Nightline (ABC) - 1996-03-06

Channel: malgent

Transcript

Language: English (original, YouTube automatic captions)

[0:01] [music]

[0:02] March 6th, 1996.

[0:06] >> This is April.

[0:09] This is Teddy.

[0:11] >> When we met her a year ago, she was just

[0:13] 14.

[0:14] >> She had already run with gangs and had

[0:17] been a cocaine addict.

[0:19] >> I feel left out.

[0:23] I feel really left out.

[0:26] feel like

[0:29] I just want to run so so far away.

[0:32] >> Did we get everything?

[0:33] >> In just one year, she has put all that

[0:36] behind her and is heading home.

[0:41] >> To a mother who is herself fighting to

[0:44] kick a heroin addiction.

[0:46] >> I don't want to

[0:48] fail. Don't want to fail.

[0:53] want to make it

[0:55] >> tonight. Murray at 15

[0:58] >> beating the odds. [music]

[1:09] This is ABC News Night Line reporting

[1:12] from Washington. [music]

[1:14] Ted CPP.

[1:16] There may have been a time when we

[1:18] thought our children were pretty safe

[1:20] from adult problems until they got into

[1:22] their early teens. It was probably a

[1:25] little naive all along, but when we

[1:27] thought about sex for our 13 and 14 year

[1:29] olds, we'd be cringing at the thought

[1:31] that they might be out doing some heavy

[1:33] necking and petting. If we thought about

[1:35] drugs at all, it was in terms of alcohol

[1:38] and tobacco. We know now that things

[1:41] haven't been like that for many American

[1:43] children for a long time. Whatever our

[1:46] own experiences may have been over these

[1:48] last few years though, the intensity of

[1:50] the problem was dramatically brought

[1:52] home to us about a year ago when

[1:54] producer Jay Allison first introduced us

[1:57] to Mari. She was just one of the women

[2:00] we met at Emerson House, a treatment

[2:02] center in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I say

[2:05] one of the women. Mari was 14 and had

[2:08] been heavily addicted to cocaine since

[2:10] she was 13. And many of you must have

[2:13] wondered, as we did, what her chances

[2:16] could possibly be. Jay Allison did more

[2:19] than wonder. He's been tracking her

[2:21] progress for most of the past year. You

[2:24] have to keep reminding yourself as you

[2:25] watch this story that Mari is still only

[2:29] 15.

[2:33] [music]

[2:37] >> On paper, Mari's life reads like a

[2:39] catalog of society's ills. She's a

[2:42] victim of rape and physical abuse. She's

[2:45] been a crack addict and a pregnant teen.

[2:47] She's sold drugs, run with gangs, and

[2:50] carried guns. All by the age of 13.

[2:54] >> It's my new room.

[2:56] >> But the Mari that exists in the files of

[2:58] social service agencies bears little

[3:00] resemblance to the Mari living now in

[3:02] Emerson House, room 24.

[3:08] >> I bet you I'll pick one penny and it

[3:09] says 1994.

[3:12] See? 1994.

[3:16] Says 1994.

[3:19] >> Why? How did you know that?

[3:20] >> Huh?

[3:21] >> How did you know?

[3:21] >> Cuz I know pennies a lot.

[3:24] Because

[3:26] every time I go out and I have an

[3:31] argument with my mother, every time I'm

[3:33] walking with the street, I see a penny.

[3:36] And every one of these pennies shows

[3:38] part of my life.

[3:41] chose part of my life.

[3:42] >> Given the facts of Mari's life, it is no

[3:45] surprise that she was propelled toward

[3:47] drugs.

[3:48] >> So, what does that tell you looking at

[3:50] it? Anything?

[3:51] >> Yeah.

[3:53] >> A lot. Because

[3:55] my whole family is an addict.

[3:59] [laughter]

[3:59] >> When my mom's high, she's all happy and

[4:02] everything. And that's what makes me

[4:04] happy. You know, I used to steal gold to

[4:07] to give it to her for she could go and

[4:09] buy her bag of heroin and come back and

[4:12] get happy, stick it up her veins and get

[4:15] happy. And that's what get me happy

[4:17] because I see my mother happy and I will

[4:19] get happy.

