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CNN Sunday Morning

Snow Storm in the West; Amazing Story of Survival

Aired January 09, 2005 - 09:00 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.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: The west coast is getting socked by a snowstorm this morning and there is more on the way. We will take you live to Lake Tahoe for a look.
Good morning everyone. It's January 9th and this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Betty Nguyen.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris.

Let's get started with a look at what's happening right now.

(NEWSBREAK)

NGUYEN: And here's what we've got coming up, an update on an amazing story of survival from Sri Lanka. We'll meet the man whose family in Maryland is helping him rebuild the orphanage destroyed by that tsunami.

Also ahead we have the special story of a father and son together on the battlefield of Iraq.

And, he did it for Oprah, can he do it for you, advise this morning from the man in charge of keeping one of the world's most famous figures fit.

HARRIS: Back here in the U.S. an old song asked the question just how long has this been going on? It seems like the winter wallop out west has been going on forever. It hasn't but they keep on trucking in Truckee, California in the Sierra Nevada.

Snow is expected to keep falling at a heavy clip into tomorrow. Nearly 200 people had to be rescued from their vehicles after getting stuck in deep snow in the California mountains. Some people spent up to 16 hours waiting for help after snow clogged roads in the San Bernardino Mountains.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was like how long am I going to wait? How much food do I have? I'm freezing. I'm shivering.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, are we going to freeze.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE.)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are we going to freeze? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who's coming up to help us?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: And mudslides are only adding to the muck and the mire in southern California where a steady rain and snow in the higher elevations isn't expected to let up at all today.

NGUYEN: All right. We want to give you a big picture look at all these winter woes today. In the top left-hand corner we have L.A. where it is just still raining there. They've gotten so much rain lately. Then on the top right-hand corner we have...

HARRIS: San Francisco?

NGUYEN: ...San Francisco. It's still dark there in San Fran. But look at the bottom middle that is Boston where snow just keeps falling there. So, where is this white stuff lingering?

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: We want to check in with Rob Marciano who has had his fair share of the white stuff. He's stuck in Lake Tahoe.

HARRIS: He is in Lake Tahoe and, you know, at times he's been knee deep in the white stuff but it looks like you've got a bit of a weather break out there. I know it's still chilly but the snow is at least not falling -- Rob.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

HARRIS: Enjoy the break. It's not going to last long.

NGUYEN: Yes, it's not going to last very long at all. Thank you Rob.

Well, are you digging out from the white stuff? We want to know and we want to see what it looks like. Your response was so great yesterday that we'd like to hear from you again today. E-mail us your snow pictures right now at wam@cnn.com. We will show them throughout the morning.

There's more winter weather in store for parts of the U.S. and CNN Meteorologist Orelon Sidney has details coming up along with the forecast for the rest of the nation -- Tony.

HARRIS: An historic display of democracy in the Arab world today, Palestinians are voting for a new leader of the Palestinian Authority to replace Yasser Arafat. It comes under the gaze of international observers.

CNN's Guy Raz is joining us from Ramallah, West Bank with more -- Guy.

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, you can see behind me some of those voters who have come out to the polls today. There have been a steady stream of voters at this polling center. This is a boys' school in Ramallah.

But a less than encouraging turnout after five hours of voting. Only about 30 percent of registered voters in the West Bank turned up to vote. Now there are three hours left to go before the polls close and election officials and Palestinian leaders are certainly hoping for a higher turnout than 30 percent.

But it should be said, and as you mentioned, this is a historic vote, perhaps the most important in modern Palestinian history. For the first time in nine years Palestinians are electing a new president for the Palestinian National Authority.

Now that's the main administrative body that's in charge of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza and it's the first Palestinian election in 40 years without the presence of Yasser Arafat.

Now the man widely expected to win today's election Mahmoud Abbas or Abu Mazen voted earlier today. He called this a prime example of democracy in the Middle East and in the Arab world.

Some 80 percent of Palestinians registered to vote. Up to 1.1 million Palestinians are expected to make it to the polls but we'll have those figures later on in the day.

And, most importantly, this was a contested election, seven candidates, and so for Mahmoud Abbas this is by far no coronation, unlike in 1996 when his predecessor Yasser Arafat won some 90 percent of the vote -- Tony.

HARRIS: Guy Raz reporting from Ramallah, Guy thank you.

NGUYEN: And now to the latest developments in the tsunami disaster and emergency relief efforts. A new worry for relief workers in Sri Lanka, a grenade attack kills three people and wounds 34 others at a funeral in a rebel controlled area in eastern Sri Lanka. Police fear sectarian violence. Relief efforts may be hampered by that.

An incredible story of survival that we want to tell you about, a man thought to have been buried under the rubble for two weeks after the tsunami swept through is alive. Though severely dehydrating and battling pneumonia, doctors expect him to recover from his near fatal ordeal.

The U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is in the Maldives this morning. He is getting a first hand look at how one of Asia's most exclusive tourist destinations is affected by the tsunamis. Eighty- two people were killed there.

HARRIS: And take a look at this incredible new video into CNN this morning. It shows the tsunami's overwhelming power. This was the horrifying scene as Banda Aceh was crushed beneath a river of mud and debris. That town on the northern tip of Sumatra was among the closest to the epicenter of the earthquake.

Witnesses say the wave of water that followed the quake was some 60 feet high when it hit the beaches. Look at all the debris. It arrived in the town moments later as a terrifying and relentless monster chewing up everything in its path.

And when it was over the main mosque was one of the only structures left standing. You can see it here in this picture, this photograph. The death toll in Indonesia alone is at least 95,000 people with another 77,000 listed as missing.

NGUYEN: Just the strength of that storm and that mosque was the only thing standing.

HARRIS: These numbers are the thing that -- 77,000 still missing two weeks later.

NGUYEN: One hundred fifty-five thousand already killed in that devastating disaster.

Well, it is one of the most compelling stories of survival coming from Asia. The orphanage owner whose heroism saved children from the wrath of the sea.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She said "The sea is coming." Words defy description of what I saw. It was a massive 30-foot wall of water, you know, black in color, just coming at us, you know, like 1,000 freight trains charging at you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: The children survived but the orphanage did not. One of those working to rebuild the safe haven joins us live right here on CNN SUNDAY.

HARRIS: Plus, a twist of fate will reunite a father and son separated by the struggles in Baghdad. That reunion, though, will be on the Iraqi battlefield.

Good morning, Orelon.

ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning and good morning New York City, 34 degrees and cloudy skies. Your temperature is not going to warm up much at all, maybe hitting 40 degrees this afternoon but you'll see some sunshine.

The rest of your nation's forecast coming up in just a few moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And this word just in to CNN this morning, eight coalition soldiers have been killed after an apparent accidental explosion in Iraq. It happened near the town of al-Suarra (ph) in the southern part of the country. Seven of the soldiers were from Ukraine. The other was from Kazakhstan. Ukrainian officials say the soldiers were loading bombs onto a plane when one of them went off.

NGUYEN: We want to check some of our other top stories this morning right now.

The U.S. military is investigating a bombing that it's now is saying is a mistake. The military says five people were killed south of Mosul Saturday after an F-16 jet dropped a 500-pound bomb on a house. In a written statement the coalition says the house was an unintended target and "deeply regrets the loss of possibly innocent lives."

A sailor injured aboard a nuclear submarine has died. The crewmember was seriously hurt when the USS San Francisco ran aground Saturday about 350 miles south of Guam. Navy officials say the sub does have serious damage but the nuclear reactor itself is fine.

