Jahi McMath Death Certificate Issued
KOSIK: Bottom of the hour. Welcome back. I'm Alison Kosik.</s>BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. We've got five things you need to know for your NEW DAY. Up first, number one, bitter cold and ice, that's the story across the eastern half of the country. More than 100 million people are feeling the effects of the blizzard that dumped 2 feet of snow in places, pushed temperatures in New England to more than 20 below. The storm is being blamed for seven deaths including a man in Wisconsin who succumbed to hypothermia.</s>KOSIK: Number two, deadly fighting under way in Iraq. This is near Fallujah. The fighting is between al Qaeda-backed militants and the Iraqi government security forces, but in an unusual partnership, Sunni tribesmen are fighting the militants, many of whom are Sunnis. Officials say at least 80 people have been killed and 60 were part of al Qaeda.</s>BLACKWELL: Three now, tens of thousands of union workers at Boeing can expect a pension freeze and higher health care costs after members narrowly approve a contract to build a new generation commercial jet. Boeing threatened to have the jet built by a non-union company if workers in Washington State did not approve that deal.</s>KOSIK: Number four, rock and roll legend, Phil Everly has passed away. He and his brother hit the charts in the '60s. His wife said he died Friday in California due to complications from chronic obstruction pulmonary disease. He was 74 years old.</s>BLACKWELL: Number five, a 3-year-old girl has massive permanent brain damage after a dental procedure. Well, now Finley Boyle's parents are suing her dentist. They say their daughter got incorrect dosages and improper medications. Neither the dentist nor her lawyer has responded to our request for comment, but the dental practices web site says it's now closed.</s>KOSIK: A coroner has released a death certificate for a young California girl declared brain dead. A court hearing Friday ended with Jahi McMath's family agreeing with the hospital on a protocol to move her to another. Jahi McMath had surgery last month to remove her tonsils, adenoids and extra sinus tissue in order to treat her pediatric obstructive sleep apnea. Her family says she went to cardiac arrest after massive blood loss following the surgery.</s>BLACKWELL: Well, Jahi McMath's case has stirred controversy around the country, around the world over the rights of family members to keep brain dead loved ones alive.</s>KOSIK: But what does it actually mean when a person is declared brain dead? CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta explains.</s>DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Alison, this is obviously a very sad story, a heart breaking story. And it's confusing for a lot of people as well. So let's start off with some terms. You need to understand the difference between brain death and other things. Brain death is not the same as being in a coma or a vegetative state. By definition, brain death is irreversible. Now in the United States and most places it is legally synonymous with death -- the same as if your heart stops. A brain death -- what it specifically means the total loss of brain activity. Now, for us doctors -- I'm a neurosurgeon -- other doctors to determine, you know sometimes we do a physical exam. For example you shine light in the pupils and see if the pupils react. You can gently rub the eyeball with some cotton to see if there's a reaction there. Put ice water in the ears to see if the eyes move. You're checking to see what's happening with the brain stem. Doctors will often do what's known as an apnea test. That's when they turn off the ventilator for several minutes and see if the person shows any signs of breathing on their own. And also as confirmation they'll often do scans to check to see if there is blood flow to the brain. And if there's any electrical activity as well but again it's that clinical exam, that detailed clinical exam that becomes so important. Now coma if it goes on for an extended time can be called a vegetative state. And there's been a lot of interesting research in that particular area. You may have heard for example on a rare handful of cases, people who have been in a vegetative state for years could return to some level of consciousness. This is a rare situation but it can happen. Brain death is something else entirely it means there is no activity, there is no blood flow. It is a grim situation but again something that a trained doctor is able to diagnose pretty easily -- Alison back to you.</s>KOSIK: Ok, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you.