Written by Gary Griffin
Hurricane Katrina, a category three hurricane, hit the Gulf Coast the morning of Aug. 29, 2005. About 1,800 people lost their lives during this natural disaster that occurred more than five years ago. As the fifth year anniversary came and went, the world remembered that day and the people who lost their lives. New Orleans, La., received the most damage during Katrina. Nearly every levee system in New Orleans was breached, which in turn flooded 80 percent of the city. New Orleans was in ruins and those unaffected by Katrina could only sit and watch the storm tear through New Orleans, damaging everything in its path. The United States Coast Guard, the Red Cross and other organizations came to assist New Orleans and other cities that were affected by this catastrophe. Many people left their homes and all their possessions before Katrina hit, but those unable to do so lost their homes, family members and possibly their own lives. Harding student Stephen Goodale, who was born and raised in New Orleans, was a high school senior when Katrina hit. “When I returned two months after the disaster, the city was under martial law,” Goodale said. “The image of the markings on all the houses showing how many people were dead or alive inside was an image that I will never forget.”The curfew there was at 8 p.m. and if you were caught out past that time you were arrested on site.” Goodale, along with his family and other members of the DeGaulle Church of Christ, assisted in relief efforts by delivering appliances to people in need. The military had to provide them with security due to the string of robberies after Katrina hit. There are multiple stories told of churches, people and organizations offering their assistance to the residents of New Orleans; some like Grace Church in New York City made a 10-year commitment to help rebuild New Orleans, as reported by CNN.com.Katrina affected many lives, both directly and indirectly. The day Katrina hit will always be a day for those affected to take a minute to remember all the people who lost their lives and the stories of heroism that took place during and after Hurricane Katrina.
