallon. This affecting lots of people here in different ways.
And joining us live here now is Heather Christensen. I'll have you come on in here. Heather lives and works here in this area. And you were telling me that you wanted to have Memorial Day plans, but these gas prices kind of interfered with that. HEATHER CHRISTENSEN, MOTORIST: Yes, I wanted to go out of town and spend some time with my family, but since the gas prices are so high, I'm just going to stay home and try to make the best of the weekend just at home.
FINNSTROM: How much more are you paying for a gallon -- to fill up your tank because of this gallon of gas increase and how has that affected your lifestyle?
CHRISTENSEN: To fill up my tank, it's $20 more than it used to be. It's affected me financially, it's kind of hard to keep up when you're only making minimum wage. So, hopefully, they go down.
FINNSTROM: All right, thanks, Heather.
Well, for anyone who's hitting the roads on this holiday or just trying to cut their gas cost, the AAA has put out out a couple of tips that may help.
One is check the inflation in your tires, actually having your tires properly inflated will mean you'll use less gas. Also, if you drive 55 miles per hour versus 75, you'll use less fuel. And they say make sure you check out where you fuel up. If you fuel up in urban areas rather than in rural ones, the prices are much more competitive -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, good advice. Kara Finnstrom there in Anaheim.
And of course, I've got a list of other things that you can do to try and stretch that gas if you can. Remember, a lead foot costs money. So, when the light turns green, accelerate slowly and when you approach a red light, lay off the gas and coast to the stop. Well, these two things alone could improve your in-town fuel use by 35 percent, they say.
Tip No. 3, you know this one. Maybe now is the time to put it into action. Slow down altogether. In tests by Consumer Reports, going 75 instead of 65 reduces fuel economy by three to five miles per gallon. And back off. Bumper buzzing leads to inefficient driving.
And maybe you heard that it takes more gas to restart a car than to let it run. That may have once been true, but it isn't anymore. And finally, reevaluate what you think is within your walking distance. All those little trips in a car add up to big dollars all in your big gas tank.
Jacqui Jeras, you already knew all of these things, didn't you? You've been conserving.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, you know, kind of the law there. No tailgating, no speeding.
WHITFIELD: That's right.
JERAS: Anyway. WHITFIELD: You break the law, it costs you more at the pump as well.
JERAS: Absolutely, you're paying twice.
WHITFIELD: Yes, all right, let's talk weather. It's still nasty in the midsection of the country and it doesn't seem to let up.
JERAS: It is, yes, and you know, something to keep in mind if you're going to be out and about this holiday weekend is your NOAA Weather Radio, which is something you always want to have in your home anyway.
Put your battery in it and bring it along with you, if you're heading out to the cabin, if you're going out on the boat, if you're going out camping and you've got it in the camper, it will operate for you out there and it will warn you if something's happening. Not just tornadoes, but flash flooding and other types of weather hazards.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: OK, so, it has been a nine month journey, one that could open a new chapter in planetary discovery. NASA's Phoenix probe is due to land on the martian surface tomorrow and possibly find out whether there is any life there.
Here now is CNN chief technology and environment correspondent Miles O'Brien.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CHIEF TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT CORRESPONDENT: This is an engineering model of the Phoenix Mars Lander here at the University of Arizona where the science team is headquartered. The real spacecraft is knocking on Mars' doorstep and it's a risky mission indeed.
The last time NASA arrived on Mars four years ago, the two rovers, Spirit and Opportunity landed successfully, but they landed in an entirely different way inside giant airbags. This spacecraft is much too big to land that way, and so it will land using a parachute and a series of rocket thrusters.
It's a lot more complicated landing that way. As a matter of fact, nearly 10 years ago in 1999, the sister spacecraft of this, the Mars Polar Lander as it arrived on Mars was lost. And there were a series of problem with that spacecraft it was determined later, but the bottom line was they all led to a lack of funding. NASA now says that program was horribly underfunded.
This spacecraft was delayed and has been tested and retested according to the engineers and they believe that whole experience of Mars Polar Lander has in fact made it one of the safest landers ever to arrive on Mars, but statistically, the averages aren't good. Less than half of the missions that go to Mars are successful. If this spacecraft makes it, it will land just shy of the Martian north pole. It'll be in the tundra, it has a shovel that will go out and dig into the sidewalk concrete hard tundra, scoop up some dirt, scoop up some ice, put it into some sensors and see if they can find some clues to the question of life on Mars past or perhaps even present. If they do that and they fill in a few blanks, that would be paydirt indeed.
