Return to Transcripts main page

New Day

Deadly Tornadoes Devastate Towns Across 8 States; Rescue Teams Continue Search for Survivors in Wreckage; Oxford Shooting Victim Surprised by Supporters at Hospital. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired December 13, 2021 - 07:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:32:34]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: President Biden promising his administration is ready to do whatever is needed to respond to the destruction and devastation here in Kentucky. The White House has already approved an emergency declaration for Kentucky which authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to coordinate and deliver the much-needed disaster relief.

Joining me now is the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas. Mr. Secretary, thank you for being with us. I know you were here yesterday and saw it for yourself. What was your reaction to seeing all of this?

ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: John, thank you for having me. And thank you for being there today. It was absolutely devastating, heartbreaking. We saw a city that was decimated, no houses standing. No school, the doors of the fire station blown off. And of course, we visited the Candle Factory where people were working the night shift to make some extra money and be able to provide candles to Americans around the country, and it was nothing but rubble.

I was there with the search and rescue team. And I saw a backpack, an individual's backpack, one shoe, a cell phone with 27 missed messages, obviously, from a loved one, wondering whether their family member survived the travesty.

It's just an extraordinary level of devastation. But at the President's direction, it's also an extraordinary federal response. As the Governor and the local officials said yesterday, they've never seen the federal government responds so quickly at the President's direction. An emergency declaration was issued on Saturday, immediately following the Friday evening tornado overnight, last night, a disaster declaration of the President approved allowing us to provide individual assistance to victims of the devastating tornado. And we are there today, we were there yesterday. And we will be there throughout to enable the people to recover and rebuild.

BERMAN: That's what people say here. They are very appreciative of the help they're getting today. And you can see resources everywhere. You can't walk a block without someone offering you food, and a bottle of water. But the concern understandably so is for what happens next week and next month when it's not so fresh in the memory and to that end, you know, the governor here, Beshear says 1000 homes destroyed. What is FEMA's role going to be in trying to find housing for these people who have no homes?

[07:35:23]

MAYORKAS: So, John, FEMA is able to assist in the provision of temporary housing. But what it does, and it's people are there already on site and will continue to be there. They interview their survivors, they understand and learn what assistance they will need, what their insurance does cover, what their insurance doesn't cover, and then we in the federal government are able to fill the gaps. And I can assure the people of Mayfield, the people of Benton, the people in the eight counties that were devastated by the tornado that were not there just temporarily, were there with them the whole way. And the President has made that commitment. He has directed us accordingly. And I can assure the people that will indeed be the case.

BERMAN: What do you think the distinct logistical challenge is to this series of storm, this extraordinary natural disaster with a tornado that was like tornadoes are on the ground for 200 miles or so. What are the specific logistical challenge pose?

MAYORKAS: I think right now, what we heard from the people in the area, John, is water, fuel, shelter, and communications capacity. And we are working very closely with state and local officials, emergency responders from across the street -- state, across the country to deliver on those needs. We're also providing food, clothing, blankets, remember, as you well know, having been there in the wee hours that it's cold in December in Western Kentucky, and that's something we're very mindful of. It's not just providing the medium and long term but delivering for the people what they need right now to get through the night having their homes destroyed. But two days ago.

BERMAN: Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, I know that people here were appreciative of your visit yesterday, it's good that you came inside. There will be a need here for some time to come. So, thank you very much, sir.

MAYORKAS: Thank you, John. And thank you for being there.

BERMAN: All right, so here in this town, the tornado really showed no mercy for lives or livelihood or even history. Graves County Commissioner Tyler Goodman showed me the incredible damage done to a century old courthouse.

TYLER GOODMAN, GRAVES COUNTY, KY COMMISSIONER: This would be considered, I mean, the front of our courthouse. On the main level, you have the district court room, which is on the east side, you have your driver's license area and here, you have several offices for, you know, court appointed people and something like that. Also, the circuit court clerk's office is down here. On the top, you have the Circuit Court Room, which Graves is its own circuit court. Here is the Law Library. And then up above that with the third level on, there used to be a clock tower that had, you know, clocks on each side of it and a staple at the very top.

