What's up sunshine? Koi wire here with
your daily 10 minutes of news where we
simply tell you the what, letting you
decide what to think. Today we have a
toxic chemical tank in Southern
California that has officials racing
against the clock. Then I sit down with
legendary swimmer Michael Phelps for a
heartfelt chat this mental health
awareness month. And later we're headed
deep into the heart of Texas where
nearly 300 rescued pigs are something
you have to see. CNN 10 starts now. We
do begin in Southern California where
crews are scrambling to prevent an
overheating chemical tank from
triggering a disaster movie level
nightmare. Emergency officials say
soaring temperatures inside the tank
could cause a dangerous rupture,
releasing thousands of gallons of
methylmethylryate,
a toxic industrial chemical, into the
air. More than 50,000 people have now
been ordered to evacuate parts of Orange
County. Our Veronica Miracle has more on
the effort to prevent a potentially
catastrophic explosion. Hi, Veronica.
>> Ky, we finally got some good news. After
authorities were working around the
clock all night, they found that a crack
inside of this pressurized tank has been
releasing pressure. And what that means
is that a massive explosion is off the
table. That is the good news. Now, the
threat is still not over because this
tank has a very toxic chemical inside
known as MMA, and that could still
explode. A smaller explosion, but it
could still happen. Right now, they're
trying to mitigate the risk and see what
exactly is happening inside the tank.
They believe that it's possible that the
chemical could be solidifying, which is
also good news because the temperature
inside the tank is going down. At last
check, it was about 93° where they
really wanted it as is at 85°. So,
authorities are going to continue to
monitor this. Evacuations have not yet
decreased. 50,000 people are still under
evacuation orders and so there is still
risk to life and property here in case
anything happens and they want to make
sure that everything is safe before they
let people come back to their homes. So
many people have been affected this
Memorial Day weekend. They've been
forced out of their homes and forced to
go into hotels and evacuation centers,
but authorities say they're going to be
giving us an update soon and they hope
to let people back home as soon as it is
safe. Back to you, Coy. The racing world
is grieving NASCAR icon Kyle Bush. Bush
died suddenly last week at just 41 years
old. Severe pneumonia progressed into
sepsis, a bodywide response to infection
that can cause serious, often fatal
organ and tissue damage. Across 22
seasons, Bush racked up more wins across
NASCAR's top three series than anyone
ever. He was scheduled to race in the
Coca-Cola 600 last weekend, but the race
transformed into a memorial service with
nearly 95,000 fans saying bye to one of
the fiercest competitors the sport has
known. Before the race, his family laid
flowers on his number eight in the
infield. His team announced his number
would be retired until his son Brexton
is old enough to chase the family legacy
himself.
Pop quiz hot shot. What swimming stroke
is Olympian Michael Phelps especially
known for? Butterfly, freestyle,
backstroke, or side stroke?
If you said butterfly, spread your
wings. Phelps has won 11 Olympic medals
in butterfly, nine of them gold. With 23
golds overall, he's the most decorated
Olympian of all time.
When people think of Michael Phelps,
they think gold medals, world records,
and dominance in the pool unlike
anything swimming has ever seen. But
behind the smiles and medals was a man
silently battling anxiety and severe
depression. Now during mental health
awareness month, the 23 time Olympic
gold medalist is speaking out with
remarkable honesty, hoping his story
helps others feel less alone. Here's
part of my conversation with the GOAT.
You've won more gold medals than anyone
in Olympic history, but you've also said
that some of your toughest battles
happened far away from the pool. When
you look back now, what do you wish
younger Michael understood about mental
health?
>> You know, I love getting that question
and it hasn't changed and and it's
nothing because I think what I've gone
through myself personally has allowed me
to learn more about who I am as a human.
Um, and and yeah, has that been
challenging at times and uncomfortable
at times? Of course. But, you know,
again, like for me, I I'm more
comfortable being my authentic self and
living my life how I want to live.
>> Was there a specific moment where you
realized if I speak up, maybe I can help
other people do the same?
>> Um, I honestly think it's it's really
when I got to that point of not wanting
to be alive. Um, you know, for me, I
think once I got to that point, I was
like, okay, something is wrong. I need
to ask for help. And that was the first
time that I ever asked for help. Um
because I I just didn't know what to do.
Uh so I got help and then I think at
that point um for me just being able to
find that kind of ground to stand on and
be okay sharing the stories that I talk
about um because you know being able to
see my Olympic brothers and sisters,
they were going through the same thing.