And, updating NFL playoff stats, the St. Louis Rams advance after a last minute TD clinches victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Also, the New York Jets move forward after beating the San Diego Chargers in overtime.

Plus, when Oprah speaks the world pays attention, so who does she listen to when it comes to her weight? Oprah's trainer Bob Greene joins us live this morning right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

HARRIS: You will not believe this morning's "Soldier's Story." It is about the few, the proud, the Marines. It is a tale of a father and son, both devoted to the corps and the mission in Iraq. And during his first tour last year, Major Christopher Phelps sent this photo to his father, retired Master Gunnery Sergeant Kendall Phelps.

Major Phelps is returning for a second tour and this time dad will be there too. Sergeant Phelps joins us by phone from Ashville, North Carolina to talk about going into a war zone with his son. Good to talk to you this morning, sir.

KENDALL PHELPS, MASTER GUNNERY SERGEANT USMC (by telephone): Good morning.

HARRIS: You are how old now?

PHELPS: I am 57 years old.

HARRIS: Fifty-seven years young, right?

PHELPS: Yes, that's what I feel too.

HARRIS: And you're going to Iraq?

PHELPS: Yes, I am, sir.

HARRIS: OK, you know the question, here it comes. Tell me why.

PHELPS: Tell you why? Well, can I say something first of all?

HARRIS: Absolutely.

PHELPS: I'm just humbled by this experience and I just wanted to say that, you know, I'm no different, no better than thousands of other servicemen that have sacrificed and left their wives and their children, their moms or dads and I have a job to do and I've been given a great opportunity by the Marine Corps and I'm going to get a chance to use all my training, skills and education.

Now, back to your first question you said why would I do this? I love the Marine Corps. I've always loved the Marine Corps. It's been a great part of my life. I wouldn't change it for anything and I'm just excited to get a chance to do the things that I've been trained and use my skills in both civilian and Marine Corps and to help other Marines accomplish the mission that we have to do.

HARRIS: You were in Vietnam, true?

PHELPS: Yes, I was sir.

HARRIS: How does this war in Iraq, you see the pictures every day, how does this war look different to you, sound different to you and what has your son, what has he been reporting to you about the war effort?

PHELPS: Well, you know, that's a real tough question. You know when you talk about war it's a difficult thing to say. I've had very good friends of mine who have been in Iraq and a good friend of mine, Warrant Officer Brown, who just returned and Warrant Officer Steve Peak (ph) who just returned the day I left. They've told me that, you know, don't believe everything you hear and see on the news because there's lots of good things happening.

Sometimes we dwell on the other aspects. I hope that we're progressing and doing the things that we need to do to help the Iraqi country to get the freedoms that we enjoy.

HARRIS: How much of this decision has to do with your son and the sense that I think all fathers have of being able to protect their son who is in harm's way?

PHELPS: I will never -- you can never differentiate between a father and son and the love that they have, the bind they have, but I also feel that I have skills and knowledge that are going to help many of my Marines and the Marines that I've had under my guidance, you know, you get to know these young men and women and each one of them become your son or daughter and you want to protect every single one of them.

HARRIS: Yes, sergeant be safe over there.

PHELPS: I will. Thank you.

HARRIS: Take care of your son as well.

PHELPS: I will take care of every Marine I see.

HARRIS: OK.

PHELPS: Thank you.

HARRIS: All right, thank you.

NGUYEN: Well, the last few days brought us incredible stories of surviving natural disasters from the tsunami in Asia to snowstorms right here in the U.S. That begs the question would you be ready when trouble comes?

HARRIS: You'll meet a community that's taking no chances in a security watch focus right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Take a look at these pictures. Snow plows and snow blowers hit the streets and sidewalks of Spokane. Ten inches fell on Spokane and about a foot of snow in several other areas.

HARRIS: And, Orelon, you know it gets to a point where you don't know where to put all that snow.

NGUYEN: Yes, it piles up.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

NGUYEN: All right, Orelon, thank you so much.

SIDNEY: You're welcome.

HARRIS: Well, the tsunami disaster in South Asia draws attention to our own preparedness in case of a natural disaster or even a terrorist attack. Would you know what to do?

Some Washington residents are mapping their own strategy at the neighborhood level. CNN's Gary Nuremberg has that report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're going to sit there for three seconds. Make sure you put one foot out.

GARY NUREMBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Getting ready for her basketball game with tips from her father, Zina Peterson (ph) knows preparedness is key. Her dad has tried to prepare the family for an emergency like a natural disaster or terrorist attack.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know what are the phone numbers? What's the quickest route to a hospital?

NUREMBERG: Think you're ready?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don't. I think that there's, you know, some of the things you hear about now that could happen I don't know how we would react.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is a massive power outage, all of D.C., Maryland.

NUREMBERG: Peterson's neighborhood rehearsed community disaster response this weekend running through possible scenarios.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're expecting the wind chill to be down between 15 and 25 below.

NUREMBERG: And charting neighborhood response.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need a local map. We need a first aid kit.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who is alone? Who has a caretaker?

NUREMBERG (on camera): The people at today's exercise are by definition activists who are making a conscious effort to be prepared but as they think about their community it also means a recognition that many of their neighbors won't be prepared.

(voice-over): That's where neighbors like Sally McDonald (ph) come in.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just seemed to collapse during the shaker.

NUREMBERG: When earthquakes taught California emergency responders that fire trucks and rescue vehicles sometimes can't get through the rubble, local residents were trained in community response, what to do, how to organize while official help is on the way. McDonald has had that training in D.C. and has her emergency kit with special tools ready to go when the neighborhood needs her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It shuts off the gas. It shuts off the water. You can break windows with it. You can pry open things with it.

NUREMBERG: Neighbor Samantha Nolan has an emergency kit customized to the needs of her family.

SAMANTHA NOLAN, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER: If you have children in the house, they're going to be bored, so they don't always talk about this but I always keep games and cards and other entertainment for kids.

NUREMBERG: Neighborhood planning here is hard to avoid.

CAROL ZACHARY, NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENT: when they come to honor our postman to my house in three weeks, I'm already gathering a list of things that we better do as a neighborhood to make sure that we're all in touch and we're all prepared. I've already got a plan.

NUREMBERG: And having a plan they hope will help the next time disaster does strike.

Gary Nuremberg for CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security. NGUYEN: We want you to take a look at this right now. It is all that is left of an orphanage in Sri Lanka. Now the children who live there are searching for a new home. Meet someone who's lending a helping hand live right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

HARRIS: Plus, imagine the pressures of having to keep one of the most popular people on the planet in shape. He's Oprah's trainer and the author of "Total Body Makeover." Bob Greene joins us live here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Welcome back on this 9th day of January. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. Here's what's happening now in the news:

Polling stations close in Gaza and the West Bank close in two and a half hours. About 80 international observers are on hand to monitor the process and so far they have not reported any serious problems. The winner of today's historic presidential election will probably be known later today, but not made official until tomorrow.

In Sri Lanka, doctors expect a 60-year-old tsunami survivor to recover despite being buried alive for nearly two weeks. He was found beneath rubble up to his neck in water. Doctors are treating him for dehydration, pneumonia, and a broken wrist.

In the High Sierra a huge blast of winter this weekend, snowfall in and around Lake Tahoe is about four feet, but several more expected before it's over. Winds, overnight, on the mountain peaks, were equivalent to a category five hurricane.

