many times you don't even make it out of the skid row area before you're caught up into that cycle again. my name is susan burton. after my son died, i used drugs. i went to prison six times. finally, i found rehab. and i thought i can help women come home from prison. so i picked them up, bring them back to the house. >> your one bed. she wanted to change my life. >> she was like, sure. you came a long way. this is nice. that's what it's all about.
tribute. as a supporter of 2008 top ten cnn hero marie desilva, i am committed to building schools, providing education, and preventing aids in malawi and i am thrilled to help cnn introduce one of this year's top ten honorees. now more than ever the world needs heroes. >> we all leave prison saying, i'm going to get my life ontrack. and you end up getting off a bus downtown los angeles skid row. many times you don't even make it out of the skid row area before you're caught up into that cycle again. my name is susan burton. after my son died, i used drugs. i went to prison six times. finally, i found rehab. oon i thought, i can help women come home from prison. i pick them up, bring them back to the house. >> she offered you a warm bed,
as a supporter of 2008 top cnn hero maria silva, i am committed to building schools and preventing aids in malawi. now, more than ever, the world needs heroes. >> we all leave prison saying, i'm going to get my life on track. and you end up getting off a bus, downtown los angeles, skid row. many times you don't even make it out of the skid row area before you're caught up into that cycle again. my name is susan burton. after my son died, i used drugs. i went to prison six times. finally, i found rehab. and i thought i can help women come home from prison. i picked them up, bring them back to the house. >> she offers you a warm bed.
heroes. every day people, changing the world. today we're announcing the top ten for 2010. the honorees are in alphabet call order guadalupe de la vega providing quality health care in the increasingly violent juarez, mexico. susan burton helps female ex-convicts get back on their feet. linda fondren has brought her community together to shed pounds. anuradha rebel tates nepali girls from sex trafficking. magnus mac far lane-barrow feeds more than 400,000 kids every day. harmon parker builds bridges connecting kenyans with life-changing resources. aki ra finds and defuses land mines planted by the khmer rouge. evans wadango is lighting the way for people with his
90 today, 93 in raleigh, 81 in san francisco, 100 in las vegas. back to the tropics, we were talking about lisa. lisa, not an issue. this one, matthew, expected to die auto over the yucatan peninsula, a great rainmaker. winds to be 0 miles an hour. that's the latest in the forecast. reynolds, let's send it back to you. >> it's election season, right? >> oh, yes. >> it's time to elect your cnn hero. susan burton's troubled past inspired a convict re-entry program that has helped over 400 female ex-cons get back on their feet. >> hi, i'm rikki lake. for the last two years i have had the honor of helping to recognize great works of everyday people changing the worrell at "cnn heroes.
my name is susan burton. after my son died, i used drugs. i went to prison six times. finally i found rehab, and i thought i can help women come home from prison. i pick them up, bring them back to the house. >> she offers you a warm bed, food. like a real family. she made me want to change my life. >> you've came a long way. >> this is nice. that's what it's all about. >> and look at that, there she is. susan burton joins us now live in los angeles. first of all, congratulations to you. what was your reaction when you learned you were named one of the finalists for the year? >> it felt like fireworks going off all in my body, to think
to one of those nominees, susan burton, who overcame a troubled past to help female ex-cons get back on their feet. >> hi, i'm ricky lake. i've had the honor to help recognize people changing the world. as a supporter of 2008 top ten cnn heroes, i'm committed to building schools and preventing aids in malawi and i'm thrilled to help cnn introduce one of this year's top ten honorees. now more than ever the world needs heroes. >> we all leave prison saying i'm going to get my life on track. and you end up getting off a bus, downtown los angeles, skid row. many times you don't even make it out of the skid row area because you're caught up into that cycle again.
tribute. as a supporter of 2008 cnn hero, i am committed to building schools providing education and preventing aids in malawi. now more than ever, the world needs heros. >> we all leave prison saying, i'm going to get my life on track. and you end up getting off a bus downtown los angeles, skid row. many times you don't even make it out of the skid row area before you're caught up into that cycle again. my name is susan burton. after my son died, i used drugs, i went to prison six times. finally i found rehab. and i thought, i can help women come home from prison. i pick them up, bring them back to the house.
support for them, you have tragedy. when there is resources, you have this amazing transformation and amazing new person that takes up their place and begins to parent and begins to work and begins to contribute to the community. >> yeah. susan burton, congratulations to you. your kind spirit comes through the television and we'll be watching to see if you become the cnn hero of the year. i'm sure you're hoping anderson cooper announces your name. good luck to you. >> you're welcome and thank you. >> you can vote online. i'm talking to you the viewer, for a cnn hero, the one who inspires you the most. all ten will be featured on cnn and will be honored on thanksgiving night. that's hosted by anderson but only one will be named cnn hero of the year and your vote will count. another blow to an already
i am committed to building schools, providing education and preventing aids in malawi. now more than ever, the world needs heroes. >> all the prison inmates say i'm going to get my life on track. getting off a bus, downtown los angeles, skid row. many times you don't even make it out of the skid row area before you're caught up into that cycle again. my name is susan burton. after my son died, i used drugs. i went to prison six times. finally i found rehab. and i thought i can help women come home from prison. i'd pick them up, bring them back to the house. >> she'd offer you a warm bed, food. like a real family. she made me want to change my