Katrina's Forgotten Victims: The Stranded at Charity Hospital

Big Charity is a feature-length documentary film about the tragic demise of the most important medical institution in the state of Louisiana, New Orleans’s 280-year-old Charity Hospital. This political and emotionally-charged film examines not only the controversial decision to close the public care hospital after Hurricane Katrina - which left Charity staff and patients stranded without food, running water or electricity - but illuminates and deepens the discourse over healthcare access and delivery in the United States. Charting Charity’s life and legacy, the film reviews both the long-term economic benefits of the new privately managed hospital currently under construction and the ongoing consequences of Charity’s absence.
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Content licensed from Passion River Films. Any queries, please contact us at: [e-mail]

[@triggerhappy8872]

Hey don’t forget the poor prisoners that were just left locked up in their cells many drowned & the media say nothing about it

[@themeekdontwantit]

Did that happen?! OMG! What a monstrous thing to do?! Leaving them like that, and no-one felt inclined to bring attention to that?!

[@kaseypb]

BIG facts.

[@fnkybr0wn]

@@themeekdontwantit us new orleans natives have been telling everyone for years but no one would really care

[@TreHarris-xd4yq]

@@themeekdontwantit You should look into the way the government handled Katrina and the people of Louisiana as a whole if you think that’s bad. The hurricane itself wasn’t the deadly part, it was the US government and how they handled things that killed all those people.

[@JuicyPeaches504]

Yepp. It was days before the president even acknowledged that we were in a crisis situation and sent water then days more before help came for us. It was a complete nightmare, I'm tearing up just writing this😢. 19 years later and seems like it was last year

[@lauranowak3632]

When New Orleans suffered from Hurricane Katrina I was a 911 dispatcher in Illinois just outside of Chicago, next to O’Hare Airport. Every week for about two months a neighboring dispatch center would call advising how many firefighters we were required to send for recovery efforts to New Orleans. I knew of Charity Hospital, but not the sad plans for its future back in 2005. All of my coworkers felt the same as I about the devastation in New Orleans, and the surrounding states. We took up a collection for one coworker’s church. I had family in Baton Rouge. The entire situation seemed completely surreal. Upon watching this video my heart goes out to the true victims of New Orleans, the citizens. You certainly deserved better than underhanded, backstabbing, politically motivated, and deadly decision making that cost you your houses, livelihoods, jobs, history, and in many cases your lives out of pure greed. If you look at the big picture they spent all of that money to build a facility that could easily suffer the same fate as Charity Hospital one day. What’s the big attraction to New Orleans supposed to be? Underhanded politics to gain a hospital facility that won’t treat all of the residents who rebuilt as they were instructed to make Nola strong again? If I’m a doctor looking for something with integrity, LSU isn’t going to be anywhere in my mind / heart after what they did to its own people! I’m so sorry that the rest of America wasn’t aware of the deceitful BS that you were made to endure. This is politics at its worst. Regardless of political party, never trust a politician. Your best interests never align with their financial goals. 😢😤🤯🤬

[@shentellbaby9022]

This video brings me to tears. I was born in Charity Hospital and I died in Charity Hospital if it wasn’t for charity Hospital, I wouldn’t be here. I was in a coma for seven days woke up in ICU I was 17 God wasn’t ready to call me home yet and I remember Katrina too it was one of the worst days of my life we were treated like 💩

[@vvskortni]

😭😪I’m a Katrina survivor & It’s 5:07am and Sept. 3, 2024 & I didn’t think I would wake up to this & now I’m crying my eyes out bcuz I still deal with thoughts & memories from Katrina. Oh Lawd it’s still painful for me. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@DonnaMayStanish]

vvskortni - 🫂❤️

[@dadaguiar]

sending you so much love. i’m so sorry you and your family went through that

[@vvskortni]

@@dadaguiar Thank You 💙💙

[@champagnesupernova5745]

The government can't be assumed to have citizens' interests at heart. This story is clear evidence of that.

[@paulazajac9155]

Sad, sad story of what could have been. God bless all those who fought for Charity.

[@EZ-Livin]

The government is a business & it will never have the citizens' best interests at heart.

[@karenpotter3562]

I’m so angry watching this !!! 😡these poor people/ patients won’t be treated the same way they were treated at old charity 😢

[@nickawilliams5175]

As a Hurricane Katrina survivor, this has made me tear up and relive the events and experience we have all endured. 😢

[@OnlyBeeMee]

God be with you all. What a wicked, !System! We live in.

