Undergraduate /
ESSAY B. An issue of importance to you...KATRINA- My Story [4]
On August 27, 2005 my father,
my sisters and I ate donuts at a local café in Waveland, Mississippi
, called Daddy' O's.
The Patrons that morning talked of the storm in the Gulf among other things. Tropical storms are a regular occurrence along the Gulf Coast so there was not too much cause for alarm. We knew the standard drill, stock up on food and water for a few days, fill the bath tubs full of water and bring in the lawn furniture into the garage. We would handle this storm just like the previous ones. Little did anyone know that within forty-eight hours, all of their lives would be forever changed.
The region that we came to love on the Gulf Coast suffered colossal damage on the morning of August 29, 2005 as Hurricane Katrina released her fury upon our community The nearby town of Diamondhead
, where my family and I resided
, was utterly devastated and the infrastructure was in near-complete ruins. It was obvious that the kind of damage inflicted by Katrina was not something that could be healed overnight. Thankfully my family and my house were not harmed, but the community I called home for so many years laid in waste. The Daddy O's café
, where my family met just prior to the storm was completely decimated by tornadoes and rising water. The only recognizable feature was the booth where we ate our last meal together before the storm. For days that turned into weeks there was no electrical power, clean water, gasoline, or hope. Despair was widespread. Ordinary things, that a typical family took for granted, were now in short supply. Each day I spent wondering when I could return to my school, were my friends safe, and when will everything be back to normal?
Before Hurricane Katrina, everything in my life seemed to be going smoothly. It was the beginning of my seventh grade year at Hancock Middle School. I was a starter on the Hancock High School varsity soccer team and also a valuable team member on the middle school track team. Everything I had anticipated about the new school year was driven away by Katrina's winds and storm surge. Once school resumed in December, our school did not have the resources to support most of the usual student activities. We sponsored car washes and bake sales in order to purchase sports equipment and uniforms to replace the ones that were damaged by the storm. The school year was a major disappointment and setback for virtually all of the students at Hancock Middle School.
At one instance after the storm, school was suspended until further notice. As a result, I decided to make use of the opportunity to help out around my community. I worked at a distribution center near what used to be Wal-Mart and helped organize and distribute thousands of donated items. Each day hurricane victims from all along the coast would come in search of necessities they desperately needed. Many came in search of food, clothes, water, or just a friendly face. Every person I came in contact with had a different story to share with me, stories of survival, stories of tragedy, and stories of life. Several of them had lost everything but the clothes on their back, and yet they were still in great spirits. After recognizing some of my neighbors standing in one of the lines, I remember breaking down and sobbing to my mother that this could have easily been us standing in that line. This firsthand account made a major impact on me, and I have walked away with a different perspective on life and a renewed appreciation of those things that we choose to be most important in our lives.
Fast forward five years and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina continues to resonate within me. My family has relocated twice since the storm and I am now completing high school in Central Texas, but my mind continues to wonder back to the south coast of Mississippi. The memories of the devastation caused by Katrina continue to linger. Undoubtedly, this will be one of the biggest life changing events that I will encounter in my life
, ; however I believe it has made me a stronger person as a result. I learned to understand that I cannot take anything for granted. I am now a much more
relatable personable person, in that I comprehend what others are going through when they are having troubles. The days following the storm taught me a valuable lesson of life and how quickly material things can be taken from you. I deeply appreciate everything that I have because I know it will not last forever. The most important message I have obtained is that material items mean nothing compared to family and friends. Perhaps when Daddy O's
is rises has risen once again out of the ruble, some of these memories will pass.
You are a VERY talented writer, indeed. This is an excellent essay! I just found a few grammar problems, but the essence of the essay is remarkable, indeed!
Mark
