My Two Katrinas

By Ms. Sarah Louise Smith

This book is about two devastating events that happened in my life in 2005. The first one was the loss of my youngest son. He left this life in a trucking accident. Most of his twenty-four years, he wanted to be a tractor trailer driver. Driving the big rig was all he wanted to do since he could walk and talk. The second one is about the home we lost two months after the passing of Anthony. Hurricane Katrina came through the Gulf Coast and destroyed our home and everything we owned. We experienced life on the street for the next week. It is an ordeal that I never want to experience again. When I left New Orleans the only thing I had left was my purse and the clothes on my back. We lost everything. I have recovered from most of the material things I lost. I was able to purchase them again. I have accepted the fact that God doesn't make mistakes and he knows what's best, but I have not totally recovered from the loss of my son. There are days that I'm totally fine. Then there are days that I feel the pain of the loss. My good days do outweigh my sad days, so I don't complain. It is God who has blessed me and brought me through and I'm grateful.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098013776

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My Two Katrinas

Ms. Sarah Louise Smith

Copyright © 2019 by Ms. Sarah Louise Smith

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Before Katrina—Day Two

Before Katrina—Day One

The Day of Hurricane Katrina

They Day After Hurricane Katrina

Day 2—After Hurricane Katrina

Day 3—After Hurricane Katrina

Day 4—After Hurricane Katrina

Day 5—After Hurricane Katrina

Day 6—After Hurricane Katrina

Moved to Glendale, Arizona

Acknowledgments

To those who have passed on before us who were a blessing in my life but will never get to read this book.

Tonia Bridges, Anthony Jacobs, Christopher Jacobs Jr., Pastor Walsdorf Harold Jenneford Jr., Pastor Walsdorf Harold Jenneford Sr., Mother Augustine Marshall, Linda Matthews, Byron Keith McGowan, Mae Etta McGowan, Vernon Earl McGowan, Bruce Richardson, Willie Lee Bolden Smith, and Mary Agnes Stroder.

Churches and members:

Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Berean Baptist Church,

Greater Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Greater New Home Missionary Baptist Church, South Mountain Baptist Church.

Clergy:

My good friend and brother, Pastor Adam Lee, who has been there for me in New Orleans and even after the move. I’ve had to call on him and he never ceases to answer. Thanks, Adam.

To my pastor in Virginia, Pastor James Murphy Sr. He welcomed me to the church, offered to adopt me for the first year, and inspired the name of this book you are now reading, My Two Katrinas.

To Rev. Mallory Porche who has been a blessing to me since I have been in Arizona.

My present pastor, Pastor Isaac Pitre Sr. Through the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, it has helped to deliver me from those demons I carried with me from New Orleans to Arizona. He has truly been a blessing in my life.

Last but certainly not least, Evangelist Audrey Whittington, who really gave me encouragement on the day of Anthony’s death.

Personal Acknowledgements

Lisa Duroncelet-Adair. Emanuel Andrews, III, who gave me a much needed laugh at the cemetery. Mary Lynn Bosewell, my school bus trainer, Brenda Bowman, Carl Boyd. Glenda Simmons-Breaux, who went into action and worked without being asked. John Breaux, Malloree Coleman, who stayed up all night working on the program for Anthony’s funeral. Walte r Conley, Lucille Crippen, Barry Cryer, Sr., Correnthia Lewis-Cryer, who helped us to get our start in Glendale, Arizona where we are currently living. Annette Denny, who was a FEMA volunteer that became a good friend. Michael Dumas, Sr. and Michelle Dumas, who offered to take me along with them as they were leaving New Orleans. Catrena Lewis-Hale, who gave us a fresh start in Woodbridge, Virginia after the hurricane. Chattie Leon Hale, Georgia Hale, Chad Leon Hernandez, Yolan da Hayes, Michelle Hood, my Arizona blessing. Christopher Jacobs, Sr. Joshua Jacobs, Lisa Jones-Jacobs, Patricia James, Gideon Jebessa, Coronella Jenneford, who opened her home to me when I moved to Arizona. Helen Jenneford, Rita Hernandez-Jonhson, who took care of me on and off the job. Kimbe rly Jundt, Jimmie Lewis, Big Jimmie Lewis, Sherlin Lewis, who sent me an autograph copy of her books and gave me the information on how to get started. Walter Lewis, Jr. Joseph Martin, a good friend of Anthony’s who also served as a pallbearer. Verlata McClain and Walter McClain, who helped us to move furniture in our new apartment and set it up. Bertha McCoy, Joanna Hale-McGill. Belinda Morgan, Ja’Mel Morgan, Jerome Morgan. Dr. Ronnie Pitre, my encourager. Debron (Fat) Rhodes, the one who got us out of the water and on dry ground. Thank God for sending him. Mrs. Eliza Rivers, my boss, who went above and beyond the call of duty. Lynette Rivers, Anthony Robinson, Jr. My PUSD coworker, Kristen Shannon who treated me like a celebrity and thought everyone else should do the same. Sylvia Shaw, Acquanetta Sims, Pamela Marie Smith, Christopher Lynn Thomas, Inez Thomas, Francis E. Wallace, Sophronia Washington, Albert Woods and Geraldine Woods, who opened their home to (perfect strangers), a mother and her two sons, and allowed them to stay until they left Virginia..

