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CNN Live Saturday

Discussing the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; Weather Report

Aired September 10, 2005 - 10:30   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning again everyone. I'm Tony Harris and welcome back to this special edition of CNN SATURDAY MORNING. We are reuniting families and saluting heroes. It's 7:32 on the West Coast and it is 10:32 in Atlanta. Good morning, Betty.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. It is 9:30 Texas time. We're here in Houston where three of the four main shelters are housed. I'm in the Reliant Park area. The Astrodome shelter is behind me. There are 7300 people still in these four main shelters in Houston. Evacuees who have lost everything and many are still looking for loved ones. We have Marshall White with us to talk about who you're looking for. This is a family friend?

MARSHALL WHITE, EVACUATED VETERAN: Yes, her name is Francis Jackson. And she has some family members that's up there, too.

NGUYEN: A picture of her right there.

WHITE: Right. This is also some of her family and her children. And we haven't had any contact with them. I've tried to dial their cell phone number, can't get through. If anybody know where Frances Jackson, her last name is Peco (ph). My number is 713-523-3777, extension 280 and my e-mail address is mwwhite2067@yahoo.com. I have a friend also. His name is Paul Webb (ph). He was by the twin spans. His house was over there and I know that area is destroyed, haven't heard from him.

And Michael Blanche. He lived in Mandeville. I know that was hit pretty hard. I just want to say that the people in Houston have been A-class. CNN, y'all have helped us out tremendously. All the government people here have been fabulous people but if anyone know where's these people are at, please contact me and just let me know you're OK. That's all I need is a simple phone call or if anyone knows out there.

NGUYEN: Marshall, I can see the desperation in your face but the determination in your voice, you're going to find these family members, aren't you and these friends?

WHITE: Yes, I will. Yes.

NGUYEN: You've been -- sounds like you have been doing just about everything possible out there to find them. You mentioned an e- mail address. You're registered with the system?

WHITE: Right. I went to on Red Cross, registered with the system, went on missingpersons.com. All the resources but I've been unable to find any type of match. I don't know if this is a daily thing they're doing, but it's been a hard process with all the other stuff that's going on right now.

NGUYEN: Did you talk to these loved ones before you evacuated?

WHITE: Right. I talked to a few of my friends prior to coming. No one knew the hurricane was -- was coming at this type of magnitude. But when it actually came, we just evacuated pretty much within like a two-hour span. Everyone went their separate ways. Now trying to dial cell phone numbers is virtually ...

NGUYEN: Very difficult, absolutely, but we have that number. But say it one more time.

WHITE: OK, the area code is 713-523-3777, extension 280. My e- mail address is mwwhite2067@yahoo.com. Please call, e-mail, anyone knows out there, just let me know that you're A-OK. That's Frances Jackson Peco, her family, Shanikwa (ph), Theydra (ph), Paul Webb, my friend, and Michael Blanche and his family.

NGUYEN: So many people that you're looking for. I hope that determination pays off. I hope you find all and each and every one of them.

WHITE: Thank you, CNN. Thank you, appreciate you helping out. Thank you for being here.

NGUYEN: No problem. Tony, we are just so glad to help. People come to our tent here in Reliant Park every single day, tons of them come by saying, could you please get this message out. We just want to tell them that, one, we're OK and, two, let us know where you are because we haven't found you yet, talking about their loved ones. So there's a lot of desperation still in Houston, Tony.

HARRIS: OK, Betty, thank you. Amid the devastation and despair, stories of hope and joy like the one about the baby born to an evacuee who was airborne lifted to South Carolina. Jack Kensy (ph) of affiliate WIS has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JACK KENSY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Shea (ph) Dickson Young is having a baby. She's been in labor for hours. Husband William at her side. Shea knows his mom, Barbara Webber (ph), is close by, too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's doing fine. She's doing fine. She's had extensive labor. She started labor this morning about 3:00.

KENSY: Shea also knows she's lucky to be at Providence Hospital Northeast in Columbia. Ten days ago the couple was on the run as Hurricane Katrina blew away their home on New Orleans west side. What Shea and William do not know is that her parents are alive. We found out from Red Cross workers in Columbia and gave that information to Webber. Now we're there as she tells her daughter-in-law.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We found Cat and Blue.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No! Get away!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes! We found them.

