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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Interview with Brandon Bostian's Friend; Interview with Parents of U.S. Army Captain Chris Norgren; Remembering Derrick Griffith; Anthony Bourdain Filming on Madagascar. Aired 8-9p ET

Aired May 15, 2015 - 20:00   ET

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

[20:00:09] ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Good evening. We begin tonight with breaking news from Boston where today a jury sentenced the marathon bomber to death. So we tell you this chapter in a story that began two years ago. We to start with the names and the faces that should be remembered, not the name of the bomber whose name we are not giving you.

Martin Richard, 8-years-old, Krystle Campbell 29-years-old, Lingzi Lu a Boston University grad student originally from China and Sean Collier, MIT police officer. We remember them and think of them tonight. We remember their families and their friends as well as the hundreds of people who were injured on April 15th, 2013. There will be different reactions today in the jury's decision as sentenced the bomber to death.

Martin Richard's parents had written that they hope for the bomber to get life in prison. They wanted their other children to be spared the appeal that surely come with the death sentence. Others who survived the attack are glad about the verdict. I'll speak with a survivor whose story we've been following for years in just a moment.

But first Deborah Feyerick joins is live from Boston.

Deb, you were in the courtroom when the verdict was read. What was the reaction like?

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, we can tell you that it was silent. Seventeen capital counts and on six of those, the bomber was sentenced to death, all six related to that backpack, that pressure cooker bomb that he placed at the forum restaurant and then walked away. That backpack contributing to the death of 8-year-old Martin Richard as well as exchange student Lingzi Lu.

Several survivors and relatives, we saw them in the court. They were dabbing tears from their eyes. Once they got out of court, they were hugging one another. But there was no celebration. There was no jubilation and you could just feel how somber and how serious this decision by this jury was. And all of that resonated -- I spoke to one man and he said I'm not quite sure how to feel but another said this was not about celebration, it is about justice, Anderson.

COOPER: Deborah, appreciate the update. I want to bring in our senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, were you

surprised by this verdict at all?

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Not really. Although, this could have gone either way. You know, Boston is perhaps the most anti-death penalty city in America. Polls said that only 20 percent of the people there wanted Tsarnaev to be sentenced to death. But they didn't sit through the trial. And you know, the people in the poll. And the facts in the case were so awful. And Tsarnaev's roll was so unapologetic, that they really -- I mean, that was not terribly surprising.

COOPER: The appeals process, I mean, how long does that go on for?

TOOBIN: Well, Timothy McVeigh was convicted in 1994 and executed in 2001. That was fast. We've had people on death row in this country for 20 year. So we're looking at many, many years. And most appeals fail. But he does have one issue that really might succeed on appeal which is the failure to move the trial from Boston and the failure to get a change of venue.

You had a case that so much involved the city, that involves the whole city, the marathon shutting down the city, that there really was a strong argument to move it away. The judge didn't and that may result in a change to the death penalty here.

COOPER: We will obviously be following that.

Jeff Toobin, appreciate you being with us.

There is a lot to cover about this sentence. For years we've been following the progress of a survivor who rally embodies the spirit of Boston Strong. One of many, dancer, Adrianne Haslet-Davis lost the leg that day. She vowed to dance again. She made good on the promise. We knew she would. She testified in the penalty phase of the bomber's trial and learned the verdict today along with the rest of us watching from home. I'm very pleased Adrianne joins me now.

I was wondering, I was thinking about you and so many of the other people who survived that day when we heard the verdict. What -- when you first heard it, what did you think?

ADRIANNE HASLET-DAVIS, BOSTON MARATHON SURVIVOR: God, you know Anderson, it was -- I thought that I would be happy, I thought I would be incredibly joyful and it was extremely somber, you know. My thoughts immediately went to the families and to those that, you know, really felt strongly in the other direction. You know, I'm pro-death penalty. I'm certainly happy with the verdict today. But my thought is with the entire survivor community, you know. We can say what we believe but, really, it is up to the very capable jury. And I'm pleased with the result.

COOPER: Do you feel like this is justice for what this person did to -- or these two people did to you, to your husband, to so many others?