Miles O'Brien, CNN, Tucson, Arizona.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Paydirt, very clever that Miles O'Brien. Tomorrow starting at 7:00 p.m., Miles will host a one hour special from Mission Control in Pasadena as NASA attempts to land its Phoenix spacecraft on Mars. The landing is set for 7:53 East Coast time, and of course, we're taking it live with guests and special coverage leading up to what will hopefully be a successful landing. 7:00 tomorrow, you don't want to miss it.
All right, it's a harsh reality: your home, your castle, it could also become a place where drug deals go down. Why? It's that computer and cyberspace is the new street corner. Our "SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT" found out just how dangerous a few mouse clicks can be.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GAIL POINTDEXTER (ph): My name is Gail Pointdexter and this is my son Sergeant Joel W. Lewis. The Army drew him in because he just would not have survived behind a desk job. Being so tall, 6'6, you think he would be intimidating, but people were kind of drawn to him. He was a superb young man who was killed in Iraq on 5/6/07 and will be greatly missed and loved forever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: A story we continue to watch out of Southern California, a helicopter crashes at Catalina Island just outside of Los Angeles and we understand that three people have died, three people were rescued. You're looking at images right now taken from an i-Reporter out there, someone who was at a nearby yacht club, heard what appeared to be a helicopter in trouble. And when they got to this area, was able to snap off these images here.
Rayn Horth is the person who actually took these images. And it turns out that Rayn's grandmother actually helped in rescuing some of those survivors. We hope to get a chance to talk with her a little bit later.
But meantime, this is a story we continue to watch there at Catalina Island, and in fact, it appears as though we have Rayn Horth's grandmother Deborah Hanson on the phone with us now.
So Ms. Hansen, describe for me what you saw and how you were able to spring into action.
VOICE OF DEBORAH HANSEN, WITNESS: Well, I sprung into action, I believe, because of all my training. I'm a flight attendant with American Airlines, so I did have some training, many years of training behind me. And I saw the helicopter was coming in over Isthmus Yacht Club and it was coming in -- like you could tell that it was going to crash.
And I started running. And I cleared the fence, around the fence, it had already crashed and burst into flame, and I just started running towards it because I could see people laying outside the helicopter. And I'm screaming at them to crawl, to do what you need to do to get away from the fire because it was engulfed in flames.
WHITFIELD: And they were responsive enough to -- to ...
HANSEN: No, they were not.
WHITFIELD: ...listen to your isntructions -- OK, and then what?
HANSEN: They were incoherent, actually. And I pulled -- there was another man behind me and I pulled one of the guys, I pulled him and he's telling me he has a broken leg. And I'm telling him I still have to pull him, if I don't pull him, he's going to burn up in the fire.
And then, that one girl that was sitting up, I told her to scoot. And then another gentleman here was helping and he was able to pull another person out. So, we actually had four people got out, but one died on the ground.
WHITFIELD: Oh my goodness, incredible. And then, I suppose someone was able to call or enough people saw that there was a chopper in trouble crashed and then emergency response teams were able to arrive. Because we do have images showing at least one person who is being wheeled into a hospital, hopefully one of those injured that you helped rescue.
HANSEN: Yes, I'm pretty sure it was. There was three people that was actually rescued with other help from the other people here at the island. I mean, it was unbelievable the response they have and all the teamwork they have over here at the island.
WHITFIELD: Well, unbelievable, too, that you happen to be nearby and you have this kind of training as a flight attendant with American Airlines and you were able to spring into action and seemingly do all the right things.
Deborah Hansen, thanks so much for your time and I note that family members are thankful, too, that it was you who was nearby to help pull the injured away from those flames. Thanks so much.
HANSEN: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: So, guess what? Your computer might be leading a double life. The device that connects you to the rest of the world can also be your drug dealer, working cyberspace like a street corner.
Correspondent Drew Griffin with our "SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT" has more on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN "SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT" CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nancy Fitzpatrick wanted to kill herself. She was facing eviction and had no money.
NANCY FITZPATRICK, ATTEMPTED SUICIDE: I wanted to end it. I wanted to die. So, I took about 50 somas, I took 80 amitriptyline, and that's all I remember.
