Katrina survivor found in New Orleans home (3 weeks after storm)

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N18243357.htm

Katrina survivor found in New Orleans home


NEW ORLEANS, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Almost three weeks after Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans, a 39-year-old man was found alive on Sunday in one of the hardest-hit areas and apologized to rescuers for his dirty home.

Reyne Johnson and his dog were discovered in his small house in an impoverished neighborhood in eastern New Orleans when rescuers knocked on the door and he answered, said Oregon National Guardsman Staff Sgt. Robert Andrade.

Andrade said the rescue teams had been leaving food and water in front of the house because they suspected someone was there, but they had never before received a response.

Johnson moved stiffly and appeared disoriented as he walked from the home, which was in area severely flooded when New Orleans' protective levees were breached by Katrina's storm surge on Aug. 29.

[Pirate Smile]

1. Photos

Thirty-nine-year-old Reyne Johnson (3rd R) walks to a National Guard vehicle after being rescued from his home in New Orleans Parish in New Orleans September 18, 2005. Johnson, afraid to come out of his home, had been holed up with his dog since Hurricane Katrina hit.
REUTERS/J.P. MOCZULSKI


A medic (L) tends to 39-year-old Reyne Johnson (R) who was rescued from his home in New Orleans Parish in New Orleans September 18, 2005. Johnson, afraid to come out of his home, had been holed up with his dog since Hurricane Katrina hit.
REUTERS/J.P. MOCZULSKI


Miami-Dade rescuers free a survivor, 39-year-old Reyne Johnson (3rd R), from his home in New Orleans Parish in New Orleans, September 18, 2005. Johnson, afraid to come out of his home, had been holed up with his dog since Hurricane Katrina hit.
REUTERS/J.P. MOCZULSKI

[leftchick]

2. poor guy

I hope they let him keep his dog. :(

[Pirate Smile]

3. I know. They have to figure this evacuation issue out. Many people

are not going to abandon their pets. If there is an evacuation center, they need to have something to accommodate the pets or many people won't evacuate.

The babies, little kids, elderly, sick and animals are especially heartbreaking because they are particularly helpless.

edit to add - you've lost absolutely everything and then they want you to abandon your pet, that is just torturing people (and the animals). :(

[celestia671]

4. That's one good thing about the hotel I work in...

we've allowed people to bring in their animals.

[TahitiNut]

6. Our cultural prototype of homelessness would be lost without his animal.

I'm referring to the Lone Ranger and Silver, of course. Isn't it funny how seldom we realize the Lone Ranger was a homeless man? a transient? An "injun-lover," no less. :eyes:

[IndyJones]

5. Poor guy is right. :(

[leftchick]

7. Photo of Reyne's faithful companion.....

Miami-Dade rescuers feed water to a dog belonging to 39-year-old Reyne Johnson, who was freed from his home in New Orleans Parish, in New Orleans, September 18, 2005. Johnson, afraid to come out of his home, had been holed up with his dog since Hurricane Katrina hit. The death toll from Hurricane Katrina climbed to 883 on Sunday after Louisiana officials raised the number of confirmed fatalities in that state to 646, up from 579 at the last count on Friday. REUTERS/J.P. Moczulski

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. And 5,000? others weren't,

Motherfuckers.

[borzoi]

9. Reyne Johnson

Does anyone know which hospital he was taken to? I met his dog, Amanaster, at the Gonzales, LA shelter. Things don't look so good for this guy. I hope to tell him what became of his dog. Thanks.