To the Coastal College instructors who trained Anthony and gave him the tools he needed to begin his dream job.

To the LLM Transportation Service out of Jackson, Mississippi, who gave Anthony the opportunity to fulfill his dream. They also shipped the body home at no cost to me and even provided a donation to help cover funeral cost. You were much appreciated.

To the young lady from Tharp Funeral Home who worked untiringly with us in making funeral arrangements.

To all of the unnamed persons who were a blessing to me without even knowing me.

To the young men who went around in their own boat, rescuing people (including us), and getting them out of the water and to safety. They brought us to the roof at Edison Elementary School.

The instructor who came from Coastal College and spoke at Anthony’s funeral. Your words blessed my soul.

The young lady in line at the Astrodome in San Antonio, Texas, who allowed me to use her cell phone to call my daughter and set me on the path to Virginia.

The couple who shared a cab with me so I could get to the airport because I didn’t have enough funds to get there on my own.

To the two young ladies who hugged me at the airport in Texas as I went through security and treated me like family, plus giving me money to buy food.

To the Southwest counter attendant who gave me my boarding pass and a brand-new Southwest t-shirt which I have until this day. He also gave me paperwork to give to my daughter to receive a discount on the ticket she purchased for me.

Thank you all so much for being there and allowing God to use you in his service. Praying God’s greatest blessing upon you all.

My Two Katrinas

This book is not just about me. It’s all about him, Almighty God; the God who brought me and kept me through all of my Katrina experiences.

Thank You, God.

This book is dedicated to all of the Katrina survivors and all of the people who helped us to survive.

This book was inspired by my daughter, Mrs. Correnthia Ann Lewis-Cryer. She constantly over and over encouraged me by saying, Mama, you need to write your story.

The title was inspired by my former pastor, James Murphy, Sr. of The Greater Little Zion Baptist Church in Fairfax, Virginia. He told the congregation the Sunday I joined church, This lady has been through two Katrinas.

This Book is in Memory Of

My son,

Anthony Jacobs,

Who died in a trucking accident two months before Hurricane Katrina.

My grandson,

Christopher Jacobs Jr.,

Who died in one of those Hurricane Katrina-infested swimming pools while visiting New Orleans.

My mother,

Willie Lee Bolden Smith,

Who lived out the rest of her life in peace and harmony in Glendale, Arizona.

Katrina—I defined Katrina as one of the greatest devastations in my life. It was one of those experiences in my life that took something from me that can never be replaced, physically as well as spiritually. It left a void in my heart.

This was actually my second Katrina. I chose to write about it first. My first Katrina happened on June 15, 2005. I chose to write about it last.

Saturday, August 27, 2005

Before Katrina—Day Two

Although I can start further ahead than the 27th, I decided to start here. This was the beginning of my preparation for Katrina, or maybe I should say my non-preparation. It was the beginning of my warnings from God, anyway.

This started off to be a normal Saturday morning. I’m off from work. Hallelujah. My pastor, W.H. Jenkins, Sr., is celebrating his thirtieth year of pastoral appreciation at this time. We had a wonderful banquet last night. I kind of slept in since I got home so late last night. So my day started about 9:00 a.m. which is really late for me.

My first stop was to go to the church and get it cleaned up a little so it would be presentable for Sunday morning worship service. My traveling buddies (two little girls who had stayed all night with me) completed our mission at the church. I brought the youngest one home (at her request), but I couldn’t shake the other one. I couldn’t get her out of my heart, either. They reminded me of the biblical account of Naomi, Ruth, and Oprah. She just refused to leave (Ruth 1:1–22).

Since I had a full day, I went to one of my favorite places, Walmart, to have some pictures copied. I was in the process of making a memorial booklet of my son Antionio. After being in the store for about a half an hour, they announced that the store would be closing in a half hour. I couldn’t understand why the store was closing so early. It was early in the afternoon, and they usually close very late, if at all. This was my second warning.

My first warning was the day before at work when my coworkers were discussing where they would be going for the storm.

I proceeded on to the camera counter. I did plenty of business there so they all knew me. To my surprise, the camera counter was already closed. They were wrapping up the machines with cellophane paper. I guessed I