SLIDELL, Louisiana (CNN) -- For many of the survivors of Hurricane Katrina, little is left but heartbreak and hardship.
In Biloxi, Mississippi, Harvey Jackson told CNN affiliate WKRG-TV that he believed his wife was killed after she was torn from his grasp when their home split in half.
"She told me, 'You can't hold me,' ... take care of the kids and the grandkids," he said, sobbing. (Watch video of the man describing the loss of his wife -- 1:07)
"Actualizing" wrote in yesterdays comments,
It is a natural reaction for those experiencing a traumatic event (or of those who identify with parts of the trauma) to begin looking for reasons for such suffering. It is a very normal process to begin looking for places to point the finger. People feel helpless and hopeless and want answers. Lives have been lost, homes destroyed and families torn apart.
My wish for all those affected by Katrina is that they take the time they need to grieve, process and rebuild. I hope they are able to draw on their personal strengths to help them get through this and eventually provide healthy atmospheres for their children and less fortunate peoples to learn, grow and become strong.
The majority of American's attitudes are that these are husbands, fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, sisters, and brothers who have experienced horrific loss. Most Americans saw Harvey Jackson as a husband and a father who lost the love of his life.
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About Me
- David Michael
- Katy, Texas, United States
- Being a husband and a father is the greatest blessing in my life. I am also a Special Educator to students with an autism spectrum disorder.
2 comments:
David,
yours posts have been great, sorry I've not commented. I think you are right that most people see these people as husbands....
The thing that I am seeing is a lot of people saying, "Well the big crunch will be over soon and then these folks will get tons of money to rebuild". MOST people will get some money from FEMA to buy some supplies. MOST have insurance but it does not cover water damage. Flood insurance is through the National Flood Insurance Program. MOST people don't have it, even on the coast. They have Hurricane insurance which almost allways excludes water damage, It is wind insurance. So Those folks who have a house standing, and there are lots of them, they have wet floors and walls and furniture.. Their best bet is a low interest loan from FEMA.
Sorry, to go off there. Just feeling frustrated that people think they are not really people in need.
"Sorry, to go off there. Just feeling frustrated that people think they are not really people in need."
I'm glad you commented on this, tcs. Ironically, I actually wonder if those who have worked hard to create a home for themselves and their families may have - in some ways - been hit the hardest.
If one has no home, no family and not many material possessions, it's conceivable that their losses may not be as great. Additionally, if one is living under such extreme conditions already, it's also conceivable that they may have experienced trauma before and therefore may already be familiar with its ugly process. At least, that has been my personal experience. Previous trauma experience helped me understand what was going on and therefore allowed me to function more efficiently the next time round.
HOWEVER, after having said that, I do NOT think it makes any sense to try to compare who is suffering the most. It's inarguably accurate to say that thousands and thousands of people (and pets) from all walks of life have been severely impacted by Katrina.
At the time that I wrote my previous comment, I was actually thinking about some coverage I'd heard about perpetrators taking advantage of women and children in the Super Dome. I found it extremely disturbing to hear that some people were being further traumatized when they were most vulnerable.
My wish for all those affected is that they draw on their personal strengths so that they can make it through this tragedy and help themselves as well as their wives, husbands, children, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters. Regardless of where they live, what race they are and how much money they make.
My thoughts are with all of them.
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