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CNN This Morning

Former U.S. President Carter Receiving Hospice Care At Home; Secretary Of State Blinken Meets With Chinese Counterpart; U.S. Warns China May Increase Military Support For Russia; Biden To Visit Poland As Anniversary Of Ukraine War Nears; More Than 46,000 Dead In Turkey And Syria, As Recovery Efforts Continue; Doctors Treating Earthquake Survivors Get Creative With Few Resources. Aired 6-7a ET

Aired February 19, 2023 - 06:00   ET

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

[06:00:27]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Buenos dias and welcome to CNN THIS MORNING. I'm Boris Sanchez.

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Boris. And I'm Amara Walker. Former President Jimmy Carter receiving hospice care at his home in Georgia. What we know about his condition and what his family is saying behind -- is behind the decision.

SANCHEZ: Plus, a candid conversation. Secretary of State Tony Blinken meeting with his Chinese counterpart face to face for the first time since the U.S. shot down that suspected Chinese spy balloon. What each side is now saying about the sit-down.

WALKER: Treating the injured. Parking lots have been turned into makeshift hospitals in Turkey following that powerful earthquake. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta has an inside look.

SANCHEZ: And surveillance video capturing a woman fleeing from her alleged kidnapper. She locks herself inside a gas station. One of the people who helped her get away joins us live with her dramatic and daring escape.

WALKER: Hello, everyone. It is Sunday, February 19th. Thank you so much for waking up with us. Boris, always good to be with you. And I really feel like spring is just around the corner. It's been such a warm winter, at least for us here in Georgia. What about you?

SANCHEZ: It has. It's barely gotten even frosty here in D.C. There were a couple of days, fortunately, I wasn't here.

WALKER: Yes, right? I mean, I don't mind the warmer weathers -- weather but the rain has just been not fun.

SANCHEZ: Well, let's get to it this morning. A lot to go over. And we begin not far from where you are, Amara, in Plains, Georgia. The family of former President Jimmy Carter says the 98-year-old is going to begin receiving hospice care at his home. A peanut farmer and Navy lieutenant before going into politics, the Democrat eventually served one term as governor of Georgia and one as president of the United States from 1977 to 1981.

WALKER: Yes. Yesterday, the Carter Center released a statement reading, "After a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter today decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention. He has the full support of his family and his medical team."

Carter, who turned 98 last year, became the oldest living U.S. president in history in 2018 following the passing of George H.W. Bush. He and his wife Rosalynn have kept a low public profile in recent years due to the coronavirus pandemic, but have continued to speak out about risks to democracy around the world.

CNN's Isabel Rosales joining us now from Plains, Georgia. Hi there, Isabel. Look, we know people are sending their prayers for peace and comfort to the former president and his family. What more do we know about his condition?

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Amara and Boris. Yes, people across the political spectrum are sending their love and their prayers. But Carter's health condition is weighing especially heavy on the people right here in his community, right here in Plains, Georgia. These are the people that he speaks with when he is out grocery shopping, the people that he prays with at church. Plains is so special to Jimmy Carter. In fact, today he still lives in the same home that he built back in 1961.

Jimmy Carter grew up in a totally different era. He grew up during the Great Depression. No electricity, no indoor plumbing in the home through his teen years. Plains, this town, shaped his basic ethics and principles that really Jimmy and Rosalynn have followed their entire lives. They never forgot who they were or where they came from.

Meanwhile, in the nation's capital President Biden has been -- we're told by an official, advised on Carter's declining health and his decision to seek hospice care. We know that Biden is staying in close contact with the Carter family. And really Carter is somebody who Biden has a long time admired on his 100th day of presidency. The Bidens actually traveled here to Plains to meet with the Carters, sit down and talk to them.

And there is a special connection there. Biden was one of the first U.S. senators to endorse Jimmy Carter during his presidential bid in 1976. But listen, there is still so many questions swirling around about what happens next.

[06:05:02]

We spoke with Dr. Leana Wen, our CNN medical analyst, on what hospice care really means.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. LEANA WEN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Hospice. Right. So, hospice care is a specialized type of medical care that is focused on ensuring comfort. And so, it focuses on reducing physical pain and also caring for someone's psychological needs, spiritual needs with an interdisciplinary team of providers.