HASLET-DAVIS: I do. I feel like this is justice. I feel like we have the justice system for a reason, and this is the exact reason, you know. It is the -- the ultimate justice that you pay. And I have a very difficult time believing that when these acts were committed that they didn't have that in the back of their minds.

[20:05:19] COOPER: Just as I don't want to use the name of this person, this bomber, or show his picture now or frankly ever, I also hate that word closure. I don't think that really exists. I think that is a made-up TV word, but does this change something, does it -- is it a milestone you will mark time with?

HASLET-DAVIS: You know, I appreciate you saying your thoughts on closure. I feel the exact same way. You know, it is a lot of people say this brings so much closure. And it is not. You know, I'm effected every day. I haven't stood in a shower in two plus years and a lot of survivors haven't and we're still going through surgeries, we being the survivor community, you know.

But I do think it is a milestone. You know, myself and others have been preparing for this trial for a very long time, over a year. And so in that case of the trial coming to an end, I feel like that closure is a really good closure to have, to have that chapter be closed in the trial phase is good. But this will forever affect everyone's life that was involved.

COOPER: You were not in court today. As we said you were at home watching this. You had testified against him in the penalty phase. And last time you and I talked, you talked about when you got off the stand, you actually stopped and just kind of stared him, starred him down. Can you tell us a little bit what was going through your mind in that moment and why you decided you didn't want to be there today?

HASLET-DAVIS: Yes, absolutely. So, you know, I did stare him down. And as you and I talked about and I kind of had that moment that I needed. I don't even knew that I needed it at the time. And I stared him down and I felt really good about that. I had seats in the trial for the -- for another day and for closing arguments and I didn't go. And I'm really happy that I didn't go and I wasn't there today.

I feel like that moment that I stared him down was the last moment that I had with him and I feel really good about that. I feel good that that was the send-off. That that is what I ended it with. I don't want to see him again. And I feel like, for myself, and everyone is going through their own heartache, but for myself, that is what I needed.

COOPER: Adrianne, it is good to have you on again. I appreciate it. Thank you very much.

HASLET-DAVIS: Thank you very much, Anderson. It is always a pleasure to see you.

COOPER: All right.

We want to update you now on another survivor, transit police officer Richard Donohue. He nearly died in the shootout between the police and the bomber four days after the marathon. Today, the same day the verdict came in, he was back at work with a promotion to sergeant. We want to send our congratulations to him and his family.

Quick reminder, make sure you set your DVR. You can watch 360 whenever you want.

Coming up, one of the enduring mysteries in the Boston bombing, the older brother's widow, and we don't know what she knew, if anything, about her husband's plans. But some new information about her did come out in the trial. We will dig deeper on that.

Also, the engineer in that deadly train derailment in Philadelphia speaks with investigators. The latest on the status. We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:12:00] COOPER: Well, the news today from Boston, the marathon bomber has been sentenced to death. His older brother died in a shootout with police, of course, four days after the attack, leaving behind a widow, a woman who remains with shrouded in mystery in many ways. We still don't know what, if anything, she knew about her husband's plan.

But during the trial for his younger brother, we did learn a few things out about her. Her best friend from childhood testified and she said she texted Katherine Russell on the day of the bombing to see if she was OK and then Katherine texted back that she was. And the friend says a few minutes later that Katherine texted this, and I quote, "although a lot more people are killed every day in Syria in other places, innocent people." The friend says she thought it was strange for her to bring that up. Russell's mother said during the trial that her daughter adopted her husband's religious beliefs and became withdrawn. Her family was not invited to their wedding.

Drew Griffin mow has more on what we know about Katherine Russell.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Immediately after the bombings, Katherine Russell slipped from public view disappeared with her small child into the suburban Rhode Island home of her parents. Appearing in public only when summoned for a traffic ticket. To her neighbors, she was living as a ghost, barely seen and never heard.

DAVID ZLOTNICK, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: She is trying to get her life back together. She is trying and remain out of public view. She is trying to figure out who she is and figure out how to raise a daughter whose father was a mass murderer and that has to be a challenging task for her and her family.