GRIFFIN: She had been living a secret life away from her family, but she lived and lived to tell the story to her brother David, a CNN "Investigative" producer. It's a story about just how easy it is to buy dangerous drugs purchased online.
FITZPATRICK: I just typed in soma and all these Web sites popped up. And I just picked one.
GRIFFIN (on camera): Did you ever speak with a doctor?
FITZPATRICK: No, no.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Then, how did this woman in Ocean City, Washington, get this bottle of the prescription muscle relaxant soma prescribed by this Dr. Kareem Tannous in Long Island, New York?
(on camera): Can I ask you, did you ever see this patient Nancy Fitzpatrick? Can you let me know how these prescriptions are filled, sir?
(voice-over): That's what this story is all about because prescription drugs are the new crack and heroin and Internet sites that sell them, according to the National Pharmacy Board, are the new drug dealers.
CARMEN CATIZONE, NATL. ASSN. OF PHARMACY BOARDS: You can order virtually any drug in the word by simply clicking a mouse and going to the various Web sites that exist out there.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, pharmacy regulators say they have asked law makers in Washington for a law to stop the sale of prescription drugs over the Internet, but so far no deal.
For Memorial Day weekend, our newest CNN hero, instead of planning for prom, she's honoring men and women in uniform, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a picture of my brother Sergeant Jason Vaughn. The thing I most admired about my brother was his kindness and compassion for others. We always said that he should have been a politician because he could really work a room. He was killed May 10, 2007 in Baqubah, Iraq and we will always miss him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All day, we've been honoring military men and women who have lost their lives during wartime. And your i-Reports have helped convey their sacrifice, we appreciate that. Of course, you can see many more of those i-Reports at CNN.com/ireport.
Meantime, this week's CNN hero recognizes Memorial Day in her own way every day. And she's all of 16-years-old. One of our viewers nominated Kaylee Radzyminski for what she does to help our men and women serving overseas. And get this, she's so dedicated that she missed her junior prom.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYLEE RADZYMINSKI, CNN HERO: Well, listening to music, first of all, gets stress out and you relax to it. It's a big part of my life and it's a big part of theirs.
I've always had a very special place in my heart for the military. They sacrifice so much for us, why can't I do a little bit to give back to them?
My name is Kaylee Marie Radzyminski, I've been sending CDs and DVDs overseas to our troops to bring a little bit of home and a little bit of entertainment.
I got to talking with some military personnel and I asked him what was the No. 1 thing he missed. The first thing was of course was their families, but second to that was entertainment. Books, CDs, DVDs, those are entertainment.
So, I started asking my friends and I got all mine together, and then we did a drive at school, and eventually it spread to the community and now it's a nationwide project.
They all get a sticker with the Tunes 4 the Troops e-mail address. So then, all we have to do is finish filling out custom forms and pay for shipping.
Sometimes it does get very stressful. I missed my junior prom, but that is nothing compared to what these 18, 19, 20-year-olds give up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It kind of takes you out of this place for a little while.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It gave me a chance to feel like I was back home a little bit.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The project is awesome.
RADZYMINSKI: To have such a large outcome of happy soldiers is so worth it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Wow, she's incredible. All of our CNN heroes are extraordinary people, in fact. Viewers just like you have actually nominated on our Web site. So, if you know someone who deserves to be a CNN hero, tell us all about him or her. Go to CNN.com/heroes. You never know, you could see your hero here on CNN.
The race for the White House moves to Puerto Rico. Why the little island is playing a big role in presidential politics straight ahead on the CNN "BALLOT BOWL."
And rescue at sea. Find out how two divers survived 20 hours in shark infested waters. Straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nathan was a true all-American boy. He was very respected, very kind hearted, he was always full of adventure and very enthusiastic. Unfortunately, November 9, 2004, he was killed. It was a very heartbreaking for us. I know that we're going to miss him a lot.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: We've been honoring military men and women all day through these i-Reports and we thank all of you who have contributed.
Well, an amazing rescue down under. Two missing divers are lucky to be alive and well every spending the night in choppy, shark infested water off Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Rescuers say the American woman and her British companion did everything right to stay alive. They stayed calm, they strapped themselves together while awaiting rescue. A search began for them yesterday after they failed to rejoin their dive boat at the scheduled time. Scary moments there.
From the CNN Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. "BALLOT BOWL" begins right now with Mary Snow.