So, generally people who qualify for hospice care are people who are near the end of their life. People with life expectancy of less than six months and individuals also who have an incurable medical condition.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALES: And Jason Carter, one-time Democratic state senator here in Georgia, tweeted that he visited his grandparents on Friday. He said -- quote -- "They are at peace and as always their home is full of love." Boris, Amara.

WALKER: Absolutely. Isabel Rosales, thank you for that update. And in other news this morning, face to face but not seeing eye to eye. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with his Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

SANCHEZ: Remember this was their first meeting since the U.S. shot down that suspected Chinese spy balloon and it comes as the U.S. is warning China against providing support to Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Let's go live now to Asia and CNN's senior international correspondent Will Ripley who joins us live. Will, the U.S. says that China is trying to -- quote -- "creep up to the line" of providing Russia with lethal military aid. Just one of many fronts of tension and disagreement between the two powers.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. There were really two main issues that were discussed at this very rare meeting between the United States and China's top diplomats. The last time that a U.S. secretary of state actually visited Beijing was five years ago. That visit that Blinken postponed was actually -- would have been two weeks ago today. But instead, they are meeting in Munich on the sidelines of this security conference. And, yes, they talked a lot about concerns that are not just in the United States, but across NATO and throughout the West, that China is considering upping its support for Russia beyond what they are already doing, which is helping to bolster the Russian economy from sanctions.

The United States is concerned about that. But they are also concerned about what they call lethal support for Russia which they say could be a wide ranging number of things, including potentially weapons. Blinken telling the Chinese that they would have serious consequences in their relationship with the U.S. and others if that were to happen, if China were to help Russia, but also China, you know, is saying that, you know, some forces, not saying the United States by name, actually don't want negotiations to succeed, don't want the war to end.

Of course, the balloon was also the other big contentious issue. You know, just this meeting happened right after, you know, Wang Yi basically called the United States, you know, hysterical, absurd. He said that the United States needs to repair the damage to the China relationship for using excessive force against the Chinese balloon. Of course, Blinken warned China that, look, if this balloon thing happens again, there could be very serious consequences for the Chinese side as well.

So, this is not exactly a friendly chitchat. But, you know, supporters of diplomacy would say this is progress, at least they are talking. And, again, Blinken still not ruling out a visit to Beijing at some point in the future after postponing that trip two weeks ago. Boris, Amara.

SANCHEZ: Yes, surprised that the meeting actually took place. There was some doubt as to whether or not it would actually happen. Will Ripley reporting live, thank you so much.

Speaking of the war in Ukraine, Friday marks a grim milestone, the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion. And President Biden is heading to the region to Eastern Europe to shore up support for Ukraine among western allies.

WALKER: Yes. CNN White House reporter Jasmine Wright joining us now with more on the president's trip. He is heading to Poland on Monday. Obviously, this is a very important trip for the president because this is about expressing solidarity and showing America's commitment to Ukraine.

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes. That's right, Amara. That is the bottom line for this president. He wants to show unity amongst allies especially as the war is entering this new kind of volatile phase where a clear pathway to peace doesn't exactly exist.

So the president will leave D.C. on Monday night and head to Warsaw, Poland. On Tuesday morning he will meet with Polish President Duda where officials say the president will express his great gratitude for all that Poland has done among western allies to really contribute to this war effort. That includes giving ammunition, weaponry and also humanitarian assistance. Tuesday evening we will see the president give a high-profile speech about the path forward, about the unity that remains amongst allies, really noting that one-year anniversary.

[06:10:00]

Remember, in March of last year he gave a similar very big speech. So, we are going to likely see exactly what he has to say about how the U.S. and allies can go forward. And then on Wednesday we know that he is going to meet with the Bucharest Nine, that eastern flank of NATO allies, really to talk and thank them for their work and show unity within that NATO system before heading here back to D.C.