GRIFFIN: There was always the lingering question too of what she did know about her husband and brother-in-law's alleged plot to plant pressure cooker bombs at the Boston marathon. Bombs investigators believe were at least partially made on the kitchen table of the tiny apartment she shared with Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Katherine Russell has never been charged in connection with the

bombings. Federal prosecutors will not say if Russell is a suspect, a witness on simply a noninvolved widow. Former federal prosecutor David Zlotnick says regardless of what she did or did not know, it is smart for Russell to remain silent.

ZLOTNICK: Unless she ate it in the bed and that is she went out and purchased some item knowing that he might use it to create a bomb or helped him in some way of scoping out the marathon and gave him information, she is not technically guilty of any crime.

GRIFFIN: Katherine Russell was last seen holding what's believe to the newest child in the Tsarnaev family, her niece, a child of Alina Tsarnaev, her 24-year-old sister-in-law. Alina Tsarnaev recently appeared in court on unrelated charges of threatening a romantic rival with a bomb. She has pled not guilty.

But by all indications, Russell has chosen to be near and with her dead husband's family living in New Jersey rather than her parents in Rhode Island. Her last known apartment was just blocks from the last listed address of Alina and Bella Tsarnaev, her sisters-in-law. Tsarnaev family believes brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar are innocent, set up as Allina Tsarnaev stated, in some sort of government conspiracy.

But Katherine Russell's feelings are unknown. Their attorney says she is not talking and will not talk.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[20:15:26] COOPER: And Drew Griffin joins is now as well as Deborah Feyerick in Boston, and our senior legal analysts Jeffrey Toobin.

So, she has never been charged, Drew, in connection with the bombings. Has she been formally been cleared or I guest prosecutors don't normally even do that?

GRIFFIN: No, they don't. And Jeff could probably speak to this. But after the sentencing today, we did hear from the FBI agent in Boston who said, listen, we think we prosecuted everybody involved with these bombings and that was the two brothers. And he would not speculate on anybody else who might have been investigated any criminal investigation still going on or anybody who might not be charged. So,. it is kind of this mystery about her, how she lives so close with these two men. And apparently, at least right now, is not involved with this crime.

COOPER: I mean, they would have had to sort of practice or been reading manuals or -- and you know, sort of -- I mean, they must have had the equipment around in the home, Jeff, why won't prosecutors say point blank she's not a suspect and leave it at that?

TOOBIN: They don't really do that. I mean, prosecutors aren't in the business of clearing people. They identify people as suspects or targets. She's apparently neither one. And you know, all I can say -- I mean, she is a deep mystery and all of us who follow this case wondered about her. But there is not -- it is not a crime to know about something bad that is going to happen and fail to stop it. So that you can sort of intuit is what they concluded because how she could not know given how small that apartment was. But unless she actually did something to help the plot, it is not a crime.

COOPER: Deborah, it is interesting to see that that tweet or the text that she sent her friend because she was implying that the people at the Boston marathon were not, you know, innocent. She is claiming that it is people in other places were innocent people, not the people at the bombing. And yet, we -- there is still not a lot publicly known about this woman?

FEYERICK: You know, there really isn't. But the interesting thing about that is that, look, when her mother got up on the stand to testify, she testified that Tamerlan had a very strong, the bomber's brother, the one who dropped the first bomb, that he was the one who really brain washed Katherine Russell that he changed the way she thought, that it has taken two years since his death for her to actually start becoming the person that Katherine, that her mother remembers her as being.

And so, when you look at what she knew, what she didn't know, although there were components, things that could have been used to build some sort of bomb in the apartment, it has never been 100 percent proven that the bomb was built there in that small house.

So I spoke to one very high-level attorney who handles terrorism cases and that person told me that, you know what, if prosecutors could charge Katherine Russell, it is likely they would charge Katherine Russell. But they would have to show intent. Even though she was online looking up rewards for wife of (INAUDIBLE) and what would happen if something happened to her husband when he was traveling over in Dagestan, it doesn't show that she knew about the bomb. It doesn't know that she knew about her husband's intentions. And so, therefore, when the FBI had said, in fact, everybody connected has been prosecuted, it is not just the two bombers, it is also a number of the friends around them. They really picked up anybody and everybody, including a taxi driver who the brothers had dinner with that evening, who ended up going back and sort of deleting some stuff on his computer once he found out who he had dinner with the night of the marathon bombing. So, they seem to have gotten everything. But again, if they could charge her, chances are she would be charged.