[4:22] I started drinking at 11 and at 12 I

[4:26] started smoking pot and um 13 I got in I

[4:30] got into cocaine

[4:32] and I felt good.

[4:35] I felt like I was in a different world

[4:37] and my feelings were were like blacked

[4:40] out. I didn't felt anything. I didn't

[4:43] felt hurt. I didn't felt loneliness and

[4:46] I got into drugs like that.

[4:49] Sundays at Emerson House are hard for

[4:51] Mari. She usually stays close to the

[4:54] house manager, Louise,

[4:55] >> because it's family visiting day. She

[4:58] feels her losses most keenly on a Sunday

[5:02] because her peers all are looking

[5:04] forward to families coming, those that

[5:07] bring support. Mari doesn't have that.

[5:12] >> And it's just today I want to use. It's

[5:14] not tomorrow or yesterday.

[5:18] I feel left out.

[5:22] I feel really left out.

[5:26] I feel like

[5:29] I just want to run so so far away and

[5:32] hide in the corner.

[5:35] She breaks my heart. She's a wonderful

[5:37] young woman and she is learning. She's

[5:40] learning now to come to us and let us

[5:42] know when she has these feelings.

[5:44] >> Have a hug, Louise. always.

[5:48] I [clears throat] love you. I love you,

[5:50] too.

[5:51] >> 5 months ago, she would never have done

[5:53] that. Never would she have admitted, "I

[5:55] want to use. I have a craving." Okay,

[5:57] we'll turn the potato.

[5:58] >> Okay.

[6:00] >> Well, when you when you come here,

[6:01] you're all tough and everything like

[6:02] that. You think you can handle anybody

[6:05] and when you come out of here, you're

[6:06] just a mellow piece of [ __ ] And you

[6:08] just get out of here all mellowed and

[6:10] all afraid and just don't know what to

[6:13] do. and just afraid.

[6:17] >> Is that how you feel?

[6:18] >> Yeah, I think I melt a lot down and I'm

[6:21] just scared as [ __ ]

[6:24] I don't know what to do. I'm just really

[6:25] scared.

[6:30] >> It's June, 3 months later. Time for Mari

[6:34] to leave Emerson House and move into a

[6:36] foster home.

[6:37] >> Just sad leaving everybody.

[6:40] The staff say that in the last day or

[6:42] two, Mari has been acting differently.

[6:44] >> Oh [gasps] man,

[6:45] >> she's wearing her makeup more heavily.

[6:47] She stopped using their names and greets

[6:50] them by calling out, "Yo,

[6:51] >> look at all this stuff that I have.

[6:54] I love you so much.

[6:58] You're going to be wonderful." You know

[6:59] that?

[7:01] Yeah. Okay. You come and visit, I'll

[7:03] send you some pennies. The state pays

[7:05] for a certain number of beds per year at

[7:07] places like Emerson House, and there is

[7:10] pressure to serve the greatest number of

[7:12] people. Some of her caretakers would

[7:14] like to see Mari stay on, but she has

[7:16] already been here much longer than most.

[7:19] >> Did we get everything? During the last

[7:21] year, Mari lost a baby, made friends

[7:24] with just about everyone she met, stayed

[7:27] off crack cocaine, and grew 2 and 1/2

[7:31] in.

[7:40] Mari's new foster home is in Worcester,

[7:42] Massachusetts, where she grew up.

[7:45] It's only a few blocks away from her

[7:47] mother who is now in a methodone program

[7:49] and Mari will be allowed to see her only

[7:51] on supervised visits.

[7:54] Most of her time she'll be spending on

[7:56] the top floor of this three-story walk

[7:58] up in the back bedroom off the kitchen.

[8:01] >> Can I see your room?

[8:03] >> Yeah, sure.

