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Hollywood on Haiti; Family Located on CNN.com; Upset in the Making in Massachusetts

Aired January 17, 2010 - 19:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: We want to give you now the very latest on the situation in Haiti. Here's what we know right now: 16 Americans are confirmed dead and the total number of deaths in Haiti could reach six figures. Nearly 30 international rescue teams are now looking for survivors; so far 62 people have been pulled alive from the rubble. At least five people were saved today including an American woman.

About 1,000 U.S. military personnel are now on the ground. The U.S. Army will soon send 7,000 soldiers to help with the recovery.

The military says 130,000 ration packs and 70,000 bottles of water were handed out just on Saturday. The Red Cross says seven truckloads of medical supplies should arrive tonight.

And dramatic new video that you'll only see right here on CNN. Take a look. Haitian police had to rush in as a crowd appeared to be gathering there. It doesn't appear that they were looting, not exactly sure what's going on. This just may be a matter of survival. We don't know exactly what they are taking. Police fired some shots but no one was hit and the crowd did end up scattering. More on that just a little bit later on in our broadcast.

You know for people still alive in the rubble of destroyed buildings there's not one moment to lose. Dozens of search and rescue crews have fanned out across Port-au-Prince to try to save as many people as they can.

CNN's Ivan Watson joins us with the dramatic rescue today of three people from inside a grocery store and there might be others in there still alive. Have they been able to rescue anyone since we've seen you last, Ivan?

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, no, no. They're still working on a couple, a Creole-speaking couple. Probably means they're Haitian; A man and a woman who were buried deep within the rubble, that mountain of rubble behind me. It used to be a five-story supermarket called the Caribbean Supermarket.

Now, the rescuers have reached two -- the woman at the very least; they've spoken to her. They say she has a strong voice. They've actually been able to pass water to her to keep her alive.

You can only imagine what the ordeal has been like for these two people, five days in the dark, buried there and now, now being reached by rescuers, a joint team of Americans, a rescue team from south Florida and about ten volunteers from Turkey. They actually paid their own way to come here and they are the people who actually discovered that there were still some people alive here more than 24 hours ago and they were later joined by the American teams -- Don.

LEMON: Ivan, I'm not sure if you told me this earlier when you joined us just about 45 minutes ago. But here's what I want to know. What are they using? Are they tapping? They were sending microphones down as well? What type of techniques are they using to try to locate these people and to make sure that they locate others who might be there as well?

WATSON: Well, they -- at one point they passed a special rescue camera through. And they were told by the couple -- the woman it seems that she's been making the most contact. She actually told them I can see your camera. Then later one of the rescue workers said that he went in and shined a flashlight and asked if she could see it. She said, "Yes, I can see it. It's 15 centimeters away from me." Then they were passing the water to this woman.

They've used different tools as well to try to cut through the rubble, the iron beams that are blocking the way, the rebar. They used "jaws of life" to try to cut off pieces of it.

But this is dangerous work, Don. And at one point several hours ago, there was an alert and we saw all of the rescue workers, the Americans and the Turks come running out breathless, tripping over at the rubble of the entrance of the supermarket because some of the rubble there had shifted and brought down the area that they're tunneling through and actually put their own lives in danger.

They have described to me the area that they're tunneling through is so narrow that some of the rescue workers they only have space to take half breaths. There's not more space there, as they try to work through and they're digging from two different directions.

This is dangerous work.

LEMON: Yes.

WATSON: And this is not the only location in and around Port-au- Prince where people are trying to rescue people. We have heard of other rescues around the city over the course of the day.

Of course, we had a 50-year-old American woman earlier this morning who was pulled out from here. The rescue workers actually made contact with her son in a town in Florida to tell him the amazing news after five days, "Your mother is alive."

LEMON: Very interesting.

You know, we're showing pictures there of one of the rescues that you witnessed earlier. I believe it was a rescue of one of the three people that we talked about. Take us through that.

Let me ask you this, let me ask you this: when the rescuers who are on the scene here, when we talk about the heavy equipment and things that are needed. I'm not sure if it's needed at this point because they have to go gingerly. If they bring in some of this big hauling equipment -- correct me if I'm wrong -- they may be concerned that it may cause some of this rubble and debris to shift. So we have been seeing people with shovels gingerly going through the rubble and trying not to move big chunks at a time.

WATSON: Absolutely. And they have to shore up the concrete slabs that are above and below them because this structure, parts of it were pancaked. There are also -- we've been informed -- some sort of v-shaped formations there and then they have to shore these things up with -- they have some various posts that they put in there and then they kind of slowly squeeze in there.

