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CNN Live Saturday
Interview With Troy McLaughlin, Kelly McLaughlin
Aired May 03, 2003 - 16:40 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Sailors on board the USS Abraham Lincoln are heading toward home port and their loved ones arms after nearly ten months at sea and that included duty in the Iraq war. Petty Officer 1st Class Troy McLaughlin will be arriving on Tuesday, just in time for his daughter Riley's second birthday and his wife Kelly is waiting for him, along with Riley there in Everett, Washington. Good to see all of you.
TROY MCLAUGHLIN, PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS: Good to see everybody, too.
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, great we were able to help make this happen. Petty Officer McLaughlin, let me begin with you. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind now as you are about three days away from being at home and being in the arms of your wife and your two kids?
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Well, it's hard to sleep right now. The channel fever's already kicked in. I've never had it kick in so early, but just thinking of all the things we get to do when we get home and spend some time with my family and just get away from work for a little while and relax and enjoy the finer things in life.
WHITFIELD: And you're going to be making it home just in time for your daughter Riley's second birthday. Did you expect for a moment that you just might not be here in time in order to celebrate?
T. MCLAUGHLIN: It was looking pretty dismal there for a little while, but I had faith that I wouldn't be out to sea for that long, and I just kept my fingers crossed that I could be home for the second one and even though -- even though I missed the first one, it was only by a couple of weeks and I knew -- I just knew that I'd be home for the second one. I didn't -- didn't have any doubts in my mind that I wouldn't be home for that one.
WHITFIELD: Oh, great, now we're seeing a tight shot of Riley right there. She's almost two and -- Kelly, how's he sound? How's he look to you?
KELLY MCLAUGHLIN, TROY'S WIFE: He looks great. He sounds great. He sounds excited to get home. It's going to be a wonderful experience.
WHITFIELD: Well, give me an idea...
K. MCLAUGHLIN: I can't wait. WHITFIELD: Well, Kelly, give me an idea what kind of preparations, if any, are being made as you and others can't wait to see your loved ones pull into Everett, Washington.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Well, right now, we've been working on fund- raising to get money together for the sailors so that, when they want to be able to do something fun and exciting when they get home with their families, we've been raising money for that, selling mugs and t- shirts and pins and hankies. And right now we're stuffing single sailor bags for those sailors who may not have somebody waiting for them on the pier and then we've got the decorations that are getting ready to go under way tomorrow that's going to be all put out -- and a -- for them to see on their way in -- the sound and everything, so, it's getting...
WHITFIELD: Kelly -- go ahead, sorry.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: No. It's just getting really excited in here. Everybody can't wait.
WHITFIELD: And, Kelly, you know, do you think Riley has gotten a clear understanding about what's been going on the past ten months? She hasn't seen dad, you guys have moved into a new house, I understand. Right?
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Yes, we did.
WHITFIELD: Lots and lots of changes while dad and hubby was away.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Oh, yes, definitely. Well, what I did for Riley was I got this little baby photo album and I put all of Troy's pictures in there for her and so she would carry it around and say "da da" and give him kisses good night and she -- we got one of his West Pac pictures, and she would take one of them to bed with her. One night, I couldn't get it out of her hands, she rocked with it and went to bed with it, so she knows who her daddy is and it will just be a wonderful experience for them to actually get to see each other face- to-face and talk to each other and for him to actually hold her.
WHITFIELD: OK. Petty Officer McLaughlin, let me bring you back into the equation here. You got any thoughts going through your mind right now?
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Just holding those two again.
WHITFIELD: So this is going to be pretty odd for you, right? You're seeing your -- you're going to see a new home for the first time, I guess you've heard all about it, and she's been able to communicate with you via e-mail and pictures and all that, right?
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Right. Right. They -- we had quite a change in our lives in the last month and a half or so and a lot of moving and a lot of getting situated and getting ready for the home coming and everything, so my wife's been pretty busy and we talk when we can. WHITFIELD: All right, well, I'm going to give you guys a chance to have a -- exchange any more thoughts or wishes to one another before we let you go.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: OK.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Hi, honey.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Hi, sweetheart. Hi, Riley.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Can't -- daddy says hi. Say hi, daddy. Say hi, daddy.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Do you see dad? See dad? Hi Riley.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Hi, da da. Say, love you.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Hi, baby.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Love you, miss you.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: I love you. Give me kisses.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Kisses. Can you blow -- blow daddy kisses. Oh, one more. Oh big kisses.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: I can't wait to get home.
WHITFIELD: Oh, that's so great.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Can't wait to see you. We've got everybody waiting for you. Sherry's here, Stephanie's here, your dad's going to be here on Tuesday, and K.J. will be here also, so and everybody's going to be watching.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: All right. That's good, it's good. I can't wait to get home. It's going to be great.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks a lot, you guys.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Big old barbecue.
WHITFIELD: All right. Sorry about that...
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Yes, definitely.
WHITFIELD: We're running out little bit of satellite time, but thanks for allowing us to eavesdrop on your very private moment there and in just a matter of days, you'll have yet another few private moments together as the USS Abraham Lincoln makes its way back home to the home port there in Everett, Washington.
Petty Officer Troy McLaughlin and Kelly and Riley, who will soon be two, happy birthday to her, just in advance. Congratulations to you guys.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Thank you very much.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Thank you very much.
WHITFIELD: And thanks a lot, Petty Officer McLaughlin, for a job well done out there.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: I appreciate it, all you guys support and everything and it's an indescribable feeling.