KENSY: There is little time to rejoice. Minutes later, Shea is wheeled to the delivery room for a c-section. More emotion as William waits for the couple's first child. It doesn't take long. And then, a father meets his son William Young V.

(on camera): And if all of this wasn't enough, there is more good news for William and Shea. Volunteers have already arranged for housing, furniture, a crib, even jobs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's more than just the ray of light. I mean, I think that it shows that the midlands people have compassion and that we are here and that if anyone needs any one of us, we're there to help.

KENSY: At 7 pounds, 9 ounces baby William is alert and healthy. And is near as anyone can tell, he has also made history, the first baby born to a Katrina evacuee in South Carolina. So, welcome, William. Everyone is happy you could join us Jack Kensy, WIS, News 10.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Great story.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands of evacuees have been separated from their loved ones, like a 76-year-old woman who arrived in Atlanta suffering from dementia and with very little information but despite that, a social worker was able to find her family. That social worker is here with us right now. Jennifer Shuck. Jennifer, good morning.

JENNIFER SCHUCK, SOC. SVCE, WESKEY WOODS HOSPITAL: Good morning. Thank you.

HARRIS: Let's talk about lady Olivia.

SCHUCK: OK.

HARRIS: So she's airlifted from New Orleans.

SCHUCK: Correct.

HARRIS: To Emory Hospital here in Atlanta.

SCHUCK: And Emory Crawford.

HARRIS: And when did you first make contact with her?

SCHUCK: She basically was transferred from Emory Crawford Long hospital to Wesley Woods Hospital more so because the only information we had on her was a name. She could tell us her birth date but couldn't tell us ... HARRIS: First name and last name?

SCHUCK: Actually the last name was incorrect as it was listed when she came to us. So that posed pretty much a bit of a challenge if you will.

HARRIS: Sure.

SCHUCK: Basically went and talked to her the next morning after she had gotten in the middle of the night to Wesley Woods and started asking her some questions, realizing that she was very confused, tried to ask her long-term history questions, got from her some of her children's names. She could tell us those. Asked her what street she lived on in New Orleans. She was able to finally tell us the street name.

HARRIS: OK.

SCHUCK: Went from there. Looked up switchboard.com and was able to locate her - actually had gotten her correct last name by this point after talking to her for quite a while. Found out we had a corrected last name.

HARRIS: You're making this sound as though this all happened very quickly. It took some time, didn't it?

SCHUCK: Probably took four or five hours to go through this entire process from start to finish of locating her and then locating the family.

HARRIS: Where would the search be, maybe even today, without the Internet?

SCHUCK: I don't know that we would have connected them. Truly, we had actually used a lot of the Web sites that were out there, the mainstream ones, happened to get a link to a link to another link on the Internet that took me to a local New Orleans Web site. Put her name in and was able to locate her family. They were looking for her. They knew she had been transferred from a facility but did not know where, referred to as big mama.

HARRIS: Big mama?

SCHUCK: Big mama, went to look for her and quickly contacted them. They could not understand how it was that she arrived in Atlanta, explained about the medivac and getting to Emory Crawford Long hospital and then Wesley Woods and then connected her up on the phone.

It was the most rewarding feeling once we got her on the phone and she started crying and she was so excited and asking where they were because the entire family had been displaced and separated unfortunately during all of the hurricane.

HARRIS: How tough was it to convince her to get on another aircraft? SCHUCK: Tough.

HARRIS: Yes.

SCHUCK: Actually it was -- we had a great organization, two great organizations, metro Atlanta ambulance helped donate a trip to get her to Peachtree (INAUDIBLE) airport. From there we used Christian air ministries that donated a flight crew with a nurse that helped load her on to the plane. We asked her, have you been on a plane before and she said I'm sure I have but I don't remember. We asked her if she was OK going. She said that would be great. She just hoped it didn't rain on the way up there.

HARRIS: Have you heard from her or the family?

SCHUCK: We did talk to the family. She's doing really well. I'm just ecstatic that she got connected back to her family.

HARRIS: How does it feel to you to have been a part of putting this all back together again?