They've had smaller drills and then they moved on to bigger size drills but the vibrations can trigger shifts among that rubble and that's exactly what we saw a couple of hours ago. It was very dramatic moment when about 20 rescue workers came running out.

They had to do a roll call to check that everybody was ok. We saw some of them embrace each other. It clearly put the fear of God into these guys because they, too, are tunneling into the dark and they've actually -- at one point they found a body there. They're digging through not only rubble but also possible other victims who did not survive this earthquake.

It is terrifying work that they are doing; this combination of American and Turks here. We're seeing other scenes similar to this in other locations around Port-au-Prince -- Don.

LEMON: Thank you very much, Ivan Watson. Stand by. We'll come back to you for an update.

More rescues, more hope as emergency teams from around the globe pitch in to save lives. And Israeli team pulled a man from a crushed government finance building today. The crowd gathered and cheered as the survivor emerged on a stretcher. The crew reportedly worked for more than seven hours to free the man, busting through a wall just to get him out.

That U.N. mission headquarters, another successful rescue; Danish employee grasping to the top of a stretcher as he was carried out of the building that's been all but fled.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MAN BEING RESCUED FROM U.N. MISSION HEADQUARTERS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Listen there. You can hear the applause as he is getting out. Now he was given a quick checkup on that stretcher and seemed responsive following that frantic rescue mission.

That success came 15 minutes after the U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon toured the crumbled five-story headquarters there. The U.N. mission chief there -- he was killed in the collapse along with another U.N. employee. We got that word from Richard Roth yesterday.

Ban Ki-Moon says that this is the greatest single loss in history of the United Nations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BAN KI-MOON, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: I carry this in memory of our colleagues who have given their lives for peace, for the cause of peace. I'm very saddened to have seen what all this destruction has caused the United Nations and our dear colleagues. I believe that their dearest wish would be that we carry forth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Wow and carry forth, he is. Ban Ki-moon is telling Haiti that help is certainly on the way. He says his priorities are saving as many lives as possible and stepping up humanitarian assistance.

Listen. I want to tell you, just getting some information from my producer. Yesterday a Florida woman had no idea where her in-laws were after the Haiti earthquake and she logged on to CNN.com and saw a picture of them right on our home page. There she is right there in the picture. That's a picture of, I should say, of Joachin Marie Jean-Gilles -- Joachin Marie -- I say again -- there is Joachin and -- ok, there's no "and" in there. Joachin is there and also Marie Jean- Gilles.

They're standing in front of the rubble of the hotel that once was owned by a Haitian company there. Their daughter-in-law Karen Jean-Gilles joins me now live on the phone.

Pardon me because we're just getting this information in and wanted to get you on. So we haven't heard from them since the earthquake started. Who was looking? Was a friend looking on CNN.com I'm being told and then that's how you got in touch with them? Take us through your story.

KAREN JEAN-GILLES, FOUND FAMILY ON CNN.COM: Well, actually they owned the hotel. They actually spent their whole life savings on it. They took everything that they ever owned in the United States and sold it.

My cousin -- we've been freaking out like since the earthquake -- my husband's cousin happened to see them and called us, like, maybe a couple hours ago and told us that there they were, and we just -- we rushed to the computer. We logged on and thank God they were there.

We haven't heard from them. We didn't know if they were ok. We heard rumors that the hotel collapsed but we didn't know anything else. We didn't know if they were in the hotel or anything.

And I can't begin to thank you guys enough for, like, giving us a little glimpse to know that they're alive.

LEMON: Hey, listen, that's what we're here to do. Again, as I said, pardon me because this information was just coming in as I was reading it here. So I don't want to -- I kind of butchered their names. Tell us who you were looking for. You said...

JEAN-GILLES: My father-in-law's name is Joachin, but everybody calls him "Clark".

LEMON: Ok.

JEAN-GILLES: My mother's name is Marie and our last night is Jean-Gilles. That's their hotel. They spent about six years of their life building it. Like I said, their whole life savings. They mortgaged homes, like, sold property, everything they could possibly think of doing to get this hotel up and running. My father-in-law looked at it as being the legacy to his grandchildren.

We just couldn't -- we didn't know anything about them. We didn't know where they were. We called and obviously because the lack of electricity we couldn't get in touch with anybody. We didn't know anything.