And in the NFL playoffs, this is why football is a four quarter game. The New York Jets had to go into overtime to beat the San Diego Chargers, 20-17. It was a similar story between St. Louis and Seattle. The winning touchdown came in just over two minutes left on the clock. It allowed the rams hold off the Seahawks, 27-20.

NGUYEN: We have shared with you so many stories from south Asia, many of tragedy and devastation, but others of hope. In this amazing survivor -- survival tale, Christiane Amanpour introduced us to a man who gave up a comfortable life in the U.S. to help orphans in Sri Lanka and now he's giving thanks and he can start it all over again.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These children really should be dead. The tsunami swamped their orphanage. But their playing and smiling, thanks to the quick thinking of their caretaker, Father Dayalan Sanders.

With monsoon rains now adding to the misery, Father Sanders took us across the lagoon to tell us the story of how he and the kids escaped certain death at Navalady Beach. The story starts early morning, Sunday December 26, with his panic stricken wife.

FATHER DAYALAN SANDERS, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: She just burst into the room and I've never seen a look so terrified, and I thought, you know, what could be this wrong for her to look like this? And she said the sea is coming. Words defy description of what I saw. It was a massive 30-foot wall of water, you know, black in color, just coming at us -- you know, like 1,000 freight trains charging at you.

I knew that I had to act fast. There was no time to think and I had to get the children out. I came here and I was shouting at the top of my lungs. They came, I ran, I carried, I just threw them over the fence.

AMANPOUR: Their only method of escape, a small boat tied up behind the orphanage. Safe, now, at a friend's home, the youngest remember how terrified they were.

"I was in front, we saw the wave coming," say Vincent, "I got down in the boat. I'm still afraid "

Issau say, "We ran to the boat. I saw a car slammed against the sea. The see was black. I was so scared."

And Prea (ph), who is 15, says that when the wave came and lashed the boat from all sides, "we were all crying and praying to god to help us."

That's when this man of god made a desperate test of faith. With 32 people, 26 of them children in this tiny boat, he turned to the wave.

SANDERS: I stood up, I raised both my hands, and said, "I command you in the name of Jesus to stop."

AMANPOUR: And whether the hand of god, or just good fortune, the engine was on the boat.

SANDERS: We never leave the outboard motor on the launch. I -- this is the first time we have done that -- we just this has happened to us.

AMANPOUR: And for the first time, Stefan, the boat man, got it going on the first try.

SANDERS: He just yanked the starter rope. With one pull it started. I said, this is what, "I called upon my god, I prayed, and my god answered my prayer."

AMANPOUR: But the drama wasn't over. They still had to outrun the wave.

SANDERS: There's no power that could resist this -- the force that was behind this body of water, so the only safe place was right on top of it. And I've been on there, I was determined I'm going to get on top of that. AMANPOUR: He ordered Stefan to turn around and charge the overloaded 15 horse power motor straight at the wave. An hour and a half later, they all floated into town, Batik Loa (ph), drenched, spend, but alive.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Now, Father Sanders has a long way to go to rebuild his orphanage, but he is not doing it alone. His extended family in Maryland is working tirelessly to help him raise the money needed to start again, and to protect the children and his devastated community in Sri Lanka. His sister, Deanna Sanders is coordinating those efforts and she joins us by phone today.

Good morning Deanna.

DEANNA SANDERS, SISTER OF FATHER SANDERS: Good morning.

NGUYEN: Well, we understood you had a fund-raiser and had some pretty amazing results. Tell us about that.

SANDERS: Yes, we had the fund-raiser, the guests (UNINTELLIGIBLE) United Methodist Church from 3:00 to 6:00 and it was an amazing turnout. We had hundreds of people walking in and -- you know, wanting to know more about the orphanage. They were able to see power point presentations, talk to family members, have food donated by -- catered from Virginia, and make their donation, it was just amazing.

NGUYEN: How much did you raise and how much do you need to rebuild this orphanage?

SANDERS: Yesterday, at the open house alone, we raised $77,000.

NGUYEN: Wow.

SANDERS: And the Ford Motor Company has made a commitment to give 70,000 U.S. dollars. So I think that we have a total of about $225,000 and we estimate to -- the first estimate to build the orphanage back to its old self was 400,000 U.S. dollars, that's the first estimate.

NGUYEN: Well, talk to us a little bit about this orphanage, because your brother used his own money to build it, he sold his house in Maryland, went to Sri Lanka. Why did want to help the children Sri Lanka so badly?

SANDERS: Because that was part of his mission all along, and the critical situation in the country left many, many children either full orphans or semi-orphans, without a place to -- a nurturing place to live and that is when he decided he wanted to pull back and especially to an area like Navalady, and help the community.

NGUYEN: Now, where are the orphans right now, since the orphanage has been destroyed? SANDERS: They are staying -- 20 of the children are staying with Dayalan and his family in a French mission home in Batik Loa City, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And some of the other children are with friends and extended relatives.

NGUYEN: And it looks like this tsunami and the disaster that it has caused he may see many more orphans and this new orphanage that we hope that he can build with all the funds that you are helping him raise. Deanna Sanders, thank you so much for your time.

SANDERS: Thank you.

NGUYEN: The outpouring of charity to south Asia has been truly amazing, and we want you to know that so many more people are getting involved to help the Sanders family rebuild that orphanage that we just spoke about and help their community. All you have to do is log onto their Web site at Samaritanchildrenshome.org.

HARRIS: And time now to fast forward and a look at some of the stories we'll be following in the coming week. Monday, the second capital murder trial set to begin for convicted D.C. area sniper John Allen Muhammad. Muhammad has already been sentenced to death for his role in the fatal shooting in October of 2002.

Tuesday in Los Angeles, nominations will be announced for this year's Screen Actor's Guild Awards. Nominations are can chosen by their peers, card carrying guild members. The show honors of outstanding performances in film and television. The SAG awards will air February 5 on TNT

And also Tuesday in Geneva, the U.N. hosts an international donor's conference for victims of the tsunami disaster. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan says nearly one billion will be needed over the next six months to help the affected countries.

And our look now at "News Across America," flags and flowers, prayers and praise, hundreds bid a fond farewell to Congressman Robert Matsui in California yesterday. Matsui, a Japanese-American, rose from his immigrant roots to serve 26 years in Congress. He died last week of pneumonia caused by a rare form of bone marrow disease.

In central Florida, a dangerous delivery turns deadly. A truck driver dies as carbon dioxide he's delivering to a McDonald's restaurant leaks from its container. The man was transferring the dangerous gas into a storage tank by using a hose. The leaked carbon dioxide knocked another man out, but he survived and is currently in a hospital.

Butch Cassidy escapes to ride again. The actor, Paul Newman, is reportedly OK after the race car he was driving caught fire in Florida, yesterday. Newman is a champion racer. He was testing the car at the Daytona Beach stretch when flames flickered up inside the engine chamber. The fire did not find its way into the cockpit and the 79-year-old actor was not armed.

And some revelers in Alabama are getting a head start on Mardi Gras celebrations. Thousands of people lined the streets, I want to say, of Dauphine Island, Alabama, for a parade. They're laying claim to the first Mardi Gras celebration, instead of New Orleans, Mardi Gras officially begins, in case you're wondering, January 21.

NGUYEN: Well, it seems like a never-ending battle. The fight to keep those pounds off, and there are more diets and exercise programs that you can even count.

HARRIS: So we've brought in an expert to help us sort it all out. There he is, Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer. Bob Greene live this morning, here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING .

