Bravery in the Storm
Shannon King, Charity Director
Hurricane Harvey was by far the worst storm to ever hit the United States with a record breaking 19 TRILLION gallons of water falling over Texas and Louisiana. While thousands of people were seeking shelter, many of us watched horrified from our dry living rooms. Although devastation was all around there are always those who stay behind or take it upon themselves to travel to be of service to others. Like Mr. Rogers once said, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
These are some of the hurricane heroes.
- Doctor Stephen Kimmel canoed through the flood waters to the hospital to perform an emergency surgery on a teenager.
- Neighbors banded together to help a woman in labor receive assistance from Houston Fire Department emergency workers. Residents in her complex made a human chain to help the expectant woman and her husband get into a rescue truck.
- William Beasley, his wife, and his friends traveled around Houston rescuing over 20 dogs.
- Volunteers helped to pull a rescue boat in from sweeping currents in floodwaters during the aftermath of the storm.
- A man rescued his elderly neighbor, taking her to safety in his kayak.
- David Lohr, a HuffPost reporter, lent his boat to firefighters for a rescue, while reporters from KTRK assisted citizens trapped on their roof.
- Ed Lavandera, a CNN reporter, stopped to assist an elderly man into a boat in waist-high waters.
- Local businessman, Jim McIngvale, opened his mattress store to flood victims providing shelter to hundreds of men, women, children, and pets.
- Gallery Furniture also opened its doors to shelter flood victims.
- Chance Ward and his son went out in floodwaters on horseback to save trapped livestock.
These are only a handful of stories of locals coming together to help one another in their time of need. Hundreds of people from outside of the state also decided to pack up and help. Many came with trucks, boats, and rafts to assist with rescues. Nurses stepped in to volunteer at shelters. Others came together to sing to lift the spirits of people in the storm shelters.
Beyond the everyday local heroes there were thousands of volunteer responders including the American Red Cross, Cajun Navy, National Guard, Police, SWAT, Fire Department, EMS, Coast Guard, Cajun Coast Search and Rescue, ASPCA, Boarder Patrol, hundreds of other volunteer rescue workers as well as many others.
At a time in our Nation’s history where it looks to the world that we are more divided than ever, we also show in the next instant, that we have one heart. America is an amazing country. Although we have our differences we have an amazing bond. In time of need we can drop all arguments and differences to care for one another. Most people didn’t even need to think about it. They acted. They acted selflessly, responding to the call within their hearts.