[8:04] >> Mari's primary case worker will be an

[8:06] >> I'm going to work out a time and I can

[8:08] take you to your mother's. Okay. Her new

[8:09] foster parent will be Ida, a single

[8:12] mother living with her two teenage

[8:13] children.

[8:18] >> That's the sea. It gives you nice

[8:21] meditation. You know what I mean? Gives

[8:24] you meditation.

[8:26] >> You listen to the sound of the sea when

[8:28] you fall asleep.

[8:28] >> Yeah. Just puts me to sleep

[8:31] >> every night.

[8:32] >> Yeah.

[8:36] See, that's why I bought this.

[8:39] I'm back in my city.

[8:42] Just want to keep myself busy. I don't

[8:44] want to

[8:46] I don't want to

[8:48] fail. Don't want to fail.

[8:52] Just want to make it.

[8:56] That's my goal to make it.

[9:00] This is Tuesday. On Saturday, Mari will

[9:04] run away.

[9:12] >> [music]

[9:14] >> This is ABC News Night Line brought to

[9:17] you by SA.

[9:23] [music]

[9:25] You could never shave again.

[9:29] You [music] could go into work tomorrow

[9:31] and tell them you're taking a year off.

[9:36] When [music] people ask for your honest

[9:38] opinion, you can give it to them.

[9:42] But while you're [music] considering

[9:43] these options, driving a SA is a very

[9:46] good start. [music] Police a 96 900 S5

[9:50] door for 2.69 a month. [music]

[9:53] >> Bud Tatum, a disaster volunteer, saved a

[9:56] man from bleeding to death at the

[9:58] Oklahoma City bombing.

[10:00] Connie Cessums [music] keeps a child

[10:02] alive by giving blood every 56 days.

[10:06] Antonet Jordano wrote a check [music]

[10:08] that kept a family off the street. The

[10:11] people of the Red Cross are known for

[10:12] quick action and acts of goodness. Now

[10:15] it's your turn to act. Give us your

[10:17] [music] time, support, and blood.

[10:18] Because help can't wait.

[10:25] It's remarkable. A solution. Street

[10:27] tough kids changing themselves by

[10:29] helping their neighborhoods.

[10:30] >> I never really thought I was good at

[10:32] anything on the outside except [music]

[10:33] for something bad.

[10:34] >> Watch and you'll understand on ABC's

[10:36] World News Tonight with Peter Jennings.

[10:39] [music]

[10:41] >> If you're looking for that sheet, put

[10:42] your napkin in your lap, use the right

[10:44] pork kind of place, this ain't it. When

[10:46] you come to Tony Romas, you're going to

[10:48] get [music] your hands messy and your

[10:50] stomach full. But before you dig into

[10:52] our tender, juicy grilled ribs,

[10:54] southwestern chicken, or grilled jumbo

[10:56] shrimp, you may even want to [music] try

[10:59] a bib. Fame awaits you at Tony Romas.

[11:02] Famous for ribs and a whole lot more.

[11:05] Get Tony Roma's southwestern chicken,

[11:07] charroyal shrimp, and smoked sausage

[11:09] sampler for just $10.99.

[11:11] At Honda, [music] we don't think a car

[11:13] that's affordable and exceptional is too

[11:16] much to ask for. After all, the Accord

[11:18] [music] has carved out a nice niche

[11:20] being exactly that. And now with 3.9%

[11:23] APR financing for up to 48 months, its

[11:26] affordability [music] is more clear-cut

[11:28] than ever. In fact, it's an offer so

[11:31] solid, it's carved [music] in stone. Get

[11:34] 3.9% APR financing for 48 months on any

[11:38] Accord.

[11:40] [music]

[11:45] >> [music]

[11:52] [music]

[11:58] >> For 4 days, Mari was missing. The police

[12:01] eventually found her at her mother's

[12:03] apartment next to a known crack house.

[12:08] She was brought to a local teen crisis

[12:10] center called The Village. It's not a

[12:12] secure facility, but the staff are

[12:14] watching Mari closely, taking away her

[12:16] shoes, for example, to discourage her

[12:18] from running.

