Monday morning, the storm  hit hard. Shutters and shingles were blowing off of houses, trees were down everywhere along with power lines. Fortunately, we had a generator from one of the neighbors that allowed us to see some of the devastation on TV. Later that day when we ran out of gas, we resorted to listening to a portable radio. In an effort to get more gas for the generator, we innocently "borrowed" from neighbors gas cans that sat in their backyards. My friends cooked for us on a portable stove and we had candles for the evening time.

By this time, most of the city had evacuated. We were some of the few that stayed behind. Miraculously, one of the neighbors was a fireman and offered to bring us necessities from Walmart which was only allowing city workers in. He brought us 5 packs of diapers for my son.

We heard that the power would be out for approximately 3 months and the officials still urged those who stayed behind to leave. My girlfriend decided to leave her two miniature dogs behind, as many did. A neighbor who refused to leave promised to come everyday and feed the dogs with the little food we had for them. So, as the heat became more intense, making it more unbearable, food and water also becoming scarce, we left in a minivan with half a tank of gas, taking the back way out of New Orleans. Our destination was El Paso, Texas, where my friend had family.

Since the power outage, there was virtually no means of communication with anyone. Cell phones didn’t work and landlines were out. I learned later by text messaging that co-workers and friends were O.K. Now what? They expected the city to be out of commission for some time. Where would we go? I had spent the past 25 years of my life in New Orleans; the last 20 working for a local bank. I was a retail Trainer and absolutely loved my job. No one knew how to advise.

We connected with the Convention Center in El Paso where many folks had been transported by bus for assistance and shelter. We registered with the Red Cross  so family and friends would know we were alright. They also assisted us with getting copies of birth certificates and social security cards.

For the next 3 weeks I agonized and contemplated our next move. I had been thinking about my son’s future. My job was really the only thing holding me back from leaving the city, even prior to the storm. My boss encouraged me to come back to work, but I learned that my son’s daycare was destroyed, the part of the city where we resided was not yet open, and the news told us that the bacteria count was unsafe.

My brother invited us to start a new life in Minnesota. I thought about it for a couple days and then scheduled a flight to Minneapolis. En route to Minnesota via Houston, we hit storm Rita head on. Our flight was cancelled. Fortunately, 12 hours later, we were able to get on the only flight out. I was so grateful to arrive safely after such an unpredictable day. My brother and sister-in-law were most accommodating for the next 2 months.

I immediately went to the state assistance center to get help with job placement and living arrangements. After working with Sabathani Community Center, they connected me with a wonderful family and neighborhood in Stillwater where we've settled. They also helped to compose a resume and gave me some connections for a new job. It was through a wonderful neighbor in Stillwater that I was referred to Wells Fargo. I was hired February 27th in the Trust Operations Dept. in downtown Minneapolis.

I was fortunate to be able to get back to New Orleans in November. It was then that I would put closure on the past 25 years of my life. I was one of the 20% who still had belongings that were intact. The city was like a ghost town. 80% of the city was destroyed. What tragedy! Life as we knew it in New Orleans would never be the same. There are still so many people I wonder about. Phone numbers are disconnected. We can only wonder.

For those who chose to go back to New Orleans, they are still unable to live in their homes as usual. They are dealing with insurance companies, builders, and other workers  in an effort to return to normalcy.

I am lucky to have been able to relocate and start a new life. I’ll miss the Big Easy, but look forward to a new and better way for us here. Minnesota has been good to us. And now, we want to give back to the community for all the good that I am so grateful for.