JOURNEY TO A RUINED HOME
Posted: Tuesday, September 27 at 12:05 pm CT by msnbc.com
CAMERON PARISH, La. -- When we finally cross the Gibbstown Bridge and drop into the valley beyond, we know right away we we’ll go no further in our rental truck unless it sprouts wings and a propeller. The road disappears into water, and there’s nothing but liquid marsh as far as the eye can see. A week ago, we would still be 10 miles from the coast. Today this is beach-front property.
Huey Mhire rides with his nephew Zeke Wainwright (not pictured) in a boat toward their homes in Grand Chanier, LA for the first time following hurricane Rita's landfall Monday. The two found both homes destroyed. (Andrew Locke / MSNBC.com)
VIDEO: Journey with Huey Mhire and his nephew Zeke Wainwright to their homes in Grand Chenier, La. to survey the damage from hurricane Rita first hand. (warning: this video contains adult language) (Andrew Locke / MSNBC.com)
As we pull up to the end of the road, we spot two men launching a flat-bottomed boat into the murky water. As they struggle to start the engine I yell out and ask to join them on what I imagined would be a short trip south. The older man yells, “Well, come on,” and Bob and I hurriedly agree to separate. I’ll take a boat ride, and he’ll stay behind to do a few more interviews and update the blog.
Once on the water, we make quick introductions. Zeke Wainwright and his uncle, Huey Mhire, are trying to make their way to their homes in Grand Chenier, La., some 15 miles away from here. This entire region has been closed off by authorities since Rita made landfall Friday night, and the pair are anxious to see what remains of their homes.
However, with 15 miles to go, this will not be a one-, or even three-hour tour. Unable to reach Bob (our satellite phones are sitting in a FedEx box in Memphis), I settle in for the long, hot, wet ride.
Wainwright is the principal at a local elementary school, while Mhire is spending his retirement as a hunting guide. Both are jovial as we bomb through the reedy marshes, sharing local lore and vernacular. Their boat, for example, is known locally as a “mudder” and its flat bottom and pivoting propeller allow it to move in water only a few inches deep. As we cross the first fence lurking only ankle-deep below the water’s surface, I immediately see the value of the design.
As we motor deeper into the flooded area, the extent of the damage begins to sink in. We see countless dead animals -- nutria, cattle, snakes, deer and even birds. Farther in, partially submerged houses litter the watery landscape. Mhire’s mood begins to darken. Not only are these houses submerged, none of them are sitting where they were before the hurricane. “This does not look good,” he says.
The journey is arduous. Even with the boat’s shallow draft, we have to climb out of the boat and drag the hull over submerged levees, roads and fences. We’re soon all soaked below the waist with oily floodwaters, and above with sweat. We pass a two-gallon jug of water between us and carry on.
Almost four hours after we began our journey, we bank on the edge of a flooded field next to Mhire and Wainwright’s homes, and finish our journey on foot. As we approach the houses, Mhire’s hopes are buoyed. “I can see the second story,” he says almost giddily. But the awful truth is soon revealed as we climb the shallow bank. Mhire’s second story appears intact, but all that remains of the first floor is the 2x4 framing and twisted debris.
We pass Wainwright’s home first. The destruction is complete. The walls have all collapsed and the contents of the home now lie strewn across the muddy yard.
As we move closer to Mhire’s home, a frightened dog skitters from behind some debris and barks menacingly. “Forkey! Hey girl,” he calls. The dog prances cautiously toward us, circling closer before finally submitting to a pat on the head. The dog was loose when Mhire evacuated and couldn’t be found before they had to leave. Mhire is ecstatic, and judging from what we find at the house, I can only imagine what Forkey had to survive in order to be reunited with her owner.
We arrive at Mhire’s house and the damage is stunning. The remains of the brick walls lie shattered on the ground and only the most solid construction remains inside -- support beams, the fireplace and the remains of their kitchen countertop. As we move through the rubble, we hear a cat meowing from the now-unreachable second story. It’s Lucky, one of their family cats, sitting atop his wife’s sewing cabinet. Unable to reach her, we have no choice but to move on, with Mhire relieved that she has also has survived the storm.
Back outside, Mhire faces the shell of his home in shock. “I’ve lived on this plot for 68 years, all my life,” he explains. “This is terrible.”
