Horrible scenes at New Orleans airport

Rude awakening
Perhaps the most difficult thing for me was when I woke up this morning next to two dead bodies.

I spent Thursday night in the triage center and went to sleep last night on an extra stretcher. When I woke up this morning, there were two body bags beside my stretcher.

The cameraman with me said they actually tried to take my stretcher during the night. They  thought that I was one of the victims, until he told them I was OK and to leave me there.  

The stench of death reeks inside portions of the airport here. Other parts of the airport just smell as any hospital would if there was no way to clean up. It is human misery as people are lying in pain, ailing and wailing.

The pained screams from patients is like fingers on a chalkboard because there is nothing you can do to reach out and help these people. They have limited medical supplies. They do have aircraft coming in. The C-17s, Storm-30s are moving people out of here as fast as they can.

But, as they take them out, there are still more medical choppers arriving with more patients that are coming in from hospitals that are flooded in downtown New Orleans. 

Gut-wrenching
This is, I think, the hardest story I’ve ever covered. Emotionally, I’m just really being tested. I cannot believe what I’m seeing.

A reporter is supposed to remain detached and just report what’s going on. But, when there is a man lying on the ground, and he’s yelling out to anyone walking by, “Help me! I need some water! Help me!” and there is no one to help this man.

There is no one to reach down, give him some water, or hold his head, and tell him to breath slowly.

It is unimaginable. It is absolutely gut-wrenching. It’s horrible.

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