[12:19] >> She was pretty clear that she didn't

[12:20] want to be here. Um, she looked

[12:23] depressed, upset, she wouldn't talk to

[12:25] anyone. Um, first meal, she was refusing

[12:28] to eat. Um, whatever she had been doing

[12:31] out there, she didn't look real good.

[12:34] >> I'm tired of everything.

[12:37] Sometimes I get tired and I just want to

[12:40] just

[12:41] stand in front of a car and let a car

[12:43] pass by me. I don't know. It's like I

[12:46] want to see Marty do this. I want to see

[12:48] Marty that. You can do it. You can do

[12:50] it. You're not made to lose. You're made

[12:52] to win. Blah blah blah blah. And it's

[12:56] like

[12:58] get so angry. Mari, what we've been

[13:00] talking about, the purpose of this

[13:01] meeting is

[13:02] >> a case conference is held immediately to

[13:04] determine what to do with Mari after the

[13:07] runaway.

[13:07] >> The whole team feels you're at high

[13:09] risk, Mari. You ran within 3 days. You

[13:10] had a visit with your mother and you

[13:12] were gone.

[13:12] >> Among this group of Mari's caretakers,

[13:14] only Tim, the DSS social worker, has

[13:17] known her for more than 3 days, and even

[13:20] he has seen her but a few times in the

[13:22] past year.

[13:22] >> I don't have proof of this, okay? But

[13:24] you probably likely used. You were out

[13:26] in the community. You looked bad, Mario.

[13:28] When you came in, you looked real bad.

[13:31] As I said to you from the beginning,

[13:33] though, that there's nothing that we

[13:35] can't work on together. And that we

[13:36] >> Why are you saying I used?

[13:38] >> Because I'm I don't know. Because you

[13:41] look bad.

[13:42] >> Doesn't mean I used.

[13:43] >> Nope.

[13:44] >> Does it not use?

[13:45] >> Doesn't But I don't know you, Mari. It

[13:47] makes every sense in the world to me why

[13:49] that kid was totally confused

[13:51] >> and why she got very upset and rightly

[13:53] so.

[13:53] >> I don't care. I'm not going to let you

[13:56] just throw your life away

[13:58] and come and go as you think you please

[13:59] cuz you're a minor in this state

[14:02] and you're going to have to deal with me

[14:04] whether you like it or not.

[14:06] >> I want to know things that you told my

[14:07] mom that wasn't true. All right. You

[14:10] said to my mom 3 months. All right. You

[14:12] said plenty of things to my mom that it

[14:15] ain't true that I did not tell you.

[14:16] Those are my personal things in my life.

[14:18] You shouldn't be telling anybody that.

[14:20] Okay.

[14:22] I cannot stay here. I guess THE GOOD

[14:24] TIME OF ALL OF YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS DID

[14:26] NOT HELP ME AT ALL. [laughter]

[14:28] >> Mari had to be restrained after she left

[14:30] the room.

[14:34] Leave me alone.

[14:36] >> It took some time to calm her down. She

[14:38] was crying out over and over, I want my

[14:41] mommy.

[14:45] >> Soon after the meeting at the crisis

[14:46] center, Mari was given a urine analysis

[14:49] which proved that she had not been

[14:50] taking drugs. We realized that after the

[14:53] meeting that um that we all went in

[14:57] there with different agendas.

[14:59] >> All three of them were against me.

[15:02] >> She was right. I was wrong. She was

[15:04] right.

[15:05] >> I just started screaming and I that's

[15:07] when I miss that's when I wanted my mom

[15:09] to be there because I didn't had nobody

[15:11] to to help me. I felt you know you guys

[15:15] are older than me. You know I'm just

[15:16] only 14. You know I need I need backup

[15:19] too. My goal now is to kind of just pull

[15:22] everything in for Mari. What do you do

[15:25] today to get yourself to take care of

[15:27] yourself?