It’s a cruel irony that the house his father built, sitting on the same plot of land, had been similarly destroyed in 1957 by Hurricane Audrey. They rebuilt then, but he’s not sure what they’re going to do now. “I don’t know. I just don’t know,” he says.
Night is approaching, so we hurriedly drag Forkey the dog into the boat and set off for dry land. We spend a tense hour working our way over submerged obstacles in the fading light, and pull up just as the Coast Guard is preparing to come find us, more than five hours after we’d left.
With Forkey happily perched in the back of Mhire’s pickup truck, we say our goodbyes. The wizened and jovial spark I saw earlier in his eyes has returned. “Y’all tell FEMA not to forget about us out here, OK?”
As dusk finally succumbs to night, we get in the truck and end our last day reporting for this Weblog. As we drive, my head is filled with the countless voices of people I’ve met during my two reporting tours, first in the days following Katrina’s landfall, and now in the destructive wake of Hurricane Rita. For me, this cacophony of voices has begun to merge into a single tale, not of looters and chaos but one of boundless human kindness and resilience in the face of unimaginable personal tragedy.
The people of this region are suffering. To be sure, the victims of Katrina far outnumber those devastated by Rita, but victims of both storms are in need of help. And regardless of which storm devastated their lives, they will continue to suffer long after the last satellite truck has left the scene. But I will never forget them, and I hope that you, our readers, won’t either. The power to help these people is, as it always was, in your hands.
FOSTER CARE FOR MISS KITTY?
TRACKBACKS
Andrew, I looked forward to your initial tour and was pleased to have the opportunity to read your second tour. You made the people real and not just some sort of realty show.
Kramer, Milwaukee, WI (Sent Sep 27, 2005 12:34:16 PM)
My heart and prayers to all in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas who have lost somuch due to the recent storms. I'm most upset at the way FEMA handled their support and now the removed head Mr. Brown laying blame that Louisiana was dysfunctional. How could a so called lawyer, horse show head accept a position that requires so much knowledge, experience and abilities to respond instantly call a state dysfunctional. I think it would be dysfunctional to accept a position you know very little about, make a complete fool of yourself attempting to do the job, be removed and then try to lay blame to a state that has just gone through not one but two disasters and lost thousands of citizens and billions of dollars inn home, businesses, schools and industries. Another case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing politics or in the south it would be called the "Bubba System", you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours!
M. Curry (Sent Sep 27, 2005 12:50:38 PM)
The Deshotel Family from Hayes, La., 22 of them Spent a few days with my family in Bastrop, La. They left yesterday morning going home. I have been unable to contact them via phone. You are near Hayes I believe. Can you ask Mr. Mhire if he has seen them today? Curtis and Cary Deshotel from Hayes, La.
Loretta Williams (Sent Sep 27, 2005 12:51:51 PM)
As a child, my family & I spent our summer vacation in Holly Beach & Cameron -- fishing and getting our supply of shrimp off the boats. The people their are the most friendliest you will ever find. God bless them and hope they will all be able to start over again. (I use to live in Bossier City)
Catherine Harris Frazier (Sent Sep 27, 2005 1:17:55 PM)
I will never forget them, never. Thanks so much for sharing this story. I will have to add Grand Chanier to my prayer list.
Theresa Mack, Germantown, MD (Sent Sep 27, 2005 1:23:02 PM)
Thanks for reporting the real news of our people and their terrible situation. I hate to hear you are leaving our area. I have read your reports everyday since I got my electricity back after Katrina. You guys be careful while you are out and about where ever you go next. Hopefully you won't have to be back on the Gulf Coast to report any more storm damage. You have willingly gone where no other reporters have gone before. Thanks for keeping us here in Louisiana updated on all of our neighbors not just those in the Big Easy. There is no one person here in Louisiana that hasn't been effected by what is happening here and across the Gulf Coast. God Bless and keep up the good work.
Lee Anne, Greenwell Springs, LA (Sent Sep 27, 2005 1:43:49 PM)
Thank you so much for what you have provided us. This will stay with me along time. It is the people; the Bill's of the area that I will remember most from these days.
