9 years ago this very night me and my family were running for our lives. Only several hours earlier, around noon, did we make the final decision to flee. Katrina was bearing down hard on this part of Louisiana and our neighbors in Mississippi. We knew we would have no water damage where we live, but predictions of winds consistent at 150 mph and above were intimidating. We hunkered down in Cullman Alabama in a nice hotel full of residents of both previously mentioned states. We had my little family, me, the wife and daughter, along with both moms and a bunch of dogs and cats. It was so odd, surreal and scary all at the same time.
When we awoke the next morning to the national news of widespread devastation in the area, we knew it would be days before we could return. So we headed further north, all the way to our son's home in North Carolina. Amazingly, as we stayed there all week, we found others that far north who were doing the same thing, surviving and wondering about our future. Every day, as the flooding continued and scenes of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast were flashed on the screen, we could only hope to return soon but to what would we return to? Finally, on day 6 of our odyssey, we decided to try and make it home. We were equipped now with a trailer and a generator and lots of gas and supplies in case we were without power for a few days. Little did we realize the damage in my area meant no power for almost 4 full weeks.
We were lucky, fortunate, the damage to my home and property minimal, especially when compared to what our neighbors had to endure in New Orleans, in St. Bernard & Plaquemine Parish and all along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
I am amazed at how well my family lived without lights and air conditioning, except in one room thanks to the generator. We ate donated meals and MRE's and watched TV by candlelight, again the generator played a role in watching TV. Both my wife and I were lucky that our respective businesses were up and running in about a week.
I was preparing for the Permanent Diaconate when Katrina hit, well over 1 year into formation. we would be told, about 6 weeks after the storm hit that the devastation to the Catholic infrastructure would inflict a toll on all of us in formation. Indeed, ordination, originally scheduled for early December 2007 was delayed to mid December 2008.
Looking back, my family had to endure lots of tree damage, a roof that needed replacement and some minor damage to my barn and out buildings. Very minor damage indeed when whole communities were basically wiped out.
Here is the bottom line, all of us who still stand tall in south east Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast are better people for having survived Katrina. We continue to remember, to mourn and to always be properly prepared going forward.
On this, the 9th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, may we pray for safety, no storms and continued healing from this horrible event. God Bless south east Louisiana and southern Mississippi.
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