And it's just a miracle that we found them online. I mean, I'm just so happy that they're ok, but, you know, I'm sad about the hotel. We don't know what they're going to do now.

My husband wants to get to Haiti to help them but the airlines are closed, you know? So it's really complicated but we're just thankful they're alive.

LEMON: Ok, listen, you -- karen, did you find them online or was it a friend?

JEAN-GILLES: My husband's cousin found them online.

LEMON: Your husband's cousin found them online. Ok.

JEAN-GILLES: Yes.

LEMON: Found them on CNN.com. Have you had a chance to speak to them or you just saw their pictures?

JEAN-GILLES: Just saw their pictures. We still haven't spoken to them. The picture is the closest thing that we have to know that they're ok.

LEMON: And you know if they're standing there in front of the rubble and they appear to be ok, because obviously the hotel did not look like this before the earthquake.

JEAN-GILLES: Oh, no, it was absolutely beautiful. They had created a Web site, everything. The hotel -- it was beautiful from the pictures that I've seen. And we were planning -- my family, my husband, myself, my children, we were all planning on going out there this summer for the first time. Like as a family. Obviously we can't do that anymore. So it's just really sad.

We don't know what we're going to do now. I mean, like I said, their hotel was their dream.

LEMON: When did you first notice them?

JEAN-GILLES: When did I first notice they were...

LEMON: Online. Yes.

JEAN-GILLES: As soon as -- because they were right there on the home page.

LEMON: Which day? Like how long ago was it?

JEAN-GILLES: Today.

LEMON: It was just today?

JEAN-GILLES: Just today a couple hours ago. We've been frantic all week.

Tomorrow is supposed to my birthday. This is the greatest birthday present in the world. It's just, like, phenomenal.

We just found them today on CNN. The article by Gwenn Mangine, I think that was the reporter. She posted it there today like around 2:00 this afternoon and we saw it a couple of hours later and I just -- I hit the roof. I was crying. I was just so happy to see them that they were ok.

I noticed scratches on my mother-in-law's legs which made me paranoid, you know, but they're standing, they're ok and they're alive. And I was just thankful.

LEMON: Yes, but better a few scratches. And as you were saying it's your birthday. My producer was just saying, "It is her birthday." I imagine -- I'm sure your husband is relieved. Are you planning a trip to Haiti soon? Are you planning to go or you're going to bring them here?

JEAN-GILLES: I'm not because we have three sons, all of them are between the ages of 14 and 5. So I'm staying, but my husband wants to go. As soon as the airport is cleared for commercial flights or anything then, you know, he wants to go.

I want him to go. His parents need him as much as, you know, they really need him right now. So as soon as he can get there he wants to go. If I could put him on a boat to have him sail there I would.

LEMON: Karen, thank you.

And listen, you know I stay with this, because there's finally some good news. I think people should have hope in all of this that their loved ones might be found.

We're seeing so many bad and terrible destructive images there and finally we have some good news and it's coming from us. We're glad to be of service to you.

We're going to update this story and won't you stay in touch with us? And again happy birthday to you.

JEAN-GILLES: All right. Thank you guys so much. Again, thank you for letting -- for finding them for us. God bless you guys. God bless CNN, thank you.

LEMON: Thank you very much. We appreciate it.

Diapers, blankets, batteries, hand sanitizer; that's just some of the stuff being collected for Haiti survival kits. Swarms of people are flocking to the Haitian embassy in Washington to drop off their donations. In fact, so many people want to help that traffic is backing up in the heart of the capital city.

CNN's Larry King is once again reaching out, this time to help the people of Haiti just as he helped the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

On Monday night Larry King hosts a special two-hour "LARRY KING LIVE"; it's called "Haiti, How You Can Help". Colin Powell and Queen Rania are just two of the guests that will be helping Larry to raise awareness about the devastation in Haiti. That's Monday night 8:00 p.m. Eastern, only here on CNN.

The U.S. Military rushing to get food to those who haven't eaten in days -- and guess what -- CNN is along for the ride; getting help to those in need.

Also, prayers and supplies for Haiti: churches line up to give and to help. We're talking to the pastor of one of Atlanta's largest congregations.

And political news tonight: a senate race in Massachusetts that could go either way. Why it matters to you and where you live.

We want to know what's on your mind tonight. Become part of our community. Please send us your thoughts, your comments, your questions. If you're looking for someone we'll try to help you locate them.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Haiti's earthquake victims -- they may have lost everything but they really have not lost faith.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CHURCH SERVICE IN PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: This was a church service just this morning at Port-au- Prince. Parishioners showed up in their Sunday best, despite living in the ruins of what's left of their capital city.

