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Matt Lauer's interview: The Ceraks, Van Ryns tell their story
Wednesday, March 26, 2008 1:08 PM EDT
Gaylord’s Whitney Cerak will appear on the “Today” show with Matt Lauer Thursday and Friday, and “Dateline” on Friday. Photo courtesy of NBC Universal
GAYLORD ” Faces familiar to Otsego County residents will be blast across national television this week as Gaylord residents Whitney, Newell and Colleen Cerak sit down and talk with NBC’s Matt Lauer about their incredible story of mistaken identity.
Lauer, who was in Gaylord last month to visit with the Ceraks, interviews the family as well as the parents of Laura Van Ryn, the Taylor University student who died in the April 2006 accident. For five weeks, authorities and the families believed it was 19-year-old Whitney Cerak who died in that crash.
Programming notes from NBC say Lauer will interview both families live on “Today” Thursday and that survivor Whitney Cerak will appear on Friday’s “Today.” The Today show airs at 7 a.m. on TV 7&4.
The families and their ordeal will be featured in a two-hour special “Dateline NBC” Friday at 9 p.m., according to producers.
“Students Laura Van Ryn and Whitney Cerak were involved in a fatal car crash that left five dead and four others seriously injured in April 2006,” states the NBC programming promotion. “The aftermath of this tragic accident became an emotional and remarkable story of faith, family, and an unfathomable case of mistaken identity that shocked national and international communities alike and left two families asking, ‘How could this have gone on so long?’ Now, two years later, members of the young women’s families are speaking out for the very first time exclusively to NBC News’ Matt Lauer in a two-hour special ‘Dateline’ presentation.
Lauer, who was in Gaylord last month to visit with the Ceraks, interviews the family as well as the parents of Laura Van Ryn, the Taylor University student who died in the April 2006 accident. For five weeks, authorities and the families believed it was 19-year-old Whitney Cerak who died in that crash.
Programming notes from NBC say Lauer will interview both families live on “Today” Thursday and that survivor Whitney Cerak will appear on Friday’s “Today.” The Today show airs at 7 a.m. on TV 7&4.
The families and their ordeal will be featured in a two-hour special “Dateline NBC” Friday at 9 p.m., according to producers.
“Students Laura Van Ryn and Whitney Cerak were involved in a fatal car crash that left five dead and four others seriously injured in April 2006,” states the NBC programming promotion. “The aftermath of this tragic accident became an emotional and remarkable story of faith, family, and an unfathomable case of mistaken identity that shocked national and international communities alike and left two families asking, ‘How could this have gone on so long?’ Now, two years later, members of the young women’s families are speaking out for the very first time exclusively to NBC News’ Matt Lauer in a two-hour special ‘Dateline’ presentation.
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The Ceraks also will appear on “Oprah” on April 2.
Locally, Newell and Colleen are expected to attend a book signing at Saturn Booksellers on April 12 at 4 p.m. Together with their daughter, Whitney, and Laura’s parents, Don and Susie Van Ryn, the Ceraks and writer Mark Tabb have written “Mistaken Identity ” Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope” ” chronicling the amazing story of mistaken identity which Gaylord area residents watched unfold firsthand two years ago.
The 288-page book was slated to be released this week.
Click here to go to the Today Show Web site.
Locally, Newell and Colleen are expected to attend a book signing at Saturn Booksellers on April 12 at 4 p.m. Together with their daughter, Whitney, and Laura’s parents, Don and Susie Van Ryn, the Ceraks and writer Mark Tabb have written “Mistaken Identity ” Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope” ” chronicling the amazing story of mistaken identity which Gaylord area residents watched unfold firsthand two years ago.
The 288-page book was slated to be released this week.
Click here to go to the Today Show Web site.
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rookie wrote on Mar 25, 2008 4:53 PM:
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