The nurse who brought light to a dark week in Beirut
Word and video report by ITV News Correspondent Emma Murphy
Heroism can be an overused term however in the past days Beirut’s heroes have come to the fore. Those who lived and those who did not.
Yesterday we reported on the death of a young paramedic, Sahar Fares. She went to reports of a fire at the port. She died seeking to help others when the explosion tore the city apart.
Today we were lucky enough to meet another heroine of this tragedy.
One who lived and saved others. Pamela Zaynoun, is a neo-natal nurse who was caring for premature babies when the explosion happened.
She was thrown across the room and knocked out. When she came round she realised the only way her three tiny patients could survive was if she got them out of the stricken building.
Somehow she battled through the debris and got them all in her arms and found her way out.
She thought she could go to a neighbouring hospital but that was equally damaged.
She walked for an hour through broken streets begging people to take off their shirts to cover her precious cargo.
When she finally found a functioning hospital there was only one incubator so she squeezed all three in together.
They have all survived and this humble unassuming woman is still struggling to believe that they did.
There is a pledge written for nurses.
It says 'I solemnly pledge myself to the service of humanity and will endeavour to practice my profession with conscience and with dignity. I will maintain by all the means in my power the honour and the noble traditions of my profession.'
Few could have lived up to that pledge with Pamela’s determination and dignity. She of course insists, probably correctly, that all her colleagues would.
She has certainly brought light to a dark, dark week.
ITV News Correspondent Emma Murphy said thousands of Beirut residents will come together on Saturday to protest and 'express their disbelief and fury at the authorities'