>> Mental health awareness month, your
foundation is doing such incredible
work. So when you see the lives you're
impacting, how does that compare to all
the medals in the record books?
>> One in every three high schoolers
reported that their mental health was
not good for the most part, right? So at
that point, what are we doing more for
that? How can we offer more things? And
for me, when I look at where our
foundation started to where it is now,
right, we started back in 2008 where it
was strictly just a learn uh learn to
swim. Um, I got a million dollars from a
bonus from a an old sponsor and I
instantly put it into starting that.
Gradually over time, we developed a
mental health component.
>> I'm a dad of four boys and yes, I still
am who I am. Water safety is very
important in the Phelps household.
>> And for me, it's really cool to say that
we're one of three foundations out there
that combined water safety and mental
health. And for me, you know, when I go
back to what I went through as a kid,
right? and what I'm going through now in
therapy, you know, I'm learning that
water safety and mental mental health,
they really are handinand. Like for me,
if I'm in a bad space and therapy
doesn't help and my checklist doesn't
help, I can literally just jump in the
swimming pool and swim for 500 yards.
And for those who don't know, that's
like a 40th of what I would do for a
practice and that would make me feel 10
times better, right? So, it's some of
these small things. I truly think by
body mind awareness there's so much
connection um and it's so powerful that
May is is uh water safety month and
mental health awareness month um but for
me again it's it's just trying to spread
this message u you know this is
something obviously it's very passionate
for me um we're trying to empower lives
in and out of the water and if we can do
that for me I'm winning right that's way
way better than winning a gold medal
>> this last one rapid rapid fire inside
the mind of Michael Phelps. Most
ridiculous superstition that you had
before races.
>> Nothing. I guess the only thing that I
did that that people thought I was doing
on purpose to kind of mess with them was
my arm slap. That was something I did as
an 11-year-old kid, 8, you know,
10-year-old kid throughout my whole
entire career. It was just a way for me
to kind of get loose. And there were
people that thought I was doing it to
try to play mind games on them, but no,
I'm not I'm not like that. What is uh
harder workout, training for the
Olympics or chasing your kids around the
house?
>> Any kind of sports games in the
backyard? Because multiple soccer or
football, I've been down and out for 3
or 4 days. It does happen. No matter how
much you work out, no matter how much
you take care of your body, still kids,
they don't stop.
>> Favorite way to decompress mentally
today.
>> A lot of people might think I'm crazy,
but is sitting in a in a in a cold
plunge. um work on your breathing and
and that's something how I start my day.
Uh first thing in the morning, 5 5:15
every day I'm in there.
>> Love sharing your story, man. So great
to catch up with you.
>> Appreciate it. Always good to see you,
homie.
>> Today's story getting a 10 out of 10. A
rescue sanctuary where life is anything
but boring. Everything's bigger in
Texas. That's certainly the case at My
Pigfilled Life. From piglets to
potbellies, nearly 300 oinkers call this
rescue home. This swine subdivision,
Pork Palace, this ham bassador
headquarters, founded by Melanie Moro a
decade ago, has grown into a full-blown
hog motel.
>> Everyone knows cats and dogs need
rescue, but people don't know that many
pigs do. And that demand is higher.
>> Outside of her job, Melanie feeds,
treats, and cares for these hoofed house
guests. And while minding mud, mess, and
mountains of pig chow is enough to drive
anyone hog wild, she says it is worth
it.
>> You can look into their eyes and see
into their soul the sentient nature is
it's unescribable.
>> Melanie hopes the rescue can educate
future owners about caring for pigs and
keep more animals out of shelters. If
you live nearby and want help, good
news. She's always looking for
volunteers to bring home the bacon.
Emotionally speaking, of course. Our
first shout out today goes all the way
to Mr. Halula at Hong Kong International
School in Taitam, Hong Kong. Rise up and
thank you for subscribing and commenting
on our CNN 10 YouTube channel. And Mrs.
Mushro at Scots Valley High School in
California. She's been sharing CNN 10
with students for more than 15 years.
And honestly, that means the world to
us. But she made a point to send us this
handstitched needle point. You are so
talented. Honestly, this has us in
stitches. Make it a terrific Tuesday,
everyone. We'll see you right back here
tomorrow. I'm Ky Wire and we are CNN 10.