Remembering Katrina…..at Thanksgiving

My boys, Josh and Aaron ,were students at Tulane when Katrina hit New Orleans. Aaron went with fraternity brothers to Houston and Josh went to Tuscaloosa and stayed with friends. After the storm, they both came home to help us. Soon we got them in to Cornell in Ithaca N.Y. Schools across the country took Tulane students . My boys told their SAE fraternity brothers and a large group went together. There friends were scattered across the northeast and met on weekends to spend time together until they could return to New Orleans.

When we finally got into the city, Josh’s apartment was destroyed. The side of the house and roof had collapsed. Someone had even opened tuna cans in his kitchen. Everything was covered with mold. The refrigerators had to be wrapped in ducktape and placed on the street for the city to pick up. While we were there the salvation army lunch trucks and national guard were everywhere. On returning to Tulane , the students did community service. Josh volunteered on Saturday mornings at a volunteer headquarters where people came from around the country to help. They tore out the inside of flooded houses so families could rebuild. Katrina had an effect on the way my boys look at life. They were thankful to Cornell and all the people that helped Tulane and New Orleans survive. We will forever be thankful for all the kindness.