On Aug. 29 merely eight years ago winds moved buildings and roofs, water overflowed stores and tremendous damages to a city full of life made it seem so dull. Killing more than 1,800 people it put a dent in this wonderful city.
Loitering, looting, robbing, raping and killing all came along with this hurricane. But the most heartbreak of all was separation.
On Aug. 30, following Katrina I got separated from my mother. In the mist of helicopters flying over our heads sounding out the weeping cries of mothers and children, they were picking up people and dropping them into other random states so swiftly that a lot of families began to separate.
After eight years it’s still some families who have lost their young, mothers, brothers, uncles and aunts. Besides half the people who made those evacuated states their permanent residence.
Being without my mother and on the search for her was heartbreaking, I remember exactly 73 days after the chaos of the storm is when I first talked to my mother and we met up in Baton Rouge. I never been so happy to be reunited with someone in my life!
Not knowing if life can get any worse, the worse thoughts were going thru my head.
Jani Jones, Kinesiology major said, “My mom use to watch us cry days after being stuck on the bridge not knowing what to say was their next move.”
“I don’t believe people really understand the scrutiny we were in. To sleep on a bridge and not know where our next meal is coming from”
” EVERYBODY using the bathroom in the same kindles, been there for so long that other peoples bodily orders are becoming prone to my nose, as if it was blooming flower scent.”
“Laying there you had to use your imagination.”
But the worse is sleeping in that Superdome with the little items we had not being able to be comfortable packed in their like sardines.
“Something always poking me and sticking me, bags so close to me hoping no one steals anything, it was days I didn’t sleep and now I appreciate my sleep, it was days I didn’t eat so I appreciate food more.”
“People don’t appreciate something so much until its gone and its sad that you have to wait until you lose everything that you realize you didn’t anything” Says Jones.
Even though it has been eight years, there are still parts of New Orleans that remain under construction, sad to say but one thing they made sure was up and running and that was Bourbon street.
Its houses as of today on Egania where my father stays that are still not rebuilt and boarded up. There are still people living under Claiborne bridge but Bourbon is fully functioning and showing the tourist a good time? My city! My city!
Lacey Mayo is a senior mass communication major from New Orleans.