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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Fred White, Carolyn White, Natalie White
Aired August 04, 2002 - 08:51 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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: And now to a story we brought to you last week, and it was interrupted by all the breaking news that we had. After adopting their daughter from a Rumanian orphanage in 1991, a couple from Texas decided they had to do something for the thousands of orphans that were left behind, and that's where the big-hearted grannies come in. Here's CNN's Rhonda Grayson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RHONDA GRAYSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is Natalie, in her new home country, after being adopted by Fred and Carolyn White. The 21-month-old was one of the lucky ones to be adopted into this Abilene, Texas family. But the wife couldn't stop thinking there were thousands of orphans left behind in Romania, without the love and attention they desperately needed.
From the outside, the government-run orphanage where Natalie grew up appears to be right out of the communist area, but a look inside can yield a different story. Children swinging and being rocked by mothering grandmas. All part of the big-hearted grannies program created by the Whites and the church to help nurture the children.
PETRU SOLCA: These grannies, who are pensioners, come here every day for four hours and stay with the children, they play with them, they speak to them. There is a close relationship. And the progress with these children is obvious.
GRAYSON (on camera): These children are orphans, growing up without a mother or father. However, with programs like bunechi nemosh (ph), which means big-hearted grandmas, it's proving that a little love goes a long way.
(voice-over): The love the kids receive seem to be contagious. Just ask Negide. In addition to the kids here, she has six grandchildren of her own.
NEGIDE GEMIL, "BIG-HEARTED GRANNY": Both the kids and grannies cry when they have to say goodbye.
GRAYSON: The grannies are paid the equivalent of $1.25 a day and they are given child care training.
SOLCA: Training our grannies with the psychologists that we have and some people who are coming from abroad. GRAYSON: Twenty-three big-hearted grannies make up this (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And the results have been impressive.
REV. MARY FERRIS, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, USA: Now, almost none of the children flunk the first grade. The children in orphanages, they're in the first grade, had grannies when they were little. And that's after five years. So we are beginning to see the fruits of our labor.
GRAYSON: Even after some of the children have been adopted by American families, they still remember an important Rumanian word, the one for grandma.
GEMIL: Bunechi (ph), bunechi (ph), bunechi (ph).
GRAYSON: Big-hearted grandmas, producing big-hearted results.
Rhonda Grayson, CNN, Romania.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLAWAY: And now joining us from Abilene, Texas, that couple who helped bring the grannies to the orphans of Romania -- Dr. Fred White and his wife, Carolyn, and with them, their daughter, Natalie, who of course they adopted from Romania 11 years ago, as we saw in that report.
Thank you very much for being with us again. We should tell everyone, you were with us for hours last week, and we kept having to move your segment back because of all the breaking news, and I'm so glad you're with us today to help share your story. Carolyn, I want to start with you. What condition was Natalie in when she arrived? Has she suffered from not being held and loved for so long in the orphanage?
CAROLYN WHITE, ADOPTIVE PARENT: She was almost autistic. She was 22 months old. She could walk and she could smile. She could not turn her head to noise or respond to interaction with people.
(CROSSTALK)
CALLAWAY: And she's this beautiful young lady there standing with you. And I know that Natalie, you went to Romania with your parents. What are your memories of seeing the orphanage and all of the orphans that were there? What were your thoughts about all of that?
NATALIE WHITE, ADOPTED FROM ROMANIA: It was interesting, and I got to see some of the ladies that used to take care of me, but I don't remember anything from being there.
CALLAWAY: But you certainly have memories from your visit. I understand you were actually able to meet your birth mother when you returned to Romania, right? Tell us how that happened and what was that like.
N. WHITE: It was nice because I had never seen her, and realized that I had seen her in pictures before that.
CALLAWAY: All right. Dr. White, it's just an incredible thing that you and your wife have done. I know that you were moved by the number of children that were there and the lack of attention that they received. And now, looking at where this program had come, you have to feel successful.
DR. FRED WHITE, ADOPTIVE PARENT: We certainly feel better than where we were 11 years ago, but there are still a lot of kids that need a lot of help. So success is not complete yet.
CALLAWAY: Yeah, I understand you would like to see -- what else would you like to see done in this program? I know it's not just grandmothers; there are some grand dads now there at the orphanage.
F. WHITE: Yes. Well, we'd like to see all the kids that leave the orphanage have jobs and join the rest of the Rumanian society, and we'd certainly like to see other children, not only just in Romania but elsewhere, be cared for and brought up by parents, molded and moved into society.
CALLAWAY: Carolyn, I think that everyone was moved by the first video that we had coming out about the orphan situation in Romania, and I know that you knew about it before you arrived there, but were you really prepared?
C. WHITE: Actually, the people working in the orphanage are doing the very best job they can. With our grannies, our big-hearted grannies and our big-hearted teachers, we're working in partnership with the Department of Protection of Minors, and so we're enhancing the program that is already in place. But I never saw any cruelty or mistreatment of the children. I believe the people are doing the best they can.
CALLAWAY: With what little they have, right?
C. WHITE: Yes.
CALLAWAY: Dr. White, what is the next step? I know you touched on it a little bit, and certainly you would like to see more adoptions, and is that something you're working toward, or are you more concentrated on getting the conditions in the orphanage a little bit better?
F. WHITE: Well, I believe we have to work in concert, both with the idea of adoption, where it can be accomplished, both within Romania and elsewhere. In the meantime, as long as the institutions remain where they are, these kids need help, and so trying to bring as much adult help and education as we can to these kids, as they develop without the normal family unit.
CALLAWAY: Natalie, do you plan to return to Romania any time soon?
N. WHITE: Maybe not soon, as in like this year, but probably in the future I will. CALLAWAY: I'm sure you will. I know you're very proud of your parents. Dr. Fred White and Carolyn, and their beautiful daughter Natalie, thank you all three for sharing your story with us and the incredible job that you have done. You have helped to change lives there in Romania. Good luck to you.
F. WHITE: Thank you.
C. WHITE: Thank you.
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