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American Morning

Interview with Family of Former POW, Ronald Young

Aired April 21, 2003 - 07:08   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Seven rescued American POWs this morning are back with their families. Five members of the Army's 507th Maintenance Company returned Saturday to Fort Bliss, Texas, and two Apache helicopter pilots returned to Fort Hood in Texas.
On Sunday, the pilots, Ronald Young, Jr. and David Williams, met with the president and the first lady, and attended Easter services at Fort Hood. The president called it a -- quote -- "glorious day," and said he thanks God for their lives.

Ronald Young's family, no doubt, feels the same way. With us live this morning from Fort Hood, Ronald Young's sister, Kelly Lively, Ronald's brother, Mark, and Mark's wife, Stephanie (ph), have gathered there.

Great to see you all this morning, and what a great morning it is, I guess.

MARK YOUNG, BROTHER OF RESCUED POW RONALD YOUNG: It sure is.

HEMMER: Hey, Kelly, give us an idea of when you first saw your brother in person, got a chance to hug him and talk to him, that feeling, that emotion for you was how?

KELLY LIVELY, SISTER OF RESCUED POW RONALD YOUNG: Thank you. Well, it was one of the best days -- it was the best day of my life. It was great! I don't really know how to explain it, but it was wonderful. It was a sense of relief and a sense of happiness, and it was wonderful.

HEMMER: Hey, Mark, what did he tell you about meeting the president? This was a big deal to him yesterday, and he said as such on Sunday.

YOUNG: Well, I mean, we talked about it a bit. I mean, I think for our whole family, you know, meeting the president and shaking hands is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime, you know, deal, where -- you know, again, it was, you know, overwhelming. You know, it was a great experience.

HEMMER: Hey, Kelly, has he talked much about his captivity yet?

LIVELY: No. We haven't really asked him about that, and we're just giving him a chance to unwind and to open up to us.

HEMMER: Have the U.S. military approached you about, let's say, a certain amount of therapy or a certain amount of time that should be given to your brother before he talks about it?

LIVELY: No. It's completely up to him and when he wants to do what he wants to do.

HEMMER: Yes, so there has been no counseling for the family then.

LIVELY: No.

HEMMER: Hey, Mark, tell us about your mom. Apparently, she gave the president a rather large bear hug, and that's her trademark.

YOUNG: She sure did. Actually, Bush, Jr., she grabbed him up and gave him a big hug, and which was -- you know, and then when Bush, Sr. come by, she happened to grab him up and give him the same big hug.

HEMMER: I think the image we all remember is the videotape of your brother being transported out of Iraq, and he was smiling and shaking hands, and he looked very much alive in that part of the country upon his release that day. Is that the brother you know of and you think of when we look at these images right here?

YOUNG: Yes. Yes, it sure is. It sure is. He -- you know, the only thing I can think of is the one friend that he's got kept on saying that he would just say, you know, hey, guys, you know, I'll hang out with you, everything is cool, you know, when this thing is over you all have got to take me back to my people.

And, you know, I think that's one of the little funny things that come out of this, is because Ron is the type of person that will -- you know, he can adapt to a situation. And as Ron and David looked so good and, you know, so well, physically and, you know, alert-wise, you know, we know that both of them are definitely strong individuals.

HEMMER: Well, listen, congratulations to your family. I understand there is going to be some fishing at a cabin you own in central Georgia, so I certainly hope he enjoys that.

Hey, Kelly, one quick thought here. He said that he and his other helicopter pilot dove into a canal and swam for about a quarter- mile. How good of a swimmer is your brother?

LIVELY: I think he is an excellent swimmer. He could always beat me growing up, so he's a good swimmer.

HEMMER: Hey, listen, enjoy your time together, OK? It must be a wonderful moment for your family and also everybody down there in Fort Hood.

Kelly Lively, Mark Young and Stephanie Young (ph), the wife of Mark, as well. Thanks, guys. Have a great week, OK?