But if we can just take a step back here, when we are talking about the president's trip, Boris and Amara, he is coming at a pivotal moment not only because of that one-year anniversary mark, of course, very important, the White House says, but also just what has happened in the backdrop. Over the last two days we have seen really a blitz of activity from this Biden administration when it comes to diplomacy, when it comes to talking to allies. The vice president and the secretary of state at the Munich Security Conference really trying to shore up that support and show that everybody is united in their cause to support Ukraine. And also exactly what we just heard Will talking about, that deep concern that the U.S. has about China's support of Russia.

So the president is expected to address all of these things on really this two-day trip to Warsaw. That starts Monday night for the president. He gets there on Tuesday morning. Boris, Amara.

WALKER: I'm sure we'll be watching that closely with you. Jasmine Wright, thank you very much. Let's get some analysis now from CNN political and national security analyst David Sanger. He is also a White House and national correspondent for "The New York Times." Good morning to you, David. So, look --

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Great to be with you.

WALKER: Thank you. It's obviously no surprise that there were no breakthroughs in the sideline meeting between Antony Blinken and his counterpart Wang Yi. It sounded like it was a meeting of the two of them basically wagging their fingers at each other and standing their ground. I mean, what did this meeting accomplish? Was this just about keeping the lines open?

SANGER: You know, Amara, the best thing you could say about this meeting was that they both had to get this behind them. What we heard Wang Yi say here in Munich yesterday in public where he blamed the United States, said that it was an unjust act of militarism to shoot down the balloon with its spy equipment on it, this is -- seems to be precisely what he said in private. Both sides are looking for an apology. Neither side offered an apology.

Mr. Blinken's trip to Beijing was not rescheduled. There wasn't even discussion of rescheduling it. There has been some talk of trying to set up a phone call between President Xi Jinping and President Biden maybe in the next few days. But it sounds to me like this meeting was so unproductive that I'm not entirely sure the White House really wants to go ahead with this. On the other hand, you could argue that this was the argument they had to have before they could move on to other things.

WALKER: So, then do you think a reset in U.S. relations with China is even still possible?

SANGER: You know, over the long term, yes. But if you look at the long-range trajectory of this relationship over the past couple of years, it's basically headed downhill with a few blips up.

I mean, think of it. We went through in the Trump-era blaming the Russians. President Trump blaming them for what he called the China virus. There's no evidence that the Chinese spread this deliberately, but certainly that's part of the conspiracy theory, you know, discussion. In the era of President Biden, we have seen huge tension over technology. We have seen some of the toughest export controls of the high technology equipment used to make the most advanced semiconductors. You have seen warnings about providing arms to Russia, and that came up again yesterday in the meeting between Secretary Blinken and Wang Yi where Secretary Blinken said there is new evidence that the Russians are seeking arms and other equipment from China and you better not provide it.

WALKER: Right. So, I mean, yes, on that note, I mean, it seems like we are seeing just increasing defiance from China whether it's the spy balloon or it's, you know, support for Russia in this invasion of Ukraine. What can be done, if anything, I mean, to deter China because, you know, we are hearing from U.S. officials sharing with allies in Munich, this is our CNN reporting, you know, that they are starting to see some disturbing trend lines when it comes to China's support for the Russian military?

SANGER: Yes, so until now the Chinese have not been very supportive of Russia. And you'll remember that President Biden right after the war broke out in a phone call with Xi Jinping said, we're going to be watching carefully to see that your new relationship with Russia, the relationship without limits, as Putin and Xi called it, does not result in easing the Russians' way around export controls and so forth.

[06:15:21]

Now that vow is coming to the test. But the fact of the matter is, it's useful for the Chinese to have Russia distracting us, keeping us focused on Ukraine, making sure that it's depleting some of our resources and our military attention. This is not all bad for the Chinese.

WALKER: Yes. Not bad when the West is preoccupied with what's happening in Ukraine for now. David Sanger, appreciate your time. Thank you very much.

SANGER: Great to be with you.

SANCHEZ: From the Munich Security Conference to the Middle East, Secretary of State Tony Blinken is on his way to Turkey right now where he is going to see firsthand the devastation left behind by that powerful earthquake that hit about two weeks ago as field hospitals have been -- have been set up to treat the injured. We're going to take you inside one of them to see how doctors are trying to keep up.