Debbie Potts, Plano, TX (Sent Sep 27, 2005 1:45:56 PM)
Thank you for giving us a glimpse of the lives of those affected by these two hurricanes. These two men really exemplify what Americans are truly like. The most caring and giving people in the world. It's a shame more people will not see and hear their stories and not be left with the images of New Orleans down spin into shame. Their a great people in the world and there are those who rob, rape and murder. There are those who rise to the top and take charge of their lives and those who set, wait and complain because more is not done for them. What occured in New Orleans could have been stopped by people who knew right from wrong stepping forward. As the two men in the boat, we are all captains of our own ship and we are responsible for how we sail them. May God be with the people of these disasters.
Lydia Adkins, Cordele, GA (Sent Sep 27, 2005 1:50:09 PM)
I am so sorry for your lost. You are in my prayer
Aubrey (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:11:20 PM)
My sincere apologies for your current situation, but thank you for also sharing with us your story!
Jessie Songer, Truckee. CA (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:15:32 PM)
Great Story. I've spent my life in and around NOLA. Enjoying all that our great state has to offer and past times of fishing and hunting in these beautiful areas. There have been so few stories of the people and places like the smaller cities and town around the larger cities in LA. They've gotten some of the worst these two hurricanes had to dish out.
Mike Shannon (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:15:53 PM)
I live in Truckee California, I'd just like to say that over here we might not feel the effects of Katrina and Rita as musch as down there, but our hearts are still out to you.
L. Santen, Truckee, California (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:16:14 PM)
Wow reading the details u gave just carved a picture into my mind its set in stone and ill never forget it. What those people have gone threw is hell on earth, no one should ever have to go through, i wouldnt wish this kind of trama and dissapiontment on my worst enemy. Hopefully the can pull it together with the help of other states contributing. They may rebuild on the outside but the heart of the gulf is damaged forever.
Kyle, Truckee CA (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:17:19 PM)
My hopes for the people who can't get out even to the closest town
Anthony C.Smith, Truckee, CA (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:18:43 PM)
I am sorry that you had to go through this. It is really devistating. I hope that one day you will be able to live there again.
Jeffrey Worcester, Truckee California. (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:19:54 PM)
I feel that I think that this is one of the worst things that happened. I think that it is so sad how so many people lost their homes and things that they chairshed iteams and there animals. How animals died is just heart tearing.
kati murphy (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:26:02 PM)
Thank you for telling us that story .hope alot of people will try and help all those people.
god bless you.
Angie Ortega,Truckee,CA (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:26:32 PM)
Thanks for letting us know what is going on with you guys. It's sad but interesting. Our thoughts are with you guys(and girls). Hope you all make it through okay.
Alex Leslie, Truckee, CA (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:27:15 PM)
i feel so bad. i feel really sorry for all those people who lost their homes, i could never imagine losing my house.
Megan Licciardo (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:27:56 PM)
Thank you for covering this story and posting this BLOG. As a high school teacher in Truckee, CA I continue discussing the news about Katrina and Rita with my students. I want them to realize how blessed they are and to see the possible ways all of us can help out those in need in the gulf states. This blog and other news reports provide a powerful message by making the situation personal through interviewing and sharing the lives of people affected by the storm. Myself, family, and Church are praying daily for the victims and that the country does not forget them once the news fades out. God bless, Jon Halvorsen
Jon Halvorsen, Truckee, CA. (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:28:58 PM)
I am very sorry about that,but thank you for sharing your story with the world.You gave us a glimpse to how you and other people are living right now. God bless you & every one out there.
Anna Garcia,Truckee CA (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:29:47 PM)
I feel so bad for you. Im so sorry that this disasted happened to you!i feel so bad for you and your family,friends and pets.
Michelle Hoehn, Truckee California (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:30:30 PM)
Hi my name is Patty and i'm really sorry for you guys lossing your homes and your families and i am paing here donations so all of you have a least something to feed you or make you comfortable. hope you get better!
Patty Ramirez, Truckee,C.A. (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:31:42 PM)
i think that it is really sad that the mans house was destroyed but it is good that he found his dog. I think that anything anyone can do to help is highly needed as should be done as soon as possible.
Jordan Jensen (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:33:12 PM)
Thanks for that story. It really makes you think about what it would be like if you were in the same situation. I couldn't imagine what it would be like and I just hope that everyone effeted by it will be okay.
Shannon, Truckee CA (Sent Sep 27, 2005 2:34:00 PM)
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