On August 29, 2021, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Southeast Louisiana as a deadly and destructive Category 4 Hurricane. Ida had maximum sustained winds of 150+ mph. I can tell you from witnessing the storm from my home in Houma, Louisiana, those winds had to have exceeded 150 as many points.
My story:
On Sunday, my family had finalized all storm prep. This was my first storm as a homeowner, wife, mom, and adult in my opinion. I’ve been through numerous Hurricanes before, only evacuating once in my life. I stayed home through Katrina and many more storms. I felt prepared to the best of my ability. But nothing could prepare us for what we would see Monday, August 30th as the sun rose.
During the day Sunday winds began to pick up around 10:30 a.m. My home lost power around 12:20 p.m. that day. Around 3 p.m. the winds began to change into something I had never seen before. The sound of the wind is something I will never forget. My husband stood at the front door leaning on it for about 6+ hours to attempt to alleviate some pressure off of it from the wind. Thankfully Graham slept through about 3 hours of the scariest part.
Around 5 p.m. we lost cell phone service. Service was spotty before this time We had no way of communication, no way of seeing a radar to see how much longer we would be in these strong wind gusts, nothing. Our last communication came in from my mom saying we should be right alongside the eyewall. I knew when we were near the eyewall because my ears were constantly popping from the pressure changes and my stomach was beginning to cramp. At the time I was around 19 weeks pregnant and I would feel the baby moving a lot. I’ve always grown up hearing the pressure from the Hurricane can put you into labor if you are further along. I thought it was a myth. I no longer feel that way.
We had three sets of shutters on our home break open during the intense wind gusts. Our shutters are of great quality but not made to withstand 150+ mph winds. Our shutters continued to bang against our windows until after 2 a.m. praying our windows would not break.
Around midnight, Ross and I were exhausted. Graham and our dog were already sleeping. We decided we needed to go to sleep. We all camped out in the living room which is the center of the house. We barely slept with the constant wind and shutter noise. The next morning we woke up with the sunlight and decided to go outside and check for damage. Our house had minimal minimal damage. Mostly the shutters. No roof damage. Our neighborhood is very new so the homes around us looked great.
I was able to call my mom and text my mother-in-law. Both safe. Cell phone service went out again right after these messages. Our home had no running water or electricity. We decided to go to my mom’s house and check on a few friends’ homes along the way since they were evacuated. I have never seen so much destruction firsthand in my life. Trees on top of homes, powerlines, and trees in the road every quarter of a mile. No electricity, anywhere. All traffic lights were out. No open gas stations, grocery stores, pharmacies. We learned that our two local hospitals had to be evacuated due to no power, generator power, or running water. As we got closer to my mom’s house I quickly learned how lucky my family and my neighborhood were.
For over 17 days, we did not have electricity in my home. Luckily we got running water back around day 3. Power slowly began being restored and 3 weeks later there are still residents in my parish without electricity and running water. Our hospital is still not open. Businesses are slowly coming back with limited supplies and menus. Around Day 20 of the aftermath, FEMA began taking applications for FEMA trailers. I am not sure of a timeline for temporary housing. We have many many residents who are homeless. Living in their vehicles, tents outside of where their homes used to be or displaced to hotels out of state. Two major apartment complexes in my city had to be evacuated due to extreme damages. Rental property and short-term housing are nonexistent.
The first week after the storm the resources and supplies being handed out all over my town came from locals and people who used to be locals. Nearly every person I could think of that used to live here was making their way back with water, food, gas, supplies, and anything else that was needed. There were free hot plate lunches everywhere you would turn. Again, provided by locals, local businesses, local churches, etc. For nearly two weeks following the storm, if you needed gas for your vehicle or generator you would sit in line for nearly hours in hopes you did not run out while waiting. It was not uncommon for people to sleep in their gas in line outside of a gas station and pray a gas truck would be coming at daylight.
