Thursday, Ocober 27, 200SiPage 15
ride out storm and watch destruction unfold
sun rises on the Gulf.
M
that Janet Freeman took during Hurricane Katrina. The Freemans attempt-
ed to ride out the storm in their home but were forced to seek higher ground at Janet's sister house next door.
H ianp.t Freeman welcomed volunteers from Elon with open arms on a Sunday afternoon as they arrived to
It’s what’s on the inside that counts. Donme an
help clean up. . at each other in question. The yard was clear of sticks and debris. It appeared to be in significantly better
As the students approached the house y
shape than the rest of the town. So wtiy cuu jjoygg jt ^as then that students realized their purpose for helping this family. Nothing
The Freemans didn’t hesitate to invite e ^ standing. The drywall had been tom out by Donnie Freeman, and what was left is probably sitting in the
remained on the inside. Only the you can see all the way to the opposite comer of the house where the Freemans had their living room
Gulf. Standing in the comer of the master be^ . f„,and from the Gulf of Mexico and is 23 feet above sea level. The last thing they expected was for a tidal
The Freemans’ house is located a mile ma everything with it. That is why they decided to ride out Hurricane Katrina.
wave to cover the town of Bay St. Louis,^ ^ Camille and Betsy.”
“We felt safe,” Donnie Freeman saia. wc respectively. Before Katrina made landfall she was drawing comparisons to these
Camille and Besty yS with these storms and knew what to do.
natural disasters. The Freemans felt well ,
“We knew how to prepare,” Donnie decided to move his family when a large tree fell in the front yard.
The winds began to pick up in the aftemoM ^ storigs^ ja„et Freeman said.
“w^ u/ont over to my sister’s house because u y „ext door. From the Rutherford residence the two families watched the water come in and
Janet’s sister Geraldine Rutherford, . jhe Freemans said the water level rose and receded in less than 30 minutes.
iw e,.ry.hlng a^und said. -Wa.=, is wha. „.d. Katri™ d=s™.ive.”
^‘Camille was a windstomi with 160 home and took eveiydiing except a white, wooden baby cnk
The water line reached 52 i"=l^^nSnf«nure in Bay St. lx,uis. He’s lived there for 54 years, as has Janet. Thei
As the water rose, Donnie thought __ *^t run now.
! previous
no.
. Their house on Ninth Street has been
As S*Ld thfy don’t intend p^nie said. “But now we will try to revive family heirlooms.”
“I ri watching 32 years of hard work go do^ j^ssissippi- In 1969, when Hurricane Camille ravished the area, the company released a slogan saying
Donnie Freeman is affiliated '-f 3^ ^as modified the slogan to “Together we rebuild.”
“Together we build.” Now, in 200