Day 7: Oral Histories, Thursday 5/31
Today was easily the most moving day of the trip. Yesterday was powerful in seeing the total destruction, but today was so incredibly compelling in that I got to have extensive conversations with two people affected by the hurricane. Even though I would love to share all of their stories with everyone so that they could have the same experience I did, out of respect for their privacy, I’m just going to talk about the things they said that had the greatest impact on me.
The first person we talked to made one comment that really moved me. She said, “FEMA and insurance don’t make you whole.” While there are levels on which I knew this to be the case, to hear the words come out of her mouth made me stop and think. In response to the news reports about the aid to victims, so much attention is paid to the type of aid that these people are receiving that we forget that the repercussions run so much deeper. The emotional havoc the destruction was wreaked on these people absolutely breaks my heart. I’m not sure what we can do to help with that, other than to offer expressions of love and support in their efforts to rebuild.
Our second interview was equally moving. The man we interviewed spent the first few minutes speaking at length about his love for the community before the storm and what a wonderful place it was to live. It brought tears to my eyes to hear him talk about his home with such love. What was also striking was the generosity that this man continued to exhibit, despite the fact that he and his wife lost everything they had. I don’t know how anyone could continue to have such a gracious and giving attitude. He told us a story about doing repair work that really touched me. His brother and a friend from college had come down to help them clean out their house and get it ready for repairs. Because of all the debris in the yard, they couldn’t see out into the street. He turned to his family and friend and said, “How are we ever going to get all of this done?” No sooner where the words out of his mouth than he heard a voice outside asking if anyone needed any help. He gave the indication that having groups come in and help was what allowed the city to achieve as much as it has in two and a half years. More than anything else, I just wanted to make it all right again for him and his wife. While I know that I can’t realistically do this, I like to think that giving him an opportunity to talk about his experience had a cathartic effect.