In Haiti: Anderson Cooper Carries Boy to Safety, Gupta Performs Surgery

By Marc Schneider Posted Jan 19th 2010 08:04AM

Anderson Cooper and Sanjay Gupta played superheros on CNN over the weekend. First off, while covering the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake, Cooper put down his camera and microphone and pulled a bloodied young boy away from a chaotic scene in front of a storefront in Port-au-Prince.

Footage of the chaos shows Cooper amid a group of rock-hurling looters. The boy shown in the segment was apparently struck in the head by debris and began bleeding profusely. Cooper began helping the child walk away, but then decided to carry him to safer ground. Watch after the jump:

But he wasn't the only CNN journalist to step in to help. While Cooper used his muscles, Dr. Sanjay Gupta used his medical degree. The reporter literally performed neurosurgery on a young girl on a U.S. aircraft carrier after no qualified doctors could be found. She had a 0.4-inch chunk of concrete embedded in her skull. Assisted by Los Angeles surgeon Henri Ford, Gupta pulled off the surgery between his multiple reports for CNN.

"Someone got a hold of our international desk," Gupta later recalled. "They said there was an urgent call from the Carl Vinson. So I put a call in to them and there was something about a head injury."

Gupta and Ford said they believed the girl would make a full recovery.

"I was honored to help out," said Gupta afterward. "I have a profound respect for the capabilities of the US Navy and the medical team on board the Carl Vinson."

Tags: anderson cooper, haiti, Sanjay Gupta

Comments

(58)

Tuesday 19 January

By Betty Paradise

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Cooper and Cupta are HEROS. Anyone listening with their heart can hear the frustration in their voices as they report on the LACK of organization from the self serving politicals involved in the distribution of aid. They know that a Governor from Pa was only there to grandstand. The UN and the military are doing a poor job of selecting who lands at the airport. They are sending life saving meds and people to the border and then a six hour drive back to the dying people in Port-au-Prince. Someone besides our CNN reporters, who has been asking for the help since the quake, should wake up and get the persons in charge out of there.

By Kim

You can say photo op all you want, but you know most journalists would not have picked up a bloody child(they think they are to good). I am a huge fan of Anderson Cooper!!! He did this cause he's a good human being!!!

By Deana

I have never been an Anderson Cooper fan, but watching this video ripped out my heart. I am so, so thankful to know that Mr. Cooper has a heart, that his love for a fellow human was more important than doing the news. Bravo, Mr. Cooper. Bravo.

By merijoe

If Sully Sullenberger could be a hero by dropping a plane skillfully into the hudson and saving a bunch of lives, so can anyone in real life. including Gupta and Anderson. CNN or not. Thats why we're here on Earth. Yep-you didnt think there was another reason, did you?

The soldiers/military are not the only ones saving lives every day and Im not poo pooing their efforts, I love and appreciate them,
Im just saying there are people out there behind the scenes, that you dont hear about, who make extraordinary contributions to life every single day, alot of life would be lost if it werent for these people you dont hear about.

Yes, Dave...use the word, heros.

By Jeanine

These two are heros. Why isnt the united states gather doctor and bring them on that carrier they sent there. My god the greatest country in the world and people are dying. Who is running this.

By vcrozas

Hello......The Dominican Republic is the Sominican Republic NOT America! France is already chewing on our dierrier for "taking" over the country DUH...Drop the supplies and have nothing get to anyone???? How do you think Haitian government has provided for it's people thus far??? They haven't BUT it is still their country. Kudos Gupta and Cooper ... and Dr Nancy Schneiderman too

By Travis

Say what you will about Cooper and Gupta, but as far as their reporting of this disaster goes, they've been second to none. It seems that all any of the other "news" stations want to do is point fingers and give us stupid rants about who said what and why this or that person is so horrible. At least these guys are focusing on what's important, and getting their hands dirty by pitching in. Don't know if I'd call them heroes above any of the other volunteers there, but in my mind, they've done a great deed and that takes character. I am now a CNN fan.

By Dick

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Well stated Travis. It's a horrifying tragedy in Haiti. I'm proud of the whole CNN crew for their reporting and their humanitarian efforts! It's tough enough to watch this all on the news. Imagine being there--in any capacity!

By Maria

Photo op, eh? I can't speak for everyone, but I personally would much rather support (with ratings) people like Cooper and Gupta who are willing to go in, get their hands dirty and do something to help, as opposed to the Limbaugh/O'Reilly-esque blowhards who do nothing but blame the Obama Administration for all the world's ills (even a sovereign nation's such as Haiti) or the Pat Robertson types who actually believe in pacts with the devil and have the gall to blame human beings for natural disasters.

By jim

excellent journalism and humanitarianism!!!! beyond the call of duty!!!!!! anderson and sanjay are incredible!!!!!

Monday 25 January

By Kisoensingh Mienarchie

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Dr Sanjay Gupta and Cooper Anderson great job you both doing in Haiti.
Keep going, doctors are 24 hours doctor. Dr. Gupta God bless you.

By cardiacbuzz

RQ.....exactly correct. Not to jump the subject, but this type of mass incident, the basic cause of the destruction and the state of the country involved makes me think so much of the great and mysterious devices created by the brilliant Nikola Tesla...............and their possible usage.
I also believe the U.S. will bear the total brunt of the from-the-ground-up reconstruction of that entire region and if so, has the right to oust Haiti's useless, virtually non-existent government.

By Bonbon

It is nice of them to help, but I think it is very crass of CNN to use this tragedy for ratings and to be honest it's all done for rating and you all know it, deep down I am sure they would help out of the goodness of their hearts, but CNN is exploiting this and I think that is just awful.

By Hannah

Bonbon, you are as big an ass as Dave. I'll ask you the same question: WHAT THE HELL WERE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO? WALK AWAY? Only a heartless SOB would walk away from children who are injured or need surgery. CNN is not shamelessly promoting their own journalists, their journalists are HELPING PEOPLE while other so called "reporters" stand around with their thumbs up their asses talking about how horrible it is. Just because Dr. Gupta and Anderson Cooper happened to be in a place to provide assistance doesn't mean it was a set up or a photo op. It is however, the reality of the goodness of the human spirit...and Dr. G and Cooper have embodied that goodness in a big way. GOD BLESS both of them for providing assistance when they were NOT required to do so.

By Shani Perry

Amen!

By Rae

Haitians-put down the rocks and help out your people-Use that energy for something useful!

By Nikkie

Hooray to Sanjay and Anderson!!! CNN, the reeeal deal!!!

By ljmmsh

Sanjay Gupta & Anderson Cooper are playing a key role not only in reporting the news, but in facilitating the delivery of care to Haiti. Thanks to Sanjay for his devotion to medicine & humanity and, thank you to Anderson for having the guts to cite the deficiencies and inequities in a relief system with questionable priorities.I am an Independent and I have been a Fox News fan because I believe in fair and balanced which Fox has moved away from since the presidential election. The Haiti crisis brought me to CNN and I think I am going to stay. Sanjay and Anderson keep up the great work! I agree, they deserve the Nobel prize God Bless you as you keep the world focused on how to best help the Haitian people.

By Nate

you mindless idiots, if you think Anderson Cooper stages anything, you trailer park mentality, go get a job, or go to volunteer in Haiti.

By cheryl martin

I say"Thank God we still have people who care more about human lives than getting a story"!!!!!God bless you both!!Do all you can whatever it takes.........

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