Want to get you now some live pictures now happening in Washington, D.C. Churches across the United States are showing their concern for Haiti's earthquake victims. No more than in Miami's little Haiti neighborhood -- I should say -- this is in Miami, right? This is courtesy of our affiliate WSVN -- WSVN.

And also Little Haiti in Miami and also in New York City as well where there are a number of Haitian-Americans. Many, many Haitian- Americans live there. So people are showing their faith and reaching out to people around the world.

Again, live pictures now from WSVN in Miami.

The National Cathedral in Washington held an interfaith prayer service for victims of the earthquake. The offering went toward relief efforts in Haiti. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice was in attendance at this one and so was Raymond Joseph, the Haitian ambassador to the United States.

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church right here in suburban Atlanta collecting food, clothing, medical supplies from people who want to help the quake victims.

I'm joined now by Bishop Eddie Long, he's here with me to talk more about what his church and others around Atlanta are doing. And really, really all across the country we saw -- you know, we took you to Miami, New York, Washington, people are helping out.

So you had a prayer service this morning. Was it just this morning?

BISHOP EDDIE LONG, NEW BIRTH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH: We had one Saturday morning where we had almost 2,000 people there and today in our service we took up an offering to make sure that we're able, because number one need they have right now is financial and getting supplies and things moved into that area.

So the hearts of the people and the body and the faith community has really gone out just like everybody else, to do exactly everything possible to make sure that we service and to comfort.

LEMON: You raised a lot of money.

LONG: Raised a lot of money this morning; we raised over $30,000. But we're networking with other churches around Atlanta, around the country, even in California, to make sure that we maximize in this effort.

LEMON: So it says here -- I understand you're partnering with Feed the Hungry and the Homeless Project in Atlanta to get food here? Also with public supermarkets to help get water there? Tell me about that.

LONG: Exactly. We network with Publix (ph) and Jose Feed the Hungry because they're -- we're moving things down to Florida. They're going to move it and get it there right to Haiti et cetera through Jose Feed the Hungry and Publix.

At the same time, we're also working with a missionary group that in two days are going to take a cargo plane from here in Atlanta. They're taking 48 volunteer doctors, medical supplies, food, et cetera. And the thing about it is we're seeing a lot of shots from the capital, but we're starting to divide places up into regions.

Karfour is about ten miles east of the capital, and yet many people in those smaller areas are not getting the water, not getting the food and so we're sending people in those areas.

LEMON: You see me smiling here because I know you. We have to run. Is there a challenge in here somewhere to other churches and other people that you send out.

LONG: Always a challenge. But you know what, we came together for Katrina and we're moving together right now.

I just challenge every pastor right now. And I know they're doing because many pastors are talking, calling one another saying, "We'll pool with you. What are you doing?"

And so we're trying to make sure that we divide Haiti up into various regions and make sure not just the capital but various other areas that are devastated that need immediate attention gets that.

LEMON: Bishop, thank you. Best of luck for you. We really appreciate what you're doing.

LONG: Appreciate you.

LEMON: You heard the challenge of other churches, organizations, businesses, whomever -- give, give, give. They need it right now.

LONG: Exactly.

LEMON: Thank you so much sir. Good to see you.

LONG: God bless you.

LEMON: You know what happens when thousands of young children who are orphaned in Haiti, what happens to them in a situation like this? We're talking live with an American man who runs an orphanage there to find out what the situation is like there on the ground today.

First, it is much, much more than one Senate race in one U.S. State. Why Tuesday's election in Massachusetts could impact you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Time now to get pace with the state of our nation. President Barack Obama is back in Washington tonight after a quick campaign stop in Boston. It's a trip he never expected to make. But he went to rally Massachusetts Democrats who are in serious danger of losing the senate seat once held by liberal icon Ted Kennedy.

The president pleaded with state Democrats to get out the vote and get there to vote for his candidate in this week's special election. Listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: On Tuesday you have the unique and special responsibility to fill the Senate seat that you sent Ted Kennedy to fill for nearly 47 years. I'm here to tell you that the person for that job is your Attorney General Martha Coakley.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Let's talk right now about what's at stake when it comes to this race because we're being told politically there are things at stake here that's not just in the state but nationally.

So CNN's political editor Mr. Mark Preston in Washington -- good to see you Mark. And then there's Matt Viser; he's in Boston, he's a political reporter at the Boston Globe. Thank you very much.