COOPER: Drew, did you want to say anything?

GRIFFIN: Yes. I just wanted to say, Anderson, this was also a legal strategy. She was advised, you know, lie low, say nothing, make yourself available to the FBI if they want to talk to you, if they need to talk to you, but don't talk to anybody else. That tweet we saw, you know, that was early on and then there was silence. And there has been silence from this woman ever since. She has a couple of mouthy sister-in-laws, who are not afraid to speak out, but she has followed her legal advice. Shut up and lie low and don't get in front of any confrontation that the FBI might circle back and take a look at you. [20:19:58] COOPER: Just in terms of decency, though, Jeff, I mean, if

she doesn't like what happened, you would think that there would be some way to make some sort of a statement of regret, some sort of a statement at least telling what she knows about why these two people did this, a generally idea of why they did it, but at least, you know, she could fill in some of the gaps.

TOOBIN: Or a word of sympathy for the victims. And there is also, you know, we are obviously focused on legal responsibility, but there is the question of moral responsibility. If she had gone to the cops and said my husband is acting in a very weird way. My husband is making -- is talking in a way that could be really dangerous to the community, how much better off would the world be if the cops had intervened and stopped this horrendous plot. So, you know, sure, there is not a criminal case against her and it looks like there would never, but I think her conscious should be very heavy during these subsequent years.

COOPER: Yes. Jeff, appreciate you being on. Deb Feyerick and Drew Griffin, as well.

We are going to speak to Drew in a moment again on another issue.

Just ahead, breaking news, new reason tonight to wonder if Amtrak train 188 was also struck by something that night, just like a nearby commuter train and a (INAUDIBLE) train were, when assisting conductor told the NTSB could perhaps blow up the investigation. We will have details on that.

The NTSB also interviewing the train's engineer today. Coming up, I'll talk to Brandon Bostian closest friends. They spoke the night of the accident when Bostian was in the emergency room.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:25:30] COOPER: Breaking news tonight about the deadly derailment of Amtrak train 188. Today, the NTSB interviewed the engineer and two assisting conductors. And what one of the assistant conductors told them could turn the investigation on its head. Just minutes before the accident she said she heard Brandon Bostian talking to the engineer of a local commuter train who said his windshield had been shot at or hit by a rock. And then this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT SUMWALT, NTSB BOARD MEMBER: She also believed that she heard her engineer say something about his train being struck by something. This is her recollection and certainly we're going to be conducting further investigation of this comment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: So just to be clear, the assistant conductor said she heard the engineer, Brandon Bostian saying that Amtrak 188 had been hit by something minutes before it jumped the tracks. Now, we already know or knew that a local commuter train and an Amtrak trains were struck by some sort of projectiles around the same time and the same vicinity that Amtrak 188 derailed. That was the picture there.

When those reports surfaced fill up the mayor said the incidents were unrelated and Drew Griffin joins us again tonight.

So the statements about this apparent projectile or projectiles, have you learned anything more?

GRIFFIN: What we do right now, Amtrak, 188, there is no evidence that a projectile hit that windshield. What they have in the lower left portion of the windshield, the driver sits on the right side, the indent tension or a circular pattern of damage is in the lower left side of the front windshield. That is going to be looked at by the FBI, their criminal analysis to basically determine what could have struck there. Was it a rock, was it a bullet, was it consistent with anything else or was it consistent with the fact that this was also involved with a crash. But again, the information that they are getting, it is kind of convoluted as you spelled it out, Anderson. It is coming about an overheard radio conversation by somebody else who is basically listening on this open frequency.

COOPER: Right. Overheard by the assistant conductor on the train. Do we know where she was when she says she heard this conversation?

