Longtime Friends Among Everyday Heroes In Brussels
By Kait Richmond
PHILADELPHIA (CNN) -- It's hard to say how you'll react to a dangerous situation, and many of us hope we never have to. But two friends were forced to find out on Tuesday morning when bombs went off at the Brussels airport, killing 31 people and leaving more than 300 wounded.
Dr. Laura Billiet was dropping off her friend, Laura Harper, who was catching a flight back home to the United States. They were outside when they heard the explosions, and turned to run toward the police station. The first thing they did was pray together. Then, Billiet's medical training kicked in, and she started helping the wounded who were being brought in.
"I think anybody else would've done the same under the circumstances," she told CNN's Alisyn Camerota.
Harper watched as her friend jumped into action. She stayed behind at first, saying that she thought she was going to be sick from the sights and the smells of the scene.
"I was a coward," she said, as Billiet shook her head, indicating otherwise.
But Billiet came back, and told Harper she needed to come help some young, English-speaking girls who were injured. She did, comforting them while they waited for paramedics to arrive, and pointing to the other everyday heroes who were doing their best to help.
While Billiet is a doctor, she's never seen a mass casualty situation, so she said the hardest part was the sheer amount of people who needed help.
"A lot of people are asking for help or they're begging for help."
Secretary of State John Kerry mentioned Billiet by name when he visited Brussels on Friday, praising her actions at the scene.
But Billiet said the real heroes "were the first responders."
Harper is now back home in the United States, and Billiet is still in Brussels, in the process of moving. Both said they are trying to recover, and ask that people donate to GoFundMe.com/PrayForBrussels.
"We're always asking, 'What can we do to help?'" Harper said. "That's something you can do to help."
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