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Update on Jessica Lynch's Condition

Aired April 08, 2003 - 15:46   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.


JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Well the parents of rescued American prisoner of war Jessica Lynch say their daughter is doing much better than they expected. Lynch is recovering from her ordeal in an American military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. CNN's Matthew Chance gives us an update on her condition.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She wanted to become a teacher, not a hero. But Private Jessica Lynch, teenager and rescued prisoner of war, has for many shown bravery and spirit as she recovers from her Iraqi ordeal. These are emotional days for the 19- year-old, now reunited under the media spotlight with her family in the U.S. military hospital at Landstuhl, Germany.

For them, there have been mixed feelings of relief and pain at seeing Jessica alive at least, but with such severe injuries to her legs and back and arms and face. Her brother, Greg, spoke for the family.

GREG LYNCH, JESSICA'S BROTHER: I had shed a few tears before, but it hit me hard when I walked in that room. It hit the whole family. And it was just good to see her face and the condition, that she was in good shape.

And the doctors there are wonderful, and the hospital and the community here is just great support for everybody. And you know it hit the family hard, but we're doing good just to see her now. A lot better than the conversation on the phone.

CHANCE: It was this daring Special Forces raid on the Saddam Hussein Hospital in Nasiriya, videotaped by the U.S. military, that saw Private Lynch rescued. The bodies of eight of her dead comrades were also recovered.

Once in safety, there was confusion over the nature of Jessica's own multiple wounds. Was she shot or stabbed or neither? Now U.S. medical officials are saying a number of her bones could have been broken by low velocity gunshots. Still, questions remain about when her injuries were sustained and how she was treated in Iraqi hands.

To these, as yet, there are no answers, only hope. The scares, physical and emotional, will eventually heal.

(on camera): Jessica's medical condition is said to be improving by the day. She is sitting up in bed and eating solid foods at last. But although her spirits are said to be excellent, her parents say she has told them nothing about her suffering inside of Iraq, saying simply that she wants now to go home. Matthew Chance, CNN, Landstuhl, in Germany.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: So still some unanswered questions about exactly what happened to her.

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 April 8, 2003 - 15:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Well the parents of rescued American prisoner of war Jessica Lynch say their daughter is doing much better than they expected. Lynch is recovering from her ordeal in an American military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. CNN's Matthew Chance gives us an update on her condition.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She wanted to become a teacher, not a hero. But Private Jessica Lynch, teenager and rescued prisoner of war, has for many shown bravery and spirit as she recovers from her Iraqi ordeal. These are emotional days for the 19- year-old, now reunited under the media spotlight with her family in the U.S. military hospital at Landstuhl, Germany.

For them, there have been mixed feelings of relief and pain at seeing Jessica alive at least, but with such severe injuries to her legs and back and arms and face. Her brother, Greg, spoke for the family.

GREG LYNCH, JESSICA'S BROTHER: I had shed a few tears before, but it hit me hard when I walked in that room. It hit the whole family. And it was just good to see her face and the condition, that she was in good shape.

And the doctors there are wonderful, and the hospital and the community here is just great support for everybody. And you know it hit the family hard, but we're doing good just to see her now. A lot better than the conversation on the phone.

CHANCE: It was this daring Special Forces raid on the Saddam Hussein Hospital in Nasiriya, videotaped by the U.S. military, that saw Private Lynch rescued. The bodies of eight of her dead comrades were also recovered.

Once in safety, there was confusion over the nature of Jessica's own multiple wounds. Was she shot or stabbed or neither? Now U.S. medical officials are saying a number of her bones could have been broken by low velocity gunshots. Still, questions remain about when her injuries were sustained and how she was treated in Iraqi hands.

To these, as yet, there are no answers, only hope. The scares, physical and emotional, will eventually heal.

(on camera): Jessica's medical condition is said to be improving by the day. She is sitting up in bed and eating solid foods at last. But although her spirits are said to be excellent, her parents say she has told them nothing about her suffering inside of Iraq, saying simply that she wants now to go home. Matthew Chance, CNN, Landstuhl, in Germany.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: So still some unanswered questions about exactly what happened to her.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com