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As I write this blog today, it is hard not to be consumed with the 13 miners trapped in a West Virginia mine. It has been more than 24 hours and the latest carbon monoxide report is very, very discouraging.
On Monday night we expected to spend a significant amount of time going through Beth Holloway Twitty's daily journals from her investigative days in Aruba, but obviously the breaking news of the miners bumped that plan. Beth sat with me on the set when we did the breaking news about the miners throughout the hour and she just shook her head as I did. We kept hoping for some good news, but it seemed bleak last night... and of course this morning it is only worse. During the breaks we talked about the miners... non-stop.
I apologized to Beth that we had brought her up from her home in Alabama to go over the journals and then went to the breaking news — even though it was something we needed to do. She understood more than anyone the need to do the breaking news. Beth knows sadness and what it is like to worry and she was glued to the TV monitor worried about the miners like everyone else. I talked to Beth after the show as I drove home (she had to go back to the airport about midnight to pick up her luggage that had gotten lost) and again we talked about the miners. We hoped that today we would wake up to some encouraging news.
Last night during our show my camera went "dead" — my term. I knew there was a huge problem when my stage manager started motioning madly to the camera people to shift positions. He was frantic. Suddenly cameras were flying around the studio switching positions. You probably did not realize the camera went dead because we were on some live shot and just stayed on it while the cameras switched out.
I am almost finished reading Sharon Rocha's new book about her daughter Laci and former son-in-law, Scott Peterson. Sharon will be on our show next week to discuss the book. I have learned much about the behind the scenes from the book, but one thing stands out that I know but Sharon really drives home: the tremendous pain parents experience when their children disappear and they have no answers.
You might recall Sharon did not know what happened to her daughter Laci from Dec. 24, 20002 until April 14, 2003 — when her remains washed ashore. Sure, she suspected she was dead but she did not know for sure until the remains were discovered and officially identified. In some ways learning the truth helped ease some of the pain for Sharon but it in no way cured the pain. I guess that is why parents — like Beth Holloway Twitty — are so persistent. Parents don't give up on their children. They want to know and feel a mission to get the truth for their children. I am happy when we can help in some small way to keep the search on. I only wish we could do every missing person.
Now for some of your e-mails:
E-mail No. 1
Greta,
I watched your program tonight, and it was interrupted by the trapped miners story. Unfortunately, I had to tape another program at 8 p.m., so had to switch channels — you never came back. I stayed up till midnight to see your repeat program, but they cancelled it. Will you please repeat or put on again, Natalee's mom and the story on the Kalpoe brothers/Aruba? I would appreciate it very much. I have been following this story from its beginning and am anxious to find out what is happening with it. Thank you,
Paulette Brady
Sacramento, CA
ANSWER: I told Beth late last night that we would do it next week.
E-mail No. 2
Thank you and Bill Reilly for giving up time on your shows so that the network could stay with the West Virginia Press Conference. No matter how good the reporting, "Something always gets lost in the translation" and staying live was the way to solve that.
Kathy
St. Cloud, MN
ANSWER: We did not want to break away from the press conference — it was too important.
E-mail No. 3
Please continue with that interview with Beth... where she was revealing some of her notes in her diary. It was interrupted by the coal miners... very lengthy live spot. I have written you several times encouraging more coverage of the Natalee Holloway case so that it will not be set aside. Thanks Greta
LN
AL
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