[@divinespiritstacosgirlmessages]

Im a Katrina survivor it was horrible in new Orleans back then i lost everything i owned

[@GalaxyHasChestHair]

I'm so sorry for your losses back then 😢❤I truly am. I watched the whole thing for weeks and I'm from California and never saw anything like it. I hope you are doing well today ❤

[@babybluepradas1]

@divinespiritstacosgirlmessages 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾So Glad u made it

[@MezzaLoey]

So so sad! Money over individuals! Sending much much love to all the real people out there. May all the beautiful people in this story and others heal from this travesty!!! ♥️ New Orleans ♥️

[@aliciabourn2753]

People who lived in the area were ‘inconvenienced’ . Understatement much? They begged these people to come ‘home’, rebuild … we’ll be better than ever. Then just bulldoze these restored homes? I would love to know how much money these people received. I can’t imagine it would ever be enough for people to be ok with having their homes taken away. Eminent domain?

[@paulazajac9155]

Reminds me of General Hospital in Los Angeles. I was blessed to work there and to care for what I call the working poor. It was my privilege to treat those patients like they were precious. I wish I could have worked at this hospital. I can remember that I wanted desperately to go there and volunteer but I had to pay the rent, I did not have the luxury of doing so.

[@ccarter112657]

I was born at charity hospital on august 8th 1984 on Wednesday night at 8:59 pm 40 years ago it hurts my heart that they didn’t open it back up 😢😢😢😢

[@OnlyBeeMee]

@@ccarter112657 🙏🏿

[@ccarter112657]

@@OnlyBeeMee 🙏🏾❤️

[@OnlyBeeMee]

@ccarter112657 my heart hurts as I watch. God is real. I hate that you all were a worlds example of wicked practice... but now we know. Thank you for your story, I'm so happy that you are STILL here !

[@bbymks5]

That was the first and last time those suits ever held a shovel. Disgusting what they did.

[@christinacarpenter5918]

Seeing John Kennedy’s seemingly genuine care for this hospital and people of NOLA is honestly surprising, bc it’s not really what you see of him otherwise when acting as Senator. I knew Charity sustained damage and was closed but I didn’t realize it had been cleaned up and was able to function again! Knowing how it was kept from public access for the ppl of Louisiana for over ten years is enraging.

[@CarolineDarvill]

I couldnt believe the part where the Tulane staff just got into that helicopter and left patients behind......... amazing story of what they all did for each other and their patients

[@goddesssummer]

These workers deserve the highest of medals for their work they performed. What a tragedy….

[@OnlyBeeMee]

💯

[@goddesssummer]

@@OnlyBeeMee you’re a survivor from the storm it appears yes? Sending huge hugs to u hun 🫂

[@OnlyBeeMee]

@@goddesssummer no assumption. Im in kentucky. But it makes my heart heavy to see this.

[@jessicapabstconrad]

I was in a hospital bed in Ohio giving birth to my oldest child sobbing watching NOLA falling to its knees..but seeing videos like these lets me know that these are some of the strongest people❤

[@znayJ]

@@jessicapabstconrad I sobbed for days uncontrollable tears

[@sadib4782]

my mom was doing the exact same thing as you but in Vancouver BC while she was in labour with me. your oldest and i are probably born within days of each other. ❤️‍🩹

[@AlexisRoark]

We went to Charity Hospital for research for a fiction story. No story can adequately just how MASSIVE this hospital truly is. I was humbled and enraged. I wept.

[@cathylopez7950]

How many people did "L_U" hire to trash the place just days after the hard dedicated work of all those awesome volunteers had accomplished, with the highly anticipated hope of being able to open as soon as possible? If only just to function temporarily until the major restoration could be complete! Only the Good Lord above knows all that took place and rest assured all you good people of this wonderful state of Louisiana and every volunteer that worked so hard to bring life back to a hospital that practically all residents of this state some way or another has a story about, ALL will receive their JUST REWARD! WHETHER FOR THE GOOD OR THE BAD THAT TOOK PLACE!!!

[@louisakenneday4509]

The system is an abomination in America . So sorry for you

[@DonnaMayStanish]

louisakenneday4509 - I'm an American and I agree with you 🎯

[@juanmagallon]

That is messed up. They denied help to those who need it, and those who want to help

[@ttindustry6941]

Yes it's very sad 😭😢😭😢🤧

[@memeruss9896]

A great eye-opening video about how the suits and ties that rule everything in this world still sadly win in the end. It's all about politics, money, and clout, nothing else!! It's for sure not at all about the patients or the employees that worked so hard when Katrina hit. Nor is it about those that needed the care that Charity gave them! I applaud those that stayed with their patients till the end and are still caring for patients today! You can for sure tell the ones that talked on this video that thought it was all about them and the egos they needed to feed with a new hospital, those were the suits and ties, not the common man! Those people will be the ones judged by a much higher power someday! I also hate it for those that lost their beloved homes just to build this new hospital and especially those that lost their lives during Katrina! So many things done wrong when that hurricane came on land!