GRIFFIN: We know right where she was. She is the assistant conductor. She was in the fourth car, the cafe car. She was listening on her radio, the crew of the Amtrak train, all have a radio and it was a radio that she was overhearing her engineer and the engineer of the septa train, that's the local commuter train here in southeast, Pennsylvania, talking about projectile.

The NTSB just a little while ago sent out a notice saying hey, they made arrangements now. They are going to talk with that septa engineer. So you'll be step one of the participants now speaking exactly about what that conversation was. Because as we've been reporting, the engineer of the Amtrak train still can't recall anything, including recalling any kind of conversation he may have had on the radio.

COOPER: Do we know how much in advance of the derailment this conversation allegedly took place?

GRIFFIN: This all -- not really. But it all happened within the same 15-minute period. So there is two trains that were struck. One was a southbound fast Amtrak train, the (INAUDIBLE) train. The other was this septa train. The southbound train appears to be hit by a rock. We have a picture of that. It looked like something hit a passenger side window. The septa train has damage to the front windshield. And then all within 15 minutes now, then you have the crash of Amtrak 188. All in the same area, all about the same time, so you know, it obviously raises at some very interesting kind of timing situation going on.

COOPER: And we know the engineer did meet with the NTSB today. Do we know what was said and what the latest is?

GRIFFIN: This is what is so frustrating and again the NTSB said we need inner facing cameras in these cabs to see what is going on in the engine. Because the engineer said he rings the bell passing through the Philadelphia 30th station. But after that he can't remember anything. He can't remember this conversation he supposedly had about rocks being thrown or projectiles. He can't remember the crash. He can't recall anything.

But I just wrote down a few things that we do know, Anderson. He was in good health. He had a physical not long ago.

[20:30:01]

He'd said he was not having any kind of sleep issues. His injuries that he had, he did have injuries, but they were not consistent and he did not report any injuries related to any kind of projectile that might have come through any windshield and before the crash, the crew and himself checked out the whole train and this train was running operationally fine.

COOPER: Interesting. Drew, I appreciate the update. And as we said, NTSB investigators interviewed Brandon Bostian today, described him as extremely cooperative, though he says he can't remember anything. He sustained a concussion in the wreck. On Tuesday night when he was in the emergency room he spoke with his longtime friend James Weir. They grew up together, they've known each other for decades, and James joins me now.

Thanks for being with us, James. I'm sorry - these circumstances. You have a very close friendship with Brandon Bostian. What was your reaction when you - first of all, when you watched report of the crash, did you instantly know it was his train?

JAMES WEIR, FRIEND OF AMTRAK ENGINEER BRANDON BOSTIAN: Well, thank you for having me, Anderson. I really appreciate this opportunity. I did. When I got home from dinner that night, I turned on the television and I saw the news and I knew immediately it was his train and it was him. And I didn't want to believe it and I didn't really need to confirm it, but I reached to and just want to reach out to him.

COOPER: You sent him a text. Did he respond?

WEIR: Yes, he did. He did. I sent him a text message, and he responded.

COOPER: What did he say?

WEIR: He said he was - he said that he was involved in the accident. That he wasn't able to talk much at the time. And that he was being sent at the E.R.

COOPER: And then you called him, right?

WEIR: That is correct, yes.

COOPER: Well, how did he sound to you, what did he say actually on the phone? WEIR: The same - the same as the text message. He sounded a bit in

shock. He really couldn't talk much at that time. He was being seen for and cared for and I really didn't get much of a chance, really, just - I really didn't get much of a chance at all to talk to him.

COOPER: What is he like as an engineer, in terms of the way he approaches his job and conversations you've had about it?

WEIR: The best. The best. Safety is his number one goal. If you were riding any kind of a train, this is the man you want to be your engineer. He is the best of the best.

COOPER: You say that based on what? Because obviously, I think there is a lot of people who would -- that would make them raise their eyebrows given what has happened. You have no doubt that -- you believe whatever happened to this train was not the result of error on his part?

WEIR: That is correct. And -- it's -- as many friends and people that have come out of the wood work in the past few days in support of him, and all of the stories are consistent with his analysis, with his wanting to be more safe, not less safe. Also with the way that he had a passion for trains. And it is all consistent --

COOPER: It is hard, though, to -- sorry, it is hard to explain though why he would, even in a straightaway had been going so much above the speed limit and certainly, obviously, even into the turn, going more the twice the speed limit. That does remain unknown at this point.