Good morning, Bob.

BOB GREENE, PERSONAL TRAINER: Morning. Great to be here, today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm Rob Marciano live in Lake Tahoe, California where they are digging out a feet (SIC) of snow, a break right now should -- might even see sunshine later on. We'll talk with Orelon Sidney about your forecast and mine as well. Are we stuck here? And what does it mean for the rest of California, details coming up. CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN, watched by more Americans than any other news channel. Now, back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING with Betty Nguyen and Tony Harris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And welcome back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING, I'm Betty Nguyen, let's get a check of the top stories right now.

Just over two hours to go before the polls close. The Palestinians are voting for a new president to replace the late Yasser Arafat. Officials tout it as the most democratic Arab election in modern history.

In northern Iraq a home reduced to rubble and the U.S. military admits to a deadly mistake. A fighter jet targeted the wrong house during an offensive against insurgents, dropping a 500 pound bomb on it, killing at least five people. The military is investigating.

He hasn't said much, but it is amazing he can still speak at all. A 60-year-old tsunami survivor in Sri Lanka spoke a few words, this morning, telling doctors that he has a son and a daughter. The man was rescued after apparently spending nearly two weeks buried in the rubble.

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan arrived in the Maldives this morning to survey the damage there. CNN's Richard Roth is traveling with him. We will have a live report from Roth, for you. That's coming up this morning on "CNN Live Sunday" at 11:00 p.m. Eastern -- Tony.

HARRIS: Well, there is, Betty, no question that Oprah Winfrey is the most famous client of our next guest, but he can help us, too, like the rest of the world. Personal trainer, Bob Greene, watched Winfrey's weight fluctuate over the years. We've watched her go from one extreme to the other, like you see here. This is what Winfrey looked like in 1991, when she testified before a congressional committee. Thirteen years ago, it was this Oprah that we saw in marathon, in 1994, quite a difference. Now take look at Winfrey at last year's Oscars. Once again, you see the transition is pretty dramatic. A big challenge for trainer, Bob Greene, to get the weight off and keep his clients and keep them on a steady course. He has a new book out "Bob Greene's Total Body Makeover" and he joins us now for his first cable interview on this latest project.

Bob, good to talk to you this morning.

GREENE: Hey, it's great to be here.

HARRIS: OK, give us a sense of motivation, here. That's what we need you to do. We want to be healthy and we want to be healthy for our whole life. Tell us, remind us again, how important fitness and proper diet is in that total equation.

GREENE: Well, to be honest with you, most of us know the syndrome of the first of the year and you recommit to a healthy way of life and you don't have to break that. What it's really about is emotionally knowing you're ready to make permanent changes. So, in the book, I ask people to really soul search and are they ready to make these changes?

HARRIS: OK, you've written two other books, correct?

GREENE: Yes.

HARRIS: OK. What -- where does this new book take you in your thinking and your approach?

GREENE: Well, this book is really different because it's a more aggressive approach. I take a 12-week boot camp. And this is a program that Oprah would go on, for example, if she wanted to get ready for, say, for the Oscars. And I find people can stay motivated for about 12 weeks, and then they have to transition into, maybe not working out quite as hard, but still working out and eating the right types of foods.

On the fitness side, you want to be doing about 35-40 minutes of cardo, in a perfect world, and another 20 minutes to 25 minutes of weight training. As far as the eating side goes, extremely important, I have five simple rules, it's not a diet.

HARRIS: OK.

GREENE: For example, two of them would be have an eating cutoff time, two to three hours before your bedtime. Now you're going to save a lot of calories, and you're going to sleep better. Second one, eat a nutritious breakfast, and use things healthy things, oatmeal is great, 100 percent orange juice would be a good choice. And as far as eating out, you can still eat out, but just be prudent. In fact, I am doing a lot of work with McDonald's, choices are going more to people on a healthy lifestyle and I think it's easier then ever to eat out.

HARRIS: Hey Bob, what about alcohol?

GREENE: Alcohol? One of the eating rules is four to 12 weeks, do away with it, don't use it for the 12 weeks, and then, if you want, to transition into incorporating alcohol on a moderate basis.

HARRIS: And Bob, quickly, what happens after the 12 weeks? How do we incorporate some of these changes that we've made into our every day life?

GREENE: That's the key, when you go down that aggressive road of putting yourself in this, kind of, boot camp, for lack of a better word, for 12 weeks, it's important to transition, hold onto the good things, the exercise, bring it back down a little bit, make it reasonable, and be moderate with your eating. Again, if it's alcohol and you really want to incorporate drinking in moderation, that can be done. Make it realistic for you. And the good new is, psychologically, if you're doing thing right, it's almost a break. When you work really hard for 12 weeks...

HARRIS: Yeah.

GREENE: And then you come back down, it's almost like a vacation.

HARRIS: It's a total body makeover with Bob Greene. Bob, we appreciate it. Thank you.

GREENE: Hey, it's great to be here, today.

HARRIS: OK -- Betty.

NGUYEN: And Bob knows. Well, as the song says, "the weather outside is frightful," at least in some parts of the country. Lake Tahoe is one such place. Look who's in the thick of things. Rob, hope you like it there, because you could be there a while.

MARCIANO: Well, that's true, Betty, but frightful, that would be an opinion -- folks here in Tahoe enjoying the snow, although it's a headache for some folks, but what's the storm going to do next? We'll talk with Orelon, she'll break out the maps, give you the forecast, and I'll tell you what's going on in Tahoe and the rest of California. CNN LIVE SUNDAY MORNING continues in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: It's time now to check in with Kelly Wallace for a look at what's on "Inside Politics," today.

Good morning, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, "INSIDE POLITICS": Good morning Betty, good to see you.

Well, coming up next on "Inside Politics Sunday," we'll get an update of the Palestinian election, and talk with a U.S. congressman who is observing the democratic process firsthand.

Plus attorney general nominee, Alberto Gonzalez, was grilled by the Senate committee, this week. How did he do? Our reporter panel rates his performance.

And a former House leader speaks out on a possible run for the White House in 2008. Who is it?

Betty, Tony, you'll have to watch "Inside Politics Sunday "to find out.

NGUYEN: Oh, you're going to keep us waiting? (UNINTELLIGIBLE)Yeah that is a tease. All right, we will be watching. Thank you, Kelly.

WALLACE: OK.

HARRIS: And let's get you down to Orelon Sidney for a final check of the nation's weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: They need your help Orelon. You got to be there for them.

ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'll do the best. Throw some salt over my shoulder.

HARRIS: Yeah, nice try.

NGUYEN: Well, speaking about weather we have pictures you've been sending in all morning long about the weather across the nation. Look at this, this is a gum ball tree sent in by Brad in Indianapolis. You can barely tell it with all that snow.

HARRIS: And we have a snow covered car, there are plenty of those to be found out there in Lake Tahoe.

NGUYEN: Is that a car?

HARRIS: Well, that's what happens when you get blocked in there and the plows come through, you just -- it just stacks up.

NGUYEN: Yeah, it looks like a double-decker bus. And then we've got a picture of sledding from Bruce in New Hampshire. Now, that is the way to have a little fun in this winter wonderland.

HARRIS: Yeah, my kids miss that. Really do.

Well, thank you for the e-mails, thank you for the great photographs, and I think that's it. Are we done?

NGUYEN: We are done for this hour.

HARRIS: That's all of our time for conditions CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

NGUYEN: We appreciate your time. We'll be here next weekend, so stay with us.

