The day after that storm changed me forever. I worked at the VA in Tuscaloosa and half the staff couldn't make it to the facility the next day due to the insane damage. The VA overnight unknown to a lot of us became the County morgue because the one in Tuscaloosa Co. only held 12 people. They started bringing people in on doors thru the night it got so bad. When I got there the next day our job duties became a MASH unit. I wasn't medical and I ended up working with families to identify the bodies. Our photographer (bless her soul) had to take pictures I assume she never dreamt of in school. It wasn't how mangled the bodies were that got to me and I thought it would. It was the kids. Damn I'll never get over that. Handing a parent the pictures we did to help identify their children is something I'll never forget. I was holding it together until we had these college roommates who's parents had never met because they were from different states. I introduced them to each other that morning, walked outside and lost it. I remember seeing their pictures on the news later that day and how beautiful they were. Was a crushing day.
Sorry for the rant. Blame Neal and Chase for the reminder.
Sorry for the rant. Blame Neal and Chase for the reminder.
