|
You can see how close family ties are in da Parish when Ms. Brandi arrived at the St. Bernard Project office, with
her two adorable sons, Joe Joe and Brandon, and her mother. Brandi and her family have resided in St. Bernard for over one
hundred years. Brandi went to junior high at Beauregard Middle School, the current location of the new Camp Hope Volunteer
housing. She and her husband Joseph are high school sweethearts, and were blessed with two sons after being told they would
not be able to have children due to previous health problems. In the days leading up to the storm, the family evacuated to Georgia where they ended up living with twenty-five
people in a three- bedroom house before eventually moving a FEMA trailer. Brandi had a harrowing experience during the peak
of the storm, while on the phone with her brother, who had remained in the parish. In the middle of the conversation, her
brother started yelling about the levees breaking and having to go. Brandi did not hear any word from him for six days. Thankfully,
all turned out well, and he is safe and sound. The majority of Brandi’s family has moved back to St. Bernard where they all have purchased gutted homes within
a few miles of one another. The hardest part for this family is getting back home and being able to provide their children
with stability and normalcy. They believe that change is good as long as it’s for the better, and are thankful for the
people that selflessly give themselves to restoring a community. Although their church, St. Louise, was destroyed, their faith
is not gone.
By Ashley Steitz
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Week of June 2-6
Week of May 26-30
Week of May 26th-30th
|
|
|
|
|
|
