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American Morning

Interview of Matthews Family, Separated By Service in Afghanistan

Aired December 24, 2001 - 08:11   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The war on terrorism has separated many families this Christmas Eve. As a matter of fact here's one right here beside me. Are you hearing, Jonathan (ph)? Can you hear Jonathan (ph) over the air? Jonathan (ph) ?

He's been joining me here a little bit. He's been chiming in proving he's got -- you've got to start reading the teleprompter for Jonathan (ph). We'll work on that a little bit later for him. In any case, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are deployed, of course, to the other side of the globe to try to ensure the events of September 11th never happen again.

To help bring a bit of home to the troops and vice versa, we have sent Bill Hemmer for a Christmas in Kandahar. He joins us again with Operation Happy Holidays. Hello Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey Miles. Hello again. You know we tried it last hour. We were somewhat successful. We thought we'd give it another shot here. Corporal David Matthews is with us now -- hometown Dawsonville (ph), Georgia right near the city of Atlanta, about an hour outside. And how are you doing? Merry Christmas to you.

CPL. DAVID MATTHEWS, U.S. MARINE: Merry Christmas to you too.

HEMMER: How is the mission thus far for you?

MATTHEWS: It's pretty good, just been out here about 10 days.

HEMMER: How do you feel about away the holidays?

MATTHEWS: It's my second time being away for the holidays.

HEMMER: So, you've got a bit of background here.

MATTHEWS: Yes, I do.

HEMMER: Listen, I hear somebody giggling in my ear. Thousands -- about 7,000 miles away, your wife Kristen (ph) is with us, also your son Jonathan (ph) -- he's 10 months old, is that right?

MATTHEWS: Yes sir. HEMMER: Okay. Kristen (ph), if you can hear us in Kandahar, I just talked to your husband and like Corporal Fox (ph) last hour, he would suggest that you go ahead with the first comment and question -- Okay, and he says you're a little camera shy, but I'm telling you don't worry, we'll just have a conversation and Merry Christmas to you. Go ahead Kristen (ph).

KRISTEN MATTHEWS (ph): Hey baby, how are you doing?

D. MATTHEWS: I'm doing fine.

K. MATTHEWS: Jonathan (ph) says hey -- say hey daddy. Look, Jonathan (ph) Look, there's Daddy.

D. MATTHEWS: Tell him I say hey and I love him.

K. MATTHEWS: He loves you too. We miss you.

D. MATTHEWS: I miss y'all too.

K. MATTHEWS: You have a Merry Christmas.

D. MATTHEWS: We're trying out here.

K. MATTHEWS: Your mom told me to tell you that they -- she loves you and she wishes you a Merry Christmas too.

D. MATTHEWS: I love everyone back home. I want to wish everyone back home a Merry Christmas too. So, how is everything back home?

K. MATTHEWS: Pretty good. Good to see you.

D. MATTHEWS: It's good to see you too.

HEMMER: Tell us this, Corporal. How long has it been since you've seen your wife?

D. MATTHEWS: It's been three and a half months.

HEMMER: You've actually been away that long?

D. MATTHEWS: Yes sir.

HEMMER: All right, have you had any indication at what point you might see your wife again?

D. MATTHEWS: Yes, when I get back in March, sir.

HEMMER: You're going to be home in March then.

D. MATTHEWS: Hopefully.

HEMMER: Well is there anything that the holidays during the Christmas time that you guys may have exchanged in terms of gifts that you may want to find out how well you did on the other end? D. MATTHEWS: I sent home a package the other day, and she says she's already gotten it. She told me over the email that she had gotten my package and she's waiting for tomorrow to open it.

HEMMER: Do you hear that Kristen (ph)?

K. MATTHEWS: Yes. I already know what he got me. I just haven't opened it yet. And he's still waiting on his Play Station.

HEMMER: That hasn't come yet. (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You're still waiting for (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And you can't wait to get a hold of that thing.

D. MATTHEWS: Yes sir.

HEMMER: Listen, while we have you here if there's any message you want to send out to your son, or other friends or anything, feel free. (AUDIO GAP) you want to talk about your operation, you're more willing than right now, the platform is yours.

D. MATTHEWS: I'd like to say Merry Christmas to my family -- my mom, my dad, my three little sisters and my aunts. I know I can't be there. I wish I could. My wife says she's going to take my son to see them during Christmas holidays, so that is a good thing. I'm very happy about that. I wish I could be there, but I'm not.

HEMMER: Hey Kristen (ph), how do you feel about the job your husband's doing overseas right now in this time that is very trying for not only everybody in the military, but apparently for a lot of Americans as well.

K. MATTHEWS: I'm very proud of what he's doing. I'm glad that he could be a part of it. It's hard being away from him this time of year, but at least he's out there doing something good for the country.

I love you honey.

HEMMER: How's Jonathan (ph) doing?

K. MATTHEWS: He's doing fine. I think he's a little sleepy still.

HEMMER: Well listen, we'll go ahead and wrap things up here and Kristen (ph) I appreciate you bearing with us, even though it's 2001, the technology sometimes is not as good as we'd like it. But, one final -- one final word to your wife, please, and your son back in Atlanta, and Kristen (ph), we'll let you do the same.

D. MATTHEWS: Kristen (ph), I love you. Jonathan (ph), I love you. I wish I could be there, especially for his first Christmas. I'll try to be there for the rest of them from here on out.

K. MATTHEWS: And I sure hope you can be. I love you. Have a Merry Christmas, the best that you can.

Say hi to dada. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

D. MATTHEWS: I love you too.

K. MATTHEWS: Yeah, dada.

HEMMER: I think Jonathan (ph) might be waving to us on the other end. Corporal Matthews, many thanks. Kristen (ph), thanks back in Atlanta.

K. MATTHEWS: Thank you.

HEMMER: Thank you to your son Jonathan (ph) too.

D. MATTHEWS: Thank you.

HEMMER: Keep up the great work -- all right pal. Merry Christmas. He just let out a big yell, I think. That was for you. Miles, talk to you again in a little bit here live at the Kandahar International Airport.

O'BRIEN: All right, Bill, thank you very much and thank you to Jonathan (ph) and Kristen (ph). We appreciate you coming in. That was -- that was kind of fun to see.

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