BERMAN: So, there used to be a clock tower on this?

GOODMAN: Well, the clock towers over there and the police chief found part of the old bell in his office which is at city hall right over there.

BERMAN: So, the clock tower and the bell are all the way over there?

GOODMAN: Well part of it, part of it, like it all flew that way that direction of travel was to the northeast. But yeah, I mean it -- like I said it probably went up another 30 or 40 feet from here that's missing.

BERMAN: What does the bell say?

GOODMAN: It says that place was made the foundry done.

BERMAN: 1889, the bell is made in 1889?

GOODMAN: It came down.

BERMAN: What's -- what do you think the next few weeks are like for you here?

GOODMAN: Well, currently, we are -- our State Highway Department Transportation Cabinet, they've been down here. We've been -- people from Frankfort, people from adjoining counties, they started pretty much, three blocks over that way in the center more or less center town and work their way out to clear the roads and sidewalks for utility companies to come in there. Still not any power or water sewer inside the City Limits Mayfield. Once this is all pulled back, utility workers will be able to come through there, get the water lines working and power back on.

BERMAN: Do you have any sense of what's been lost inside here?

GOODMAN: We don't, a lot of records have been converted over to digital. But you still have, you know, things that people have kept here for, you know, almost 200 years. So, it's going to be hard to get a sense of it. We've had insurance adjusters stopped by yesterday, get kind of an overview of everything. But, you know, there's stuff that's been blown miles away and being able to recover that is probably highly unlikely.

[07:40:17]

BERMAN: 200 years' worth of the history in this building?

GOODMAN: Exactly. This part is not quite -- the county is 200 years. So, you're talking over 120, 150 years on this structure, and about 90 on that structure behind you.

BERMAN: Do you have any idea what's going to happen this building? GOODMAN: I think our part on the back, when I say our part, I'm referring to the county park, they -- right now, it's somewhat salvageable. Structurally, it appears to be sound, we'll have to be engineers to do that. This part, it's hard to say, it's going to be tough to get to continue to get use out of it. And as a county landmark, you hate to say that, but it's going to be tough to rebuild them.

BERMAN: It's just amazing to see that old building and to see the clock faces on the ground next to it.

So, joining me now, CNN Political Commentator, Scott Jennings. A tornado destroyed his father's home in Dawson Springs.

Scott, first of all, it's the first chance I've had to see you. I'm so glad to see you. I'm glad you're OK. I'm glad your father is OK. And I'm so sorry for what your family has gone through here. Dawson Springs is about 70 miles away from here. What we know is 13 people are dead, 100 still unaccounted for it this time, you had a chance to go back to your dad's house yesterday with him to take a look. What was that like?

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, it was very emotional for all of us. Because all that we were really able to recover were just some old family photos and things. His wife passed away a couple of years ago. And there were some of her things from her life that he wanted to recover, she had a book collection that he's held on to for instance, and that was basically intact and some paintings that she loved. And so, we were able to get some of that stuff out. But at one point, we were picking through the rubble on the glass, and I just said, you know, at some point, it's just stuff and we have to decide here, how much further you want to go. Because there really was virtually nothing beyond just a few mementos that was salvageable.

BERMAN: I mean, I don't think people have a real sense of what it's like to walk through a house that's been flat. It's not like you can go open a drawer. I mean, because the drawers are gone, things are just everywhere. What's that like?

JENNINGS: Yeah, it was interesting. In his house, some things were just completely destroyed. And then, you know, you would find the random, you know, cabinet or the random piece of furniture that looked like nothing had happened. It, you know, it's -- it was just bizarre to see things, you know, in chaos, and then in order, you know, right next to each other, so it was really random. Ultimately, though, what I learned yesterday on Oak Heights, the street he grew up on, the street, I grew up on, the street he lives on now, it's just that the character of it and the nature of it and the landscape of it are changed forever.

I mean, these houses, some of them are off their foundation, some of them are just like they were vaporized. Three people I know died on the street.