WEIR: It does remain unknown. And I don't have any answer for that. I wish I did. I don't. The only thing I can say is that, we need to wait, until we get all the evidence and before we start - the judgement and start pointing fingers.

COOPER: Well, I appreciate you are coming on and talking about your friend, James. Thank you very much. I appreciate ...

WEIR: It's my pleasure, Anderson, thank you so much for having me.

COOPER: Up next, remembering a beloved educator who died in that train derailment. He inspired so many young - young people. And we've got some great video of him on the job. Also, ahead tonight, to the father and the mother of this Marine, the pilot of the helicopter that crashed on a mission to help earthquake victims in Nepal. At this moment all onboard are presumed dead. Details ahead.

[20:34:20]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Eight people were killed when Amtrak train 188 ran off the rails on Tuesday night. We are learning more about each of them and our hearts go out to their families, their friends. Two women, six men, many of them executives, also mothers as fathers, one a U.S. Naval Academy midshipman, another wine merchant from Italy. Also killed, the beloved educator, 42-year old Derrick Griffith who inspired so many students here in New York. Gary Tuchman tonight has his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Derrick Griffith lost his life aboard the Amtrak train that derailed in Philadelphia, but there are many young people who found direction in theirs because of him. And his death has stunned them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Words cannot describe how I felt. I was angry, I was hurt, I was devastated.

TUCHMAN: Jessica Layton is a sophomore at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York, where the 42-year old Griffith was the dean in student affairs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I first came to Medgar, I always knew I wanted to do biology, but I never thought I was good enough and the dean just boosted up my confidence and by taking me under his wing, he let me know that I am smart and I can achieve anything that I want.

And I would just tell him thank you and how I'm going to be paying him back, I'm going to graduate two years from now, and I'm going to go off to medical school, and I'm going to become a pediatrician and that's how I'm going to make him proud.

TUCHMAN: Griffith came to Medgar Evers from City University of New York Prep, a transitional school he founded in the Bronx that provides out of school youth an alternative pathway to college.

GRIFFITH: Because we love you.

TUCHMAN: This was him in action. His inspirational ways apparent.

GRIFFITH: Right now is your time. How many people are ready to claim graduation right now? Raise your hand, raise your hand ...

TUCHMAN: This was part of a 30 minute farewell video that faculty and students put together in 2010 for a teacher they knew as Mr. Griff.

A man they would miss terribly when he left for Medgar Evers College. A tribute they put online for everyone to see when they found out he died in the train crash.

[20:40:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Griff cares about us a lot. He never turns his back on you.

GRIFFITH: We care about you, even when you are not caring about yourself.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's always - with open arms and it's like you know, like no matter who you are and what you do, he wants you to succeed.

RUDY CREW, PRESIDENT, MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE: Dr. Griffith was a pillar of an individual.

TUCHMAN: Rudy Crew was the president of Medgar Evers College.

(on camera): How do you replace a man like this?

CREW: You really don't. You realize that there are people in your life and people in your work environment for whom the gifts have been so widespread and so deep and so penetrating and so compelling that they are really a once in a lifetime kind of a gifted person.

TUCHMAN (voice over): Derrick Griffith had been studying for his Ph.D. as part of a City University of New York graduate program. He had finished all his course work and was scheduled to get his degree in a week and a half. The university has now offered him the degree posthumously and he will forever be known as Doctor Griffith.

He will also forever be known as a man who made a difference.

GRIFFITH: I don't know why I'm getting so emotional right now. Wow, wow, wow, wow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't cry.

GRIFFITH: All right, so here is the deal. OK. First of all, I want to - yes, give me ...

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: And Gary joins us now. And so I understand that Dr. Griffith also helped young people outside of the school.

TUCHMAN: That is right. He used to be the executive director of the volunteer group, it's a national organization with a very good reputation, he was at a local chapter of it called groundwork. And Groundwork helps children, young people who live in cities, who live in poor neighborhoods and he did that for quite a while. Speaking of young people, Derrick is survived by a son and he's also survived, Anderson, by his mother.

