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Where in New Orleans did you live before Katrina?
I lived in Uptown New Orleans on South Robertson Street.
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What happened to your home?
My home was damaged by the breaking of the levees.
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How did you end up moving to Denver?
It was by chance that I ended up moving to Colorado. I actually left New Orleans on the 26th of August in order to move to Salt Lake City. I had gotten a trucking job in Salt Lake, and I had to go there in order to receive my training. I ended up getting to Salt Lake on the 29th and of course that is when the hurricane hit. I just could not concentrate after the hurricane hit. I needed to be with my family in New Orleans so I left Salt Lake and got on a bus back home. By the time the bus made it to Denver, Hurricane Rita had hit. When that happened, the bus company canceled all of their bus services to the Gulf Coast and so I was stuck in Denver for a couple of days. A couple of days turned into a lot longer.
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Who did you come here with and who are you living with now?
I came to Colorado by myself and I am living by myself as well.
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Where do you live in Denver?
I actually live in downtown Aurora.
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What has been the hardest thing about relocating to Colorado?
Finding employment. When I first moved here there were a lot of people who wanted to help me with employment and financial resources. At that time I did not want to get a job because I was not really sure that I wanted to stay here. I thought that I might go back to New Orleans. After a while I ended up getting a job at a gas station. I was trying to work there as much as possible but towards the end I was not getting enough hours. In the past couple of weeks I have been offered several driving jobs but I have not been able to take them because I do not have a Colorado drivers license. In order to get a Colorado drivers license, I need to get my birth certificate, and I have had a few difficulties getting that too. So right now, I have to wait to get that before I can get a driving job.
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How have you coped with the financial difficulties of losing so much?
It has been difficult and I have only dealt with it by the grace of God. When I first got here I was doing fine because there were so many resources available, and I was doing okay with money. Now in the last two months things have been very difficult for me financially. I try and help other people out in any way that I can. I would like to get a job, but a job that has a decent wage. At this point though, I suppose that something beats nothing.
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What good things have happened to you in Denver?
I became reunited with my family that I had not seen in twenty years. I also really love the scenery here.
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What do you miss most about home?
Everything! I miss everything about home! I miss my family, kids, grandkids, friends, neighbors. I miss everything about the life I had there.
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What gives you hope about the future?
God.
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What did you feel at the one-year anniversary of Katrina?
I don’t think about it.
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What three things do you need most right now?
1. Medical Attention
2. Employment
3. A Round-Trip Ticket Back Home
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If you could give advice to other evacuees in Colorado, what would it be?
I would tell them to be patient. People from New Orleans need to have patience when dealing with people from FEMA. Many people from FEMA are really negative but you have to have patience when you talk to them. People need to remember that nothing happens over night.
________________________________________________ If you are a Katrina survivor who moved to Colorado in the aftermath of the storm, and you would like to be featured on this site, please contact us. Many people are interested in learning about your story, and we would love to hear from you.