[StBernard] Disaster Relief Update From State Senator Walter Boasso

[Westley Annis]

Disaster Relief Update From State Senator Walter Boasso 

October 24, 2005


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Sometimes, during this disaster recovery effort, we often need to take a
moment to reflect on where we've been since August 29, or how far we've come
since Katrina devastated our parish, or where we're going in terms of
rebuilding our parish. Well, in a moment of reflection, we promised Christy
Guenther, a 20 year-old young mother from Violet, that we would do our very
best to share her incredible Katrina story-set-to-her-own-poetry with our
66,000 fellow residents scattered across the United States. It's a harrowing
recollection, with no clear "rest of the story" - just like our own
individual roads to recovery have no known ending. But Hope and our Faith
remain,

Sincerely, 
Senator Walter J. Boasso 
Louisiana State Senate District 
boassow at legis.state.la.us 
(225) 342-2415

 

Hurricane Katrina: The Whole Story by Christy Guenther 

As my adult life is upon me, everything is great

I have a beautiful baby girl; my heart now feels no hate.

My new job brings wealthiness; I buy a nice car.

A natural disaster comes; what did God do this for ?

I'm swimming across the street; I can't touch the ground with my feet.

The wind is so strong; the water is too deep.

I make it to a two-story house and swim for the stairs.

When I get to the top, I'm thinking this isn't fair.

The water keeps rising; there's no time to even think.

We find a hammer - a hole in the roof is what we make.

Eleven people made it there - men, women and one child.

The water stopped rising; I was still in denial.

I find a small bedroom and open the window to look for a boat.

Hours go by, I hear people screaming from their attics; I'm losing hope.

I climb back inside to find a bag I carried with me.

I open an envelope, a picture of Ayla is what I see.

I hold it next to my heart and finally start to cry.

Helicopters and boats start to come by.

Running to the window, I'm waving my hands in the air.

The gentlemen on the boat only ride by and stare.

I keep thinking of my parents that stayed - are they still alive ?

Feeling so helpless, I want to run and hide.

I continue to look through that bag; I find my cell phone.

As crazy as it sounds, I wanted to call everyone, knowing no one was home.

Falling asleep on a stranger's bed, millions of thoughts go through my head.

If we don't get rescued soon, we'll all end up dead.

I was awakened by everyone yelling, "This boat's coming to get us!"

There is no power, we have to make it to the shelter before dusk.

Riding down a main highway, we had to duck our heads for every street light.

I couldn't believe my eyes; it was a horrible sight.

When we got there, we signed in and went to our cell.

The iron bed we had to sleep on was as hard as hell.

The next morning, I wanted to find my parents to bring them to safety and
leave.

They wouldn't let me out; my parents are alive - that's what I had to
believe.

Over eight hundred people were there, with thirty to forty people in each
tier.

An official stands up and says, "Walk to the ferryboat"; excitement takes
the place of fear.

We walk with no shoes and everything we own; we hold onto ropes as we step
on the boat.

Riding down the Mississippi River, it starts to rain; all I thought is,
"Please keep us afloat."

After going the wrong way and turning back around, the boat docks in
Algiers.

Everyone gets off into pitch darkness; no one was there for us - that was my
worst fear.

Just as I assumed, only one cop was there radioing for buses to bring us to
another city.

We stayed there for hours; I lay on concrete staring at the stars when
everything hit me.

Life from here on out would never be the same; unlucky people's lives have
come to an end.

Next thing I know, thirteen buses pull up with everyone piling in.

We left that night not knowing where we were going to be brought.

At that point, I didn't even care; my family and safety is all I sought.

Everybody loses everything, with no place to go.

God has a plan, with this he wanted us to know.

 

--Christy Guenther (October 2005)