[@daniellejaskula7669]

Profit over people Disgraceful

[@veggigoddess]

That's how America has been since its Inception and always will be. We are a sick, evil, corrupt country. That's how we began and that's how we will all die

[@veggigoddess]

This should have been the end to America being able to declare it being a first world country. We've never been a first world country again

[@kathrynhorst7988]

How much is the University Hospital CEO’s salary and bonuses.

[@TUPELO_HUNNY]

Oh God no telling....back home at my community hospital the CEO received a $6,000,000 bonus but idk what his annual salary is....50,000 people in my town.

[@crystalcordell7102]

Every time I have been at Tulane dealing with the super specific neurosurgical care i needed to come in from the BR metro for....I would stand in the parking garage across the street and I could seriously hear the voices of those who have gone now who are still very much sad and feeling that melancholy,

[@juanmagallon]

@55:00 he only cares for the profit of those who can afford private care. Seems he does not care for those who cannot afford to pay for health care. That is just wrong

[@Dr.ZoidbergPhD]

That guy is a coward, bootlicker, and failure at his position all for greed.

[@jessicapabstconrad]

I can’t imagine being the original merchant that had the dream for Charity finding out what it is now..or the Daughters of Charity nuns that gave their entire lives serving those patients!! So sad..😢

[@jerrilynnhenry4942]

It was a disgrace that President Bush didn’t do more. So tragic. I know that we can’t depend on the government for anything

[@shantellanthony4291]

Very eye opening and touching documentary

[@juanmagallon]

This just made me mad even though I don't live there.

[@denisedean8749]

We were in East Texas, and so all we got was a lot of rain and wind, but it definitely did feel different than any other storm ever! Of course we had so many people flooding up here to get away from the storm. Even to this day in 2024 my heart still gets extremely heavy, when I think about Katrina. And for some reason that’s quite often.

[@znayJ]

I'm from Longview, Texas, and this absolutely broke my heart into pieces. I cried uncontrollably. For days

[@SERBIAZ]

Sums up the situation in the usa.

[@Komediennekymd2009]

Someone needs to do a movie or docuseries on the origins of that hospital and what happened during Katrina

[@zezeamazon]

Sickening. Truly disgusting

[@sepehrsalsabili3300]

I cant comprehend this happening in the USA. It's a very sad thing to watch and know about 😢 How nobody knows about this...

[@ttindustry6941]

💔😭 🤧😢😢😢 Still till this day and watching this It brought me way back. This was the worst time for my family. Back to school time and my mom's 68th Birthday. With God and Prayers these Patients, Mrs. T 🙏🏼 and the Song 💕, the Docs, Nurses, 1st Responders, and The Love everyone had for each other came thru and all the Angels who helped and saved people I Thank you today yesterday and in the Future. God Bless them all 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 Charity was the healing place. I know on many occasions 💕💕💕💕💕 So So Sorry it never came back 💔

[@rejeannagwynn5665]

That guy behind the desk really pisses me off

[@kwamesmith4841]

That LSU guy was disgusting. "The term "charity" was offensive to people." All the while smirking with a devious look on his face. Profit over care is what is killing the medical profession. We are allowing suits to run medical care and not nurses and doctors. That is one of the biggest issues. All of the doctors and nurses interviewed showed compassion and genuine caring. The business people all talked about money. This is shameful at best and downright immoral at worst.

[@cathylopez7950]

MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL!!! LEVEES JUST BROKE???? HUMM WONDER IF THERE WAS SOME MYSTERIOUS HELP WITH THAT!!!

[@patriciaarmstrong6601]

I think we all know what happened there money was involved and the government how can they helicopter tulain out but not charity it shouldn't matter the government is responsible in that situation.

[@Cnsalmoni]

Just when you thought it was horrible, it got worse. Well, at least Kathleen Blanco can’t do more harm. RIP

[@mrs.childers8333]

I live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, also known as the landmass we were completely wiped out the entire Gulf Coast, the entire bottom of the state of Mississippi, but if you visited today you would only know if u we’re here before. we had to go to New Orleans for my son surgery last year. It still looks like a third world country. there’s too many leaders in that city that is taking from the cookie jar and not putting in the baking. Something is very wrong there after two decades there’s no improvement.

