Ferry Survivors and Families Cope with Guilt
BLITZER: Being rescued from a deadly situation is not the end of an ordeal especially when others have died. The vice principal of the high school taking the class trip aboard the ferry that was one of those saved from the sinking ship has a dramatic story. Tragically, he was found hanged from a tree at the school, an apparent victim of survivor's guilt. Just listen to these anguished parents waiting at the dock.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (translator): He left saying, dad, I'll be back, he says. Now, he's in the sea. Please help my baby. My baby is crying with fear in the sea. Please save my baby. All of his friends are there. All his school friends. I want to jump in the sea, she says. Thinking about my child in the sea, how can I, as a parent, eat or drink? I hate myself for this.</s>BLITZER: Awful, awful story. The guilt that comes from surviving a situation in which others have died can certainly be overwhelming. Our Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is joining us now. Elizabeth, what is the psychological burden these families, these survivors are now carrying?</s>ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, I think we heard it best from that mom just now where she said, I hate myself for this. I want to jump into the sea. It's the anguish of losing a loved one and thinking, was there something that I could have done? And, of course, there wasn't but, still, we're human beings, we're not always logical. The guilt just takes over. You know, the stories we've been hearing, Wolf, are just so overwhelming. There, for example, was a six-year-old girl whose seven-year-old brother and mother helped her get her life jacket on. And now those -- the mother and the -- the mother and the brother now cannot be found. There was a mom by the name of Catherine Kim whose child didn't want to go on this field trip and she encouraged the child. And now, she feels the guilt of having encouraged that. And also, there was a 71-year-old woman, a young man, a stranger, three times tried to pull her out and on the third time, succeeded. When she came out, what she said is why did so many young people die when I, an older person, survived? And, unfortunately, there's just -- there's no way to answer these questions -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: I know you've been speaking with some mental health professionals. What do they say can be done about this?</s>COHEN: You know, some people on their own can -- I don't want to use the term, get over it, but can -- you know, you always -- some people might always have this anguish and this guilt but they're able to function, other people will need help. Some people, it helps to recount the incident. For example, if a survivor was on the boat, recounting being saved from that boat. Other people, recounting it is not such a great idea and for them it's getting distance that helps. But everyone is different. And it's also different culture to culture.</s>BLITZER: Elizabeth Cohen, helping us better appreciate what's going on. And that culture-to-culture angle is critically important as well, thank you. More on this story coming up later. Another disturbing turn meanwhile in Eastern Ukraine. Flyers handed out in Donetsk, asking all Jews to register. We'll have reactions. Stand by.