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American Morning

Talk with Elizabeth Smart's Grandparents

Aired March 13, 2003 - 08:39   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.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Back to our big story out of Salt Lake City this morning. The Smart family rejoicing today now that young Elizabeth is back at home. We are joined by her grandparents, Dorothy Smart and Dr. Charles Smart.
Thank you both for joining us this morning.

DR. CHARLES SMART, ELIZABETH'S GRANDFATHER: Thank you, Paula. Appreciate being here.

ZAHN: We're delighted to have you with us.

C. SMART: It's a marvelous day.

ZAHN: I know it is. Have you had a chance to speak with Elizabeth?

C. SMART: We have not, nor have we had a chance to see Lois and Edward, but we do have a lot of things that we'd like to tell you.

ZAHN: OK, please.

C. SMART: Number one, when we heard this, we were in Palm Springs. And we got immediately in the car and drove nine hours and 700 miles to get here, getting here about 3:00 this morning. But we were overjoyed. There wasn't anything that was happier than our understanding when I spoke with Edward, he was in the police station, and he says, "I have Elizabeth in my arms. She's alive and well." And we were -- unbelievable, happiest day of our life.

ZAHN: What has your son told you about Elizabeth's physical condition and her state of mind?

DOROTHY SMART, ELIZABETH'S GRANDMOTHER: You see, we haven't been able to talk to Edward, other than very briefly. Just that we know that she is well and we're just so grateful. And, you know, I hope that all of the media, we're so grateful to all of you, but let's keep it on a high level. We were -- as we were driving here, we were trying to hear stories on the news and we heard some of these call-ins that we were amazed at what some people were saying, and I hope that they'll take the high road on this, because, you know, we'll find out everything.

ZAHN: I know there are so many questions that are being asked about what your granddaughter endured over the last nine months. She's a really strong young woman, isn't she, Dr. Smart? Everybody saw the reunion yesterday described her as looking strong and alert. C. SMART: They tell us that she was playing with her brothers and sisters last night, and she was joking with them and laughing with them and seemed to be in a good state of mind, and they were just extremely happy to be home.

ZAHN: I guess we were amazed by the strength your family showed throughout this, and I know that Ed smart, in particular, despite of what investigators were telling him about what the odds usually are in cases like this, he never gave up. Just a final thought on some of the darkest hours for your family as the time dragged on.

C. SMART: Dorothy?

D. SMART: Well, the family, our family is very strong, and they go after what they believe in. And we felt passionately about this, that we would not give up until we found Elizabeth.

And we are so grateful for any effort that everyone has put in to this and the prayers that people have just never given up on. And we thank -- and we want to say, also, that we have thought a lot about the people who have not had their children come back yet, they have not been found, or they have had the sad results, and we have grieved a lot these nine months, and we're praying for you and thinking for you at this time and hope that Congress will pass the Amber Alert today, that they will be responsible and stand up and be counted for.

ZAHN: Dorothy Smart and Charles Smart, we are delighted that your family is back together again, and we really appreciate your spending some time with us this morning.

Good luck to you, and I hope you have a joyous reunion when you finally get to see Elizabeth.

C. SMART: Thank you so much.

D. SMART: Happy day.

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 March 13, 2003 - 08:39   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Back to our big story out of Salt Lake City this morning. The Smart family rejoicing today now that young Elizabeth is back at home. We are joined by her grandparents, Dorothy Smart and Dr. Charles Smart.
Thank you both for joining us this morning.

DR. CHARLES SMART, ELIZABETH'S GRANDFATHER: Thank you, Paula. Appreciate being here.

ZAHN: We're delighted to have you with us.

C. SMART: It's a marvelous day.

ZAHN: I know it is. Have you had a chance to speak with Elizabeth?

C. SMART: We have not, nor have we had a chance to see Lois and Edward, but we do have a lot of things that we'd like to tell you.

ZAHN: OK, please.

C. SMART: Number one, when we heard this, we were in Palm Springs. And we got immediately in the car and drove nine hours and 700 miles to get here, getting here about 3:00 this morning. But we were overjoyed. There wasn't anything that was happier than our understanding when I spoke with Edward, he was in the police station, and he says, "I have Elizabeth in my arms. She's alive and well." And we were -- unbelievable, happiest day of our life.

ZAHN: What has your son told you about Elizabeth's physical condition and her state of mind?

DOROTHY SMART, ELIZABETH'S GRANDMOTHER: You see, we haven't been able to talk to Edward, other than very briefly. Just that we know that she is well and we're just so grateful. And, you know, I hope that all of the media, we're so grateful to all of you, but let's keep it on a high level. We were -- as we were driving here, we were trying to hear stories on the news and we heard some of these call-ins that we were amazed at what some people were saying, and I hope that they'll take the high road on this, because, you know, we'll find out everything.

ZAHN: I know there are so many questions that are being asked about what your granddaughter endured over the last nine months. She's a really strong young woman, isn't she, Dr. Smart? Everybody saw the reunion yesterday described her as looking strong and alert. C. SMART: They tell us that she was playing with her brothers and sisters last night, and she was joking with them and laughing with them and seemed to be in a good state of mind, and they were just extremely happy to be home.

ZAHN: I guess we were amazed by the strength your family showed throughout this, and I know that Ed smart, in particular, despite of what investigators were telling him about what the odds usually are in cases like this, he never gave up. Just a final thought on some of the darkest hours for your family as the time dragged on.

C. SMART: Dorothy?

D. SMART: Well, the family, our family is very strong, and they go after what they believe in. And we felt passionately about this, that we would not give up until we found Elizabeth.

And we are so grateful for any effort that everyone has put in to this and the prayers that people have just never given up on. And we thank -- and we want to say, also, that we have thought a lot about the people who have not had their children come back yet, they have not been found, or they have had the sad results, and we have grieved a lot these nine months, and we're praying for you and thinking for you at this time and hope that Congress will pass the Amber Alert today, that they will be responsible and stand up and be counted for.

ZAHN: Dorothy Smart and Charles Smart, we are delighted that your family is back together again, and we really appreciate your spending some time with us this morning.

Good luck to you, and I hope you have a joyous reunion when you finally get to see Elizabeth.

C. SMART: Thank you so much.

D. SMART: Happy day.

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