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 January 9, 2005 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: The west coast is getting socked by a snowstorm this morning and there is more on the way. We will take you live to Lake Tahoe for a look.
Good morning everyone. It's January 9th and this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Betty Nguyen.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris.

Let's get started with a look at what's happening right now.

(NEWSBREAK)

NGUYEN: And here's what we've got coming up, an update on an amazing story of survival from Sri Lanka. We'll meet the man whose family in Maryland is helping him rebuild the orphanage destroyed by that tsunami.

Also ahead we have the special story of a father and son together on the battlefield of Iraq.

And, he did it for Oprah, can he do it for you, advise this morning from the man in charge of keeping one of the world's most famous figures fit.

HARRIS: Back here in the U.S. an old song asked the question just how long has this been going on? It seems like the winter wallop out west has been going on forever. It hasn't but they keep on trucking in Truckee, California in the Sierra Nevada.

Snow is expected to keep falling at a heavy clip into tomorrow. Nearly 200 people had to be rescued from their vehicles after getting stuck in deep snow in the California mountains. Some people spent up to 16 hours waiting for help after snow clogged roads in the San Bernardino Mountains.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was like how long am I going to wait? How much food do I have? I'm freezing. I'm shivering.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, are we going to freeze.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE.)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are we going to freeze? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who's coming up to help us?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: And mudslides are only adding to the muck and the mire in southern California where a steady rain and snow in the higher elevations isn't expected to let up at all today.

NGUYEN: All right. We want to give you a big picture look at all these winter woes today. In the top left-hand corner we have L.A. where it is just still raining there. They've gotten so much rain lately. Then on the top right-hand corner we have...

HARRIS: San Francisco?

NGUYEN: ...San Francisco. It's still dark there in San Fran. But look at the bottom middle that is Boston where snow just keeps falling there. So, where is this white stuff lingering?

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: We want to check in with Rob Marciano who has had his fair share of the white stuff. He's stuck in Lake Tahoe.

HARRIS: He is in Lake Tahoe and, you know, at times he's been knee deep in the white stuff but it looks like you've got a bit of a weather break out there. I know it's still chilly but the snow is at least not falling -- Rob.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

HARRIS: Enjoy the break. It's not going to last long.

NGUYEN: Yes, it's not going to last very long at all. Thank you Rob.

Well, are you digging out from the white stuff? We want to know and we want to see what it looks like. Your response was so great yesterday that we'd like to hear from you again today. E-mail us your snow pictures right now at wam@cnn.com. We will show them throughout the morning.

There's more winter weather in store for parts of the U.S. and CNN Meteorologist Orelon Sidney has details coming up along with the forecast for the rest of the nation -- Tony.

HARRIS: An historic display of democracy in the Arab world today, Palestinians are voting for a new leader of the Palestinian Authority to replace Yasser Arafat. It comes under the gaze of international observers.

CNN's Guy Raz is joining us from Ramallah, West Bank with more -- Guy.

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, you can see behind me some of those voters who have come out to the polls today. There have been a steady stream of voters at this polling center. This is a boys' school in Ramallah.

But a less than encouraging turnout after five hours of voting. Only about 30 percent of registered voters in the West Bank turned up to vote. Now there are three hours left to go before the polls close and election officials and Palestinian leaders are certainly hoping for a higher turnout than 30 percent.

But it should be said, and as you mentioned, this is a historic vote, perhaps the most important in modern Palestinian history. For the first time in nine years Palestinians are electing a new president for the Palestinian National Authority.

Now that's the main administrative body that's in charge of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza and it's the first Palestinian election in 40 years without the presence of Yasser Arafat.

Now the man widely expected to win today's election Mahmoud Abbas or Abu Mazen voted earlier today. He called this a prime example of democracy in the Middle East and in the Arab world.

Some 80 percent of Palestinians registered to vote. Up to 1.1 million Palestinians are expected to make it to the polls but we'll have those figures later on in the day.

And, most importantly, this was a contested election, seven candidates, and so for Mahmoud Abbas this is by far no coronation, unlike in 1996 when his predecessor Yasser Arafat won some 90 percent of the vote -- Tony.

HARRIS: Guy Raz reporting from Ramallah, Guy thank you.

NGUYEN: And now to the latest developments in the tsunami disaster and emergency relief efforts. A new worry for relief workers in Sri Lanka, a grenade attack kills three people and wounds 34 others at a funeral in a rebel controlled area in eastern Sri Lanka. Police fear sectarian violence. Relief efforts may be hampered by that.

An incredible story of survival that we want to tell you about, a man thought to have been buried under the rubble for two weeks after the tsunami swept through is alive. Though severely dehydrating and battling pneumonia, doctors expect him to recover from his near fatal ordeal.

The U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is in the Maldives this morning. He is getting a first hand look at how one of Asia's most exclusive tourist destinations is affected by the tsunamis. Eighty- two people were killed there.

HARRIS: And take a look at this incredible new video into CNN this morning. It shows the tsunami's overwhelming power. This was the horrifying scene as Banda Aceh was crushed beneath a river of mud and debris. That town on the northern tip of Sumatra was among the closest to the epicenter of the earthquake.

Witnesses say the wave of water that followed the quake was some 60 feet high when it hit the beaches. Look at all the debris. It arrived in the town moments later as a terrifying and relentless monster chewing up everything in its path.

And when it was over the main mosque was one of the only structures left standing. You can see it here in this picture, this photograph. The death toll in Indonesia alone is at least 95,000 people with another 77,000 listed as missing.

NGUYEN: Just the strength of that storm and that mosque was the only thing standing.

HARRIS: These numbers are the thing that -- 77,000 still missing two weeks later.

NGUYEN: One hundred fifty-five thousand already killed in that devastating disaster.

Well, it is one of the most compelling stories of survival coming from Asia. The orphanage owner whose heroism saved children from the wrath of the sea.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She said "The sea is coming." Words defy description of what I saw. It was a massive 30-foot wall of water, you know, black in color, just coming at us, you know, like 1,000 freight trains charging at you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: The children survived but the orphanage did not. One of those working to rebuild the safe haven joins us live right here on CNN SUNDAY.

HARRIS: Plus, a twist of fate will reunite a father and son separated by the struggles in Baghdad. That reunion, though, will be on the Iraqi battlefield.

Good morning, Orelon.

ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning and good morning New York City, 34 degrees and cloudy skies. Your temperature is not going to warm up much at all, maybe hitting 40 degrees this afternoon but you'll see some sunshine.

The rest of your nation's forecast coming up in just a few moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And this word just in to CNN this morning, eight coalition soldiers have been killed after an apparent accidental explosion in Iraq. It happened near the town of al-Suarra (ph) in the southern part of the country. Seven of the soldiers were from Ukraine. The other was from Kazakhstan. Ukrainian officials say the soldiers were loading bombs onto a plane when one of them went off.

NGUYEN: We want to check some of our other top stories this morning right now.

The U.S. military is investigating a bombing that it's now is saying is a mistake. The military says five people were killed south of Mosul Saturday after an F-16 jet dropped a 500-pound bomb on a house. In a written statement the coalition says the house was an unintended target and "deeply regrets the loss of possibly innocent lives."

A sailor injured aboard a nuclear submarine has died. The crewmember was seriously hurt when the USS San Francisco ran aground Saturday about 350 miles south of Guam. Navy officials say the sub does have serious damage but the nuclear reactor itself is fine.

