In his 1983 book 'Mister Rogers Talks With Parents,' Fred Rogers explains what his mother would say to him when, as a young boy, he was scared by things he saw on the news.
When I was a boy, and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are so many helpers - so many caring people in this world.
The words of Mister Rogers' mom held true when a radicalized maniac drove a truck through a crowd of people celebrating the New Year on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. The senseless act of terror would leave at least 14 dead and dozens more injured. Then the helpers came.
As the attacker exited the truck and began shooting, he was put down by the New Orleans Police Department, neutralizing the immediate threat. Soon after, Paramedics arrived to care for the injured and transport them to local hospitals, where doctors and nurses in emergency rooms continued to care for the injured and began the process of healing. A process that continues today.
Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.
Sometimes, that help comes from unexpected places.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a group of men with boats helped evacuate stranded victims, delivered supplies, and provided access to otherwise unreachable areas. These men would come to be known as The Cajun Navy.
The United Cajun Navy continues its work today as a nonprofit disaster relief organization. They recently responded to North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene, delivering supplies with horses and mules to areas where the storm had washed away the roads.
Good morning! My spotlight heroes of today are the Cajun Navy mule team, who are basically saying F FEMA and delivering supplies on the ground via trails by their beautiful mule team.
— ×Punkness× (@Punkness1) October 4, 2024
Not all Heros wear capes 🫡❤️🇺🇲🙏 pic.twitter.com/LKdRddcjk0
Jeremi Sensky traveled from his Pennsylvania home to celebrate the New Year with his family in New Orleans. Sensky is a paraplegic and has been wheelchair-bound for years after a car accident left him paralyzed. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was hit by the truck during the attack on Bourbon Street.
"I'm happy to be alive, man."
— ABC News (@ABC) January 5, 2025
A 51-year-old Pennsylvania dad who uses a wheelchair said he was ringing in the new year in New Orleans when a gunman in a truck came barreling toward him. https://t.co/Javl6Otjd3
Sensky survived his ordeal but suffered fractures to both legs. He was transported to the University Medical Center, where he underwent surgery to repair his damaged legs. His wheelchair was not only left in pieces but was also being held as evidence by police investigating the attack.
Tony Dickey is a chaplain with the United Cajun Navy who was at the hospital to offer counseling to the family. When he learned what had happened to Sensky's wheelchair, he did what members of the United Cajun Navy do. He stepped up to help, contacted a paramobile organization, and got Sensky a brand new custom wheelchair.
A victim of the #neworleansattack was knocked out of his wheelchair on #BourbonStreet. The FBI held his wheelchair as "evidence", so we sent our Chaplain Tony Dickey, who is in NOLA as part of our SpecOps team to counsel the family. Oh, and we got him a brand new wheelchair.… pic.twitter.com/fhBkDbkE4Z
— United Cajun Navy (@Unitedcajunnavy) January 4, 2025
Sensky and his family are grateful for the chair and the effort made by Chaplain Tony Dickey.
In an interview, Sensky said of the attack, 'This could happen anytime, anywhere. What are you going to do? Stop living your life.'
They make them pretty tough in Western Pennsylvania.
Jeremi Sensky is the absolute epitome of western Pa tough.
— Colin Dunlap (@colin_dunlap) January 4, 2025
God bless this man.
One of the toughest people on this Earth.
Guy was previously paralyzed, gets run over by that evil lunatic on Bourbon St and grits through.
God bless this man.
pic.twitter.com/Q8G9AlKrCb
God Bless this Yinzer and the @Unitedcajunnavy for setting him up with a brand new wheelchair.
— ZitoSalena (@ZitoSalena) January 4, 2025
This is us❤️💪🏼🇺🇸 https://t.co/Vu3730fBzr
Things like this can happen anytime, anywhere. Attacks like this leave scars that never fully heal. Terrorists can hurt us, but so long as there are men and women like those from New Orleans Police, Fire and EMS, Healthcare workers, and the United Cajun Navy that stand ready to help, they will never defeat us.
The next time you see something scary on the news, just look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.
God Bless them all.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member