LIVELY: Thank you.

YOUNG: Thank you. 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 21, 2003 - 07:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Seven rescued American POWs this morning are back with their families. Five members of the Army's 507th Maintenance Company returned Saturday to Fort Bliss, Texas, and two Apache helicopter pilots returned to Fort Hood in Texas.
On Sunday, the pilots, Ronald Young, Jr. and David Williams, met with the president and the first lady, and attended Easter services at Fort Hood. The president called it a -- quote -- "glorious day," and said he thanks God for their lives.

Ronald Young's family, no doubt, feels the same way. With us live this morning from Fort Hood, Ronald Young's sister, Kelly Lively, Ronald's brother, Mark, and Mark's wife, Stephanie (ph), have gathered there.

Great to see you all this morning, and what a great morning it is, I guess.

MARK YOUNG, BROTHER OF RESCUED POW RONALD YOUNG: It sure is.

HEMMER: Hey, Kelly, give us an idea of when you first saw your brother in person, got a chance to hug him and talk to him, that feeling, that emotion for you was how?

KELLY LIVELY, SISTER OF RESCUED POW RONALD YOUNG: Thank you. Well, it was one of the best days -- it was the best day of my life. It was great! I don't really know how to explain it, but it was wonderful. It was a sense of relief and a sense of happiness, and it was wonderful.

HEMMER: Hey, Mark, what did he tell you about meeting the president? This was a big deal to him yesterday, and he said as such on Sunday.

YOUNG: Well, I mean, we talked about it a bit. I mean, I think for our whole family, you know, meeting the president and shaking hands is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime, you know, deal, where -- you know, again, it was, you know, overwhelming. You know, it was a great experience.

HEMMER: Hey, Kelly, has he talked much about his captivity yet?

LIVELY: No. We haven't really asked him about that, and we're just giving him a chance to unwind and to open up to us.

HEMMER: Have the U.S. military approached you about, let's say, a certain amount of therapy or a certain amount of time that should be given to your brother before he talks about it?

LIVELY: No. It's completely up to him and when he wants to do what he wants to do.

HEMMER: Yes, so there has been no counseling for the family then.

LIVELY: No.

HEMMER: Hey, Mark, tell us about your mom. Apparently, she gave the president a rather large bear hug, and that's her trademark.

YOUNG: She sure did. Actually, Bush, Jr., she grabbed him up and gave him a big hug, and which was -- you know, and then when Bush, Sr. come by, she happened to grab him up and give him the same big hug.

HEMMER: I think the image we all remember is the videotape of your brother being transported out of Iraq, and he was smiling and shaking hands, and he looked very much alive in that part of the country upon his release that day. Is that the brother you know of and you think of when we look at these images right here?

YOUNG: Yes. Yes, it sure is. It sure is. He -- you know, the only thing I can think of is the one friend that he's got kept on saying that he would just say, you know, hey, guys, you know, I'll hang out with you, everything is cool, you know, when this thing is over you all have got to take me back to my people.

And, you know, I think that's one of the little funny things that come out of this, is because Ron is the type of person that will -- you know, he can adapt to a situation. And as Ron and David looked so good and, you know, so well, physically and, you know, alert-wise, you know, we know that both of them are definitely strong individuals.

HEMMER: Well, listen, congratulations to your family. I understand there is going to be some fishing at a cabin you own in central Georgia, so I certainly hope he enjoys that.

Hey, Kelly, one quick thought here. He said that he and his other helicopter pilot dove into a canal and swam for about a quarter- mile. How good of a swimmer is your brother?

LIVELY: I think he is an excellent swimmer. He could always beat me growing up, so he's a good swimmer.

HEMMER: Hey, listen, enjoy your time together, OK? It must be a wonderful moment for your family and also everybody down there in Fort Hood.

Kelly Lively, Mark Young and Stephanie Young (ph), the wife of Mark, as well. Thanks, guys. Have a great week, OK?

LIVELY: Thank you.

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