"Getting the story and helping the folks of Mississippi"

[The linked story is no longer accessible.]

Vicki Smith, an AP reporter, based in Morgantown, W. Va., recalls her weeks covering the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi — and how she was changed by what she witnessed:

Then, in the middle of his eulogy, he startled us. "And God, please bless Darron and Vicki of The Associated Press, for being here with this family and for telling the world what the people of Mississippi are going through." We stared at each other, eyes wide, sweat dripping. Our mouths were open, but there were no words. Then we both had to look away. We had done so little in the face of so much devastation. And yet, they were gracious and grateful, something I found again and again in my time in Mississippi.