COOPER: Our thoughts are with them. Gary, I appreciate it.

Just ahead tonight, I'm going to talk to the family of Captain Chris Norgren, one of the six U.S. Marines on an earthquake relief mission in Nepal, wreckage from the helicopter was - has been found, details are ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:45:50]

COOPER: Today a search team found the wreckage of a U.S. military helicopter lost on an earthquake relief mission in Nepal. Six Marines and two Nepali soldiers were on board.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GEN. JOHN WISSLER, U.S. MARINES: They were courageous, they were selfless individuals dedicated to the international humanitarian aid mission here in Nepal. We are deeply saddened by the discovery of this wreckage and we will remain dedicated to the recovery effort until every last Marine and Nepali soldier is brought home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: That recovery effort is ongoing. The U.S. military has not released the names of the Marines, but the family of Captain Chris Norgren, the pilot has come forward. They last heard from Chris on Mother's Day when he sent flowers to his mom. He joined the Marines in 2009 and served in Afghanistan and his parents Terri and Ronald Norgren join me now. I appreciate both of you being with us, and I'm so sorry for all you are going through. Ron, I cannot imagine what these last few days have been like for you and your family. Tell me a little bit about Chris. He just seems like an incredible guy.

RONALD NORGREN, SON WAS PILOT OF HELICOPTER: Chris was an in -- an incredible individual. He was doing things he loved. He loved to help people and he loved to fly. And he was just incredible. If I go too far, you let me know, but he -- he played football in high school. Then he went and he got a full academic scholarship at Wichita State University and he wanted to play football, so after that - Wichita State, he went to Missouri, Raleigh and in Missouri, Raleigh he got his football scholarship and he walked on and he graduated with an aerospace engineering degree and a mathematics degree.

COOPER: So he was clearly not an under underachiever at all. I also understand that he worked in Alaska, he was interested in photo journalism. And Terri, I understand ...

RONALD NORGREN: Oh, yeah.

COOPER: Terri, I understand the last time you spoke to him was on Mother's Day?

TERRI NORGREN, SON WAS PILOT OF HELICOPTER: Yeah. He sent a Facebook message to me and everything, we've been able to keep in contact periodically through this last deployment and everything and he was going - he had told me he was going to be going to Nepal. And he was going there to help out for the individuals and everything and I told him, that is awesome, I'm glad you're doing that, please, be careful, be safe. And I flat old told him, he says, you're going to see things that are going to be total devastation and as a mom, I'm not only just worried about his physical health, but also his mental health and how he's been able to help out. I mean he's a strong man, he's a very good-hearted person, but he's also a very compassionate and caring individual and that just speaks to his leadership and the strength that he has and why he's doing what he's doing. He wants to help people. That is the reason he went over there. And he told me mom, somebody has got to do this. And this is what I'm supposed to be doing.

COOPER: And Ron, it seems like he loves flying. It seems like he's not only good at it, but he loves it.

RONALD NORGREN: Oh, yeah. His passion for flying started at a very early age. When he was in -- I believe it was grade school.

TERRI NORGREN: Yeah.

COOPER: No kidding, even back then?

RONALD NORGREN: We sent him to - Oh, absolutely.

TERRI NORGREN: Right.

RONALD NORGREN: We sent him to space camp.

TERRI NORGREN: Space camp.

RONALD NORGREN: In Hutchinson, Kansas. And they've got a space.

TERRI NORGREN: It is actually the national one where they train a lot of the stuff for NASA.

RONALD NORGREN: Right.

TERRI NORGREN: They come to Hutchinson, Kansas, for it.

RONALD NORGREN: And we sent him to a summer space camp and that is where he picked up his flying his passion for flying.

COOPER: And that's where it began. Terri, is there anything else you want people to know about Ron? I mean it seems like not only did he love flying, he loved being in, you know, in the service helping people.

[20:50:00]

COOPER: Is there anything else you want people to know?

