National Guard checks homes in Buffalo, New York for victims of deadly blizzard
- More than 30 deaths have been reported in western New York state from the winter storm that has raged across much of the country
- The National Guard went door-to-door to check on people who had lost power. Authorities also faced the grim possibility of finding more victims
The National Guard went door-to-door in parts of Buffalo on Wednesday to check on people who lost power during the area’s deadliest winter storm in decades, and authorities faced the grim possibility of finding more victims amid melting snow.
Already, more than 30 deaths have been reported in western New York state from the blizzard that has raged across much of the country, with Buffalo in its cross hairs.
Carolyn Eubanks, who relied on an oxygen machine, collapsed after losing electricity at her Buffalo home during a time when emergency workers were unable to respond to calls, son Antwaine Parker told The Buffalo News.
“She’s like, ‘I can’t go no further.’ I’m begging her, ‘Mom, just stand up.’ She fell in my arms and never spoke another word,” Parker told the newspaper.
Parker and his stepbrother knocked on nearby doors, seeking help. They found it when a stranger, David Purdy, answered and helped them carry the 63-year-old Eubanks inside and try in vain to revive her. Purdy and his fiancée sheltered her body until first responders arrived the next day.
