My friend from NO area just called--1st time since before Katrina

[Nikki Stone 1]

She is safe, but she can't quite believe it. The shelter she was in became unusable immediately after the hurricane rains began--the ROOF started coming off. They were transported to another shelter DURING THE HURRICANE--a school a half a mile away--and while they were walking in the hallway, the roof of the school gymnasium collapsed. They all got down on the hallway floor and stayed their as the hurricane raged on. She stayed at the school in the aftermath. She had no TV and only knows about what happened from the radio.


Fortunately, her house in Lacombe is still standing. She is really surprised that it is. She says her neighborhood looks "like a war zone" with downed trees and power lines all over the place. She said there are so many trees down that you can't drive down the streets.

She is heartbroken about New Orleans but she is confident it will be rebuilt.

"My beautiful city is gone. We're gonna make it come back. You don't know these people."

[NMDemDist2]

1. thank God. I'm so heartened to see so many starting to check in

Maddy McCall is OK, but where is frustrated_lefty, southernDem04 & funkybutt?

:cry:

[Nikki Stone 1]

2. The cell phones in the NO area are still not working

I imagine internet connections are not available either. My friend was actually near Baton Rouge when she called.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

3. Good news!

Where is she going to stay for awhile? Does she need a place?

[Nikki Stone 1]

7. She has a place. I had found 4 different places she could go but she

doesn't need them. Her friends have a room in a motel for a week. I am trying to find a Western Union near there so I can wire her money.

[Talismom]

5. Yeah, I was looking today for funkybutt too! Hope they're all OK. n/t

[Swamp Rat]

4. Thank god! I have family in Lacombe too... haven't heard from them yet.

I have family and friends around every corner of the lake - still no word. :cry:

[Nikki Stone 1]

6. It sounds like Lacombe weathered the storm better than Slidell

There was an article from Lacombe earlier in the week in the Advocate. The physical damage was bad, but it sounded like people who stayed through the storm survived. Can't speak to specifics, but I'll ask my friend more questions about the area when she calls back.

SwampRat, you have no idea how much it hurts me when you, my friend, and other NO natives mourn your city. I can't imagine your pain, or hers. She was strong through the phone call until she started talking about "her city" and then her voice broke.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

8. Wow. I have a good friend from Lacombe. I visited his Dad's house

once, there's bayou in their backyard. Can't imagine they fared too well but at least it didn't sound like anyone died there...

[Nikki Stone 1]

9. Did they evacuate?

?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

10. I don't know, haven't heard from him. He (son) was living in New England.

I don't know if his folks got out of town or what.