Matt, I'm going to start with you. So listen, the Republicans could possibly win here which would mean the Democrats won't have a filibuster-proof Congress here. So what does that mean? Filibuster- proof Senate. Is that a real possibility here? Because I'm hearing that, oh this is being overplayed. Is that so?

MATT VISER, "THE BOSTON GLOBE": It's a position Democrats never felt they'd be in to have any kind of fight at all to keep this seat Democrats have had for over 60 years, largely with the Kennedy family in this particular senate seat.

Yes, it's a real tossup. It's tough to call at this point. You don't know who's going to come out on Tuesday to vote on a holiday weekend -- right after a holiday weekend.

LEMON: So Matt, listen, this is Ted Kennedy's obviously old seat. We said he's a liberal icon and also he's really a champion of health care reform. And then if Scott Brown wins he says he's going to be the -- I believe he said the 41st vote. I just want to get the quote correct. Vows to be the 41st vote against health care legislation effectively killing the effort. He's vowed to do that.

That's interesting considering it's Ted Kennedy's seat.

VISER: It is. His life's work really. Ted Kennedy, this is what he was really fighting for.

Today Scott Brown was signing autographs and signing it number 41, which he was standing, not an old basketball number or anything like that, but that he would be the 41st vote to kill health care. So yes it's definitely something he's running on. It would be ironic if he ends up filling this and killing it after succeeding Ted Kennedy.

LEMON: I'm going to get to our Mark Preston just a little bit to find out what shifted. What has shifted, if anything, too? I'm going to ask you this because you're there. What shifted in Massachusetts when it comes to this? You know, Republican-Democrat? VISER: Part of it I think is the way that Coakley has run her campaign. She hasn't been hugely aggressive, whereas Scott Brown has been out and about almost every single day since he won the -- since he won the Republican primary December 8th.

LEMON: Was she feeling that she maybe had it locked up? I don't know, was it just, she's being, I don't know.

VISER: That's probably the sense. I think that she had a good feeling. Oftentimes in Massachusetts the Democratic primary is as good as the general election. And in this case, Scott Brown has caught on here in the last couple weeks. Even two weeks ago his press conferences were sparsely attended.

This has happened very suddenly and very quickly that he's caught some momentum. She's trying to capture it back. And certainly Obama being in town today may help her in that regard in catching some momentum in the closing days of the race.

LEMON: Ok. So let me ask you this. In every race there's something that people latch on to try to create some sort of controversy. Back in 1980 -- I believe it was in 1982 -- Scott Brown was the cosmopolitan opposed -- he appeared there not wearing very much clothing.

Has that been an issue?

VISER: It's been fodder for a lot of the gossip pages up here. I mean, people when he first announced brought out those photos again and spread them all across the papers. It has not been a major issue of any substance in the campaign. You know, it was quite a while ago in Scott Brown, he was trying to pay legal bills -- is trying to pay his bills for law school at the time I think. So, you know, he's kind of explained it in a way. It hasn't come up too much.

LEMON: All right. Thank you very much, Matt Viser. We really appreciate it.

I want to go now to CNN's political editor Mark Preston in Washington. Mark, I'll start the same question I asked him. What has shifted in Massachusetts?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, you know, Don, I think Matt hit the nail right on the head. The fact is Martha Coakley thought she won this election on December 8th when she won the Democratic primary. This has been Ted Kennedy's seat since the early 1960s. Before that his brother, John F. Kennedy held this seat. There was some complacency on her part.

At the same time it looks like this is turning into a referendum on health care but it's not just health care. It seems like it's also the economy. If you look at where Scott Brown has been just the past couple of days, he's been out in Holy Oak, out in western Massachusetts. He was just at a rally in Worcester (ph) a couple of hours ago. These are two economically depressed cities that have been really hit hard by the economy, by the downturn of the economy. Yesterday he was in Hyannis, in Senator Kennedy's backyard. You know, you don't often see candidates go down to Cape Cod to rally voters but he's really trying to touch with these voters who have been really hurt hard by the economy. Again, Hyannis, another one of those cities that have been hit hard. I have to say that I grew up in Massachusetts and spent a lot of time on Cape Cod as well. I know that the voters there are not necessarily liberal.

That's another misperception I think throughout the country that Massachusetts voters are liberal. They voted for Mitt Romney to be governor, Don. They voted for William Weld to be governor, Paul Cellucci to be governor. They're not necessarily liberal. They're Democrats but they're not necessarily liberal.

