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CNN Sunday Morning

Interview With Frank Adamouski

Aired June 15, 2003 - 08:11   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It's a live picture now from the Vietnam Memorial in Washington. Lots of people remembering their loved ones today. Even though it is Father's Day, a special remembrance in fact going on there today.
We have with us this morning retired army Colonel Frank Adamouski. He is a Vietnam veteran who is remembering a son who died in a helicopter crash in the war in Iraq. So lots of people to remember for you today. Sir, thanks so much for joining us.

FRANK ADAMOUSKI, LT. COL., U.S. ARMY (RET.)I: It's a pleasure to be here, Heidi.

COLLINS: Colonel, I'd like to first ask you, this is undoubtedly going to be a difficult Father's Day for you. Your son, Jimmy, was killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom in a Blackhawk helicopter crash. But you'll be doing something spectacular today, not only to remember your fallen comrades, but also remember your son. Can you tell us a little bit about it?

ADAMOUSKI: Well, I think just the fact that we have come down here to the Vietnam Memorial, not only to honor the -- my fallen comrades from Vietnam, but also to honor those who have lost their life in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom, gives testament to the fact that there are people in this nation who believe in what we are doing now to combat the terrorism in the world. And my son was very supportive of that.

COLLINS: Colonel Adamouski, what will you say to the crowd of people about your son who we're looking at on the screen right now, Jimmy?

ADAMOUSKI: Well, what I can really say about my son is the fact that he made a difference in his life in the things that he did and the people that he met. And I have testimony to that from all of the many e-mails and letters and telephone calls that we have received since he died, telling us of what great difference he made in the individual lives of all of the people that he met. And then, also, the people who have read about his life have responded in a very positive way, saying that he has been an inspiration, a sort of a modern-day American hero as opposed to those that we've read about in history from the Civil War and World War II.

COLLINS: Your son was an outstanding guy. We know that you have a picture of him that you're wearing around your neck this morning. And you say he was an inspiration. I'm actually reading here. I'm one of those people who has read a little bit about him, that you ended up having to share your son with a lot of other fathers because of his personality and his warmth. What was that like?

ADAMOUSKI: Well, I was very proud of that, the fact that teachers and coaches and individuals who were fathers themselves and who had sons themselves would adopt Jimmy as being a foster son of theirs just because he was so inspirational and was also very key and many times in fostering better relationships between other fathers and other sons.

COLLINS: I mean, this kid in the seventh grade, missed the bus one time and decided since nobody was around to take him, he better get a cab and go ahead on to school.

ADAMOUSKI: Yes, he did. As a matter of fact, on that particular morning, no one was home to take him to school when he missed his bus. And so, all by himself, he called the cab. He looked around the house for money. When he -- the cab came, he got in the cab. And as he was going to school, he noticed that he wasn't going to have enough money for the ride all the way to school. So he told the cab driver to drop him off when he reached a certain amount of money and he would walk the rest of way.

Well of course, the cab driver took him all the way to school. And that's just one of the things that happened to Jimmy to show the character that he had and the dedication that he had to any goal that he ever set for himself.

COLLINS: Colonel Adamouski, they often say that character is what you choose to do when no one is watching. And it sounds like Jimmy was just one of those type of guys. Thanks so much for sharing your story this morning. I know the event is going to be very meaningful to you and the other Vietnam Veterans. Thanks again for your time.

ADAMOUSKI: Well, thank you, Heidi.

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 June 15, 2003 - 08:11   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It's a live picture now from the Vietnam Memorial in Washington. Lots of people remembering their loved ones today. Even though it is Father's Day, a special remembrance in fact going on there today.
We have with us this morning retired army Colonel Frank Adamouski. He is a Vietnam veteran who is remembering a son who died in a helicopter crash in the war in Iraq. So lots of people to remember for you today. Sir, thanks so much for joining us.

FRANK ADAMOUSKI, LT. COL., U.S. ARMY (RET.)I: It's a pleasure to be here, Heidi.

COLLINS: Colonel, I'd like to first ask you, this is undoubtedly going to be a difficult Father's Day for you. Your son, Jimmy, was killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom in a Blackhawk helicopter crash. But you'll be doing something spectacular today, not only to remember your fallen comrades, but also remember your son. Can you tell us a little bit about it?

ADAMOUSKI: Well, I think just the fact that we have come down here to the Vietnam Memorial, not only to honor the -- my fallen comrades from Vietnam, but also to honor those who have lost their life in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom, gives testament to the fact that there are people in this nation who believe in what we are doing now to combat the terrorism in the world. And my son was very supportive of that.

COLLINS: Colonel Adamouski, what will you say to the crowd of people about your son who we're looking at on the screen right now, Jimmy?

ADAMOUSKI: Well, what I can really say about my son is the fact that he made a difference in his life in the things that he did and the people that he met. And I have testimony to that from all of the many e-mails and letters and telephone calls that we have received since he died, telling us of what great difference he made in the individual lives of all of the people that he met. And then, also, the people who have read about his life have responded in a very positive way, saying that he has been an inspiration, a sort of a modern-day American hero as opposed to those that we've read about in history from the Civil War and World War II.

COLLINS: Your son was an outstanding guy. We know that you have a picture of him that you're wearing around your neck this morning. And you say he was an inspiration. I'm actually reading here. I'm one of those people who has read a little bit about him, that you ended up having to share your son with a lot of other fathers because of his personality and his warmth. What was that like?

ADAMOUSKI: Well, I was very proud of that, the fact that teachers and coaches and individuals who were fathers themselves and who had sons themselves would adopt Jimmy as being a foster son of theirs just because he was so inspirational and was also very key and many times in fostering better relationships between other fathers and other sons.

COLLINS: I mean, this kid in the seventh grade, missed the bus one time and decided since nobody was around to take him, he better get a cab and go ahead on to school.

ADAMOUSKI: Yes, he did. As a matter of fact, on that particular morning, no one was home to take him to school when he missed his bus. And so, all by himself, he called the cab. He looked around the house for money. When he -- the cab came, he got in the cab. And as he was going to school, he noticed that he wasn't going to have enough money for the ride all the way to school. So he told the cab driver to drop him off when he reached a certain amount of money and he would walk the rest of way.

Well of course, the cab driver took him all the way to school. And that's just one of the things that happened to Jimmy to show the character that he had and the dedication that he had to any goal that he ever set for himself.

COLLINS: Colonel Adamouski, they often say that character is what you choose to do when no one is watching. And it sounds like Jimmy was just one of those type of guys. Thanks so much for sharing your story this morning. I know the event is going to be very meaningful to you and the other Vietnam Veterans. Thanks again for your time.

ADAMOUSKI: Well, thank you, Heidi.

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