</s>BLACKWELL: All right here is one example about what Sanjay mentioned. Terry Wallis he spent 19 years in a vegetative state. He was not brain dead, a vegetative state. We want to make sure that that's clear. Now that happened after he was paralyzed in a car crash and fell into a coma in 1984. Again, important to note, we're going to stress this throughout that he was not brain dead. But one day, in 2003, his mother walked into his room and he uttered "Mom." And then the next day, he said, "Pepsi." Remember this story? And the day before Father's Day, he said, "Dad." And he kept speaking more and more.</s>KOSIK: Yes amazing and now some consider Wallis a scientific legend and have studied his brain to see how it repaired itself. His daughter Amber Hunter and his mother Angilee Wallis join us now via Skype from Mountain View, Arkansas. Good morning to both of you. Let me ask you first, Amber, how is your father doing now?</s>AMBER HUNTER, DAUGHTER OF TERRY WALLIS: He is good. He is doing awesome. He's been really, really good.</s>BLACKWELL: Can you tell me, Angilee, about the decision to continue for 19 years as he was in this coma, to continue to hold on to hope that one day he would come out of it.</s>ANGILEE WALLIS, MOTHER OF TERRY WALLIS: There is no other choice. You just got to keep hoping.</s>BLACKWELL: And what were you told by doctors that there was a potential that he would come out?</s>WALLIS: They did not give me much hope that he would come out. They didn't know. They just -- not much hope.</s>KOSIK: And you said he is doing great now. Can you -- can you tell us is he talking now? What is sort of -- how is he doing day-to-day?</s>HUNTER: He does talk. If there's something on his mind, he tells us. I mean there's not much he holds in these days.</s>BLACKWELL: It is now sentences that are put together or is it still the single words that we heard about in 2003?</s>HUNTER: Oh, no. He has a full vocabulary. And he -- he communicates very well. And he talks in full sentences, full paragraphs. He -- he vocalizes.</s>BLACKWELL: Let me ask you Angilee about one word and your reaction the day that he first said, "Mom."</s>WALLIS: There is no -- there's no way to explain that. I had waited so long to hear him say anything. For him to say "mom," I was so happy.</s>KOSIK: You know, although the Jahi McMath situation is different, Angilee, how do you feel about it?</s>WALLIS: That is just really sad. It is different. I really, really don't know. I mean I just feel so sad for the family.</s>BLACKWELL: And Amber, what about you? I mean your father was in a vegetative state, but we know that Jahi McMath is brain dead, meaning no activity in the brain and no blood to the brain. What are your thoughts about this family and their decision?</s>HUNTER: I think it's tragic that a little girl would go in for an outpatient surgery and then the consequences be so dire. To put any mother in a situation to have to let go of her child or to hold on to something that doctors say is nonexistent. It's terrible. You know, I wouldn't want to ever be in that situation.</s>KOSIK: What would you want to say to Jahi's family about having hope?</s>HUNTER: You don't lose it. I mean every situation is different. I would say keep praying. It is not superficial. It's the only thing that gets you through sometimes, you know.</s>BLACKWELL: Angilee, let me ask you. You were -- you made the decision to hold on to hope, as you said, for 19 years. But again, your son was in a vegetative state. If you had to make this decision based on the diagnosis of being brain dead, would you be making the same choice?</s>WALLIS: I can't say that. I don't know. You just -- you can't give up your child. 20 years ago, they did not have the technology that they have today to determine brain dead. She would not know if he were brain dead or not. You know it was almost 30 years ago. So you know, it's a little different circumstances there. But --</s>BLACKWELL: And you said -- you said something just a second ago, Angilee that you can never give up your child. How much of the decision do you think it is not just medically, but just the difficulty to saying good-bye to a child, especially a 13-year-old?</s>WALLIS: That -- that is so bad. Terry was 20. I couldn't -- I couldn't not hang on.</s>BLACKWELL: All right. Amber Hunter and Angilee Wallis, I thank you so much for talking with us about this. This was back in 2003 when he woke up. And a lot of people remember that word that he said "Pepsi." And I think that's what kind of jogged memories from folks. But I thank you so much. And your little baby there, thank you too.</s>HUNTER: Thanks. He's cranky this morning. But thanks.</s>BLACKWELL: Well it's 7:30 in Arkansas. You can get back to bed. Thank you all.</s>WALLIS: Thanks.</s>KOSIK: New details in the fatal crash that killed "Fast & Furious" star Paul Walker. Coming up we're going to tell you how fast his car was going before it burst into flames.</s>BLACKWELL: Plus after firing off the controversy, the cast of "Duck Dynasty" well they're firing off something else -- a new line of guns. Up next how fans can get their hands on a piece of the hit series.