[@laquansykes1903]

That’s so messed up

[@blessedhandsthemommythebus5708]

They should at least let the community clean it up room by room when I visited New Orleans homeless people under bridges were horrible at least they would have a roof

[@blond0577]

The hospital is inhabited by drug users, homeless people & also now houses a stolen bike chop-shop deep within. It’s full of graffiti, patient records, & is an absolute disaster area. There are some good videos from urban explorers from inside Charity as it stands today. The biggest mistake made was putting a charitable entity into the hands of a for profit institution.

[@blessedfire365xgf]

How about all the censored stuff we are not allowed to say

[@Karlito77751]

I hope people donate to this hospital ! Am from Liverpool England, I don’t have to worry about using any hospital in any city, r taxes pay for it🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏. 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@JuicyPeaches504]

That would be awesome but i promise the money wouldn't go to the hospital. This is New Orleans aka the most corrupt City in America. Our lives do not matter here, we're just numbers... 🧡

[@TUPELO_HUNNY]

Im a US citizen living in a country with socialized medicine. Its wonderful not having to choose between medicine and food. The healthcare provided is superior to anything Ive received in the US

[@veggigoddess]

22 people in my life who have died because they couldn't afford the medical care they needed to survive, all us citizens. Now myself and about 10 others I know are all in situations where if anything happened and we had to have medical care to save our lives, we wouldn't be able to afford it. It's a horrible vicious vile sick country

[@allisonleonard1227]

Thank you for sharing-my grandmother was born in charity hospital in 1931.

[@katherineking3283]

What if we put on a fund raising to buy it back.❤😂

[@reginacarrithers4454]

Citizens NEED to have the ability (as a whole), to go above their local corrupt government and get things done while having local government removed, fired and criminally charged for their corrupt actions against tax paying citizens and residents. New Orleans state government has ALWAYS been known to be one of the most corrupt and it's beyond time that it STOPS, with criminal charges held against those who have abused their power.

[@betsyulbrich7362]

Total travesty! Shame upon those responsible.

[@kendalewilkins9473]

When that Nurse said at 1:00:44-1:00:51 It’s here but it’s an empty house. Mother is still there but her children aren’t…… wheewwww I felt that 😢😢😢 and the fact people are still hurting many many years after we live in a cruel and wicked world 💔💔💔

[@delaciwoods8864]

I will never forget this I’m prepared if this happens in my town get prepared ppl have enough can food for 2 months flashlights and candles blankets and lighters first aid kits water please

[@susiebilk9905]

My heart is broken

[@guideonshortie]

The fact you have a NG from out of state seeing the red flags and called it out is insane!!

[@Nature-Light49]

Thank you that information. In a natural disaster is to survive and look for alternative solutions. When nature's fury comes, no one can stop it, seek shelter.

[@rlove3222]

Greed !

[@trtarts4814]

Inconvenienced? You Stole their homes for less than value and then tore them down against their will. Call it what it was.

[@sadib4782]

my jaw is literally on the floor. this is so dystopian.

[@emilyblu2906]

T was all about greed and uncaring monsters.

[@Justme-y6c]

How horrible, so so sad. Brings tears to my eyes and makes me so angry, the state and federal Government failed all of them.

[@Lady.B0420]

The way the Louisiana government handled this was so so wrong.

[@nickawilliams5175]

Charity hospital was definitely sacred ground which was why they made everyone abandon it.

[@michaelbrent4430]

Let me simplify this. Somebody wanted money. So they sold out the hospital. And, if this new hospital was ‘so great and innovative and world class’, why wasn’t my partner life flighted there on the verge of death? Oh wait! Because SLC is far better than what could be provided. Sometimes money isn’t everything.

[@nickawilliams5175]

Just imagine how much these CEO ppl profit financially. 😮😮

[@nickawilliams5175]

There's definitely something that is being hid w/n Charity hospital.

[@christopheabdulmosawwer35]

The beauty of American capitalism…

[@kaseypb]

so heartbreaking and appears to still be stuck in the political limbo - 1736 *smh - Hope they're able to pen it again. What an amazing building.

[@jessp.5173]

The chancellor guy’s segments make me angry. He’s like an old snake oil salesman.