[15:28] >> Mari responds well and in 2 weeks she is

[15:31] allowed to leave the crisis center and

[15:33] return to the foster home.

[15:36] >> There you go.

[15:39] [laughter]

[15:41] >> As the summer goes on, Mari's case

[15:43] workers are encouraged by her progress.

[15:47] She adapts well to the foster home and

[15:49] her treatment plan. Random drug testing

[15:52] continues to confirm that Mari is still

[15:54] clean.

[15:56] I quit smoking. That's good. And um

[16:01] things are going good for me right now,

[16:03] but I just got to take it really really

[16:05] slow and get on my knees when I need to

[16:07] get on my knees.

[16:09] >> She's doing really well. Um doesn't take

[16:12] long sometimes though for the uh the

[16:14] bottom to fall out. And I think that

[16:15] that's something that we always have to

[16:17] be realistic about. Um we always have to

[16:21] re recognize that even when they seem

[16:24] stable, they're they're sometimes on

[16:25] shaky ground and to be sensitive to that

[16:27] and to um to be there with the safety

[16:30] net.

[16:31] >> The next step for Mari is to begin

[16:34] visiting her mother.

[16:40] Today I'm going to meetings in Paris,

[16:42] Prague, and Toledo without leaving my

[16:44] chair. The world is evolving and

[16:47] connecting at the same time.

[16:50] You don't even need an office. If you

[16:52] can think it, you can go do it in

[16:54] absolute [music] full digital color.

[16:56] There are more ideas inside a Kinko's

[16:58] today than in any office space in

[16:59] America. Sometimes they go just to be

[17:02] with people.

[17:02] >> Hi Howard.

[17:04] >> Every day, over 200,000 businesses

[17:06] [music] use Kinko, the new way to

[17:08] office.

[17:12] When was [music] the last time you

[17:14] played in the rain?

[17:17] Let your [music] hair go wild.

[17:21] Flexed your muscles to the world.

[17:25] Stayed up past your bedtime.

[17:27] When was the last time you really had

[17:29] fun [music] in a car?

[17:32] Riviera

[17:34] by Buick.

[17:36] Go ahead, express [music] yourself.

[17:42] Next time, will a heart surgery

[17:44] breakthrough [music] make open heart

[17:45] surgery a thing of the past? Plus, get

[17:47] organized with the house doctor.

[17:49] >> Good Morning America.

[17:50] >> Here on ABC.

[17:54] >> Hi, welcome to Coffee World. We have

[17:56] lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, cafe, decap

[17:59] lattes, decaf caps, decap focus, decap

[18:01] cafe oletes. We have almond lattes,

[18:02] vanilla lattes, hazelnut lattes, decaf

[18:04] almond lattes, decaf vanilla, decaf

[18:06] hazelnut, half cap decaf.

[18:09] >> Wouldn't it be nice to have this kind of

[18:10] choice when you're buying a car?

[18:12] >> At Thomasson, you get the car you want

[18:15] the way you want it.

[18:16] >> Skinny or the Lactus with whipped cream?

[18:18] >> If you don't come see me today, I can't

[18:20] save you any money.

[18:25] >> Okay, camera. No, wait. [music] In

[18:28] business news, the paper trail widens in

[18:30] the discount long-distance controversy

[18:32] known as rategate.

[18:33] >> A discount longdistance company promised

[18:35] dramatic savings over AT&T.

[18:39] But watch what happens when you compare

[18:41] similar calling plans.

[18:42] >> Those numbers are about the same.

[18:44] >> What happened to that 15% savings?

[18:46] >> The answer when we return.

[18:48] >> Clearly, they don't hold up.

[18:50] >> And we're out.

[18:51] >> Call 1800 compare for a competitive

[18:52] price you can believe in.

[18:55] [music]

[18:56] You grow a business with smarts and

[18:58] determination. Some good-looking

[19:00] business cards and promotional pieces

[19:02] can help. Since 1968, LaserQuick has

[19:06] been helping businesses grow by printing

[19:08] and copying promotional flyers,

[19:10] brochures, manuals, proposals, and just

[19:12] about anything else a business needs.