SCHUCK: Rewarding, very rewarding. It has to be one of the most rewarding experiences that I've ever had in my life.

SHUCK: Jennifer, you're a hero. I know you're not going to accept it, but you are. Thank you for being here.

SCHUCK: Thank you.

HARRIS: Boy. And still ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, one lady opens her kitchen, her bathrooms and other rooms to more than 50 evacuees. Find out which part of the house she says is off limits.

DIANNA LA MARQUE, CHALMETTE, LA: Mom, my dad, my son, Hi, I'm alive. I'm OK. And I love y'all.

SHANE MCCLOSKEY, CHALMETTE, LA: I'd like to tell (INAUDIBLE) that I'm all right, my mama, my Aunt Tina, we're all right. We're going to be all right.

PAT ADAMS, CHALMETTE, LA: Say hello to all of my family if we can locate them. I've got a grandson that was supposed to have been born the last two days and I haven't seen him yet or know if he's born. Linda, I hope you're hearing. We're getting out of Chalmette, we're coming to Dallas, Texas. I'm going to chase you down until I can find you.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hello everyone. I'm meteorologist Bonnie Schneider in the CNN weather center, just wanted to give you the latest update. As we anticipated Ophelia is now back to hurricane strength.

The storm is a category one hurricane with maximum winds at 80 miles per hour. Here it is on our satellite perspective. And just to let you know, a hurricane watch has just been issued for the southeast coast of the United States from north of the Savannah River, South Carolina, northeast ward to Cape Lookout North Carolina.

So it's a pretty wide coverage area where we're watching for these hurricane-like conditions. The National Hurricane Center in Miami is anticipating that turn that we were telling you about, even though the storm was originally moving to the northeast. Here's the latest track just came out.

We're expecting the storm to make the turn, I think as early as tonight into tomorrow, according to this track right now, stay at category one strength. And according to this track, we don't see the intensification we saw earlier. This situation will be changing as the storm works its way over some of these warm ocean waters.

But the main thing to note is that Ophelia is no longer a tropical storm. It is back to hurricane strength as a category one with maximum winds at 80 miles per hour with a hurricane watch posted for the southeast coast. Remember a watch means that we're watching for these conditions, hurricane force winds to develop within the next 24 to 36 hours. So we'll keep you up to date on this situation. But Ophelia is now a hurricane. Stay tuned. We'll have more news coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Our Katrina coverage includes features on the true heroes, ordinary people who met extraordinary challenges. Barbara Hazy is one such example as she has taken evacuees into her home by the dozens. CNN's Heidi Collins paid a visit.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the sun comes up on another day in Houston, it's time for Barbara Hazy to take her daughter to school. Taz begins with the usual 10-year-old issues.

BARBARA HAZY, HURRICANE HERO: Get in. I'm not worried about a purse.

COLLINS: Taz (ph) is an only child, but in the last week or so she's had to share her mom with a lot of people, 53, to be precise, family and friends left homeless by Hurricane Katrina. Barbara's neighbors donate what they can to help, bags of clothing and food. But it is Barbara who pays the bills.

HAZY: We're doing good. It's a blessing. It's a sad story but at the same time it's a blessing. It makes you think, where would I be?

COLLINS: Dozens of eggs, tubs of butter, slabs of bacon. What it takes to feed an instant army of eight kids, five teens, and those adults who left early in search of work. Somehow in a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house she pushes them and somehow keeps the faith.

HAZY: You can go further. It's up to you to decide what I'm going to do with this. If you want to live, lay down there and do nothing, then it's on you. But my heart said get up and move. COLLINS: They wake from sleeping on every inch of her 1700 square foot home, cots, the floor, sofas that are too short and sometimes even sitting straight up.

HAZY: Bath times are limited, shower time, 15 minutes tops.

COLLINS: You have rules for all of these things.

HAZY: Yes. My main rule is everyone gets along.

COLLINS: She must be a counselor, coach and most of all patient. Despite her strength, even Barbara can't make it all go away for guests. Karen Brown is one of those she took in.

KAREN BROWN, EVACUEE: I'm fine. When I go in the real world and see other people functioning, it's like, I had two jobs before I left. I don't have any now. And just sitting around, looking at the houses outside, it's like, I had that. And I don't have it anymore.