LEMON: Good perspective. Thank you very much, Mark Preston. Mark is going to be here at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. He is really going to hone in, drill down on this story even more. Health care is at stake but it also could spell trouble for the Democrats across the nation. That's why the country is paying close attention to this. Thank you very much, Mark. See you at 10:00.

PRESTON: Thanks, John.

LEMON: You know what, this may be the best story we have told you all day.

Haitian orphans home at last with their adoptive American families. How these kids managed to get out of the earthquake zone when so many other adoptive families are stuck there in limbo.

And help for Haiti with the military on its way. All of the military -- the U.S. Army getting food and supplies to the people who need it most. We're going airborne with the troops.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Here's what we know right now regarding the situation in Haiti. Sixteen Americans are now confirmed dead and the total number of deaths in Haiti could reach six figures. Nearly 30 international rescue teams are now looking for survivors and so far 62 people have been pulled out alive from the rubble. At least five people were saved just today including an American woman.

About 1,000 U.S. military personnel are now on the ground. The U.S. Army will soon send 7,000 soldiers to help with the recovery. The military says 130,000 ration packs, and 70,000 bottles of water were handed out on Saturday. The American Red Cross says seven truck loads of medical supplies should arrive there tonight. And dramatic new video that you'll only see here on CNN.

Just in moments ago. Haitian police rushed in as a crowd appeared to be looting and destroying some buildings. We don't know if it was looting. We do know that people there are trying to fight for their lives. So they may have just been trying to get some food and some water. We don't know what they're taking. But our teams on the ground are going to follow-up on this to see exactly what was going on. See there some shots were fired but no one was hurt. Police fired shots, got that man down to the ground then the crowds soon dispersed.

The adoption dreams of a lot of American families have been put on hold with the wreckage in Haiti. Just last hour we talked with a Los Angeles couple and they don't know when their son that they're adopting will finally reach his new home. But a very different story now for a group of orphans headed to Missouri. Hugs, tears, and laughter. They have finally been united with their adoptive families, granting emergency visas because of that quake.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMILY O'BRYNE, ADOPTIVE SISTER: Never could I have imagined that an earthquake would bring the kids home. When the earthquake happened the first thing I thought was this is going to prolong this even longer. We're never going to get our kids, but it brought them here.

ALECIA O'BRYNE, ADOPTIVE MOTHER: God brought them here. This is our little bitty one. She's been wearing all the whole trip just a t- shirt and a pull-up all the whole trip even no socks or shoes. Our friend, Ester, got her something to wear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: There were seven Haitian orphans on that flight to Kansas City. Adopted by three overjoyed families. That is good news to hear. We wish them the very best.

Temporary hospitals are popping up everywhere, even an orphanage has been turned into a triage center. Bill Manassero runs the Maison De Lumiere Orphanage. He joins me now live via Skype. Thank you, sir. How much aid has gotten to you?

BILL MANASSERO, FOUNDER, MAISON DE LUMIERE ORPHANAGE: Well, we've been trying to find aid. We haven't found any aid at this point. We spent most of the morning out at the airport going from one NGO to another to military personnel to everybody we could find, and we have -- we received absolutely nothing at this point. So we're just trusting in prayer right now.

LEMON: Mr. Manassero, do you need any medical supplies?

MANASSERO: We do. We have some folks who are just walking in with them. People in the neighborhood, people around us that we know, other missionaries. But we're still seeking medical supplies. Food is really our biggest concern coming up because we have 50 kids at our orphanage that we need to feed and we also have a feeding program. We feed hundreds of children in our neighborhood.

But the response that we got from some of the organizations were, if you're not feeding 40,000 then we really can't help you. And you know, so we're just trying to work with our community and help them out as best we can.

LEMON: So listen you're not in the heart of Port-au-Prince. Is that maybe the issue because you're not right there in the city that you may not be getting some of these supplies right now?

MANASSERO: We're pretty much in the heart. We're in a place called Delma 75, which is an area that was pretty hard hit.

LEMON: So say that again, exactly where you are, in case someone is watching, maybe they can come and give you some supplies and help you out. Again, where exactly are you?

MANASSERO: It's the Delma 75 region. It's near the Canadian embassy. We're right now (INAUDIBLE) chapel, which is a well-known church in the area. So we have not -- we've talked to a number of folks from the U.N.. We have had a couple of people come out from the U.N., some to inspect buildings and then we had some today that were asking about our needs, but you know, we keep saying, you know, we need food, we need water, we need a lot of the basics and we still just haven't found that source. We know they're in the country but we just haven't been able to find out how to tap into that.

