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CNN Live Event/Special

Interview With Adriana Gallegos

Aired July 28, 2003 - 19:07   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, ANCHOR: Confirmation of Dennehy's death still sending shock waves across the Baylor University campus and of course, among Patrick's family and friends.
Adriana Gallegos is a close friend who spoke to Patrick Dennehy shortly before his disappearance. She joins us tonight from Abilene, Texas.

Adriana, thank you so much for being with us. I realize this has got to be a tough time for you. Does this seem real you to at this point?

ADRIANA GALLEGOS, FRIEND OF PATRICK DENNEHY: No, it seems like a nightmare. It hasn't hit me completely because it's so bizarre in how it happened and all the new developments that I still -- it still hasn't hit me.

COOPER: You had met Patrick's then friend Carlton Dotson. What did you think of him and how did you meet him?

GALLEGOS: I met him through Patrick. He seemed fine. He was kind of quiet. And Patrick was nothing but nice to him.

When he came down to Albuquerque, he made sure Carlton was comfortable, that he was having a good time in Albuquerque. I mean, Patrick was a very, very good friend to him.

COOPER: They came down, what, to visit your graduation, is that right? Or just to visit you at school?

GALLEGOS: Right. My graduation, they came down for my graduation.

COOPER: And was that the first time you had met Carlton Dotson?

GALLEGOS: I had met him previously. I went to Waco during my spring break to visit Patrick. And that was the first time I met him.

COOPER: I mean, did they seem like a good match together, good friends?

GALLEGOS: I mean, that was only Patrick's friend out in Waco. When I went out to Waco, that's the only person he introduced me to. They would hang out in his apartment, you know, talking, watching basketball games. So, I mean, I just don't understand what could have gotten into Carlton's mind that night.

COOPER: Now you talked to Patrick several days before his disappearance. Did anything strike you as unusual?

GALLEGOS: It was a normal conversation, you know. He was telling me that he wanted me to go up there and visit him, since I had just moved to Texas, since we were both now in Texas. And he seemed fine. He really wanted me to go out there and visit him. I didn't notice anything unusual.

COOPER: But -- so it just -- I think you told one of the producers he seemed a little distracted, but that was just sort of basic conversation?

GALLEGOS: Right. I kept talking about, you know, my new job and I was talking and I was talking and I noticed that he wasn't really reacting. And I just thought, you know, "He's ignoring me. How rude is he being?"

But I mean now that all the developments are coming out, it just happens he was probably scared and a little paranoid of what was going on around him.

COOPER: Adriana, you knew Patrick. Most of us never had that opportunity. What kind of guy was he? What are you going to remember him as? So often, you know, we focus on the death of somebody and the mystery of it all. But in terms of celebrating his life, what are you going to take away?

GALLEGOS: He was a great friend. He was someone that I could talk to about anything. He made me feel comfortable. Anytime I had a bad day or I was stressed out, he always had something nice to say to me. He could always put a smile on my face and, you know, that's something I'm going miss about him. And his memory is going to live on forever with me.

COOPER: Well, Adriana Gallegos, appreciate you joining us tonight. I know it's tough. But I appreciate you speaking about your friend.

GALLEGOS: Thank you.

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 July 28, 2003 - 19:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, ANCHOR: Confirmation of Dennehy's death still sending shock waves across the Baylor University campus and of course, among Patrick's family and friends.
Adriana Gallegos is a close friend who spoke to Patrick Dennehy shortly before his disappearance. She joins us tonight from Abilene, Texas.

Adriana, thank you so much for being with us. I realize this has got to be a tough time for you. Does this seem real you to at this point?

ADRIANA GALLEGOS, FRIEND OF PATRICK DENNEHY: No, it seems like a nightmare. It hasn't hit me completely because it's so bizarre in how it happened and all the new developments that I still -- it still hasn't hit me.

COOPER: You had met Patrick's then friend Carlton Dotson. What did you think of him and how did you meet him?

GALLEGOS: I met him through Patrick. He seemed fine. He was kind of quiet. And Patrick was nothing but nice to him.

When he came down to Albuquerque, he made sure Carlton was comfortable, that he was having a good time in Albuquerque. I mean, Patrick was a very, very good friend to him.

COOPER: They came down, what, to visit your graduation, is that right? Or just to visit you at school?

GALLEGOS: Right. My graduation, they came down for my graduation.

COOPER: And was that the first time you had met Carlton Dotson?

GALLEGOS: I had met him previously. I went to Waco during my spring break to visit Patrick. And that was the first time I met him.

COOPER: I mean, did they seem like a good match together, good friends?

GALLEGOS: I mean, that was only Patrick's friend out in Waco. When I went out to Waco, that's the only person he introduced me to. They would hang out in his apartment, you know, talking, watching basketball games. So, I mean, I just don't understand what could have gotten into Carlton's mind that night.

COOPER: Now you talked to Patrick several days before his disappearance. Did anything strike you as unusual?

GALLEGOS: It was a normal conversation, you know. He was telling me that he wanted me to go up there and visit him, since I had just moved to Texas, since we were both now in Texas. And he seemed fine. He really wanted me to go out there and visit him. I didn't notice anything unusual.

COOPER: But -- so it just -- I think you told one of the producers he seemed a little distracted, but that was just sort of basic conversation?

GALLEGOS: Right. I kept talking about, you know, my new job and I was talking and I was talking and I noticed that he wasn't really reacting. And I just thought, you know, "He's ignoring me. How rude is he being?"

But I mean now that all the developments are coming out, it just happens he was probably scared and a little paranoid of what was going on around him.

COOPER: Adriana, you knew Patrick. Most of us never had that opportunity. What kind of guy was he? What are you going to remember him as? So often, you know, we focus on the death of somebody and the mystery of it all. But in terms of celebrating his life, what are you going to take away?

GALLEGOS: He was a great friend. He was someone that I could talk to about anything. He made me feel comfortable. Anytime I had a bad day or I was stressed out, he always had something nice to say to me. He could always put a smile on my face and, you know, that's something I'm going miss about him. And his memory is going to live on forever with me.

COOPER: Well, Adriana Gallegos, appreciate you joining us tonight. I know it's tough. But I appreciate you speaking about your friend.

GALLEGOS: Thank you.

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