COLLINS: Others try their best to tune out the past back home. They look to Barbara for stability, reassurance. She doesn't tell them, but it wears on her, too. The scar on her chest from three heart surgeries, the 21 pills she takes every day and the diabetes sometimes leave her feeling weak. Barbara takes me to a room where no one else is allowed. There we find her husband Taz simply too exhausted to get out of bed. This is their sanctuary.

HAZY: I have to come in the closet sometimes just to get a quiet moment. But I can't ask them to leave. It wouldn't be fair.

COLLINS: Her closet now a makeshift food pantry and storage space.

HAZY: One of these is used every two days.

COLLINS: But still, she doesn't think she's doing enough.

HAZY: I want to give them more. I can't give them more. I just want them to feel at home and I can't give them the rooms and the space that they're used to.

COLLINS: Barbara's sister Phyllis is now here, too. What do you think of your sister?

PHYLLIS, EVACUEE: She is very beautiful to open up her home to us. They have really shown us hospitality. You know, we're at home. It's like being at home.

COLLINS: And from that home base, three of the men who have been looking for work since the day they arrived at Barbara's house have at least found jobs. They drive four hours each way back to Louisiana, but it's work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got to do what I have to do until we can get back, you know.

COLLINS: The kids are all in school and those neighbors who keep hearing stories of Barbara Hazy continue to bring bags of food.

HAZY: We'll be OK. We'll take care of each other. We don't have a choice. Everybody takes care of each other.

COLLINS: Heidi Collins, CNN, Houston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Don't have a choice. When we come back, some of the best stories we've seen from Hurricane Katrina. The long-awaited reunions of families and friends torn apart by the storm. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The emotional toll Hurricane Katrina has taken on its victims may be just as devastating if not more so than the damage from the storm itself. Here now are some of the more memorable moments of a harrowing week and a half since Katrina roared ashore.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Brittany (ph), I love you. Just try to call me at the Reliant Center so I can see if you're all right, Brittany.

CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors make their way into shelters across the country, one organization is working to find the storm's most vulnerable victims, the children.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don't know where her mother is. We don't know where his father is. We don't know where her grandmother or grandfather are. We just need to get the message out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You saw her picture on TV, is that right? What was it like when you first saw her?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sigh of relief. She had me cry. You know, I was worried about her.

LIN: How about twin nuns who didn't want to leave their convent? On Sunday we told you about Canice and Canisius Lastrapes. They are 83 years old. The Coast Guard actually went to try to rescue them. And then the sisters wouldn't leave because they had their dog.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When the nuns refused the first rescue, they were told that someone would be by soon to pick them up. Well, the nuns thought that would be a matter of hours. In fact, it was a matter of days.

LIN: So we have a good story to tell you. It turns out that the nuns were rescued. One of your family actually e mailed me and said, a warning to the rescuers, be careful, these sisters are stubborn and very strong minded.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that applies to my entire family.

LIN: Anita Douglas had cared for 95-year-old Charlie Korn for the last six years in New Orleans, but never under conditions like what you're about to see. Flood waters were rising, so she and her husband carried Mr. Korn to safety and then she and her family spent the night on the street caring for her patient who is wheelchair bound. Then they ended up at the convention center. Anita Douglas never left Charlie Korn's side. His family says Anita and her family are the true hero in this disaster.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love you. What are you doing? I love y'all. Y'all want to come? Y'all want to come by me? I'm so happy. I'm in Houston, Texas. I love y'all so much. I'm going to get y'all. I'm going to get y'all. I love you, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as the Lord gave us another - a day, that that's all that matters.

LIN: You look like you're in good shape. Some people will say it's been a week and a couple days. A lot of people think no one's going to be picked up alive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You ever heard that song "We're a Survivor"? That's what we have, a survivor.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING is waiting in the wings. I'm Tony Harris and Betty, I've got to tell you, in watching your reporting this week, it seems it is the stories of these children that have impacted you most.

