#HurricaneHarvey: Photo of mother and baby's rescue becomes symbol of storm
The photo by AP photographer David J. Phillip of mother
Catherine Pham and her 13 months old baby’s rescue have also become a
symbol of storm.
In the photo, little Aiden Pham, swaddled in a blanket
nestled asleep in his mother’s arms as they were carried by police
officer Daryl Hudeck as floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey surged around
them in southwest Houston.
“I was just keeping an eye out and as soon as I saw the
SWAT team member carrying her and then seeing the baby, I just couldn’t
believe that baby was wrapped up in there and not crying,” photographer
David Phillip, 51, said of the moment Sunday afternoon when his lens found the trio.
“It was just tender. It was very special.” he added.
Phillip said the woman and child were rescued along with
the baby’s father from their home in the city’s Meyerland section, where
water reached many roofs.
By Monday, the image had quickly become a symbol of the storm and rescue efforts, featured across the web and many front pages.
The Phams, carried to a police staging point at a high spot in the road, were quickly whisked away, giving Phillip just a minute or two to get their names and witness their relief.
“House is completely flooded, but at least we are all together,” Catherine Pham posted on her Facebook page late Sunday. “We are so thankful that God was looking over us today!”
Soon after the Phams were rescued, Phillip said he broke
away to transmit the photos. It’s a good thing, too. Not long after, a
boat he was on hit an object underwater, probably a submerged car, and
the photographer was pitched backward into the water. His leg was
scraped by the boat’s outboard motor before fire department rescuers
could pull him on board. One of his cameras and all the images it
contained were lost.
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