Plus, amid lagging recruitment numbers, police departments around the country are working on new ways to bring in potential officers. How they are changing their methods to appeal to a new generation of public servants.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:20:35] SANCHEZ: In the next hour U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to arrive in Turkey to get a firsthand look at damage from the devastating earthquake that struck the region earlier this month as the United States pledges to help with ongoing relief efforts.

WALKER: The death toll in Turkey and Syria has now passed 46,000, but the search for survivors continues as rescue operations are still underway in more than 100 collapsed buildings. Let's go now to CNN's Nada Bashir who is live in Istanbul, Turkey, this morning. I mean, Nada, that is extraordinary that we are still talking about rescue operations. Tell us more.

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Look, Amara, Boris, it is remarkable that we are still seeing survivors being pulled out of the rubble but these instances are growing few and far between. The window for finding survivors is closing. The focus has shifted to providing support to those survivors who have been left homeless with absolutely nothing, many of them, of course, have also lost loved ones.

And there has been a real outpouring of support here in Turkey in terms of the humanitarian response effort and, indeed, from the international community. We have seen those commitments of aid and humanitarian support from Turkey's international partners, including the United States. And we do know now, of course, that Secretary Blinken has departed from Munich and is on his way to Turkey, expected to be touring the province of Hatay which was, of course, hard hit by the earthquake. Thousands of people there have lost everything in Hatay.

And he is also expected to be touring an aid distribution center in the province to take a look at that response effort. But the message that we have been hearing from aid groups and from the territories that are working on the ground is that they simply need more. They need more support from the Turkish government, more support, more donations, and crucially they don't want to be forgotten by the international community because, of course, this is a process that is going to take months, if not years.

And we have heard from the Turkish government. They say they are committed to rebuilding the affected areas in southeast Turkey within a year. We have already been told by the vice president that the construction of around 30,000 apartments is set to begin in March.

But of course we are talking about an enormous area here. We are talking about thousands of families that have been made homeless. And we are already seeing some of these families being evacuated to other parts of the country, including here in Istanbul where some are being hosted in university dorms, for example. Others being hosted by generous families who are opening their doors to those who have been impacted by the earthquake.

And then of course, for President Erdogan there is a significant challenge ahead. Not only is the government focused on rebuilding southeast Turkey but they are also focusing on accountability. So far at least 120 people arrested. Out of 400 identified suspects in connection with allegations of construction negligence. Boris, Amara. SANCHEZ: Nada Bashir reporting live from Istanbul, thank you so much. Amara, as we've talked to people trying to offer help to those in need in that part of the world, we have learned that delivering much needed help to those folks that have been impacted by the earthquake has become a challenge in itself in some areas. Because among the devastated infrastructure, a significant number of now decimated hospitals are essentially unusable.

WALKER: Yes. And it's forcing doctors to get innovative. CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta is in Turkey with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You are watching an operation on 35-year-old Hassan Gokcen (ph). He has two fractures in his femur. These doctors are working intently to stabilize the bone. Just watching this you probably can't tell where this operation is actually taking place.

(On camera): Just to give you an idea, we are in a tent in the middle of a parking lot outside the hospital in a quake zone and they are doing orthopedic surgery here.

DR. GREG HELLWARTH, ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON: Is that Dr. Gupta?

GUPTA: Yes, it is.

HELLWARTH: Oh, my gosh. Good to see you.

GUPTA: How are you doing?

(Voice-over): This is Dr. Greg Hellwarth an orthopedic surgeon from Indiana who flew over as soon as he heard about the earthquake. Right now Dr. Hellwarth is worried about bleeding. So over here in another part of the tent they have found Hassan's brother to be a match and have him hooked up and quickly donating, a true blood brother.

[06:25:08]

In the middle of a natural disaster you do whatever it takes to save a life.

(On camera): What would have happened to someone like him he didn't have this operation?