LEMON: How are the children doing?

MANASSERO: Amazing. I mean, these kids are just awesome. A lot of our kids are street kids and orphans and they have (INAUDIBLE) -- they got (INAUDIBLE) and doing everything they can in our triage unit to help the people and praying for other people. And you know, singing songs and trying to keep spirits up. They're just doing great. We're so proud of them.

LEMON: OK. So listen, is there anything we can do here to help? If someone is watching, what can people -- because everyone is going to ask, how can we help with this orphanage? Is this your web site, to go on and donate money? Or what can we do?

MANASSERO: Yes, We're going to need funds for rebuilding and purchase food. You know, if we can't find it, you know, through one of the aid organizations then we have to buy it. Right now there's a black market here so things are more expensive than usual, too. But our web site is childhope.org. Through that web site you can get information and contact -- even our GPS coordinates are there. So if you are in Haiti and you got those kinds of supplies and you can get them to us, you know, wow, what a blessing that would be if you could bring those down.

LEMON: Hey, best of luck to you. Thank you, Bill Manassero.

Getting desperately needed supplies to victims as fast as humanly possible without instigating a riot. It's the job of the U.S. military deployed to Haiti in the aftermath of this earthquake. And CNN's Brian Todd follows one such air drop of hope. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The call comes after 1:00 p.m. helicopter squadron HS 15 has to get to Port-au-Prince now. We're with the four crew members as they quickly lift off from the deck of the aircraft carrier "Vinson." We shuttle 10 miles into Port- au-Prince to get the mission orders. The airport's a swarm of choppers, cargo planes and personnel, scrambling to get supplies on to these birds. Dozens of boxes of MREs are piled into this small rescue helicopter that's not made for this kind of flight. It's a tight fit for everyone but we're airborne minutes later. We peer down into one devastated neighborhood after another in the capital and then find our landing zone.

The chief crewman relays the tension of these moments.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some people might try to start stealing other supplies from other people and then that could turn into a riot.

TODD: Not this time. Hundreds of people are ringing the landing zone but members of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division have secured the perimeter and helped offload. It's all on the ground in minutes but the pilot knows this is just a tiny slice of what's needed.

LT. NATE SCHILLING, U.S. NAVY PILOT: Definitely our heart goes out to them. You definitely can see the need in their faces. I think as an air crew we sympathize with their plight and want to do everything we can to help them.

TODD: We drop off one more load at a diplomatic compound. Then it's back to the carrier. In less than two hours, one chopper crew dispersed hundreds of meals directly to victims.

(on camera): These crews are exhausted. They're trying to pace themselves and their flying in shifts. But they also know that this relief effort is not where it needs to be and that their operations are only likely going to accelerate from here.

Brian Todd, CNN, aboard the "USS Vinson," off the coast of Haiti.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. Brian. Well, you know, what, he could be on the red carpet tonight with the rest of Hollywood's brightest stars. But instead, film maker and actor Jean Claude La Marre is talking with us about his missing family members in Haiti. His story, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Many of Hollywood's brightest stars are lining up on the red carpet tonight for the Golden Globe Awards. One filmmaker is waiting for news of his family in Haiti. Jean-Claude La Marre joins me now, live from Los Angeles. Thank you.

You were just in Haiti. You said your mom just managed to get out of Haiti, just hours or shortly before this earthquake? What happened?

JEAN-CLAUDE LA MARRE, ACTOR & FILMMAKER: I was in Haiti about a week before the tragedy. I was working on a film project on the island. I left a week before and my mother was, in fact, about 30 minutes before. She left. 30 minutes after she left is when the tragedy occurred. There are still a lot of family and friends --

LEMON: How many family members are missing? You said you have --

LA MARRE: Sporadically within the last five days we've been able to reach out and communicate with about five or six of our aunts and nieces and close cousins. Leogane, a small city that I grew up in, which is about an hour 45 minutes outside of Port-au-Prince, has been leveled flat into the ground, about 100 percent of the city is destroyed.

So we, you know, here in California have decided to just -- my restaurant, Cassava, a Caribbean restaurant, has assembled and brought together a large pool of Haitians in the west Los Angeles area and, you know, we set up an organization called californiaforhaiti.org. You can go on there and get information and communicate with different Haitians throughout the area. Get as much information on the ground.