And, updating NFL playoff stats, the St. Louis Rams advance after a last minute TD clinches victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Also, the New York Jets move forward after beating the San Diego Chargers in overtime.

Plus, when Oprah speaks the world pays attention, so who does she listen to when it comes to her weight? Oprah's trainer Bob Greene joins us live this morning right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

HARRIS: You will not believe this morning's "Soldier's Story." It is about the few, the proud, the Marines. It is a tale of a father and son, both devoted to the corps and the mission in Iraq. And during his first tour last year, Major Christopher Phelps sent this photo to his father, retired Master Gunnery Sergeant Kendall Phelps.

Major Phelps is returning for a second tour and this time dad will be there too. Sergeant Phelps joins us by phone from Ashville, North Carolina to talk about going into a war zone with his son. Good to talk to you this morning, sir.

KENDALL PHELPS, MASTER GUNNERY SERGEANT USMC (by telephone): Good morning.

HARRIS: You are how old now?

PHELPS: I am 57 years old.

HARRIS: Fifty-seven years young, right?

PHELPS: Yes, that's what I feel too.

HARRIS: And you're going to Iraq?

PHELPS: Yes, I am, sir.

HARRIS: OK, you know the question, here it comes. Tell me why.

PHELPS: Tell you why? Well, can I say something first of all?

HARRIS: Absolutely.

PHELPS: I'm just humbled by this experience and I just wanted to say that, you know, I'm no different, no better than thousands of other servicemen that have sacrificed and left their wives and their children, their moms or dads and I have a job to do and I've been given a great opportunity by the Marine Corps and I'm going to get a chance to use all my training, skills and education.

Now, back to your first question you said why would I do this? I love the Marine Corps. I've always loved the Marine Corps. It's been a great part of my life. I wouldn't change it for anything and I'm just excited to get a chance to do the things that I've been trained and use my skills in both civilian and Marine Corps and to help other Marines accomplish the mission that we have to do.

HARRIS: You were in Vietnam, true?

PHELPS: Yes, I was sir.

HARRIS: How does this war in Iraq, you see the pictures every day, how does this war look different to you, sound different to you and what has your son, what has he been reporting to you about the war effort?

PHELPS: Well, you know, that's a real tough question. You know when you talk about war it's a difficult thing to say. I've had very good friends of mine who have been in Iraq and a good friend of mine, Warrant Officer Brown, who just returned and Warrant Officer Steve Peak (ph) who just returned the day I left. They've told me that, you know, don't believe everything you hear and see on the news because there's lots of good things happening.

Sometimes we dwell on the other aspects. I hope that we're progressing and doing the things that we need to do to help the Iraqi country to get the freedoms that we enjoy.

HARRIS: How much of this decision has to do with your son and the sense that I think all fathers have of being able to protect their son who is in harm's way?

PHELPS: I will never -- you can never differentiate between a father and son and the love that they have, the bind they have, but I also feel that I have skills and knowledge that are going to help many of my Marines and the Marines that I've had under my guidance, you know, you get to know these young men and women and each one of them become your son or daughter and you want to protect every single one of them.

HARRIS: Yes, sergeant be safe over there.

PHELPS: I will. Thank you.

HARRIS: Take care of your son as well.

PHELPS: I will take care of every Marine I see.

HARRIS: OK.

PHELPS: Thank you.

HARRIS: All right, thank you.

NGUYEN: Well, the last few days brought us incredible stories of surviving natural disasters from the tsunami in Asia to snowstorms right here in the U.S. That begs the question would you be ready when trouble comes?

HARRIS: You'll meet a community that's taking no chances in a security watch focus right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Take a look at these pictures. Snow plows and snow blowers hit the streets and sidewalks of Spokane. Ten inches fell on Spokane and about a foot of snow in several other areas.

HARRIS: And, Orelon, you know it gets to a point where you don't know where to put all that snow.

NGUYEN: Yes, it piles up.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

NGUYEN: All right, Orelon, thank you so much.

SIDNEY: You're welcome.

HARRIS: Well, the tsunami disaster in South Asia draws attention to our own preparedness in case of a natural disaster or even a terrorist attack. Would you know what to do?

Some Washington residents are mapping their own strategy at the neighborhood level. CNN's Gary Nuremberg has that report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're going to sit there for three seconds. Make sure you put one foot out.

GARY NUREMBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Getting ready for her basketball game with tips from her father, Zina Peterson (ph) knows preparedness is key. Her dad has tried to prepare the family for an emergency like a natural disaster or terrorist attack.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know what are the phone numbers? What's the quickest route to a hospital?

NUREMBERG: Think you're ready?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don't. I think that there's, you know, some of the things you hear about now that could happen I don't know how we would react.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is a massive power outage, all of D.C., Maryland.

NUREMBERG: Peterson's neighborhood rehearsed community disaster response this weekend running through possible scenarios.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're expecting the wind chill to be down between 15 and 25 below.

NUREMBERG: And charting neighborhood response.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need a local map. We need a first aid kit.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who is alone? Who has a caretaker?

NUREMBERG (on camera): The people at today's exercise are by definition activists who are making a conscious effort to be prepared but as they think about their community it also means a recognition that many of their neighbors won't be prepared.

(voice-over): That's where neighbors like Sally McDonald (ph) come in.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just seemed to collapse during the shaker.

NUREMBERG: When earthquakes taught California emergency responders that fire trucks and rescue vehicles sometimes can't get through the rubble, local residents were trained in community response, what to do, how to organize while official help is on the way. McDonald has had that training in D.C. and has her emergency kit with special tools ready to go when the neighborhood needs her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It shuts off the gas. It shuts off the water. You can break windows with it. You can pry open things with it.

NUREMBERG: Neighbor Samantha Nolan has an emergency kit customized to the needs of her family.

SAMANTHA NOLAN, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER: If you have children in the house, they're going to be bored, so they don't always talk about this but I always keep games and cards and other entertainment for kids.

NUREMBERG: Neighborhood planning here is hard to avoid.

CAROL ZACHARY, NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENT: when they come to honor our postman to my house in three weeks, I'm already gathering a list of things that we better do as a neighborhood to make sure that we're all in touch and we're all prepared. I've already got a plan.

NUREMBERG: And having a plan they hope will help the next time disaster does strike.

Gary Nuremberg for CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security. NGUYEN: We want you to take a look at this right now. It is all that is left of an orphanage in Sri Lanka. Now the children who live there are searching for a new home. Meet someone who's lending a helping hand live right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

HARRIS: Plus, imagine the pressures of having to keep one of the most popular people on the planet in shape. He's Oprah's trainer and the author of "Total Body Makeover." Bob Greene joins us live here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Welcome back on this 9th day of January. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. Here's what's happening now in the news:

Polling stations close in Gaza and the West Bank close in two and a half hours. About 80 international observers are on hand to monitor the process and so far they have not reported any serious problems. The winner of today's historic presidential election will probably be known later today, but not made official until tomorrow.

In Sri Lanka, doctors expect a 60-year-old tsunami survivor to recover despite being buried alive for nearly two weeks. He was found beneath rubble up to his neck in water. Doctors are treating him for dehydration, pneumonia, and a broken wrist.

In the High Sierra a huge blast of winter this weekend, snowfall in and around Lake Tahoe is about four feet, but several more expected before it's over. Winds, overnight, on the mountain peaks, were equivalent to a category five hurricane.