TERRI NORGREN: Correct. He lives like this is a very compassion and carrying people. He wanted to be able to instill leadership qualities and for people to have the drive to be able to know that they can make a difference. Find what they wanted to be able to stand for, take that step forwards and commit to it, to have a plan and be able to move forward. He knew earlier on what he wanted to do, and he did it. Not too many kids of that young age know what they want. He did. And he wanted to be able to go ahead and make a difference and so, a lot of the stuff that he's always wanted to be able to do was to make a plan and execute it.

COOPER: Not too many adults know what they want to do, it sounds like as much as he did.

RONALD NORGREN: Yeah. I agree.

COOPER: Yeah. Well, Terri.

I'm sorry, go ahead, Ronald. RONALD NORGREN: He was a great individual. And anybody that talked

to him, he helped coach the high school football team after -- after his officer training school. And they are still using some of the techniques he learned in officer training school ...

COOPER: Is that right?

RONALD NORGREN: in that bishop football.

COOPER: Wow.

RONALD NORGREN: He want - also wanting to do is let everybody to know an individual can make a difference.

COOPER: And he's certainly has done that, I know, and a lot of people's lives and will continue to.

RONALD NORGREN: Oh, absolutely.

COOPER: Ronald and Terry, I'm so sorry we're talking under these circumstances and I know you're holding on to hope and in our thoughts and in our prayers and thank you very much for talking with us.

RONALD NORGREN: Thank you.

TERRIN NORGREN: Thank you Anderson.

COOPER: Terri and Ronald Norgren, we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Welcome back now, some lighter fare courtesy of our favorite chef Anthony Bourdain. This Sunday on CNN Bourdain takes us to Madagascar in the newest episode of "Parts Unknown." He brought along a Hollywood travel companion to the fourth largest island on the planet off the East Coast of Africa. I talked to Anthony about the adventure when he stopped by my place and did a little cooking. I can say it was probably the first time my stove was actually used because I'm not much of a cook at all. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: OK, so the upcoming edition of your show, you go to Madagascar, which is a place I've always wanted to go to. Never been to. What is it like?

ANTHONY BOURDAIN: It is like - well, we use a sort of Noah's Arc metaphor because Madagascar is unique in a lot of ways and what is most significant is that because of its peculiar place as a broken off chunk of -- sitting out in the middle of the Indian Ocean, it is home to mostly - completely unique species of animals meaning the -- just about every mammal there is completely unique to Madagascar and Madagascar alone.

So, the impetuous for this show, however, came strangely enough from a phone call from the film director Darren Aronofsky who was somebody who really admire, one of my heroes. He - I mean he direct - wrote directed "Little Pie, "Requiem for a Dream", "The Wrestler," "The Black Swan."

COOPER: He was interested in "Madagascar?"

BOURDAIN: He called up and said I would like to hang out with you guys. And like I would like to do something. Come play with you. And I said, OK, if you shoot. You know, if you carry a camera, and ...

COOPER: Darren Aronofsky actually shot ...

BOURDAIN: I said we'll go anywhere you want in the world, and we'll do whatever you want. Where would you like to go? As long as you give us a little film, give us your perspective.

COOPER: That's cool.

BOURDAIN: And he said I want to go to Madagascar because he's very into the environment. Also, he's a vegetarian, which that some comedy gold right there.

COOPER: That's funny challenging.

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: Yeah. I'm not a dream date for a vegetarian. So we did our usual version of the show and then we let - we show you a little bit of how he saw it. So it is the show about a changing world, an incredible place that I certainly knew nothing about. Most people I think would have a hard time even locating Madagascar on a map. It is an amazing, amazing place, with an incredible little known history. But the show is also about a perspective and how two people with very different world views looking out two different windows, however close, see events and interpret events in different ways.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: See, I actually did a little cooking with Anthony Bourdain, I actually stirred the tomato sauce. It wasn't much. It's about all I can do. That and pour milk on cereal. Anyway, don't miss Anthony Bourdain, parts unknown, Sunday night, 9:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, right here on CNN. That does it for us in this edition of "360." Thanks very much for watching, the CNN special report, "Murder at the Marathon," starts now.

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