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THE SITUATION with Tucker Carlson
MSNBC
Tucker Carlson, David Shuster, Ron Allen, Kerry Sanders
6 September 2005
CARLSON: We`ve spent a lot of time talking about the villains in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina but there are even more heroes. One of them joins us now on the phone. His name is David Perez.
DAVID PEREZ, AIRLIFTED SURVIVORS OUT OF NEW ORLEANS (by telephone): Hi, there.
CARLSON: He`s a San Diego businessman who airlifted 80 hurricane victims from New Orleans to San Diego all in a 737 he chartered himself. He took them all shopping at Wal-Mart. That`s an amazing story. We`re honored to have you here Mr. Perez. How did they respond when you said "I`ll fly you to San Diego?"
PEREZ: I`m sorry what did you say? I didn`t hear what you said.
CARLSON: I just want to know about the exchange you had with the victims of Hurricane Katrina when you showed up and said "Let me fly you to San Diego in my private plane," what did they say?
PEREZ: Oh, they all jumped for joy. They were shocked and they just wanted to get out of hell. These people had been living, you know, in water and in sub par conditions. They`ve lost all their belongings and some of them were separated from their family. One lady lost her son. It was a sad situation.
They were all happy just to get away and get out, you know. They were living in a shelter with curfews and, you know, everybody -- it was one big dorm. They just needed to get their lives -- get on with their lives. It was, you know, one week of hell that they went through.
CARLSON: What moved you to do this? At what point did you decide you were going to charter a 737 and bring these people to your hometown?
PEREZ: I woke up Friday morning after a sleepless three and a half nights in a row of watching, you know, this -- our government do nothing. I was tormented and I was in agony and I just didn`t feel right and I felt helpless and I wanted to figure out how to help these people and give them assistance.
So, I just did it, you know, woke up, called an executive jet service out of Carlsbad, California and I said, "Book me a flight. I want to charter a plane and send it to New Orleans." She said, "OK."
CARLSON: Wow.
PERZEZ: She said, "OK" and the next thing you know she called me back. She says, "I need you to wire some money" and I wired the money. Now, she knew I was serious and then once I had the jet secured with a receipt and the money wired, I called up the National Guard and I said, "I`ve got a jet to transport people. I`m going to fly it to New Orleans. What do I got to do?"
They said "We don`t need your jet." I said, ""Well, I`m loading food and water and, you know, supplies, medical supplies, everything. I went to Costco`s, had my people buy the supplies. We bought food and water at Costco`s and...
CARLSON: All right. I`m sorry, Mr. Perez we`re out of time. I`m embarrassed to say that because yours is one of the most compelling stories we`ve heard all week, really remarkable and your initiative and your generosity is stunning and I appreciate your coming on.
PEREZ: Thank you.
CARLSON: You`re in Baton Rouge but right now obviously you`re doing more good. We appreciate your taking time to talk to us. Thank you.
PEREZ: My pleasure.
CARLSON: Still ahead on THE SITUATION, you`ve heard all about the efforts to reunited hurricane victims with their families but how can people possibly get back together with others they love, their pets? We`ll introduce you to a man who has the answer.
Stay with us.