And in the NFL playoffs, this is why football is a four quarter game. The New York Jets had to go into overtime to beat the San Diego Chargers, 20-17. It was a similar story between St. Louis and Seattle. The winning touchdown came in just over two minutes left on the clock. It allowed the rams hold off the Seahawks, 27-20.

NGUYEN: We have shared with you so many stories from south Asia, many of tragedy and devastation, but others of hope. In this amazing survivor -- survival tale, Christiane Amanpour introduced us to a man who gave up a comfortable life in the U.S. to help orphans in Sri Lanka and now he's giving thanks and he can start it all over again.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These children really should be dead. The tsunami swamped their orphanage. But their playing and smiling, thanks to the quick thinking of their caretaker, Father Dayalan Sanders.

With monsoon rains now adding to the misery, Father Sanders took us across the lagoon to tell us the story of how he and the kids escaped certain death at Navalady Beach. The story starts early morning, Sunday December 26, with his panic stricken wife.

FATHER DAYALAN SANDERS, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: She just burst into the room and I've never seen a look so terrified, and I thought, you know, what could be this wrong for her to look like this? And she said the sea is coming. Words defy description of what I saw. It was a massive 30-foot wall of water, you know, black in color, just coming at us -- you know, like 1,000 freight trains charging at you.

I knew that I had to act fast. There was no time to think and I had to get the children out. I came here and I was shouting at the top of my lungs. They came, I ran, I carried, I just threw them over the fence.

AMANPOUR: Their only method of escape, a small boat tied up behind the orphanage. Safe, now, at a friend's home, the youngest remember how terrified they were.

"I was in front, we saw the wave coming," say Vincent, "I got down in the boat. I'm still afraid "

Issau say, "We ran to the boat. I saw a car slammed against the sea. The see was black. I was so scared."

And Prea (ph), who is 15, says that when the wave came and lashed the boat from all sides, "we were all crying and praying to god to help us."

That's when this man of god made a desperate test of faith. With 32 people, 26 of them children in this tiny boat, he turned to the wave.

SANDERS: I stood up, I raised both my hands, and said, "I command you in the name of Jesus to stop."

AMANPOUR: And whether the hand of god, or just good fortune, the engine was on the boat.

SANDERS: We never leave the outboard motor on the launch. I -- this is the first time we have done that -- we just this has happened to us.

AMANPOUR: And for the first time, Stefan, the boat man, got it going on the first try.

SANDERS: He just yanked the starter rope. With one pull it started. I said, this is what, "I called upon my god, I prayed, and my god answered my prayer."

AMANPOUR: But the drama wasn't over. They still had to outrun the wave.

SANDERS: There's no power that could resist this -- the force that was behind this body of water, so the only safe place was right on top of it. And I've been on there, I was determined I'm going to get on top of that. AMANPOUR: He ordered Stefan to turn around and charge the overloaded 15 horse power motor straight at the wave. An hour and a half later, they all floated into town, Batik Loa (ph), drenched, spend, but alive.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Now, Father Sanders has a long way to go to rebuild his orphanage, but he is not doing it alone. His extended family in Maryland is working tirelessly to help him raise the money needed to start again, and to protect the children and his devastated community in Sri Lanka. His sister, Deanna Sanders is coordinating those efforts and she joins us by phone today.

Good morning Deanna.

DEANNA SANDERS, SISTER OF FATHER SANDERS: Good morning.

NGUYEN: Well, we understood you had a fund-raiser and had some pretty amazing results. Tell us about that.

SANDERS: Yes, we had the fund-raiser, the guests (UNINTELLIGIBLE) United Methodist Church from 3:00 to 6:00 and it was an amazing turnout. We had hundreds of people walking in and -- you know, wanting to know more about the orphanage. They were able to see power point presentations, talk to family members, have food donated by -- catered from Virginia, and make their donation, it was just amazing.

NGUYEN: How much did you raise and how much do you need to rebuild this orphanage?

SANDERS: Yesterday, at the open house alone, we raised $77,000.

NGUYEN: Wow.

SANDERS: And the Ford Motor Company has made a commitment to give 70,000 U.S. dollars. So I think that we have a total of about $225,000 and we estimate to -- the first estimate to build the orphanage back to its old self was 400,000 U.S. dollars, that's the first estimate.

NGUYEN: Well, talk to us a little bit about this orphanage, because your brother used his own money to build it, he sold his house in Maryland, went to Sri Lanka. Why did want to help the children Sri Lanka so badly?

SANDERS: Because that was part of his mission all along, and the critical situation in the country left many, many children either full orphans or semi-orphans, without a place to -- a nurturing place to live and that is when he decided he wanted to pull back and especially to an area like Navalady, and help the community.

NGUYEN: Now, where are the orphans right now, since the orphanage has been destroyed? SANDERS: They are staying -- 20 of the children are staying with Dayalan and his family in a French mission home in Batik Loa City, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And some of the other children are with friends and extended relatives.

NGUYEN: And it looks like this tsunami and the disaster that it has caused he may see many more orphans and this new orphanage that we hope that he can build with all the funds that you are helping him raise. Deanna Sanders, thank you so much for your time.

SANDERS: Thank you.

NGUYEN: The outpouring of charity to south Asia has been truly amazing, and we want you to know that so many more people are getting involved to help the Sanders family rebuild that orphanage that we just spoke about and help their community. All you have to do is log onto their Web site at Samaritanchildrenshome.org.

HARRIS: And time now to fast forward and a look at some of the stories we'll be following in the coming week. Monday, the second capital murder trial set to begin for convicted D.C. area sniper John Allen Muhammad. Muhammad has already been sentenced to death for his role in the fatal shooting in October of 2002.

Tuesday in Los Angeles, nominations will be announced for this year's Screen Actor's Guild Awards. Nominations are can chosen by their peers, card carrying guild members. The show honors of outstanding performances in film and television. The SAG awards will air February 5 on TNT

And also Tuesday in Geneva, the U.N. hosts an international donor's conference for victims of the tsunami disaster. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan says nearly one billion will be needed over the next six months to help the affected countries.

And our look now at "News Across America," flags and flowers, prayers and praise, hundreds bid a fond farewell to Congressman Robert Matsui in California yesterday. Matsui, a Japanese-American, rose from his immigrant roots to serve 26 years in Congress. He died last week of pneumonia caused by a rare form of bone marrow disease.

In central Florida, a dangerous delivery turns deadly. A truck driver dies as carbon dioxide he's delivering to a McDonald's restaurant leaks from its container. The man was transferring the dangerous gas into a storage tank by using a hose. The leaked carbon dioxide knocked another man out, but he survived and is currently in a hospital.

Butch Cassidy escapes to ride again. The actor, Paul Newman, is reportedly OK after the race car he was driving caught fire in Florida, yesterday. Newman is a champion racer. He was testing the car at the Daytona Beach stretch when flames flickered up inside the engine chamber. The fire did not find its way into the cockpit and the 79-year-old actor was not armed.

And some revelers in Alabama are getting a head start on Mardi Gras celebrations. Thousands of people lined the streets, I want to say, of Dauphine Island, Alabama, for a parade. They're laying claim to the first Mardi Gras celebration, instead of New Orleans, Mardi Gras officially begins, in case you're wondering, January 21.

NGUYEN: Well, it seems like a never-ending battle. The fight to keep those pounds off, and there are more diets and exercise programs that you can even count.

HARRIS: So we've brought in an expert to help us sort it all out. There he is, Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer. Bob Greene live this morning, here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING .

Good morning, Bob.

BOB GREENE, PERSONAL TRAINER: Morning. Great to be here, today.