[19:15] With competitive prices, helpful

[19:16] service, and [music] convenient

[19:18] locations, given the right printer,

[19:20] anything's possible. laser quick.

[19:27] [music]

[19:33] [music]

[19:37] >> I feel that I'm responsible for

[19:39] everything that happened to her and I

[19:42] want I want her to find what she really

[19:46] wants

[19:48] >> and I want to help her and what I can.

[19:51] This is Mari's mother. She's in recovery

[19:53] from heroin addiction and living on

[19:55] welfare in a drug-ridden neighborhood.

[19:58] Three of her children live with her.

[20:00] Two, including Mari, are in foster care.

[20:03] >> Do you have a calendar?

[20:04] >> Yes, I do.

[20:05] >> You need need to use a calendar because

[20:07] these are important meetings. And

[20:09] >> the goal of the Department of Social

[20:10] Services in a case like Mari's is to

[20:12] reunify the child with the family. But

[20:15] so far, Mari's mother has missed all the

[20:17] arranged visitations with Mari, the

[20:19] court dates, and the case meetings with

[20:21] DSS.

[20:22] >> And you need But you need to be at the

[20:23] meeting so people know that he's serious

[20:25] about wanting to get your kids back.

[20:28] >> It's important, William. If I didn't

[20:30] want my kids back, I wouldn't have done

[20:32] what I've done.

[20:34] And I'll do and if I had to do more for

[20:35] it, I'll do. But um it's not easy. It's

[20:41] not easy.

[20:45] Yes, I know his name.

[20:46] >> By early fall, Mari has grown much

[20:49] closer to her foster family.

[20:51] >> Jay, did I tell you there was this kid,

[20:53] right? I had, you know, this kid named

[20:56] uh his Frankie and he walked me home and

[20:59] we kissed. [gasps]

[21:01] >> They kissed. You see, I told you.

[21:03] >> And I came upstairs. I thought she

[21:04] wouldn't notice.

[21:09] [laughter]

[21:09] >> Mari is now working a part-time job.

[21:12] She's getting A's and B's in school. Her

[21:15] case workers say this relationship

[21:17] accounts for much of her progress.

[21:19] >> She's made a wonderful connection with

[21:20] Ida, the foster mother. Ida is one in a

[21:23] million. I think she's uh she's

[21:25] wonderful. She does a great job. She

[21:27] does a great job with Mari. She does a

[21:28] great job for us. Um I wish we had more

[21:32] of her.

[21:35] >> Mari's 15th birthday is coming up. Her

[21:38] kinsigner usually a big celebration. The

[21:41] traditional debut for Latino young

[21:43] women. Mari with her foster mother and

[21:46] sister have begun shopping for her

[21:48] dress.

[21:49] >> I don't know. It's my tin sano, my sweet

[21:51] 15, but don't know what to do. I would

[21:53] like to have a big party and everything,

[21:55] but the situation my mom's in right now,

[21:58] you know, she doesn't have like all you

[22:00] know, she doesn't have, you know, the

[22:02] enough money, you know, and everything.

[22:05] And as much as kids, especially Mari,

[22:08] want to be with her mother, she knows

[22:09] the mother isn't able to provide for her

[22:12] needs like Ida does, but Ida's not her

[22:14] mother either. So, it's um

[22:18] it's a bind that these kids are in. It's

[22:20] it's not easy.

[22:22] >> That's the house that I wonder sometimes

[22:24] what is inside there.

[22:27] No wonder, but look how you see that how

[22:31] nice that thing is

[22:34] and how big Wow.

[22:39] I can't believe it.

[22:41] >> It's really sad for Mari because she

[22:42] really she wants to be with her mother.

[22:45] She loves her mother. She cares about

[22:46] her and um she's pretty confused right

[22:49] now.

[22:50] >> So, I'm going to have to do it on

[22:51] Saturday then.

