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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Kevin Shea, Stacy Herman
Aired September 15, 2002 - 07:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, while you were watching those commercials, I was taken to task by the our next two guests, Kevin Shea and Stacy Herman. They're about to tie the knot in just a couple of weeks. I said they met in the rubble of the World Trade Center. I was using a bit of poetic license there. Let's get this straight right now.
Stacy, how did you two meet?
STACY HERMAN, BRIDE TO BE: We met at our -- my first benefit and Kevin's first benefit. After he was injured, he got out of the hospital three days. And he was going to funerals and decided to go to a benefit. And I was working on a project that I had been developing and producing for a year before 9/11 about FDNY, special operations command. And I decided to go with a couple of my buddies to this benefit. And that's where Kevin and I met. And three days later, he moved in.
O'BRIEN: Wow.
HERMAN: Things happening kind of quickly there, right, Kevin? You a fast mover there? Is that it?
KEVIN SHEA, NEW YORK FIRE DEPT.: Yes. Well, she was distraught from that. She didn't mention. She was just really distraught. She didn't know if she was going to continue with that. That's how she was there. As for me, I was trying to continue my quest of helping out the brothers. So that benefit, she said it was my benefit, was not my benefit. It was not for my benefit. It was for the benefit of all the brothers.
O'BRIEN: Right.
SHEA: All the other heroes that we were able to call today.
O'BRIEN: All right, well you know what? We have, of course, definitely jumped ahead and left our viewers in the dust here. Let's talk a little about your story, first of all, Kevin. You were -- and I know you're hampered by a bit of amnesia here quite literally, but if you could just tell us about your experiences on 9/11 and how they're...
SHEA: Why am I here?
O'BRIEN: What's that?
SHEA: I said why am I here?
O'BRIEN: Who am I? Why am I here? I have that happen to me all the time. Give us a sense of what happened to you on 9/11.
SHEA: On 9/11, I was off duty. We got the call for the first crash. I asked officers if I can come along. They weren't called in at that time. Then the second hit came and I was allowed to come with the team to go down to the World Trade Center. I responded there. And what I got from other people who met me there was that I was at a command post. I went to the operation post. I ended up putting out car fires, vehicle fires, just outside the South Tower, right in front before the collapse came down.
O'BRIEN: All right, and I just want to tell our viewers in the lower portion of the picture, that's you, right?
SHEA: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Wow, you were -- give us a sense of the kinds of injuries you sustained?
SHEA: I sustained injuries to the head. It was also cut off part of my thumb. Lost one testicle, major contusions to multiple areas, broken neck in C-56 and 7. Required a neck brace for approximately six months.
O'BRIEN: All right, well, how are you doing now? You look good?
SHEA: I seem to be doing OK.
O'BRIEN: Yes, yes. You look good.
SHEA: I'm training for PT.
O'BRIEN: Yes, you feeling all right?
SHEA: Yes, yes, doing OK. Spirits -- it's as good as it gets right now.
O'BRIEN: All right, now, so love blossoms when you meet at this benefit. And you're involved in a documentary. Was this at all surprising to either of you, you know, you read a lot about how love tends to -- it happens in wartime situations, for example.
SHEA: Yes.
O'BRIEN: That's the analogy I'm looking at. Do you think that has some credence here?
SHEA: Well, we all thought that there was some involvement and the idea where we need some feeling of security. We tried to really examine ourselves and find out if that's what it was all about. I personally had a little joke about that myself. Like two months before any of this all happened, before I met her before 9/11, I was joking with my sister all saying, "I don't get it. I don't get that click, that true love that everyone gets. Maybe I need like a two by four in the side of the head."
So 110 stories later...
O'BRIEN: Yes, I guess you got your two by four. All right now...
SHEA: Yes.
O'BRIEN: ...what we were watching there, which made no sense to what you were talking about, is some pictures of this documentary, Stacy. Tell me about the documentary and how that is changed, although I suppose that has probably means a lot less to you now that you're life has changed as a result of this?
HERMAN: This documentary has changed quite a bit. One of the persons who was a partner on the project is no longer with us. That was Captain Brian Hickey of Rescue 4. It was pretty hard to start this project back up after 9/11, but his guys told me if Captain Hickey was around, you just -- he would tell you to keep going. Just keep going on this project.