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ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm Rob Marciano live in Lake Tahoe, California where they are digging out a feet (SIC) of snow, a break right now should -- might even see sunshine later on. We'll talk with Orelon Sidney about your forecast and mine as well. Are we stuck here? And what does it mean for the rest of California, details coming up. CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in a moment.

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(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN, watched by more Americans than any other news channel. Now, back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING with Betty Nguyen and Tony Harris.

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NGUYEN: And welcome back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING, I'm Betty Nguyen, let's get a check of the top stories right now.

Just over two hours to go before the polls close. The Palestinians are voting for a new president to replace the late Yasser Arafat. Officials tout it as the most democratic Arab election in modern history.

In northern Iraq a home reduced to rubble and the U.S. military admits to a deadly mistake. A fighter jet targeted the wrong house during an offensive against insurgents, dropping a 500 pound bomb on it, killing at least five people. The military is investigating.

He hasn't said much, but it is amazing he can still speak at all. A 60-year-old tsunami survivor in Sri Lanka spoke a few words, this morning, telling doctors that he has a son and a daughter. The man was rescued after apparently spending nearly two weeks buried in the rubble.

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan arrived in the Maldives this morning to survey the damage there. CNN's Richard Roth is traveling with him. We will have a live report from Roth, for you. That's coming up this morning on "CNN Live Sunday" at 11:00 p.m. Eastern -- Tony.

HARRIS: Well, there is, Betty, no question that Oprah Winfrey is the most famous client of our next guest, but he can help us, too, like the rest of the world. Personal trainer, Bob Greene, watched Winfrey's weight fluctuate over the years. We've watched her go from one extreme to the other, like you see here. This is what Winfrey looked like in 1991, when she testified before a congressional committee. Thirteen years ago, it was this Oprah that we saw in marathon, in 1994, quite a difference. Now take look at Winfrey at last year's Oscars. Once again, you see the transition is pretty dramatic. A big challenge for trainer, Bob Greene, to get the weight off and keep his clients and keep them on a steady course. He has a new book out "Bob Greene's Total Body Makeover" and he joins us now for his first cable interview on this latest project.

Bob, good to talk to you this morning.

GREENE: Hey, it's great to be here.

HARRIS: OK, give us a sense of motivation, here. That's what we need you to do. We want to be healthy and we want to be healthy for our whole life. Tell us, remind us again, how important fitness and proper diet is in that total equation.

GREENE: Well, to be honest with you, most of us know the syndrome of the first of the year and you recommit to a healthy way of life and you don't have to break that. What it's really about is emotionally knowing you're ready to make permanent changes. So, in the book, I ask people to really soul search and are they ready to make these changes?

HARRIS: OK, you've written two other books, correct?

GREENE: Yes.

HARRIS: OK. What -- where does this new book take you in your thinking and your approach?

GREENE: Well, this book is really different because it's a more aggressive approach. I take a 12-week boot camp. And this is a program that Oprah would go on, for example, if she wanted to get ready for, say, for the Oscars. And I find people can stay motivated for about 12 weeks, and then they have to transition into, maybe not working out quite as hard, but still working out and eating the right types of foods.

On the fitness side, you want to be doing about 35-40 minutes of cardo, in a perfect world, and another 20 minutes to 25 minutes of weight training. As far as the eating side goes, extremely important, I have five simple rules, it's not a diet.

HARRIS: OK.

GREENE: For example, two of them would be have an eating cutoff time, two to three hours before your bedtime. Now you're going to save a lot of calories, and you're going to sleep better. Second one, eat a nutritious breakfast, and use things healthy things, oatmeal is great, 100 percent orange juice would be a good choice. And as far as eating out, you can still eat out, but just be prudent. In fact, I am doing a lot of work with McDonald's, choices are going more to people on a healthy lifestyle and I think it's easier then ever to eat out.

HARRIS: Hey Bob, what about alcohol?

GREENE: Alcohol? One of the eating rules is four to 12 weeks, do away with it, don't use it for the 12 weeks, and then, if you want, to transition into incorporating alcohol on a moderate basis.

HARRIS: And Bob, quickly, what happens after the 12 weeks? How do we incorporate some of these changes that we've made into our every day life?

GREENE: That's the key, when you go down that aggressive road of putting yourself in this, kind of, boot camp, for lack of a better word, for 12 weeks, it's important to transition, hold onto the good things, the exercise, bring it back down a little bit, make it reasonable, and be moderate with your eating. Again, if it's alcohol and you really want to incorporate drinking in moderation, that can be done. Make it realistic for you. And the good new is, psychologically, if you're doing thing right, it's almost a break. When you work really hard for 12 weeks...

HARRIS: Yeah.

GREENE: And then you come back down, it's almost like a vacation.

HARRIS: It's a total body makeover with Bob Greene. Bob, we appreciate it. Thank you.

GREENE: Hey, it's great to be here, today.

HARRIS: OK -- Betty.

NGUYEN: And Bob knows. Well, as the song says, "the weather outside is frightful," at least in some parts of the country. Lake Tahoe is one such place. Look who's in the thick of things. Rob, hope you like it there, because you could be there a while.

MARCIANO: Well, that's true, Betty, but frightful, that would be an opinion -- folks here in Tahoe enjoying the snow, although it's a headache for some folks, but what's the storm going to do next? We'll talk with Orelon, she'll break out the maps, give you the forecast, and I'll tell you what's going on in Tahoe and the rest of California. CNN LIVE SUNDAY MORNING continues in a moment.

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NGUYEN: It's time now to check in with Kelly Wallace for a look at what's on "Inside Politics," today.

Good morning, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, "INSIDE POLITICS": Good morning Betty, good to see you.

Well, coming up next on "Inside Politics Sunday," we'll get an update of the Palestinian election, and talk with a U.S. congressman who is observing the democratic process firsthand.

Plus attorney general nominee, Alberto Gonzalez, was grilled by the Senate committee, this week. How did he do? Our reporter panel rates his performance.

And a former House leader speaks out on a possible run for the White House in 2008. Who is it?

Betty, Tony, you'll have to watch "Inside Politics Sunday "to find out.

NGUYEN: Oh, you're going to keep us waiting? (UNINTELLIGIBLE)Yeah that is a tease. All right, we will be watching. Thank you, Kelly.

WALLACE: OK.

HARRIS: And let's get you down to Orelon Sidney for a final check of the nation's weather.

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NGUYEN: They need your help Orelon. You got to be there for them.

ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'll do the best. Throw some salt over my shoulder.

HARRIS: Yeah, nice try.

NGUYEN: Well, speaking about weather we have pictures you've been sending in all morning long about the weather across the nation. Look at this, this is a gum ball tree sent in by Brad in Indianapolis. You can barely tell it with all that snow.

HARRIS: And we have a snow covered car, there are plenty of those to be found out there in Lake Tahoe.

NGUYEN: Is that a car?

HARRIS: Well, that's what happens when you get blocked in there and the plows come through, you just -- it just stacks up.

NGUYEN: Yeah, it looks like a double-decker bus. And then we've got a picture of sledding from Bruce in New Hampshire. Now, that is the way to have a little fun in this winter wonderland.

HARRIS: Yeah, my kids miss that. Really do.

Well, thank you for the e-mails, thank you for the great photographs, and I think that's it. Are we done?

NGUYEN: We are done for this hour.

HARRIS: That's all of our time for conditions CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

NGUYEN: We appreciate your time. We'll be here next weekend, so stay with us.

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