[22:52] >> Okay.

[22:52] >> Mari's mother has been doing a little

[22:54] better in the eyes of the state. She has

[22:57] kept appointments for court dates and

[22:58] supervised visits and has agreed to

[23:01] attend family therapy with Mari.

[23:03] >> Still, Mari's social workers are

[23:05] concerned about her stability.

[23:07] >> My biggest concern about this coming

[23:08] week is because his birthday is so

[23:10] important to her and you know

[23:12] >> she's very happy.

[23:13] >> She's becoming a woman. I mean, it's

[23:15] part of her culture. I mean, this is a

[23:16] big thing for her.

[23:17] >> Oh my god. I just hope everything looks

[23:19] so good because she's happy and she's

[23:22] getting her clothes and everything

[23:23] ready. You don't have to go, you know,

[23:25] make yourself crazy or do something

[23:27] really fancy, but you know, just

[23:28] something that she is able to know that

[23:30] this the thing is going to happen and

[23:32] that she'll be able to count on it.

[23:34] >> Mhm.

[23:34] >> I just hope everything works.

[23:36] >> She's going out to buy a dress.

[23:38] >> Yes. Today

[23:38] >> for the party I made.

[23:40] >> Yeah.

[23:43] >> Beautiful.

[23:45] >> You got a dress in me?

[23:47] >> Yeah. Can I try?

[23:48] >> You bet. Sure.

[23:49] >> Okay. I need to check it here.

[23:51] >> Look at how beautiful this is. That's

[23:53] what she would like.

[23:54] >> On the day of Mari's 15th birthday

[23:56] party, her mother takes an accidental

[23:58] overdose mixing anti-depressants and

[24:00] methadone, and she has to be

[24:02] hospitalized.

[24:03] >> Isn't it nice? It's beautiful.

[24:05] >> The party is called off.

[24:12] [music]

[24:14] >> A week later, Mari's party is held at

[24:16] her mother's apartment.

[24:20] >> [music]

[24:20] >> It is not the celebration originally

[24:22] planned in a rented hall with a dance

[24:24] band, but her friends and whole family

[24:26] are there, and that's what matters to

[24:28] Mari.

[24:30] >> Mari spent the day getting ready. She

[24:33] had her nails done, all except her right

[24:35] thumb, because she still sucks it.

[24:38] >> Happy birthday

[24:40] to [singing and music]

[24:40] you.

[24:42] >> The plan for Mari is this. She will stay

[24:45] in foster care with Ida until June. At

[24:48] that time, unless something dramatically

[24:50] changes, the state will put her back in

[24:52] the home with her mother.

[24:57] [music]

[25:01] >> Today, at her 15th birthday [music]

[25:03] party, Mari has been clean and sober for

[25:06] 18 months. [music]

[25:11] >> I pray, dear God, please take care of my

[25:15] mommy, my dad, All my brothers, all my

[25:19] sister, take care of me. God, help me

[25:23] focus on myself. Help me be patient.

[25:26] Help me make it through the day. [music]

[25:28] Guide me through the rain and take care

[25:32] of all the homeless people out there

[25:33] that don't have a place to stay

[25:37] and especially take care of me.

[25:41] [music]

[25:45] >> [applause]

[25:51] >> I'll be back with a closing thought in a

[25:54] moment.

[25:57] >> In January, Publishers [music] Clearing

[25:58] House surprised one winner.

[26:00] >> Just won $10 million.

[26:01] >> Starting March 21st, they'll wake up 30

[26:04] winners in 30 days with prizes up to

[26:07] $100,000. Enter today and you could wake

[26:10] up a winner.

[26:11] >> Thank you. These are daytime running

[26:13] lamps. When you're on a two-lane highway

[26:15] like this in very bright sunlight, it

[26:17] helps you see a car or [music] truck.