BERMAN: I'm so sorry. JENNINGS: And so, the character of that particular neighborhood, in nature of it is changed forever. And I think for my dad, I could just tell he was still sort of processing the shock of knowing that there were people literally just a few 100 feet away that didn't make it.

BERMAN: You pulled into the driveway. And you weren't even sure if it was the house?

JENNINGS: Yeah, I pulled up before he did. And I intellectually knew it was his house. But it was so different, and it didn't look the same. And I called him and I, I said, am I in the right place? And he said, don't you know where I live? And I said, yes, I know where you live. I just -- it's unrecognizable.

The whole street was unrecognizable. You know, there's not a tree left. And so, you can take all the trees and poles and things that sort of make up the scenery of a neighborhood and take it away. And it looks like a foreign place look like you've never been there before.

BERMAN: Yeah, it's a place that couldn't be closer to your heart. right? It's a place you grew up.

JENNINGS: Oh, I mean, I -- you know, that street, I played a lot of ball in my grandparents front yard and then the street behind it, you know, really you just kind of walk a few 100 feet in the city park is back there, played a lot of little league baseball back there. It was heavily damaged, if not destroyed. There are some apartments behind -- right behind my dad's house, that if there were people in there, God help them, because it was -- the devastation of that particular complex, it was overwhelming to look at it.

BERMAN: Again, he's OK.

JENNINGS: He's OK.

BERMAN: He doesn't have -- he had the sense to leave before the storm was coming.

JENNINGS: He did. He was an avid weather watcher, and he was watching the coverage. And he decided to go across town to a friend who had a basement, he doesn't have a basement and that part of town, thankfully, wasn't hit. And so, he was OK. But she realized just the chance and the randomness of it. You know where you are. I mean, you don't know where exactly these things are going to hit in a town like that. And so, we're thankful for his safety. We're going to help him get what he can out of his house and then have to decide what he's going to do from there.

[07:45:02]

BERMAN: Well, he's part of our family because you're part of our family. So, let them know that we're here for him, Scott. And I'm just -- I'm so sorry for your family's loss. But I'm glad, so glad he's OK.

JENNINGS: Well, thank you for that. And I just have to say, CNN, and everybody who's been down here in Western Kentucky, this is Flyover country, not a lot of attention put on this part of the world most of the time. But I'm personally grateful for CNN's being here and bringing attention to the plight of these little towns, because if not, but for some emergency like this, you wouldn't think about him very often. And now people need help. And I think they're getting it because of the attention and the people like you, John, who are telling the stories of these amazing, resilient people.

BERMAN: They're getting through this because they're strong. They're strong, and they don't know, how to do anything else.

JENNINGS: Thank you.

BERMAN: Thanks, Scott. Kaitlan.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: So glad that Scott's dad is OK.

Up next, we've brand new reporting about a private conversation between President Biden and Senator Joe Manchin as the future of the Build Back Better plan remains up in the air and a heartwarming surprise for a survivor of the Oxford school shooting, you're going to want to see this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GAYLE BAILEY, OXFORD HIGH VARSITY TENNIS HEAD COACH: Hi Kylie, it's Coach Bailey. How are you?

KYLIE OSSEGE, SURVIVOR OF THE OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL MASS SHOOTING: Hi, I'm going to cry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:50:28]

COLLINS: A survivor of the Oxford High School mass shooting, 17-year- old Kylie Ossege is still in the hospital after undergoing multiple surgeries, after she was shot in the chest. But as she recovers, she got this heartfelt surprise from her tennis coach, teammates and friends just outside her hotel room.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OSSEGE: Awww, my God.

BAILEY: Hi Kylie, it's Coach Bailey. How are you?

OSSEGE: Hi, I'm going to cry.

BAILEY: We love you so much.

OSSEGE: Oh my gosh.

BAILEY: We love you so much. We love you so much, Kylie. And we hope you're feeling good.

OSSEGE: Thank you.

BAILEY: (Inaudible) Ossege.

OSSEGE: Thank you guys so much. This is crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Joining me now for an exclusive interview are the Oxford High School Varsity Tennis Coach, Gayle Bailey and her assistant tennis coach, Angie Bash, who helped arrange the surprise for Kylie. And you can see how moved Kylie is in this video. So, how did this come together?