We are talking to people on the ground sporadically. Communication is still a bit sketchy but we are reaching people and talking to them. We have a series of fund-raisers that we've set up. We are doing a -- the Cassava restaurant is doing a fund-raiser tomorrow and on Wednesday, we have a fund-raiser at the Chateau (INAUDIBLE) --

LEMON: And there are lots of people who are holding fund-raisers and trying to help out. You know, it has to be -- it has to warm your heart to know people are doing things. You said Californiaforhaiti.org, if you want to go to that web site as well. Hey, Jean-Claude La Marre, thank you so much. We appreciate. Best of luck. Let us know if you locate some of your family members, OK.

LA MARRE: If I can, Don, I would like to just express that we are working with COEF (ph) and NOAA, and also we have a very, very large fund-raiser (INAUDIBLE) here in Corona on January 30th.

LEMON: All right.

LA MARRE: So people can come out and donate, that would be just wonderful.

LEMON: Thank you, sir.

LA MARRE: Thank you.

LEMON: An arrest in yesterday's security breach at New York City's JFK Airport. There is a connection to the earthquake in Haiti. We're going to tell you about that and winter weather back, our Jacqui Jeras is in the CNN severe weather center.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Rain, sleet, snow. There is a real mess on tap for much of the northeast tonight and also tomorrow. That means the commute may be bad. JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It is. Yes, we are having problems tonight, too, already, Don, across the northeastern corridor. And a lot of it has to do with -- you know, it has been around that borderline temperature. We got a little bit of an overrunning situation. So we are getting some freezing rain and some sleet being reported across the northern parts of Pennsylvania, and southern parts of upstate New York.

And if you get, you know, even a tenth of an inch, is all it takes to just glaze those roadways and cause some real travel problems. The big cities are doing OK right now. However, you do have a lot of cloud cover, and that's why we are seeing some big time delays. Ground stop at Newark over an hour for pretty much all the big ease (ph) into the northeast. Trouble at San Francisco and Chicago due to some of that fog, which is developing across the nation's midsection. So be aware of that all you travelers for tomorrow morning.

Across the west, we got a series of storms setting up here. Look at how wet it is all the way up and down the i-5. The Golden Globes are going on tonight and the celebrities are getting a little bit wet here. The showers are going to continue to come in waves here, and it's going to be heavy at times. We're going to be talking about several inches of rain across California, in particular this week, the strongest of storms we think will be coming on Wednesday and into Thursday. It's an ugly mess and it will be a very wet week, and a real concern about flooding and mudslides here. Don.

LEMON: All right. Jacqui, thank you very much.

I want to update you on this. A man returning from the Haitian earthquake zone has been arrested and charged with entering a restricted area at New York's JFK Airport. 57-year-old Jules Paul Bouloute faces one count of criminal trespass for allegedly entering a door used only by employees. The security breach yesterday prompted the terminal to be evacuated and cause serious delays for hundreds of travelers.

Emotions are running high over the terrifying situation inside Haiti. Your comments, your questions, and concerns have flooded our social media sites, including CNN's I-report. We are going to get some of your feedback, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW ALEXANDER: This is Matthew Alexander, your cousin. Your father still have a life, and your cousin, (INAUDIBLE) she has got a cut in the face, and the hand is break, but I still have a life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is (INAUDIBLE) Phillip, and I would like to say to everybody that I am living (INAUDIBLE). To all of my friends in New York, my family is all alive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) we are here right (INAUDIBLE) now, and me and my family are alive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Heartwarming scenes coming to us from Haiti all of this week throughout our coverage. Find out how you can help Haitians in need by going to CNN.com/impact. There you will find a list of organizations verified by CNN that will get your donation to where it is needed the most.

We have had so much feedback to this story, especially online, the social networking sites. I want to read some of it. We had a lot of breaking news. We didn't get to it yesterday. Here is what Carry Robins said. Others can judge when they had food, water, medical care and the loss these people have had (INAUDIBLE) less be judge. Talking about the video there, showing people in chaos on the streets. One other person says I don't have much money, but what can I do to help the man that they just interviewed with the orphans.

And then another one, another person says I'm glad CNN can help with the good news of here finding here people and hope her birthday is very happy, talking about the young lady who say her mother-in-law on CNN.com. And one person says I feel the Haitians are surviving and not looting.

I'm Don Lemon, live at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. See you back here at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. Thanks for watching. "STATE OF THE UNION" with John King begins right now.