[26:19] Headlights at night help you see other

[26:20] things, but this lets people see you

[26:22] anytime. If I step back into the shadow,

[26:24] I disappear [music] without these

[26:25] lights. But with these lights on, I'm a

[26:28] car. And right now, General Motors is

[26:31] the [music] only domestic car producer

[26:32] that is going to have these daytime

[26:34] running lights. And we're doing them

[26:35] just because we think it's the right

[26:37] thing to do. We're just going to do it.

[26:40] [music] actually done it.

[26:42] >> Some people are doing more business than

[26:44] ever on Fridays.

[26:45] >> Every deal doable, Donnie. Good.

[26:47] >> Help your business do more business with

[26:49] Sprint's amazing offer. For one full

[26:51] year, Fridays are free. No, I'll call

[26:54] you back. It's Friday. [music] Every

[26:56] long-distance call you make on Fridays

[26:58] is free. The rest of the week, you get

[27:00] Sprint's great low [music] flat rate.

[27:01] >> Okay, so I'll call you next Friday. Call

[27:05] now 1 8005985000 [music]

[27:08] for free Fridays at work only from

[27:10] Sprint Business. Soon you may have

[27:13] something better to wake up to.

[27:15] >> You have got to be kidding

[27:17] >> because starting March 21st, Publishers

[27:18] [music] Clearing House will wake up 30

[27:20] winners in 30 days with prizes up to

[27:22] $100,000. Enter and you could wake up a

[27:25] winner.

[27:28] At IMS, we know that having a cat can do

[27:31] wonders for a person's health and

[27:33] happiness. It can lower blood pressure,

[27:36] [music]

[27:37] reduce stress,

[27:39] helping us lead longer, fuller lives.

[27:42] Well, now you can return the favor by

[27:44] feeding your cat IMS [music] everyday.

[27:47] Cats love its taste, and it's more

[27:49] nutritious because its quality

[27:51] ingredients are more digestible. IMS cat

[27:54] food. Good for life. From the IMS

[27:56] company.

[27:58] If you're looking for that shishi, put

[28:00] your napkin in your lap, use [music] the

[28:00] right fork kind of place, this ain't it.

[28:03] When you come to Tony Romas, you're

[28:05] going to get your hands messy and your

[28:07] stomach full. But [music] before you dig

[28:09] into our tender, juicy grilled ribs,

[28:11] southwestern chicken, or grilled jumbo

[28:13] shrimp, you may even want to shop here.

[28:16] Rices [music] are great. Why go anywhere

[28:18] else?

[28:18] >> Besides free parking, delivery, and

[28:20] mattress removal, our people are sleep

[28:22] experts. They help in our factory and

[28:25] can answer all your questions. Come in

[28:27] for a test. [music] Take your time.

[28:29] We'll beat any retailer's price on

[28:31] Simmons, Spring Air, or our own Sleeping

[28:34] Air or adjustable beds. Or your mattress

[28:36] set is free. [music] The best value

[28:38] every day. The best sleep every night.

[28:42] >> It's just like being on vacation doing

[28:44] the things that you want to do.

[28:45] >> Listen to what single adults are saying

[28:47] [music] about events and adventures.

[28:49] >> They have a great choice of adventures.

[28:51] That's how you meet people. [music] Go

[28:53] out with a group and have fun. Fun

[28:55] activities every day. There's no

[28:57] pressure. It's like having your own

[28:59] social director. [music]

[29:00] >> Events and Adventures is an activities

[29:02] organization for single adults. Call 1

[29:04] 800 FUN4844

[29:06] for free information [music] on the

[29:08] calendar of upcoming events. Call now.

[29:13] >> Litter, graffiti, illegal dump sites. No

[29:17] one likes to see their neighborhood get

[29:19] trashed. That's why Stop Oregon Litter

[29:21] and Vandalism is looking for volunteers

[29:23] [music] where you live. You can help

[29:25] clean up, pick up, and preserve what we

[29:27] all treasure. News Channel 8 and

[29:29] Portland General Electric urge you to

[29:31] [music] become a Salt volunteer. Call

[29:33] 1800 3223326

[29:36] and help make our state picture perfect.

[29:39] [music]