BAILEY: Well, you know, when we heard that she was wounded, we felt as though we needed to do something, whatever that needed to look like. So, Coach Basch and I rallied our troops and just put it out that this is what we're going to do. Bring your tennis rackets. We're going to get a banner, there was a banner donated to us by Wildfire Graphics. And we just met at a parking lot. And then we just walked in. And, you know, we made a phone call. So, she had no idea. So, it was really, really good to do for her.

COLLINS: Yeah, you can see the surprise on her face as she's going over to the window. And obviously this visit is about supporting Kylie, she's still in the hospital. We know she's had these multiple surgeries. But I also wonder if in some way, it was helpful for the two of you, the team and her friends to get together and do something in what has been such a challenging and devastating time?

BAILEY: Absolutely. It was not just only for Kylie, I think these kids, as our community is reeling. So, to be able to do that, it was really important for us to rally behind Kylie and for our kids, for our players to be able to do that. Coach?

ANGIE BASCH, OXFORD HIGH ASSISTANT TENNIS COACH: Yeah, absolutely. We even had one of our former players drive down from Michigan State, missing college to come in support. It just was wonderful to see.

COLLINS: It's nice to see, you know, in a moment of such devastation to see those people coming together. And, and Coach Bailey, I know your son is a senior at Oxford High School, and he's a student. He was there that day, what went through your mind when you were first hearing about what was going on, hearing the sirens, hearing these early reports of this shooting.

BAILEY: I was -- we were just in a state of shock. We didn't -- I didn't truly -- I wasn't going to panic before I knew what was going on. So, I don't even hardly remember. Because it was literally just a blur. Just all these reports were coming in. And so, I didn't -- I just knew my son called my husband and was my husband said to come home. So, that's how that transpired. But yeah, it was just really a big -- it was just kind of a big blur.

COLLINS: And I know that you've been there since 2013, you're not just a teacher, you're a coach as well. Did you ever think that something like this could happen?

BAILEY: I'm just a coach there. And no, I would have never thought in our wildest dreams that it would -- this would ever happen in this community. We're a tight community. We're, you know, we're a normal community like any other small town in America. And you never think that something like this would happen.

COLLINS: Well, and I think it scares and rattles other people, at other small towns and who want to know -- how to be prepared for something like this. And so, do you have any ideas on what you believe should be put in place to help prevent a tragedy like this, when there are those red flags and concerns about a student?

BAILEY: Well, I think we just all need to address mental health, you know, for -- we just need to have resources in place for our kids, I think that's probably one of the most important things I would think we would need to implement.

[07:55:15]

BASCH: I agree, yeah.

BAILEY: But, you know, we're just reeling up here and we're just trying to get our kids in a place that they can feel safe again, and that's going to take a long time. And so, for us to be able to do that for Kylie, you know, it was something good that came out of this tragedy to be able to do and we're going to continue as a team and as coaches, whatever that looks like and maybe in the future when the time is right, we can get our kids out to go watch a professional tennis match or let them just forget about everything just for a couple hours but right now we're still trying to navigate through this group, right?

BASCH: I agree.

COLLINS: I think that's totally understandable, and we'll be rooting for Kylie as she's recovering and just for all of you there as well as you're all going through this process, which we know is going to be a slow recovery. Coach Gayle Bailey and Coach Angie Basch, thank you so much for joining us this morning.

BAILEY: Thank you.

BASCH: Thank you.

BAILEY: Have a good day.

COLLINS: Ahead, a long time Fox News anchor is leaving the network for CNN+, we'll discuss that.

BERMAN: Six people are dead after a tornado strikes an Amazon factory in Illinois. We're alive on the ground as people in eight states this morning wake-up the destruction.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BERMAN: Good morning to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. It is Monday, December 13. I'm John Berman on the ground in Mayfield, Kentucky this morning. Kaitlan Collins is with me in New York.

So, this morning, you know, everywhere I look around me, there is destruction and devastation. At least 50 tornadoes ripped through eight states over the weekend smashing communities and leaving dozens killed.