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In reply to the discussion: DUers post the thing about post Katrina that shocked you the most [View all]frustrated_lefty
(2,774 posts)This thread highlights much of the ineptitude and inhumanity that surrounded Katrina. There's a lot to be said in that regard.
My family was in New Orleans when Katrina hit, and it was a week before we managed to make it to an evacuation site. Memories from that time can still be, and often are, a kick in the gut.
The generosity and empathy displayed by the people running the shelter in San Antonio was shocking in its unexpectedness, humbling upon reflection.
One example among many: a few days after arriving at the shelter, a burly giant of a construction foreman stopped by our cots, hat in hand, and hesitantly asked if he could talk with me for a moment. The hesitancy struck me, providing a stark contrast to the sheer size of the man. I was numb from the events of the previous week, tachycardic, dehydrated, and recovering from what doctors have since told me was probably heat stroke. He spoke quietly, saying he'd been watching me with my daughter who was the spitting image of his daughter. By the end of the first sentence, tears were running freely down his face and he appeared on the verge of breaking down into full-throated sobbing. He'd apparently spoken with his wife, showed her a photo he'd taken of my daughter to show the resemblance, and explained to me that they wanted, needed, to help us. He felt he had to do something because he couldn't imagine what they would do were their daughter in that situation. He placed a sealed envelope on the cot, thanked me for my time, and walked away, never seen by me again. I was in bad shape at the time, actually struggling to comprehend what he wanted from us. The envelope contained $2,000 in cash.
It's one story of many, but is one memory I still find humbling. This man and his wife experienced a genuine emotional anguish at seeing our suffering and they did what was within their power to help. It's important to remember the failings and ineptitude of that time so that we can try to prevent their recurrence. It's equally important to remember the individuals who rose above their self-interests and listened to their better angels, for lack of a better phrase. In those moments of clarity, we find the very best of humanity along with the worst.