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CNN Live Saturday

Man Hopes to Aid in Search for Missing Daughter

Aired September 15, 2001 - 13:49   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Here at CNN and CNN.com we've come up with one small thing in trying to help people find their relatives and their loved ones. Of course, you've seen the pictures of people going throughout New York City holding up pictures, just as that family just did, wondering if there would be any information on -- if people had seen those loved ones. We've done something here at CNN.com.

I'm going to turn your attention to our Web site here. If you go to the home page, you'll see the big red banner with a special report. But if you scroll down a little bit on CNN.com, you'll see a part that talks about missing. Send photos and view photos. If you click onto that area, you come up with an area that allows you both to view photos of people who might have been missing if you were any where near the World Trade Center on Tuesday. Also, if you're one of the desperate families looking for information about one of your relatives or loved ones, we are encouraging you to send photos into the Web site. It tells you there how to do it. We want to feature one person whose picture is on CNN.com.

I think -- all right. Well, I'm going to go through it with you just to show you how it works.

You click on to "view photos" -- work with me here -- and then you'll see there's the alphabet. We're going to be featuring Bridget Esposito.

So we're going to the first area, A-F. Here's her name under "E." Bridget Esposito. And we click on -- you can see Bridget Thomas Esposito. 34. Her hometown we don't have right now. Her employer was American Express Travel at Marsh USA. We have with us on the phone right Bridget's father, Maurice Thomas.

Mr. Thomas, thanks for joining us today.

MAURICE THOMAS, FATHER OF MISSING WOMAN: You're welcome.

KAGAN: We have just basic information about your daughter on our Web site. 5 foot 3, 120 pounds, dark brown hair, dark brown eyes. Last seen on the 94th floor of the first tower. What else can you tell us about your daughter that doesn't fit into this simple form that we have here on CNN.com?

THOMAS: Bridget is originally from Brooklyn, and working in New York. And she has always been a fantastic kid. I mean, as a youngster, some days I was looking for her and she would be in some elderly person's home keeping their company. Just being such a lovely girl.

KAGAN: We didn't call and want to get you on the phone to get you upset.

THOMAS: No, it's quite all right. Everything helps.

KAGAN: I understand. Can you tell us what she did -- what she was doing for American Express Travel?

THOMAS: She was a travel agent doing corporate travel for Marsh McLennan, one of their accounts. So it was like an on hand travel.

KAGAN: She would have been at work on Tuesday morning? Just like many Tuesday mornings.

THOMAS: She started at 7:00 a.m. until 3 p.m. And at about 20 minutes to nine, one of her friends, Myra, who lives in Florida, called her and spoke to her minutes before the blast. I was at -- at hospice because I volunteer there singing for the -- for the dead or the families. Whatever. My wife called me and I turned the television on and just went into shock.

KAGAN: When was the last time you were able to speak with your daughter?

THOMAS: On Monday night.

KAGAN: What did you talk about?

THOMAS: She called and she spoke to my wife and she said, "I just had a bad dream that daddy died." I don't know if that's a premonition of her own death.

KAGAN: Were you able to talk to her that night too?

THOMAS: No. I was asleep and my wife didn't want to wake me.

KAGAN: We see of course that your family or someone has sent in this picture for anybody who does have information about Bridget. Are you still hopeful that she'll be found, that perhaps maybe she was injured and is at one of the hospitals and you haven't been able to make contact yet?

THOMAS: Her sister Yvette -- I've never seen two sisters so close -- they are best friends. She has been in the streets with Bridget's husband Michael Esposito every day from about 11 in the morning to 11 at night, going to all the hospitals, walking around. Yvette has been carrying a picture of Bridget. She has been interviewed all over. And we have a son who is living in Atlanta, and we're all trying to do whatever we can.

I have not gone to New York because I have some bad legs I can't walk very far. And my daughter Yvette said "Dad, there's nothing you can do here, because you can't drive around. And you have to walk all day and you can't do it." So I'm waiting for any slight words so -- if it is closure, then I'll go.

KAGAN: Well, we understand you're doing your part today, sir, by talking with us here on CNN, by sending the message and sending your daughter's story across the country and around the world. I realize this is such a difficult time for you and your family. I want to thank you for taking time out and talking to us and draw attention to Bridget's picture and her story, and certainly we wish you the best of luck.

THOMAS: I heard there are about 1700 people in hospitals in Jersey. I don't know. But Yvette has different parts, like hair of Bridget's for DNA or whatever. I don't know.

KAGAN: Well, we will hold out hope for you, sir, and your family that Bridget is one of those who is in this the hospital. And once again, we do send our best. That's Maurice Thomas, father of Bridget Thomas Esposito one of the many, many missing people at the World Trade Center.

We want it encourage you, too. If you have a missing loved one, please send your photos. We'll post them for you on CNN.com. The e- mail address to send them along and the information is very simple: missing@CNN.com. And if you need more information, just log on to CNN.com, onto our Web site, click on missing photos and all the directions are right there for you to send along the photos and the information. We really, really are trying to help.

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