By Whitney Osburn / Special to The Star
The Meridian Star
MERIDIAN —
On August 25th, 2005, all eyes were glued to the television to watch one of the most horrific storms to ever hit the southern gulf coast. With panic and fear in play, lives were about to change for thousands of people in the coming days.
When the storm hit land on August 29th, everything that was familiar and everything that was held so precious and dear was taken away in a matter of a few hours.
Lives were disrupted, displaced and thrown about. Buildings, landmarks and historical homes that can never be replaced were ripped to shreds. The people that survived were left confused along with hurt and anguish that spread from New Orleans to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Nothing would ever be the same.
I had a chance to visit Mississippi’s coast not long after the storm had hit. To stand where a house once belonged, to look down the road and see where shops, galleries and restaurants used to be was an emotional experience. To see wooden signs of where a house used to stand and have it read, “We will be back,” along with the address made it more surreal than seeing it on the news or reading about it in the paper.
Many towns and cities throughout the southern states also suffered the havoc and the despair that Katrina brought with her. But going a few days without electricity in the dead heat of the summer doesn’t compare to losing a home, a loved one and the heartache that would come from one of the most powerful and destructive storms that made history.
On this fifth anniversary since the storm had made landfall, lives are getting back together little by little. Business is starting to boom again and people are determined to have their towns back and prove that they will not falter but stand and face adversity with dignity and pride.
