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CNN Live At Daybreak
Family Paying the Ultimate Price
Aired December 26, 2003 - 06:37 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: Military families make sacrifices when their sons and daughters serve their country, sometimes paying the ultimate price. A Texas family is struggling to cope with that reality.
Their story now from Itza Gutierrez of CNN affiliate KNES in San Antonio.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL KIEHL, JAMES KIEHL'S FATHER: Christmas is supposed to be happy, the joyous celebration of Christ's birth.
ITZA GUTIERREZ, KENS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): But this year, it's filled with pain, as the Kiehls remember the March 23 Iraqi ambush that ultimately claimed the life of Army Specialist James Michael Kiehl.
M. KIEHL: It's still tough. But we have -- we have one good thing. We have Jill and the family with us.
GUTIERREZ: Jill is now raising the son James will never meet. But be assured, Nathaniel will always know his father.
JILL KIEHL, JAMES KIEHL'S WIFE: He looks like, well, you know, he does look a lot like him when he was a baby.
GUTIERREZ: Father and son share the strawberry blonde hair, the blue gray eyes and even the curious ears that framed James' face.
J. KIEHL: His ears are starting to kind of come out a little more. I guess they're popping away from his head. So we'll see if they stay or they come out all the way.
GUTIERREZ (on camera): Like his daddy?
J. KIEHL: Yes, like his dad.
(voice-over): It's easy to spot the love these grandparents have for the grandson in their arms. They see him not as a replacement, but as a reminder of his daddy's spirit as he watches from above on this Christmas Day.
J. KIEHL: It's hard, but I think he's got a better view than any of us. He sees it, not the way that we wanted him. He's not here the way we physically wanted him to be, but I know he's around all the time. GUTIERREZ: And that seems to bring a peace every family member can feel.
M. KIEHL: The little guy's going to do OK.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 December 26, 2003 - 06:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Military families make sacrifices when their sons and daughters serve their country, sometimes paying the ultimate price. A Texas family is struggling to cope with that reality.
Their story now from Itza Gutierrez of CNN affiliate KNES in San Antonio.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL KIEHL, JAMES KIEHL'S FATHER: Christmas is supposed to be happy, the joyous celebration of Christ's birth.
ITZA GUTIERREZ, KENS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): But this year, it's filled with pain, as the Kiehls remember the March 23 Iraqi ambush that ultimately claimed the life of Army Specialist James Michael Kiehl.
M. KIEHL: It's still tough. But we have -- we have one good thing. We have Jill and the family with us.
GUTIERREZ: Jill is now raising the son James will never meet. But be assured, Nathaniel will always know his father.
JILL KIEHL, JAMES KIEHL'S WIFE: He looks like, well, you know, he does look a lot like him when he was a baby.
GUTIERREZ: Father and son share the strawberry blonde hair, the blue gray eyes and even the curious ears that framed James' face.
J. KIEHL: His ears are starting to kind of come out a little more. I guess they're popping away from his head. So we'll see if they stay or they come out all the way.
GUTIERREZ (on camera): Like his daddy?
J. KIEHL: Yes, like his dad.
(voice-over): It's easy to spot the love these grandparents have for the grandson in their arms. They see him not as a replacement, but as a reminder of his daddy's spirit as he watches from above on this Christmas Day.
J. KIEHL: It's hard, but I think he's got a better view than any of us. He sees it, not the way that we wanted him. He's not here the way we physically wanted him to be, but I know he's around all the time. GUTIERREZ: And that seems to bring a peace every family member can feel.
M. KIEHL: The little guy's going to do OK.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