NGUYEN: It really has. You know, parents looking for children and they're just really the innocent victims here, Tony. Many of them have been stranded, don't know how to find their parents. The parents don't know how to find them.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning again everyone. I'm Tony Harris and welcome back to this special edition of CNN SATURDAY MORNING. We are reuniting families and saluting heroes. It's 7:32 on the West Coast and it is 10:32 in Atlanta. Good morning, Betty.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. It is 9:30 Texas time. We're here in Houston where three of the four main shelters are housed. I'm in the Reliant Park area. The Astrodome shelter is behind me. There are 7300 people still in these four main shelters in Houston. Evacuees who have lost everything and many are still looking for loved ones. We have Marshall White with us to talk about who you're looking for. This is a family friend?

MARSHALL WHITE, EVACUATED VETERAN: Yes, her name is Francis Jackson. And she has some family members that's up there, too. NGUYEN: A picture of her right there.

WHITE: Right. This is also some of her family and her children. And we haven't had any contact with them. I've tried to dial their cell phone number, can't get through. If anybody know where Frances Jackson, her last name is Peco (ph). My number is 713-523-3777, extension 280 and my e-mail address is mwwhite2067@yahoo.com. I have a friend also. His name is Paul Webb (ph). He was by the twin spans. His house was over there and I know that area is destroyed, haven't heard from him.

And Michael Blanche. He lived in Mandeville. I know that was hit pretty hard. I just want to say that the people in Houston have been A-class. CNN, y'all have helped us out tremendously. All the government people here have been fabulous people but if anyone know where's these people are at, please contact me and just let me know you're OK. That's all I need is a simple phone call or if anyone knows out there.

NGUYEN: Marshall, I can see the desperation in your face but the determination in your voice, you're going to find these family members, aren't you and these friends?

WHITE: Yes, I will. Yes.

NGUYEN: You've been -- sounds like you have been doing just about everything possible out there to find them. You mentioned an e- mail address. You're registered with the system?

WHITE: Right. I went to on Red Cross, registered with the system, went on missingpersons.com. All the resources but I've been unable to find any type of match. I don't know if this is a daily thing they're doing, but it's been a hard process with all the other stuff that's going on right now.

NGUYEN: Did you talk to these loved ones before you evacuated?

WHITE: Right. I talked to a few of my friends prior to coming. No one knew the hurricane was -- was coming at this type of magnitude. But when it actually came, we just evacuated pretty much within like a two-hour span. Everyone went their separate ways. Now trying to dial cell phone numbers is virtually ...

NGUYEN: Very difficult, absolutely, but we have that number. But say it one more time.

WHITE: OK, the area code is 713-523-3777, extension 280. My e- mail address is mwwhite2067@yahoo.com. Please call, e-mail, anyone knows out there, just let me know that you're A-OK. That's Frances Jackson Peco, her family, Shanikwa (ph), Theydra (ph), Paul Webb, my friend, and Michael Blanche and his family.

NGUYEN: So many people that you're looking for. I hope that determination pays off. I hope you find all and each and every one of them.

WHITE: Thank you, CNN. Thank you, appreciate you helping out. Thank you for being here.

NGUYEN: No problem. Tony, we are just so glad to help. People come to our tent here in Reliant Park every single day, tons of them come by saying, could you please get this message out. We just want to tell them that, one, we're OK and, two, let us know where you are because we haven't found you. Yet, talking about their loved ones. So there's a lot of desperation still in Houston, Tony.

HARRIS: OK, Betty, thank you. Amid the devastation and despair, stories of hope and joy like the one about the baby born to an evacuee who was airborne lifted to South Carolina. Jack Kensy (ph) of affiliate WIS has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JACK KENSY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Shea (ph) Dickson Young is having a baby. She's been in labor for hours. Husband William at her side. Shea knows his mom, Barbara Webber (ph), is close by, too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's doing fine. She's doing fine. She's had extensive labor. She started labor this morning about 3:00.

KENSY: Shea also knows she's lucky to be at Providence Hospital Northeast in Columbia. Ten days ago the couple was on the run as Hurricane Katrina blew away their home on New Orleans west side. What Shea and William do not know is that her parents are alive. We found out from Red Cross workers in Columbia and gave that information to Webber. Now we're there as she tells her daughter-in-law.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We found Cat and Blue.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No! Get away!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes! We found them.

