Overview:
With the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina this week, it’s natural to remember the extremely sad moments this natural disaster brought with it. However, I found that there were lessons I learned about myself and others.
This past Monday was the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina hitting the shore of southeast Florida. As the National Weather Service indicates, Katrina was a category 1 when it hit the Sunshine State and “produced 10 to 20 inches of rain, flooding, tornadoes, and injuries across Far Southern Florida.” However, four days after it hit Florida, Katrina would make an even deeper impact on the United States.
My Hurricane Katrina Experience
The date was Monday, August 29th, 2005. At the time, I was a student at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. I was working on my bachelor’s degree and living in the dorms. The word was that after Hurricane Katrina had exited South Florida, it had strengthened to a category 5. It was heading its way up the Gulf Coast.
According to the National Weather Service, before Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast, it weakened to a category 3. By the time it hit Hattiesburg, it still had hurricane-force winds. I remember being slightly scared in the dormitory but relieved that there were others around me. With the damage that Hurricane Katrina had done to Hattiesburg and South Mississippi, school would not be in session for the next two weeks.
Two of my good friends were also students at the University of Southern Mississippi. One lived on the coast, and the other outside of New Orleans. I invited them to come stay with me in my hometown of Jackson until classes resumed. During those two weeks, I learned a lot about friendship, loyalty, and helping others in times of need. I also realized how devastating a storm Hurricane Katrina was for the United States.
Effects of Hurricane Katrina
As the National Weather Service indicates, Hurricane Katrina was an “extremely powerful hurricane that caused enormous destruction and significant loss of life” and “was the costliest hurricane to ever hit the United States.”
As far as the Gulf Coast, homes, businesses, and various types of infrastructure were either destroyed or severely damaged. The storm surge from Hurricane Katrina caused the levees to break in New Orleans, leading to flooding of a huge proportion of the city. It was so sad to see the images on television. Besides Mississippi and Louisiana, Alabama, the Florida panhandle, Georgia, and Tennessee were also impacted by the storm. Remnants of Hurricane Katrina had effects on parts of the Eastern United States and even Eastern Canada by the time it made it there.
Coming Together after Hurricane Katrina
As mentioned, my two friends who came home with me to Jackson until the University of Southern Mississippi was back open were from this very area that had received so much damage. More specifically, one was from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, while the other lived outside of the New Orleans area. It was my honor to help them out during times of need.
During those two weeks that we stayed in Jackson, the three of us learned a lot about sticking together. We supported one another when times were tough. I feel that these are traits that everyone should learn. I made sure that they had all they needed at my house, such as food, toiletries, etc. They were very grateful for my services and even treated me to some meals.
As catastrophic as Hurricane Katrina was, one could argue that it brought many people together. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to deny that not everyone in the world has a good nature. Personally, though, I saw many that did after Katrina. Recently, I have read about others as well.
After performing some research, I was impressed to learn of the ways in which people were helped after the storm.
Inspirational Stories of Assistance
The publication titled “Special Issue: A Narrative Works Monograph. Listening to Stories of Courage and Moral Choice: Creating Conversations about Inclusive Care in our Schools and Communities,” which was published in Narrative Works, has a chapter titled “Stories of Helping in the Aftermath of Katrina” (Chapter 3) that discusses interviews and stories from people who provided help after Hurricane Katrina. One involved a man named Roger, who was a first responder. Roger, who came to New Orleans with the Red Cross, faced some very dire circumstances. They were warned that there “would be lots of insects and snakes,” and “there were no functioning hospitals,” so they had to bring enough to support themselves. It’s stories like these that showcase the very sacrifices that people made to give help to others. You can make the case that not just anybody would be willing to do this.
Baton Rouge Retreat
Robin, another person whose story is in the publication’s chapter, had to retreat to Baton Rouge after Hurricane Katrina. She waited there before she could come back to New Orleans. In chapter 3, “Stories of Helping in the Aftermath of Katrina,” in the publication “Special Issue: A Narrative Works Monograph. Listening to Stories of Courage and Moral Choice: Creating Conversations about Inclusive Care in our Schools and Communities,” Robin explained how, while in Baton Rouge, she was provided great support. Robin then explains how, after she returned to New Orleans, she “housed and supported co-workers in her home.” This was a perfect way of not only receiving help but also giving it back.
Looking Back at Katrina 20 Years Later
With the 20th anniversary of when Hurricane Katrina struck the United States, I look back on both the sadness and the lessons learned. Hurricane Katrina was a terrible catastrophe. I think it’s important to remember all the lives that were lost and those whose lives were changed.
I think that, as tragic as Hurricane Katrina was, it also revealed the true nature of certain people in times of emergency. Even though there are people in the world who don’t have a good nature, I feel that there are plenty of others who do.
After Hurricane Katrina, I learned a lot about myself as I found I had the heart to help people in urgent times by providing housing for my friends. In addition, I saw the efforts of many people in communities who were willing to do the same thing. These stories I mentioned also revealed to me the very lengths that people had to go through to help those affected by the storm. The willingness of some to give after they had received was admirable.
When push comes to shove, show your true self to both yourself and others.
References:
https://www.weather.gov/bmx/event_katrina2005
https://www.erudit.org/fr/revues/nw/2019-v9-n1-nw05177
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