So I kept going. We're currently looking for a broadcaster to be airing this 13 part series. And it's moving quite along nicely.
O'BRIEN: Well, I hope the bosses are listening. Now...
HERMAN: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Of course, one thing about dating a documentarian is that when it comes time to propose, magically, little cameras appear. So first of all, before we ask you about how this all came to be that this was documented, let's look at the videotape, as they say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHEA: For the last few months, I've met many, many people who said they rescued me, but you're really the -- one who truly rescued me. And I want you to be my wife.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: You know that is -- I got to say that's sweet. It really is. And Kevin...
SHEA: That was a brush shot.
O'BRIEN: First of all, you were right on the spot where you were found, right?
SHEA: That's correct. That is correct. I was right on the spot.
O'BRIEN: Now what, you got the cell phone going there. You...
SHEA: Yes, I planned it. I'm the one who planned, not this -- not the documentary person here. I did this all, surprised her. Yes. O'BRIEN: Oh, my God. You know, everything but the satellite uplink. You guys are...
SHEA: I got a great director to do this, too. A guy, he works with the Salvation Army that does video for her.
O'BRIEN: Well, tell me...
SHEA: He's wonderful.
O'BRIEN: Do the cameras, do they get in the way of true love in any respect?
SHEA: Well, we don't put that into the bedroom.
O'BRIEN: That's not what I meant. But you know anyway, all right, tell us about what's next for you guys? It's an -- truly unique way of meeting. What's next for your relationship?
HERMAN: Oh, I think family's probably next. I'm 38 years old today. And Kevin is 35. And we're going to look to have a family. We're going to look to be finishing my FDNY Sox Series. And I think...
SHEA: A big geodesic dome...
HERMAN: Oh, boy.
O'BRIEN: Yes. Kevin, you're back on the department. And you're so far still on light duty, but do you want to get right back in the fray or are you reluctant?
SHEA: Oh yes.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
SHEA: Yes, I'm in hazmat operations right now. And I'm really enjoying it. I'm trying to help prevent a lot more loss.
O'BRIEN: All right, and the wedding day is September 29?
HERMAN: 29 and we're having it at Metronome in New York City on 21st and Broadway. Great place. It's going to be one big party. That's all we ever wanted was a big party. So it's at a nice funky jazz club.
O'BRIEN: Wow.
HERMAN: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Did we just get invited?
HERMAN: Yes, you did. You're actually invited.
O'BRIEN: All right.
HERMAN: No cameras though, we're not bringing any cameras. O'BRIEN: No cameras, all right. And we should point out the charity which we just referred to at the beginning of this interview can be found on the web. It's located at www.fallenbrothers.com. And when you go there, you -- there's all kinds of information. There's message boards. And there's T-shirts you can buy, for example. And the proceeds go to what cause, Kevin?
SHEA: Well, they go to all the fallen brothers, all public safety workers across the nation. If they go down. We started before 9/11, and we're going to continue thereafter.
O'BRIEN: All right, fantastic. We wish you well. And has it gone well so far?
SHEA: We -- yes, it has been. We've been getting -- we've been meeting a lot of people. A lot people have been helping out. And it's been helping out a lot of families.
O'BRIEN: All right, soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Shea.
HERMAN: Yay!
O'BRIEN: Thank you very much for being with us on CNN Sunday.
SHEA: Show them the ring.
HERMAN: Oh, you want to see my beautiful ring?
O'BRIEN: Please do. Can we get a close up of that?
HERMAN: Can you get it?
O'BRIEN: I don't know. This could test us.
HERMAN: We designed this beautiful gorgeous ring. This person at Luvall made it.
O'BRIEN: Yes, let's see if we can get that.
HERMAN: There you go.
O'BRIEN: Oh, my God, I'm sorry, I'm blinded. I'm blinded.
HERMAN: It's gorgeous, it's gorgeous.
O'BRIEN: There we go. Oh, it is beautiful.
HERMAN: There you go, Luvall Jewelers, artist made it.
CALLAWAY: Free commercial.
O'BRIEN: Yes, much happiness to you both. We appreciate you being with us on CNN Sunday morning. And we'll see you at the wedding.
HERMAN: Thanks, guys. O'BRIEN: All right, bye.
SHEA: Bye.
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