WHITFIELD: Ah, well, welcome home. Thanks very much, all of you, for joining us.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 3, 2003 - 16:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Sailors on board the USS Abraham Lincoln are heading toward home port and their loved ones arms after nearly ten months at sea and that included duty in the Iraq war. Petty Officer 1st Class Troy McLaughlin will be arriving on Tuesday, just in time for his daughter Riley's second birthday and his wife Kelly is waiting for him, along with Riley there in Everett, Washington. Good to see all of you.
TROY MCLAUGHLIN, PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS: Good to see everybody, too.
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, great we were able to help make this happen. Petty Officer McLaughlin, let me begin with you. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind now as you are about three days away from being at home and being in the arms of your wife and your two kids?
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Well, it's hard to sleep right now. The channel fever's already kicked in. I've never had it kick in so early, but just thinking of all the things we get to do when we get home and spend some time with my family and just get away from work for a little while and relax and enjoy the finer things in life.
WHITFIELD: And you're going to be making it home just in time for your daughter Riley's second birthday. Did you expect for a moment that you just might not be here in time in order to celebrate?
T. MCLAUGHLIN: It was looking pretty dismal there for a little while, but I had faith that I wouldn't be out to sea for that long, and I just kept my fingers crossed that I could be home for the second one and even though -- even though I missed the first one, it was only by a couple of weeks and I knew -- I just knew that I'd be home for the second one. I didn't -- didn't have any doubts in my mind that I wouldn't be home for that one.
WHITFIELD: Oh, great, now we're seeing a tight shot of Riley right there. She's almost two and -- Kelly, how's he sound? How's he look to you?
KELLY MCLAUGHLIN, TROY'S WIFE: He looks great. He sounds great. He sounds excited to get home. It's going to be a wonderful experience.
WHITFIELD: Well, give me an idea...
K. MCLAUGHLIN: I can't wait. WHITFIELD: Well, Kelly, give me an idea what kind of preparations, if any, are being made as you and others can't wait to see your loved ones pull into Everett, Washington.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Well, right now, we've been working on fund- raising to get money together for the sailors so that, when they want to be able to do something fun and exciting when they get home with their families, we've been raising money for that, selling mugs and t- shirts and pins and hankies. And right now we're stuffing single sailor bags for those sailors who may not have somebody waiting for them on the pier and then we've got the decorations that are getting ready to go under way tomorrow that's going to be all put out -- and a -- for them to see on their way in -- the sound and everything, so, it's getting...
WHITFIELD: Kelly -- go ahead, sorry.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: No. It's just getting really excited in here. Everybody can't wait.
WHITFIELD: And, Kelly, you know, do you think Riley has gotten a clear understanding about what's been going on the past ten months? She hasn't seen dad, you guys have moved into a new house, I understand. Right?
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Yes, we did.
WHITFIELD: Lots and lots of changes while dad and hubby was away.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Oh, yes, definitely. Well, what I did for Riley was I got this little baby photo album and I put all of Troy's pictures in there for her and so she would carry it around and say "da da" and give him kisses good night and she -- we got one of his West Pac pictures, and she would take one of them to bed with her. One night, I couldn't get it out of her hands, she rocked with it and went to bed with it, so she knows who her daddy is and it will just be a wonderful experience for them to actually get to see each other face- to-face and talk to each other and for him to actually hold her.
WHITFIELD: OK. Petty Officer McLaughlin, let me bring you back into the equation here. You got any thoughts going through your mind right now?
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Just holding those two again.
WHITFIELD: So this is going to be pretty odd for you, right? You're seeing your -- you're going to see a new home for the first time, I guess you've heard all about it, and she's been able to communicate with you via e-mail and pictures and all that, right?
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Right. Right. They -- we had quite a change in our lives in the last month and a half or so and a lot of moving and a lot of getting situated and getting ready for the home coming and everything, so my wife's been pretty busy and we talk when we can. WHITFIELD: All right, well, I'm going to give you guys a chance to have a -- exchange any more thoughts or wishes to one another before we let you go.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: OK.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Hi, honey.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Hi, sweetheart. Hi, Riley.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Can't -- daddy says hi. Say hi, daddy. Say hi, daddy.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Do you see dad? See dad? Hi Riley.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Hi, da da. Say, love you.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Hi, baby.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Love you, miss you.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: I love you. Give me kisses.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Kisses. Can you blow -- blow daddy kisses. Oh, one more. Oh big kisses.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: I can't wait to get home.
WHITFIELD: Oh, that's so great.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Can't wait to see you. We've got everybody waiting for you. Sherry's here, Stephanie's here, your dad's going to be here on Tuesday, and K.J. will be here also, so and everybody's going to be watching.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: All right. That's good, it's good. I can't wait to get home. It's going to be great.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks a lot, you guys.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Big old barbecue.
WHITFIELD: All right. Sorry about that...
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Yes, definitely.
WHITFIELD: We're running out little bit of satellite time, but thanks for allowing us to eavesdrop on your very private moment there and in just a matter of days, you'll have yet another few private moments together as the USS Abraham Lincoln makes its way back home to the home port there in Everett, Washington.
Petty Officer Troy McLaughlin and Kelly and Riley, who will soon be two, happy birthday to her, just in advance. Congratulations to you guys.
K. MCLAUGHLIN: Thank you very much.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Thank you very much.
WHITFIELD: And thanks a lot, Petty Officer McLaughlin, for a job well done out there.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: I appreciate it, all you guys support and everything and it's an indescribable feeling.
WHITFIELD: Ah, well, welcome home. Thanks very much, all of you, for joining us.
T. MCLAUGHLIN: Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