If not every house you passed had roof damage, every other house absolutely did. People began helping each other find ways to tarp their roofs to prevent even further water damage. If you do not know much about South Louisiana weather here is a preview in August…heat index over 100 degrees, humidity near 90%, random rain showers followed by even more humidity and heat, and NO breeze, all accompanied by our state bird- the mosquito. Many many people put tarps on their roofs to prevent further water damage and of course mold. Tarps are not 100% waterproof. Water can still get in with wind-driven rain, which can be a specialty in Louisiana. This heat made it dangerous to work in especially without a place with A.C. to cool off in or a hospital if needed.
Nevertheless, I saw my entire community come together day in and day out. Helping each other cover their roof, cut down trees, remove debris, and begin to gut their entire house putting all of their belongings on the front yard to be picked up due to mold and mildew damage.
Terrebonne Parish WILL rebuild and it will be ONLY because of its residents and the resilience we have as a community.
Help local teachers!
As we began to get spotty cell phone service days after the storm I learned of the significant damage to the schools in my district. Every school in my district had damage of some sort. Four schools will not be able to be used for an extensive amount of time going forward. These schools will be sharing with other schools. The entire teaching staff at these 4 schools have lost EVERYTHING. There was no ability to go in and salvage anything due to the dangerous conditions. Once safe to enter the schools, the school had now been without electricity for nearly 3 weeks and water damage had begun to set in.
Many other schools may not have had total destruction like the other 4, but their individual buildings did. So although they can return to their respective schools, they must start over in a different building.
My school is the newest constructed building in the district. We did not have damage. I feel extremely blessed and want to help as many teachers as I possibly can. It goes without saying that educators have gone through a lot in the last two schools years and so far this one. I can’t imagine the defeat they feel after setting up your room, getting to know your students, teaching for 3 weeks and then this happens.
If you can help in any way, these teachers would appreciate it so much! No purchase too small!
Here are some options to help:
Go Fund Me page for 3 of our Bayou Schools. Two will not be able to open anytime soon. According to the page, FEMA denied assistance because it is undetermined what is district bought vs personally bought.
Read more about it here.
Adopt a Teacher Facebook Group: You can join this group and choose a teacher to adopt by simply clicking on their Amazon wishlist. This group includes teachers from my district and neighboring districts who also had substantial damage.
Amazon Wish Lists: Below are local friends who sent me their wish lists! Again, they appreciate any and all support even if it is prayers!
Ashley LeBlanc, Bourg Elementary, Special Education Inclusion/Resource
Supplies specifically for the students and teachers of Lafourche Parish
Kaitlyn Meche, Broadmoor Elementary, Pre-k
Robyn Lirette, Broadmoor Elementary, Pre-K
Jessica Haydel, Bourg Elementary, 3rd Grade
Sarah Labauve, Bourg Elementary, 2nd Grade
Becky Theriot, Upper Little Calliou Elementary, 4th Grade
Brooke Theriot Folse, St. James Parish
Maggie Henry, Bourg Elementary & Upper Little Calliou, Pre-K – 4 Speech
Crystal Dupre, Bourg Elementary, 2nd Grade
Donna Fay, Terrebonne Parish, Speech Coordinator
Melanie Mills, Ellender Memorial High School, Physics, Chemistry, Physical Science
Mariah Walker, South Terrebonne High School, World History, Government, Civics
Trixie Walker, Acadian Elementary, Pre-K
Cheryl Hosea, ESL, 7 different elementary schools
Susan Adams, South Terrebonne High School, English IV
Bailee Dehart, Grand Calliou Elementary, 3rd Grade
Maegan Brien, Grand Calliou Elementary, 1st Grade
Janee Clause, Grand Calliou Elementary, 4th Grade
Crystal Dumond, Grand Calliou Elementary
Karen Denison, Grand Calliou Elementary, Special Ed
Jenny Bourgeois, Counselor, Grand Calliou Elementary
Whitney Batiste, Terrebonne Parish School District, Speech Teacher
