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CNN Live Event/Special

POW Ronald Young's Family Celebrates

Aired April 14, 2003 - 00:08   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.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: We cannot imagine having the duty of going to a home and telling a family that a soldier, their loved one had been killed. We just saw the flip side of that today, the joy of telling a family that their son was alive and just fine, thank you. The family of Ronald Young was ready for the good news. They had already seen it for themselves on TV.
Here's Susan Candiotti.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We watched. There's a guy. That's him coming out of the helicopter. That's him right there.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ronald Young's parents knew their son was free when they saw his picture on TV. Then the Army came to the door.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, on behalf of the Secretary of the Army, I want to let you know that your son has been found (ph).

RONALD YOUNG SR., FATHER OF RESCUED POW: Well, I appreciate it.

CANDIOTTI: For three weeks, Ronald Young had been a prisoner somewhere inside Iraq. His mother could not believe how well he looked.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's the most important thing.

KAY YOUNG, MOTHER OF RESCUED POW: He looked good. I couldn't believe he's running.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Hey, I can.

K. YOUNG: He's got that big grin.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well look where he's at, I would be running, too.

CANDIOTTI: Young and fellow pilot David Williams were captured after their helicopter went down. Both were shown on TV.

What will his father tell him when he gets back?

R. YOUNG: So proud of you. And I love you better than anything in the world, but don't scare me like that anymore.

CANDIOTTI: Finally, a call from Ron in Kuwait.

K. YOUNG: Hey, Ron.

(CHEERING)

K. YOUNG: Everybody's here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God.

K. YOUNG: I know it. How are you? Well we're just having a party for you. Why aren't you here?

CANDIOTTI: The call lasted five minutes.

K. YOUNG: I can't wait to hold you. When I -- when I see you, we're just going to just sit and hug about 30 minutes.

CANDIOTTI: When Ron Young's father began talking, his mother's emotions took hold.

Young said he lost weight, at least 20 pounds as a POW, but didn't reveal much more about his captivity.

K. YOUNG: I asked him how he was treated. And he said that he was treated well the last two or three days. They met up with some people that treated them good. But he said in the beginning, it wasn't too great.

CANDIOTTI (on camera): More details about that captivity will emerge eventually. For now, the Young family is looking forward to a reunion with their son in Washington before the week is out.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Lithia Springs, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: And what a reunion that will be.

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 April 14, 2003 - 00:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: We cannot imagine having the duty of going to a home and telling a family that a soldier, their loved one had been killed. We just saw the flip side of that today, the joy of telling a family that their son was alive and just fine, thank you. The family of Ronald Young was ready for the good news. They had already seen it for themselves on TV.
Here's Susan Candiotti.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We watched. There's a guy. That's him coming out of the helicopter. That's him right there.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ronald Young's parents knew their son was free when they saw his picture on TV. Then the Army came to the door.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, on behalf of the Secretary of the Army, I want to let you know that your son has been found (ph).

RONALD YOUNG SR., FATHER OF RESCUED POW: Well, I appreciate it.

CANDIOTTI: For three weeks, Ronald Young had been a prisoner somewhere inside Iraq. His mother could not believe how well he looked.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's the most important thing.

KAY YOUNG, MOTHER OF RESCUED POW: He looked good. I couldn't believe he's running.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Hey, I can.

K. YOUNG: He's got that big grin.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well look where he's at, I would be running, too.

CANDIOTTI: Young and fellow pilot David Williams were captured after their helicopter went down. Both were shown on TV.

What will his father tell him when he gets back?

R. YOUNG: So proud of you. And I love you better than anything in the world, but don't scare me like that anymore.

CANDIOTTI: Finally, a call from Ron in Kuwait.

K. YOUNG: Hey, Ron.

(CHEERING)

K. YOUNG: Everybody's here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God.

K. YOUNG: I know it. How are you? Well we're just having a party for you. Why aren't you here?

CANDIOTTI: The call lasted five minutes.

K. YOUNG: I can't wait to hold you. When I -- when I see you, we're just going to just sit and hug about 30 minutes.

CANDIOTTI: When Ron Young's father began talking, his mother's emotions took hold.

Young said he lost weight, at least 20 pounds as a POW, but didn't reveal much more about his captivity.

K. YOUNG: I asked him how he was treated. And he said that he was treated well the last two or three days. They met up with some people that treated them good. But he said in the beginning, it wasn't too great.

CANDIOTTI (on camera): More details about that captivity will emerge eventually. For now, the Young family is looking forward to a reunion with their son in Washington before the week is out.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Lithia Springs, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: And what a reunion that will be.

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