[@Godzooky]

I remember Charity. And don’t get it twisted, it’s still standing strong. Charity trains the best nurses. Don’t @me. Now we have UMC! A leaky new hospital 😊

[@lisas8648]

I will never forgive the Mayor !

[@maureenbergin3453]

@@lisas8648 Nagin was pitiful. FEMA was just as bad.

[@rejeannagwynn5665]

They should all sue LSU

[@rejeannagwynn5665]

Very unethical, criminal even

[@mattb.7761]

They could've used that extra money to renovate the old hospital.

[@rejeannagwynn5665]

Unbelievable

[@SaraLarece]

My God 🙏🏾

[@nailsbychristina248]

This is so sad

[@reginacarrithers4454]

Wow. Wouldn't it be a wonderful miracle, if all the residents, doctors and nurses and other medical workers could up and LEAVE New Orleans??? That wonderful new waste of $$ University Hospital could sit all by itself empty and closed! CORRUPTION WILL NOT PREVAIL FOREVER and believe this...God holds a very special place for those who abuse and take advantage of others for their own (political) agendas!!!

[@wordvendor1]

Note to self: shop with Aaron. "Get it!"

[@Peace3132_]

Shame, shame, shame

[@Godzooky]

The hospital at Lord and Taylor’s sent me home with swine flu and I almost went to meet God.

[@XoxoMoot]

America can go save all over the world but........

[@jyj2072]

Wow just wow

[@pattymelt-go3fv]

Please like this video.

[@miraclenichols4332]

OMG OMG an inconvenience for the people!!!! Makes me sick!!!- that’s their homes!!! or was- sad- back to it--

[@BaneHuntress]

Men in suits and their high offices only hunting prophet need booting out their lovely view. I also remember when the UK wanted to send aid and ppl to help, our government was told "No, we just want the money. we can buy our blanker ourselves"... which made me not like the US just that little bit more >_

[@fayecox9401]

Larry you will get your karma

[@ArmandyLaPearl]

Things people do for money lol wow

[@Yemen-Muslim-girl-Alhmdolilah]

I am your sister from Yemen, and by Allah I only spoke out of hunger and distress. My mother, my brothers, and I lessons and tears. We are in a situation that only God knows about. God is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs for those who brought us to this situation. By Allah Almighty, I did not write this appeal out of distress and distress. Poverty, O world, they have felt it So, I hope for you. By Allah Almighty, Lord of the Great Throne, he ate what I had in the house. By Allah, my brothers, he is my brothers by sitting in the house. Who has no food? By God, we are in a very difficult situation. We have 6 people entering the house, and my father has died, and there is no one who can depend on us and who lives in it.We live in a rented house because we cannot pay the rent we owe. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''''' My brother, my first words are: I swear to God that I will not lie to you or deceive you. I am a Yemeni girl displaced from the war. My family and I live in a rented house in Al-Shahrab 15,000 Yemenis among us, and now we owe 45,000 for 3 months. The owner of the house is one of the people who does not have mercy, by God, my brother. He comes every day, insulting us, talking about us, and moving from the house to the street because we were unable to pay him the rent. The neighbors saw us crying and came back.They came back to talk to the neighbors and we were given the weekend. So we made him swear by God. He will take us out into the street. Have mercy on him and us. Our country is due to this war and we do not find food for our day, and my brothers and I live in a difficult life. Our father died, may God have mercy on him, and we have no one in this world who was with us in these harsh circumstances. My younger brothers went out into the street and saw...The neighbors eat and stand at their door in order to give them bread even if they break it. By God, to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, they closed the door and expelled them and came back crying. They are dying of hunger. No one has mercy on them and a holiday is returned. I have made a living, and now if one of us helps us with a kilo of flour, I swear to God, I am dying of hunger. My brother, I am an alien to God. Then, I ask you to help me for the sake of God. I ask you, by God, to love goodness and to help me, even if you can, by messaging me on WhatsApp.On this number 00967736246190 and ask for the name of my card and send it and do not be late and may God reward you with all the best, my brothers Sagar, see how they are and help us and save us before they throw us out in the street, you will be lost or we will die of hunger. My family and I ask you, by God, if you are able to help us, do not be late and may God reward you well..`/---~«««~-♡~♡~♡~~•~•~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡♡♡~~~: ~:~¡~¡~¡~;I.i.i.i.i.i......،،،،،،،،😮😮

[@kesishakura554]

@@Yemen-Muslim-girl-Alhmdolilah ❤️❤️🤔

[@End_Illegal_Apartheid_israhell]

wow

[@sadib4782]

14:14 im sorry, he WHAT? that’s impressive