Interview With People United by a Message in a Bottle
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: This is an amazing story. Two families brought together by a message in a bottle 19 years after it was sent adrift. Roger Clay was just 7-years-old when he put the note in the bottle standing on Pier 60 in Clearwater, Florida. He tossed into the Gulf of Mexico. That was back in 1984. On July 4 the bottle was found in Venetian Isle, Florida by Don Smith. Smith tried to contact Roger Clay but found out that Clay had died five years earlier in a motorcycle accident. Smith was able to locate Clay's parents and he joins us this morning along with Roger's mother Lisa Ferguson who is the spot where Roger tossed the bottle into the water 19 years ago. Good morning to both you of and thanks for joining us.</s>O'BRIEN: Hey, Don, let's begin with you. The bottle washes up behind your house in Venetian Islands, Florida. What did you think?</s>DON SMITH, FOUND MESSAGE IN BOTTLE: Well, at first, me and my friend were looking at it. He thought it was trash. And I thought, no, it's not. It's got a note in it. So I pursued it. I'm going to get it, because to me it has a note in it. I went on the boat, got the fishing net out, and scooped it up. Brought it in the house, cut the electrical tape up, opened it up and lo and behold this message from the young man back in 1984 was in it.</s>O'BRIEN: You could tell from the hand writing -- and forgive me for interrupting you for a second, Don. You could tell it was a little boy maybe 7 or 8-years-old. You tried to track him down and you had no luck. I'm curious to know why you kept trying. Why didn't you just give it up?</s>SMITH: I don't know. I was just motivated to give it back to him, of course. But I felt like if I was a parent and I found something like that or I was a young boy his age now, I would want to know that somebody found it and got ahold of him. I don't know. I just felt it -- you know, it just came about me to do it.</s>O'BRIEN: You went to the local paper. Once they got involved, they told you that in fact Roger Clay had died in a motorcycle accident five years earlier. What was the reaction then?</s>SMITH: I was very sad. I had a granddaughter die when she was 2 1/2 and I can't imagine what Lisa went through. I only know from my experience, it's one of the most worst things in your life that you can experience. And unfortunately, when I opened the note, the first thing I thought was, you know, I hope nothing has happened to this young man. And, unfortunately, it was true.</s>O'BRIEN: And of course, this is sort of where Lisa picks up the story. You got a phone call from Don. And in fact, weirdly enough, Lisa, you're in Florida because this is around the anniversary of your son's death and it's too painful for you to stay in Ohio. What was your reaction when you picked up the phone and got the phone call?</s>LISA FERGUSON, SON PUT MESSAGE IN BOTTLE 19 YEARS AGO: Well, he introduced himself and he told me that he had found a bottle that floated ashore in his backyard. And as soon as he mentioned the bottle, I knew immediately what the rest of it was going to be, because I remember specifically my son throwing the bottle over. We had discussed him throwing it over, because he was littering and I didn't want him to throw it over. He said, well, I'll throw it over when nobody is looking. And I said you better not. The next thing I know, the bottle is in the water.</s>O'BRIEN: You and Don arranged to meet so he could hand the bottle and the note over to you. When you open up a note that was written from your son -- by your son 19 years earlier, a son which you have lost -- which has to be just incredibly painful -- what went through your mind, Lisa?</s>FERGUSON: It was very emotional. Very, very emotional. But it was wonderful at the same time. And when I opened the lid to the box, it was like my son was just looking back at me. It was absolutely wonderful. I remember that day like it happened yesterday.</s>O'BRIEN: We mentioned that Roger was just 21-years-old when he died, nine days after his birthday. It was a motorcycle accident. Tell me a little bit about your son.</s>FERGUSON: My son was absolutely wonderful. He was always a jokester. He liked playing tricks on his mom. And he was so full of life. He was studying to be an FBI agent. And it was an unfortunate accident.</s>O'BRIEN: I know that you have said because the anniversary each year of his death is so painful, you leave your home, you go away. Do you think that since this has happened on the anniversary as well, does this change things? Does it make a little bit less painful this time each year, do you think?</s>FERGUSON: It does. I have definitely found comfort in what has happened here this week. The timing in itself is a story in itself. It's just an amazing and unbelievable story. And I am so thankful that Don found the bottle and found us. It is definitely helped me with some comfort.</s>O'BRIEN: Lisa Ferguson, thanks for joining us. And, Don, you did a great thing. Thanks for joining us as well. We sure appreciate it.</s>SMITH: Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time.</s>FERGUSON: 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