HELLWARTH: I've worked in places before where people like this don't have the operation, they lay at home, languish. Some of them would get bedsores, blood clots, pneumonia and maybe die from that.

GUPTA (voice-over): Before the earthquake Hassan would have likely gotten his operation here at this hospital in Antakya in southern Turkey. It's still standing on the outside, yes, but completely wrecked inside, no longer functional.

DR. ELLIOTT TENPENNY, DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL HEALTH UNIT FOR SAMARITAN'S PURSE: This hospital is destroyed. So, there is no other place to seek care. It's not just about the broken bones and the crush injuries. It's about these patients also. Supply chain is a real challenge.

GUPTA (voice-over): This is the team from Samaritan's Purse. Elliot Tenpenny is an E.R. doctor from North Carolina.

TENPENNY: We have had aftershocks, four -- 5.0. And it sways the tents back and forth and knocks things over but nothing major.

GUPTA (on camera): So, all the work that you need to do can still be done?

TENPENNY: Yes, absolutely.

GUPTA (voice-over): Over just 36 hours, they put up all these tents, set up generators, communication dishes, even brought their own water purifiers.

TENPENNY: We use this machine here, it's a reverse osmosis machine. It allows us to get it from anywhere, including the ocean, and do desalination if we want to.

GUPTA (on camera): And then you just keep it in these bladders and -- these look full, so this is a process constantly happening.

TENPENNY: That's right.

GUPTA (voice-over): All of this so they are able to give the best care to their patients like one-year-old Nimet (ph), his mother (INAUDIBLE) glued to his side, telling us their story through a translator.

(On camera): What was happening to him?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): He couldn't breathe anymore.

GUPTA (voice-over): She thought he had the flu the past few days, but things got worse this morning maybe from the fumes. As many people have been doing, they were burning plastic to stay warm. The diagnosis? Bronchitis and asthma. So severe he was put on anesthetic gases to open up his airways and keep him alive.

Hassan is alive as well, recovering with his brother's blood providing sustenance. Care plus prayers is giving these patients hope and an entire community devastated with loss, a lifeline.

(On camera): And I have covered stories like this all over the world and they are so tragic and they are so sad. And yet you do see people who rise up and do what needs to be done to save lives, even putting tents in the middle of a parking lot, in the middle of a quake zone. It's just remarkable.

And the baby Nimet (ph) who you just saw there in the piece, good news. He continues to do well. You see people holding him there, keeping his airways open. He was transferred to another hospital. He is expected to make a recovery.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: Oh, my goodness. That's good news but it's incredible to see people still trying to survive even after surviving the initial devastating quake. That was Dr. Sanjay Gupta reporting.

All right. Still ahead, police departments take on new strategies launching a new chapter in public service. A look at how departments are changing the way they recruit and train.

[06:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: Right now to some of the top stories we are following. Two of the victims in the Michigan State University mass shooting have been laid to rest. Family and friends gathered Saturday to say goodbye to Brian Fraser and Alexandria Verner. Fraser, a 20-year-old business major was the president of his fraternity. Verner was a three-sport athlete playing volleyball, basketball, and softball. She was studying biology. And the third victim, Ariel Anderson, had dreams of becoming a surgeon. She will be laid to rest on Tuesday.

SANCHEZ: One woman is dead and more than a dozen others injured in Maryland after a high-rise apartment fire. Fire officials in Silver Spring say the woman died on the way to the hospital after the three- alarm fire burned to the apartment tower early Saturday trapping some residents on their balconies. 17 in all were rushed to the hospital as three firefighters had to be treated for minor injuries.

Police departments across the country are struggling to recruit new police officers amid a string of high-profile police encounters.

WALKER: Well now, they're working to implement new strategies to attract talent and reform training. CNN's Mike Valerio explains how they're working to rebuild the ranks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): From their final inspection as recruits to the jubilation of being Los Angeles County's newest sworn sheriff's deputies. Mother of two Dazee Mora says she'll never forget adding her law enforcement family to her extended, extended family.

DAZEE MORA, DEPUTY, LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: They are proud. You know, they know I've been wanting this for a long time.