KENSY: There is little time to rejoice. Minutes later, Shea is wheeled to the delivery room for a c-section. More emotion as William waits for the couple's first child. It doesn't take long. And then, a father meets his son William Young V.

(on camera): And if all of this wasn't enough, there is more good news for William and Shea. Volunteers have already arranged for housing, furniture, a crib, even jobs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's more than just the ray of light. I mean, I think that it shows that the midlands people have compassion and that we are here and that if anyone needs any one of us, we're there to help.

KENSY: At 7 pounds, 9 ounces baby William is alert and healthy. And is near as anyone can tell, he has also made history, the first baby born to a Katrina evacuee in South Carolina. So, welcome, William. Everyone is happy you could join us Jack Kensy, WIS, News 10.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Great story.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands of evacuees have been separated from their loved ones, like a 76-year-old woman who arrived in Atlanta suffering from dementia and with very little information but despite that, a social worker was able to find her family. That social worker is here with us right now. Jennifer Shuck. Jennifer, good morning.

JENNIFER SCHUCK, SOC. SVCE, WESKEY WOODS HOSPITAL: Good morning. Thank you.

HARRIS: Let's talk about lady Olivia.

SCHUCK: OK.

HARRIS: So she's airlifted from New Orleans.

SCHUCK: Correct.

HARRIS: To Emory Hospital here in Atlanta.

SCHUCK: And Emory Crawford.

HARRIS: And when did you first make contact with her?

SCHUCK: She basically was transferred from Emory Crawford Long hospital to Wesley Woods Hospital more so because the only information we had on her was a name. She could tell us her birth date but couldn't tell us ...

HARRIS: First name and last name?

SCHUCK: Actually the last name was incorrect as it was listed when she came to us. So that posed pretty much a bit of a challenge if you will.

HARRIS: Sure.

SCHUCK: Basically went and talked to her the next morning after she had gotten in the middle of the night to Wesley Woods and started asking her some questions, realizing that she was very confused, tried to ask her long-term history questions, got from her some of her children's names. She could tell us those. Asked her what street she lived on in New Orleans. She was able to finally tell us the street name.

HARRIS: OK.

SCHUCK: Went from there. Looked up switchboard.com and was able to locate her - actually had gotten her correct last name by this point after talking to her for quite a while. Found out we had a corrected last name.

HARRIS: You're making this sound as though this all happened very quickly. It took some time, didn't it? SCHUCK: Probably took four or five hours to go through this entire process from start to finish of locating her and then locating the family.

HARRIS: Where would the search be, maybe even today, without the Internet?

SCHUCK: I don't know that we would have connected them. Truly, we had actually used a lot of the Web sites that were out there, the mainstream ones, happened to get a link to a link to another link on the Internet that took me to a local New Orleans Web site. Put her name in and was able to locate her family. They were looking for her. They knew she had been transferred from a facility but did not know where, referred to as big mama.

HARRIS: Big mama?

SCHUCK: Big mama, went to look for her and quickly contacted them. They could not understand how it was that she arrived in Atlanta, explained about the medivac and getting to Emory Crawford Long hospital and then Wesley Woods and then connected her up on the phone.

It was the most rewarding feeling once we got her on the phone and she started crying and she was so excited and asking where they were because the entire family had been displaced and separated unfortunately during all of the hurricane.

HARRIS: How tough was it to convince her to get on another aircraft?

SCHUCK: Tough.

HARRIS: Yes.

SCHUCK: Actually it was -- we had a great organization, two great organizations, metro Atlanta ambulance helped donate a trip to get her to Peachtree (INAUDIBLE) airport. From there we used Christian air ministries that donated a flight crew with a nurse that helped load her on to the plane. We asked her, have you been on a plane before and she said I'm sure I have but I don't remember. We asked her if she was OK going. She said that would be great. She just hoped it didn't rain on the way up there.

HARRIS: Have you heard from her or the family?

SCHUCK: We did talk to the family. She's doing really well. I'm just ecstatic that she got connected back to her family.

HARRIS: How does it feel to you to have been a part of putting this all back together again?

