Louisiana battles back after flooding
I recently returned to my hometown of Denham Springs for a weekend to help residents clean up homes that had been flooded. It was very emotional; almost everyone I grew up with had lost everything.
Knowing that folks in Lafayette, my current home, were also dealing with the devastation left behind by historic flooding, it was hard to ask people there to help those in Livingston Parish. But I did. And they responded with open hearts and donations of supplies to assist in cleanup efforts of fellow Louisianians.
Former residents of Denham Springs started organizing donations to help those in need, and trucks full of supplies rolled in from across the country, including Houston, Charlotte, Atlanta, Nashville, Austin and Lafayette. Distribution points across town had been set up to disperse the supplies.
The most unexpected moment of the weekend came while checking on friends who suffered total losses. They had lost everything, but they were reluctant to accept the donations. Surely, someone else needed the supplies more than they did. The humble nature of everyone I encountered was astounding. More than anything, people just wanted to share their stories and try to help others.
Through laughter and tears, story after story surfaced of residents rescuing each other by boat as the waters rose, even while they were taking on water in their own homes.
“We just did what needed to be done,” said Josh Johnson of Denham Springs.
A group of more than 10 men who lived on his street, all equipped with personal boats, went house to house rescuing friends and strangers alike. The group guided the Coast Guard into parts of Denham Springs and Port Vincent as they went door-to-door evacuating residents.
When they pulled up to the home of an elderly woman, she answered the door and said, “Can I help you?”
When they tried to get her out, she asked for more time because she was still in her gown. Upon returning to find her putting on makeup, they realized she was unaware of what was going on around her. She thought all the water had come from busted pipes. They insisted that she only grab the necessities, and after loading her oxygen tank and walker into the boat, they transported her to higher ground.
Later, the group would encounter men, women and children, dazed, just sitting on the side of the road. Their possessions were piled next to them and they had nowhere to go.
They came across a man who refused help as he waded chest deep through the floodwaters pushing four young children, including two infants, on a makeshift raft of mattresses, fleeing to safety. They insisted the family get into the boats, knowing the waters ahead had such strong currents that he surely would have lost some, if not all, of the children.
After the waters receded, communal rescues continued to take place on dry land. Johnson explained how his employer at Dow Chemical sent a crew to his house and quickly removed all contents, flooring, drywall, cabinets and insulation.
“We’d still be working to clear out without their help, days after the water went down,” he said. “We are lucky, we have somewhere to stay.” The family of four plans to live in their camper until the house is rebuilt.
Across the state, similar stories were heard.
Cheryl Brown Heston is using social media to organize cleanup efforts. She personally has gutted more than a dozen homes over the past week. Along with her husband, Todd, two teenage children, Sam and Nick, and a herd of friends, they continue the work, with no end in sight.
Each day, Heston posts addresses of those in need of assistance on Facebook. Each day, volunteers respond with help. She has organized volunteers from the schools her kids attend, from her husband’s rugby team and other rugby teams from Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Lafayette.
“It’s like being a den mom,” she said.
Heston, a marketing executive, was laid off earlier in the year. “I’ve never been so grateful to be unemployed,” she laughed. She is using her availability to help her community and says she has found her calling.
People of all races, religions, genders, ages and political affiliations have banded together to get the job done. It is truly inspiring. Those affected by the flooding will continue to need assistance in the weeks and months to come.
But we are resourceful, resilient and determined, and like so many disasters we’ve faced before, we will come out of this stronger than ever.
I’ve never been so proud to be from Louisiana.