Hurricane Katrina Survivors Remember The Acts Of Compassion And Humanity That Saved Them 20 Years Ago

2 weeks ago

“I was blown away,” Rodney said. “So, erstwhile I deliberation astir that time, it’s complex, because not only did I acquisition nan horrors of nan moment, I didn’t acquisition arsenic overmuch arsenic galore others. And so, there’s a consciousness of emotion blameworthy astir it because I wanted to thief arsenic well. But I was heartened by small acts of kindness and large acts of kindness I saw each on nan way.”

Rodney and his family yet relocated to Houston and he opened a patient there. But he kept nan New Orleans agency open, too.

While Rodney was capable to upwind nan large wind pinch family members, Roxene Thompson Kastens could not get done to her beloved grandparents, some successful their 80s, aliases their 101-year-old cousin. They went missing aft being convinced astatine nan past infinitesimal to wantonness their location and retreat to nan Superdome.

For 2 days, “everything went black; nary communications,” said Kastens, a New Orleans autochthonal who lived past and still lives successful nan Washington, D.C., area.

“I was panicked,” she said. She had been moving connected her dissertation for a doctorate, put it speech and headed to Houston, wherever her grandparents were yet recovered by her champion friend astatine a normal center.

Kastens recalls being successful Houston and resting her caput nether her grandfather’s limb arsenic they watched nan unthinkable devastation of their location municipality connected TV.

“He said, ‘Baby, I don’t deliberation I’m ever going backmost location again,’” Kastens recalled. “His tears poured from his eyes onto my face.”

So overmuch was lost, including nan awesome of her grandfather’s bravery during World War II. In 1944, Willie Wesley Thompson, a Navy seaman, saved 2 lives successful nan South Pacific. One was a sailor who went overboard and astir drowned. The different was a sailor who had fallen betwixt 2 ships while disembarking 1 and boarding another. Instead of being honored, he was dishonorably discharged erstwhile those he saved contended he had tried to drown them.

Willie W. Thompson and wife, right, pinch Roxene Thompson Kastens

A chance gathering pinch a young Black Naval serviceman decades later resulted successful him researching Thompson’s case. “He recovered 2 of nan men he saved and they admitted that he had saved them,” Kastens said.

This yet led to Thompson’s reinstatement into nan Navy aft 60 years. He was past honorably discharged, pinch countless salutations and medals for his heroism.

All those medals, commendations and a folded American emblem were mislaid successful nan hurricane. “He kept each that worldly nether nan sofa truthful he could propulsion it retired erstwhile group came over,” Kastens recalled.

But aft Katrina, nan Joint Chiefs of Staff and nan Secretary of nan Navy invited Thompson to nan Pentagon.

“They took him into a small room and gave him a box,” Kastens said. “It had each nan medals and honors that were mislaid successful Katrina. It was an enactment of kindness that softened nan devastation of Katrina. It meant everything to him — to each of us.”

Thompson died successful 2007 astatine 89. His woman passed years later. Their relative died 4 months aft nan hurricane astatine 102.

“Katrina really took a toll connected older people,” Kastens said.

Lakeita Williams was rescued by canoe successful nan beforehand gait of her mother's home. The transverse supra nan doorway has remained location since earlier nan storm.

As for Lakeita Williams, nan pregnant female who was saved by a canoe, nan toll of Hurricane Katrina is lasting but it has not stopped her aliases her family. Her son, Tavis, is now 20 and her daughter, Treazure, whom she was carrying successful 2005, is simply a sophomore thriving astatine Spelman College successful Atlanta. Out of Williams’ acquisition came a book, “Heaven Responds,” wherever she recounts really her prayers and nan acts of others carried her and her family through.

“When we sewage to barren onshore aft nan canoe, a young Black man took america arsenic adjacent arsenic he could to nan Superdome,” Williams said. “Everyone wanted a ride, but I deliberation because I was pregnant, he chose us. He wanted to protect my unborn child.

“That’s nan benignant of point that you don’t hide and you’re grateful for,” she said. “From there, we were capable to get immoderate help, get to a friend’s location and cleanable up immoderate and past get a autobus to Baton Rouge. So, without nan thief of others, nary telling really our communicative would person ended.”