SCHUCK: Rewarding, very rewarding. It has to be one of the most rewarding experiences that I've ever had in my life.

HARRIS: Jennifer, you're a hero. I know you're not going to accept it, but you are. Thank you for being here.

SCHUCK: Thank you.

HARRIS: Boy. And still ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, one lady opens her kitchen, her bathrooms and other rooms to more than 50 evacuees. Find out which part of the house she says is off limits.

DIANNA LA MARQUE, CHALMETTE, LA: Mom, my dad, my son, Hi, I'm alive. I'm OK. And I love y'all.

SHANE MCCLOSKEY, CHALMETTE, LA: I'd like to tell (INAUDIBLE) that I'm all right, my mama, my Aunt Tina, we're all right. We're going to be all right.

PAT ADAMS, CHALMETTE, LA: Say hello to all of my family if we can locate them. I've got a grandson that was supposed to have been born the last two days and I haven't seen him yet or know if he's born. Linda, I hope you're hearing. We're getting out of Chalmette, we're coming to Dallas, Texas. I'm going to chase you down until I can find you.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hello everyone. I'm meteorologist Bonnie Schneider in the CNN weather center, just wanted to give you the latest update. As we anticipated Ophelia is now back to hurricane strength.

The storm is a category one hurricane with maximum winds at 80 miles per hour. Here it is on our satellite perspective. And just to let you know, a hurricane watch has just been issued for the southeast coast of the United States from north of the Savannah River, South Carolina, northeast ward to Cape Lookout North Carolina.

So it's a pretty wide coverage area where we're watching for these hurricane-like conditions. The National Hurricane Center in Miami is anticipating that turn that we were telling you about, even though the storm was originally moving to the northeast. Here's the latest track just came out.

We're expecting the storm to make the turn, I think as early as tonight into tomorrow, according to this track right now, stay at category one strength. And according to this track, we don't see the intensification we saw earlier. This situation will be changing as the storm works its way over some of these warm ocean waters.

But the main thing to note is that Ophelia is no longer a tropical storm. It is back to hurricane strength as a category one with maximum winds at 80 miles per hour with a hurricane watch posted for the southeast coast. Remember a watch means that we're watching for these conditions, hurricane force winds to develop within the next 24 to 36 hours. So we'll keep you up to date on this situation. But Ophelia is now a hurricane. Stay tuned. We'll have more news coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Our Katrina coverage includes features on the true heroes, ordinary people who met extraordinary challenges. Barbara Hazy is one such example as she has taken evacuees into her home by the dozens. CNN's Heidi Collins paid a visit.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the sun comes up on another day in Houston, it's time for Barbara Hazy to take her daughter to school. Taz begins with the usual 10-year-old issues.

BARBARA HAZY, HURRICANE HERO: Get in. I'm not worried about a purse.

COLLINS: Taz (ph) is an only child, but in the last week or so she's had to share her mom with a lot of people, 53, to be precise, family and friends left homeless by Hurricane Katrina. Barbara's neighbors donate what they can to help, bags of clothing and food. But it is Barbara who pays the bills.

HAZY: We're doing good. It's a blessing. It's a sad story but at the same time it's a blessing. It makes you think, where would I be?

COLLINS: Dozens of eggs, tubs of butter, slabs of bacon. What it takes to feed an instant army of eight kids, five teens, and those adults who left early in search of work. Somehow in a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house she pushes them and somehow keeps the faith.

HAZY: You can go further. It's up to you to decide what I'm going to do with this. If you want to live, lay down there and do nothing, then it's on you. But my heart said get up and move.

COLLINS: They wake from sleeping on every inch of her 1700 square foot home, cots, the floor, sofas that are too short and sometimes even sitting straight up.

HAZY: Bath times are limited, shower time, 15 minutes tops.

COLLINS: You have rules for all of these things.

HAZY: Yes. My main rule is everyone gets along.

COLLINS: She must be a counselor, coach and most of all patient. Despite her strength, even Barbara can't make it all go away for guests. Karen Brown is one of those she took in.

KAREN BROWN, EVACUEE: I'm fine. When I go in the real world and see other people functioning, it's like, I had two jobs before I left. I don't have any now. And just sitting around, looking at the houses outside, it's like, I had that. And I don't have it anymore.