VALERIO: But even though this graduation is packed, recruitment for law enforcement nationwide is down.

What kind of deficit are you dealing with right now?

ROBERT G. LUNA, SHERIFF, LOS ANGELES COUNTY: Right now, we have approximately 1100 vacancies.

VALERIO: L.A. Sheriff Robert Luna took the helm of the department in December and a new strategy he's pursuing speedin2g up the hiring process.

LUNA: We're testing multiple times a month. We're giving people opportunities, shortening the time that we're testing.

AARON MCCRANEY, CAPTAIN, LOS ANGELES POLICE: We're taking a little different approach now where we want to make it a little bit more intimate.

VALERIO: Captain Aaron McCraney of the Los Angeles Police Department is hosting the LAPD first ever hiring mixer in the community. Not in a government building, but here in the heart of lots.

[06:35:09]

MAYA FANACH, APPLICANT, LAFD: I'm Middle Eastern myself, so I want to bring to my own community like a woman could become a police officer.

HIMACHAL KUMAR, APPLICANT, LAPD: I want to transition into something that I can, you know, still use my skills and, you know, actually make a difference.

VALERIO: In Washington, DC --

ALEXANDRA SALAMONE, RECRUIT, WASHINGTON, DC METROPOLITAN POLICE: They offer the housing incentive and then the $20,000 signing bonus was also nice.

VALERIO: Recruit Alexandra Salamone moved from Long Island to D.C. where starting salary for Metropolitan Police officers is just over $66,400. Add to that a 20,000 hiring bonus. First-year pay now totals $86,400.

CHUCK WEXLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, POLICE EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORUM: This should be how do we go big in this country.

VALERIO: Chuck Wexler, head of the Police Executive Research Forum says there's recruitment and then there's broader reform.

WEXLER: Maybe we ought to think about you know 10 regional academies around the country that teach, you know, what we think professional policing should be.

VALERIO: These fresh faces know it's up to them, writing the next chapter of policing and setting the tone for the people they serve.

SALAMONE: If I could leave them with a positive interaction to go home to, that's what I look forward to every day.

VALERIO: In Los Angeles, I'm Mike Valerio.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Thanks to Mike for that report.

Coming up, a stunning escape. A woman allegedly held hostage for nearly a year able to run away and get help at a New Jersey gas station. The whole thing caught on camera. We're going to hear from the gas station owner who helped the rescue her after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:40:00]

SANCHEZ: A woman who was allegedly held against her will for nearly a year is free this morning after escaping from her alleged kidnapper by fleeing to a New Jersey gas station. Here's her escape. It was caught on camera. You see the woman who has not been identified. She's running. She's barefoot. She's only in a T-shirt in 40 some odd degree weather. And you see that man that was closely following her. He tries to get in but she deadbolts the door. When he realizes he can't get inside, he turns around and leaves. And that's when the owner steps in helping her get to the back of the gas station where they call police.

Now, her alleged abductor is 57-year-old James Parillo and he's now behind bars on kidnapping and assault charges. Authorities say that he choked her multiple times, that at one point he took away her cell phone and used her credit cards and isolated her from her family. They also say he goes by different names and may have actually done this before in other states. CNN has reached out to an attorney listed for Parillo but we've yet to hear a response.

Joining us this morning is one of the heroes of this story, the owner of that gas station, Bobby Madaan, who helped keep the woman safe until police arrived. Bobby, good morning. We're so grateful that you're sharing the story with us. Walk us through what that day was like. When did you first see her and realize that something was wrong?

JATIN "BOBBY MADAAN, OWNER, THE PAINT STORE-CONOCO: Hi, good morning. Well, it's yes -- it was just a regular day at the gas station. I was in the backroom doing paperwork and my employee was in the front just having a little break. And all of a sudden, we hear this screaming and yelling. And I look up on the camera, there's somebody's son running on the side of the building. Then they're at the front and I could see the woman and the man right behind her. Excuse me.