COLLINS: Others try their best to tune out the past back home. They look to Barbara for stability, reassurance. She doesn't tell them, but it wears on her, too. The scar on her chest from three heart surgeries, the 21 pills she takes every day and the diabetes sometimes leave her feeling weak. Barbara takes me to a room where no one else is allowed. There we find her husband Taz simply too exhausted to get out of bed. This is their sanctuary.

HAZY: I have to come in the closet sometimes just to get a quiet moment. But I can't ask them to leave. It wouldn't be fair.

COLLINS: Her closet now a makeshift food pantry and storage space.

HAZY: One of these is used every two days.

COLLINS: But still, she doesn't think she's doing enough.

HAZY: I want to give them more. I can't give them more. I just want them to feel at home and I can't give them the rooms and the space that they're used to.

COLLINS: Barbara's sister Phyllis is now here, too. What do you think of your sister?

PHYLLIS, EVACUEE: She is very beautiful to open up her home to us. They have really shown us hospitality. You know, we're at home. It's like being at home.

COLLINS: And from that home base, three of the men who have been looking for work since the day they arrived at Barbara's house have at least found jobs. They drive four hours each way back to Louisiana, but it's work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got to do what I have to do until we can get back, you know.

COLLINS: The kids are all in school and those neighbors who keep hearing stories of Barbara Hazy continue to bring bags of food.

HAZY: We'll be OK. We'll take care of each other. We don't have a choice. Everybody takes care of each other.

COLLINS: Heidi Collins, CNN, Houston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Don't have a choice. When we come back, some of the best stories we've seen from Hurricane Katrina. The long-awaited reunions of families and friends torn apart by the storm. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The emotional toll Hurricane Katrina has taken on its victims may be just as devastating if not more so than the damage from the storm itself. Here now are some of the more memorable moments of a harrowing week and a half since Katrina roared ashore.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Brittany (ph), I love you. Just try to call me at the Reliant Center so I can see if you're all right, Brittany.

CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors make their way into shelters across the country, one organization is working to find the storm's most vulnerable victims, the children.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don't know where her mother is. We don't know where his father is. We don't know where her grandmother or grandfather are. We just need to get the message out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You saw her picture on TV, is that right? What was it like when you first saw her?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sigh of relief. She had me cry. You know, I was worried about her.

LIN: How about twin nuns who didn't want to leave their convent? On Sunday we told you about Canice and Canisius Lastrapes. They are 83 years old. The Coast Guard actually went to try to rescue them. And then the sisters wouldn't leave because they had their dog.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When the nuns refused the first rescue, they were told that someone would be by soon to pick them up. Well, the nuns thought that would be a matter of hours. In fact, it was a matter of days.

LIN: So we have a good story to tell you. It turns out that the nuns were rescued. One of your family actually e mailed me and said, a warning to the rescuers, be careful, these sisters are stubborn and very strong minded.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that applies to my entire family.

LIN: Anita Douglas had cared for 95-year-old Charlie Korn for the last six years in New Orleans, but never under conditions like what you're about to see. Flood waters were rising, so she and her husband carried Mr. Korn to safety and then she and her family spent the night on the street caring for her patient who is wheelchair bound. Then they ended up at the convention center. Anita Douglas never left Charlie Korn's side. His family says Anita and her family are the true hero in this disaster.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love you. What are you doing? I love y'all. Y'all want to come? Y'all want to come by me? I'm so happy. I'm in Houston, Texas. I love y'all so much. I'm going to get y'all. I'm going to get y'all. I love you, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as the Lord gave us another - a day, that that's all that matters.

LIN: You look like you're in good shape. Some people will say it's been a week and a couple days. A lot of people think no one's going to be picked up alive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You ever heard that song "We're a Survivor"? That's what we have, a survivor. (END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING is waiting in the wings. I'm Tony Harris and Betty, I've got to tell you, in watching your reporting this week, it seems it is the stories of these children that have impacted you most.

NGUYEN: It really has. You know, parents looking for children and they're just really the innocent victims here, Tony. Many of them have been stranded, don't know how to find their parents. The parents don't know how to find them.

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