And so, my employee, Jamie, and her come into the store and they lock the door. By the time I get out to the office, I see the guy is trying to open the door but we kind of look at each other and he is gone. And she is frantic. She is shaken. She was really, really scared. You could tell. I couldn't grasp in the first 10 seconds what was going on. I just knew that this woman needed help. My employer knew this woman needed help. She helped her out, get her in. And my employee told me that she was screaming on the way here that I've been kidnapped. This man has kept me for too long. And that's exactly what she repeated to me when she got into office.

So, we just got to sit down and give her a safe place and told her we're calling the police, to not worry, nobody's coming in here.

SANCHEZ: Wow, Bobby. I'm sure she's grateful to you and your employee. You said you made contact or eye contact with this guy. What did you see on his face? Did anything stand out to you?

MADAAN: Just -- you know what? It was almost a moment of -- yes, him being mad and I guess also realizing like, oh, like, I'm in trouble.

SANCHEZ: So, when she's screaming and yelling, what are you trying to say to her? What was the approach like?

MADAAN: It was just -- it was just the normal human approach. Like, you know what, you're going to be OK. There's nobody coming in here and nobody coming into the place anymore. You're in the office. I took her right to the office so she can sit in the office so she can see outside even if she comes back so she doesn't get any more worried. And she was desperately in need of help. And like I said, I couldn't really understand for the first few seconds what was going on, but you could see she has some marks on her neck so we know she was not in the right place.

She needs help. I just get her in the back. And she sat down and we call the police and just told her he is not getting in here. Because she kept looking around, looking at the walls, like is he going to break into the wall, get in here. And I constantly kept talking to her. Actually, Jamie, my employee, got on the phone with the police. And I just kept telling her like, do not worry he is not coming in here, nobody's coming in here right now. So, that's all we could do for that moment, calm her down.

[06:45:17]

SANCHEZ: Right. Understandably, somebody in that situation would be scared that way, even paranoid. Have you gotten a chance to talk to her since that encounter?

MADAAN: She did reach out to me but just for -- through a phone call. And she just wanted to thank and I told her like you know what, don't thank us because we were simply there. I was there to do my paperwork, my employer was there working already. She is the courageous one who actually made the decision to finally run away and, you know, get help. So, I just told her like, just -- I wish her well. You know, hopefully she can get a lot of help in her life. And that's about it. I gave her my number. She has my number. I said, anytime you need help, just please call. Please definitely reach out.

SANCHEZ: That's incredibly kind of you. And again, I'm sure she appreciates it. Bobby, you've run that gas station for a few years. And oftentimes gas stations for whatever reason can be magnets for strange things and strange people oftentimes. Is this the weirdest thing or the strangest thing that you've ever encountered?

MADAAN: Strangest thing and weirdest thing, yes, by far. We give regularly incidents -- you know, about regular tough stuff all the time. But this is something which I never imagined would happen at a gas station. But it's a weird thing but I am glad it happened. I'm glad she's safe.

SANCHEZ: Yes, and I'm glad you and your employer were there to help her out in that moment of need because things could have gone a very different direction, right? Bobby Madaan, thank you so much for your time. We appreciate you sharing your story.

MADAAN: I appreciate you calling me. Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Of course.

WALKER: Good Samaritans and really took a lot of courage for that woman to make that break.

All right, still ahead, the need for greens. A new report shows a lot of kids under five are missing out on some vital nutrition from fruits and vegetables. My producer and I Bryce are just talking about that. How do we get nutrition into current little kids bodies? We're going to dive into the findings after the break.

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WALKER: All right, so, a new study shows that kids under five aren't eating fruits and vegetables daily, but they are drinking sugary drinks. No.

SANCHEZ: And sugary drinks do tastes a lot better but the CDC surveyed the parents of about 18,000 kids aged one to five and they found that about one-third of kids aren't eating fruit daily. Nearly one half did not eat a daily vegetable, but more than half are drinking at least one sugar sweetened beverage a day. And that is not good for their health.

WALKER: Look, you can blame the parents but honestly these children have a mind of their own. And I mean, you got to try to bribe them, and half the time it works, half the time it doesn't.

SANCHEZ: It sounds like somebody might be deflecting blame.

WALKER: Yes.

SANCHEZ: In other health news, there's a big development for breast cancer patients. A new study finds that some patients might be able to skip radiation after surgery with no detrimental effects on overall survival.

WALKER: Good news. CNN Health Reporter Jacqueline Howard explains which patients might be able to consider this.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER (on camera): This is major news for certain breast cancer patients. I'm talking about those 65 and older with small hormone receptor-positive breast cancer who are also receiving hormone therapy. So, typically, breast cancer patients receive radiation after having a tumor removed. But for these patients opting out of radiation, appears to have no major impact on their overall survival. That's according to new research in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers looked at data on more than 1300 women with breast cancer. About half of them received radiation across their whole breast following surgery, the other half did not. The researchers found that the incidence of cancer coming back in the same breast was higher for those who did not receive radiation, 9.5 percent versus 0.9 percent. But when it came to overall survival at 10 years, that was nearly identical between the two groups, 80.8 percent versus 80.7 percent.

And we know that radiation therapy can come with side effects, fatigue, hair loss, and swelling or tenderness in the breast, and the risk of complications. So, having the option to skip it might be welcome for some. Others might still want radiation therapy because of concerns about their cancer coming back. And one important caveat for women who are not planning to take hormone therapy, skipping radiation is not recommended.

Back to you.

SANCHEZ: Jacqueline Howard, thank you so much. Stay with CNN this morning. We're back in just moments.

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SANCHEZ: The NBA's All-Star Weekend delivering an incredible story last night. You have to see this. A guy who went viral for his dunks when he was in high school just won the dunk contest.

WALKER: It's pretty amazing. Andy Scholes joining us live now from Salt Lake City for more on Mac McClung and his really amazing journey. Andy?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR (on camera): Yes, good morning, guys. You know, when most fans looked at the NBA dunk contest on paper, it was underwhelming, you know. It didn't have any star power. But Mac McClung just putting on an all-time performance here last night that had this arena just going bonkers.

Mac is the 2022 G League Rookie of the Year and he just got signed by the Philadelphia 76ers. And he was just incredible. His first dunk, he jumped over a guy sitting on a guy's shoulders, tap the backboard, and finished with the reverse slam. That had everyone on their feet. And then Mac had everyone just in awe again and the final sealing the win with this spinning dunk.

Mac is from Gate City, Virginia, a town of just 2000 people. He went to Georgetown and then Texas Tech and College. Now, he's trying to latch on in the NBA and I caught up with him last night. And I asked him, how does it feel to now be the 2023 Slam Dunk champion?

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MAC MCCLUNG, NBA SLAM DUNK CHAMPION: A lot of gratitude. I had a lot of help and the crowd was really amazing. And it was it was a blessing. It's really cool, man. I mean, I'll be able to tell my kids and brag about it one day. But yes, the goal is to play in the NBA. I'm going to keep working every day. I'm very hungry and I'm resilient, so I'm going to keep working.

SCHOLES: Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Mac McClung. How does it feel to have your name amongst those greats? MCCLUNG: I don't think it's really setting in yet. It's all in a blur.

I feel like I was out there for 30 seconds and I'm back but I'm grateful, man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yes, and the three points shoot out was also awesome. Portland's Damian Lillard, like he goes so often coming through in the clutch to beat the Pacers Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton in the finals to win his first three point contest. It was extra special for Lillard too. He went to college here in Utah at Weber State. He wears his school jersey for the competition. So, he was very pleased that he was able to come through and win that competition.

Guys, I made a bid tonight, the All-Star Game, team LeBron vs Team Giannis. They're going to draft the teams right before the game. It should be a lot of fun. You can tune in on -- see it all on TNT starting at 6:00 Eastern.

WALKER: I'm still taken by McClung. I mean, the reaction from people with their mouths like just gaping open, it was pretty priceless.

SANCHEZ: He looks like somebody who used to copy off of in math class in high school and he does not look like a slam dunk champion.

WALKER: Right?

SANCHEZ: Incredible.

WALKER: Andy, thank you so much.

SCHOLES: That's what makes it awesome.

WALKER: What are they supposed to look like? The next hour of CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.

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